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ESP Sting User Manual

Miniature digital recorder
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Summary of Contents for ESP Sting

  • Page 2 Miniature Digital Recorder...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    3. Setting Current Time........14 4. Formatting Microdrive ........15 5. Connecting the A/V Cable ....... 16 6. Connecting Camera / Microphone ....18 RECORDING WITH STING BUTTONS & LIGHTS..20 Recording Readiness Indication ......21 Setting Recording Mode & Quality......22...
  • Page 4 Low Battery & Low Memory Indication......33 Alarm Indication..........33 ALARM TRIGGER SWITCH ....... 35 VIEWING AND MANAGING RECORDINGS..37 To Connect STING or Microdrive to PC......37 Accessing STING Files Directly ......39 Starting the STING Media Center......40 MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING ..41 Caring for the STING .........
  • Page 5 About this Document iii About this Document This user‘s guide explains how to install, connect, and use the STING, a portable digital recorder. It is intended for users of the device, and does not require special technical knowledge. The STING ships with a Windows software program, STING Media Center, used for playing and managing recordings.

  • Page 6: Introduction

    MPEG-2 format. Recordings are stored on Microdrive or Compact Flash plug-in cards. The STING™ ships with a 4GB Microdrive. The STING is designed mainly for surveillance purposes by law-enforcement and government...

  • Page 7: Box Contents

    Introduction 5 organizations, for portable video/audio recording featuring the highest quality available. The STING accepts composite video input from any video camera. Box Contents A/V cable Vibrating remote control cable 6-foot USB cable 5-inch USB cable 4GB Microdrive PCMCIA adapter...

  • Page 8: Technical Specs

    6 Technical Specs Technical Specs Physical 78mm X 60mm X 32mm dimensions (3.07" X 2.36" X 1.26") Weight Recorder net: 98g (3.45 oz) Recorder w/drive: 114g (4 oz) Memory type Microdrive or Compact Flash plug-in cards. Storage Shipped with a 4GB Microdrive. capacity Accepts any Microdrive or Compact Flash card.
  • Page 9 Technical Specs 7 Memory erase 10 seconds. time Internal Lithium-iron. Provides approx. battery 3 hours of operation. External Accepts 90-240 VAC. charger Connectors for Europe, US, UK. Camera power 5V, 500mA output for a 5-V source camera (2 hours recording time).

  • Page 10: Sting Components

    8 STING Components STING Components Top View...

  • Page 11: Left- And Right-Side View

    STING Components 9 Left- and Right-Side View Accessories Battery Charger R/C with vibrating cable PCMCIA Micro- Adapter drive Cable Cable...

  • Page 12: Getting Started

    10 Getting Started Getting Started When you receive your STING, remove it from the packaging, check that you have all the accessories (see page 5), and then follow the instructions below. Each step is explained in more detail in a following section.

  • Page 13: First-Time Charging

    Getting Started 11 1. First-Time Charging The STING ships with its battery uncharged. The first time you charge the unit, a 6-hour charging period is required. Afterwards, the unit charges fully in 4 hours. To charge the battery for the first time: I nsert the charger plug into the unit, as shown in the image below.

  • Page 14: Installing Sting Media Center

    For more details on using STING Media Center, refer to the help file, accessed by pressing Help in the program‘s main screen. To install the STING Media Center: Insert the STING™ mini-disk into the CD drive in your computer. The Visual Introduction screen appears.
  • Page 15 Note: The options at the bottom-left of the startup screen (Charging, Microdrive, etc.) show images and instructions on how to operate the STING. Press the button labeled Install STING Media Center, located at the top-right of the screen. The installation wizard starts.

  • Page 16: Setting Current Time

    14 Getting Started 3. Setting Current Time The memory chip in the STING contains a real-time clock, used to attach a timestamp to each recording. You must set the current time after receiving the unit, using the instructions below. The...

  • Page 17: Formatting Microdrive

    Getting Started 15 S tart the Sting Media Center by clicking its desktop icon, or by clicking the Start button and selecting Programs > STING > STING Media Center. Make sure your Windows clock is accurate. To change it, double-click the clock at the bottom- right of the screen.

  • Page 18: Connecting The A/V Cable

    REC button, ashes for 10 seconds as the disk is erased. Wait for the light to turn o . 5. Connecting the A/V Cable The A/V cable has two RCA-type sockets on one end, and a 3.5mm plug on the other end, which connects to the STING.
  • Page 19 Getting Started 17 To connect the V/A cable to the STING: Plug the 3.5mm plug into the socket on the STING, as illustrated below. Make sure it is plugged all the way into the center hole.

  • Page 20: Connecting Camera / Microphone

    18 Getting Started 6. Connecting Camera / Microphone You can connect any video camera to the STING. If the camera operates on 5VDC, it can draw its power from the Camera Power Out socket (see page 8, left- side view), as long as the current consumption does not exceed 500mA.
  • Page 21 Getting Started 19 To connect a camera or microphone: Plug the RCA plug from your camera or microphone into the A/V cable: If you are plugging in a camera, and it has only one RCA connector, plug it into the yellow socket. If the camera has two connectors, plug the yellow one (video) into the yellow socket and the red one (audio) into the red socket.

  • Page 22: Recording With Sting Buttons & Lights

    20 Recording With STING Buttons & Lights Recording With STING Buttons & Lights This chapter explains how to start and stop a recording, and receive status indications, using the buttons and lights on the STING device. To learn how to record and receive status indications with the STING's remote control, see page 30.

  • Page 23: Recording Readiness Indication

    Recording With STING Buttons & Lights 21 Recording Readiness Indication When the STING turns on, there is a 25-second warm-up period. You cannot record until the warm- up is finished. The light on the right of the REC button (shown below) indicates whether the device...

  • Page 24: Setting Recording Mode & Quality

    The light may be either red or green (as shown on the previous page): Red indicates the STING is still warming up, and is not ready for recording. The light is also red if the device is currently recording (see page 26 to learn how to start and stop a recording).
  • Page 25 During this period the recording readiness light, on the right of the REC button, remains red. To set recording mode and quality: Turn on the STING, or restart it if it is already on. The recording readiness light becomes red.
  • Page 26 24 Recording With STING Buttons & Lights Wait 15 seconds. The light on the left of the REC button, indicated in the image below, illuminates (the light will not necessarily be yellow). F or the next 10 seconds, the color of the left-...
  • Page 27 Recording With STING Buttons & Lights 25 Blue audio only. Allows 75 hours of high-quality audio recording. As long as the left-hand light is on, you can use the REC button to change recording mode and quality. Press REC to cycle through the five colors, in the order listed above.

  • Page 28: Starting And Stopping A Recording

    26 Recording With STING Buttons & Lights Note: If the STING is set to record both video and audio, recording will only work if a camera is plugged to the A/V Cable‘s RCA sockets (see page 18). Starting and Stopping a Recording...
  • Page 29 Recording With STING Buttons & Lights 27 Note: If the recording readiness light changes to green on its own, 10 seconds after the start of the recording, this indicates a problem with the recording: Either there is no video signal; the Microdrive has been pulled out;...

  • Page 30: Memory Status Indication

    The same procedure cheks if the Microdrive is present and functioning. You can only check the memory status if the STING is set to record video and audio (not audio only), and if it is not currently recording.
  • Page 31 Recording With STING Buttons & Lights 29 To check Microdrive and available space: When the STING is not recording, press the Memory Status button (see page 8). The light on the left of the REC button displays, using a color code, how much memory is available: Green - between 0% and 25% of memory is used up.

  • Page 32: Recording With Remote Control

    30 Recording With Remote Control Recording With Remote Control The remote control is composed of a push-button and a cable connected to a vibrating motor. It can be used for: Starting and stopping the recording. Getting indications, by vibration, for low battery, low memory, a disconnected video cable and any other malfunction.

  • Page 33: Starting And Stopping A Recording

    Press the remote control button once, and keep it pressed for about 2 seconds. The motor vibrates in three short pulses, indicating that the recording is off. If the recoding session is over, turn off the main switch of the STING.
  • Page 34 If you do this after 10 minutes have passed, the STING starts a new file. Note: If you pause a recording and resume it, the video timestamp may not be exactly accurate.

  • Page 35: Low Battery & Low Memory Indication

    Recording With Remote Control 33 Low Battery & Low Memory Indication About ten minutes before the battery reaches a low level, the remote control motor will vibrate in ten short pulses. The same warning is given if remaining space on the Microdrive becomes too low.
  • Page 36 R econnect the camera cable and/or push the Microdrive card back in. Turn the STING off and on again using the On/Off button (see page 8). Press the remote control button once, and keep it pressed for about two seconds, to start...

  • Page 37: Alarm Trigger Switch

    Alarm Trigger Switch 35 Alarm Trigger Switch The STING is equipped with an analog input that triggers a 30-second recording session. This input is mainly used to connect the STING to security systems and other surveillance devices - these can send a signal to automatically start a recording.
  • Page 38 36 Alarm Trigger Switch To connect the alarm trigger switch: Mount the STING in a stable position and connect it to a camera or microphone (see page 18). R un a two-wire cable from an external device (usually an alarm system) to the STING. The wire should be fitted with a 0.7mm DC power...

  • Page 39: Viewing And Managing Recordings

    STING: Using Windows Explorer and a generic video player that supports MPEG-2. Using the STING Media Center (see page 12) to learn how to install this program. Before you can use either of these messages, you must connect the STING, or its Microdrive card, to the PC.
  • Page 40 Usually, this is indicated by a bell sound and a message box. To connect the Microdrive to the PC using the PCMCIA adapter: Ensure the STING is turned off. Pull out the Microdrive. I nsert the Microdrive into the PCMCIA adapter (supplied).

  • Page 41: Accessing Sting Files Directly

    O pen Windows Explorer or My Computer. Navigate to the STING‘s removable drive. You can now do any of the following: Copy files from the STING to folders on your PC. Delete files on the STING. Open a file in a generic player. The...

  • Page 42: Starting The Sting Media Center

    Starting the STING Media Center To start the STING Media Center: C lick the program‘s desktop icon, or click the Start button and select Programs > STING > STING Media Center. You can now do any of the following: Show files on the STING Microdrive.

  • Page 43: Maintenance And Troubleshooting

    Maintenance and Troubleshooting Caring for the STING The STING does not require special maintenance. Keep the unit away from moisture, dirt or excessive heat. Clean with a damp cloth and wipe dry. Do not use Acetone, Benzene or any other alcoholic agents when cleaning the unit.
  • Page 44 42 Maintenance and Troubleshooting Troubleshooting (cont.) Cannot Start Recording Probable causes: A/V cable disconnected No sync signal detected No Microdrive Corrective Action: Check connection to the A/V cable RCA sockets and to the camera, and check that a Microdrive is plugged. If this doesn‘t solve the problem, replace the camera.
  • Page 45 Maintenance and Troubleshooting 43 Troubleshooting (cont.) R/C Cable Vibrates Continuously Probable Causes: Disconnected video cable Microdrive card came out Corrective Action: Turn the STING off. Ensure the video cable is plugged in and the Microdrive is pushed in fully. Turn on again.

  • Page 46: Optional Accessories

    44 Optional Accessories Optional Accessories Several optional add-ons, specially designed for the STING, are sold separately: STING Xtreme - high impact casing Button camera Body-wear pouch Miniature microphone External battery with charger Contact your distributor for more details about these items.
  • Page 47 ESP protected under international copyright law and shall be and remain solely with ESP. STING™ is a registered trademark of ESP. No right, license, or interest to such trademark is granted hereunder, and you agree that no such right, license, or interest shall be asserted by you with respect to such trademark.
  • Page 48 The manner in which the equipment is employed and the use to which the data and test results may be put are completely in the hands of the Purchaser. ESP shall in no way be liable for damages consequential or incidental to defects in any of its products.

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