FAQs/Troubleshooting

AgCam and EnduraCam camera lenses are made of photo chromic (IE: auto darken in sunlight) triple hardened glass. This feature, along with the superior ability of the cameras to focus past debris on the lens, allows for viewing even in the harshest environments.

AgCam and EnduraCam monitors include 2 years for the monitor and 3 years for the camera. We understand that farm equipment can sit for months unused, so we wanted to make sure that an entire season would be covered under our warranty.
DM Repair/Warranty Policy

Yes, you can. A standard Dakota Micro monitor allows for viewing of up to 4 cameras, 1 camera at a time. We also offer a quad monitor which allows viewing of 4 cameras simultaneously.

Yes. The camera is 100% waterproof and can be submerged in water over 300 feet deep. Although, keep in mind that the monitor is NOT. Never get the monitor wet. Also, if you are going to throw your camera in the water, make sure that all twist-lock connectors are secure and will not come apart. We also recommend the application of some dielectric compound to the connector contacts to help prevent corrosion. You may want to even secure the cable connectors with electrical tape or some other means of safety. Dakota Micro does not warranty the cameras against loss in this situation. The warranty does provide for damage in case the camera takes in water for up to three years.

The image is amazingly stable. Even on the roughest road, the image you see appears steady. We have road tested this camera system on some of the roughest roads we could find. We even did some things that were possibly stupid in an attempt to knock the camera loose from the hood of an old 4×4 pickup. The camera stayed in place, and the image it produced was clear and sharp. Other tests were done on machines with high movement.

The AgCam and EnduraCam cameras are made of anodized aluminum. This type of aluminum resists chemical reaction and corrosion by “growing” hydrolyzed columns of aluminum out of the surface with electrical energy. The soft and weak elements are then simultaneously eaten away with acid; this creates a non-conductive and very resistant shell on the camera. Next to stainless and plastic, anodized aluminum is the 3rd most corrosive resistant material.

The magnets supplied with the AgCam cameras are rated at 65 pounds of pull force (pull force is the force required to pull a magnet free from a flat steel plate using force perpendicular to the surface).

Dakota Micro recommends the use of these magnets for temporary mounting of cameras. We suggest that you utilize a tie mechanism (i.e., zip tie) to strap down either the camera base or the camera tail when the camera is located in high vibration areas or areas prone to outside forces.

The lens on our cameras is constructed of triple hardened, photo grey (auto darkening) glass that resists both dust collection and scratching/scuffing. To clean off the lens when it does get dirty, wipe it clean with a cloth (the corner of a shirt works nicely for this).

Yes. However, the connectors on the two systems are different. We do have adapters available. DMAC-OVM and DMAC-OVC

Yes, there are different lenses. Both the AgCam and EnduraCam cameras are available with the following lenses (3.6mm being the standard): 3.6mm, 6mm, 12mm, and 16mm. No, the customer cannot switch them out him/herself since the cameras are sealed in a unique environment to prevent moisture from remaining inside the cameras when they are built. If you are unhappy with the viewing angle of your camera, contact our customer service department, and we can see if the opportunity exists to switch out the lens for you (for a small charge).

Dakota Micro introduced the AHD (Analog High Definition) cameras in the summer of 2018. The AHD cameras have the part number “HC.” The original Legacy cameras have the “LC” part number. Legacy cameras can be utilized with AHD monitors. AHD cameras will not display properly on LC monitors. AHD equipment has a lot of great new features, including true 720P resolution and full 16:9 aspect ratio (so your image isn’t stretched).

You can see up to 75 feet in complete darkness with the built-in IR emitters. The infrareds will automatically come on in low light conditions.

The difference between the AgCam and EnduraCam is probably one of the most common questions we get. We have a direct comparison chart of the differences between not only the AgCam vs. the EnduraCam but also the OverView camera vs. the EnduraCam camera. The biggest difference between the AgCam and the EnduraCam is that the EnduraCam has additional internal reinforcing to allow it to withstand additional vibration and impact.

Depending on the type of damage to your cable, Dakota Micro does offer repair services. Contact our repair department.

The warranty on Dakota Micro cables is 1 year.
DM Repair/Warranty Policy

Yes. You can find a full list of the adapter cables we offer by clicking on the Cables/Accessories tab on the respective product page. Keep in mind that most 3rd party monitors are NOT AHD capable and you will need to utilize the analog AgCam or EnduraCam cameras.

Yes, we make an adapter cable to integrate the AgCam camera into OverView monitor, and the same part number will work to plug the AgCam camera into the CabCam monitor.  The part number is DMAC-OVM. If you would like to connect an OverView camera to an AgCam monitor, you can use adapter cable DMAC-OVC.

Yes. Check out our Monitor Input Guide to see which adapter cables we offer.

No. The OverView system is manufactured to Dakota Micro’s strict specifications in China.

The short answer is that you get what you pay for. The AgCam and EnduraCam systems are made in the US, have a 3 year warranty on cameras, and are manufactured to withstand the harshest of environments. The OverView system is designed for medium use and includes a 1 year warranty.

The OverView system is considered a medium duty system that is great for use in situations where you don’t have a high chemical or urea usage. While you can choose to use it in these types of environments, it won’t stand up in the way that an AgCam or EnduraCam system will.

Yes, but because that the connectors on the AgCam system are 5-pin and the OverView system is 4-pin, you would need to use the following adapter cables, DMAC-OVM connects an AgCam/EnduraCam camera to an OverView monitor.  DMAC-OVC connects an OverView camera to an AgCam/EnduraCam monitor.

The reason for the damage can be a few things, corrosion, bent pins, or the camera tail connector is busted off the back side of the camera.

The solution would be to contact our technical support staff so we can assist you with getting your equipment repaired.

It may seem like a simple solution, but your camera lens might be dirty.

– Wipe off your camera lens with a anti-fog solution or wipe.

– Check your monitor settings to see if that improves the quality. 

If none of these solutions bring resolution to the problem, please contact our technical support staff so we can assist you with getting your equipment repaired.

There are a couple of reasons that this may be happening, you may not be getting enough power to the IR lights, you could have a dirty or scratched lens, or possibly a malfunctioning IR board.

Here are some solutions to try:

– Wipe off the camera lens with a anti-fog solution or wipe.

– Check the image setting on the monitor to see if that improves the quality.

– Power adapters can go bad, try replacing with a new power adapter.

If none of these solutions bring resolution to the problem, please contact our technical support staff so we can assist you with getting your equipment repaired.

It is very likely that you do not have a quad monitor.  You can tell by looking at the serial number on the back of the monitor: if it has a “q” in the part number, it is a quad monitor and if it does not have a “q”, then it is not a quad monitor.

This can happen if your camera and monitor have incompatible formats. Silver AgCam’s are NTSC and Black AgCam’s are PAL. Dakota Micro monitors are able to view both NTSC and PAL frequencies, BUT, it will lock onto whichever signal is plugged into it first. You will need to power down your monitor and unplug the cameras to reset. Unfortunately you can’t “mix and match” black and silver AgCam’s.

If, after reviewing our troubleshooting section and you are unable to find a resolution to your problem, please contact our technical support staff to assist you with getting your equipment repaired. You can review our repair process here.

This is because the monitor is actually a computer and not just a video screen.  It has to go through a “boot up” cycle similar to computers.

It could be a couple of different things; first, it could be that the equipment is not hooked up correctly;  check to ensure that the monitor wire harness has a tight connection and indexing arrows line up before you push the harness together.  Or the monitor wire harness may have some bent or broken pins. Second, it could be that there is a pinched extension cable or another wire. And third, there could be a camera or the monitor is malfunctioning. Try to plug the camera in to another AV input on the monitor wire harness and see if you receive an image.

Dakota Micro monitors have the ability to “mirror” your camera image. If you go into your monitor’s menu settings and change your mirroring, that should fix the problem that you’re experiencing.

Here are some tips for pairing (connecting) your OverView Digital Wireless camera system. Note, you’ll want to test these before installing on the equipment.

1. Plug monitor into chosen power source. With no cameras connected, monitor will display “No Signal” message.
2. Have monitor show one camera image at a time (CAM 1/CAM2). IMPORTANT: Camera will not pair in split screen or SCAN mode
3. Plug 1 camera into chosen power source.
4. Press “MENU” button to enable menu selection. IMPORTANT: Menu NOT accessible in split screen mode.
5. Use Left/Right arrows to select the “Pair” icon.
6. Press “OK” button to select.
7. Once selected, your monitor will display the message “PAIRING START 50,” which means your monitor will scan for available camera signals.
8. Once the first camera has paired, switch the screen to show the other camera image ((CAM1/CAM2) NOTE: the screen will be black as we need to pair the second camera) and plug second camera into chosen power source.
9. Press “MENU” button to enable menu selection. IMPORTANT: Menu NOT accessible in split screen mode.
10. Use Left/Right arrows to select the “Pair” icon.
11. Press “OK” button to select.

DISCLAIMERS:

1. If camera signal cannot be found, unplug camera for 10 seconds and try again.
2. If unable to get the cameras to pair, ensure everything is getting adequate power. Cup your hands around the camera and see if the LED lights turn on to test.

1. Line of sight. Try moving your transmitter & receiver closer together.
2. Inadequate power supply. Make sure that the light on the rear of your transmitter and receiver is lit to ensure it’s receiving power.
3. Incorrectly set channels. Make sure that your transmitter and receiver are set to the same channel.

There are a few possibilities:

1. Interference with other electronic devices. Try a different channel on the TX and RX. (Channels 1 and 2 seem to be more prone to interference than 3 and 4). You can also try having the customer switch the channel (if possible) on products likely causing interference (like wireless routers).
2. Line of sight is key with our wireless units. Make sure that that there are no “dense” things between the transmitter and receiver. Things like buildings and trees are the most obvious (trees with leaves are more dense since leaves have so much water). Sometimes a vehicle (like a semi with a trailer) has been parked between the transmitter and receiver that the user doesn’t even think of. Steel buildings can also “reflect” your signal, resulting in a delayed feedback that will appear as a flicker or rolling picture.
3. Inadequate power supply. Make sure that the power supply you are using is what came with your equipment. Cold weather can also be a culprit. When it’s cold outside, AC adaptors get the power sucked out of them to stay warm, and can therefore provide less voltage. Customers in Canada and other colder places might need a more powerful power supply for outdoor winter use.