Aqua-Vu Z-Series Digital Camera User Manual
Contents
1. Lower the camera and view Begin your viewing trip by simply lowering the camera to the bottom Don t worry The camera won t break if you bump a rock or suddenly hit bottom In most waters fish relate to bottom structure So while drifting or slow trolling you ll need to guide the camera over the ups and downs of bottom contours You will quickly learn how to swim the camera over bottom terrain With cable in hand simply raise or lower the camera paying out more or less cable depending on depth and boat speed As you move along you should see on your monitor screen a continuous picture of the passing bottom and the fish holding watery zone just above it When viewing over soft bottom make sure the camera is actually above the bottom and not plowing or stirring up the muck Remember if you can t see bottom raise or lower the camera to look for it If your camera becomes snagged maneuver the boat so the direction of pull is the same as it was when the camera became snagged A little jiggling or light tugging will usually enable you to back the camera out of a snag Avoid pulling the camera through heavy weed cover or thick brush With your Aqua Vu Z model you will be fascinated and often surprised by the ever changing live View of underwater scenery rocks weeds other bottom features and fish For more advice and viewing tips see Frequently Asked Questions in this manual Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 3 ON2. within 30 days of purchasing the unit Visit www aquavu com for more information Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 9 HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE We want our products to provide you with a pleasant on the water experience That means maximum customer satisfaction If you have a problem with your unit within 30 days of purchase you may return it to your retailer for replacement subject to retailer s stock After 30 days please contact the factory for a return authorization number RA No service returns will be accepted without this pre return authorization which must be clearly marked on the outside of the returned package Nature Vision Inc retains the exclusive right to repair or replace the unit at its discretion To obtain a Return Authorization Number contact the factory at 866 777 0733 You may also email service requests to aquavu naturevisioninc com The customer is responsible for shipping costs associated with returning the unit to Nature Vision Inc Nature Vision Inc will pay for shipping the repaired unit back to the customer After obtaining a Return Authorization Number the unit should be securely packed and shipped pre paid freight and insured to Nature Vision Inc at Nature Vision Inc RA 213 NW 4th Street Brainerd MN 56401 Canadian customers please return to Nature Vision Inc C O Unicity One Step RA 1460 Clarence Ave Winnipeg MB R3T 1T6 Nature Vision Inc Copyri
3. Aqua Vu UNDERWATER VIEWING SYSTEM Z SERIES OWNERS MANUAL Table of Contents About your Z Series 0 00 cee ees pg 1 In your Z Series Package pg 1 Easy Setup Erb Free ANAN ee Sad ea tee pg 2 Testing Your Unit 22 2 0 naka mer ei pg 2 Open Water Use a pg 3 OM EE ia e PA PR pg 4 The Battery and Charger pg 5 ANG BUSES unsern a baa an nan kana an APA akon a pg 5 Gimbal Mount Option 0000055 pg 6 Video Recording With The Z Series pg 6 Caring For Your Z Series pg 6 Frequently Asked Questions pg 7 Some Cautionary Notes pg 8 Troubleshooting ass TU oe eae SS pg 8 One Year Limited Warranty pg 9 Extended Warranty 0000 eee ee aes pg 9 How To Obtain Service pg 10 CABLE BATTERY SHUTTLE 2 MONITOR FRONT VIEWING i BATTERV BALLAST WEIGHTS CHARGER DETACHED SUNSHIELD THUMBSCREWS ABOUT YOUR AQUA VU Z With your Aqua Vu Z underwater viewing system you will become an aquatic explorer much like a skin diver but without getting wet Swim your camera over the bottom landscape of your fishing grounds while watching what s really down there Or with camera suspended down a hole in the ice see how approaching fish react to your bait Turn on Aqua Vu s invisible infrared camera lights to enhance the vi
4. THE ICE Your Aqua Vu is an invaluable ice fishing tool which steps beyond mysterious flashes on a depthfinder to actually see the real picture Take advantage of these key benefits e View bottom structure and distinguishing features Observe weedlines and weed characteristics sand versus muck big rocks versus small rocks transitions from one bottom type to another What a big help in precisely locating fishing holes or fish house Sharpen your fishing techniques Watch your bait and see how approaching fish react to it Learn what lures colors and jigging actions attract fish and trigger strikes Identify fish as to species and size Seeing the fish in person helps solve mysteries about depthfinder signals and helps with decisions about fishing techniques and whether to stay or leave e Search out new fishing grounds Move from spot to spot always boring two holes a few feet apart one for your camera the other for your bait Test fish for a few minutes in each spot It s possible to choose or eliminate potential fishing spots on the basis of seeing or not seeing fish as you move around while prospecting That special viewing hole Most ice fishing camera owners bore a special camera hole several feet from the fishing hole Lower your bait or lure to about 6 inches above bottom Turn on the Aqua Vu Z unit and lower the camera through the camera hole Raise it slightly off bottom so you have a view of the bottom and the
5. able you have out which determines water resistance or drag The deeper you go with more cable out the more drag there will be requiring slower travel for good viewing Generally for best viewing we recommend going less than 2 miles per hour Remember the slower you go the more detail you will see Can I use my Aqua Vu Z in saltwater Yes All Aqua Vu cameras are saltwater rated using stainless steel hardware and materials that are impervious to corrosion Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 7 Will my unit work in subfeezing conditions Aqua Vu systems are designed to operate at temperatures ranging from minus 40 to 120 degrees F Expect your battery life to decrease in cold conditions What is the viewing angle of the camera Your camera lens has a viewing angle of 92 degrees At 4 1 2 feet in front of the camera you will be viewing an image approximately 6 feet wide What is the resolution of my monitor screen Your screen has 420 lines of resolution for crystal clear viewing Can connect my Aqua Vu to a larger monitor or to a hand held recorder Yes For use in a permanent fish house or in a large boat with a built in video system your Aqua Vu can be hooked up to a larger external TV provided it has a VIDEO IN jack The same holds true for a hand held video recorder See the Video Recording with Aqua Vu section of this manual for more details Is Aqua Vu legal To our knowledge there are no restrictions any
6. ewing of bottom and fish in low light conditions However you employ your Aqua Vu Z unit for pure fun as a discovery tool for learning while fishing and observing nature for watching small children or pets or for security purposes you will experience a fascinating new view Your eyes will be glued to the monitor screen The Aqua Vu Z is available with 60 or 120 foot cable options Choose from models Z 60 and Z 120 IN YOUR AQUA VU Z PACKAGE The package contains Aqua Vu Z components You ll be viewing ready in a few minutes e Monitor weatherproof attaches to the Carrying Shuttle tilts up and down for convenient viewing Carrying Shuttle with handle allows cable and camera storage tiltabl monitor attaches to it e Camera with nine infrared lights and 60 or 120 foot cable Detachable Sunshield stores conveniently on carrying shuttle when not in use Battery 12 volt 7 amp Battery Charger Ballast Weights for open water viewing Front viewing Fin keeps camera forward looking as it s pulled through the water If any of the above items are missing contact your retailer immediately Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 1 EASY SETUP Your Aqua Vu Z requires no complex assembly Follow these simple steps 1 Connect the monitor to the Carrying Shuttle a one time procedure using the two black plastic headed thumbscrews provided You will tighten and loosen these thumbscrews every time
7. ght 2000 Pg 10
8. installation see No 3 in the Easy Setup section towards the front of this manual Make sure the battery is fully charged before each use Recharging after every viewing session is recommended Expect 8 to 12 hours of continuous operation from a fully charged battery depending on use of the infrared lights Cold temperatures will also reduce operating time Following a few simple rules will prolong battery life and contribute to efficient use of your Aqua Wu unit e Charge the battery as soon as possible after purchase e Store the battery at moderately cool temperatures Service life is considerably shortened at temperatures above 85 degrees F Fasten the battery securely in its compartment and minimize shock to the battery e Guard against overcharging The 500 mA charger provided with the unit will not overcharge the battery in most cases Do not leave the charger connected for more than 24 hours Do not use a charging system with more than a 2 amp output High rates of charge can heat up and destroy a battery in a few hours e Avoid prolonged battery storage without charging Batteries stored in a discharged state may initially appear to be damaged and will accept less current than normal Usually the battery will accept increasing amounts of current but may take longer than normal to reach a fully charged state If there is no response the battery may have been discharged too long to recover Freezing a discharged battery
9. le at most consumer electronics stores For video recording plug one end of the cord into the VIDEO OUT jack on the Aqua Vu plug the other end into the VIDEO IN jack on your camcorder You should be able to watch your Aqua Vu monitor and record at the same time CARING FOR YOUR AQUA VU Z Your Aqua Vu underwater viewing system requires minimal common sense maintenance 1 The battery requires regular charging See battery charging instructions Always disconnect the red and black power leads before charging the battery Never charge while the unit is connected 2 Clean the monitor and camera lens periodically by using mild dishwashing soap warm water and a very soft cloth Do NOT use window cleaner or alcohol based products since they may cause permanent fogging 3 Periodically run your fingers over the entire length of the cable feeling for nicks or other cable damage A damaged cable should be returned to the factory for repair See the Service section of this manual 4 As a precautionary measure dry off your monitor after it gets wet from rain or boat spray 5 Never tug on fishing line that accidentally gets wrapped around the camera cable Line can cut and damage the cable Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 6 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How far can I see Naturally the clearer the water the farther you can see As a general rule the camera can see twice as far as the human eye in water meaning
10. may permanently damage it e Always dispose of a battery in a legal and environmentally safe way THE FUSE Between the Camera In and Video In ports is a 1 AMP fuse compartment A fuse is factory installed This fuse is designed to blow when the battery is connected backwards or if a short occurs in the system If the fuse is blown replace it with a standard 1 amp automotive fuse available at hardware and auto parts stores To remove the fuse push the cap in and rotate counter clockwise Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 5 GIMBAL MOUNT OPTION You may want to mount the Aqua Vu monitor on the console or in the electronics locker of your boat or somewhere other than on the portable carrying shuttle that comes with the unit You can easily make the switch You ll need a Gimbal Bracket that can be purchased from Aqua Vu dealers or online at www aquavu com With a Gimbal Bracket in the desired place loosen the two thumbscrews holding the monitor to the Aqua Vu Z unit remove the monitor and using the two thumbscrews attach it to the Gimbal Bracket VIDEO RECORDING WITH THE AQUA VU Z Your Aqua Vu Z s VIDEO OUT jack is for connecting your unit to a handheld camcorder or to a larger external monitor Your Aqua Vu will work with any camcorder or any monitor that accepts the NTSC video signal the North American standard and has a VIDEO IN jack Use an RCA style patch cord that comes with most camcorders also availab
11. oles are a little undersized for firmly gripping the bolts to prevent their loss LOWER THE CAMERA TO THE BOTTOM BUT CAN T SEE ANYTHING The camera may be buried in soft bottom Raise the camera off the bottom The water might be very murky Select the ON LIGHT switch position to activate infrared lights in your camera for enhanced viewing in low light conditions THERE IS A NICK IN THE CAMERA CABLE See the Service section of this manual for instructions on returning the camera for repair THE IMAGE ON MY SCREEN HAS A DARK MARGIN AROUND IT OR GETS BLURRY e You re seeing on screen symptoms of a weakening battery Charge the battery or install a charged battery ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY Nature Vision Inc warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase This warranty applies to customers who properly fill out clip and return the warranty card included on the back cover of this manual Failure to complete and return the warranty card voids this warranty Nature Vision Inc will at its sole discretion and without charging the customer repair or replace any components that fail in normal use Failures due to abuse misuse or unauthorized alteration or repair are not covered The warranty is valid only for the original owner EXTENDED WARRANTY A two year extended warranty is available through Nature Vision Inc You may purchase this warranty
12. qua Vu Z s light source to enhance viewing in low light conditions If you fail to see an image on the monitor while conducting these tests see the Troubleshooting section of this manual Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 2 OPEN WATER USE Ballast Weights and Front viewing Fin Underwater video cameras may be lowered into the water from breakwaters docks and fishing piers as well as from anchored boats and pon toons Innovative bank fishermen use them too Much of the open water viewing by anglers is done from boats while drifting or slow trolling on lakes or from boats dealing with stream current For best con trol of the camera in most of these open water situations use the Ballast Weights and Front viewing Fin included with your Aqua Vu Z 1 Line up the predrilled holes of the ballast weights with those on the camera s underside Attach the Ballast Weights to the camera by means of the two steel bolts and two nylon locknuts 2 Locate the two predrilled holes at the rear of the camera and use the two nylon screws and two nylon locknuts to attach the Front viewing Fin The Front viewing Fin helps maintain a forward looking viewing posture as the camera moves through the water When attaching weights and fin to the camera notice that the holes match but with a tight fit to prevent accidental loss The nylon locknuts require tightening with a pliers Note We recommend removing weights and fin for ice fishing
13. that if you can see 3 feet down you will be able to see approximately 6 feet in front of the camera But this is just a rule of thumb and all bodies of water will vary For anglers studying bottom structure 2 feet of visibility is sufficient for underwater viewing When do I use the infrared lights The infrared lights in your Aqua Vu camera are designed for use in low light situations Turn the power switch to the ON LIGHT position for enhanced visibility in low light How do I steer the camera For viewing in the direction of travel use the Front viewing Fin Slowly troll less than 2 mph or drift along the structure you intend to view With the Front viewing Fin the camera will face the boat s direction of travel The opposite holds true when using the Back viewing Fin which positions the camera for viewing in the direction opposite from the boat s travel The Back viewing Fin not included with the unit is available from dealers or online at www aquavu com Can splice the camera cable to obtain more length No Attempting to splice in additional cable violates the waterproof integrity of the camera and cable voiding the warranty Can I attach my camera to a downrigger Yes by using the Cam Rigger accessory You can attach your camera to your downrigger cable at any depth allowing you to watch your lure given adequate water clarity How fast can I troll with my camera It depends on depth and also on the length of c
14. water above it Slowly twist the camera cable until you glimpse your bait Carefully adjust the cable so the bait is centered on the screen This camera positioning provides a view of the bait plus areas just beyond and to each side of it ideal for watching bait and approaching fish Some anglers rest a bait bucket or other object on the cable to maintain camera depth and position Others clamp the cable to a stick placed over the hole Another option Aqua Vu s Camera Positioning Stand accessory makes it easier to maintain camera position for watching your lure and the surrounding area Available from retailers or online at www aqua vu com Remove the Ballast Weight and Front viewing Fin for ice fishing For ice fishing most camera users remove the open water Ballast Weight and Front viewing Fin If weight is needed a simple clamp on lead depthfinder is usually enough for ice fishing use This weight can be positioned along the bot tom or back keel of the camera to control the viewing angle In most cases the camera will work best in a horizontal position but there may be times when you ll want to view at an up or down angle Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 4 THE BATTERY AND CHARGER The Aqua Vu Z model includes a 12 volt 7 amp sealed and spillproof lead acid battery designed to fit securely in the carrying shuttle The battery has a one way relief valve to release excessive gas pressure in case of improper charging For battery
15. where that regulate the use of Aqua Vu underwater viewing systems Aqua Vu is an approved pre fishing tool for B A S S And P W T events and for other tournament trails across the country SOME CAUTIONARY NOTES The charger supplied with this unit does not disconnect or turn off automatically when a full charge is reached Please use caution when charging your battery When adjusting the angle of the monitor always completely loosen the thumbscrews to avoid damaging the teeth on the mounting bracket Tighten the thumbscrews when the monitor is at the desired angle Always make sure the thumbscrews are tight after tilting the monitor down for carrying or stowing Always keep camera cable away from propellers TROUBLE SHOOTING NOTHING HAPPENS SCREEN FAILS TO LIGHT UP WHEN THE SWITCH IS IN EITHER THE ON OR ON LIGHT POSITION Battery not connected Properly connect the battery red to red black to black e Battery not charged Fuse may be blown See The Fuse section of this manual on page 5 Nature Vision Inc Copyright 2000 Pg 8 THE SCREEN LIGHTS UP BUT I SEE NO PICTURE e Camera cable is disconnected Plug the camera cable into the Camera In jack Camera cable might be damaged Consult the Service section in this manual SCREWS FOR BALLAST WEIGHTS AND FRONT VIEWING FIN WON T GO THROUGH HOLES IN THE RUBBER CAMERA HOUSING e With a screwdriver screw the bolts through the predrilled holes The h
16. you use the Aqua Vu Z for positioning tilting the monitor for the most convenient viewing as well as for carrying and stowing the unit Plug the camera cable into the CAMERA IN port a one time procedure Place the battery into the battery well in the Carrying Shuttle with battery terminals towards the lower end of the unit opposite from handle Position the battery lock tabs to secure the battery in place Connect the red wire clip to the red terminal on the battery red to red Connect the black wire clip to the black terminal on the battery black to black You may also power the Aqua Vu Z via an Auxiliary Power Cord accessory that plugs into a cigarette lighter in vehicle or boat The unit can operate off any 12 volt power source The Auxiliary Power Cord accessory is available through retailers or online at www aquavu com TESTING YOUR UNIT 1 VIEWING AN IMAGE Locate the ON OFF ON LIGHT switch at the right end of the control line up Turn the switch to the ON position Look at the monitor screen You should see an image Slowly move the camera pointing it towards room furniture your dog or even your feet You should see a live image CHECKING THE CAMERA S INFRARED LIGHTS Turn the ON OFF ON LIGHT switch to ON LIGHT Choose a dark environment An image of whatever the camera sees your face or the living room wall should appear on the monitor Note Use the ON LIGHT position to activate the A
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search