A Review Of The Updated Camball
÷Made by Starnex International, a South Korean company, the upgraded CamBall features improved motion activation, can use up to 16GB micro SD cards and includes many accessories that were previously sold separately.
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Gadget lovers drool over this cool spy camera, and there are two versions, depending on your needs. The SC-31 has motion detection, and the SC-30 does not.
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If you want to record action sports, parties, weddings, meetings, or your cat, you might not want the motion activation. If you are trying to monitor your sick parents, or scratching the paint on your car, you gotta have motion activation.
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The motion detection has been much better over the prior model, specifically they are using a better chip, so it"s not just a software upgrade. Before, a moving tree branch would be considered motion.
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Now record about 16 hours of straight video, much more if motion activated. The batteries will allow you to record video for over 1.5 hours, hours with light motion, and with the optional Surveillance Pack, you can run the camera from the electricity of the building.
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The CamBall is very easy to use. After you charge it for three hours, and turn it on by pressing the big button for 2 seconds. After the lights blink two times, it goes into stand-by mode. Once it"s done, push the big button to take pictures, or press the record button (Up arrow) for 2 seconds, and it will record until you turn it off or the battery dies.
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It records very clear video and pictures. The video @ 30 frames per second is real time, and while its 320 x 240, its very clear with no dropped frames. Audio is optional, and you can even record when the Camball hears sounds.
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Setting up motion detection is a snap; you just have to hold down the "Left Arrow" button for 2 seconds until its Red, and then press record (Up Arrow) for 2 seconds. Set it down and it will start recording when motion is detected.
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The free CamBall manager software allows you to change the settings, as well as automatically updates itself, and performs software & firmware updates on the device.
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Every possible setting is adjustable, including time/date, motion activation, and turning on the "Night Vision" feature.
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The software is not Apple compatible, though you can watch the movies by connecting the USB cable to your Mac. If you don"t have a computer, hook it to your TV to change settings.
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To view the videos, you can plug the CamBall into your Mac or PC, and find the video files. KM Player works great on a PC, and on a Mac, the movies play just fine in QuickTime. Removing the micro SD card and using a reader will also allow you to view the videos.
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There are four optional accessory packs to enhance the camera.. We covered the Surveillance Pack above., there is a Sports Pack that has a handle bar and clip mount that can be interchanged with a weatherproof housing, or a standard holder.
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The Vehicle Pack allows you to operate the camera in your vehicle, running off the lighter, and viewing the video on a GPS navigator. The LCD Pack is used to watch your videos when you are away from a computer.