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[kyle99]

After installing an X10 30 piece wireless security system several months ago, and having good results with it, I decided to add a wireless security camera system for additional security.  It has not arrived yet as I just ordered it  yesterday, but I already have some questions about it that perhaps some members that already have a camera system installed may have answers for.....My setup will have the VCR automatic record feature included...The way I am understanding it, once a motion detector detects movement, it will trigger the camera that it is matched to....A signal will then be sent to the VCR commander to turn on the VCR and it will record for a period of 5 minutes, or longer if movement is still detected....My question on this is...If someone moves from one camera location to another , therefore triggering motion on multiple cameras, will the cameras automatically switch from one to another to 'follow' a trespasser or intruder?  For example, if one camera catches someone sneaking around in the front yard and then the trespasser moves to the backyard where another camera is aimed, will the cameras switch to follow the movements of the person and be caught on videotape with this camera switch?  Or will the view be locked onto the first camera until 5 minutes have passed while the intruder continues moving around....and conceivably breaks in without being seen or recorded on another camera?......My second concern would be with the included Vanguard software, which I am wondering if the system will operate properly without it....I have concerns that if spyware infects my computer, that someone would be able to view my cameras and therefore see whatever is sent to my computer regarding camera views of my property and inside of my home wherever I decide to mount the cameras.....Would it be possible for a hacker to do this?  If so, I would simply not use the vanguard software and only utilize the TV and VCR to document what the cameras are seeing.

[kyle99]

Started setting up the system...I have 5 cameras set up so far....My package was supposed to have included 1 Ninja camera mount for panning on one of the six cameras, but they substituted the audio-video receiver instead, so I can get sound and video out of each camera....I hooked it up to the VCR and TV and pictures and sound come in loud and clear for each camera....the remote functions properly as I can switch between camera views without a problem....My biggest hurdle coming up is to hook up my motion detectors and somehow marry each motion detector to each camera....The motion detector instructions are a bit bewildering as one has to press a combination of the two buttons (house-on or unit off buttons) and then watch for appropriate blinks of the LED to set the house code, unit code, and length of time before the off command is given.....In addition to this, the VCR commander set up requires each motion detector to be programmed one at a time to communicate with the commander....The instructions are a bit confusing as I don't know if I need to program the motion detector to the house code and camera code first, or after I set it to the Commander....On top of all this, the batteries have to be removed in order to run the screws through to mount the sensor into its proper location after setting it up to the VCR commander....so I'm wondering if removing the batteries will clear the memory on the motion sensor or not? I'm having enough trouble trying to set the codes on the motion sensors, as the LED is supposed to blink to confirm what I am inputting and the number of blinks are not matching what I am inputting....

[kyle99]

Making some progress....Figured out how to set my first Motion detector to 'A-5'.....I then went outside and placed the motion detector next to my 5th camera, allowed it to settle...and then moved past it and saw the red LED flash......If this is working properly, will it automatically change the camera view on my TV screen to camera 5?  Before doing this test, I set the TV for Camera 1 view and then came back indoors after testing the motion detector expecting to see the screenview automatically changed from Camera 1 view to Camera 5 but TV screen is still showing the camera 1 view.....so the motion detector is either not set properly yet...or am I expecting something to happen that the system is not designed to do? ....I subsequently brought the A-5 motion detector inside and did find that it was set properly to Camera A-5....The Camera would shut off after a short period of time and then I'd wave my hand in front of the detector and would see the camera come back on via the TV screen....All my other cameras which have not been set up with motion detectors yet are apparently running 24 hours a day unless I unplug them....The TV screen is not switching to the camera view automatically when motion activated...I have to manually change the camera view with the remote and will then see the camera go off and on as long as I have it set to that specific camera.....I haven't hooked up the VCR commander yet, but do understand with it that motion on a specific camera will tell the VCR to start recording action seen on the camera seeing motion....The instructions are not clear as to whether the commander will turn the vcr on and off, or if the VCR has to be left on all the time only to start recording and stop recording when commanded....which would mean the difference between leaving the VCR on 24 hours a day poised to record or not.... Guess I'll have to keep fiddling and testing and find out through trial and error....I'm making forward progress anyway...

[kyle99]

Latest snag is programming the VCR commander...I got my first motion detector synched to the commander, and am now attempting the programming between my VCR and the commander where I have to program the record and stop commands with my remote.  The VCR commander is apparently not recognizing my VCR remote's commands.  After pressing the record button on the commander and then pressing record on my remote, the commander light is supposed to go out and then come on solid, signaling that record has been programmed in. and then the same process to set the stop command. I press the record button, the commander waits, then beeps a few times and light goes out, meaning it hasn't received the command from the VCR remote.  I've repeated the process six times with the same result, ....Complicating matters is the fact that my VCR is a dual deck VCR, meaning it is in essence two VCR's in one with two tape decks and independent controls for each deck... so perhaps the commander does not have the capability to recognize a dualdeck VCR signal, and in addition, I don't know if I have to program both decks, or else select one of the decks that I want to use for camera recording and then program it from there....At the moment, it appears that the commander does not recognize my VCR's signal.

[Charles Sullivan]

Latest snag is programming the VCR commander...I got my first motion detector synched to the commander, and am now attempting the programming between my VCR and the commander where I have to program the record and stop commands with my remote.  The VCR commander is apparently not recognizing my VCR remote's commands.  After pressing the record button on the commander and then pressing record on my remote, the commander light is supposed to go out and then come on solid, signaling that record has been programmed in. and then the same process to set the stop command. I press the record button, the commander waits, then beeps a few times and light goes out, meaning it hasn't received the command from the VCR remote.  I've repeated the process six times with the same result, ....Complicating matters is the fact that my VCR is a dual deck VCR, meaning it is in essence two VCR's in one with two tape decks and independent controls for each deck... so perhaps the commander does not have the capability to recognize a dualdeck VCR signal, and in addition, I don't know if I have to program both decks, or else select one of the decks that I want to use for camera recording and then program it from there....At the moment, it appears that the commander does not recognize my VCR's signal.

When programming the VCR Commander, it's important to do it in a dimly illuminated room and make sure the Commander lens is not pointed towards a window or other source of IR.

[kyle99]

Latest snag is programming the VCR commander...I got my first motion detector synched to the commander, and am now attempting the programming between my VCR and the commander where I have to program the record and stop commands with my remote.  The VCR commander is apparently not recognizing my VCR remote's commands.  After pressing the record button on the commander and then pressing record on my remote, the commander light is supposed to go out and then come on solid, signaling that record has been programmed in. and then the same process to set the stop command. I press the record button, the commander waits, then beeps a few times and light goes out, meaning it hasn't received the command from the VCR remote.  I've repeated the process six times with the same result, ....Complicating matters is the fact that my VCR is a dual deck VCR, meaning it is in essence two VCR's in one with two tape decks and independent controls for each deck... so perhaps the commander does not have the capability to recognize a dualdeck VCR signal, and in addition, I don't know if I have to program both decks, or else select one of the decks that I want to use for camera recording and then program it from there....At the moment, it appears that the commander does not recognize my VCR's signal.

When programming the VCR Commander, it's important to do it in a dimly illuminated room and make sure the Commander lens is not pointed towards a window or other source of IR.

I am figuring that I might need to go out and buy a new VCR or VCR/DVD player.....My VHS dualdeck is about 12 years old and is a relatively large bulky size compared to today's machines...I ended up getting the commander to accept the commands to record and stop, and then hooked up the IR cables as instructed, but the VCR is still not obeying the commands.... I've been keeping the A-5 motion detector indoors during the setup process and it behaves properly when I set it off, turning on the A-5 camera and then shutting it off after a few minutes....I noticed at one point that the VCR commander would beep loudly every time the motion detector was activated....It appears that the system will work well for my needs once I get past this VCR commander issue....I have been reading up more on the instructions......I did learn that the VCR needs to be kept 'on' in order for the commander to activate a record and stop command upon a camera motion detection...It won't turn the VCR power on and off, only will start and stop recording.....Its a bit labor intensive to have to fish through a dozen separate loose sheets of instructions, as each separate item in the setup has its own set of instructions, instead of it being combined into one instruction booklet, but apparently since X10 offers so many different combinations of security packages that use different combinations of the same equipment types, they can't create one booklet, but rather provide the instructions for each part of the package separately.  I'll update my progress after I purchase the new VCR which should happen within the next couple or few days.

[kyle99]

An update on progress (or lack thereof) with my system....I purchased a new DVD/VCR player and I was able to program the commands into the Commander.  I am getting all kinds of inconsistent operation now.  The motion detector has to be programmed for two separate functions. First to the camera, and second, to the commander.  I did so, and now camera will sometimes shut off within a minute of being motion activated.....and other times, it won't shut off at all after being motion activated.....I got the VCR commander to activate twice via the motion detector so far...but am getting inconsistent operation on that also...Sometimes it'll activate and record, most of time it won't..., On the two instances that recording started automatically, as soon as the commander started the VCR, the camera immediately shut off, as picture on TV screen would go to 'snow' on that camera only, so all that was being recorded was static and snow...If I would manually select other cameras that have not been set up with motion detectors, they come in fine.....At the moment, the motion detected camera has been running steadily for 15 minutes,  with the motion detector placed in a drawer, whereas shortly beforehand, the camera would shut off once a minute unless I would activate the detector upon which it would turn on again.....A lack of consistency of operation....The easiest part of the entire installation was the camera installation and hookup to view on TV....So far, trying to get the motion detection/video recording portion of it has been a lesson in frustration.....

[zach1234]

Install the vanguard part, trust me no one will sit and watch you house if you have a up to date security suite. The vangaurd is better then the VCR commander.