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[Sham]

Hi everybody!

I'm looking to add cameras to my new x10 collection, but have been troubled by the sub par reviews of the inexpensive cameras especially in low light conditions.

What I'd like is an outdoor camera that will have at least a passable picture in low light conditions (see where my dogs are with the one porch light on).  Colour vs b/w doesn't matter, prefer wireless, but can manage wired...

I'm looking at either the sentinal type cams vs. getting a non x10 cam and attaching it to an appliance module to control it.  Anyone had difficulties with non x10 cam setup?  I would absolutely LOVE to hook the cam up to a ninja pan & tilt, how do i know if a non x10 cam will hook up to a ninja?

Thanks in advance everyone, i really appreciate these forums!

Sham

[HA Dave]

Sham
Several of the guys here on the forum use a mixed bag of cameras.... including myself. Walmart even sells some (low priced) IR cameras that work great in low (or NO) light. I use an ASTAK IR wired camera mixed with my X10 cams. And yes... I hear most of the small cameras can be fitted to a ninja.

Heres a great read on cameras: (Click the date to read)

Video Cameras Must Read – Part 1

By Don N & KDR

[Sham]

Thanks Dave,

I guess the beauty of walmart is i can buy it and if it doesn't work/doesn't fit a ninja i can just bring it back....

Any other opinions would be great!  And I'll post my resultswhen I finally get around to buying/testing!

Sham

[Sham]

Okay, I ordered a 2 Astak Camera Package from walmart.com.  From reading other posts here, they seem to have a lot better low light performance, plus they have walmarts return policy. 

HOWEVER, I think I may have just thought of a problem...
Looking at the pics from walmart, the 2 wireless cams transmit to 1 video receiver, which will output rca into a Video to USB (VA11A).  I can hook each of the camera's power cables into appliance modules to allow active home pro to decide when to turn on what camera, but it looks like the astak video has a remote that i assume is for switching between the camera feeds! 
If I'm thinking this through correctly... active home will not be able to switch between the 2 cameras without sending an IR signal to the astak video reciever!

Am I thinking this through correctly (if a little late, since I placed my order already, TG4 return policies)? 

Is there a beast that will allow me to get active home to send out an IR signal to the astak to solve all my problems?

What if I wanted to add an x10 camera later?

Now I may be getting ahead of myself, but if i were to get 2 separate Astak cams, with 2 separate receivers instead (or wired cams), could I use the VA11A and a tv capture card to get 2 streams of video into my active home/iwitness/onguard/smartmacros/onalert/myhouseonline/shouldn't all of these plugins be included in the software anyway/xray vision/lets confuse the eager newbie/okay thats enough software?

Whew, i'm out of cyberbreath...
Thanks in advance for your time/patience!

Sham   

[HA Dave]

I am not sure about the wireless ASTAK cams. I use one wired ASTAK. However..... I think you may find that the receiver unit will "auto search" and display whichever camera is on, or "auto switch" between (up to four) cameras. It is generally done that way because most NON-X10 units have no way to alter the power source... so all cameras are left on... 24/7.

I use an appliance module on my ASTAK camera to control power, and that works fine for me.

You may also find that the ASTAK receiver will also pick-up the X10 camera video, and X10 receivers may also pick up the ASTAK video. However... audio reception may likely be a problem.

[Sham]

Thanks again dave, and here is an update!

I got the astak cameras from walmart (already!).  I can't believe 97cent shipping got me next day ups!!! 

Some of my "mays" have turned into "don'ts".  The camera's work great (although they seem to always use the IR lights, even in bright light conditions... not a deal breaker, just a suprise, makes colours look off on some things).  The reciever unfortunately will not auto search for a signal.  so far i can only get it to pick a camera, or loop between 4 cameras (strange since the kit came with 2 only).

But I have not given up yet.  I have scored an x10 wireless cam with receiver on ebay used for cheap.  i'm hoping it may pick up the astaks and get me in business!! 

My options seem to be:
 get the x10 reciever to find the astak cams
 get ahp to send out an ir to switch astak cameras... can't get my head around how to send out an IR command [i think the ir543s only receive IR
 return astaks and git some more x10 cams if i like the quality of the pic!

Thanks again for the help, will post update in case anyone else is like me,  [6 billion ppl, gotta be one as newb as me, trying to do non newb things !]   

[Sham]

afterthought maybe a vcr commander would be able to get ahp to tell my astak receiver which camera to go to???!

[JimC]

camera's work great (although they seem to always use the IR lights, even in bright light conditions

This is strange considering that in their specifications, on the Wallmart site, they list two current rattings. One with the IR on and another with the IR off.

How well do these cameras see at night?

I have scored an x10 wireless cam with receiver on ebay used for cheap.  i'm hoping it may pick up the astaks and get me in business!! 

Please keep us informed. I have been looking for a camera that works better in the dark.

Jim

[HA Dave]

How well do these cameras see at night?...........................

Please keep us informed. I have been looking for a camera that works better in the dark.

Jim

If good images at a distance... in total darkness is your goal... you may want to look at slightly higher priced IR cameras.... with 44 or 66 IR LEDs. Or with a little searching (ether at the forum here or on the Web) you can find IR illuminators ($60-$130).

Natural lighting conditions vary greatly. I live in a city, and there is enough street and house lighting here (mixed with my lawn lamps) that I don't require much additional lighting. My ASTAK works great at about 30 feet. However, some people in more remote locations, report needing more added light, or a shorter distance.

I also use several motion detecting floodlights. For city dwellers lighting is a great deterrent to crime, and it makes taping activity rather easy too. Getting that "correct mix" of total darkness viewing (which allows me to check snow fall and storm conditions), and motion activated taping with the floodlights on (so I can tape the bunny in my yard), took me a little trial and error. 

[JimC]

Dave,

Thanks for the information.
I currently use a wired X10 camera near my front door and as long as the motion activated lights on either side of the door are on it works OK.
What I am looking for is a camera for my back yard. The wired low light X10 camera I currently use is not adequate even with my dual Halogen lights on. The cameras will only view a very small area directly under the lights. I am planning on putting in a pond this summer and want to be able to see what the wild life is doing. (both four and two legged).

[Sham]

Further update!

I received my fairly well used x10 color cam today in the mail!  As expected, that thing needs a lot of light, reminds me of a cheap usb web cam I had.

I plugged in the wireless reciever... and then one of the astak cameras, and no joy, no picture.  I tried the other astak camera... Picked up the picture quite nicely!!!!  interesting..

I wish there was a switch on the astak to change between their 4 frequencies... (anyone know if there is an easy way to switch it?) 

So as it stands... I could use the astak receiver with the one astak cam (no IR switching needed), and the other astak cam with the x10 cam on the x10 receiver... That is assuming I can pump the 2 video rca cables into my usb to video cable.  I'm not certain if this would be possible using a "Y" connector??? I was also thinking of a passive switcher, but then am worried that the receivers will send static on the line when not in use...  so i don' know how that gets treated by the passive switches...

I guess a y cable with 2 more x10 appliance modules on the receivers would work, with some macros...    my wallet, and my brain are starting to hurt!

Dave (or anyone else), are your astaks low light?  Can you turn off the infrared lights?  I still haven't been able to... I have done VERY limited testing on the quality of my cams, i've just been in a 12x14 room, with NO light the pic from the astak  is greater than my expectations, and with the lights on (ceiling 3  60 W bulbs), the pic on both types of cams is sufficient, but the infrared stays on the astaks distorting most colors...I didn't see anything in the manual, but it is quite obviously translated into english and not very thorough...

Will keep updating, and thanks to anyone who posts!
Sham
P.S. let me know if i don't make sense in my long winded babbling!

   

[HA Dave]

I could use the astak receiver with the one astak cam (no IR switching needed), and the other astak cam with the x10 cam on the x10 receiver... That is assuming I can pump the 2 video rca cables into my usb to video cable.  I'm not certain if this would be possible using a "Y" connector??? I was also thinking of a passive switcher, but then am worried that the receivers will send static on the line when not in use...  so i don' know how that gets treated by the passive switches...

I guess a y cable with 2 more x10 appliance modules on the receivers would work, with some macros...    my wallet, and my brain are starting to hurt!

Dave (or anyone else), are your astaks low light?  Can you turn off the infrared lights?  I still haven't been able to... I have done VERY limited testing on the quality of my cams, i've just been in a 12x14 room, with NO light the pic from the astak  is greater than my expectations, and with the lights on (ceiling 3  60 W bulbs), the pic on both types of cams is sufficient, but the infrared stays on the astaks distorting most colors...I didn't see anything in the manual, but it is quite obviously translated into english and not very thorough...
   

I use a 4 input RCA auto-switching modulator that I got at walmart for ($25 bucks if I remember correctly) instead of Y connectors.

I am very content with my Astak...and no I don,t think the LEDs go off during the day.

[KDR]

I have 3 Astak IR cams and all 3 turn off the LEDs during the day (bright light). In daylight the color changing, reds then blues are a result of to much white light (direct sun light) and the camera trying to compensate which sometimes it can't do. I have more problems with this in winter with snow then in the summer. The camera has an electronic shutter and with to much light it can't switch fast enough. Shutter speeds from 1/50th of a second to 1/10,000 of a second.

^{----------------KDR}

[KDR]

I wish there was a switch on the astak to change between their 4 frequencies... (anyone know if there is an easy way to switch it?)

I have the Astak CM840J wireless cam and it is switchable (4 channels) What modle cam do you have Sham? The nice thing about the CM840J is it has a built in battery that will run the cam for 5 hours. Just put it anywhere and your good to go. When it runs down plug in the power supply and view while it charges.

^{----------------KDR}

[HA Dave]

NICE to read your post KDR, thanks for the info.... I found it helpful!