MarCum VS620 Underwater Viewing System User Manual

VS620
Underwater Viewing System
User Manual

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the VS620 underwater viewing system from MarCum Technologies. The VS620 offers several technologies that are the first of their kind, making this system the most technologically advanced underwater viewing system available.
Using new technology such as a 6” Solar Intelligent- H2D display will deliver the sharpest, most vivid display, even in bright sunlight. Your new VS620 can be used to hunt for underwater treasures, locate the “spot on the spot”, observe fish in their natural habitat or learn how fish react to your lure or bait presentation. The applications are endless, and it’s never been easier or more fun to view.

Features

• 480v x 600h Solar-Intelligent, H2D LCD monitor – equipped with a sophisticated, thermostatically controlled heater to enhance your viewing experience in winter conditions. The daylight viewable monitor requires no sun shield while viewing outdoors. Although classified as daylight viewable, it is recommended that you turn the monitor away from direct sunlight. The ultra-thin monitor housing is sealed with a rubber gasket and all plug-in connections are potted to protect the internal electronics from the harsh elements.

• Sony CCD Super HAD Camera -.05 lux – Sony’s next-generation low-light camera. In order to create an ultra-clear, nearly HD picture, there needs to be a matching high-quality camera. This camera offers a 90° angle of view, giving the user a wide coverage area for maximum visibility.
  The VS620 Manta camera design matches the high-quality Sony Super HAD CCD camera to MarCum’s exclusive Darkwater LED lighting. The VS620 system uses blue LED lights, and the user can control the intensity of the LEDs by simply pressing the up or down arrows after turning the lights on. Darkwater technology greatly reduces particulate reflection and increases viewing distance by positioning the lights above and behind the actual camera lens.

• 75 feet of high strength, flexible camera cable.

• Manta camera design utilizing Darkwater technology lighting system.

• Super high-intensity blue LED lights for low-light viewing.

• Front keypad control panel for one-touch menu

• Removable down-viewing and trolling fin.

• Video Output jack for attaching to external monitor or recording device.

• 90° cable connections to prevent cable wear.

• Padded soft pack encompasses an internal molded case that stores battery, camera cable, and Manta camera. Provides for maximum portability and protection.

• 7.2 amp 12v rechargeable battery. This battery will provide up to 11 hours of continuous use during ideal conditions. Battery run time will vary depending on the condition of the battery, use of underwater LED lighting, level of screen backlight (brightness), and LCD heater system.

• Automatic .5-amp, 3-stage battery charger.

• Full 1 Year Warranty

Getting Started

The VS620 has been set up and tested at the factory before being placed into its retail packaging.
Remove the VS620 from the packaging and place it on a level surface with the MarCum Technologies logo facing towards you and right side up. Open the top cover of the soft pack by lifting up on the Velcro closers on each side and front of the soft pack. Once opened, loosen the knobs on either side of the gimbal bracket (at the base of the monitor) by turning each one counter- clockwise. Make sure to loosen the knobs a considerable distance. Then depress both knobs by pushing
inwards and holding in place. This releases the lock on the monitor angle. While depressing the knobs with the base of your palms, use the index fingers of each hand and gently lift the monitor up to the desired viewing position and release the tension on the gimbal knobs. Once you have set the monitor to the desired viewing angle, gently tighten the knobs until they are snug. The battery, camera, and cable are now accessible behind the monitor. It’s easiest to remove the Velcro straps and unzip the soft pack case.
The battery has a wiring harness with “piggyback” terminals attached. The power cord from the monitor attaches to this; the positive (red) terminal should already be attached. You should only have to attach the negative (black) wire to the negative terminal, and you’re ready to go. The other cord coming from the battery is the port to attach your battery charger, more on that in the section on charging. There is no reason for you to disconnect any of these wires unless you are going to remove/replace the battery.
To turn ON the VS620, press the power key which is located on the keypad on the lower left side of the front of the monitor. After pressing the power key, a small red LED indicator light – located next to the power button – will turn ON. The monitor should now be displaying the image being transmitted from the camera. The camera can now be unwrapped from the cable spool and deployed into the water to the desired depth.
The depth of field (the distance the camera can see underwater) depends on the clarity of the water and the available light at the depth the camera is used. In clear water, the depth of field can be many feet but in cloudy or muddy water the depth of view can be reduced to only a few inches due to particles suspended in the water. Dirty or muddy water and/or low light penetration can detract from the quality of the picture. Optimum image quality will result from clear water and adequate light penetration.

Adjusting the Monitor Settings

Monitor Screen Adjustments –
The VS620 monitor has four different adjustments that can be made to enhance the image on the monitor to the user’s preference. (Note: The VS620 has been pre-set with factory defaults for normal viewing.) To access the settings menu, press the menu key on the digital keypad. The settings menu will be displayed on the screen (note: if you wait too long before selecting an adjustment, the menu screen will time out and disappear). To change between on-screen adjustment choices (Brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color), continue to press the menu key to your desired monitor adjustment option. The selected on-screen adjustment will be highlighted on the LCD screen. To change the settings within a selected menu, use the UP and DOWN arrows located on the far right of the digital keypad. After pressing your selected menu option, the main menu will disappear from the center of the screen and your selected menu option will appear on the bottom of the screen. You can now be able to easily adjust and see the screen adjustments that you are making. As you select UP or DOWN to make your adjustments, you will see the numbers of the selected adjustments increase or decrease depending on the arrow direction you are depressing. To accept the changes, release the UP/DOWN arrow and settings will be saved. Once the settings are adjusted properly, the on-screen menu will shut off automatically. Occasionally, you may find that one of your settings will not adjust. By simply scrolling through the menu options and coming back to the setting that wouldn’t adjust a second time, you will automatically reset the internal timer, enabling that setting to be adjusted.

Brightness – Use the brightness adjustment to change the overall brightness of a picture. You can lighten a picture that’s too dark, or darken one that’s too light. Different lighting conditions and water clarity will affect the brightness of the picture. By adjusting the brightness, the backlight of the monitor will increase making the picture brighter. This can be helpful when viewing the VS620 outdoors during daylight hours. Adjusting the brightness can make the monitor easier to see.
Contrast – Contrast is the difference in brightness between lightest and darkest tones in a picture. A picture with too much contrast has highlights (lighter tones) that are too bright and no detail and shadow areas that are too black. A picture with too little contrast looks dull, with no true blacks and more grayish highlights. Different water clarities coupled with the amount of light available will affect the contrast. Adjust the contrast to the desired setting for the best overall picture.
Sharpness – Sharpness is the amount of high-frequency detail in the image. Adjust the sharpness according to personal preference. (Note: Increasing the contrast can give an impression of increased sharpness, so try this first).
Color – Although this is a Black and White system, increasing the color saturation will increase the vividness but can make the picture look darker overall. Decreasing the color saturation will make the colors look washed out and gray.

Utilizing the RCA Jack

On the back of the monitor, you will find a yellow RCA jack. This can be used to attach a larger monitor or an external recording device. There are many compact digital recording devices available that work great for capturing video, and a quick internet search will reveal what is currently being used by the masses. It is amazing how much more you see “the second time around” when you review recordings at home!

Ice Fishing Application

The VS620 can be used to search for that perfect weed line or locate the crib or rock pile where fish will generally school, entertain the kids, or as the perfect tool to enhance your ice fishing experience. To use as a search tool, drill a series of holes through the ice in the location you’re interested in fishing. The VS620 is small enough to hold in your arms while walking from hole to hole. Drop the camera down each hole in search of the best spot or until you locate fish. Keep your eye on the directional and depth indicators to pinpoint the fish’s hideout. Once you’ve located the spot, drill a hole 3 or 4 feet away from the hole you’re actually going to fish in. Set the VS620 on the ice and lower the camera down the second hole. To assist in keeping the camera at the desired depth and direction, it is recommended that an Automatic Camera Panner with Remote (purchased separately) be used. Once you send a lure or bait down and locate it with the VS620, you’re ready to fish. Lower or Raise the camera and rotate the head with your fingers or the Camera Panner. The VS620 also includes a down viewing fin that snaps into the back of the Manta camera. Once the fin is attached, the camera cable can be inserted through the cutout at the rear of the fin and locked into place. It is recommended that you leave about six inches of excess cable, forming a loop, before locking the cable into place. The camera can now be lowered into the hole to view what is directly below you. This can be very helpful while fishing in shallow water.

Open Water Application

To locate fish, look for treasure or find that perfect spot, simply turn the camera power ON and drop the Manta camera into the water. If you’re drifting with the wind or using a trolling motor with the VS620, attach the supplied trolling fin to the rear of the Manta Camera for added stability. The internal weight is enough to keep the camera down while the fin assists in keeping the Manta camera tracking straight through the water. The solar intelligent H2D display makes this is an ultimate search tool. Learn in minutes what would normally take a lifetime to reveal through traditional sonar. Moving along at speeds of 1 mph or less will give the best viewing opportunities. It is a good idea to have a GPS and/or a marker buoy at hand to quickly mark any hotspots for future reference. This is a great way to learn new ice fishing hotspots. Imagine finding a rock pile that no one else on your lake knows about! Always use extra caution when viewing around underwater obstructions, like boulders, cribs, or wrecks. If the camera becomes hung up, back up from the direction you were traveling from and slowly try to back the camera out of the snag. DO NOT pull directly upward with force unless all other avenues have been pursued.

Battery Charging

Your Marcum system comes with a 3-stage battery charger. This style of the charger has proven to be the most effective and easiest to use of all charging systems available. While the rate of charge is low, a completely discharged battery can be brought back to a full charge in as little as 12 hours. Because this is a 3-stage charger, there is no danger of overcharging your battery. Therefore, it is recommended that you charge your battery overnight after each use, and once every few months during periods of non-use.
A 3-Stage charger works like this—

Stage 1 (Bulk Stage): Constant current charging at a high voltage level at maximum amperage to minimize charge time.
Stage 2 (Absorption Stage): Current tapers off for the final 10% of charge.
Stage 3 (Maintenance Stage): Lower voltage mode to prevent electrolyte loss, keeping your battery at full charge indefinitely.

Some common-sense safety tips:
For safety reasons, it is recommended that you place your system on a flat, hard surface like cement or tile when charging it, away from any flammable materials. Be sure to disconnect the charger from the wall when not in use, and avoid leaving your battery hooked up to the charger for extended periods of time.

To charge your battery:
Your battery has a wiring harness attached to it that has “piggyback” terminals on it, enabling you to keep the power cord from the monitor attached to the battery at all times, as well as having the wiring harness with a receptacle for your charger attached at all times. To charge, simply couple the end of the charger with the end of the wiring harness, and once connected, plug the transformer end of the charger into a 110 volt AC wall outlet. You will see the red LED light appear at this time. When your battery is fully charged, the green LED comes on. At this time, you can disconnect the charger from the battery and wall outlet. However, no harm will come to your battery if you leave it attached to the charger.
If you need to remove the battery, unplug the two battery terminals from the battery. Remove the Velcro strap that is holding the battery in place and lift the battery out. To replace the battery, place a new battery of similar specifications into the battery compartment and secure it with the Velcro strap, and re-connect the positive and negative terminals.
Tip: To preserve battery run time, try to keep the VS620 in a relatively warm environment to minimize the use of the built-in LCD heater system. By starting out with a warm monitor, there is less power consumed and less warm- up time required.

Product Performance Specifications

Battery ……………………….12 volt DC, 7.2 amp
Charger ………………………12 volt DC, .5 amp
Camera Image Sensor …………….1/4” Sony SUPER HAD CCD
Resolution …………………….600 horizontal lines
Light Sensitivity ………………….05 lux
Field of View …………………..90 degrees
Monitor ………………………6” 4:3 aspect TFT LCD (480v x 600h)
Current Draw …………………..600 – 1200mA, varies depending on which functions are being used

One Year Warranty

Versa Electronics warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase. This warranty applies to customers who properly fill out and return the warranty card included with this manual. Failure to complete and return the warranty card voids the warranty. Versa Electronics will, at its sole discretion and without charging the customer, repair or replace any components that fail in normal use. Failures due to abuse, misuse, or unauthorized alteration, modification, or repair are not covered. The warranty is valid only for the original owner who purchases the unit from an authorized dealer. Products purchased from online auction sites are not considered under warranty.

How to Obtain Service

REGISTER YOUR PRODUCT ONLINE AT MARCUMTECH.COM
We want our products to provide you with a Pleasanton-the-water experience. That means maximum customer satisfaction. If you have a problem with your unit please contact Versa Electronics toll-free number at 888-778-1208 for a Return Authorization Number (RA#) or e-mail us at service@marcumtech.com. No service returns will be accepted without this return authorization number, which must be clearly marked on the outside of the package. Versa Electronics retains the exclusive right to repair or replace the unit at its discretion.

The customer is responsible for shipping costs associated with returning the unit to Versa Electronics. Versa Electronics will pay for shipping the repaired unit back to the customer while it is still under a one-year warranty. All out-of-warranty services will be charged a fee for service and shipping which must be paid in advance. After obtaining a Return Authorization number, the unit should be securely packed and shipped “pre-paid freight” and insured to Versa Electronics. It is the consumers’ full responsibility to track their products sent out in the mail or other forms of delivery service. Versa Electronics will not be liable for lost packages sent to us. Unless specified otherwise, do not include batteries or other accessories when returning the product for repair. Versa Electronics will not be responsible for lost or damaged accessories.

These are some other great systems from Marcum.

These items can be purchased from one of our many fine retailers, or direct from us at marcumtech.com

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www.marcumtech.com

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