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Vicky Trainor

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
For Christmas, Will gave me the Unidex UDW-10003 Wireless Video Surveillance System. (Bought it at Sam's Club). The bundle came with a portable receiver with a 3 1/2" color LCD display, a portable inside video camera and the software so you can monitor on your PC. (The receiver and camera can operate off of batteries or plugged into an outlet.)

I want to have a camera on our driveway which is about 250' long, another in the kennel which is about 100' from the house, another in the barn which is about 250' from the house and the last one overlooking the back field. This would incorporate 2 inside cameras and 2 outside cameras.

When we put the camera in the barn (which will be the furthest distance from the receiver) there was no signal. If you stepped outside the barn, there was a signal. The barn is wood framed pole building with aluminum siding. The camera placed in the kennel which is made of concrete block, but closer to the receiver in the house, gives me 2-3 out of 4 bars on the display for signal power.

So, we aren't totally pleased with this unit for our purposes.

Any suggestions for a wireless surveillance system that would work for our purposes and doesn't cost an arm and a leg? We would prefer to go wireless so we don't have to bury wire out to the kennel or down to the barn.
 
#2 ·
I would guess it is the metal at the barn giving you problems with the signal. Try moving it around other places on the barn??

Aaron
 
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#3 ·
Failing that, maybe you could run a wire from the camera inside the barn to a transmitter outside that could send the signal back to your house.

RF Signals don't do great with concrete block, either, as you found. Sounds like the problem is more with your buildings than the system.

Amy Dahl
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Aaron Homburg said:
I would guess it is the metal at the barn giving you problems with the signal. Try moving it around other places on the barn??

Aaron
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Definitely seems like the aluminum siding is the problem. Will walked just outside the barn and all the way to the back pond and I could get a signal.

afdahl said:
Failing that, maybe you could run a wire from the camera inside the barn to a transmitter outside that could send the signal back to your house.

RF Signals don't do great with concrete block, either, as you found. Sounds like the problem is more with your buildings than the system.

Amy Dahl
Click to expand...
I'm sure the problem is the aluminum siding on the barn as well as the concrete block in the kennel.

Since I posted this, it has become dark here. I now have intermittent signal coming from the kennel, but mostly no signal :(

We did a search on Google and found a system that sends the signal through the electric wiring. Wonder if that would solve the problem?
 
#5 ·
Vicky,
Odds are you won't get a signal through the aluminum wall. There are many things that affect wireless signals going from point A to point B. Pine trees are also an issue. Also if you have a bunch of deciduous trees (without leaves at the moment) things may work now, but when the leaves come back in the spring the system may become intermittent or stop altogether.

Take a look at the directions and check out what kind of distance they claim. Most claims are made under ideal conditions. You'll want to do your own test to figure out what the range is at your location.

To do this grab the camera start moving away from the receiver radio and see how far you can get from the receiver until you lose the picture or it gets fuzzy. Keep in mind that you are concerned about how the picture looks not how many bars there are.

You may be able to slow the frame rate down to get a little more distance.

My guess is you will have trouble at 100'

Lots of other variables to deal with.

There are ways of getting wireless signals to go longer distances, but they can cost some $$$ and each site needs to be evaluated on its own merits.

Good luck with your project.
 
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
This unit is rated up to 500'. A straight walk from the house, with no trees in the pathway, still produces a quality picture at >450'.

There is nothing between the house (where the receiver is located) and the kennel & barn other than the structures' walls. :(

I wonder if "Santa" (aka Will) thinks I've been a good girl enough to hard wire those 2 locations for me.......hmmmmmmmmm......doubtful. :(
 
#7 ·
May have to hardwire if moving it around in the barn & or kennel doesn't work. Check the frequency range. The higher the frequency it runs on the harder time you are going to have getting signal with any kind of structure in the way. Other wireless devices can also cause interference problems. A lot of things run at 2.4 GHz now, like portable phones and your wireless router depending on what standard you are using. But, I would guess that the problem here is the structures, especially the aluminum siding. A lower frequency would help you with the cinder block but may not with the siding. As mentioned above, if there is a way to remote the transmitter from the camera that would be the way to go. Good luck...
 
Discussion starter · #8 · (Edited)
It does use 2.4 GHz Digital Frequency Hopping Spread Specrum (FHSS) technology.

This unit would be great.....if I didn't need to use it inside another structure. :( The quality of the picture as well as the convenience of wireless is very nice. For under $150 (at Sam's), it would be a good buy for someone wanting to just monitor their driveway/another room in the same building or house/pool area.

With the limit time it was transmitting from the kennel, I really think this is a great idea and something I want to have!! I like the ability to observe the dogs when they are in the kennel at night!! I can see where this type of unit could also be great to have, especially since both the receiver and camera are portable, for keeping an eye on a new litter or injured dog while having to clean the kennel or do yard work in the field.
 
#9 ·
I'm not sure what your requirements are but I think you want to be looking in this direction. These things can boost a wireless lan so that the whole neighborhood can get on your internet connection. I think there is probably one that would work for your application.

http://www.geeks.com/products_sc.asp?cat=661
 
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