Description
Covert LoRa LB-A3 Review
This is a very interesting cellular trail camera system. The LoRa system allows up to 9 Covert LC32 cameras to transmit to one base station (the LoRa). The base station then sends all the photos out using AT&T cellular towers to your Covert account. The system works well, is fairly easy to set up, and takes great day pictures. On the flip side, the base station will require external power and the cameras take poor night photos and has a well below average detection circuit.- TCP Staff
Model #LoRa LB-A3 | LoRA LB-A Owners Manual
Covert LoRa LB-A3 Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Great daytime photos
- 90 ft. detection range
- Multiple cameras send photos to one base station
Cons
- Night pictures lack flash range
- Base station will require an external power supply as battery life is very poor
- Poor detection circuit
The Covert LoRa System can connect up to 9 Covert LC32 cameras to one base station. From the base station, the photos are transmitted out to your Covert account (via website or smartphone app). This particular is one base station + three Covert LC32 cameras. You can buy more individual cameras by looking at the Covert LC32 sale.
Photo resolution: 32mpxl Interpolated
Flash Type: No Glow IR
We found the day pictures to be very impressive on the Covert LB-A3 trail cameras. You can clearly see the strong contrast and clarity in the snowy photos below. The color is strong and overall, these are very pleasant daytime pictures.
Night pictures lack flash range and display blur on any moving object. They are well below average.
What if you purchase from us and aren't happy with the image quality?
This is a common question and we have a very simple solution. Call, email, or chat with us and we can take a look at the images and offer suggestions or immediately tell if something is wrong with the camera. If so, we will warranty the Covert LoRa trail camera for you (with the free 2-Year warranty you receive from us) or return the camera for a full refund (within 90 days of purchase). You have control of the process, remember, we work for you.
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Night IR Blur Test The equipment for the test consists of a target moving along a track from left to right at a constant speed controlled by a stepper motor and a sensor to trigger the capture of a picture near the center of the field of view of a trail camera. The target is moving at 1.25 feet per second and is 10 feet from the camera at the center of field of view. The test is conducted in a dark room. Two pictures are taken, one with the target not moving and one with the target in motion. A visual comparison can now be made of the two pictures. All settings that affect the quality of night photos will be tested. |
| No Motion | W/ Motion |
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Megapixel Ratings:
In the past, many people get confused with the megapixel rating trail camera manufacturers advertise. Companies inflate the mpxl rating to attract eyes to their products. They do this through interpolation, which digitally adds megapixels to a photo without actually improving the picture.
The best way to judge picture quality is to look at actual pictures. You will notice this the most when you zoom in on a full-size image that a camera has taken. The details of the photo will appear hazy or even digitized. This is normal, and to be expected.
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 81.49 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 18.2 Ws | 18.3 Ws
If the LoRa base station transmitted 15-day pictures and 15-night pictures every 24 hours, it would last 0.8 months on a set of lithium batteries. This is quite poor and is almost entirely due to the high resting current, which we can deduct is from this camera always being "on" trying to communicate with the other cameras. The high resting current draw makes an external power supply necessary for practical operations. Keep in mind, the more cameras connected the worse the battery life would be.
If the LC32 LoRa system camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, it would last 3.1 months in the field on a set of 12 AA Lithium batteries.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.94 s. | 45.9 s.
Video Trigger Speed: 3.38 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 90 ft. @ 61.8° detection angle (42.8° field of view)
This Covert has a few things working against its detection circuit. The trigger speed is nearly a second and the video trigger speed is over 3 seconds. The Detection range is really good, but there is almost a 20° difference between the detection angle and the field of view. Prepare for quite a few false triggers since the camera is detecting so much wider than what it can see.
Dimensions:4.41" x 2.5" x 5.59"
Battery Type: 12 AA
External Battery Jack:12V
Case Design
These Covert LoRa trail cameras look and feel very much like older Covert cameras. They have basic controls and features. The latch is oversized and easy to open and close. There is a python bracket on the back of the camera for cable lock and a threaded insert on the bottom for a slate river mount. It does have an 1.5" internal viewing screen for photo playback. Overall, nothing really stands out in a big way.
Cellular Setup Instructions
Camera & App Setup:- Go to secure.covert-wireless.com.
- Create an account if you are a new user or login to an existing account.
- Select the data plan you want to use under the "Purchase Additional Subscription Plans" heading
- Enter your personal information and billing information in the appropriate areas
- Enter your ICCID number (this is on the sim card that comes with the camera) and the IMEI number (this is on the top-inside of the camera, on a sticker)
- There is a warning during this step that it could take up to 24 hours for your camera to become active. So, if it doesn't start sending photos right away, this could be the reason.
- You can refresh your browser in a minute or two to check the status of the activation. On the cameras we did, it was active immediately after refreshing.
- At this point, you can load 12 Lithium Batteries, an SD card, and the sim card into the base model and turn it on.
- The screen will turn on and it will start looking for the network. It will give you the status in the top-right hand corner.
LorA Data Plans
Camera Setup
The cameras are designed to send photos to the base station and do not send pictures cellularly on its own. Here's how to connect to a base station:
- Insert lithium batteries and sd card. We never recommend alkaline batteries regardless of what a manufacturer claims.
- First, turn the base unit to setup, press menu, and select "choose linked IDs." Select the IDs you want to use.
- Turn on the LC32 (this camera) to the setup mode. Choose the net tab to set the base ID.
- Type the base unique ID showing on your LB0A main screen and select LoRa linked camera ID here.
- Once connected, do a test photo. You can manually take a photo by pressing the right button when camera is on its interface.
Durability
We currently do not have any durability concerns, Covert cell cameras have been quite reliable to-date. If anything arises, we will update this review.
Keep in mind, our 2-year warranty program is your free insurance program in case something goes wrong with a camera you purchase from us. This warranty protects you from any manufacturing defect the camera might experience for two years.
Since 2005, our mission has to been to provide consumers with unbeatable value, advice you can trust, and customer service that exceeds expectations. There are plenty of places you can choose to do business with, if we are lucky enough to earn your support, we promise to give you our undivided attention. Trailcampro has grown each year not only by relying on your happiness but on the assumption that if we blow you away with customer service, you will brag about us to your friends (have you seen our referral/reward program?).
As always, if you have additional questions, feel free to call, email or chat with us. We look forward to helping you find your next trail camera!
Enjoy our reviews? Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.
FAQ's: Trail Camera
Q: Will this trail camera trigger on small animals (birds, rodents, etc.)?
A: Trail cameras detect on a combination of heat and movement, so, yes, small mammals will trigger the camera. However, if you are going after smaller warm-blooded mammals, we recommend getting the camera closer to your target. For best performance, place the camera in an area that would enable picture detection from 3 - 20 ft.
Q: Can animals see the infrared flash on this camera?
A: This is somewhat controversial. Humans can't see the flash as the nanometer spectrum is above what the human eye can detect. It's also much harder for an animal to see, but that could depend on the species of animal as different species see in different light spectrums.
Q: Where can I purchase this camera?
A: From us! We hope to woo you with our incredible charm, two-year warranty, 90-day returns, free continental U.S. shipping, and technical expertise.
Seriously, though, we know you have plenty of options of where to spend your hard-earned money. The internet can be the wild, wild, west of too-good-to-be-true deals. If you choose to do business with us, we will go out of our way to make sure you are happy with the camera you select and the service we provide you.
We are passionate about testing and reviewing trail cameras, but most importantly, we are passionate about treating our customers the right way. We do things differently from what you have come to expect from other internet retailers and we hope you give us the opportunity to prove that to you.
Read Reviews From All the Game and Trail Cameras
Trailcampro's 2 Year Warranty | 90 day Return Policy
Trailcampro 90 Day Return | 2 Year Exclusive Warranty Details
If you purchased your trail camera from us (Trailcampro.com), here are the following warranty stipulations. If you purchased from another retailer, we recommend contacting that retailer or the manufacturer of that product for their warranty details.
If You Purchase From Trailcampro.com
We attempted to make our return policy and 2-year exclusive warranty as simple as possible. However, there are a few stipulations.
90 Day Returns
You may return or exchange anything purchased from Trailcampro for a full 90 days from the date of purchase. Please use the items as you normally would and much as you like subject to the rules below.
Our return policy lets you field test products, at no risk to you!
- Buyer's remorse? Return the camera to us for a full refund (minus shipping).
- Purchased the wrong camera? We will ship you the right camera.
- Something wrong with the camera you received? We will replace it at no cost to you.
90 Day Return Policy Rules:
- 90 days from date of purchase.
- In order to receive a full refund, items must be returned with their original packaging (including UPC code) and all contents
- Cameras or products must be returned in their original condition. You cannot write on the cameras, paint them or deface them in any way. This completely voids the warranty with both us and the specific manufacturer.
- If you purchased one of our "Package Deals" and only return part of the package, we will refund the items full price minus the package discount.
- Orders with quantities of 5 or more are not eligible for a refund or exchange. They are still eligible for warranty replacement.
- There are no returns on used cameras or cameras that clearly state "No Returns"
- If you are returning for a refund, you are responsible for return shipping. Your refund amount will be minus the cost of the initial shipping to you.
2 Year Warranty
We strive to make our customer experience superior to anything available. Traditional warranties only last a year and must be processed directly through the manufacturer. This process usually involves frustrating minutes on hold with call centers and oftentimes weeks, if not months of down time waiting for your replacement product. We process our warranties in-house and expedite the replacement process. When you call Trailcampro you'll speak directly with an expert who will immediately identify the problem and offer a solution.
2 Year Exclusive Warranty Details:
- Warranty starts from the time of purchase and continues for a full 2 years.
- Replacement cameras receive the remainder of the 2-year warranty leftover from the original purchase.
- Warranty is only valid for full retail priced orders (quantity discounts void our 2-year warranty). Discounted items still receive the manufacturer warranty. Price matches void the 2-year warranty as well.
- If your defective camera has been discontinued, we will exchange it for a similarly priced item to your liking.
- If you have a 3G cellular trail camera, it is not considered manufacturer defect if you lose 3G reception in your area.
- Used cameras do not apply for our 2-year warranty
- Cameras cannot be marked on, damaged, or defaced in any way. Warranty is for manufacturer defect only. Defect does not include damage, whether intentional or not.
If you have any questions that were not answered here please feel free to contact us.
To warranty a camera please use the form below. Upon receipt of an RMA number, you will need to ship the camera back to us. You will be responsible for the shipping charges of the defective camera back to us. We will ship the replacement back to you for free.
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