Hi everyone, Just got my 2 new SG 550's and they are great so far. the last couple of years, I have tried to build my own homebrews using a very popular PIR sensing board and sony cameras (off of ebay). Out of the three I made, only 1 works (sort-of)... It has nothing to do with the sensing board, but rather my failed attempts ofr making the cameras IR capable (harder than it looks). Even the one that works... seems inconcsistent

So I am very glad to find these SG cameras which do just about everything I want.... and in a price range I think is very reasonable for what you get.

Just some initial questions...

first the power. The battery uses 8 AA's ... that is 1.5 volts times 8 = 12 volts... how come the external battery is for a 6 volt? ( maybe the SG uses 4 of the 8 AA's, then when they get low it switches to the other 4? Just a theory)

second... I read somewhere in these forums, that the colder the weather, the trigger sensing should be set to low... is this right? It seems backwards. I would think that you would set it to low when it is hot, so you don't get false triggers from moving weeds/trees...etc. It would seem that you want the maximum sensitivity possible, and when it is cold, it is less likely to get false triggers. I live in Texas, where we get extreme temps, so I really need to understand this in order to regulate the cameras.

Third, more of a suggestion than a question... it would really be cool if the camera could be modified for an external flash. Just an output port that triggered a remote, self powered IR flash. Since one of the Cons mentioned is flash range, this would help those concerned.

Thanks for any advice,

Phil J

Phil, welcome to the forum! What part of Texas do you hunt?

On the camera sensitivity, yes you will tend to get more false triggers during the summer, and yes by turning up the sensitivity you can invite more false triggers. It is a balancing act that you can only acheive with a little experimentation with your cameras.

The PIR is looking for contrast. Body temperature on a summer day is not much of a contrast to outside air temperature, so the sensor has to be set higher to see the contrast. Vice versa is true during the winter.

Here's how I look at sensitivity on my cams. Right now I'm using a some homebrews & a Scoutguard Anthony & Bill graciousily sent my way to play around with. Neither of these cams have any sensitivity issues in terms of picking up targets. So, I adjust my sensitivity not so much to avoid false triggers, but more to eliminate triggers on animals that too far away for night time flash pics. The same setting in the summer has less range than it does during the winter, so I move my settings with the temps. You need to "chase" the temps...higher temps, higher sensitivity...lower temps, lower sensitivity.

Good luck and I look forward to more Texas pics!

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Thanks Roscoe for your input on sensitivity!


- Batteries

One set of 4 AA batteries are wired in series, so it's 1.5volt * 4 = 6volt.

A second set of 4 AA batteries are wired with the first set in parallel, so the output voltage remains the same.

- External Flash

I'll send a note to our R&D. What concerns me is how to sync external flash with camera - it has a fast trigger speed.



Hope this helps.

Thanks,
HCO Support

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HCO - High Capacity Optics http://www.HuntingCamOnline.com

Oh, and on the external flash...I would imagine you could build a remote homebrew flash and use it with the Scoutguard just fine.

EDIT:


You know, I take that back. The nice trigger on the scoutguard wouldn't be the problem though. The illumination for the scoutguard is different than a homebrew cam. It stays on longer. I believe an external homebrew flash would fire as soon as the IR illumination for the Scoutguard came on...so, I would think the external flash would wind up firing before the picture was actually taken by the scoutguard. I am basing this on the assumption that there is a short delay from when the IR illuminators come on and when the pic is taken.

Several of you guys on here have made homebrew flashes...please chime in with your thoughts on this.

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It ain't much of a story without pics!

Iam74Gibson, welcome to the site. I have to agree with what everyone has said so far. Roscoe I think you have a point about the slave flash and length of time that the sg ir emmitters are on. I wonder if you could use an ir array like they use on the homebrew video units and set it to stay on for a few seconds or mabye longer to have more light during videos.

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Heaven seems a little closer when your sitting in a treestand.

-JOHN

Iam74.I am sure glad you asked that question about the 6 volt.I thought it took a 12 volt battery.Guess I should have read the directions that came with it a little better.
Anyway I have several clip top 6 volt 4.5AH Sealed lead-acid batteries that I use in feeders.Could I use one of these to run the ScoutGuard? David

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DLC Covert Prostaff
https://www.covertscoutingcameras.com/

Monster Raxx Field Staff
http://www.monsterraxx.com/

I am a Pro Tester & User of;
Uway,HCO,LtL Acorn,Primos,Spypoint,Covert,Bushnell & Scouting Assistant.

Wildlife Reduction Specialist.

I remember 1 AH was mentioned somewhere, and 4.5AH sounds too much to me. Not sure, but I don't recommend using these 4.5AH batteries just in case.

Why would a 4.5AH battery be too much?

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It ain't much of a story without pics!

Welcome Iam74Gibson

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H.D. Luers
Wildlife Management & Reduction Specialist

Thanks For the warm welcome everyone. Roscoe, to answer your question, I live in Tomball, Tx. and hunt in Grimes (Plantersville area...250 acres) and Burleson county...just north of Caldwell...only 30 acres, but is next to Drayton McClains (Astros owner) 3500 acre ranch. Grimes is a one buck county, and Burleson is a two buck county, but Burleson has antler restrictions (one deer HAS to be larger than 13" spread... the other has to have one unbranched antler...this allows the young bucks with good genes to grow big). My Grimes lease is only about an hour away and very convenient for day hunts. I have already taken an 8 pointer there on November 2nd. But I think there are more quality deer in Burleson county. An since it is a two buck county, I can count the 8 pointer as one, and still trophy hunt in Burleson (per the game warden) for a second deer. That is why these SG's will be important... I don't want to settle for a good 8-10 pointer if I can see evidence there are bigger ones there.

My friend that owns the 30 acres got a 12 pointer there about 4 years ago. And we have seen another as big since.

The Grimes lease has cows when the weather gets warmer, So I won't be able to use the SG's there as much.

I see you live in Georgetown, I graduated High school in Round Rock, way back in '74.

Anyway, sorry for rambling... and getting away from the subject of these little trailcams.

Yes, the battery explanation of them being wired in parallel make perfect sense. If I am thinking properly, wiring in parallel keeps the voltage at six, but doubles the amperage, thus allowing longer run time. Right?

And (again if I understand right) A 6 volt..4.5 ah battery will be just fine, since the camera will only use the current it needs. but the higher ah will allow for longer use.

As far as the external flash... Only your R&D dept can answer how the timing would work, but I "think" I have seen external flashes (don't remember if they were IR) that sense the trailcams flash and trigger... without having to be physically connected. Since the SG has a long IR ontime... It could very well work. (Might be a good business opportunity for someone to develop one as an option)

Thanks again for the welcome, and I'll be checking back in soon with some pics, hopefully

Phil

O.K. I finally took some time to read my instruction booklet that came with the ScoutGuard. It says to use the Power cable supplied with the camera to connect to external power.
Is there one suppose to come with the camera? There wasn't any in my box. Thanks,David

_________________
DLC Covert Prostaff
https://www.covertscoutingcameras.com/

Monster Raxx Field Staff
http://www.monsterraxx.com/

I am a Pro Tester & User of;
Uway,HCO,LtL Acorn,Primos,Spypoint,Covert,Bushnell & Scouting Assistant.

Wildlife Reduction Specialist.

No, there isn't a cable supplied. This confuses a lot of new owners & rightly so I suppose. It's a misprint.

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1 Moultrie M150 Panoramic
1 Moultrie M80 XT
1 Moultrie ReAction Cam
1 SG 550
1 SG580M
1 Ltl Acorn mms
1 Covert " Code Black " mms
1 Covert MP6
1 Plot Watcher Pro

Great topic, instead of starting my own thread I think I'll jump in on this one as one of my questions is in regard to external flash kits.

My season is over and I am building a box with external battery to leave out for 2-3 months.

I am curious about how to get these cameras to work with a card over 2gb? Im making an assumption that they dont take anthing larger as my attempts at a 4gb were not successful. Is there a workaround for this?

Also very interested in the External IR flash. Shouldnt be hard to take a signal from the unit to trigger a relay providing power to an external flash.

outdoorsfellar is right. It's a misprint on the manual and no power supply was ever provided by us. Our dealer Custom1Enterprise has it available (custom built by them) or you can purchase from hardware store and make one for yourself.

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HCO - High Capacity Optics http://www.HuntingCamOnline.com

2GB is the larggest you can go on HCO ScoutGuard. It's designed that way.

New model might be able to take larger card, more details to come as well as for External IR flash.

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HCO - High Capacity Optics http://www.HuntingCamOnline.com