Cuddeback Expert Troubles

[Kyler]

Has anyone ever had troubles with their Cuddeback Expert not detecting motion sometimes? It is like it locks up and won't detect anything after working fine for a few days. After a few days of not working, it kicks back in to gear and functions fine (although I have to have it on High Sensitivity). I am trying to figure out if there is a master reset you can perform just to make sure I didn't screw up a setting when I was playing around with it.

It is only about 16 months old and I have probably had it in the woods about 20% of that time so it is not like it has been overly used or abused.

Thanks for any input!!

[B. Amish]

I had an expert last summer. It never worked right. The batteries would drain in a week. It wouldn't take pictures half the time. I sent it back twice to get fixed. After I got it back the second time, it got stolen.

[MNmikew]

My expert had similar battery issues. Sent it in, been working better but not up to as advertised. Also had a varmint chew off the lens cover that they fixed then.

Go their HSOforum they have instructions on how to get service.

[Mark Christianson]

Friends dont let friends buy Cuddeback.....

[Kyler]

I won mine at a QDMA banqet last spring so at least I can sleep well knowing it only cost me $20 for a raffle ticket. When it actually works, the pictures are very good quality. Not much fun to put it out for a week and then going to get it and finding the feeder empty and 2 pictures (one of which was me trying to get it to work before I put it out).

[MNmikew]

Friends dont let friends buy Cuddeback.....

I'm starting to think this is the case. Though the Cuddy takes waaaay better pics than the others. I have 4 cameras, three different brands.

[Mark Christianson]

Not many take pics as good as homebrew trail cams.

And the homebrew cams never fail.

Here is an example pic. They just dont get much better than this.

[B. Amish]

does that thing have a club foot?

[archerystud]

Hey BLB:

About how much does it cost to make a camera?

My Cuddy is also on the fritz but at least if I built one I'd have the diagrams to fix it.

[Mark Christianson]

Her leg was busted last October roughly. I thought she was a goner and look who shows up a few weeks back. I got a few more pics of her. She doesnt appear to have any fawns from the pics I got.

AS,

What do they cost? Sky is the limit. Do a low end one, with a cheapo camera, and mid $100 area. Some of the newer cameras out are becoming favorites, and you can spend $200-$300 easily. But you get a 7-8 mp camera, and you talk about pics! WoW!

But for me, I dont need poster quality pics. So my 3-4 Mp set ups are just fine.

I dont think you are going to learn anything in the homebrewing that will help you fix a commercially made camera.

[archerystud]

BLB,

I think after building a home brew I'm guessing I could fix the home brew myself or at least attempt to. I think my wife spent like $350 on the Cuddy and I only got one real season out of it. Kind of frustrating.

I'm not interested in scoring a buck down to the eighth of an inch so a 3-4MP would be plenty good. I don't care if he'll score 150 or 155, I'd just call him a shooter.

I think I'll have to try and build one after the season is over and see how it goes.

[Mark Christianson]

You know how to get in touch with me. I can bust ya up with all the info you need.

[MNmikew]

Nice pic. My cuddy takes similar quality but is a bit flakey. Been in the woods two weeks now, anyone wanna bet I have any battery life left? Will find out Thursday.

My 3mp Cuddy against a 5mp Stealth Cam, the cuddy pics are far better for some reason. Must be the lens.

I see Cuddy has a new one out, the "Capture". Looks like it may be a replacement for the Exite??