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[suesloan]

My wireless cameras (newly installed this past weekend) are not showing a very good picture in the Vanguard software. The "capture resolution" appears to be 720x480, which I guess is low to preserve disk space for snapshots and emails. But I would expect the direct picture in Vanguard on the computer where the cameras are hooked up would be much better. It is grainy with the monitor at 1024x768 and at all other levels I have tried.

I do see they improve in visibility with more light in the area, but the grainy picture is pretty poor relative to webcams I have on other systems. Any way to improve this?

Sue

[astrothug]

Hi Sue, I also think it is the camera too, My B/w camera is way better then the color camera that came with the Ninja and My flood cam is way better then the other two.

So it seems to depend on the camera you get from X10...

[hawk1]

Sue, have you tried different codecs?  You can go into preferences and change the codec and the quality.  Play with the settings and find one that works best for you.   

[suesloan]

Codec? Where/what is that? Sue

[hawk1]

In AHP on the top menu select Tools, then scroll down and select preferences.  There will be a tabbed menu at the top of the open window.  Tab over to General Video and make sure you select your capture resolution.  Next tab over to Video Settings.  There you will find different codecs (video compression) quality and resolution.  Play with those settings and maybe you'll get what you want.  Hope this helps.   

[suesloan]

AHP? I do not know what that is either. I have the Vanguard software. Sue

[hawk1]

So Sorry!  I knew that.  Sometimes I just get a brain cramp!      I don't have Vanguard, but i'm sure it has some kind of video settings somewhere, where you can adjust the codec and resolution.  Maybe someone else can jump in.  Again sorry for the mixup.

[suesloan]

Here are some sample not-so-high resolution pics from my 4 cameras (1,2 are B&W, 3,4 color) In the case of the color pics, they are in highly-lighted locations in a sunroom and in my office. The others are in key areas of the house in the early evening when it is still light outside.

I suppose for "surveillance purposes" these are adequate to show movement in an area, but the B&W would not show me a person's identity at that level of resolution/light.

The only resolution controls I have found are when right-clicking the picture area in the Vanguard window, and the highest setting is 720x480 (VGA is 640x480 and that is low-tech for today's cameras).

Sue

Color pics attached to next reply due to limitations here!

[suesloan]

color camera pics ... Sue

[hawk1]

It kinda looks like the cameras are not focused. Just a thought though. 

[HA Dave]

........ I don't have Vanguard, but i'm sure it has some kind of video settings somewhere, where you can adjust the codec and resolution. 

Yes... Vanguard does have settings. And I think suesloan could improve her pics/videos using the settings. But I have often recommended to new camera users to get one camera.... and play with it as a learning tool. Maybe.... getting some tips from a photographic hobbyist or searching the Internet for picture taking help... might be a good start.

Getting my 1st digital camera (over a decade ago) was a big help for me. I finally could take enough pictures... to see all the stuff I was doing wrong. Like:

• Never point a camera at a window - the light will make images in the foreground just shadows
• Cameras focus on one thing/object at a time. If you have an object in the foreground (like leaves) any other object in the background will be out of focus.
• Even nightvision cameras (or IR cameras) need light. If your taking a video and expect low light... slow the frame rate down... to improve the quality 

[suesloan]

All of the cameras show pictures that look like they are behind etched glass. They are not "blurry" but just hazy from this overlay of fuzz.

I have not messed with the focus yet -- these are new cameras I got about a week ago and are supposedly "pre-focused". They all show about the same amount of fuzziness so could they all be out of focus to the same level?

Sue

[hawk1]

They say there pre-focused, but..... I had to focus all of my cameras, all 12!  I really don't think they could pre-focus because they really don't know what or how close of an object it is going to be used for!  Answer to your question is Yes.  All of your cameras could be out of focus!