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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Ptz cameras
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darz5150
Member
# Posted: 8 Jan 2025 09:29pm
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Since I got the starlink with unlimited data, I got some more cameras to add to the collection.
These have a panorama camera and a ptz in one unit. That way you can cover 2 areas with one cam.
These are powered by a USB power plug.
Which works out great since most everything I have built has been wired for 12 vdc or 120 ac.
They will text or email alerts if the motion detector is tripped. I don't use the cloud storage,but sd cards are working great.
The camera can also be used with blue tooth if you don't have wifi or cell service.
Might be handy for crank if you just want added security while you are at the cabin.
Dual zone cam
Dual zone cam
Shop
Shop
Patio
Patio


gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 8 Jan 2025 10:00pm
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That is kewl

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 8 Jan 2025 10:24pm
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Crank. To test one out.
I powered one off a mostly used up lawn mower battery that wouldn't start a lawn mower.
But I rigged up a cig plug, and cheap USB plug in. Been working for a few weeks. Battery still has 12 volts. So if you wanted to rig one up and leave it at your cabin, it still records video and sound 24/7. Then when you go to your cabin, you can connect blue tooth and see what happened while you were gone.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 9 Jan 2025 06:42am
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I'm in month 10 of a $75 PTZ solar cellular cam. $120 for the yearly sim card. It just does outside our cabin. However its movement does freeze with really cold weather. I just leave it in a good spot to stay for the winter. Mostly I just use it for snow depth viewing...thankfully security isnt that much of a concern.

Do you also have exterior cameras covering doors?

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 9 Jan 2025 12:27pm
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Quoting: Brettny
Do you also have exterior cameras covering doors?

Yes. I have a few different independent security set ups. I will probably be getting a couple solar powered ones also. I'm glad you posted about yours. That's how I found the cams I just got.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 9 Jan 2025 04:22pm
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Does the tracking one actualy move and follow moving objects? If so how much is that one?

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 9 Jan 2025 07:36pm
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Quoting: Brettny
Does the tracking one actualy move and follow moving objects?

Yes. But I would honestly rate it about 7 out of 10. Haven't really messed with that too much. I got them for the live feed and text notification when it trips the motion detector.
The cams were only $30 bucks.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 11 Jan 2025 05:47am
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Wow they have really gone down in price.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 11 Jan 2025 09:48am - Edited by: paulz
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Sure are nice cameras guys. Do I need one, hmm. I have 3 motion detect cellphone trail cams now, one at the house front door, one at the cabin front and one in the yard.

Do I need live scanning, control, zoom? Can’t think of a reason, no snow load to monitor, wild animals just pass by. Burglers? Safe so far but you never know.

WiFi on full time and grid at the house, cabin powered down when not here. I do get pictures every day from wildlife, the mailman. Too be honest I’d rather not, being at one locale always gives me something to do rather than think about the one I’m not at.

Last nights coyote.
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IMG_4194.jpeg


darz5150
Member
# Posted: 11 Jan 2025 12:00pm - Edited by: darz5150
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Well another part of the reason I wanted these live view cameras is......
Unfortunately my wife has cancer, and is going through chemo. She can be fine one moment, then seriously not good the next moment. We never can tell. It sucks very much.

With these cams I can keep an eye on her if I am doing something outside, or if I have to make a quick trip up to the village. I also dug out and old phone that we don't use anymore. And put the app on the phone, so she can see what I am doing if I am around the homestead.
Something like that might be useful to you Paul since your wife uses a wheelchair. If something happens and she needs help, you can check on her anywhere that your cell phone works.
Just added peace of mind. Sorta.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 11 Jan 2025 01:10pm
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So sorry about your wife....we went thru that 25+ yrs ago. Good thing now is that they are so much better at it, the chemo is more effective and they tend to need to use less; and the biggie, there is good life on the other side.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 11 Jan 2025 05:10pm
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Yes, sorry for that Darz..

My wife doesn’t leave the cabin without me, and since I retired from the volunteer fire dept I don’t leave the property alone. On the property I used to have a ‘baby monitor’ that reached my shop down the hill and could hear/communicate when down there. Now she just calls my iPhone every 2 friggin minutes. Maybe I could just find that monitor again…

paulz
Member
# Posted: 24 Jan 2025 10:04am - Edited by: paulz
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Camera tidbit from this morning. Mentioned on a thread awhile ago, can’t find it now, was talk about pointing a camera at your cabin voltage gauge in order to check voltage from afar.

Today I was looking at a fox my yard cam took at 4 this morning and sent to my phone via cell as usual. Looking at the ‘phone status’ page it gives the battery status right there. This Spypoint is now connected direct to my bank (no internal bat) but 200’ of wire away, which I hope explains the 95%. There is a second camera right at the cabin, if it snaps a photo I’ll see what that reads. At least I know the banks not dead, I often worry when leaving for a couple days that I left something on. There is a Victron that will shut everything down if batteries fall below 12.
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IMG_4276.jpeg


Brettny
Member
# Posted: 24 Jan 2025 08:45pm
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As a former spypoint user that's prob the only use for a spypoint camera. Power source isnt dead and wont fill with ice, in your area.

All 3 of mine dont work after 3yrs, filled with water/ice. Even destroyed two SDs card due to moisture. I hardly ever had two that worked at the same time.. in 3yrs.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 24 Jan 2025 09:32pm - Edited by: paulz
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I hear ya, cheap junk. I’ve had my two replaced under warranty free, I’ll give them that. They’re probably used to it. Also have one Moultrie, my first camera. It still works perfectly and even gets cell service in places the others won’t.

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 25 Jan 2025 07:48am
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I like my SPYPOINTs for what they are. Cheapest cam out there and free photos. I think 3 years of being left outside is about the max you can reasonably expect on any trail cam. I have lots of various trail cams and while I had one last 9 years I’ve had lots more not make it to 9 months

Ensure your seals are good and lubricant them when needed and don’t tighten straps to trees too tight as that can cause cases to flex and let water in.

Paul I do see less than 100% on full batteries from time to time usually on cold days. While the battery readings are good enough they aren’t real accurate

paulz
Member
# Posted: 25 Jan 2025 08:35am - Edited by: paulz
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I don’t have the ice or seal problems mentioned, and they sit out in the rain obviously. I was told once by the tech to push and hold down on the on button, that worked. And cell transfer issues, to which I’ve added the long range antennas. Maybe my forest location hurts that but the Moultrie transfers perfectly, so does my cell phone.

I now leave them always on just point down at the ground when there. No photos last night so battery level not updated, which I assume only changes after a communication.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 27 Jan 2025 11:12am - Edited by: paulz
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Quoting: FishHog
Paul I do see less than 100% on full batteries from time to time usually on cold days. While the battery readings are good enough they aren’t real accurate


I’m still at the house but the spypont took a photo this morning, which updates the status. Battery still shows 90%, at least my bank is ok.. And it shows the temp at 25, about 10 degrees too low. So you’re right, stats are not that accurate. I’ll stick my voltmeter on the plug when I get there later.


Addendum.. well the cam just took another photo, blank, must be a sunspot since it’s 10:40 and shining. The good news is the solar kicked in on my bank and the battery slows 100%. Bad news is the temp still shows 31, it’s 50 out now. Oh well, can’t have everything.
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