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Author Topic: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors  (Read 7701 times)

cj4

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AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« on: November 12, 2007, 04:40:11 PM »

I don't understand all of this.  I just installed 4 Sentinel cameras wireless, with the VA11A usb into my pc, and the CM15A, just setup 4 Active Eye motion sensors, set them to match the 4 cams codes (A1-A4).  I then went to "My Room" in AHP and tried to setup the motion sensors in the room with the cams and I get a message that the codes are already used by the cams???

1. Don't the motion sensors have to be setup in the room with the cams in AHP??

2. Don't they have to be set with the same codes as the cams to control those particular cams???

Ugggggg!!!! Can't imagine trying to get them to record right!!! 

I'd like to have them record through some presets when the sensor goes off.  Will I have to setup Macros to do this??

If anyone has help you can email me too coys1@swbell.net

Thanks!
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Tuicemen

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2007, 06:35:50 PM »

The answer to both your questions is NO!
Setting sensors to the same address as the cams will cause you major headaches as there are many issues!
Your best to have the sensors set to separate addresses and use macros to turn on the cams with the sensor address as the trigger!
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cj4

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2007, 08:24:29 PM »

Tuicemen,

You are a gent for replying so fast.  I'm lost in this maze of places to go on here for help.  I've worked litterally days on this.  I am trying setting my first sensor to B1 and made a macro to:

1. Trigger B1 on, then
2. Cam 1 on, and sweep presets
3. Start Video recording
4. Delay 1 minute (for testing purposes)
5. Turn Cam 1 Off
6.  Stop Video recording

Problem is, I can't get the sensor to trigger the macro (update interface and all of that)....on my macro it says "must be run from PC" and the "PC-Interface" choices are dim and not selectable.  If I click to run macro from AHP it runs, but it won't from my Active Eye Sensor.   ???   

Also will you be so kind as to maybe tell me why when playing my video back it sometimes goes in fast speed???

I'm begging for help!
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Tuicemen

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2007, 09:15:13 PM »

In order for your video to work correctly you may need to play with the codecs settings as this can affect the quality of video!
Unfortunately I don't use video only the auto stills set to the min delay between snapshots(close enough to video for me)!
You may need to go into hardware interface configuration and set your transceived house codes so your sensor addresses are seen!

Quote
....on my macro it says "must be run from PC" and the "PC-Interface" choices are dim and not selectable
that is how it should be! As it will only run from the PC you can't change the options, some macros you can state how you wish them to run!
Your macro looks ok but I'd switch 6 & 5!
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cj4

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2007, 11:10:12 PM »

Thanks so much for the reply!  I'm exhausted! The cams seem to be ok cams but this software and the rest of this $3,000 worth of stuff i'm beginning to think is junk!  Don't know whether to send it all back or not.  I just simply want my motion sensors to trigger the cams to start recording so I can catch a breakin at my lake house and this seems impossible at this point.  The software crashes most of the time etc.

I've set everything in the interface but even if I set the motion sensors back to say A5 (not any conflict with cams that are on A1-A4) they won't trigger the Macro set to trigger A5.  If the macro has to be run from the PC is ok then I guess that a play on words to me ...... I guess the sensor sends a signal to the CM15a and it talks to the pc to get the macro to go but I can't get the sensors to do that. 
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cj4

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2007, 11:12:51 PM »

P.S.  I played with the codecs settings and the changes won't stay....it just keeps going back to "Cinepak Codec by Radius"...I'm going to try stills like you......but that won't even be activated if I don't get these sensors to trigger the macros.
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cj4

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2007, 11:41:23 PM »

I just figured out why the motion sensor wasn't triggering the Macro.......i moved the sensor about 6ft from the CM15a and it started the macro.  From another old post I saw where someone stated the CM15a has a bad RF reception.  This is obviously different from the range that my cams are transmitting to the VR36a which is pretty good reception from my cams to this video receiver.  I changed to another electric outlet with the CM15a and moved the antenna a bit and trying it but it doesn't look good so far.  This will be the pits if these sensors don't transmit farther than a few feet or rather if the CM15a doesn't receive farther than that.  Strange because my cam remotes transmits a long distance.  I guess the remotes are sending to the CM15a....maybe it's the VR36a that's receiving the remote signal???
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steven r

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2007, 10:29:41 AM »

...Setting sensors to the same address as the cams will cause you major headaches as there are many issues!...
cj4: The main headache you have if you use the same address is that most (all?) of the sensors use the unit code + 1 to indicate dusk.
e.g. If you set up sensors on C1 & C2 for cameras on C1 & C2, respectively, the C1 sensor would send a "C2 ON" signal at dusk and a "C2 OFF" signal at dawn. Needless to say, this is not what what you want to happen.

PS. I'm jealous that you have 4 Sentinel Cams.  ;)
« Last Edit: November 13, 2007, 11:14:29 AM by steven r »
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Don N

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2007, 10:58:37 AM »

Thanks so much for the reply! I'm exhausted! The cams seem to be ok cams but this software and the rest of this $3,000 worth of stuff i'm beginning to think is junk! Don't know whether to send it all back or not. I just simply want my motion sensors to trigger the cams to start recording so I can catch a breakin at my lake house and this seems impossible at this point. The software crashes most of the time etc.

cj4 --- I had the same problem when I first set up my cameras.  You need to change the Codec to "Microsoft Video 1."  Once I did that ... no more cashes.

I just figured out why the motion sensor wasn't triggering the Macro.......i moved the sensor about 6ft from the CM15a and it started the macro. From another old post I saw where someone stated the CM15a has a bad RF reception. This is obviously different from the range that my cams are transmitting to the VR36a which is pretty good reception from my cams to this video receiver. I changed to another electric outlet with the CM15a and moved the antenna a bit and trying it but it doesn't look good so far. This will be the pits if these sensors don't transmit farther than a few feet or rather if the CM15a doesn't receive farther than that. Strange because my cam remotes transmits a long distance. I guess the remotes are sending to the CM15a....maybe it's the VR36a that's receiving the remote signal???

I also had this same distance problem.  My motion sensors are outside and about 30 feet away from the CM15A.  Plus, the motion sensor had to transmit through several walls.  I solved this problem by locating a RR501 Transceiver close to the motion sensor.  You can find other ways to solve the CM15A distance problem if you do some searching on this forum.  But the two things I've told you here solved my problems.  My setup works very reliably.  Hope this helps. 
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cj4

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2007, 08:28:27 PM »

Steven R,

Thanks very much for replying!  I just tried the Microsoft Video 1 codec and so far it held that setting.  Last night I could change the codec to something different and it wouldn't hold the change......that's weird!  I'll try this though and let you know back in a day or so of messin with it.

I read that about the code + 1 and sending dusk and dawn signals but if it's true the instructions say you can set them where it doesn't send those codes.  Here's what it says to do....

To set the Active Eye to detect motion at ALL TIMES and does NOT turn Unit Code +1 ON at dusk and OFF at dawn.......Press the Unit/Off button once. The red light flashes. Then, within 6 seconds press and HOLD the House/On button.  The green light turns on. 3 seconds later the Active Eye reports it's dusk/dawn settings....then Release and immediately press the House/On button for the number of times you want to set it for (in this case once), then Hold that button down after you hit it once for 3 seconds, the red light will then report back to you one blink. 

There are 4 different settings for this, if you want them I will send it back to you but you can find this on the manuel instructions for the Active Eye MS16A & 15A.

As far as jealous of my 4 Sentinel cams, wellllllll......if this stuff don't start working better you can own them cheap......hahahaha

Thanks again
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cj4

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Re: AHP - Sentinel Cams - Active Eye Sensors
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2007, 08:40:10 PM »

Don N,

Thanks to you too very much for replying.  I get all excited when you guys tell me something....anything at all helps alot.  Sorry I gave the credit to Steven for the codec tip.....lol

I'm going to have to do the same or something similar with the distance problem with my sensors.  To top it off, I'm in a metal building and it don't like that at all.  I'm surprised my cams are transmitting to the VR36A receiver as good as they are.  I thought I would have to hard wire these things so they also sold me a Quad Processor which I don't need now I guess.  That thing wasn't cheap either.  I didn't like the quad because when I access these cams online thru the internet you can't change some of the views on the quad without physically pushing the buttons on it.  Unless I didn't know what i was doing.  Also the quad condensed all the cams from a full view to a 1/4 view.   Not good! 

They also sold me a VK82A "Audio/Video" sender & receiver to send the signal to one of my TV's but I don't need this thing......wonder if that would work???  I doubt it because you have to plug a Video In to the transmitter.  Can't do that from the Active Eye.  I will ck out that RR501.

Thanks Again,

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