Not all trail cameras are created equal, and selecting the right products and accessories can make all the difference in the success of your trail surveillance cameras. Ronin trail cameras aim to make it transparent for customers to understand what products are necessary to ensure their trail cameras are effective and efficient in capturing the footage they need. By understanding the technology behind trail cameras and the various options available, users can better equip themselves to achieve their surveillance goals.

TRAIL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

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RONIN TRAIL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

The Ronin Camera is a specialized product that features two high-performance cameras, namely a 1080p video camera and a FLIR Thermal Imaging camera. It is designed to be used in outdoor settings and is enclosed in a camouflaged case that blends with the surroundings. The purpose of the camera is to capture images and videos of animals and people in the area under surveillance. To enable extended outdoor usage, the system includes batteries, an SD card, and other necessary components in a compact case.

Moreover, the Ronin Camera is equipped with a radio transceiver that enables live viewing and remote alerting when motion is detected. The radio transceiver can transmit images and videos up to 9 miles to a Ronin Sentinel base station, which forwards alerts via text or email to the user free of charge. However, potentially in the future a unit will come out with the option of a cell modem, this version would require a monthly cellular plan fee. The transmission distance of the radio depends on antenna and terrain factors, as detailed in Antennas Explained.

For longer-term installations, the camera can be connected directly to a solar panel or wall power source to make it operate indefinitely. In battery-only mode, the batteries typically last 8-12 months or up to 35,000 images. Overall, the Ronin Camera is an effective solution for outdoor surveillance camera needs. SPECIFICATION SHEET

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RONIN SENTINEL BASE STATION

Before the Ronin Camera, the only way to get your pictures off of a trail camera remotely is through a cellular modem with a payment plan. The Ronin Camera does something different.

Using a LoRa style 915Mhz Radio, we have designed a system to automatically download images and videos off of your cameras completely FREE*. Simply set up the camera in your desired location within radio range of our Ronin Sentinel base station (which is connected by WiFi or Ethernet to your network), go through a simple setup process, and within 60 seconds get texted images and video directly to your phone at no cost* from us.

Each camera has an up to 9 mile range to the Sentinel base station (*terrain and antenna type restricting, see below). Once a camera is connected to a Sentinel, you can also live view the camera or change camera settings anytime you want!

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screenshot from sentinel surveillance cameras

An app on your phone allows you to easily communicate** with cameras and your Sentinel. You can instantly see the latest images, view, change, and send to others previous images and videos, access live views of any connected camera, and change camera configuration.

If your cameras are set up in an area further than 9 miles away from your Ronin Sentinel, you can either daisy-chain multiple cameras together to extend the range or you can even take the Ronin Sentinel mobile. Take the Sentinel with you and drive or walk within range of your cameras. When close enough, simply plug power into the Sentinel through the charging port on your car (just like you would charge your phone) or with an external battery pack, wait for the Sentinel to connect to the cameras, and start downloading new photos and videos through the radio connection. This means you can avoid disturbing you site and still acquire the latest images!

(*) By "free" or "no cost" we mean that we do not charge a fee for the Ronin Sentinel to send text or email messages with the collected images and videos. Although most phone plans include unlimited text messaging without a separate per-message fee, your particular phone plan may or may not charge for text messaging and users are responsible for any fees incurred as part of their phone plan when the Ronin Sentinel sends an alert.

(**) Please view the "Antennas Explained" tab to fully understand exactly the capabilities of the Ronin Sentinel and Ronin Camera so you can be as informed as possible before buying a system.

RADIO RANGE AND SPEED

One of the key aspects of the Ronin is its innovative use of 915Mhz Radio Technology. This radio frequency band is specifically set aside for personal use and is the key to many technologies such as LORA, meter reading, weather stations, and home security. The two main aspects of using radio are Range & Speed - and they are connected.

In general, the faster the radio speed the shorter the maximum distance:

Radio Speed VS Range & Time

After speed, the next biggest factor affecting the radio is the terrain. Having direct line of sight between two antennas is the ideal situation, but this is rarely achievable in real life. Going through buildings and trees will reduce range, and a mountain or hill can completely block the radio signal.

The antenna type and placement can help compensate for terrain and distance issues. The standard antenna that comes with the Ronin looks like this:

915Mhz 5dBi Antenna

standard antenna for surveillance cameras

The key parameter for antennas are the frequency and the "dBi" value. Always use an antenna that is specifically designed for the 915Mhz range. The larger the "dBi" value the greater the amplification of the signal. However, higher dBi values are more expensive, bigger, and usually require more complicated mounting.

large dBi antenna for surveillance cameras

915Mhz 8dBi Omni-Direction Antenna

An "omni-directional" antenna like the image above is one that can transmit and receive from any direction and works extremely well for the Sentinel base station, especially when mounted high up on a roof or tree. However, the highest dBi values come from antennas that are labeled as "Yagi" antennas. A Yagi antenna has a specific direction and it works best when you point it towards the Sentinel base station. This makes Yagi antennas a good choice for Ronin cameras, but not that useful for the Sentinel base station unless all the cameras are in the same direction:

large yagi antenna for surveillance cameras

915Mhz Yagi 10dBi Directional Antenna

Lastly, the Ronin Camera has the ability to daisy chain together to extend the range even further. As long as the closest camera can reach the Sentinel base station and the other cameras can reach each other, then the range can be extended further than 9 miles. However, daisy-chaining does slow the system down since each transmission must be repeated along the chain.

BATTERY MODES

To support different uses the camera has 5 different power modes from "battery only" to "full wall power" depending on what the customer needs. Note that the camera requires that you use at least a small solar panel if you want to use the FLIR to detect motion up to 200' away, but it also supports passive infrared (PIR) motion detection from 80' to 100' away with or without a solar panel.

Shipping of the cable, connector, and instructions is included in the price below along with drop shipping of the solar panel itself. In some situations, drop shipping may not be possible and in this case, a separate charge may apply (we will let you know beforehand).

We have all solar panel options in our online store.

deer caught on flir surveillance cameras

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TRAIL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

RONIN TRAIL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

RONIN SENTINEL BASE STATION

RADIO RANGE AND SPEED

BATTERY MODES

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