Jasco’s GE Wireless SolarCam Product Trial and Review – Part 2

Finishing the review of the SolarCam™ Wireless System

In a Blog personal worst for lethargy, I am just now getting to Part 2 even though Jasco’s GE Wireless SolarCam Product Trial and Review – Part 1 was posted almost five months ago in May of this year. I got an email from one reader asking about this review, and they flagged me down at Solar Power 2007 to get the condensed verbal version.

After giving the SolarCam a running start with a few clear sunny days, the unit’s 110 by 160mm (millimeter) string of solar cells charged up and maintained the integrated 6V (Volt) rechargeable battery throughout the one month trial. Over this period, about fifty so percent of the days were overcast or cloudy, and I never observed the Low Battery Indicator alert from the Receiver unit. I am comfortable saying the solar cell and rechargeable battery combination in this product is rock solid. Of course, to achieve these results, the SolarCam needs to be located in an area without solar cell shading.

The integrated passive infrared sensor (PIR) responsible for motion activating camera transmissions functioned with rare false triggers at trial period temperatures ranging from about 3 to 18 degrees Celsius (38 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit). Jasco notes the PIR is sensitive to an object’s motion and the object’s heat, body heat is the typical trigger, and is less sensitive when the moving object and surroundings have similar temperatures. PIR Detection Distance and Angle are specified at 8 meters and 90 degrees for temperatures below 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). With the trial camera pointed at a busy elevator and near a complex exit, there was plenty of people traffic moving across the PIR throughout the day peaking in the morning and evening. This steady traffic led to numerous camera motion activation events and the minimum 40 second transmission time gave the camera a steady workout reinforcing the robust performance of the solar cell and battery combination.

Before jumping into the question of video quality, let’s examine the specifications of the SolarCam camera and optics. The system and video output is standard NTSC based on the 510x492 pixel array size of the camera’s CMOS imaging chip. I do not believe Jasco offers a PAL version of this product, but I need to double check on this. The camera features a fixed focus 4.3mm F2.0 lens sporting a 78 degree lens angle. Also, the camera requires the viewing area to be illuminated at night, and Jasco claims the camera’s sensitivity is 3 Lux @ F1.2.

Instead of judging the video and audio capture and transmission quality by imposing my own subjective impressions, I decided to use an objective approach. Below are top and bottom paired videos taken by the SolarCam and my Canon Powershot SD800 IS digital camera during the day and at night. The SolarCam videos were digitized from the composite video and mono audio output of the Receiver unit at 320x240 resolution and 30 frames per second. Canon SD800 IS videos were shot at 320x240 pixel resolution and 30 frames per second straight to an SD Card. Uploading to YouTube added comparable degradation to both the SolarCam and Canon videos. The transmission distance between the SolarCam and the Receiver was less than 6 meters (about 20 feet).

Jasco’s GE Wireless SolarCam Day Video (40 second capture)

Canon Powershot SD800 IS Day Video

Jasco’s GE Wireless SolarCam Night Video (40 second capture)

Canon Powershot SD800 IS Night Video

I had interference issues with my transmitter channel selection and regretted not optimizing this at the intended installation location before the unit was mounted as I recommended afterwards in Part 1. My Silicon Valley neighborhood has over 25 Wi-Fi networks active in the same frequency band most of the time, and I am certain there are plenty of other devices sharing this ISM band. In an email response to my questions about transmission interference, Jasco said:

The wireless system can experience outside interference on a specific channel. To assist with outside disturbances from other 2.4 GHz products, the user can select one of four channels. The additional channels could be used to view the signal from more than one SolarCam, however Jasco has not developed an add-on camera configuration at this time.

I conducted an informal Transmission Range test of the SolarCam by capturing the video as I walked away from the Receiver. In the noisy environment described above, I measured a range of about 27 meters (89 feet) before the video signal lost sync and went to static. Achieving the specified up to 50 meter (150 feet) range will require minimal transmission interference sources and line of sight between the SolarCam and the Receiver. However, many natural applications of the SolarCam are not line of sight oriented.

While I liked the industrial design of the SolarCam, I found the practical mechanical design of the backplate deficient. Because the solar cells and antenna are mounted at the top of the unit, there are just two screws fastening the SolarCam to the bottom of the backplate. This arrangement makes handling the unit before mounting awkward as the backplate with the heavy rechargeable battery tends to fall off. Again, I recommend complete configuration of the unit before mounting to minimize further handling. Beside the transmitter channel selection mentioned above, Jasco said in the User’s Manual:

The “9V” battery is only intended for temporary use to get the SolarCam™ System running. Remove the battery after a month.

Given my trial was one month long, I did not have to mess with this, but I think many installers will prefer to shake the unit out for one month, remove the 9V battery, and then mount the SolarCam in its permanent location.

I didn’t have a VCR or DVR to test the Trigger output of the Receiver unit, and the User’s Manual I got with the SolarCam did not mention how to use this Trigger port or the “Ethernet like” AUX port RJ-45 for VCR Controller. The Jasco folks said:

The AUX port was initially designed for a future add-on device. Jasco currently does not have an add-on device in development.

Last, the motion detect feature is cool and performed well, but I observe there is a few second delay from activation until the video transmission can be viewed. This is fine for sanity check, vandal, or thief security, but this represents a security hole in a professional system.

In summary, the SolarCam Wireless System is great for sanity check security applications in a residential environment to observe a blind side of your home or provide an additional viewing angle on your front porch, back deck, garage, pool, shed, or driveway. The lack of wires eases installation and maintains home aesthetics while an old television gathering dust in the garage or attic would make a perfect dedicated viewing monitor.

Again, to keep the Jasco folks happy, I am supposed to state the following:

The GE Wireless SolarCam by Jasco Products Company. $249.99. It is available at www.jascoproducts.com or 1-800-654-8483.

The SolarCam may not be appropriate for apartment dwellers. Although the SolarCam does not support remote panning or zoom capability, nosy neighbors fear the worst when a video surveillance camera is in plain site even when it is pointed at a common public area. I received a THREE DAY NOTICE TO PERFORM COVENANT OR QUIT from my rental community accelerating a swift end to the SolarCam trial. When the time is right, I plan to post a scathing flame of my rental community in my personal Blog, Ed Gunther's Licht Blog.

Jasco’s GE Wireless SolarCam Product Trial and Review – Part 1

Configuring the Wireless Color Solar Camera System

Regular blog readers will remember I first wrote about this product after the 2007 International CES in Solar Camera defends Solar Gadget Crown. Prompted by a suggestion from a friend, I requested a SolarCam™ sample from Jasco Products for a product review, and Jasco replied with a same day affirmative.

When I received the SolarCam sample unit back in mid February 2007, Northern California was experiencing a delayed rainy winter, so I waited until a few clear days were forecasted before unpacking and installing the test unit. Although I was geared up to do a full OOBE (out of box experience), the loaner unit components were packed in a boring brown master shipping box encrusted with peanuts.

Here are the main items included with the SolarCam:

• Solar Camera with Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR) and Solar Panel with Transmitter
• Audio & Video Receiver
• Power Adapter for Receiver
• 3 ft. RCA cable (behind the Receiver in above photo)
• Remote Control
• Remote battery, screws, etal.

Configuring the SolarCam main unit takes about seven (7) minutes if you read the User’s Manual first.

After removing the backplate assembly, connect the black and red battery leads to the corresponding lead acid rechargeable battery terminals. Next connect the temporary 9V (Volt) transistor battery. Unscrewing the battery hold down strap is suggested. I did it this way but just removing the plastic seal from the battery might be easier. Two more steps for configuring the backplate include setting slide switches SW3 and SW2. SW3 controls transmission time when detecting motion or remote activation in 10 second increments of 10, 20, 30, or 40 seconds. I set this to 40 seconds for maximum transmission time. SW2 selects one of four channels (CH 1, 2, 3, 4) used by the transmitter to avoid interference from other cameras or transmitters. Without reason, I selected Channel 4 for the trial. The Receiver must be set to the same channel as SW2 above to receive the wireless signal.

At the open rear of the main camera body, set the House Code, SW1, with an 8-bit binary number. I used 33h (hexadecimal) or 00110011b (binary) with SW1-1 as the most significant bit (MSB).

Like the channel above, this SW1 setting must match the remote control unit’s House Code on S1.

The final step of configuring the main unit is plugging the multicolored ribbon cable into the backplate. The manual recommends doing this step after the backplate is mounted to the final mounting surface, but:

Diverging from the procedure in the User’s Manual, I recommend testing the SolarCam with the Receiver and the Remote before closing up the main unit and installing it in the desired surveillance location. This is to confirm the selected transmitter channel, SW2, has the least interference, and the House Code, SW1, on the rear of the main camera body matches the remote control’s S1 DIP switch settings.

I shot a video of the configuration process, but since I am not a hand model and my directorial skills are amateurish at best, I decided this video clip will never premiere.

The receiver has a composite video and mono audio output which can be connected to a TV, DVR/VCR, or STB (Set-top box). And the power adapter needs to be connected and plugged in.

Since I am a renter, I installed the SolarCam on a balcony railing with ever ubiquitous wire ties. A fancier masonry wall mounted installation may require Home Improvement class expertise.

I liken the complexity of the above process to mating a garage door opener with a remote control and hooking up a VCR.

As a formality, I need to state the following:

The GE Wireless SolarCam by Jasco Products Company. $249.99. It is available at www.jascoproducts.com or 1-800-654-8483.

In Part 2, this SolarCam Product Trial and Review will continue with a look at operation and my impressions backed by objective evidence.