General Camera QuestionsUpdated a month ago
General Camera Help
What’s the difference between your wireless & Wi-Fi camera?
Our original wireless camera does not have Wi-Fi connectivity and has a much more limited range and image quality. Our Wi-Fi camera offers much clearer HD images and an all-digital interference-free experience. The wireless camera simply sends to a receiver and connects to a TV for live viewing. It does not record unless you have a separate capture device or recorder. However, the Wi-Fi camera works with smartphones, tablets and computers and has in-built recording to MicroSD cards.
Which devices does the app work with?
The app works on iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. The app supports iOS 8.1 or later and Android 5 or later.
Do I have to be connected to my Wi-Fi to watch the camera?
There is a way of directly connecting to the camera without even needing to have a Wi-Fi network. This method of direct connection does have a limited range and will only work with our 1st and 2nd gen of cameras, 3rd gen cameras you must have connected to the internet, so we recommend connecting the camera to your Wi-Fi network. This allows you to connect to your camera even when you are away from the home.
How do I view the camera when I am away from home?
Once you have connected the camera to your Wi-Fi network and have the camera viewable on your phone you will be able to see this remotely. It does this with what's called a cloud ID which is unique to each camera but will allow you to view it remotely, Cloud ID will only work with 1st Gen and 2nd Gen cameras.
To share devices on the 3rd Gen cameras please follow Here
Do I have to power this by the mains?
Although we class the camera as ‘wireless’ because it transmits its footage wirelessly, the camera does need to be powered by the included power supply to work reliably. We understand that it is not always practical to run cables, but we do have extension cables to add up to 20 metres extra on the length of the power supply cable.
Will it work on my TV?
This camera is not specifically designed to work on TVs unlike some of our other cameras that wire into the back of the TV. In some cases, the app can work with smart TVs, although this is not something we guarantee. The app works on Apple TV and may also work on smart TVs that are compatible with Android apps.
Is the time stopping or the image freezing?
This can be caused by the camera not getting a strong enough Wi-Fi signal where you have it positioned.
The Wi-Fi signal in my garden is weak. What do I do?
Not everybody’s Wi-Fi signal can reach far into the garden. This is quite normal, especially in larger properties. One potential solution is to use a Wi-Fi Repeater that can extend the range of your network into your garden so that the camera can receive a reliable signal. Failing this, it may be worth considering our wired options.
Can the camera record?
Yes! The camera features an in-built slot that supports MicroSD cards up to 128GB in capacity (not included). This allows the camera to record footage for later playback and it can automatically overwrite older footage when it becomes full.
Maximum recording time?
When recording, it uses about 1GB per hour of space, so for example with a 64GB card, you can expect the camera to record for 64 hours of footage and 128 hours on a 128GB card.
My camera is warming up, is this bad?
It is perfectly normal for the camera to feel warm to the touch while in operation. Don’t worry this won’t harm any nesting birds!
I’m not getting sound. How do I resolve this?
The microphone allows the camera to capture high-quality audio for such a small size. If you are not hearing any sound when you are watching your camera there are a couple of simple solutions.
First, ensure that the Wi-Fi antenna or any cables are not touching the microphone so that you get the best sound quality.
Second, audio streaming is turned off by default, so you’ll need to turn this on. To do this go to Encoding Settings in configuration menu and toggle on Audio.
There is a loud hum or buzzing noise coming through the audio for the camera?
This could be due to the microphone touching the bird box or other objects. We recommend having it so the microphone is not touching any of it's surroundings. You could use a cable tie to keep it in place if it won't stay.
It’s not recognizing my MicroSD card!
We would recommend formatting the card before inserting it into the camera (please be aware that formatting will erase everything on the card so make sure you have transferred anything you need from the card first).
Make sure you have inserted the MicroSD card before powering up the camera. If this does not work, insert the MicroSD card into your computer and check the computer can recognize it.
The time is wrong on my camera!
Tap the ‘House’ icon underneath the live view of the camera. Enter the ‘About’ menu, and tap the option that says ‘Time synchronous’. This will sync the current date and time on your device with the camera.
Can I watch on my computer?
Yes, you can download the software that supports Windows to watch the camera live, adjust settings and record footage onto your hard drive.
Will it work on a Mac?
While we don’t supply software that works on macOS, if you can configure the camera using another device then there are workarounds to view the camera on a Mac.
My computer can’t read my MicroSD card after it has been recording!
Once the MicroSD card is inserted into the camera it formats it in a way which is not recognizable by computers. It is designed so that you download the files either through a mobile device or through a computer while the card in the camera. This also means you don’t have to disturb the birds if there is some footage you wish to retrieve.
Need more help?
If you need help with anything else please check out our other guides or get in contact.