Camscura 255-BBMHD Micro Hidden Camera User Guide

: June 5, 2024
: Camscura

Table of Contents

Camera Micro
Getting Started
BHS Camera Tool
Option
LED Status Guide
Recording Video
Viewing Your Files
Upgrading Firmware
Troubleshooting
Glossary
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

Camera Micro Hidden Camera
User’s Guide

Camera Micro

The Camera Micro is a fully functional and customizable video recording system in a compact case. Use the preset recording mode, or program custom settings to record based on motion, vibration, voice, or time of day. The Camera Micro allows you to change video quality, video orientation, and more. Record for up to 10 hours on a single charge, or use the AC adapter and eliminate power concerns.
All video is recorded to a micro SD card. Use the BHS Cam Setup Tool to customize your settings from your Mac or Windows PC, and view your videos using your computer’s media player (MPC Star, VLC, etc.).
In the box, you will find the Camera Micro Hidden Camera, a USB cord, an AC power adapter, and this user’s guide.

Getting Started

The first step: charge your Camera. Connect the device to a USB port on your PC or into AC power with the included adapter. While charging, the LED indicator glows red, and it will turn green when the battery is full. Before your first use, we suggest charging the device for 8 hours.
This device does not have internal memory and relies on a micro SD card for recording. The micro SD card should be inserted with the gold contacts facing up in the direction of the BrickHouse Security logo. Before inserting a micro SD card, make sure the card is formatted correctly. It must be in FAT32 format. If your card is formatted differently or otherwise doesn’t appear to be working, you can download our specialized app on our help site.
help.brickhousesecurity.com/kb/article/228-how-to-format-your-sd-card

This chart shows the default settings for your Camscura Micro.

Default| Continuous Recording| Motion Detection| Custom Mode
---|---|---|---
Video Quality| High| High| High
Resolution| 640 x 360| 1280 x 720| 1280 x 720
Frame Rate| High| High| High
Day/Night Mode| Day mode| Auto-switching| Day mode
Orientation| Normal| Normal| Normal
Timestamp| Enable| Enable| Enable
Circular Recording| Disable| Enable| Enable
“Split File Time (min)”| 20| 20| 10
“Voice-Trigger Sensitivity”| Disable| Disable| Disable
“Vibration-Trigger Sensitivity”| Disable| Disable| Low
“Motion-Trigger Sensitivity”| Disable| Medium| Disable
Schedule Recording| Disable| Disable| Disable

To change settings on your device, you first need to download and install the BHS Cam Setup Tool. This can be downloaded from http://help.brickhousesecurity.com. Type “Camscura Micro” into the search box to find links to software, firmware, video tutorials, and FAQs. The BHS Cam Setup Tool is available for Mac and PC.
To install the BHS Cam Setup Tool for PC, download BHS_Cam_Setup_Tool. ex. After the download is complete, double-click on the .exe file to begin the installation. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
To install the BHS Cam Setup Tool for Mac, download BHS_Cam_Setup_Tool. dmg. After the download is complete, double-click on the .dmg file to begin the installation. Drag the BHS Cam Setup Tool icon into the Applications folder to complete installation. Once installation is complete, click on Finder and select Applications. Double click BHS Cam Setup Tool to launch.

BHS Camera Tool

The BHS Cam Setup Tool is divided up into 3 sections. When the device is plugged into your PC via USB, the icon along the top will say “DVR Connected”. If it says “DVR Disconnected,” you may need to power your computer off and on and plug the device back in.
Date/Time: in the Date Time section, you can adjust the time stamp on your videos. Choose PC Date Time to program the device using the time and date saved to your computer.
Click the Custom Date Time radio button to manually program the timestamp using the dropdown boxes.
DVR Date Time SnapShot displays the timestamp programmed into your Camscura Micro when it was connected to your PC.
To load any time changes, click on Sync Date Time to DVR. You should see a notification that reads “Date Time Updated” when complete.
Note that the time/date stamp on your videos will not be accurate until you have adjusted settings with the BHS Cam Setup Tool. Videos can be played using MPC Star http://www.mpcstar.com/download. PHP or VLC Player http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html. To edit and rotate recorded videos, you can download VideoPad Editor here: http://download.cnet.com/VideoPad- Video-Editor/3000-13631_4-10906278.html
Add the video clip to the sequence and then select it. Choose the `Rotate’ effect. Click on the right or left arrow to rotate
If the device runs out of power it will hold its time settings for up to 5 days. If more time passes between charges, the time will have to be reset.
Settings
In the Settings section, you can create custom recording settings for your Camscura Micro.
Video Quality : High, Medium, or Low. The higher the video quality, the more memory it will use.
Resolution: 1280 x 720 or 640 x 360 — Refers to the number of dots per unit of area on a screen. Setting your device to a higher resolution will produce a better quality image, but will also increase the video file size.
Circular Recording: Enable or Disable circular recording. When enabled, the device will automatically delete the oldest file on the memory card if it reaches capacity, and replace it with a new file.
Timestamp : Enable or Disable to turn the timestamp on and off.
Frame Rate: High is 18 FPS (frames per second). The Low is 6 FPS. Higher frame rates will produce a smoother video. Lower frame rates may produce choppy video.
Split File Time: Choose 10, 15, or 30. This is how long the device will record before creating a new file. For example; if you choose 10, the device will save each recording and start a new file every 10 minutes.
Day/Night Mode: Choose Day, Night, or Auto-switching. When in Night mode, the device needs less light to capture video, but its picture can be “blown out” if there is bright light. Enabling Auto-switching will allow the device to automatically switch between Day and Night modes, depending on current lighting conditions.
Orientation: Choose Normal or Vertical Flip. In the Normal setting, the side of the device with the BrickHouse Security Logo will be considered the top.
In Vertical Flip, the side with the USB Port will be considered the top. This allows you to adjust orientation depending on where you will be placing the device.
Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR) : Enable or Disable the PIR Sensor. PIR is a sensor that detects heat energy. If humans, animals, or objects that emit heat pass the sensor, it will trigger the device to begin recording. Using the PIR feature will prolong battery life.
Voice-Trigger Sensitivity: High, Medium, Low, or Disable. When the Camera Micro detects sounds higher than xx decibels, it will begin recording.
For Sensitivity:
High: 62dB
Medium: 67dB
Low: 70dB
Reference:
Normal conversation at 3ft: 60dB
Mobile Phone Ringtone: 70dB
Vibration Trigger Sensitivity: High, Medium, Low, or Disable the vibration sensor.
Motion Detection Sensitivity: High, Medium, Low, or Disable motion activation. By default, motion detection is enabled with medium sensitivity using Circular mode.
Schedule Recording: this allows you to enable Audio, Motion, or Vibration trigger recording at a certain time of the day.
Once you have chosen your settings, click on the Sync Settings to DVR icon. You will receive a Settings Saved notification when they have been loaded.
Option: The Options section allows you to change the language the2 BHS Cam Setup Tool Tool will display. Choose from English, French, German, Chinese traditional, and Chinese simplified.
Click on the Save Options button to save any changes you have made. When disconnecting the Camscura Micro from your computer, be sure to always choose the Safely Remove Hardware option in the Windows control panel.

Option

The Options section allows you to change the language the BHS Cam Setup Tool will display. Choose from English, French, German, Chinese traditional, and Chinese simplified. Click on the Save Options button to save any changes you have made. When disconnecting the Camscura Micro from your computer, be sure to always choose the Safely Remove Hardware option in the Windows control panel. To disconnect the Camscura Micro from your Mac, locate the device in the “Finder” and hit the eject button.

LED Status Guide

Without AC Adapter Connected
-Green LED on: Camscura Micro powering up
– Green LED flashing: Begin recording, after 60 seconds the LED light will turn off and the Camscura Pro will continue recording.
-Green / Red LED intermittent flashing: Camscura Micro still is recording and the battery running low.
-Red LED on: Camscura Micro does not detect a micro SD card, faulty micro SD card inserted, micro SD card full (Circular Recording disabled), or battery low.
With AC Adapter Connected
-Orange LED on : Charging
-Green LED on: Charge complete
-Green LED flashing: Charge complete and begin recording, after 60 seconds the LED light will turn off and the Camscura Micro will continue recording.
-Green / Orange LED intermittent flashing: Charging and Recording at the same time.
-Red LED on: Camscura Micro does not detect a micro SD card, faulty micro SD card inserted, micro SD card full (Circular Recording disabled), or battery low.
Connected to Computer
– Orange LED on: Charging
-Green LED on: Charge Complete

Recording Video

To record video, choose Surveillance, On the Go, or Custom using the Mode switch, then hold down the Power button for 2-3 seconds. When powered on, the Green LED will turn on and flash for 60 seconds before going dark. Once it stops blinking, the device is recording using the settings loaded for whatever mode you have chosen.

Viewing Your Files

To view your files on a computer, simply connect the device via the supplied USB cord with the Micro SD card inserted into the device, making sure the device is powered Off. It will connect as a removable drive, and depending on the settings on your PC, it may automatically notify you that new hardware was detected. If so, select Open Folder to View Files.
If it is not automatically detected, click Start on your desktop. Select My Computer if you are using Windows XP, or Computer if using Windows Vista or Windows 7. The device should be listed as a Removable Disk under the Devices With Removable Storage section. Open that drive, which will contain a folder called BHS. This folder will contain all your recorded files.

Upgrading Firmware

Occasionally, upgrades may be available for your device’s firmware that add functionality or fix issues. To upgrade your device, download the new firmware to your PC and open the file. Once open, press the upgrade button on the device using a paperclip, pin, or similar and connect the device to your computer via USB. The upgrade should occur automatically, and a notification will appear on your screen once it has been completed.

Troubleshooting

Problem : The device is “stuck” with the LED light on and is not responding to any buttons.
Solution: This issue occurs most commonly when the device is given too many commands too quickly (rapidly pressing the power button repeatedly). This can cause it to freeze up. If this occurs, use a paperclip or other small object to gently push the Reset button. Hold the buttons down for 10 seconds to force the device to power down and reset. Problem: The time is incorrect. Solution: Charge the device and use the BHS Cam Setup Tool to set the time. If the battery remains drained for 5 days, time settings will be lost.
Problem: As soon as the device is turned on the LED turns red and it will not accept any commands.
Solution: This indicates that the Camscura Micro is unable to read a memory card. Make sure there is a micro SD card inserted in the device. If there is a card, try formatting it or using another card.

Glossary

DVR: short for Digital Video Recorder; this abbreviation refers to any device capable of recording and saving a digital video file. This is the high- tech equivalent of a VCR.
GB: GB is short for gigabytes which is a unit used to measure computer storage capacity and is approximately 1.07 billion bytes. 1 Gigabyte of data is almost twice the amount of data that a CD-ROM can hold. Additionally, 1 Gigabyte could hold the contents of about 10 yards of books on a shelf.
LED: An abbreviation for “light-emitting diode,” it’s an electronic device that lights up when electricity passes through it. LEDs are good for displaying images because they can be relatively small, and they do not burn out. However, they require more power than LCDs.
Micro SD Card : Micro SD cards, also known as TransFlash, are smaller versions of SD memory cards. As electronic devices are becoming smaller, Micro SD cards are becoming more and more common in the marketplace.
USB Port: A USB port is a standard cable connection interface on personal computers and consumer electronics. USB ports allow stand-alone electronic devices to be connected via cables to a computer. USB can connect computer peripherals such as mice, keyboards, PDAs, gamepads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, personal media players, flash drives, and external hard drives.
For help and information on your device, visit the BrickHouse Security knowledge base at http://www.help.brickhousesecurity.com

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