I've been using them since they first came out and the memory card is the single most critical item to their success / failure on sending wireless (even more so than battery type). Get the right cards and don't look back.
For those of you who are considering buying the $50 rechargeable LiPo battery cartridge, you need to know that it does not contain nearly as much stored energy as a set of AA Energizer Ultimate Lithium (disposable) batteries do. I called the Tactacam customer support line to find out the capacity of the LiPo battery cartridge and they informed me that it's 5000 mAh. Each of the Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries has a capacity of 3000 mAh, so the stored energy is 7 times greater in a set of 12 disposable lithium AA batteries. Considering that my experience with the Gen 1 Reveal X cams was that I got about 9 months of uninterrupted use out of a set of 12 Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, I expect the LiPo cartridges to need to be recharged about 6 times in a 9 month period. The customer support person I interacted with at Tactacam was trying to tell me that the life of the LiPo battery cartridge is comparable to using 12 Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA's, but they're wrong.
I purchased the LiPo battery cartridge to conduct a comparison test and set up two XB cams side by side. One started with a fully charged LiPo battery cartridge, and the other with a new set of 12 AA Energizer Ultimate Lithiums. My test isn't finished yet because neither has run down far enough to require my intervention (yet), but I can tell you that the LiPo battery cartridge is reporting 80% battery strength after < 1 month, whereas the cam with AA batteries is still reporting 100% battery strength. (And it's the warmest month of the year - August - which is the easiest on battery life!) Both have been configured with identical settings and both have been taking and capturing an equivalent number of pics and video clips. So if you're thinking about buying the Tactacam LiPo battery cartridge, just be aware that you'll need to visit the cam more frequently than if you're using disposable lithium AA's - potentially A LOT more frequently, depending upon your settings and how frequently the cam is triggered.
You can add the Tactacam accessory solar panel to your set up to help but that's another expense, and ripe for stealing if your cam is on public land. That's my two cents on the LiPo cartridge.
my gen 1 just started doing the same thing. Just put it out. Test pic was fine before I walked out and every pic since was night mode.over the past week, my gen 1 tacticams have been taking only black and white pictures where they should be taking color. not sure whats up here.
but I did get my first bucks on camera today! so thats a plus. Hope these two can live past the orange army!
Thanks for the response. Those are a little rich for my pockets.
It looks like I can purchase a 5 dollar adapter to convert what I have to work on my Tactacams.
Just an FYI - I've been VERY happy with my tactacam solar panels. I have 3, I snagged them for $50 each. They have more than paid for themselves vs battery costs already.
I've had one of them deployed since February and the camera shows 100% battery. Note - that doesn't mean the solar panel still has 100%. Per tactacam it just means that the camera has not had to use any of the back up rechargeable lithium tactacam battery I have installed in the camera.
I have a X cam out since 8/31/2022 with with nothing but the original set of lithium batteries in it. No solar at all and it’s still reporting 100% on battery level. During off-season it sends pics twice a day and during season it sends in real time.
None of them will send video unless you have the schedule set to timely. If you have it set to sending once or twice a day that function will not work.Question- will the X gen 2 send video? I switched the setting last night to Pic + Video and since, i have not received any pictures at all.
once you get a pic - you long press the pic and can request the video from there. it will then show up in your gallery at the next check in. Only issue I've had with this is during full canopy sometimes the signal is insufficient to send the video. I just request it again and it eventually shows upQuestion- will the X gen 2 send video? I switched the setting last night to Pic + Video and since, i have not received any pictures at all.
Its set to timely, still no pics, i'll let it go through tonight and see if the settings kick inNone of them will send video unless you have the schedule set to timely. If you have it set to sending once or twice a day that function will not work.
Was it set to timely before or is that a new setting change? You can’t get any video from any previous pics over the air unless it was set to timely when it was taken. They will be on your card though.Its set to timely, still no pics, i'll let it go through tonight and see if the settings kick in