RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Once the batteries get very low, the center IR will be blue constantly. This includes live and test mode as well as with or without remote connected. In other words all the time until you replace the batteries........... Ask away. Thats what im here for :)

Joe
BBO

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

When you say very low for the LED . My 550 stopped taking pics at night as well as during the day and i didn' see the LED on.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Does your cam have the new firware or is it the pre firmware model? Was it on video or pictures? How long was it out in the field and how many pics or videos did it take? I usually change my batteries when it goes below 2/3. Let me know....................

Joe
BBO

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

My 550 is a month old with Version 2 installed. It was set to pics 3 @ a time. It was out in the field for 3 days and maybe 300-400 pics. It had 1 bar left and unit would just barely power up.

Is it normal for the 550s at night set to 3 pics that the second pic is darker than the first and last? How does one post an image here?

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Notice the time stamp seconds. I could see the IR not completely powered up. They were all lite but not that bright. . Someone told me that maybe they give 3 different exposures with IR so that 1 exposure will be correct.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Watch the towels on the line . Sec pics is darker.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Lots to digest here:eek: Ok, the ir do not light up brightly, they look dim which is normal. As for the different exposure levels, I have not experienced that with the 1000's of pics it has taken. The concept of it doing different exposures to get a correct one is not likely. I noticed that the logo on the bottom says BMC Scout Guard. I am not familiar with that logo. Who is BMC? The distributor for the US is HCO and that is who I have stocked with. I am wondering if there is a fluctuation of power being sent. On those pics the power is full? 3/3? Other than this. How is the performance of the unit? If this continues and gets worse you may want to contact the retailer that sold you the unit................

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

BMC (Boly Media Company ) Scout Guard are the people that designed the 550 in China.
Power is 3/3.
Unit functions excellently . maybe the pics are washed out from say 6 oclock til dark when the IR doesn't know if it should be on or off.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Ive learned that it is possibility. I have seen different manufactures models do that dawn dusk confusion. As long as it isnt bothersome it seems ok. Beyond that all your other functions are good?

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Might have to adjust the sensitivaty level Running on high . Should drop it back down to normal.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

my I40 does that aswell. during the transition times between light and dark, especially under a heavy canopy of trees, it will take IR pic's when it could probally be better off taking regular pic's.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

I don't know for certain why the IR seems dimmer on the second shot, but I think it may be due to it taking a pic before the ir is fully powered.... Not certain though. You know how some point and shot flash cams have to charge before flashing, maybe these work the same way.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Great answer !!! Do they all do it?? My Night time videos are Ok . What I did notice was that most 3 pics with IR was between pics 1 and 2 time was 1 sec and between 2 and 3 time was 2 secs. That is twice as long to power the IR . But the 3 rabbits pics show the time as 2 sec between the 1st and 2nd pic and 1 sec for pic #3 . Pic #3 is lite ok.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I can live with the darker pics by getting them within 1 or 2 seconds.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

For those of you who had worries about the weather proof issue, here is a video of one during a rain storm. Not a drop was found in this unit. Check it out

http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x...t=IM000014.flv

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

does this camera accept an external battery?

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Yes. You buy the optional cable that lets you hook up a 6V battery. You could even use a solar device of the correct voltage. There is a port on the bottom to plug the cable in. I have had mine out 3 different times over two weeks and still had 3/4 battery power on the original Duracells. Not sure why you would need the external battery.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

some folks don't live close to where they hunt and wouuld therefore leave the camera out for a long period of time before having access to it again. external battery would give longer life between visits.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

The longest I have had one out is about 3 months and still had power to spare

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

I'll go out on a limb and say you'll run out of memory before you'll run out of battery. The cam uses very little power and it's looking like I'll get 4000 pics plus on my first set of batteries. I'm at 2500 pics and 180 vids now and still going. I've got it set up now overlooking corn and a moultrie. i'm gonna take 1 min vids every 7 minutes. That long time with the ir illuminated should really test the batteries.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Radio shack sells the type B plug (yellow) for a couple $. You can just make up your own this way the cable can be 20 ft if you want. Ive been running mine this way for a couple weeks now. Keep in mind the 6 Volt batteries come in 2 sizes square with 2 springs for connection and rectangle with 2 threaded posts. I am running the square one . Its an old battery that was for 5 years and the level is 3/3. Unit will run on the ext battery first as with batteries in unit and R/C hook up my level shows 1/3 as soon a s I hook up the Ext unit beeps and shows 3/3 for power.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

buy a Moultrie I40 and don't worry about battery life:D

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Ordered mine yesterday and should receive it next week. Need it to replace a Moultrie that I think I fried [:@]trying to hook it up to an external battery.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Check this out. They fight like girls SG550.......

http://s308.photobucket.com/albums/kk352/beebusyoutdoors/?action=view&current=Deer_fight_aug08.flv

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

That clip is great!! :DCan't wait to get a few SG 550's soon!

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Awesome video Busy Bee, i like how they just run away afterwords :D

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Yeah, looks like their not ready for the big fights yet

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Well I have had enough with this camera. I know that they are good cams but I seem to have received the bad one. Its been acting odd for a few days Software is trying to jam 4 pics together at once. The other pics I can't even copy here as they are so screwed up. Pixels started for a few lines and then stopped . My card reader will not even down load to the computer as the pics are corrupted. I can see them by the trail cam but that defeats the purpose of having a trail cam here and not in the woods. This cam also on 3 Meg pics takes all pics around 1 meg and all pics on 5 meg setting is around 2 megs.

An comments???

So like I said cam is being return for another.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

That is to bad, sorry man

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

Not giving up on the 550 . Doing an exchange for a new one.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

This is the first serious problem I've seen with these cameras. Wil at HCO will take care of you quickly. Of all the cams I've sold, only one has had to go back for warranty and it was replaced in about 1 week. Good luck and let us know how the return goes. Once you get a good one, you're gonna love it!

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

I am Canadian so It was not from HCO. I will post how my return goes.

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

No one likes to go through this but unfortunately all cams will develop something over time. But I have to admit, these cams have a minimal return rate. Out of several hundred units, I have only had 2 sg550 returned for replacements and only 1 for the HCO-50. Great track record in anyones book!

Joe
BBO

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

you are right, i bought the MOULTRIE I-40,it took 8 shots and would not take anymore.

it showed a code 003000,which means,IR FLASH DEFECTIVE.

so, i had to pay shipping back for repair, been 2 weeks, no camera back yet.[:@]

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

I noticed in the U-Tube videos that the outer areas are dark. Does anyone know what the angle of the LEDs is? and nm of the LEDs? Guess I will have to contact Will at HCO for my answer. I need a no glow IR so I went into the camera and cut the wires to the LEDs. Right now I am using an array of 72 950mn 36Degree LEDs with external 12V power supply that stays on all the time. The higher the nm, the less range, so you need more of them(getting great videos at 3 to 8 ft,good at 10, and acceptable at 15). Will try supercharging my next array with smaller value resisters to see if I get more range. Got it set up in the chickenhouse so I can see what is getting the chickens. If its Bigfoot I need a positively no glow. The internal LEDs operate on 3.4 volts and wont work if disconnected so I will either blackout or changeout the LEDs and send the 3.4 volts to a 3 volt relay to operate my 12v LED array with battery (plan to do this week). Love the camera, Have two now and plan to order more. Probably have guessed that my game(for videos) is Bigfoot

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

I like that set up. As for the NM on the ir not sure. I know the power consumption is 150mA day (+450mA When IR-LED Lighted). To keep the battery life long, they are at their limit. Anything higher would need the set up you talked about. The good news is that in the near future the manufacture will have it solar and external power ready. I wish I new when but it is in the works:)

RE: Scout Guard SG 550. Next Best Camera?
 

I'm new to this site and to trail cams. From what I can tell this SG 550 is the best cam for the price. I'm thinking this is the one to get. I don't want any frustration with hit am miss cams that might or might not work out of the box. ...and IR seems like the way to go. a flash in the woods seems counterintuitive to every other effort I make to be stealthy in the woods.

Anyway, I'm wondering what are the options for viewing pics with this camera. I have a TV at my cabin, should I just bring the cam out of the woods and plug it into the TV? Can I plug it directly into a laptop and download the pics?

Only more thing, do I need a memory card right away to operate this cam or does it come with one?

Thanks for any feedback!