Detailed Commander Setup
Question
Do you have more detailed instuctions for setting up the VCR Commander?
Answer
Here are walk-through instructions for the VCR Commander.
Make sure the Commander is plugged into power, and the IR extender cable is disconnected. Put fresh batteries in the VCR remote and line it up less than ONE INCH (1") from the blue/white eye on the back of the VCR commander.
Press and hold RECORD on the Commander until the light goes solid, then release it. Now press and release RECORD again. The light should start blinking. It will blink either 4 or 8 times. When it goes solid, press the RECORD button on the remote. Watch the light on the Commander; after it goes out and comes back on solid, immediately press and release the STOP button on the Commander. The light will start blinking again--4 or 8 times. When it goes solid, press the STOP button on the remote. Watch the light on the Commander; it will go out and come back on, indicating that it has accepted the command and you are finished. If it does not learn both commands, clear the IR codes and try again. It is a very time-sensitive programming sequence, so do not dawdle. If you are using the VCR Commander II, make sure that you watch the light for timing; it will blink for perhaps a second or two after it stops beeping. Do not let the beeps trick you into acting too fast. After getting the Commander to take STOP, wait 10 seconds- the Commander will beep again and the light will go off.
In order to program the Motion Detector into the VCR Commander, you will need to make sure the IR extender cable is unplugged. First, clear all RF commands. Press and hold the Play button until the light goes solid, then release. Immediately press the Play button again. The light should go out indicating that the RF commands have been cleared.
Next, press and hold the PLAY button on the VCR Commander until the light comes on solid. Press the House/On button on the motion sensor (located under its panel). The light on the VCR commander should now turn off momentarily and may then begin to blink slowly. For the VCR Commander II, repeat the steps in this paragraph for each motion sensor.
Note: The FloodCam does not have a House/On button. You will simply need to wave your hand in front of the sensor to program it into the commander or press an ON button on a remote set for the same house and unit code. You may want to put batteries in the Commander and put a cover over the FloodCam so you can bring the Commander to the FloodCam.
When it detects motion, the motion sensor sends a signal to the VCR Commander. The VCR commander receives the signal and sends IR commands to the VCR to make it record and then stop 5 minutes after the last motion is detected. Make sure that you position ONE of the IR emitters as close to the VCR's IR receptor as possible without covering it. Then press the Stop button to reset the unit.
If you have the UX21A, the light will got out completely indicating that it is ready to work. If you have the UX23A, the light should be blinking slowly (after pressing stop) indicating it is ready to work. If the light is not blinking at all on the UX23A this means it is in Home mode. If the motion sensor is set off the UX23A will beep 8 times in Home mode. To switch between Home and Away mode, press and hold the Stop button on the UX23A; when you hear the longer beep (second), release.
The light will now be blinking slowly (1/1.5 sec). When the UX21A receives a signal from the motion sensor the light on it starts blinking, and it should also start the VCR recording. If it does not, tap the Stop button twice (light will go out), reposition the IR emitters, and set off the motion sensor again. When the UX23A receives a signal from the motion sensor the light on it will start blinking faster (1/.75 sec), it should also start the VCR recording. If this does not happen, tap the Stop button on the UX23A, and you should see the light start blinking slower again (meaning it is ready to work). Reposition the IR emitters and set off the motion sensor again.
IF RF PROGRAMMING FAILS:
Try using the remote control instead of the motion sensors to program the RF portion of the Commander. In order to program the Motion Detector into the VCR Commander, you will need to make sure the IR extender cable is unplugged. First, clear all RF commands. Press and hold the Play button until the light goes solid, then release. Immediately press the Play button again. The light should go out indicating that the RF commands have been cleared.
Next, press and hold the PLAY button on the VCR Commander until the light comes on solid. Press the ON button on the remote control corresponding to the camera you want to program in. The light on the VCR commander should now turn off momentarily and may then begin to blink slowly. The TV should also switch to that camera. For the VCR Commander II, repeat the steps in this paragraph for each button on the remote corresponding to one of your cameras.