Swann REDALERT SW242-WDV, REDALERT SW242-WRA, REDALERT SW244-WDS, REDALERT SW244-WDW Operating Instructions Manual

1

SW242-WDV / SW242-WRA
SW244-WDS / SW244-WDW

www.swannsecurity.com

RedAlert

TM

Single Channel Security

Monitoring Kit

Operating Instructions

™

™

Advanced security made easy

SR242-WDV-10006-060809

222

FCC Verifi cation:
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for

Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are de­signed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residen­tial installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be deter­mined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to cor­rect the interference by one or more of the following measures:

· Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

· Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver

· Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected

· Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prohibition against eavesdropping

Except for the operations of law enforcement offi cers conducted under lawful
authority, no person shall use, either directly or indirectly, a device operated pursu­ant to the provisions of this Part for the purpose of overhearing or recording the
private conversations of others unless such use is authorized by all of the parties
engaging in the conversation.

WARNING: Modifi cations not approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void user’s authority to operate the equipment.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:

· Make sure product is fi xed correctly and stable if fastened in place

· Do not operate if wires and terminals are exposed

WARNING: IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CORRECT USE OF POWER ADAPTOR

The correct orientation for the enclosed power adaptor is a vertical or fl oor mount
position. Orienting the power adaptor in any other way will jeopardize the per­formance of the unit and/or create a high risk of malfunction and damage to sur­rounding environment.

Before You Begin

2 19

Technical Specifi cations

Video

Video Format NTSC or PAL
Video Inputs 1 Composite Input
Video Outputs 1 Composite Output
Display Resolution 640 x 480
Display Frame Rate NTSC: 30fps
PAL: 25fps
Audio
Audio Input 1
Audio Output 1

Recording

Compression Format Video: MPEG
Photo: JPEG
Recording Resolution Video:320 x 240
Photo: 640 x 480
Recording Frame Rate NTSC: 15fps
PAL: 15fps
Recording Modes Manual / Motion
Multiplex Operation Simplex
HDD Interface/Memory SD Card
Hard Drive Support Up to 2GB SD

General

Operating Power DC 5V
Dimensions 5.25” x 3.33” x 0.75”
133mm x 85mm x 20mm
Weight 5.25oz / 148g
Backup Method SD Card

Video

Image Sensor 1/3” CMOS
Video Quality 400 TV Lines
Number of Effective Pixels NTSC: 510 x 492
PAL: 628 x 582
Minimum Illumination 0 Lux (IR on)
Day / Night Mode Color during day /
switches to B&W at night
White Balance Automatic
Signal / Noise Ratio > 50dB

Electronic Shutter 1/60 - 1/15,000 NTSC
1/50 - 1/15,000 PAL
Gain Control Automatic
Backlight Compensation Yes
Wide Dynamic Range No
Lens 4mm
Viewing Angle 90 degrees

Audio No

Night Vision

Night Vision Distance Up to 16ft / 5m
IR Cut Filter No
Number of Infra-Red LEDs 8
Infra-Red Wavelength 850nm
Infra-Red LED Life 10,000 hours

General

Indoor / Outdoor Indoor
Operating Power DC 12V
Operating Temperature 32°F ~ 113°F 0°C ~ 45°C
Body Construction Heavy Duty Plastic
Dimensions -
Camera & Stand 4.25” x 2.75” x 1.75”
108mm x 69mm x 44mm
Weight –
Camera & Stand 4.23oz / 125g
Cable Length 60ft / 18m

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Table of Contents

Package Contents

Before you Begin 2
Package Contents 3
Overview 4
Layout of the RedAlert 5
Using and Installing the Wired PNP-50

TM

6
Using and Installing the Wireless Camera 7
Connecting Power and Cameras 8
Attaching the RedAlert to a Television 8
Motion Detection 9
Viewing Live Images 9
Capture Format and Quality Settings 10
Wireless Cameras and Interference 11
Advanced Motion Detection Settings 12 - 13
Playback Images and Videos 14
Accessing Images/Videos via a Computer 15
Troubleshooting 16 - 17
Tips and Tricks 18
Technical Specifi cations 19

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INCLUDED:
RedAlert Receiver/Recorder
Antenna
Instruction Manual
DVR Power Supply (5V)
Video In Cable
Video Out Cable
Theft Deterrent Stickers x 4

OPTIONALLY INCLUDED:

Wireless Camera
Wired PNP-50TM Camera

Camera Power Supply (12V)
SD Card

444

Overview

Congratulations on your purchase of the RedAlert! This single channel video
recorder is a terrifi c value for money security solution, as well as being easy to
install, use and transport from location to location. Practically fi tting into the palm
of your hand is a neat feature as well!

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of learning how to install, confi gure and use the
RedAlert, let’s just take a moment to discuss its features, strengths and limitations,
so you can get the most out of your RedAlert.

How it Works

The RedAlert will record video or still images directly to an SD card, and it can be
confi gured to do this whenever it detects motion in the view of its camera.

It is an ideal monitoring solution for guarding specifi c security vulnerabilities
around the home or small offi ce. Some suggested applications include monitoring
the front or back door, a main hallway, or a courtyard or balcony. If there is a single,
specifi c location that you wish to safeguard, the RedAlert is the perfect solution.

By correctly confi guring the motion detection settings, and using a 1GB – 2GB SD
card (available separately) you can get the RedAlert to function autonomously for
up to months at a time!

A few key points to remember:

The • RedAlert can use SD cards up to 2GB in capacity. It will not work with

larger SD cards, as these conform to the SDHC standard, which is incompatible
with the RedAlert. This is not much of a limitation, really. A 2GB SD card will
record over 3, 500 ten second videos, or more than 60, 000 still images.

The RedAlert can monitor a maximum of two cameras at once (one of •
which must be wired, the other one wireless) but can record only one.

Savvy users might have already noticed that the RedAlert has four wireless channels
– the RedAlert is not recommended for multiple wireless cameras! See page 11 for
more information about why we’ve included multiple camera channels.

Though it is remarkably effi cient hardware for its size and cost, the • RedAlert is a
miniature, self contained, entry-level video recording unit. It will (unfortunately)
not operate like the mythical technology shown on television shows like CSI
or 24 (we really wanted it to, but it turns out that sort of technology costs
millions of dollars and doesn’t really work that well in real life, anyway). Bear
this is mind when placing your camera(s): the closer the camera is to the
action you want to capture, the more detail you’re going to get. For
example, if you want to capture a vehicle registration tag, you’ll have to have
the camera within about a dozen feet (about 4 meters) from the vehicle to
capture the required detail.

The • RedAlert is a single channel recorder. It will only record one video/
image at a time. It can display two cameras at once, but, due to the limitations
of the speed at which it can process images and write them to an SD card, it
can only record one channel at a time.

If you’re using your • RedAlert with a wireless camera, be sure to read the section
on page 11 on interference and how you can avoid it when you confi gure your
system.

Troubleshooting

Problem: The camera is looking out a window, and at night all I can see is white!
Solution: The camera uses infrared LEDs to see at night. However, infrared light

will refl ect off a glass surface, and bounce-back into the lens of the camera,
washing out the image. It is not possible to use an infrared night vision camera to
look out of a window. If you want to see outside, the camera has to be outside as
well. Note that the PNP-50 is recommended for indoor use only.

Problem: The RedAlert is not capturing pictures/videos when it should, or it
captures pictures/videos too often!

Solution: Your ADVANCED MOTION DETECT SETTINGS need adjusting. Basically,
you can defi ne how the RedAlert will look for motion, and how much motion it
must detect before it initiates recording. Follow the steps on pages 12 and 13 to
confi gure the motion detection settings. If you’re using a wireless camera and the
RedAlert is capturing pictures/video too often, it might be the case that there is
enough interference in the video signal to count as motion. Follow the steps listed
on page 11 to try to reduce the interference in your system.

Problem: All I see is a blank screen.
Solution: Check the connections between the RedAlert and your TV - in particular,

check which RCA connection on the TV has the VIDEO OUT cable attached to
it. Many TVs have A/V INPUT channels and A/V OUTPUT channels. Plugging the
VIDEO OUT cable into an A/V OUTPUT will produce undesired results.

Problem: The RedAlert isn’t showing images from my camera.
Solution: The RedAlert might be monitoring the wrong input. Press the DISP

button. If this does not work, and the camera is wireless, change the wireless
channel of the RedAlert by pressing the SET button. If this does not locate the
camera, check that the camera is supplied with power. If a wired camera, check
the connections to the RedAlert. Finally, be sure that the camera can see an image:
if the camera sees only black (see other Troubleshooting tips) it might appear that
the RedAlert is not getting a signal at all.

Problem: I can’t fi nd right channel for the RedAlert on my television.
Solution: This can be a little tricky. First, make sure you’ve got the RedAlert

plugged into an INPUT on the television. The plug should be color coded yellow,
the same as the connector from the RedAlert. If this is the case, look for a button
on the TV or remote called AV, TV/AV, AUX, Auxilary, Channel 0, Video, DVD or
something similar. Some TVs have multiple AV channels. If in doubt, speak with the
manufacturer of your TV - they’ll know what plugs connect to which channel. If all
else fails, try using a different TV. (Please, don’t call and ask us about this one - we
don’t know what your TV looks like, nor how to make it do anything useful!)

5

Layout of the RedAlert

Channel 1, 2, 3, 4 LEDs: Displays which wireless channel the RedAlert is confi gured
to receive. This is in no way automated, and the RedAlert will only receive images
from one wireless camera at a time. To change the channel that the RedAlert is
monitoring, press the SET button.

SET: Changes the wireless channel that the RedAlert will monitor. This is the only
way to change the wireless channel – there is no function to cycle automatically, as
the RedAlert was, simply, not designed for use with multiple wireless cameras.

MODE: Switches between RECORDING MODE and PLAYBACK MODE.

SNAP: Commands the RedAlert to capture a still image or video immediately,

using the current recording mode and quality settings.

DISP (Display): Changes the viewing mode from wired to wireless camera, or vice
versa.

MENU: Opens the MAIN MENU. The functions of the MAIN MENU are covered in
much more detail later in this manual (the whole second half, actually!).

ARROWS: Used to navigate when in the MENU, and as SHORTCUT buttons at
other times.

OK: Used to select items whilst in the MENU.

SD CARD SLOT: Where you put the SD cards you want to record to. The RedAlert

can record to SD cards up to 2GB in capacity. Be sure that the write protection tab
on the SD card is set to off.

666

About the Wired PNP-50

Your RedAlert may have come with the wired PNP­50TM. If so, read on to learn about your camera

and how best to install it!

The PNP-50TM captures color images during the
day, and switches to black & white at night. It can
see up to 16ft (5m) in the dark using its built-in
infrared LEDs.

Of course, if your RedAlert did not come with the
PNP-50TM, and you don’t have a wired camera
attached to the RedAlert already, there’s no reason
you can’t purchase one and add it to your security
system. The PNP-50TM makes a great partner to
the RedAlert - and it’s stylish!

Installing the Wired PNP-50

1. Select the position for your camera

It’s a great idea to plug the YELLOW RCA connector into
a TV and hook the BLACK connector up to the power
supply whilst deciding your cameras position, as you can
see exactly what the camera sees as you experiment.

2. Attach the camera

Use the screw holes on the base, and use appropriate type of screw for the surface
you’re mounting the camera on. Be sure to mount the camera so that the lens is
upright - otherwise your images will be upside down! If attaching the camera to
the ceiling or mounting it high on a wall, align the lens upright (as shown above).

3. Attach the power supply (12V)

The power attaches to the BLACK
connector. The YELLOW connector
attaches to the VIDEO IN lead on the
RedAlert.

Note: The PNP-50 is for indoor use only,
and is not weather resistant. Moisture, dust
and fl uctuations in temperature will cause
undesirable results.

Accessing Images/Videos via a Computer

One of the most convenient aspects of recording to an SD card is that, if you have
an SD card r
open the RedAlert’s images/videos directly.

To playback, copy and delete images using a computer:

If you’re having trouble playing back the videos created by the RedAlert, consider
downloading VLC Media Player. There are versions of VLC available for Windows,
Mac OS and just about every other operating system you can imagine.

It is available free online, at http://www.videolan.org/vlc/