VL1 Security Video Light Automatically record anyone who goes near your property
Product information Product design and specifications are subject to change without notice. This includes the main product specifications, software, software drives and user’s manual. This User Manual is a general reference guide for the product. The product and accessories that come with your VL1 may be different from those described in this manual. This is because some retailers specify slightly different product versions and accessories to suit their market requirements.
Thank you for purchasing a Securesight VL1 This innovative self contained video and photo system will automatically record images when movement is detected. With its powerful 500W floodlight, the VL1 works day and night, giving you peace of mind and protection for your property. VL1 camera unit. Shown without floodlight fitted. ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.0 Page No.
Everything in the box? Securesight VL1 Box contents · · · · · · VL1 Digital Security Video Light 500w halogen bulb USB lead for PC connection SD memory card Mounting screws Warning sticker If you are missing an item please contact your retailer. IMPORTANT The VL1 is designed for external use only We recommend before installing your VL1 into position that you read the full user guide to familiarise yourself with the controls, the operation and settings before you mount the unit. Page No.
Get to know your equipment ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.0 Page No.
Applications The VL1 automatically records digital photos and videos when movement is detected. It is a great way to protect your property and record evidence of trespassers or unwanted visitors, day or night.
INDEX VL1 Quick start guide VL1 Full user guide Understanding your VL1 How it works Basic operation SD Memory card Recording format Floodlight light level Floodlight on time Arming period USB connection VL1 mounting and the movement sensor Advanced settings and functions Menu structure – Main Setup Menu structure – Image Setup Main Setup Menu Memory Time / Date Floodlight Flicker LED PIR delay USB Default ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
INDEX continued Image Setup Menu Image mode Photo setup Resolution Burst Mode Burst Delay Video Setup Duration Audio Versatile image capture options Understanding digital images Digital video Digital photos SD card speed Photo burst Using your VL1 with a PC Camera driver Recording and uploading to the web Your suggestions Other Securesight products Features and specifications General information and safety CE, ROHS and WEEE Product support Page No. 7 ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
VL1 quick start guide Your VL1 has been designed to be quick and easy to setup and operate with factory settings that should suit most applications. By default, when it detects movement, your VL1 will automatically record 2 photographs followed by a 30 second video clip. You can change these settings via the easy to use menu. Please refer to the full guide for more information. Basic setup is as easy as A,B,C. A. Fit the SD card and position the unit. Fit the SD card into the slot provided.
Carefully and without touching the glass of the bulb fit the halogen bulb ensuring you secure the floodlight glass cover afterwards. NOTE: Halogen bulbs get very hot and contamination from your skin can cause the glass to break during operation. We recommend positioning the unit between 3m and 4m on a sound wall and angled towards the area of interest so that most traffic crosses the PIR zones and triggers your VL1 to start recording.
B. Connect the mains supply. Your VL1 requires mains power which should already be in place, if not you will need to arrange for a competent and qualified person to install the necessary cabling. We recommend you use a switched circuit and that power is turned off during installation. Observe correct wiring – failure to do so will damage the unit and will invalidate your warranty. ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.0 Page No.
C. Set the time and date Turn on the power. The floodlight will come on for a short time. The LED will flash rapidly as the VL1 arms. When this flashing stops, your VL1 will be ready to record whenever movement is detected – day or night. Try to return to your VL1 without triggering the motion sensor. NOTE: You can only access the menu when the unit is not recording. Below is the Normal screen of your VL1 display.
You can press the Exit key to exit a menu at any time without saving any changes. Press the menu key to enter the Main Setup menu. Use the down arrow key to move to the Time/Date menu option and press the Menu key to enter this menu. The display will change to show new options for Time and Date setting :- The real time clock is stopped when you set the date or time. Thus for accuracy, you must always set the date before setting the time.
When you have set the correct value for the year, pressing the Menu key will save the date and return you to the Time and Date entry menu. Now select the Time. The display will be similar to:The format is HH:MM:SS Use the up and down keys to change the hour. Press the Menu key to move to the minute setting, change this then the seconds. When you have set the correct value for the seconds, pressing the Menu key will save the time and start the clock running, returning you to the Time / Date menu.
More information Please read the rest of this guide to learn about changing your settings and familiarising yourself with the operation of the VL1. Access to our knowledge base, frequently asked questions and the ability to log support cases can be found on our web site at www.securesight.com You can also register your product and download the camera driver software to allow you to use your VL1 with a PC and as a web cam. Also enter our competition to win back the purchase price of your unit.
VL1 full user guide Understanding your VL1 The Securesight VL1 is a self-contained security system that automatically records both video and digital photographs when movement is detected. Because it has a powerful 500w halogen floodlight the VL1 works both day and night with the added deterrent of the light to ward off intruders. Your VL1 can capture digital pictures up to 3 mega-pixels in resolution or video clips with sound, up to 60 seconds long. Recordings are stored to an SD memory card.
How it works IMPORTANT : Follow the Quick Start Guide to get your VL1 working. Like a normal motion sensitive floodlight with a Passive Infra Red (PIR) sensor, if the surrounding light level is low your VL1 floodlight will come on when a warm object crosses its area of sensitivity. Again, like a normal floodlight the light level at which your VL1 operates and the time the light stays on are controlled by the LUX and Time controls on the underside of the unit.
Each video and photo is time and date stamped to provide evidence of when the image was captured. Your VL1 is fitted with a backup battery which should ensure the clock continues to operate and all settings are kept in the event of a power failure. Whilst we recommend you check your equipment regularly especially following a power cut you should only need to set up your VL1 once. Page No. 17 ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
Basic operation SD Memory card Your VL1 will only allow you to record images if an SD card is fitted, or you are operating it as a web camera and recording directly to your PC. When no SD card is fitted the display will show No Card If the unit attempts to record with no card present, the LED will flash rapidly to warn you. When you insert an SD card, the VL1 will read the contents of the card and then display the number of recordings – in this example 160.
Recording format Even if you insert a blank SD card, the VL1 will automatically create a directory called DCIM and store your recordings in this directory. This allows you to access the recordings using a PC or a digital camera. Photographs are stored in the .jpeg format with the reference SEC_XXXX.JPG where XXXX is the number for that recording Videos are stored in the .avi format with the reference SEC_XXXX.
Floodlight light level The light level at which the floodlight comes on is controlled in two ways and is set using the Floodlight menu from within the Main Setup. Auto The light is turned on when the camera needs it and for as long as recording lasts. LUX The light is turned on based on the setting of the LUX and Time control. When set to LUX mode, you can adjust the light level at which the floodlight comes on by changing the position of the LUX setting on the underside of the VL1.
Floodlight on time When the Floodlight menu option is set to LUX the time that the floodlight stays on for is determined by the TIME control of the base of the VL1. Move the TIME control to the – position to set it to minimum on time of approximately 7 seconds. Move the TIME control to the + position to set it to the maximum on time of approximately 7 minutes. When the Floodlight option is set to Auto, the on time is controlled by the camera.
USB connection You can connect your VL1 to your PC using the USB lead supplied. Important : You must register your VL1 and install the camera driver before connecting it to your PC. See the section Using your VL1 with a PC. Each time you connect the USB lead to your PC, your VL1 will enter the mode set in the USB menu within the Main Setup menu. Note : Automatic recording by your VL1 stops when it is connected to a PC.
Whilst the USB standard allows for only limited length cables, it is possible to buy a USB extension cable up to 5m long. The USB menu option allows you to leave a USB lead permanently connected to your VL1 as the unit will behave the same way each time you connect your computer. If set to MSDC you can access your recordings without having to recover the SD card. If set to PC Camera you can use the VL1 as a web camera and record directly to your PC (Additional software required).
VL1 mounting and the movement sensor Passive Infra Red (PIR) sensors detect changes in infra-red radiation in the form of heat given off by objects such as people, cars and animals. The larger the object the more infra-red it emits. Your VL1 has an angle of sensitivity of approximately 65 degrees and approximately 9m range. To focus the energy to its sensor your VL1 uses a Fresnel lens. This divides the area into a number of zones, both vertical and horizontal.
We therefore recommend that you position your VL1 at a height of 3 - 4 meters and angled towards the area of interest so that most traffic crosses the zones and triggers your VL1 to start recording. The PIR sensor detects the difference between objects and ambient air temperature and will only trigger when it detects a hot object moving across its zones. OK BETTER Page No. 25 Because of this the area of sensitivity will vary with changes in temperature and the size of the object.
Although not necessary, positioning of your VL1 to obtain the desired field of view is made quicker using a laptop PC and a USB lead. Using appropriate software on the laptop you can view images from your VL1 and adjust its position to get the field of view you require. NOTE: Before using your VL1 with a PC you must download the camera driver from our website. Having installed the camera driver, set the USB mode on your VL1 to PC Camera and connect the USB lead.
Advanced settings and functions The VL1 works straight from the box but it also has a simple and easy to operate menu system so you can change any settings. When you first power it the floodlight will come on for a short time and the LED will flash rapidly as the VL1 arms. When this rapid flashing stops, your VL1 will be ready to record whenever movement is detected – day or night. The normal screen on your VL1 display will show the number of recordings, the Image Mode and the Photo Resolution settings.
MENU STRUCTURE – Main Setup ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.0 Page No.
MENU STRUCTURE – Image Setup Page No. 29 ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
Main Setup menu Press the menu key Use the up to enter the Main Setup menu. and down arrow keys to select a menu option and the Menu key to enter that option. You can press the Exit key a menu at any time without saving any changes. to exit NOTE: When in a menu, if you do nothing for 20 seconds the software will return to the normal screen. NOTE: When you exit the menus and return to the normal screen your VL1 will take approximately 1 minute to arm. During this time the LED will flash rapidly.
Memory The Memory menu option allows you to Delete all the contents of your SD memory card. With the card fitted, select the Memory option from within the Main Setup menu and press the Menu key the display will show Delete SD Card Press the Menu key to delete all files on the card. The display will go blank for a few seconds before returning to the menu. If no card is fitted the display will show No Card Page No. 31 ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
Time / Date This menu offers you two options, Time and Date and enables you to set either. Use the down arrow key press the Menu key to move to the Time/Date menu option and to enter this menu. The display will show:- IMPORTANT : While setting the date, operation of the real time clock is halted. Therefore the clock will lose time depending on how long you remain within the date setting menu. You must therefore set the date before setting the time. Select the Date option and press the Menu key .
Repeat the process for the month and year. When you have set the correct value for the year, pressing the Menu key and return you to the Time and Date entry menu. will save the date Now select the Time. The display will be similar to the screen below. The format is HH:MM:SS Use the up and down keys to change the hour setting. Press the Menu key to move to the minute setting and then seconds.
Floodlight Enter this menu to choose between Auto and Lux. In Auto mode, the camera decides when and for how the long the light comes on. The on time will match the duration of recording plus approximately 5 seconds. In LUX mode, the level of light is measured by a photo sensor and the light comes on depending on the setting of the LUX control on the base of the VL1. In LUX mode the light on time is controlled by the TIME setting.
LED This menu controls the operation of the LED indicator on the front of the VL1. There are three choices Flash, PIR, Off. Regardless of this setting, the LED will flash rapidly whilst your VL1 is arming or if movement is detected but no SD card is fitted. Select Flash mode and the LED will flash at approximately 5 seconds intervals and come on continuously during recording. Select PIR mode and the LED will only come on continuously during recording (After the PIR motion sensor has been triggered).
USB This option allows you to select how the VL1 behaves when connected to a PC via a USB cable. PC Camera The VL1 will operate as a web camera MSDC The VL1 will operate as an external disc drive Once the USB mode is set, whenever your VL1 is connected to a PC it will always behave in the same way. Note : Automatic recording stops when your VL1 is connected to a PC. ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.0 Page No.
Default This single option allows you to return the VL1 to its default settings. Default settings are:Floodlight Flicker LED PIR delay Image mode Photo Resolution Photo Burst mode Photo Burst delay Video duration Audio recording USB mode LUX 50 Hz Flash 0 Combo 2 Megapixel 2 pictures Low 30 seconds On PC Camera You are asked to confirm before resetting your VL1 back to its factory default settings.
Image Setup menu Image Mode The menu allows you to select how the camera system behaves when the PIR sensor is triggered. Photo The VL1 will capture between 1 to 10 photos. The number and time between them is set in the Photo Setup menu. Video The VL1 will capture a video clip from 10 seconds to 60 seconds long. The duration is set in the Video Setup menu. Combo Combination mode - The VL1 will capture a burst of photos followed by a video clip matching the settings in the Photo and Video setup menus.
Photo Setup This menu allows you to control the way the VL1 takes photos. Sub-menus are:· · · Resolution Burst Mode Burst Delay Resolution This allows you to set the resolution of the photo stored by the VL1. High Normal Medium Low 3 Megapixel 2 Megapixel 1.3 Megapixel 0.5 Megapixel 2048 x 1536 1200 x 1600 1280 x 1024 800 x 600 Burst Mode This determines how many photos the VL1 takes when triggered. High Normal Medium Low 10 5 2 1 Page No. 39 ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
Burst Delay This forces an additional delay between photo capture, allowing you to capture images over a longer period of time. The delay varies from 0 seconds to 10 seconds. High Normal Medium Low 10 sec 5 sec 1 sec 0 sec By default there is always a small delay between taking photos as it takes a small amount of time for your VL1 to store each photo. This is normal for digital cameras and the Burst Delay setting does not control the exact time between photos, it increases that time.
Video Setup There are two sub-menus to control the video operation of the VL1. · · Duration Audio Duration This sets the length of your video clip. Set this to suit your application. High Normal Medium Low 60 seconds 30 seconds 20 seconds 10 seconds Audio This option allows you to turn on and off the audio recording for your video clips. Recordings without audio take up less memory space and allow you to store more on a given size of memory card. Page No. 41 ©Securesight 2009 E&OE Issue 1.
Versatile image capture options Assume you have made the following settings:Photo Resolution Photo Burst Photo delay Low 2 pics Low Video Duration Audio 10 On If you change the Image Mode to Photo, when triggered the VL1 will take two low resolution photos approximately 3 seconds apart. If you now change the Image Mode to Video, when triggered the VL1 will record a 10 second video with sound.
Understanding digital images – Additional reading Your VL1 allows you to take either videos or photos or both. The choice depends on what images you are trying to record. The VL1 uses a single 1.3 Mega-pixel (Mp) image sensor to capture both photos and video. This sensor has 1280 unique cells horizontally and 1024 cells vertically. In total it has 1280 x 1024 = 1310720 pixels or 1.3Mp Each cell is capable of measuring light levels and colour.
To store video in a practical way and maximise the number of clips that can be stored on a single SD memory card the VL1 compresses video in to frames that match the video standard of 320 x 240 pixels or QVGA. Video and photos still have the same field of view but video offers considerably lower resolution than a photo. Video is ideal for capturing action but photos are better for recognition. Comparison of a 320 x 240 video frame to 800 x 600 photo.
In digital images, the more pixels the better the resolution but the larger the file size and hence the more memory needed to store each picture. The combo mode on your VL1 gives you the best of both worlds, a better resolution photo for evidence with a great video to capture action. Like all digital cameras, the VL1 uses a method called interpolation to obtain images that are higher in resolution than the natural resolution of its image sensor.
Digital photo resolution is based on 72 dots per inch (dpi). The first photo above is 800 x 600 pixels in size (0.5Mp) and would therefore be just over 11 inches wide if printed without any adjustment. The second is picture of the same scene is 2048 x 1536 pixels (3Mp), nearly 2.5 times the size. Although both photos are of the same scene, the second has considerably more pixels, in fact over 6.5 times more and hence offers much higher resolution, allowing you to see more detail in the picture.
However, remember the amount of detail you can resolve in an image depends on how close the object of interest is to the VL1. Your VL1 can record photos in the following resolutions High Normal Medium Low 3 Megapixel 2 Megapixel 1.3 Megapixel 0.5 Megapixel 2048 x 1536 1200 x 1600 1280 x 1024 800 x 600 Whilst high resolution photos are great, because they contain so much more information (more pixel data) their file sizes are much larger and as such they use up more memory on the SD memory card.
SD card speed The size of a photo also affects the time it takes for the VL1 to write the data to an SD card. Different cards have different write speeds measured in megabits per second (Mb/s). The faster the card, the less time it takes for any given size of file to be written to it. Photo Burst As discussed above, it takes a small amount of time for your VL1 to store each photo. The faster the SD card, the shorter this time will be. Similarly, the smaller the file size (e.g.
Using your VL1 with a PC Important : You must install a camera driver before connecting your VL1 to your PC otherwise it will not work. When you connect your VL1 to a PC using a USB lead you can use the VL1 as a web camera or directly access the SD as a removable disc drive. Camera driver Your VL1 will not work with your PC unless you first install the camera driver. This is a small piece of software that you can download from the registration page of our web site at www.securesight.
Recording and uploading to the web To use your PC to both record photos and video and to email or upload these to the web, we suggest software by Visiongs available to download at www.visiongs.de Please note, that as long as power is provided, your VL1 will continue to operate as an automatic floodlight whilst in PC camera mode, offering you the best external web cam solution.
Your suggestions Please let us know how you feel we could improve the VL1 or any of our products. Every month, we offer those who respond the opportunity to win a full refund on their purchase. Please visit the customer feedback section at www.securesight.com Also, we welcome any new product ideas. For any original and new product idea which we subsequently take into production we pay £500* so it’s worth taking the time to make your suggestion. See www.securesight.com for details.
Features and specifications Colour CMOS Image Sensor 1.3M pixels. Max Resolution: 3.
General information and safety Storage conditions: -20ºC to 55ºC, 20-85% R.H., non-condensing Special care instructions: The VL1 is rated IP44 and designed to be weather resistant. Never attempt to immerse the unit in water or any other liquid. This will damage the unit and void your warranty. Use a soft lens cloth for cleaning lens. Avoid touching lens with fingers. Remove dirt or stains with a soft cloth dampened with water or mild detergent.
CE, ROHS and WEEE This device has CE approval and to the best of our knowledge is in accordance with the applicable directives 89/336/EEC Electromagnet Compatibility (as amended) EMC EN 55022: 1998+A1: 2001+A2: 2003 Class B EN 55024: 1998+A1: 2001+A2: 2003 EN 61000-3-2: 2000+A2: 2005 EN 61000-3-3: 1995+A1: 2001+A2: 2005 This statement confirms that to the best of our knowledge this product complies with the European Union’s directive 2002/95/EC, Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (”RoHS” directive) and si
Product support Access to our knowledge base, frequently asked questions and the ability to log support cases can be found on our web site at www.securesight.com You can also register your product and download the camera driver to allow you to use your VL1 with a PC and as a web camera. Also enter our competition to win back the purchase price of your unit. For very urgent technical support you can contact UK support on 0906 5500 147 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
