Not exactly sure where to post this so hopefully here.
Thought I would share about a target camera I build a few years ago, well really it’s just a copy of the Bullseye target system. I hadn’t looked up the company in a while and now see the original owner sold out? and they have a new version that looks pretty sweet. Seems like a nice design with an movable camera and external focus adjustment?. I also read some comments on the new phone app not working with the old ammo can system, another reason to post so I can comment on that.
This is not a build guide but just what I did and some basic incoherent rambling
When I first saw the bullseye camera system I was really curious and thought the software was pretty cool. I checked out the demo version and windows app to see how it connected to the cameras, plus scoured over all the videos and pictures I could to see what hardware it used. What I found was it used ip security cameras either wifi or Ethernet with a mini wifi router or a wifi point to point bridge for the long range version. The original version looked like all basic off the shelf parts so I figured I could make something work.
My first version used the larger camera and mini wifi router. Over time I changed parts out and now use the smaller camera and the point to point bridge. The current version I have used at 600 yards at the range and did a test at 1000 yards in falling snow down a road with good connection. Theoretically the wifi bridges claim a distance of 10km but I suspect with dirty usb power and imperfect alignment it will never get that far. I haven’t tested a max range but if I remember right it was like 70-80% signal at 1000 yards?
The setup is a ip security camera powered by usb connected with an ethernet cord to the wifi bridge powered with an usb to POE (power over ethernet) injector. A dual usb power brick powers it. Originally I did a power draw testing but that was 2-3 years ago so no idea on what the load was.
Hardware:
Camera 1 (v1 large can)
Ubiquiti locom5 wifi bridge (bought used)
Foscam f1806w ip camera
tycon usb to POE injector
USB power bank (already had)
Camera 2 (v2 small)
Ubiquiti locom5 wifi bridge (bought used)
Foscam C1 720p ip camera
tycon usb to POE injector
USB power bank (already had)
Receiver (pink can)
Ubiquiti locom5 wifi bridge (bought used)
tycon usb to POE injector
USB power bank (already had)
How it works is pretty simple. The camera side connects to the other shooter side wifi bridge with its fancy point to point wifi and the receiver bridge also outputs a wifi signal to connect to. Basically its just like a network at your house with a network security camera.
Software:
The network setup is the trickiest part honestly, getting the wifi bridges to connect to each other and create the accessible wifi signal. The camera setup isn’t as hard but still need to change a few settings. Sorry not going to explain here how to setup wifi bridges...
To view the cameras you have a few choices. Use the cameras webpage directly to see the picture, use a phone security camera app (foscam viewer ipcamsoftt) or using the right settings you can also use the bullseye software for that fancy “shot picture”
The bullseye software takes a snapshot of the target and flashes between the new and old picture, giving a easy to reference comparison to see the new shots. I’ll talk about the bullseye software a little now.
I started with the windows app. It looks for a camera on whatever wifi network it’s connected to at ip address 192.168.1.252 and tries to pull a picture from the cameras webpage. From what I gather it tries a few different links for the different version of cameras. fyi these links are standard ways to pull snapshots from the foscam cameras, example "http://192.168.1.252/snapshot.cgi?user=admin&pwd=" in a web browser pulls up a picture.
I use android phones so that’s all I can say. Also I don’t have a SME bullseye system so my understanding might not be exactly true
The older android phone app did the same as the windows app. The newer version of the android phone app is where things get a little different, I assume this is when SME took over and revamped the hardware. Now there is an SSID check to confirm it is a shooting camera network, from what I get it identifies based on the SSID what version of the shooting camera it is. If it detects is an older camera it will try and use the older html links to grab picture snapshots or use different links for newer systems. In the app it will give “can not procced on this network error” if the SSID/network is wrong and “error connecting to 192.168.1.252..blah.blah” if the link for the camera is wrong. I am absolutely not an app developer but I don’t see why older camera systems wouldn’t work with the new software provided they include the correct link to the camera. I suspect they want to phase out the old hardware and just don’t let it work, don’t have the correct links or something is wrong in the app.
Side note. I poked around and edited the links it uses in the new android app. Using the correct links for my cameras I can get both to work using the newest version. Although I prefer the older app which doesn’t require editing to work for both my cameras plus I just like it better
Some fun stuff:
The software will only look for one camera with an ip address of 192.168.1.252 with no ability for users to change. Since I had an extra camera I set its address to .251 and edited the software code to use that address. This allowed me to setup and use both cameras at once each with its own software. I was even able to do this same trick with the android app. So one app opens camera 1 and another opens camera 2, I get to use both cameras at the same time at different distances with the 1 network. This does require properly setting up each wifi bridge
Pro tip:
I use the foscam viewer (ipcamsoftt) for setting up the cameras at the targets. This app is a viewer for the foscam security cameras, imagine a home or business with a few security cameras. I think the live view of the cameras is a little nicer with this app. Also I suspect if you are one of the unlucky owners of the original bullseye camera system that won’t work under the new app and don’t want to load an older version of the bullseye software you could probably just use this app as a live stream to see the targets. Or even using your phones browser to connect to the camera and view it that way. I guess either would let you still use the system so it doesn’t go to waste.
Overall once it is configured properly the system works pretty well. Connect power, drive out to the target, use my phone to setup the position, drive back and I am shooting. The most important note I will say is I built this a few years ago and then bought a proper spotting scope hahaha. Sure it’s cool but unless I am shooting paper past 500-600 yards which can be hard to see paper holes in I never use it. But when I do it’s nice to have. So maybe 5 times a year... my range goes to 600
Anyways thought I would share and hopefully it will help someone. Ask if I need to clear something up.
Thought I would share about a target camera I build a few years ago, well really it’s just a copy of the Bullseye target system. I hadn’t looked up the company in a while and now see the original owner sold out? and they have a new version that looks pretty sweet. Seems like a nice design with an movable camera and external focus adjustment?. I also read some comments on the new phone app not working with the old ammo can system, another reason to post so I can comment on that.
This is not a build guide but just what I did and some basic incoherent rambling
When I first saw the bullseye camera system I was really curious and thought the software was pretty cool. I checked out the demo version and windows app to see how it connected to the cameras, plus scoured over all the videos and pictures I could to see what hardware it used. What I found was it used ip security cameras either wifi or Ethernet with a mini wifi router or a wifi point to point bridge for the long range version. The original version looked like all basic off the shelf parts so I figured I could make something work.
My first version used the larger camera and mini wifi router. Over time I changed parts out and now use the smaller camera and the point to point bridge. The current version I have used at 600 yards at the range and did a test at 1000 yards in falling snow down a road with good connection. Theoretically the wifi bridges claim a distance of 10km but I suspect with dirty usb power and imperfect alignment it will never get that far. I haven’t tested a max range but if I remember right it was like 70-80% signal at 1000 yards?
The setup is a ip security camera powered by usb connected with an ethernet cord to the wifi bridge powered with an usb to POE (power over ethernet) injector. A dual usb power brick powers it. Originally I did a power draw testing but that was 2-3 years ago so no idea on what the load was.
Hardware:
Camera 1 (v1 large can)
Ubiquiti locom5 wifi bridge (bought used)
Foscam f1806w ip camera
tycon usb to POE injector
USB power bank (already had)
Camera 2 (v2 small)
Ubiquiti locom5 wifi bridge (bought used)
Foscam C1 720p ip camera
tycon usb to POE injector
USB power bank (already had)
Receiver (pink can)
Ubiquiti locom5 wifi bridge (bought used)
tycon usb to POE injector
USB power bank (already had)
How it works is pretty simple. The camera side connects to the other shooter side wifi bridge with its fancy point to point wifi and the receiver bridge also outputs a wifi signal to connect to. Basically its just like a network at your house with a network security camera.
Software:
The network setup is the trickiest part honestly, getting the wifi bridges to connect to each other and create the accessible wifi signal. The camera setup isn’t as hard but still need to change a few settings. Sorry not going to explain here how to setup wifi bridges...
To view the cameras you have a few choices. Use the cameras webpage directly to see the picture, use a phone security camera app (foscam viewer ipcamsoftt) or using the right settings you can also use the bullseye software for that fancy “shot picture”
The bullseye software takes a snapshot of the target and flashes between the new and old picture, giving a easy to reference comparison to see the new shots. I’ll talk about the bullseye software a little now.
I started with the windows app. It looks for a camera on whatever wifi network it’s connected to at ip address 192.168.1.252 and tries to pull a picture from the cameras webpage. From what I gather it tries a few different links for the different version of cameras. fyi these links are standard ways to pull snapshots from the foscam cameras, example "http://192.168.1.252/snapshot.cgi?user=admin&pwd=" in a web browser pulls up a picture.
I use android phones so that’s all I can say. Also I don’t have a SME bullseye system so my understanding might not be exactly true
The older android phone app did the same as the windows app. The newer version of the android phone app is where things get a little different, I assume this is when SME took over and revamped the hardware. Now there is an SSID check to confirm it is a shooting camera network, from what I get it identifies based on the SSID what version of the shooting camera it is. If it detects is an older camera it will try and use the older html links to grab picture snapshots or use different links for newer systems. In the app it will give “can not procced on this network error” if the SSID/network is wrong and “error connecting to 192.168.1.252..blah.blah” if the link for the camera is wrong. I am absolutely not an app developer but I don’t see why older camera systems wouldn’t work with the new software provided they include the correct link to the camera. I suspect they want to phase out the old hardware and just don’t let it work, don’t have the correct links or something is wrong in the app.
Side note. I poked around and edited the links it uses in the new android app. Using the correct links for my cameras I can get both to work using the newest version. Although I prefer the older app which doesn’t require editing to work for both my cameras plus I just like it better
Some fun stuff:
The software will only look for one camera with an ip address of 192.168.1.252 with no ability for users to change. Since I had an extra camera I set its address to .251 and edited the software code to use that address. This allowed me to setup and use both cameras at once each with its own software. I was even able to do this same trick with the android app. So one app opens camera 1 and another opens camera 2, I get to use both cameras at the same time at different distances with the 1 network. This does require properly setting up each wifi bridge
Pro tip:
I use the foscam viewer (ipcamsoftt) for setting up the cameras at the targets. This app is a viewer for the foscam security cameras, imagine a home or business with a few security cameras. I think the live view of the cameras is a little nicer with this app. Also I suspect if you are one of the unlucky owners of the original bullseye camera system that won’t work under the new app and don’t want to load an older version of the bullseye software you could probably just use this app as a live stream to see the targets. Or even using your phones browser to connect to the camera and view it that way. I guess either would let you still use the system so it doesn’t go to waste.
Overall once it is configured properly the system works pretty well. Connect power, drive out to the target, use my phone to setup the position, drive back and I am shooting. The most important note I will say is I built this a few years ago and then bought a proper spotting scope hahaha. Sure it’s cool but unless I am shooting paper past 500-600 yards which can be hard to see paper holes in I never use it. But when I do it’s nice to have. So maybe 5 times a year... my range goes to 600
Anyways thought I would share and hopefully it will help someone. Ask if I need to clear something up.
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