FAQ - How does that mini wireless spy camera work?

Instead of repeating everything I wrote in the last blog (you can read it here), I will introduce the newest generation of mini wireless cameras with a more instructional article.  Take a look at the product page to see prices and all the specifications.

The Camera

As you can see in the picture, the little camera has an antenna for the audio/video transmission, and also a wire with a power connector.  This plugs into the included 4V DC power supply.  Once you have power connected, it is just a matter of placing the camera in the desired location.  This requires a bit of imagination and finesse.  At least you can use the monitor to aim the camera precisely and make sure it is right side up.

The Receiver

The receiver is also a monitor and DVR.  Ideally, you should always connect the receiver to a power supply, but it can run on battery power for about 90 minutes if necessary.  There is a switch to choose either playback, motion activation or continuous record modes.  Simply switch to the mode you want to use.  Next to this switch is the micro SD slot.  If you want to record anything you will have to insert a micro SD card (not included with this product) up to a maximum of 32GB.  If you want to be sure the card will work properly and has nothing else on it, you should go to the Format function in the System Menu. 

The two main menus are called "function" and "system"

Remember once you say yes everything on the card will be erased

Formatting the SD card in the receiver menu will ensure that it is formatted exactly the way this device wants it.  If you format it with a computer, you may choose the wrong setting and the card may not work properly.

Next you should set the time and date.  If you don't want time and date on your videos, there is a separate menu option to turn off the time and date stamp.  After setting this up, you have to choose what happens when the memory card is full.  The first option is to "Overwrite" in a never ending loop of video, which means you oldest recordings are constantly being erased as new recordings are made.  The other option is to turn "Overwrite" off, which simply tells the DVR to stop recording when the memory is full.  You can always erase the memory yourself and record again.

Spoiler: "Date Time" has nothing to do with dinner and a movie

"Off" means the recording will stop when memory is full

There are several other functions and settings I won't go into - after all there is a manual you can read - but I want to mention one other important concept involving the receiver.  I personally prefer to use the receiver on a fully charged battery in case I want to walk around with it or if I need to unplug it for any reason.  However, if you leave the receiver on record with the screen activated all the time, it uses so much power that it slowly kills the battery even while it is charging.  There is a simple solution in the system menu, called Power Save, to avoid this paradox.  You can set the LCD screen to auto shut off (1 or 5 minutes) which has no effect on the actual recording.  In other words your receiver will still function fully as a DVR but the screen will shut off until you press a button to see the image again.  When the LCD screen is asleep, it restores the balance of charging the battery into the positive side.  Please note that there is another setting to auto shut off the whole device so make sure you only activate the LCD to auto off.

Pressing any button will turn the LCD back on

Adding More Cameras

A question we hear a lot is whether you can use one receiver with more than one camera.  The answer to this, like everything in life, is not black and white.  You CAN change channels with the receiver so you can obviously view more than one camera.  You CAN change channels with the camera so you can put each camera you have on a different channel and they will not interfere with each other.  You CAN set the receiver to auto switch between the channels of your choosing (see image below).  What you CANNOT do is record more than one camera at one time!  In other words, if you have two cameras, you will see HALF of the feed from each one.  Not too bad, you still get a sense of what is happening.  However, let's say you have five cameras, you will see each one for only 1/5 of the time, which probably isn't good enough for many applications.  Please note that none of our other wireless cameras have multiple channels like the Mini Wireless Spy Camera has.

Up to eight cameras may be viewed on one receiver

Each camera should be on a different channel to avoid total protonic reversal

Hopefully this quick guide is enough information to help you decide whether this is the proper camera for your application.

Hans School
President, Spytech

Questions or comments:  stproductinfo@gmail.com