Cuddeback's Cuddelink

[SoInHunter]

Just wanted to post a follow up to the issue I had with a J series cam. Camera died completely on me. Would not power on. Sent it to cudde. They instantly sent me back out a new cam. I was expecting at least a couple weeks turnaround time. Had the new cam in less than a week from the day I shipped out my old one. 100% satisfied with the experience.

I now have three j cams and the cell home out and functioning flawlessly. Love this system. Will be the only trail cams I buy going forward.

Also, the customer service lady I talked to did mention they are having an issue with Duracell batteries in these cams. Maybe John can expand on that?

 

[12pointer]

Just wanted to post a follow up to the issue I had with a J series cam. Camera died completely on me. Would not power on. Sent it to cudde. They instantly sent me back out a new cam. I was expecting at least a couple weeks turnaround time. Had the new cam in less than a week from the day I shipped out my old one. 100% satisfied with the experience.

I now have three j cams and the cell home out and functioning flawlessly. Love this system. Will be the only trail cams I buy going forward.

Also, the customer service lady I talked to did mention they are having an issue with Duracell batteries in these cams. Maybe John can expand on that?

I have 8 G series cameras and a home unit. The cameras have been in the field since April 15th (All have booster packs) and I have not had to replace any batteries yet. They have all recently converted to the internal batteries, and are reading around 6.1 - 6.4 volts. I use only Duracell batteries , so I am not sure what problems they have been having with Duracell, but I have had no issues to date.

 

[Red Picqua]

That update should fix your issue.

whatever the deal you cut with Cuddeback as a rep, I would print this whole thread off on your next contract negotiations and ask for a significant increase. If they say no??? drop the 40 reams of paper on the desk and say pay me or else you deal with these people. it's unbellieveable the amount of information and questions answered that you have mind dumped on this. I would ask for a 40% increase in commissions and see where it takes you, it's a good starting point IMO. I mean.. Mark C. tapped out a long time ago.. he said.. you deal with these guys. LOL He knows... an increase is coming...

 

[john volkman]

Just wanted to post a follow up to the issue I had with a J series cam. Camera died completely on me. Would not power on. Sent it to cudde. They instantly sent me back out a new cam. I was expecting at least a couple weeks turnaround time. Had the new cam in less than a week from the day I shipped out my old one. 100% satisfied with the experience.

I now have three j cams and the cell home out and functioning flawlessly. Love this system. Will be the only trail cams I buy going forward.

Also, the customer service lady I talked to did mention they are having an issue with Duracell batteries in these cams. Maybe John can expand on that?

i dont know of any specific issues with Duracell but from time to time there has been battery issues. A while back there was some torture testing done in a controlled situation by several employees and rayovac won. I have always used rayovac since and have not had a problem at all but im only one person with 20-30 cams

 

[meshferg2]

Hi all,

Am new to this forum, and enjoying the information. I thought to post my set up: I have 6 J1415 cameras out in the woods, with a home unit mounted on the side of my house. I'm lucky enough to be able to hunt in my "backyard." My house on a small hill, so all the cameras can transmit directly to it.

The home unit has a Toshiba FlashAir Wifi SD card (they are programmable). So, the Home is connected to my internal Wifi access point, thus to my LAN. I hacked an SD card extension cable to keep the SD card constantly powered. Whenever the Cuddelink Home unit writes an image to the card, that event triggers the card to FTP the image to an internal linux box. Scripts grab the image and EXIF data, create an MMS text message, and send it to my phone using the twilio service. (I like it because I don't need the Cuddelink cell cap or another cell provider.)

So, I get text messages like this in almost real time:



Fun stuff. Thanks Cuddeback.

/s/ Martin

 

[SELFILMED]

Hi all,

Am new to this forum, and enjoying the information. I thought to post my set up: I have 6 J1415 cameras out in the woods, with a home unit mounted on the side of my house. I'm lucky enough to be able to hunt in my "backyard." My house on a small hill, so all the cameras can transmit directly to it.

The home unit has a Toshiba FlashAir Wifi SD card (they are programmable). So, the Home is connected to my internal Wifi access point, thus to my LAN. I hacked an SD card extension cable to keep the SD card constantly powered. Whenever the Cuddelink Home unit writes an image to the card, that event triggers the card to FTP the image to an internal linux box. Scripts grab the image and EXIF data, create an MMS text message, and send it to my phone using the twilio service. (I like it because I don't need the Cuddelink cell cap or another cell provider.)

So, I get text messages like this in almost real time:

View attachment 21032

Fun stuff. Thanks Cuddeback.

/s/ Martin

sweet!

 

[hinson1225]

I have the black flash with cell home. I get 1-4 pictures max at 6pm and 1-4 pictures max at 5am. I was at the camera today and dads cows got into my food plot where camera is located. Cow tracks every where in front of my camera. No pictures of cows on the SD card and no pictures of cows were emailed to me. Am I doing something wrong? Also, I did not get my normal email at 6pm today.

 

[john volkman]

I have the black flash with cell home. I get 1-4 pictures max at 6pm and 1-4 pictures max at 5am. I was at the camera today and dads cows got into my food plot where camera is located. Cow tracks every where in front of my camera. No pictures of cows on the SD card and no pictures of cows were emailed to me. Am I doing something wrong? Also, I did not get my normal email at 6pm today.

There are a lot of variables here at play, with the info you provided it’s impossible to trouble shoot. I would need to know what all your settings are at, if you are getting some pics most likely this is a setting issue .you can send me a pic of your latest report and that may help also what all your cl settings and camera settings are at

 

[hinson1225]

There are a lot of variables here at play, with the info you provided it’s impossible to trouble shoot. I would need to know what all your settings are at, if you are getting some pics most likely this is a setting issue .you can send me a pic of your latest report and that may help also what all your cl settings and camera settings are at

 

[john volkman]

your remote is taking 8 or less images a day(it took 3 in the last 24 hours). all images are getting home so the link is working. Go thru your camera settings and see what they all are. Also it wouldnt hurt to walk in front of your camera a few times and count how many images it takes etc.

 

[hinson1225]

your remote is taking 8 or less images a day(it took 3 in the last 24 hours). all images are getting home so the link is working. Go thru your camera settings and see what they all are. Also it wouldnt hurt to walk in front of your camera a few times and count how many images it takes etc.

Thank you, will do. Some detailed instructions that come with the camera and cell home units would be very helpful. Why did Cuddeback choose to skimp on the user manual?

 

[john volkman]

Thank you, will do. Some detailed instructions that come with the camera and cell home units would be very helpful. Why did Cuddeback choose to skimp on the user manual?

the manual is actually quite detailed , some think its to much! was there not one in the box?
here is link where you can download the manuals, you want the advanced user interface manual and the J camera manual, the advanced user interface will go thru all the options and settings that are available on your camera. https://www.cuddeback.com/update

 

[hinson1225]

the manual is actually quite detailed , some think its to much! was there not one in the box?
here is link where you can download the manuals, you want the advanced user interface manual and the J camera manual, the advanced user interface will go thru all the options and settings that are available on your camera. https://www.cuddeback.com/update

My cell home had a manual, but it was extremely lacking.

 

[meshferg2]

Hi all,

Am new to this forum, and enjoying the information. I thought to post my set up: I have 6 J1415 cameras out in the woods, with a home unit mounted on the side of my house. I'm lucky enough to be able to hunt in my "backyard." My house on a small hill, so all the cameras can transmit directly to it.

The home unit has a Toshiba FlashAir Wifi SD card (they are programmable). So, the Home is connected to my internal Wifi access point, thus to my LAN. I hacked an SD card extension cable to keep the SD card constantly powered. Whenever the Cuddelink Home unit writes an image to the card, that event triggers the card to FTP the image to an internal linux box. Scripts grab the image and EXIF data, create an MMS text message, and send it to my phone using the twilio service. (I like it because I don't need the Cuddelink cell cap or another cell provider.)

So, I get text messages like this in almost real time:

View attachment 21032

Fun stuff. Thanks Cuddeback.

/s/ Martin

A few people asked about some details on the "hack" and my investment into it, which includes:

• SD Card extension cable: $8: This cable is thin enough to be folded and allow you to close the bottom hatch of the Cuddelink Home unit. This so the cable comes out but still allows the rubber seal on the hatch to close.
• SD Card Sniffer board: $10: I just scratched through the power trace (VDD) that comes from the Cuddelink and soldered on the leads from a 3.3volt wall transformer.
• 3.3 volt transformer: $6
• Toshiba FlashAir SD Card: $29: There is an extensive programming documentation site. I wrote a simple LUA script to FTP the images from the card, but the card could be programmed in other ways too. In theory, the card has the ability to directly email the images or using HTTP POST just drop them onto a website.
• My time part 1: the FlashAir card set up and LUA script took about 4 - 5 hours. The thing is a bit finicky.
• My time part 2: way too much. I took this project as an opportunity to learn python. So I have a severely over-engineered daemon running on my linux box that processes the images deposited there by the FlashAir card. Part of that way-too-much time was spent learning how to send MMS text messages out via the internet: putting images in an AWS bucket and using twilio's API.

Things I'd look into next:

• Could I skip the whole FlashAir part and connect a Raspberry Pi to the Cuddelink Home's USB port to watch for images? I don't know if that port is even active - haven't checked. I doubt I could find a USB plug/cable that is low-profile enough to allow the hatch to close (keeping water out).
• If so, I could probably run my entire python daemon on the Pi.

In any case, system is working solid. Have received hundreds of images since June. And archery season started, so I am now spending more time elsewhere...

 

[Booner21]

the manual is actually quite detailed , some think its to much! was there not one in the box?
here is link where you can download the manuals, you want the advanced user interface manual and the J camera manual, the advanced user interface will go thru all the options and settings that are available on your camera. https://www.cuddeback.com/update

My cell home had a manual, but it was extremely lacking.

I felt mine left a lot to be desired all around

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Fence jumper]

I need a new CL-Cap 2092.......where is best place to purchase from ? Or can I purchase at the main store in Green Bay?

 

[john volkman]

I need a new CL-Cap 2092.......where is best place to purchase from ? Or can I purchase at the main store in Green Bay?

You can have a delaer order it for you or the main office in depere. I also saw a few fleet farms with them in stock . Most dealers don’t stock them anymore because the cuddelink cameras either have it built in or they come with it pre installed (such as the g series)

 

[thedoublejranch]

This makes sense I guess. Conserves battery... I'm in your train of thought. I would like to see one in action first.

They appear to now have a solar panel option, it comes with nickel metal hydride battery's and with ambient light, will go indefinitely is what I was told from the tech assist. The solar panel is about $50. The home unit that collects all the pictures can be a standard storage or a cell one, if you have cell service, it will send pix to you, either phone or email.
The non cell one just stores then in the unit. A cell one can be used this way, just turn cell feature off. Cost about $70 more for the cell one. I plan on getting this system with 4 cameras, solar panel for each and then a solar panel for the home unit.
I have been wanting a system like this for some time, one cell plan. Up to 15 cameras, they use themselves as a repeater if you want to extend the range too.

There is one unit, think its called the "J" model, and there is the other model where you can add the cap to make a regular cuddeback camera into a cuddelink system.
The plan is to get this system, unless a better unit shows up by spring. If and when I do, I will report back with my findings.

 

[thedoublejranch]

I need a new CL-Cap 2092.......where is best place to purchase from ? Or can I purchase at the main store in Green Bay?

https://smile.amazon.com/Cuddeback-...F8&qid=1540168303&sr=8-1&keywords=CL-Cap+2092

 

[Fence jumper]

https://smile.amazon.com/Cuddeback-...F8&qid=1540168303&sr=8-1&keywords=CL-Cap+2092

Thanks.....but this looks like the cap for model 1361.......I have the G model......think I need model 2092 cap?