Trailcampro Customers, Please Read the Following:
- We were successfully able to eventually get the Spypoint Cell-Link camera to work with every camera we tested it with (we installed it in about 12 cameras to test whether they would transmit a photo or not). However, you have to be quite meticulous and do a cable modification to get it to work with Browning cameras (see our write-up in the review). We also can't guarantee it will work with all old, current, and future cameras and we wouldn't have the ability to continue to test every model of camera available.
- In testing several of the Cell-Link's, we found the cable to be too fragile. The inside stands of the cable have pulled away from the SD card (see picture below). We spoke to Spypoint about this issue and they believe that is due to us testing it on so many cameras and that it is a non-issue as a customer wouldn't open and close the camera's clamshell as many times as we did. This very well could be true. However, when we put our exclusive two-year warranty on a product, as we do for all new products purchased from us, we do it with the belief that you, the customer, can expect that product to be durable enough to withstand that period of time on a consistent basis. In this case, we hesitate to guarantee that.
- Finally, our most significant concern about selling this product to our customers is based on how the warranty on your existing trail camera would be affected by using the Cell-Link with it. The Cell-Link requires that a cable breaks the weather-proof seal that protects your trail camera from the elements. It is recommended you do this at the bottom of the camera, to minimize the potential for moisture getting into the camera, however, adding any port of entry for moisture to infiltrate your electronics is not recommended. On top of that, other manufacturers (namely, Browning) have already told us that breaking the weatherproof seal would void your warranty if you/we were to attempt to warranty a camera for moisture damage. This is entirely understandable from their point of view, as they did not design their cameras to be combined with the Cell-Link or any other product that bypasses one of the most crucial elements in keeping a camera's electronics dry. At any rate, since our two-year warranty is tied to the terms of the manufacturer's warranty (which is generally a statement that protects the consumer from manufacturing defect), voiding an active warranty on a trail camera is not something we are willing to risk.
Spypoint Cell Link
The Spypoint Cell Link trail camera gives you the ability to turn almost any of your existing trail cameras into a cellular camera.
The Cell Link uses an SD card attached to a flat cable to connect a non-cellular trail camera to the cellular Spypoint Cell-Link. Pictures are then sent to the Spypoint smartphone app. This app is where you will access photos, buy cellular data (from Spypoint, not from a phone carrier), and change cellular upload options.
The Spypoint Cell-Link uses a LTE Quectel EC21-VD (Verizon) or a EC21-AD (AT&T) module that allows this camera to operate on LTE towers. It is backwards compatible and should work on 4G/3G towers while they are still active.
Best Practices
Here are some things we have picked up so far. The Cell-Link will need a micro SD card (you will need to purchase separately). We have found that you need to format this card in your computer. You will also need to format the SD card that is connected to the cable in your computer.
When possible, have the cable exit the camera at the bottom of the camera. We have concerns that anytime something breaks the seal of a trail camera's gasket that the possibility of letting moisture into a camera amplifies significantly. Maybe this will be an issue, maybe it won't. Either way, having the cable exit the bottom of the camera will help prevent direct entry of water into the camera.
Confirmed compatible cameras:
- Bushnell Core cameras
- Stealth Cam G45NG Max
- Spypoint Force 20
- Browning Dark Ops Pro XD (with folding the cable)
- Browning Dark ops HD Max (with folding cable)
- Browning Patriot (with folding cable)
- Browning Recon Force 4K Edge (with folding cable)
- Browning Spec Ops Edge (with folding cable)
- Covert Hollywood (fold the cable down the side through the bottom)
- Reconyx Hyperfire
Confirmed incompatible cameras:
- N/A
Battery Life:
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 0.09 mW
Picture Power Consumption to Transmit 1 Photo: 39.5 Ws
How to Make the Spypoint Cell-Link work with Browning Trail Cameras
The Problem: It took us a while, but we finally figured out why the Cell-Link was not working with Browning cameras (with Spypoint's help). We initially inserted the sd card, attached to the flat cable, closed the door, and latched it like we had all the other cameras. However, it never sent photos. Turns out, the pressure of latching the door tugged the flat cable down and away from the SD card slot. In turn, this pulled the SD card out of the slot ever-so-slightly. Without the SD card completely in the slot, the camera didn't send pictures.
How to fix: You will need to fold the cable up before allowing it to go out the bottom of the camera (pictured).