X7Ds are in - Transferred from QDMA Forums

[yoderjac]

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Originally Posted by KS_Bowhunter
I am happy to report that I have taken the plunge.
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Oh you're hooked now(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
Nothing like having coffee every morning and looking over the last 24 hours of pictures.
I'm in withdraw. I'm remote, power outage drained my battery backup and the computer is off. Glad it's not prime time. If you're going remote be sure you use a computer that has the option in the bios to power back on after a power failure.
I'll be switching mine out real soon.
Bill

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Originally Posted by Billb66
Oh you're hooked now(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
Nothing like having coffee every morning and looking over the last 24 hours of pictures.
I'm in withdraw. I'm remote, power outage drained my battery backup and the computer is off. Glad it's not prime time. If you're going remote be sure you use a computer that has the option in the bios to power back on after a power failure.
I'll be switching mine out real soon.
Bill
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Good advice. I'll mention that to my IT guy at work (probably not smart enough to do that on my own) so that I can handle the remote re-boot. Getting excited on my end! Have everything ordered (cameras, base antenna mast, cabling, etc). Just a matter of installing and de-bugging/experimenting enough to work thru the kinks.

Pre-ordered a few sensors/repeaters today boys. $399.99 as a sensor and $460 as a sensor/repeater. I was hoping for a little better price than that but it's a lot less than using a full camera where it's not needed. Like the top of my neighbors silo....

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Originally Posted by nyplotter
Pre-ordered a few sensors/repeaters today boys. $399.99 as a sensor and $460 as a sensor/repeater. I was hoping for a little better price than that but it's a lot less than using a full camera where it's not needed. Like the top of my neighbors silo....
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That's real pricey for a sensor, if they had an input on the camera to trigger it I could get a sensor with a litheum battery from an alarm company for less than $50.
The repeater I couldn't build(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
Thanks for the heads up.

Hey NY,
I just looked at the web site. It doesn't say if more than one camera can use the same repeater.
I assume it would be able to handle multiple, did you ask?

I finally got back in town and have started tinkering with my new X80 cameras. They are all communicating with the PC base, and it will soon be time for deployment in the field. Given that a number of you guys have fully functional systems, I thought I'd canvas the user group to see what each of you consider a minimum acceptable signal level before you consider other “improvements” such as antenna towers or relays.
I drove around my property, and I can get a signal at every intended camera location (sometimes I’ve had to add a yagi antenna to get reception). The signals seem to vary from -40 to -45 db near my cabin all the way down to -75 or -80 db in the outer portions. Do you have a general rule of thumb for a minimum signal level before you try to “improve” the signal (either by adding a yagi or getting a longer cable to place the yagi higher in a tree or on an antenna mast)?
Just curious.

Quote:
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Originally Posted by KS_Bowhunter
I finally got back in town and have started tinkering with my new X80 cameras. They are all communicating with the PC base, and it will soon be time for deployment in the field. Given that a number of you guys have fully functional systems, I thought I'd canvas the user group to see what each of you consider a minimum acceptable signal level before you consider other “improvements” such as antenna towers or relays.
I drove around my property, and I can get a signal at every intended camera location (sometimes I’ve had to add a yagi antenna to get reception). The signals seem to vary from -40 to -45 db near my cabin all the way down to -75 or -80 db in the outer portions. Do you have a general rule of thumb for a minimum signal level before you try to “improve” the signal (either by adding a yagi or getting a longer cable to place the yagi higher in a tree or on an antenna mast)?
Just curious.
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I let the application dictate the setup. As long as I have consistent connectivity, that is good enough for many applications. I don't care about data rates for data rate sake. I never use my pictures in real-time. The key is having enough signal to make sure that pictures don't back up on the camera so deep that you loose pictures and that you don't drain batteries faster than your solar panels can replenish them.
Much of this is determined by how you program the camera. If you have an application that requires a short delay time with bursts like a well used woodland trail without great light, investing in improved signal levels beyond constant connectivity may be worth it. On the other hand, in a field situation where deer linger and you can use longer delays between pics without bursts and you have good sun, as long as the data rates are sufficient who cares how fast the pics come back.
The other place where signal level investment is of good value is on repeater cameras. They need both high signal levels as well as good sun and a large capacity panel. They are doing double duty. Transmission take power and the lower the signal levels the more power it takes to transfer the same data. These repeater cameras use power to take their own pictures and transmit them, but they also use power for every camera that transmits pictures through them. The more cameras going through the repeater (and pictures per day per camera), the more important power management becomes.
Good Luck,
Jack

My x80s came in and I'm getting about 1/2 mile transmission from inside the house with the standard antenna.
Do you guys email the photos or subscribe to the service?

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Originally Posted by JBGulf Shores
My x80s came in and I'm getting about 1/2 mile transmission from inside the house with the standard antenna.
Do you guys email the photos or subscribe to the service?
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I don't have a internet connection with mine. Cost of a permanent internet connection at my farm is not worth it for this. I have my PC located at the farm that directly receives the pictures. I hooked a wifi router to it with no uplink. When I go to the property, I simply copy the pictures across the wifi to my laptop and can do what I want with them from there.
Personally, I don't generally post my pictures for public access. I run them through a process that records all of the data in an access database for later analysis. I do share the pictures with other owners of my farm. I created my own web site for this. I'm setup to publish the pictures to that private web site automatically. The other owners need an account to log in before they have access to the pictures.
I think posting pictures on-line can be dangerous when open to the public. I don't want to give poachers any incentive to use my place for their crimes. As far as email goes, again, I don't have a permanent internet connection at the farm, but I have no need to get the pictures via email. I don't use any of the real-time information.
Thanks,
Jack

I use the LiveCam service and love it. It's only open to the public if you select that option. Like Jake I don't share mine. I have a 72' antenna on the highest point of my property with a BEC repeater on it, larger battery and solar panel. Cameras that are further out run back thru this repeater and then to my external home antena that is hooked to the system. Works great and I'm getting at least 2 miles from some camers. Many ways to set the system up you just need to figure out what's best based on your situation. Good luck!

That makes sense Jack!
I did not intend to publish the photos, I just want to access them.
I also do not have inet at the farm, or even phone for that matter. I'm getting used to the system more locally to my house before deploying to the farm.
Ideally, I would like to see the farm photos while at my home 3 hours away.
But the cell cost would probably be high (someone with a cell base please weigh in on this)
The 2nd best choice would be to leave the CPU at the farm and view the photos when I get there. As far as that goes, I have all I need at this time.

 

[yoderjac]

Another FYI is that the X80 cell base uses the old "3g" technology and doesn't use the new very speedy LTE that I enjoy on my iPhone and Mifi. I have excellent signal at my property from both Verizon and AT&T, however AT&T has LTE available at my farm with super fast upload and download speeds. The modem Buckeye uses does not take advantage of LTE signal at this time. I am a little disappointed because at first I was told it did.
Faster upload speeds equals less time the modem is transmitting which equals less power consumption. I ended up going with Verizon since the modem could not take advantage of AT&Ts offering of LTE at my property.
I found out what kind of modems the cell base uses and the LTE model that is available is around $200 more than the 3G model but Buckeye only offers the 3G. If they do in the future it will be an expensive upgrade as those modems around around $600 for the 3G and $800 for the LTE.

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Originally Posted by Roger
Another FYI is that the X80 cell base uses the old "3g" technology and doesn't use the new very speedy LTE that I enjoy on my iPhone and Mifi. I have excellent signal at my property from both Verizon and AT&T, however AT&T has LTE available at my farm with super fast upload and download speeds. The modem Buckeye uses does not take advantage of LTE signal at this time. I am a little disappointed because at first I was told it did.
Faster upload speeds equals less time the modem is transmitting which equals less power consumption. I ended up going with Verizon since the modem could not take advantage of AT&Ts offering of LTE at my property.
I found out what kind of modems the cell base uses and the LTE model that is available is around $200 more than the 3G model but Buckeye only offers the 3G. If they do in the future it will be an expensive upgrade as those modems around around $600 for the 3G and $800 for the LTE.
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Good point. The X-series was designed before LTE was becoming common. It is another reason I avoid cell bases and use a PC base when possible. I've got a place in range of the RF side that has power and shelter for a PC. With a setup like this, I could simply plug in my LTE wifi device and use the email or web transmission to get pictures back. For my application, I don't care about getting pictures back between trips to the PC base since there is no action I could take from home anyway. I simply transfer pictures to my laptop across a wireless LAN each time I visit the property. It loses the "cool" factor of having pictures sent to my any where, but that would be a relatively high cost for very little value to me.
Thanks,
Jack

Quote:
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Originally Posted by Roger
Another FYI is that the X80 cell base uses the old "3g" technology and doesn't use the new very speedy LTE that I enjoy on my iPhone and Mifi. I have excellent signal at my property from both Verizon and AT&T, however AT&T has LTE available at my farm with super fast upload and download speeds. The modem Buckeye uses does not take advantage of LTE signal at this time. I am a little disappointed because at first I was told it did.
Faster upload speeds equals less time the modem is transmitting which equals less power consumption. I ended up going with Verizon since the modem could not take advantage of AT&Ts offering of LTE at my property.
I found out what kind of modems the cell base uses and the LTE model that is available is around $200 more than the 3G model but Buckeye only offers the 3G. If they do in the future it will be an expensive upgrade as those modems around around $600 for the 3G and $800 for the LTE.
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They will have to change Verizon is shutting down 3G soon and has already begun taking spectrum away from 3G. Their 3G speeds are not good for this reason. It's only a matter of time.

Hopefully when they do they will offer their previous customers an opportunity to upgrade at a low price like the X7D customers upgrading to the X80.

When I set up at the farm, I intend to install an antenna on the roof of the house. That will gain a lot of elevation.
ATT was just installing a new cell tower on a beach condo next to my office.
One of the crew mentioned that if you have an ATT router near one of thier cell towers, it will pick up the signal and function.........I have not tried this and have been watching for the same guy to come back out so I can ask more questions.
I set up a covert beside one of the buykeye's to see how they compare.
For my temporary testing setup, I installed logmein to view photos.
The laptop keeps shutting down to install updates which is a big pain.

I don' t think this thread ever specifically mentions what solar panels everyone is using. Can anyone share what you are using? I know there are some available from Buckeye but if you are using something else please share.

I purchased the panels with my Cams from Buckeye!

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Originally Posted by JBGulf Shores
I purchased the panels with my Cams from Buckeye!
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X2........

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Originally Posted by Roger
I don' t think this thread ever specifically mentions what solar panels everyone is using. Can anyone share what you are using? I know there are some available from Buckeye but if you are using something else please share.
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Funny, I cam here to read about that, specifically! It seems to me, the connectors would be the issue with other non-native products.
I am moving into the new house and 80 acres in 3 days, and am hoping to get the PCbase setup before the end of the year.
I have 3 cameras presently, and will be adding a 4th, and 4 solar cells here soon.

My operational network is still the old Orion network. I only have one X80 for testing so far and I'm using it for a security application at camp where I just hook a power supply directly to it.
However, some of my experience may be relevant. For the individual cameras I'm using the BEC solar panels. The Orions are 6-volt and those panels are less common. I bought the connectors BEC uses on the Orions from Digikey so I have other options but have not found anything yet.
This part might be relevant to the X-series guys. My Orion network is on a pine farm and even with the much higher powered radios, transmission distances are a problem. So, I put a tower (combined with a deer stand) in the center of the property. I installed a 45 watt 12-volt panel from Harbor Freight for about $150. I did not use their controller but purchased one separately that has a 12-volt timed output. The panel and controller charge a large 12-volt AGM battery. You could connect this directly to an X-series, but for my Orion, I had to do some more work.
I bought a voltage converter that plugs into a cigarette lighter and steps down the voltage based on a selector. I removed the cigarette lighter connection and wired it to the timed output of the controller. I then set it to 7.5 volts and connected it to the solar panel input of my Orion. I set the controller to provide power to it for about 4 hours starting at dark. You can adjust this setting as needed on the controller.
I route a bunch of Orions through this camera. This requires a lot of power consumption, but this setup provides perpetual power. During the day the 45 watt panel has no problem fully charging the 12-volt AGM battery (I think it is around 30 ah). Then each night, 12-volt battery provides power to the controller which turns on the voltage converter for 4 hours shoving 7.5 volts into my Orions internal 6-volt SLA battery. Eventually the SLA wears out, but I've been running this setup for several years and seen no degradation of the 12-volt AGM.
So, here is the easy technology transfer to the X-series:
1) Going from 12-volts down to 6-volts is a big efficiency hit, so this will work much better with the X-series.
2) The 45 watt solar panel is more than ample to keep a 12-volt AGM fully charged with a lot of routing through the camera.
3) For the X-series, you would not need a controller with a timer. You would simply run a BEC external battery cable from the AGM battery to the X-series camera.
Bottom line: If you can find a good central location for a routing camera with good sun exposure, for $150 you can give the camera perpetual power. I would guess that 45-watts would also be sufficient to run your cell base unless your cameras are set up with a very short delay and setup over bait.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Thanks. At first (temporarily) I am going to try a 10 watt solar panel that is on my B100 Gallagher box for the cell base and a marine battery to see how that works. These will likely be on bait/mineral so I expect high power needs. I am totally up in the air as to what my needs will be in the future. I did purchase additional power cables for the x80 that allow me to connect to a regular 12 volt battery versus the battery box that comes with the x80s.

Quote:
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Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
My operational network is still the old Orion network. I only have one X80 for testing so far and I'm using it for a security application at camp where I just hook a power supply directly to it.
However, some of my experience may be relevant. For the individual cameras I'm using the BEC solar panels. The Orions are 6-volt and those panels are less common. I bought the connectors BEC uses on the Orions from Digikey so I have other options but have not found anything yet.
This part might be relevant to the X-series guys. My Orion network is on a pine farm and even with the much higher powered radios, transmission distances are a problem. So, I put a tower (combined with a deer stand) in the center of the property. I installed a 45 watt 12-volt panel from Harbor Freight for about $150. I did not use their controller but purchased one separately that has a 12-volt timed output. The panel and controller charge a large 12-volt AGM battery. You could connect this directly to an X-series, but for my Orion, I had to do some more work.
I bought a voltage converter that plugs into a cigarette lighter and steps down the voltage based on a selector. I removed the cigarette lighter connection and wired it to the timed output of the controller. I then set it to 7.5 volts and connected it to the solar panel input of my Orion. I set the controller to provide power to it for about 4 hours starting at dark. You can adjust this setting as needed on the controller.
I route a bunch of Orions through this camera. This requires a lot of power consumption, but this setup provides perpetual power. During the day the 45 watt panel has no problem fully charging the 12-volt AGM battery (I think it is around 30 ah). Then each night, 12-volt battery provides power to the controller which turns on the voltage converter for 4 hours shoving 7.5 volts into my Orions internal 6-volt SLA battery. Eventually the SLA wears out, but I've been running this setup for several years and seen no degradation of the 12-volt AGM.
So, here is the easy technology transfer to the X-series:
1) Going from 12-volts down to 6-volts is a big efficiency hit, so this will work much better with the X-series.
2) The 45 watt solar panel is more than ample to keep a 12-volt AGM fully charged with a lot of routing through the camera.
3) For the X-series, you would not need a controller with a timer. You would simply run a BEC external battery cable from the AGM battery to the X-series camera.
Bottom line: If you can find a good central location for a routing camera with good sun exposure, for $150 you can give the camera perpetual power. I would guess that 45-watts would also be sufficient to run your cell base unless your cameras are set up with a very short delay and setup over bait.
Thanks,
Jack
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Jack - any suggestions on a solar panel to charge a 35ah battery I'm using on my repeater tower? I had the standard Buckeye panel hooked up but I kept getting a voltage overload error on the repeater camera every once and a while that required me to power cycle the repeater camera. eventually I disconected the panel but I really/need want to keep this battery charged because I have lots of volume running thru this tower/repeater.

Have you talked to BEC about it. Sounds like something is wrong.
In general, you don't connect a solar panel directly to a battery. A solar panel output voltage will bounce all over the place which is not good for the battery. You can get over and under voltage conditions.
Typically you plug the panels into a controller and then plug the controller into the battery. With my cheep Harbor Freight 45 watt panels, I junked the controller that came with it and bought my own. I purchased an EPRC-10 controller. It is a PWM (Pule Wave Modulated) controller. I got this one because I needed the timer on the output. But the key is to get one that has a DC load output. Rather than connecting the battery directly to the device you can connect the DC load output to the device. These outputs are protected from overloads. A PWM controller is better for the battery and is kind of like putting it on a smart charger. With one of these controllers, you can connect the battery directly to the device. Most of the time this will work because there is some protection from the panel itself. However, depending on how sensitive the device is you still may get some over-voltage conditions. Using the DC load output avoids this.
So how come we plug panels directly into the BECs? Because they have the control circuitry inside to handle the BEC panels. So, if you are using all BEC panel plugged directly into a BEC camera and you are getting an overvoltage condition, I think something is wrong.
In the case I described above, I'm using a general purpose solar panel and controller to charge a deep cycle battery that is then connected to the camera. So in my case, I have to provide the over/under voltage protection with the controller I'm using.
If you are working with general purpose panels, there are lots of inexpensive controllers out there. I'm not sure if they still sell the one I got but here is a similar one: <http://www.renogy-store.com/10-amp-charge-controller-p/ctrl-pwm10.htm?gclid=CjwKEAiAnqWkBRCGm5uyu5r13jsSJACBZ4 WyrLaSjHfuY2Y1KsjUB0cYrNZSHpaZ9n-7HMKUvzAg6BoCrRXw_wcB
Thanks,
Jack

Quote:
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Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
Have you talked to BEC about it. Sounds like something is wrong.
In general, you don't connect a solar panel directly to a battery. A solar panel output voltage will bounce all over the place which is not good for the battery. You can get over and under voltage conditions.
Typically you plug the panels into a controller and then plug the controller into the battery. With my cheep Harbor Freight 45 watt panels, I junked the controller that came with it and bought my own. I purchased an EPRC-10 controller. It is a PWM (Pule Wave Modulated) controller. I got this one because I needed the timer on the output. But the key is to get one that has a DC load output. Rather than connecting the battery directly to the device you can connect the DC load output to the device. These outputs are protected from overloads. A PWM controller is better for the battery and is kind of like putting it on a smart charger. With one of these controllers, you can connect the battery directly to the device. Most of the time this will work because there is some protection from the panel itself. However, depending on how sensitive the device is you still may get some over-voltage conditions. Using the DC load output avoids this.
So how come we plug panels directly into the BECs? Because they have the control circuitry inside to handle the BEC panels. So, if you are using all BEC panel plugged directly into a BEC camera and you are getting an overvoltage condition, I think something is wrong.
In the case I described above, I'm using a general purpose solar panel and controller to charge a deep cycle battery that is then connected to the camera. So in my case, I have to provide the over/under voltage protection with the controller I'm using.
If you are working with general purpose panels, there are lots of inexpensive controllers out there. I'm not sure if they still sell the one I got but here is a similar one: <http://www.renogy-store.com/10-amp-charge-controller-p/ctrl-pwm10.htm?gclid=CjwKEAiAnqWkBRCGm5uyu5r13jsSJACBZ4 WyrLaSjHfuY2Y1KsjUB0cYrNZSHpaZ9n-7HMKUvzAg6BoCrRXw_wcB
Thanks,
Jack
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Good education Jack thanks for the info. I will speak with BEC first.

 

[yoderjac]

So, I'm way into this ($wise) having purchased the 3 pack x-80's with a laptop.
I've spent some time with tech support and my email photos still does not function as it should. Today they suggested I just buy the online photo service for another $125 and it just rubbed me wrong......and listen, I'm not the kind of guy to b*tch about ANYTHING! I'm just glad I didnt install it at the farm and have to drive 3 hours to get this hacked off.
By the way, I simmered on this for 6 hours before typing(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED) so I wouldnt really unload......6 hours ago, I almost ordered a bunch of coverts.
My question is this, how many hours does it REALLY take to get these systems up and going? I need to be sure its worth it.

Quote:
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Originally Posted by JBGulf Shores
So, I'm way into this ($wise) having purchased the 3 pack x-80's with a laptop.
I've spent some time with tech support and my email photos still does not function as it should. Today they suggested I just buy the online photo service for another $125 and it just rubbed me wrong......and listen, I'm not the kind of guy to b*tch about ANYTHING! I'm just glad I didnt install it at the farm and have to drive 3 hours to get this hacked off.
By the way, I simmered on this for 6 hours before typing(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED) so I wouldnt really unload......6 hours ago, I almost ordered a bunch of coverts.
My question is this, how many hours does it REALLY take to get these systems up and going? I need to be sure its worth it.
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From my point of view, that is unacceptable support as described. Personally, I don't use the email or online service and have no need for either.
I have a PC base with a desktop PC at my farm with no intent service. My main purpose is extracting and analyzing data from the pictures to support QDM management decisions. There is no need for email or realtime pictures shipped to remote locations for that.
I have an inexpensive wifi router connected to the desktop with no uplink to the internet. Pictures are transmitted back to my desktop PC as they are taken. Each time I go to the farm to work, I simply take my laptop. I connect to the local network via WIFI and copy the pictures from the desktop to my laptop and delete them from the desktop. Later in the week when I'm back home, I go through the pictures and extract the data and insert it into a database.
Rather than another separate high dollar bill each month (I'm not even willing to pay for permanent internet at the farm) for some specialized web photo service, I simply rent an inexpensive virtual web server from Godaddy for a few bucks. I have computer skills, so I created my own web site linked relational database. When I extract the data from my pictures and put it into the local database on my laptop, I keep links to those pictures. Disk space is cheap. I have other owners and hunters, so the web site is private and requires a login so only our owners and guest can access it. I wrote a little home brew software so that each time I extract the data from the pictures and insert it into the database, I simply click a button and all the pictures related to those database entries are FTPed to the godaddy website and the records from my local database are copied to the on-line database. That lets the web site produce dynamic charts and grafts based on the data collected in the database and our members and guests and also view the pictures that generated that data.
I would not accept &quot;buy something else&quot; as an acceptable tech support answer.
Having said that, and knowing that I don't use the email or web publishing features, here are my thoughts.
In general, I presume the PC base software acts as a simple POP email client. You would likely have to set this up just like any other POP email client with information from your ISP or other email service. If you use MS Outlook as your standard email client, you can probably extract most of the information you need from it. Most ISPs are familiar with outlook. So, you could work with your ISP to get outlook setup for POP (rather than IMAP or whatever) and then use those settings with the PC base. It will include things like alternate port numbers. If you have outlook running as a POP email client on your laptop, BEC tech support should be able to help you get your BEC email push working.
As far as system setup time goes, the most time consuming is checking signal levels in the field and finding camera placement that works. You should be able to get a simple backyard setup for testing working in a couple hours with a few cameras.
Hope this helps,
Jack

Quote:
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Originally Posted by JBGulf Shores
So, I'm way into this ($wise) having purchased the 3 pack x-80's with a laptop.
I've spent some time with tech support and my email photos still does not function as it should. Today they suggested I just buy the online photo service for another $125 and it just rubbed me wrong......and listen, I'm not the kind of guy to b*tch about ANYTHING! I'm just glad I didnt install it at the farm and have to drive 3 hours to get this hacked off.
By the way, I simmered on this for 6 hours before typing(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED) so I wouldnt really unload......6 hours ago, I almost ordered a bunch of coverts.
My question is this, how many hours does it REALLY take to get these systems up and going? I need to be sure its worth it.
==================================
It does not take long to get them up and transmitting pictures in the house for testing..maybe 30 minutes. I bet you have to get your settings in your outgoing email to work right. How about creating a google email account and try putting those settings in for your outgoing email. Some ISP providers are finicky about their outgoing email settings. When smartphones first came out I had trouble getting my email to send. My ISP did not like my cell phone ISP.

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Originally Posted by Roger
It does not take long to get them up and transmitting pictures in the house for testing..maybe 30 minutes. I bet you have to get your settings in your outgoing email to work right. How about creating a google email account and try putting those settings in for your outgoing email. Some ISP providers are finicky about their outgoing email settings. When smartphones first came out I had trouble getting my email to send. My ISP did not like my cell phone ISP.
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I use my google account for email notifications thru buckeye and it works fine. Just an FYI incase u take this path. Although, I turned off the email because I got tired of getting tons. Only email setting I left was &quot;low battery&quot;.
I use the LiveCam service and love it. Works awsome on my ipad. If I want to sace a picture I just hold down on it and save to my iPad...2 seconds. This also automatically puts the picture on my iPhone and Mac computer. This is where I manage my photos.

What kind of transmission speeds is everyone getting on both the PC Base and the Cell base.
How about battery life in the SLA 12 volt? I am considering a marine battery for the X80s. None of them are repeaters so that might be over kill?

Thanks guys for your thoughts on this, the cameras send the pics to the laptop with no problem. My only issue is the email and accessing remotely (either / or)
I felt that my tech support question was handled in a way that kind of set me off. I called back today and spent another $125 for the live cam and hope I can get it set up before I leave for Utah tomorrow. I guess this system is pretty custom but I felt by purchasing the pre-setup package It would be flawless. Since the update, my directions are quite matching up. I'm generally pretty good with this sort of thing so I was taken by by it might somehow be user error or a wi-fi issue. I work from this location with online hosted software so that is quite unlikley. So far, not all that impressed with the software. But it does send the photos to a laptop without accessing the area which is kind of the point
I will be testing further as I have a covert black flash in the same position.

 

[yoderjac]

Quote:
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Originally Posted by Roger
What kind of transmission speeds is everyone getting on both the PC Base and the Cell base.
How about battery life in the SLA 12 volt? I am considering a marine battery for the X80s. None of them are repeaters so that might be over kill?
==================================
My X80 is collocated with the PC base and connected to a power source so my transmission speeds are maxed out and I don't have a feel for the X80 battery life.
I will say this in general based on Orion experience. Your battery is just a power buffer if you are using a solar panel. The key is to set the programing delay such that that amount of power consumed by taking pictures and transmitting from one night is less than that amount of power added the following day. This balance will vary based on your camera placement, the amount of light on the panel, your signal strength, the size of your panel, etc.
Ok, as I said, your battery then becomes a power buffer. First take a look at your weather. When a storm moves through, how many overcast days do you have. The larger your buffer, the more time without sun you can go without sun.
Just for a benchmark (granted, this is an Orion application) my repeater camera has a lot of other cameras going through it. I'm converting from 12-volts down to 6-volts which is a significant loss of efficiency. My 12 volt battery is somewhere between 20 and 30 ah (can't recall exactly). I'm charging it with a harbor freight 45 watt panel (with a PWM controller). The panel get full sun for about half a day. The battery has been running for 3 years in this configuration and has not yet discharged. Every time I check it, it is fully charged.
Good luck,
Jack

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
Just for a benchmark (granted, this is an Orion application) my repeater camera has a lot of other cameras going through it. I'm converting from 12-volts down to 6-volts which is a significant loss of efficiency. My 12 volt battery is somewhere between 20 and 30 ah (can't recall exactly). I'm charging it with a harbor freight 45 watt panel (with a PWM controller). The panel get full sun for about half a day. The battery has been running for 3 years in this configuration and has not yet discharged. Every time I check it, it is fully charged.
Good luck,
Jack
==================================
Thanks. My plans for the cell base are a Renogy 50 watt mono solar panel with 10 amp PWM charger, group 24 marine battery inside a plastic marine battery box.
For the X80s it is just too early to tell for now what I will need. I hate to do marine batteries and large solar panels for these if I do not need to. I was thinking scrimshaw said in an earlier post in this thread he ended up running marine batteries and solar on his X7Ds.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Roger
Thanks. My plans for the cell base are a Renogy 50 watt mono solar panel with 10 amp PWM charger, group 24 marine battery inside a plastic marine battery box.
For the X80s it is just too early to tell for now what I will need. I hate to do marine batteries and large solar panels for these if I do not need to. I was thinking scrimshaw said in an earlier post in this thread he ended up running marine batteries and solar on his X7Ds.
==================================
Roger,
It is really hard to tell up front because there are so many factors involved. In general, I'd say start small with the largest internal AH battery you can fit in the X80. Set the programming where you want it and run the camera. That will give you a feel for power consumption side of the equation. Watch the battery consumption closely. The Event log on the PC base reports the battery level after each picture transmission completes. You can extract these values and plot them against time.
After a few weeks, you will have feel for how many AH per day are consumed given your setting.
The next step is a bit harder because it involves estimating sun. Now you can estimate how much power a particular panel will produce in your setting. If you are completely in the open this isn't hard, but it can be difficult when you get into partial shade since that changes across the year.
Thanks,
Jack

Update on my power source…I ended up placing a 50 watt solar panel on an old ladder stand about half way up pointing southwest. I chose that size of panel because of its physical size (much smaller now) and that Jack stated he had great success with a 45 watt panel with several cameras repeating through it.
We had three very cloudy days in a row and it took my large marine battery down to 80%. I have both a cell base and an X80 hooked up to the one marine battery. My solar panel charged it all back to 100% in one sunny day so it looks as if this will be plenty to give me perpetual power to my cell base and one camera.
When it comes to antenna mounts I am a complete newbie. The cell base comes with two antennas and some u bolts and fairly long cords. For now I have them zip tied to an old ladder stand but need to do something else (although my signal to cams and cell service are 100%). I was looking at some mounts that people place their satellite dishes on their eves and rooftops. Any suggestions on mounting these two antennas to a tree or anything else relatively simple?

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
Have you talked to BEC about it. Sounds like something is wrong.
In general, you don't connect a solar panel directly to a battery. A solar panel output voltage will bounce all over the place which is not good for the battery. You can get over and under voltage conditions.
Typically you plug the panels into a controller and then plug the controller into the battery. With my cheep Harbor Freight 45 watt panels, I junked the controller that came with it and bought my own. I purchased an EPRC-10 controller. It is a PWM (Pule Wave Modulated) controller. I got this one because I needed the timer on the output. But the key is to get one that has a DC load output. Rather than connecting the battery directly to the device you can connect the DC load output to the device. These outputs are protected from overloads. A PWM controller is better for the battery and is kind of like putting it on a smart charger. With one of these controllers, you can connect the battery directly to the device. Most of the time this will work because there is some protection from the panel itself. However, depending on how sensitive the device is you still may get some over-voltage conditions. Using the DC load output avoids this.
So how come we plug panels directly into the BECs? Because they have the control circuitry inside to handle the BEC panels. So, if you are using all BEC panel plugged directly into a BEC camera and you are getting an overvoltage condition, I think something is wrong.
In the case I described above, I'm using a general purpose solar panel and controller to charge a deep cycle battery that is then connected to the camera. So in my case, I have to provide the over/under voltage protection with the controller I'm using.
If you are working with general purpose panels, there are lots of inexpensive controllers out there. I'm not sure if they still sell the one I got but here is a similar one: <http://www.renogy-store.com/10-amp-charge-controller-p/ctrl-pwm10.htm?gclid=CjwKEAiAnqWkBRCGm5uyu5r13jsSJACBZ4 WyrLaSjHfuY2Y1KsjUB0cYrNZSHpaZ9n-7HMKUvzAg6BoCrRXw_wcB
Thanks,
Jack
==================================
Jack - I assume the control circuit is inside the battery box on the x80 and not the camera? The solar panel connects to the x80 battery box and then back out of the box to the camera.
So if using a lager battery (say 35ah) you would still need the battery box somehow, no? Would it be solar to x80 battery box (with battery), out of x80 battery box into 35ah battery, off 35ah battery to camera?
Or, solar to 35ah battery, 35ah battery to x80 battery box (with battery), out of x80 battery box to camera?
I'm thinking my issue is because currently Im going from the solar panel to the 35ah battery and then out of battery to the camera. No x80 battery box in between. Which if the box has the control that's why. Thoughts?

 

[yoderjac]

Guys,
I have 3 X7D's now setup at my home, with the PC base. Also have LiveCam.
I would like to upgrade my base antenna. Which do you guys recommend?
In the spring, I may add to my setup, an additional 4 cameras. However I will have cameras sending pictures &quot;over&quot; other cameras (I will essentially have two rows of cameras, one row sending pictures over the other row).....my understanding is this is not ideal. Does anyone have any input or experience regarding this?
In additional - I have seen people say they can check their batteries with LiveCam.....how can that be done? I can only see my pictures on the different cameras.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by nyplotter
Jack - I assume the control circuit is inside the battery box on the x80 and not the camera? The solar panel connects to the x80 battery box and then back out of the box to the camera.
So if using a lager battery (say 35ah) you would still need the battery box somehow, no? Would it be solar to x80 battery box (with battery), out of x80 battery box into 35ah battery, off 35ah battery to camera?
Or, solar to 35ah battery, 35ah battery to x80 battery box (with battery), out of x80 battery box to camera?
I'm thinking my issue is because currently Im going from the solar panel to the 35ah battery and then out of battery to the camera. No x80 battery box in between. Which if the box has the control that's why. Thoughts?
==================================
I'm not Jack and I am new, but I did spend a great deal of time setting up a solar system for my setup. What size solar panel are you using? If more than 5 watts you might be getting higher voltage than the camera can handle. My system is a 50 watt solar panel that goes to a charge controller which regulates voltage coming from the panel and then to a 109 AH battery and then to the x80 cell base along with an X80 camera. I also have the same setup on an X80 but not near as big of a solar panel. I do not use the X80 battery boxes.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Roger
I'm not Jack and I am new, but I did spend a great deal of time setting up a solar system for my setup. What size solar panel are you using? If more than 5 watts you might be getting higher voltage than the camera can handle. My system is a 50 watt solar panel that goes to a charge controller which regulates voltage coming from the panel and then to a 109 AH battery and then to the x80 cell base along with an X80 camera. I also have the same setup on an X80 but not near as big of a solar panel. I do not use the X80 battery boxes.
==================================
Hey Roger, I'm using the BEC panels so not totally sure size they are but there made and sold for their stuff. The difference in you current setup is you using the controller. I'm currently not using one which I'm sure is why I'm having an issue. At first I thought it wouldn't be an issue because I thought the controller was in the camera but now I'm thinking its in the battery box. BEC sells everything including the battery cables to do this so it should work. However, I think my current missing piece is leaving the BEC battery box in between because that where the controller must be.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Guys,
I have 3 X7D's now setup at my home, with the PC base. Also have LiveCam.
I would like to upgrade my base antenna. Which do you guys recommend?
In the spring, I may add to my setup, an additional 4 cameras. However I will have cameras sending pictures &quot;over&quot; other cameras (I will essentially have two rows of cameras, one row sending pictures over the other row).....my understanding is this is not ideal. Does anyone have any input or experience regarding this?
In additional - I have seen people say they can check their batteries with LiveCam.....how can that be done? I can only see my pictures on the different cameras.
==================================
I have the BEC upgraded antenna mounted on a tower and it works great. I also have one mounted on my roof and that also works great. Give them a call they will have the antena you need.
Repeating thru cameras is fine it just takes a little more juice. If you have a camera with several others running thru it just upgrade the battery on that one and consider a solar panel if it gets sun.
Unless I'm missing something LiveCam is just for pictures. I don't/can't check my batteries thru it.

On livecam, I dont seen anything about checking battery strenth.
You will probably need a remote login to your cpu to see that in the buckeye software.
I like the Livecam now that everything is working!

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by nyplotter
Jack - I assume the control circuit is inside the battery box on the x80 and not the camera? The solar panel connects to the x80 battery box and then back out of the box to the camera.
So if using a lager battery (say 35ah) you would still need the battery box somehow, no? Would it be solar to x80 battery box (with battery), out of x80 battery box into 35ah battery, off 35ah battery to camera?
Or, solar to 35ah battery, 35ah battery to x80 battery box (with battery), out of x80 battery box to camera?
I'm thinking my issue is because currently Im going from the solar panel to the 35ah battery and then out of battery to the camera. No x80 battery box in between. Which if the box has the control that's why. Thoughts?
==================================
I don't know where the solar panel controller is in the X-series. The size of the external battery (ah) is not a factor. The solar panel will likely produce voltages higher and lower than the circuitry in the camera can handle as it gets in full sun and shade. You can think of voltage running down hill. You want a voltage higher than 12 volts coming from the panel to charge a 12-volt battery. The circuitry inside the camera can handle a range of voltage, but that range is probably smaller than the range produced by the panel. Some place you need to limit excessive voltage (or low voltage) from getting to that circuitry. That is where the controller comes in.
If you are correct and the control circuitry is in the battery box and not the camera on the X80, then you need that battery box in line. I haven't torn mine apart, but I do recall seeing a small circuit board in the battery box and that could certainly be the function it performs.
I would try putting the regular battery box in line and see what happens, or you can always call BEC and ask.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Guys,
I have 3 X7D's now setup at my home, with the PC base. Also have LiveCam.
I would like to upgrade my base antenna. Which do you guys recommend?
In the spring, I may add to my setup, an additional 4 cameras. However I will have cameras sending pictures &quot;over&quot; other cameras (I will essentially have two rows of cameras, one row sending pictures over the other row).....my understanding is this is not ideal. Does anyone have any input or experience regarding this?
In additional - I have seen people say they can check their batteries with LiveCam.....how can that be done? I can only see my pictures on the different cameras.
==================================
My experience is with the Orion series, but the concepts are the same.
As for antennas, it depends on your configuration. High gain yagi antennas are directional in a front/back and up/down sense. The highest gain in where the antenna is pointed and it essentially blind behind the antenna. The higher the gain, the narrower the beam. So, if your cameras are placed in a narrow cone angle from the base, a high gain yagi on the base will give you the best gain (if you need more gain). Likewise, if you and a terminal camera with no cameras repeating through it, it only needs to &quot;see&quot; the base, so a high gain yagi is a good choice. You can get gain of 13-14 db with these.
An high gain Omni-directions antenna is directional in an up/down sense You don't point these. They are essentially blind above and below the antenna. The antenna pattern on these looks like a big donut. These are good choices for a base if you have cameras that are distributed around the base and could be anywhere in a 360 degree circle. They are also good choices for routing cameras because it may be receiving pictures from a camera on one side and transmitting them to the base on the other side. You can get 6-8 db of gain with these.
Also, you can generally buy the same 900 MHz antennas from L-com for less than you can get them from BEC. You just need to be smart enough to pick the right connectors on both ends of the cable for the antenna and camera. If you buy from BEC they do all that for you.
If you want a more specific recommendation, you will need to post a map with you camera locations and distances. Topography also helps.
One more thing to consider is that antennas don't overcome blockage well. Having a clear path between antennas (in many cases height is helpful) is more important than gain.
Another consideration is power consumption. When you use a camera as a repeater, it uses a more power since it not only transmits its own pictures but pictures from every camera routing through it. In my case, I found it was better to put a camera centrally located with a tall tower and route multiple cameras through it. There reason is that I can put It in a location with good sun and then use a very large solar panel and large AH battery. It is less expensive to set up a single large panel in a location with great sun than to deal with the increased power consumption for multiple cameras each routing from 1 other camera. This may or may not be an issue for you depending on programming and power availability.
Thanks,
Jack

Anyone know how much it would cost per month to run a Verizon cell base? In other words, what plans are available that would work with the cell base? Is it basically like adding another phone to your existing plan? The cell base wouldn't require a data plan, right?...just text service?

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by meyerske
Anyone know how much it would cost per month to run a Verizon cell base? In other words, what plans are available that would work with the cell base? Is it basically like adding another phone to your existing plan? The cell base wouldn't require a data plan, right?...just text service?
==================================
I just turned my Verizon Cell base on in December. It costs $50 per month. It did not allow me to just add it as an internet device that is part of a share plan to my existing cell phone plan for $20 per month. I had to pay the full $50 per month for 5 gig. ATT was even more.

Anyone want to trade their X80 for an Orion in excellent condition?

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by meyerske
Anyone want to trade their X80 for an Orion in excellent condition?
==================================
Nope! As much as I love the bulletproof Orion with its longer transmission distances, technology has a lifespan. While I don't want to be an early adopter in the rush-to-market trail camera industry, I also don't want to grab a falling sword. At some point, it doesn't make economic sense for a company to maintain the inventory to maintain cameras that it no longer sells.
I have high confidence that BEC will still be able to fix my Orions when the eventually begin to fail, but I won't be buying more.
The real advantage I see to the X-series is that it runs on 12-volts. That opens the door to cost effective perpetual solar power. Solar panel costs are continuing to fall over time on an Amp/hour per square foot basis. If repeater power is not an issue, the long distance transmission advantage of the Orion begins to diminish.
Right now my camera network is pretty stable. I have one X80 that I'm still playing with. I'll probably wait until I start seeing Orions begin to fail before committing to the X80. Depending on how long they last, BEC may even have a better choice when I'm ready.
Thanks,
jack

 

[yoderjac]

Note for you guys with Radio Shacks in your area.....
I bought 3 7ah batteries yesterday for $35. (RadioShack is going out of business)
If you have one in your area, it is worth a short drive and phone call (my opinion).

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
Nope! As much as I love the bulletproof Orion with its longer transmission distances, technology has a lifespan. While I don't want to be an early adopter in the rush-to-market trail camera industry, I also don't want to grab a falling sword. At some point, it doesn't make economic sense for a company to maintain the inventory to maintain cameras that it no longer sells.
I have high confidence that BEC will still be able to fix my Orions when the eventually begin to fail, but I won't be buying more.
The real advantage I see to the X-series is that it runs on 12-volts. That opens the door to cost effective perpetual solar power. Solar panel costs are continuing to fall over time on an Amp/hour per square foot basis. If repeater power is not an issue, the long distance transmission advantage of the Orion begins to diminish.
Right now my camera network is pretty stable. I have one X80 that I'm still playing with. I'll probably wait until I start seeing Orions begin to fail before committing to the X80. Depending on how long they last, BEC may even have a better choice when I'm ready.
Thanks,
jack
==================================
I agree with Yoder on this one. I have 2 Orions and and some X80s. The 12 volt capacity of the X80 makes it superior in my opinion. I also think the flash range is a bit stronger on the X80, transmission speed is for sure faster, and you have a ton of options for 12 volt solar power. I do not know for a fact but I believe the stronger radio in the Orion uses more power as well.
The Orions are still very slick however. I just bought 2 used ones that are around 8 years old. Can you imagine purchasing an 8 year old trail camera? One of the used ones would not power on when I got it. The seller was going to return my money but I sent the camera in to buckeye cam instead. They repaired the camera and put it in a new case for me. That is where you really get your return on the high upfront costs in my opinion and helps the resell value of them.

Can anyone give me some advice on the solar panels?
I just got some in, and like the antennas, they seems a little hairy to mount correctly. These are being mounted on trees, not 4x4s (but that may very well be happening this spring)
I also have an additional Cell Base, which if someone wants it, let me know - I'd be happy to sell it to a contributing member here for a couple hundred bucks. It functions as a PC base as well, for whatever that is worth.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Can anyone give me some advice on the solar panels?
I just got some in, and like the antennas, they seems a little hairy to mount correctly. These are being mounted on trees, not 4x4s (but that may very well be happening this spring)
I also have an additional Cell Base, which if someone wants it, let me know - I'd be happy to sell it to a contributing member here for a couple hundred bucks. It functions as a PC base as well, for whatever that is worth.
==================================
What are your specific questions about solar panels? If you are talking about the BEC panels, I found them easy to mount using the bracket they provide.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Can anyone give me some advice on the solar panels?
I just got some in, and like the antennas, they seems a little hairy to mount correctly. These are being mounted on trees, not 4x4s (but that may very well be happening this spring)
I also have an additional Cell Base, which if someone wants it, let me know - I'd be happy to sell it to a contributing member here for a couple hundred bucks. It functions as a PC base as well, for whatever that is worth.
==================================
Use the BEC panels. You can go the other way, and buy someone else's, but believe me it is well worth the BEC.
I now have 26 X80 cameras. I love all of them. I have 2 cell sights. 1 home base. What I learned was the BEC solar panels work better than the biggest commercial panel I could find.

Use the BEC panels. You can go the other way, and buy someone else's, but believe me it is well worth the BEC.
I now have 26 X80 cameras. I love all of them. I have 2 cell sights. 1 home base. What I learned was the BEC solar panels work better than the biggest commercial panel I could find.[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure I understand that. What do you mean by &quot;work better&quot;?
BEC panels are size efficient and easy to use because the connectors are installed. However they don't come close to larger commercial panels for the amount of energy they can produce.
They are 15 watt panels which means that in full direct sunlight they can produce 15 watts. Lets compare that to a very inexpensive space inefficient panel like the Harbor Freight 45w Kit with the controller replaced by a PWM controller. The BEC is very space efficient producing 15 watts from a 22&quot; square panel. The Harbor Freight is much less space efficient. The three panel kit takes about 3' square to produce the 45 watts. The kit costs about $150 or a little less on sale. You'll pay an extra 20 to 30 bucks if you want to replace the HF controller with a PWM controller (which I recommend). You will want to use a large external battery to take advantage of triple the charging capacity of the BEC panel.
Now I would not recommend this for each camera. You only need enough reserve battery capacity to meet your application needs. This is a good configuration for a camera used as a repeater for multiple cameras or one that is programmed for and applied to a high event situation.
I like this because the space inefficient panels are less expensive than space efficient panes. However, if you have space limitations, there are plenty of commercial panels at higher wattages that have the same space efficiency as the BEC panel.
Thanks,
Jack

Gotta say, I am enjoying these cameras big time.
The ability to enjoy the pictures and updates (without lifting a finger) while either working at home, or while away is just plane addictive. The functionality however is really one of the more impressive benefits of this system, as I can literally modify the system to fit my needs.
Buckeye as an organization has been good. The units are expensive for sure, but is something that I really enjoy every day, and in my opinion is worth it.
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Last two.
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Well this sure has got me excited. I spent last evening reading the entire thread. And seeing where some of you have been going through the growing pains with the BEC systems. I just pulled the trigger on a Cellular system with three cameras to go down on my farm in KY. I can't wait to have it setup and able to view pictures back home here in PA. To say i am pumped is an understatement LOL! It is also nice to know I have this resource to fall back on should i have troubles with setting things up. I just sent the check yesterday.....how long does it usually take to receive the system? I am not one that is good at waiting LOL!(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)

geez i was hoping to hear your gonna love it....great choice....lol.....now i am a little worried to say the least...

Deerfarmer111 I'm sorry I don't understand?

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Deerfarmer111
geez i was hoping to hear your gonna love it....great choice....lol.....now i am a little worried to say the least...
==================================
They are the best. You will not hear many say otherwise. I have both the Orions and X80. I have an Orion that is 8 years old they would still support and fix if I needed it.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Deerfarmer111 I'm sorry I don't understand?
==================================
no problem. See my previous post before the one you respond too. i just purchased a new buckeye system and was hoping to hear it was a wise choice. LOL. Time will tell.(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Roger
They are the best. You will not hear many say otherwise. I have both the Orions and X80. I have an Orion that is 8 years old they would still support and fix if I needed it.
==================================
awesome can't wait to try them out!

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Deerfarmer111
no problem. See my previous post before the one you respond too. i just purchased a new buckeye system and was hoping to hear it was a wise choice. LOL. Time will tell.(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
==================================
If you bought one, you don't need to be told it was a wise choice....(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
They are not for everyone. RF transmission is not for the faint of heart. If you have unobstructed Line of Sight, it will be easy and you'll love it. If not, it can be challenging to setup if you are not technically inclined.
From my perspective the real benefit is that you get full sized pictures transmitted back to the base that you can use for QDM management decisions. Properly balanced between solar panel size and programming application, they can run for many, many months unattended. This means you don't contaminate your hunting location. BEC has a great history of extremely low failure rates with a long life-span with the Orion series.
Good Luck,
Jack

oh i can promise you with the money it cost for the system it will be working on my farm if its the last thing I do! LOL!(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)

Just got my Buckeye system tonight set it all up in the living room.....three cameras. Man do i love this system so far. Works good in the house. LOL!(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)

 

[yoderjac]

any of you guys using the Buckeye cell base how has your batteries held up with having the solar panel? Also what kinds of pictures per week are you getting?

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Deerfarmer111
Just got my Buckeye system tonight set it all up in the living room.....three cameras. Man do i love this system so far. Works good in the house. LOL!(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
==================================
You will be 100% addicted in absolutely no time. Love my Buckeye system. I'm putting up my second tower this summer on my property...opposite sides. Pop a repeater on it to communicate back to my main tower and most of my property should be covered.

Took one day...and i am addicted......love it! Can't wait to get the system down to my farm in KY.!!

finally purchased a 10 camera system. ..
Hope it will be delivered soon.. I have been looking and debating for years.. but with a new piece of ground and a better environment and layout for cameras.. I decided to spend the money..
I plan to add 2 to 4 cameras to the system as I can.. I also figured 10 cameras were enough headaches to get set up initially..
Bryan

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by bbarrett
finally purchased a 10 camera system. ..
Hope it will be delivered soon.. I have been looking and debating for years.. but with a new piece of ground and a better environment and layout for cameras.. I decided to spend the money..
I plan to add 2 to 4 cameras to the system as I can.. I also figured 10 cameras were enough headaches to get set up initially..
Bryan
==================================
I only have three right now but it went very smooth as far as initial setup.......but i will let you know once i place them where they need to go! I just have them setup behind my house right now.....you will love it!

Question for Buckeye owners - who has upgraded their &quot;old&quot; cameras and to the &quot;new&quot; style cameras? Brandon is telling me that this will improve the quality of the pictures - but I am not so sure? I don't mind the quality I have now.
I have the x7d's. I am not talking upgraded from the x7d's to the x80s - this is simply a camera upgrade (as I understand it) to the x7d old camera.
If you have done so - what is the noticeable difference? Would you recommend doing so?

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Question for Buckeye owners - who has upgraded their &quot;old&quot; cameras and to the &quot;new&quot; style cameras? Brandon is telling me that this will improve the quality of the pictures - but I am not so sure? I don't mind the quality I have now.
I have the x7d's. I am not talking upgraded from the x7d's to the x80s - this is simply a camera upgrade (as I understand it) to the x7d old camera.
If you have done so - what is the noticeable difference? Would you recommend doing so?
==================================
If you are not talking upgrading from x7d to x80, I'm not sure what upgrade you are talking about. I did upgrade from X7d to X80. I did so for radio distance, not picture quality. I didn't know there was supposed to be a picture quality improvement with this upgrade. If there was, I didn't notice much.
If there is another hardware upgrade, I don't know about it. If you are talking about a simple firmware upgrade, I find it best to stay pretty current. I usually let an upgrade &quot;rest&quot; for a couple months after release before I apply it just in case I see reports of issues.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Same as yoder I upgraded for the distance. However, I did upgrade the plastic lens on them all. Two reason, the older x7 didn't have a strip across the bottom of the lens so the flash bled thru at night resulting in poor nighttime photos. Also, the original lenses were turning yellow when the new ones were completely clear. This helped my picture quality the most. BEC provided everything needed at no cost.

Interesting addition and nice to see the X80 series continuing to growing.
http://www.buckeyecam.com/site/products.html

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by nyplotter
Interesting addition and nice to see the X80 series continuing to growing.
http://www.buckeyecam.com/site/products.html
==================================
I'm still scratching my head on this one. The device is interesting, but I can't seem to find an application that makes any sense to me.

Quote:
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Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
I'm still scratching my head on this one. The device is interesting, but I can't seem to find an application that makes any sense to me.
==================================
If you own a business or a residence or large fenced in acreage with access gates that you need to operate remotely to let an employee in or someone making a delivery etc. I knew a guy who had an access gate that was at least half mile from his cabin. He either had to give the access code away or meet the person at the gate. With this he could even open the gate from his cabin one half mile away or his permanent residence which is over 2 hours away from the property.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Roger
If you own a business or a residence or large fenced in acreage with access gates that you need to operate remotely to let an employee in or someone making a delivery etc. I knew a guy who had an access gate that was at least half mile from his cabin. He either had to give the access code away or meet the person at the gate. With this he could even open the gate from his cabin one half mile away or his permanent residence which is over 2 hours away from the property.
==================================
Maybe I misunderstand it. Does the picture trigger the gate actuation? If so, anyone gets in. Does the picture just notify the user who pushes a button to actuate the gate? This provides the security but there are plenty of simple gate actuators that could be used.
Just seems like an expensive solution to a simple problem. There are plenty of systems that can use temporary codes. You simply give the person a temporary code that expires.
It could be that I just don't know enough about how it works but I'm still trying to envision a practical application.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
Maybe I misunderstand it. Does the picture trigger the gate actuation? If so, anyone gets in. Does the picture just notify the user who pushes a button to actuate the gate? This provides the security but there are plenty of simple gate actuators that could be used.
Just seems like an expensive solution to a simple problem. There are plenty of systems that can use temporary codes. You simply give the person a temporary code that expires.
It could be that I just don't know enough about how it works but I'm still trying to envision a practical application.
==================================
Have you ever seen the boar buster hog trap? It is one slick system and uses a setup with a remote camera and actuator that you can control in real time. The buckeye system could be used in this way according to the advertisement I received. I doubt this is a system that will be useful for the masses like a trail cam or wireless trail cam is. I suspect it is a niche and just an expansion of the wireless feeder.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Roger
Have you ever seen the boar buster hog trap? It is one slick system and uses a setup with a remote camera and actuator that you can control in real time. The buckeye system could be used in this way according to the advertisement I received. I doubt this is a system that will be useful for the masses like a trail cam or wireless trail cam is. I suspect it is a niche and just an expansion of the wireless feeder.
==================================
No, we don't have hogs in my area. Sounds like a pretty small niche. I still don't understand what triggers the actuator. The camera or a signal from the base station? Is there image recognition software involved? As I recall, back with the old Orion series, they tried to develop a &quot;license plate&quot; mode. I guess with recognition software and an intricate setup, I could see a camera opening a gate base on a license plate number but that would be pretty tricky.
If I had a better understanding of exactly how it worked, I might be able to figure out a usefull application.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
No, we don't have hogs in my area. Sounds like a pretty small niche. I still don't understand what triggers the actuator. The camera or a signal from the base station? Is there image recognition software involved? As I recall, back with the old Orion series, they tried to develop a &quot;license plate&quot; mode. I guess with recognition software and an intricate setup, I could see a camera opening a gate base on a license plate number but that would be pretty tricky.
If I had a better understanding of exactly how it worked, I might be able to figure out a usefull application.
==================================
Per BEC manually triggered and mainly for liability reasons....

Interesting!
We were just talking about a remote photo and trigger system made by jäger-pro. When you see the hogs are in the trap, you trip the trigger.
I didn't realize my x80 system had this option(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)
Just cool in so many ways!
Can anyone give me an idea what the cell base costs to run per month?
And do you load pic to livecam or are they emailed?

I realize this is an X-series thread, but I think it is relevant to report here.
One important consideration when buying a trail camera for longevity and reliability is maintenance. This especially true when trying to buy an integrated system like BEC. While BEC has been great to deal with over the years, it has been hard to evaluate their maintenance and commitment to it since my Orion cameras have worked flawlessly for so many years.
I have finally starting to see some failures that need attention. Some are probably issues related to design, some are stupid user things, and some are just aging. The one thing I've been starting to see is shorts forming in the battery connectors on the board. This is probably because a board type connector was used that was not designed to handle the number of insertions and removals it can get over many years. These cameras have two battery connectors on the board so you can hot-swap batteries without shutting down the camera. When a camera goes into a &quot;Low battery&quot; state, it stops taking and transmitting pictures to preserve the pictures already taken. So, hot swapping a battery allows those pictures to be retained and transmitted with the fresh battery. I first started noticing that sometimes I swapped a battery and everything was fine, but when I got back to camp the camera would not respond. Going back to the field, I found that when I closed the door, the battery cables would put just enough stress on the connector to break the connection. I temporarily solved this by simply using the other connector.
Of course, there have been user stupidity failures. I've accidently dropped batteries while still connected to the board and bent connectors.
So, I've started the process of returning my Orion cameras for maintenance. I plan to use this thread to let folks know how things work out.
So far, I sent one camera back last fall that I had dropped the battery and bent the pins on. They fixed that one for free. About a week ago, I sent in the next camera. It was hanging at the wait light and I suspected the battery connection was shorted at the board. They fixed that. They also found the Lexan face was scratched and dulled and the pictures were slightly out of focus. They replaced the Lexan and both lenses for a cost of about $50. That camera was returned today. I'll take it to the farm tomorrow and bring back another. My plan is to have them maintained sequentially so I can keep the network up and running and lose a minimal amount of data.
If they X-series is as sound as the Orion and the company provides long-term maintenance, it will be another hard to beat system from them.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

I sent in the next camera a week ago and got it back today. It passed all the tests including burn-in. They said that after years of use, the contacts inside the battery leads sometimes get warn and contact becomes intermittent causing the camera to power down or reset. I got a few new battery leads from them with the last camera. I'll start checking the existing ones for tightness of fit and swap out any loose ones. Total cost for this camera was $0.
I plan to take it to the farm tomorrow and bring back another for evaluation and repair if necessary.
Thanks,
Jack

Hey Jack,
Thanks so much for sharing all you have about these systems. I have really enjoyed reading your tests and info and go back and re-read when I have a question as you have answered most questions that can come up already!
There is a learning curve with them but once you are up and running it's pretty dang smooth and has a HUGE awesomeness factor!
By the way, they have another 15% off sale right now!
I'm adding a larger solar panel to my cell base and another cam(INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by yoderj@cox.net
I realize this is an X-series thread, but I think it is relevant to report here.
One important consideration when buying a trail camera for longevity and reliability is maintenance. This especially true when trying to buy an integrated system like BEC. While BEC has been great to deal with over the years, it has been hard to evaluate their maintenance and commitment to it since my Orion cameras have worked flawlessly for so many years.
I have finally starting to see some failures that need attention. Some are probably issues related to design, some are stupid user things, and some are just aging. The one thing I've been starting to see is shorts forming in the battery connectors on the board. This is probably because a board type connector was used that was not designed to handle the number of insertions and removals it can get over many years. These cameras have two battery connectors on the board so you can hot-swap batteries without shutting down the camera. When a camera goes into a &quot;Low battery&quot; state, it stops taking and transmitting pictures to preserve the pictures already taken. So, hot swapping a battery allows those pictures to be retained and transmitted with the fresh battery. I first started noticing that sometimes I swapped a battery and everything was fine, but when I got back to camp the camera would not respond. Going back to the field, I found that when I closed the door, the battery cables would put just enough stress on the connector to break the connection. I temporarily solved this by simply using the other connector.
Of course, there have been user stupidity failures. I've accidently dropped batteries while still connected to the board and bent connectors.
So, I've started the process of returning my Orion cameras for maintenance. I plan to use this thread to let folks know how things work out.
So far, I sent one camera back last fall that I had dropped the battery and bent the pins on. They fixed that one for free. About a week ago, I sent in the next camera. It was hanging at the wait light and I suspected the battery connection was shorted at the board. They fixed that. They also found the Lexan face was scratched and dulled and the pictures were slightly out of focus. They replaced the Lexan and both lenses for a cost of about $50. That camera was returned today. I'll take it to the farm tomorrow and bring back another. My plan is to have them maintained sequentially so I can keep the network up and running and lose a minimal amount of data.
If they X-series is as sound as the Orion and the company provides long-term maintenance, it will be another hard to beat system from them.
Thanks,
Jack
==================================
We used the Orion in the past and they were good but we have used the x7d and x80 cams since they came out and I like this system better. Smaller units and great pics. We run 25-30 X80's now and there Great for security but mainly use for deer. I love being able to just move the cams over to a trail or somewhere I think deer are moving during season and seeing if I need to hunt there or wasting my time.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by Big Bone
We used the Orion in the past and they were good but we have used the x7d and x80 cams since they came out and I like this system better. Smaller units and great pics. We run 25-30 X80's now and there Great for security but mainly use for deer. I love being able to just move the cams over to a trail or somewhere I think deer are moving during season and seeing if I need to hunt there or wasting my time.
==================================
I have one X80 that I've been testing since the X-series came out. It was actually an X7D that I had upgraded. It took them a while to get the kinks out when it first came out, but so far I'm impressed with what I've tested. The only area where it falls short is transmission distance. Depending on your topography and vegetation, that may are may not be an issue for a given application. It is for mine.
I'm hoping that eventually they come out with an upgrade that goes back to 5 mile radios like the Orion series.
Things I like about the X-Series over the Orion series:
1) 12-volt vs 6-volt
2) Picture Resolution
3) Size
4) Some better control features in the SW.
Thanks,
Jack

Good deal, I agree
We have some pretty hilly areas but I've had to buy a few echo repeaters to fix that problem. My average distance between cameras and repeaters or cameras between cameras is about 650 yards. We just started using 60' fiberglass poles since there non conductive and telescopic. we buy them through spiderbeam poles. Takes a bit to get them since there coming from Germany but they not bad on pricing. Around $225 a piece.

Quote:
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Originally Posted by Big Bone
Good deal, I agree
We have some pretty hilly areas but I've had to buy a few echo repeaters to fix that problem. My average distance between cameras and repeaters or cameras between cameras is about 650 yards. We just started using 60' fiberglass poles since there non conductive and telescopic. we buy them through spiderbeam poles. Takes a bit to get them since there coming from Germany but they not bad on pricing. Around $225 a piece.
==================================
I'm on a pine farm with rolling terrain. There is nothing that attenuates a signal at 900 MHz like water and pine trees are essentially vertical water. I've resorted to tall antenna towers, repeaters, and high gain antennas even with the higher powered Orion radios.

I just got the report on the last cam I sent in. Bill will be about $50. Some seals, lexan, the bent connector, and a cable needed replaced. It is on the way back. I'll be sending the next one in when I receive it. Slowly but surely without risking my data collection I'm having me camera network refurbished.
By the way, this camera seemed to be working fine except that I had bent one set of connectors. So, some of the issues found by BEC had not yet resulted in observable symptoms, but I'm glad I got them addressed before they did.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

The next camera is back. This one was taking about 5% black pictures during the day. Otherwise it was working fine. BEC found a system board with a cosmetic flaw on the LED and replaced my system board at no cost. You can't ask for better support than they have been providing!
Thanks,
Jack

My return for refurbishment of Orions has been going great. I ran across a tip as I was dealing with my most recent refurbishment. When temporarily mounting a camera on a tree, the straps that come with the bracket work fine. When permanently mounting on a post, I just screw the bracket into the post and that works great. The problem comes in when placing a camera on a tree permanently. Trees grow. As you can see in this picture, the strap eventually girdled the tree. If you use normal screws the bracket will become embedded in the tree.
So, when I replaced this camera, I tried something new; Hanger Bolts.

In the picture above, you can see where the strap had girdled the tree. You can also see the two hanger bolts I'm now using. These have wood screw threads on one end and machine screw threads on the other.

The picture above shows the bracket added. You can see that although the bracket is solid, there is plenty of room for the tree to grow before it touches the bracket.

The final picture above shows it with the camera added.
This concept may be adaptable to other cameras.
Thanks,
Jack

Looks great Jack, thanks for the update.
I have been using Tposts, and zip ties for mine. Works pretty well. Only thing to keep in mind, is trimming the spot out in early Spring....trim enough so that in July it isn't interfering with the image. Being you leave your cameras so long, undoubtedly you have that figured out.

 

[yoderjac]

Agree. It is pretty crazy what you can do in terms of a true set and forget. I have not touched either one of my X7Ds (other than trimming around them) Since 12/31/14. Solar panel setups and the reliability have been awesome. I am going to check my tree strap today and loosen it up a bit.

Quote:
==================================
Originally Posted by ICALL2MUCH
Looks great Jack, thanks for the update.
I have been using Tposts, and zip ties for mine. Works pretty well. Only thing to keep in mind, is trimming the spot out in early Spring....trim enough so that in July it isn't interfering with the image. Being you leave your cameras so long, undoubtedly you have that figured out.
==================================
Most of mine are on fields that get bushhoged. A few are on fields with beans and corn. Once the beans and corn get large enough, I simply bushhog a strip through them where the camera is pointed. You know how deer lover to browse edges. This just creates more edges directly where the camera is pointed.
Every now and then I'll notice batteries burning faster than normal. That tells me it is time to take a pole saw or chain saw out and clear around the solar panel.
Thanks,
Jack

One problem that I'm now experiencing with my Orion series is that the battery lead connectors are wearing out on the batteries. I bought a few more from buckeyecam. As I notice issues with a camera and test the battery I'm finding some batteries testing fine. I finally figured out it is because my SLA load tester has clamps that camp on to the battery terminals directly. The batteries themselves were fine. The issue is that the connectors on the leads are wearing out. I'll be replacing those as issues arise.
Thanks,
Jack

This was a good one. I have had my X80 cams and cell base out now Since Christmas 2014 and they have taken around 150,000 pictures. I have not touched them or the battery since I put them out over a year and a half ago. 12 volt solar and deep cycle batteries are to thank for that. Been fool proof so far. Just wish the picture quality was a little better. This was a good thread...Thanks to all those who contributed...

 

[yoderjac]

END OF TRANSFER FROM QDMA FORUMS

 

[Roger]

So I just contacted Buckeye Cam about servicing my one of my old Orion cameras and they said they would "attempt" to fix it. They were not sure if they could obtain parts etc. for it. Could this be the end for the Orion Jack???

I am sending it in today and will report back...

 

[yoderjac]

Roger,

It probably depends on what issues the camera has. None of mine were experiencing issues with major components. Most of the issues with mine were related to connectors and cables and such wearing over years. There is no doubt that these cameras are old enough that there will come a time when they are obsolete. I have an X80 camera and base station. I'm sure there will come a time when I begin to have failures with the Orions that can't be fixed (but they are all going strong now). When that time comes, if the camera is close to the PC base, I'll replace it with an X80 (unless a new better series comes out by then). If the camera is far from the base, I'll take an existing Orion that is closer to the base, and move it to that position and replace the closer Orion with an X80. All of the cables and existing antennas and masts are compatible with the X-series. It will simply be a matter of moving a camera.

The only negative thing I've seen with the X80 is the shorter range radio compared with the Orion. Everything else seems to be a step up. I especially like the 12 volt system. It allows for the easy use of larger external batteries and inexpensive large solar panels without out the voltage conversion that I need to use with my Orions.

Let us know how it works out of for you!

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Roger]

So after a little under 1 month I finally heard back from Buckeye Cam tech support yesterday. The camera needed a new board and was going to cost $500. Something I am not willing to spend on an old camera when you can have an x80 for just a few hundred more. So anyway, I have a brick Orion Cam. The fix was there, just not worth the cost.

So I just contacted Buckeye Cam about servicing my one of my old Orion cameras and they said they would "attempt" to fix it. They were not sure if they could obtain parts etc. for it. Could this be the end for the Orion Jack???

I am sending it in today and will report back...

 

[yoderjac]

I would tend to agree. All of the antennas are compatible between the Orion and X-series, so any investment you made in antennas or towers will transfer. They are plug and play. The X-series is a 12-volt system and the Orion a 6-Volt system, so the batteries and solar panels and such don't transfer. The radios are different so the PC base does not transfer either. If you are transitioning from the Orion network to the X-series network over time, they can be run simultaneously. I'm running 2 bases off my computer, one for my Orion network and one for the X80 I'm testing. I added a second 13 db yagi to my antenna mast a few feet below the Orion yagi. I've had no interference between camera systems. When my Orions eventually start failing, I'll simply replace the cameras with X80s. Since the X80 radio is not as powerful as the Orion, I'll have to move my existing Orion cameras around so the ones replaced by the X-series are those with the strongest signal and move the remaining Orion cameras to more problematic locations. Eventually, I'll need to use more repeater setups when the full network is converted to X-series.

This all presumes my Orions fail before BEC comes out with something better than the X-series. So far, so good.... How old was your Orion when it failed?

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Roger]

It is very old. One of the first ones. It sat in a closet for many years before being put out in the field again. I had it going for over a year on driveway duty. I would actually like to donate it for parts to your network if you want it Jack. It is at BEC right now. I had told them to keep it, but if you want it you can call and tell them to send it to you.