Remote Video for Absentee Tractor Owners

[OverlyRun]

Charlie...thanks for the lead to the Stark Electronics option....the cost for the gear itself is about the same as the X10, but not needing a PC is a huge difference....I'll check this too.
Doug: The x10 obviously failed to meet your expectations in one or more major ways. If it's not too painful to re-live, some sense of what you expected and what you got would be helpful specifics.
MossRoad: You've been able to make X10 work for you...but you're in the computer biz. Given the experience I presume you have helping users do things that are second-nature to you, how does the software side of the X10 compare with the degree of difficulty for other applications that we civilians encounter?

Thanks all for the responses.

Chas

 

[MossRoad]

Not having purchased it yet, I couldn't tell you how difficult it is to set up. However, I'm fairly confident that if you have a PC and have already set it up to access the internet to view TBN, you could probably set it up fairly easily.

 

[DAP]

X10: First off: The Multiview software provided with my package was poorly written ( I write software for a living). It threw protection faults like ag tires throw mud. 2nd, the advertized distance for wireless cams is 100 feet. Anything past 60 yielded a very poor image AND they make no mention of the fact that houses or structures where the reciever is located cannot have steel components, including aluminum siding or steel frames, nada. In other words, line of sight obstruction is likely except on the most vacant spaces. 3rd, although I bought 4 cams, only 2 of them would work in tandem at any one time. After a while, and several software patches downloaded from the net, the entire system failed to work at all.

FYI .. the Multiview software is for viewing cam images on your PC ... not the internet version which does image captures every n minutes and posts them to a web site.

My SO and I thought it would be great to watch our 2 mare's behaviors in the barn from our PC in the house.

Let's be realistic .. noone is gonna stare at a web browser or a PC screen for security monitoring unless they have way too much time on their hands. The captured stills might be useful, but .... I digress.
After weeks and weeks of setup and resetup, patches, tech calls, I consider myself fortunate to be able to obtain a refund and RMA (return merchandise authorization) and be refunded the $499+shipping I plunked down.

Who knows .. others may have had a better experience given the physical properties of there individual implementations with the X10s ... but for me, they ended up being useless.

BUT WAIT ... ever since visiting and registering on the Web Site ... I get countless numbers of browser windows automatically opening on my PC with their banner and sales pitches. Sounds like fun, huh? LOL

I'd rather stare at an uninstalled tilt meter.

My 2 centavos.

 

[OverlyRun]

Doug, Is it legal in your state to put private video of the two mares on the internet? Maybe there was a horse filter built into the software! Thanks for the detailed review of x.10. If you discover an alternative that works for you, let us know.
MossRoad: thanks for the expression of confidence.
Whatever I do I'll put together a report.
Chas

 

[BB_TX]

I work in an industry where I often visit power plants. Most all of these plants have camera systems so that from the control room they can monitor the remote areas such as the entrance gates, etc. that may be hundreds of yards away. These may be prohibitively expensive systems for the average person, but you would think there would be some lower cost models out there. I am fairly certain these don't use computers, just cameras and a receiver system connected to one or more monitors.

 

[MossRoad]

Sorry to hear about your poor experience with X10. I have had no problems with their products so far. My wide eye color camera was $79.00 and came with 2 receivers. I have mounted it in several locations, including to the side of an aluminum building, and it transmits about 75 feet to the either receiver just fine. I hooked the receiver up to our whole house video distribution system, so I can watch the camera on channel 3 on any TV in the house. My computer has a video capture card with TV tuner, and I have watched it on that as well. However, I have not used any of their software packages as of yet. It is good to hear that after you were not satisifed, you got a full refund, although it did take too long. Thanks for the info.

 

[MossRoad]

There are several products available that allow you to run video over CAT5 cable. It involves a balun at each end. CAT5 cable is about $65.00 for 1000' so it is not too bad for wire. The baluns were around $80.00 fro each end. I think. I'd have to look again. Coax cable is also under $100.00 for 1000' so that would work as well and wouldn't require the baluns. You would need to find some sort of video switcher to view different cameras. That is where the money starts to add up.

 

[Duckhunter]

I have seen some of these at security shows. The technology is coming rather quickly. The main problem is the data pipe to carry live feeds. For your use, speed is not a problem. Do a search and you will be amazed at the products out there. Any local alarm / CCTV dealer will have information too.

 

[forestcreature]

i was wondering who that was staring at my two uninstalled tilt meters...

there is a cold 6-pack of bud in the fridge too.

 

[genelp]

Hello Neil,
I live about 8-10 miles from 4 small towns (ranging from 2,000 - approximately 30,000 in population. I live about 25 miles from where I work, Fort Wayne, which is technically the 2nd largest city in Indiana. I'm not sure of the population, but anyway most of the counties have a minimum number of acres you must purchase when building a house (our county requires a minimum of 2.5 acres). Does this help?
By the way, I like the way you sign off on your postings, must have taken a lot of time to put that together.

Gene

 

[njrqs]

Genelp

Minimum size of land. That's real interesting. Over here, the land is carved up normally by a developer etc. and you get 1 or more blocks to suit yourself. They are already surveyed and titled.

Sounds like you just get to choose a chunk of land and then the surveys and titles get done?

Yep that signature took me hours slaving over a hot pc. Well actually about 30 seconds. All the credit has to go to MikePA. The genius set me up with that little number.

Way over there too !!

Cheers

 

[genelp]

I believe one of the main reasons for establishing a minimum amount of land to build on is to have enough room for a septic system. One of these days I'm going to try to be a little more imaginative with my signature.
Have a great day!

Gene

 

[sfloggie]

We had looked for land for many years as far as the Appalachians as it is so expensive in our area. But these were too far away. One day we saw a for sale sign on land about 20 minutes from our home. It turned out to be inherited land where the three owners had no Cost Basis.
Bottom line is we were able to buy 113 acres with 980 feet on a river and close to home. I work in D.C. during the week, so I wanted a place to rest my mind. I also have had four heart attacks with eight stents, so I needed some peace. Lastly, I needed investment.
By not living on the land I receive a great investment, I work my butt off on weekends and vacation, have peace of mind, and we grow great amount of produce for consumption and giving to friends and family.
The last three Thanksgivings have been on the land and loved by all that attend as they live in the city. We are working on either selling the Development Rights, Land Trust or Conservation Easement of most of the land. That is my story. Side note: I never had a hobbie and drove my wife nuts when I was home. Now I am almost never home , but we spend quality time relaxing or working on the land.

I feel healthier and happier than I have been in a long time!