Fingers crossed for some remote setting changes.
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Cuddeback's Cuddelink
- Thread starter Peplin Creek
- Start date
Fingers crossed for some remote setting changes.
Putting out cameras tomorrow at property for year #2. Last year was a learning curve and a lot of trips back and forth but you got to start somewhere. Basically system involves Cell Home, Reg Home we use as a repeater and 8 G series Dual Flash. Everything worked great and this year we now have the 3358 boosters for all 10 items and installed new firmware on everything. Looking for best settings or a "recommended setting" list when I program these all tonight before I head for camp tomorrow. all in woods no food plots or fields looking for simple but effective so I can go back once at end of year to put them away for next season. Batch 30 was good for us last year as far as email. Thank you guys in advance. I learned a ton from reading this site once a week. You guys are great!
I have Firmware 7.6. I have Burst 3, Batch 10 and 5 sec Delay 32G card and no problems. I also do a 24hr Time Lapse so I get 1 pic from each camera daily to show me camera is ok. Zone-Wide & Size- 5MP.
also curious as to Aspect...if "FULL" OR "WIDE" is the preferred setting on a trail? And if so should I keep Zone on "CENTERED" or "Wide" ?
FredG
5 year old buck +
"Wide" is actually the very same width of field as "Full", it just has a narrow strip cut off on the top and bottom of the frame. The advantage of the wide aspect (16 X 9) is that it fits an HD monitor better for viewing pictures than the full aspect (4 X 3) does. The drawback of using the wide aspect on a tight (close) trail set is that your aim has to be pretty good or you might chop the antlers off of a buck... there is more headroom for aiming errors with the full aspect.
The "Zone" setting actually has nothing to do with the aspect setting. The zone setting controls what part of the frame is being used for active light metering of the scene for exposure. In theory, it is recommended that you set the zone to centered if your detection zone is centered and to wide if your detection zone is wide. Only the G camera has a slider to change your detection zone (PIR) from wide to centered and the zone setting should be set to match what's selected. The J and K models are permanently set to centered by either internal or external baffles so in theory those cameras should always have the centered zone setting to match. In practice however, if you're getting a lot of pictures with close animals on the edges of your picture that are overexposed and you have the zone set on narrow, it can be very beneficial to set it to wide instead to ensure proper exposure on the edges of the frame. Conversely if you have the zone set to wide and there is a close by tree or bush on the edge of your frame that is bouncing a lot of light back at the camera it can cause a general reduction in your flash range. If this is the case, reset your zone to centered to eliminate that offending object from your metering area. For the vast majority of sets and conditions the zone setting makes very little difference, but on some occasions the exceptions above do arise so understanding this might help you to realize what it is that's throwing things off.
Yes.
Hey guys. I have read from page 80 to the present and there is a lot of good info packed in this forum posting! And John, you seem to be a hero among men here on this thread so thank you specifically for all the time you have given.
I have a question here that I am looking for some guidance on. Myself and a buddy deployed 8 cameras 2 weeks ago but according to our report emails and a phone call to cuddeback we might have made an error while deploying the system. The mistake we made was that we where walking to the locations we wanted our remote cameras, powering them up and then testing the CL level. Versus setting and arming a remote camera, turning on the NEXT remote camera, getting a CL level while standing next to the prior camera that was just armed, and then walking away from it to the next location... Even with our mistake we where getting good CL levels while we hung and armed each camera so we thought all was okay, until we started getting our report emails. They showed that the cameras where trying to go straight back to the home camera and they had very low CL levels while doing so.
A few days ago we went and started all over. Our first camera is a cellular camera set to home and the other 7 cameras are the J series set to remote. We have the D cell battery packs on each camera and a solar unit on the cell camera set up on a field edge getting a lot of direct sunlight... We hung the cell camera, sent the test email and made sure the settings where all correct, then armed the camera. We hung our first remote camera which had a CL level in the 60s. Once that camera was armed we powered up the next remote camera and tested the CL level while standing next to the camera we had just armed. The CL level came back 99 good and then we walked to the location we wanted to hang that 3rd camera (2nd remote) while we watched the CL level slowly drop as we got further away. Then we hung and armed that camera, grabbed our next remote camera, powered it up, tested the CL level, and walked to the next location while watching the CL level slowly drop.. We did this until we had deployed all 7 remote cameras. the lowest CL level we ever had when hanging and arming a remote camera was in the high 40s. The rest of the cameras where above 55 and a couple where in the mid 70s or low 80s. This is a 40 acre parcel with pretty nasty terrain so we did not want to try and milk every last inch out of the setup which is why we tried to keep our CL level as high as possible.
Camera number 8 in tonight's report appears to be totally offline. These where new rechargeable batteries a couple weeks ago that we charged before use. The solar panel on this unit is only getting partial sunlight. Other than the home camera and this 8th camera no other solar panels are being used. We wanted to use this as a test to the solar panel in partial sunlight. It is possible that the panel or the batteries are not working correctly and simply died but that camera has not taken very many pictures and its only been a couple weeks.
what is bothering me is on our report emails from the last few days it still looks like each camera is trying to go directly back to the home camera and our CL levels for this are very low. Cuddeback says the cameras will take the path of least resistance but I am hoping the camera would know that the path of least resistance is not a good option if its doing so with a CL level in the teens or even single digits. Does anyone have any insight or see anything on our report emails that we are missing? Thanks!
I have a question here that I am looking for some guidance on. Myself and a buddy deployed 8 cameras 2 weeks ago but according to our report emails and a phone call to cuddeback we might have made an error while deploying the system. The mistake we made was that we where walking to the locations we wanted our remote cameras, powering them up and then testing the CL level. Versus setting and arming a remote camera, turning on the NEXT remote camera, getting a CL level while standing next to the prior camera that was just armed, and then walking away from it to the next location... Even with our mistake we where getting good CL levels while we hung and armed each camera so we thought all was okay, until we started getting our report emails. They showed that the cameras where trying to go straight back to the home camera and they had very low CL levels while doing so.
A few days ago we went and started all over. Our first camera is a cellular camera set to home and the other 7 cameras are the J series set to remote. We have the D cell battery packs on each camera and a solar unit on the cell camera set up on a field edge getting a lot of direct sunlight... We hung the cell camera, sent the test email and made sure the settings where all correct, then armed the camera. We hung our first remote camera which had a CL level in the 60s. Once that camera was armed we powered up the next remote camera and tested the CL level while standing next to the camera we had just armed. The CL level came back 99 good and then we walked to the location we wanted to hang that 3rd camera (2nd remote) while we watched the CL level slowly drop as we got further away. Then we hung and armed that camera, grabbed our next remote camera, powered it up, tested the CL level, and walked to the next location while watching the CL level slowly drop.. We did this until we had deployed all 7 remote cameras. the lowest CL level we ever had when hanging and arming a remote camera was in the high 40s. The rest of the cameras where above 55 and a couple where in the mid 70s or low 80s. This is a 40 acre parcel with pretty nasty terrain so we did not want to try and milk every last inch out of the setup which is why we tried to keep our CL level as high as possible.
Camera number 8 in tonight's report appears to be totally offline. These where new rechargeable batteries a couple weeks ago that we charged before use. The solar panel on this unit is only getting partial sunlight. Other than the home camera and this 8th camera no other solar panels are being used. We wanted to use this as a test to the solar panel in partial sunlight. It is possible that the panel or the batteries are not working correctly and simply died but that camera has not taken very many pictures and its only been a couple weeks.
what is bothering me is on our report emails from the last few days it still looks like each camera is trying to go directly back to the home camera and our CL levels for this are very low. Cuddeback says the cameras will take the path of least resistance but I am hoping the camera would know that the path of least resistance is not a good option if its doing so with a CL level in the teens or even single digits. Does anyone have any insight or see anything on our report emails that we are missing? Thanks!
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john volkman
5 year old buck +
its not a bad thing that your remotes are connecting directly to home, even though a few are less than 20 you should still get all images. On a 40 acre parcel its common that all cameras link directly. There isnt a benefit to a camera linking thru another camera just to accomplish a better signal strength. One thing that may help you is to try and put your home unit near the center of the property if its a cellular unit. This will strengthen the signal of all the remotes and you will have more consistent signals. If thats not possible you can still accomplish what you need as you have it now. Keep in mind the signal will get better as humidity drops and leafs fall off.
Solar set ups are really not best in anything but full sun. The panel is just topping off the batteries, its not really charging it. My guess is your batteries died on that camera.
thanks for the reply. I do get that not going through multiple cameras is a good thing but got nervous seeing it trying to do that for the reports with such low CL levels. We will be going out Sunday to check that number 8 camera and also pull 7 out of the woods. A few hundred of those pics are of good but most of them happened after a rainstorm and now that camera takes a lot of pictures of nothing all day. Looks like others on this forum said that was a common problem so we will be sending that back to cuddeback.
Don’t rely on signal while holding camera. Literally, inches will make a difference in signal. Hang it on tree and let signal level refresh(blink) 3-6 times. Setting them in a winding low creek bottom is sometimes problematic. As you turn you are putting a rise or hill between cameras.
I have learned to quit fighting signal searching and just waste one camera as a repeater. I’m using one in between just for signal but still have camera on. I have it set to send Time Lapse 24hr, just to tell me it’s still on.
Also, I highly recommend you learn how to look at the exit data on each picture. It will tell you a lot. It will show more about battery condition than just the report.
I’ve tried the solar and rechargeable batteries route. It’s not for me. 100+ days on Alkaline’s with external pack is simple and easy.
I’m not sure about how cameras signal latch to which camera, but I do know as I’ve moved cameras it went from linked to home camera to 2 or 3 links. I assume it’s gonna go thru highest signal.
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Ok. Went to Cabelas Friday afternoon and switch cameras. Called Cuddeback to switch the accounts from the original camera to the replaced. Girl said that she would put the order in but it should be switched over although CS may be gone for the day by the time that they did, so I may not get a call back. Ok not a huge deal as I have a good drive to camp anyway. Got down there and it wasn't switched. Still wasn't switched by 10 or 11 AM this morning. 
So since I didn't want to take back home and make another return trip. I signed up for a 2nd plan. Camera did work this time. Got everything setup and it seems to be working as I set it off until it emailed the pics in the batch. Plan on calling customer support back on Monday and hopefully they can credit me the one account or at least use it for next month on the camera that I have.
I get about 20-30 pics a day between 3 cameras and I am using 1 additional one for a repeater. I set my batch to 10. Should I go more? less? Any suggestions?
So since I didn't want to take back home and make another return trip. I signed up for a 2nd plan. Camera did work this time. Got everything setup and it seems to be working as I set it off until it emailed the pics in the batch. Plan on calling customer support back on Monday and hopefully they can credit me the one account or at least use it for next month on the camera that I have.I get about 20-30 pics a day between 3 cameras and I am using 1 additional one for a repeater. I set my batch to 10. Should I go more? less? Any suggestions?
Also from the emailed report, I can get the exif data. Here is from 2 of the cams.
MR=C.1,AD=1/16/2018,LD=383,BT=20,RD=319,LH=0,LI=5171,BL=8049,BP=75%,BS=Int,BD=43,BI=1343,CF=Enabled,EX=Centered,ID=4___,LO=004,SM=EZ,DD=1min,DI=1,DV=OFF,DL=OFF,ND=1min,NI=1,NV=OFF,NL=OFF
MR=C.1,AD=1/16/2018,LD=275,BT=17,RD=190,LH=0,LI=2143,BL=7587,BP=50%,BS=Int,BD=43,BI=1472,CF=Enabled,EX=Centered,ID=3______,LO=003,SM=EZ,DD=1min,DI=1,DV=OFF,DL=OFF,ND=1min,NI=1,NV=OFF,NL=OFF
So I am guessing the 2nd one I should swap batteries soon?
MR=C.1,AD=1/16/2018,LD=383,BT=20,RD=319,LH=0,LI=5171,BL=8049,BP=75%,BS=Int,BD=43,BI=1343,CF=Enabled,EX=Centered,ID=4___,LO=004,SM=EZ,DD=1min,DI=1,DV=OFF,DL=OFF,ND=1min,NI=1,NV=OFF,NL=OFF
MR=C.1,AD=1/16/2018,LD=275,BT=17,RD=190,LH=0,LI=2143,BL=7587,BP=50%,BS=Int,BD=43,BI=1472,CF=Enabled,EX=Centered,ID=3______,LO=003,SM=EZ,DD=1min,DI=1,DV=OFF,DL=OFF,ND=1min,NI=1,NV=OFF,NL=OFF
So I am guessing the 2nd one I should swap batteries soon?
I have 34 cuddelinks about half j-series half g-series along with one k, 6 regular homes used as homes or repeaters and 2 cell-homes so I am pretty familiar with set-up and troubleshooting. I have a j-series that I am not able to get linked to any system, I have tried 3 different systems and channels, tried 3 different sd cards and cleared them once in the camera, reset the camera settings, reinstalled firmware, taken the d battery pack completely off of the camera twice and emptied it out and made sure the camera didn’t have any residual power in by pressing the buttons til it went blank, tried different antennas, tried making it a home and also a repeater and have taken the back off the camera off to look internally at the antenna to see if anything appeared off and it appeared normal.
Nothing has worked so wondering if I am missing something simple and someone has ran into this issue and fixed themselves before contacting cuddeback customer service?
Nothing has worked so wondering if I am missing something simple and someone has ran into this issue and fixed themselves before contacting cuddeback customer service?
Is this cam in a lockbox by chance?
Anyone know why there is a blackness around my pictures all the sudden ?
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Jrozzi16
5 year old buck +
Is this cam in a lockbox by chance?
Anyone know why there is a blackness around my pictures all the sudden ?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yep
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Appears as tho the cam shifted a little and the edge of the box is what you’re seeing, make sure the lens is tight up against the front of the box and centered in the hole.
