Fish Scout Predator

Contents

• Introduction
• Configuration
• Features
• About Predator
• Soft Pack Features
• Fish Scout Operation
  
• Camera Lighting
• Caring For Your Fish Scout
• Predator Specifications
• Troubleshooting
• Service and Support

---

Introduction

 

Thank you and congratulations for purchasing the Fish Scout PREDATOR. Vexilar has incorporated the most sophisticated technique to produce the most advanced and versatile underwater viewing systems. The Fish Scout monitor and camera can be used to view the underwater environment, to watch the fish or to see how the fish react to the lure presentation. Even you may discover the sunken treasures or you may just need it to inspect the bottom of the boat.

Vexilar’s mission is to create a durable and reliable product you can enjoy for years. The Fish Scout Color Underwater Camera will be fun to be used both in open water and on the ice when safe conditions permit. Underwater viewing is a great educational tool for young and old to experience the underwater world without getting wet

Configuration

Includes an infrared and LED camera, a 5" color monitor, a 50 feet cable, a 3 ampere USB charger, an over-hole suspension arm with built-in compass, a wrist strap with 1/4 screw, a Micro HDMI adapter cable and a soft pack carrying case.

Features

• 1080P wide-angle Sony CMOS camera with high dynamic range
  imaging, to meet the high light and low light in the same image
  quality requirements.

• 5-inch high-resolution LCD Monitor. 720 * 1280 IPS screen
  enhances your viewing experience under sufficient lighting
  conditions.

• 50 feet cable: wear-resistant, tensile, camera cable with depth
  marking. You will find that cables are easy to wind and easy to
  keep from tangling. The buckle on the handle allows you to clip the
  cable wrap to your Fish Scout’s soft pack carrying case.

• The camera's lens angle can be adjusted to 5 different angles, up
  90 °, down 90 °, up 45 °, down 45 °, and horizontally forward.

• IR and LED fill lights: In deep water and low light environments,
  with infrared and led lights it will be easy to observe the camera
  surrounding area.

•  1/4 universal camera bracket nut: A 1/4 universal nut is designed
  at the bottom and top of the monitor for easy support or
  suspension.

• Wrist strap with 1/4 screw to prevent the monitor from falling to the
  ground.

• Quick installation board is used tofixing the camera to the monitor
  (require to purchase separately) , so that the camera will not move
  during transportation.

• Equipped with the Over-hole suspension arm with built-in compass

• Video recording and photography function: Video recording can be
  selected with different resolutions of 1080P , 720P and 480P

• With 30 seconds prerecording function.

• Support video electronic zoom function

• Support 128GB TF card.

• Video output HDMI jack to connect to TV

• With a built-in 8800mAh rechargeable battery, Predator can
  easily last for more than 6 hours of use.

• After full charge, Predator allows you to view for over 6 hours
  under low power consumption

• Soft pack carrying case with padding and compartment.

• The Monitor can operate under 14°F low temperature
  environment and meet your outdoor fishing requirements.

• Rich UI interface: When turned on, real-time display of OSD
  information such as the ambient temperature of the camera, the
  direction observed by the camera, the depth of the underwater
  camera, as well as battery status, recording status, brightness of
  auxiliary lights, and system time

• Rich menu functions: including language, time, units, media
  settings, as well as directional calibration and restoring initial
  values.

• 2 years Warranty.

---

About Predator

The Monitor

Fish Scout features a 5-inch IPS LCD monitor with 1280*720 resolution and with 16:9 image display ratio. Fish Scout will supply you a bright and clear view. However, if there are stains, dirt or large amounts of suspended matter in the water, Fish Scout's viewing distance will be reduced.

IPS displays do not require a sunshade for most outdoor viewing. When viewing outdoors, the brightness can be manually increased or decreased to improve your viewing experience.You will find that the best visibility will always be achieved when you turn the display away from direct sunlight. Underwater light conditions will determine whether you need to turn on IR or LED lighting. 

The digital keypad on the monitor can activate the screen menu display to adjust the monitor brightness, contrast, color. In addition to adjusting the display screen settings, the digital keypad also can control the underwater lighting with multiple levels of lighting intensity.It also can turn your video record on and off, launch menu settings, and zoom in and out of the view angle.

The display housing is sealed with a rubber gasket and all plug-in connections are encapsulated with rubber caps to protect the internal electronics from harsh components. Fish Scout can be used outdoors in most conditions, but cannot be submerged underwater. In addition, the monitor back panel has an anti slip structural design.

IMPORTANT: After use, please turn off the device by pressing and holding the "POWER" button. When not in use for a long period of time, Predator needs to be fully recharged every 3 months, this will help to ensure the longevity of the battery, and battery failure due to incorrect use is not covered by the warranty.

While operating in cold temperatures (under 14°F), it is recommended that Fish Scout first be transferred to an environment above 14°F to warm up. You may experience some delay in start up on an extremely cold environment, this is normal. Similarly, in low-temperature environments, the working time of Predator will be shortened, which is also normal. Because the liquid in the LCD can freeze, prolonged exposure to an extreme temperature can result in monitor damage.

Fish Scout Camera

In order to create an ultra clear, high-resolution image, Vexilar matches it with a high quality camera. Fish Scout uses an ultra-low-light CMOS with wide dynamic range imaging. This camera offers a 135° wide viewing angle, giving you a wide coverage area for maximum visibility. And the lens has a 180 ° adjustable viewing angle.

This camera has a very wide performance range, giving you a vivid image quality.It offers a color camera under good lighting conditions and automatically changes to be a black and white camera display for low light conditions. For example, you can turn on your camera, face it to the trees outside your window, you can clearly see both the branches and leaves of the trees outside your window as well as the patterns on the interior walls indoors. Note that the image you see with your camera outside the water is different from the image you see underwater. The water distorts the perspective you would normally expect to see. Fish Scout camera is designed to work underwater for optimal images, not over water.

Fish Scout camera has two options of lighting: infrared LED and visible LED light, suitable for low light conditions. This lighting control can be easily accessed from the monitor control panel. The monitor control panel also allows you to immediately press the plus or minus button after pressing the top bulb symbol button to change the light intensity. Please note that the infrared spectrum is not visible. The display UI has icons for lighting type and intensity. 

It is very easy to share video images using the equipped HDMI adapter cable. This video output jack is located on the right side of the monitor, under a black silicone waterproof cover, and can be used to add external devices such as a large screen TV.

The camera and signal cables are connected through customized detachable waterproof sealed connectors. It is crucial to confirm that the device is turned off before attempting to disconnect. This routes power and signals to the camera, so you need to ensure a tight connection is always maintained during use. Your system has an ultra-thin and ultra strong transmission cable. If you cut or damage the cable, it's not a good thing because over time, water in the cable can damage the wiring.

If you have any questions about cable damage, please contact Vexilar service center for specific instructions.

Camera Mounting Options

Fish Scout cable holding option is to use the folding over-hole suspension arm. This arm is kept in the long pocket on the side of your Fish Scout soft pack case. This is used when you want to suspend the camera over the ice fishing hole away from the monitor,which is a common application. Having the camera too close to the place you are fishing will result in the fish getting tangled in the cable. By using the larger over-hole suspension arm, you can place the camera in a secure viewing position four to eight feet from the place you are fishing to avoid hooking the cable while fishing. The over-hole suspension arm also has a compass mounted in the arm.

The camera incorporates a custom designed zinc cast waterproof housing.The camera is well balanced and designed to give you good camera control during still-fishing or trolling.

If used in an environment below -10°C, it is recommended to wear gloves and warm up the predator before starting work.

Digital Automatic Charger (3 Amp)

1. Allow the battery to warm up before charging. This makes it easier for the charger to charge the battery, and the battery is more accepting of a charge.
2. Plug the charger into a wall outlet, verify that itis operating by noting the illuminated RED light.
3. Connect the charger to the Type-C jack on the rightside of the device. The indicator light of the charger will switch to red, indicating that it is connected correctly and the battery is charging.
4. Keep the charger plugged in and connected until the GREEN light turns on. This indicates the battery is at full charge.

The charging time may vary depending on the battery level. If the lithium battery has been completely depleted (the built-in battery can be used for about 6 hours), charge the battery and fully charge it for about 6 hours. Once the battery is fully charged, the indicator light of the charger returns to green, and the charger will operate in "maintenance mode". At this stage, the charger can remain connected to the battery indefinitely, and the battery will remain fully charged.

---

Soft Pack Features

Fish Scout system is equipped with a soft pack carrying case. The soft pack is with padded interior design, which can protect LCD monitors from damage when subjected to severe impacts.

The soft pack can store all the accessories of Predator, such as cameras/monitors, cable reels, chargers, etc. The soft pack is designed with a carry loop and shoulder strap, a drainage hole at the bottom, all of which are innovative features of Fish Scout.There is also a long open pocket at the back of the Fish Scout soft packaging. This pocket is used to store the over-hole suspension arm assembly.

---

Fish Scout Operation

Like all Vexilar products, Fish Scout has been assembled and tested before shipment. After taking it out from the packaging, please first check to confirm that the Predator accessories are complete, the camera and cable connections are installed well, the display and cable reel are connected well, and the camera lenses have been cleaned thoroughly. And be sure that it has been fully charged before use.

Definition of Keys

• In shutdown mode:
  • Short press: power on
• In power on state:
  • Long press (3 seconds): Shutdown
• In menu or file lists and during video and image playback:
  • Short press: Exit to return to video preview mode

• In video preview mode: 
  • Short press: Pop up menu
• In a menu or file list: 
  • Short press: Select confirmation function

• In video preview mode:
  • Short press: screenshot function (Take a picture)
  • Long press (3 seconds): Turn on or Turn off Recording function

• When the white light or IR light is off:
  • Short press: activate white light level 1
  • Long press (>3 seconds): Switch to IR light level 1
• When the white light or IR light is on:
  • Short press: Switch light levels at sequence from Level 1- Level 2- Level 3- Level 1
  • Long press (>3 seconds): Turn off the light

• In menu or file list:
  • Short press: select upwards
• In video preview mode:
  • Short press: Electronic enlarging video, 1-2-3-4 times stepwise enlargement

• In menu or file list:
  • Short press: Select downwards
• In video preview mode: 
  • Short press: Electronic minimizing video, 4-3-2-1 times stepwise minimization

On-Screen Display

Direction indication, 8 directions are S, SE, E, NE, N, NW, W, SW.

Temperature indication, in Celsius degrees C or Fahrenheit degrees F.

Depth indication, in feet FT or meter M.

 Shot indicator, when previewing a video, press button to capture the current video frame and save it to the photo folder

The indication of TF card not installed,there is no indication when TF is recognized normally

Date and time, Format: year-month- day, (12 hour system), AM/PM. The maximum age for date setting is 2037.

Recording identification, the first part of the number indicates the recorded time, and the second part of the number indicates the remaining recording time in the memory.

Light Indicator, including IR and LED light with 3 level intensity. LED and IR can be switched by pressing as well as adjusting the light source intensity.

Battery indicator, four bar display, full bar indicates full battery, with green color inside; The space represents the low battery state.

Charging

Before first use, please charge the Predator by using the equipped charger, the light is red during the charging and green when the battery is fully charged.

Note: The charging port is located under the black silicone protective cover on the right side of the monitor.

Installing Wrist Strip

Tighten the wristband to the 1/4 nut on the top of the monitor using the 1/4 screw provided with the wristband.

Adjusting The Lens Angle

The camera's lens angle can be adjusted to 5 different angles, up 90 °, down 90 °, up 45 °, down 45 °, and horizontally forward.

Check TF Status

Before use, please insert a TF card. The Predator supports a maximum of 128GB TF cards and confirm that it has been formatted using the Predator.

Power On

Short press the button to turn on and run Predator. 

Using Over-hole Suspension Arm

There is a silicone cable clamp plug on the cable, which can tightly fix the cable to the cable slot of the over-hole suspension arm. The over-hole suspension arm is equipped with a compass, It is easy to adjust the depth and angle of the camera placed in the ice hole

LED Supplementary Lighting

Complementary light is divided into visible LED and infrared LED, both of which have 3 brightness levels for adjustment.

Record & Photo

The Predator has recording and photo taking functions. Follow KEY's function instructions to take photos and videos, and preview videos and photos in MENU.

Support mono audio and video recording and shooting, recording format is MP4. TF card is used to 12

Retrieving and Releasing Cables

The monitor backplane has a detachable winding reel, and the cables need to be manually wound and retracted. There are card slots designed at the four corners of the winding reel.

HDMI Display

Through the Micro HDMI interface, previewed videos can be displayed in real-time on TV screens or other large displays

Quick Installation Board (Require to Purchase Separately)

The quick installation board is convenient for users to attach the camera to the monitor by using the upper and lower 1/4 screws to connect the camera to the monitor.

Reset

There is a reset hole under the rubber cover on the right side of the monitor. If the Predator crashes, it can be powered on again. The reset operation does not affect the display settings.

Low Battery Alerts

Your Fish Scout system offers the ways to keep track of battery condition.The four-bar battery level symbols shown at the upper right of the display.When an empty red battery level box or a red bar appears, it indicates that the user needs to charge the battery as soon as possible. At 3.5 volts,a “BATT LOW” signal will pop-up in the screen telling you the system will shut down.

Usage Tip:The battery level symbol may change back and forth between an empty box and a line that matches when the battery is low.Do not be concerned.Run the unit until the low battery alert is seen. 

Operation of Menu

The Fish Scout Predator is designed with rich menu functions, which can be used to perform media and setting operations through screen display. The setting operations are divided into three parts: display settings, system settings, and media settings. The changes made to the settings will be saved when exiting the operation. The specific operation is as follows:

• Media Settings
  • (1) Photo folder
    • Thumbnail browsing, photo preview or deletion
  • (2) Video Folder
    • Thumbnail browsing, photo preview or delete

• Monitor Settings

   

   

  The menu function of monitor settings can adjust the brightness, contrast, and color.

   

  • Brightness adjustment can change the overall brightness of an image. You can make images that are too dark brighter, or you can make images that aretoo bright darker. Different lighting conditions and water clarity can affect the brightness of the image. By adjusting the brightness, the backlight of the display will increase, making the picture brighter. This can be very helpful when watching Fish Scout outdoors.

     

  • Contrast is the brightness difference between the brightest and darkest tones in an image. Images with high contrast will have highlights (lighter tones) that are too bright and lack details, as well as shadow areas that are too black. Images with low contrast look dull, without real black, but more with gray highlights. Different water clarity combined with the available amount of light can affect contrast. Adjust the contrast to the desired setting to achieve the best overall picture.

     

  • Increasing color saturation will increase liveliness, but it will make the image appear darker overall. Reducing color saturation can cause colors to appear faded and grayed out. Don't be afraid to adjust your color monitor to improve the overall image you see as the lighting conditions change. Especially at dawn or sunset, changes in lighting conditions can greatly alter what you can see.

• System Settings

  • The language options can be English, French, Chinese, or Spanish, with English being the default. 
  • The time setting can be edited and saved to the system time
  • Set the current length unit to either imperial or metric, with the default being imperial
  • The OSD switch option can display or disable depth, temperature, direction, and system time information on the video, and this option is set to on by default
  • Display function of current system software version information
  • The system settings have TF card formatting function
  • The system settings have a directional calibration function
  • The system settings item has a function to restore factory settings

• System Settings

  • The time watermark switch option determines whether the recorded video or photo has a time watermark, which is turned off by default, and whether the video or photo does not have a time watermark

  • The recording cycle option provides users with the option to save recordings 14 in segments. Users can choose 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 15 minutes as the storage duration for recorded videos, with a default of 3 minutes

  • The recording resolution can be set to three formats: 1080P, 720P, and 480P, with a default of 1080P.
    

---

Camera Lighting

Fish Scout camera is supplied with both infrared and visible lights. To switch on the light, simply press the "bulb" button on the monitor's numeric keypad. The graphic on the monitor will show you whether the light is on, infrared or led, and tell you the current brightness level. The + and - buttons on the keypad can be used to increase or decrease the light intensity. Since you can't visually see if the infrared light is on or not, the effect of the image with and without the light on is readily apparent underwater in low light levels.

To turn off the light simply press the “bulb” symbol again. You should be aware that the brighter the light, the more battery power you will use while fishing or viewing.

The required amount of IR light will depend on the water clarity and the amount of particulates in the water. Darker, stained water will require more light while clear water will allow for much better light penetration. On some lakes at night, you will find some strange looking suspended particles or “bugs” that seem to light up when you turn the IR lighting on. This is normal but sometimes it becomes so “SNOWY” you cannot see the fish. In this case, you turn down the lighting until you find a level that is acceptable to you. This is a big advantage with the Fish Scout system, it offers almost limitless light control.

Ice Fishing Usage

Fish Scout Color Underwater Viewing System is a fun way to improve your ice fishing experience and help you learn more about the underwater world. Many anglers find that using a Vexilar Flasher along with their Fish Scout camera will help you learn more from Vexilar flasher system. Fish Scout can be used to search for an ideal weed line or locate a rock pile where fish will generally congregate. Winter waters are often the clearest, so you are often able to easily move from a hole to another hole to look for some type of fish activity or to change in bottom content.

Fish Scout is designed to be easily transported, so moving from hole to hole is not a problem. Once you’ve located an area where you wish to fish, use the over-hole suspension arm or the elbow support arm connected to the base. The supplied rubber cable stopper will hold your camera in perfect position.

To assist in keeping the camera at the desired depth and direction, use the adjustable stopper that is pre-installed on your cable. The stopper locks your camera at a specific direction and depth. You can use either the elbow support arm mounted on the bottom of the case or the folding over-hole suspension arm to hold your camera in position.

Try not to bounce the camera on the bottom as it will stir-up the bottom and it may take several minutes for the cloud of dust to settle. In order to avoid tangling in the camera cable, it is advised not to fish in the same hole with the camera.

Fish Scout has designed a mechanism that can adjust the lens angle, allowing users to observe up and down angles of over 300 degrees above, below, in front, or diagonally forward.

Open Water Usage

For open water use, simply turn the camera power on and lower the camera into the water. If you are drifting with water and the internal weight of the camera is enough to move camera downwards, you can increase the weight through the 1/4 screw hole at the bottom of the camera if necessary to enhance its stability in flowing water.

---

Caring For Your Fish Scout

Clean the display screen and camera lens with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water and a soft cloth towel. Do not use harsh chemical cleaners on the display otherwise it may result damage on the display. Clean the display housing, camera body and cable with a mild detergent. 

Be sure to avoid any sudden impacts to the monitor screen as nothing can be done to repair the monitor if it is broken. This is not covered by warranty. If at all possible, do not store the system in a sub-zero environment. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold will affect the monitor display.

Cable management is key to preventing cuts or crimping of your cable. When not using the camera, be sure to wind the cable onto the supplied cable wrap instead of allowing the cable to lay on the ice or on the board of your boat or fish house where it could be stepped on or damaged.

Remember to charge after each use, and during long-term storage, make sure to charge at least once every 3 months.

---

Predator Specifications

• LCD monitor screen 5” Perspective 16:9
• LCD resolution 1280*720
• LCD brightness 600 cd/m2, brightness control
• 1080P wide-angle Sony CMOS camera with high dynamic range imaging
• Field of View D135°/H110°/V90°
• Cable length: 50 feet with scale
• The lens observation angle can be adjusted up and down 180 degrees
• OSD function: depth, direction, temperature
• Prerecording time: 30 seconds
• Image delay: less than 150ms
• Electronic magnification of the image 4 times
• Two types of auxiliary lighting, infrared and LED
• Charging voltage 5V, with Type-C
• HDMI video output option
• Working hours: Working for more than 6 hours under the default settings

Troubleshooting

The charging light is red, the battery cannot be fully charged

When the machine is used in the startup state, it is charged while working, and the charging time will be more than 6 hours. After the machine is used, turn off the display for charging, which can greatly shorten the charging time.

Water seems too dirty to see

This is not at all uncommon in dirty or heavily stained waters. Visibility will be limited and the lights will not help in these situations. Understand the camera only shows you what is possible to see and there will be limitations as to how far the water clarity will let you see

Inaccurate observation direction found

When using the Predator for the first time in a new location, it is necessary to perform directional calibration first. Enter the system settings operation item from the menu, select the direction calibration option, and follow the prompts to operate.

Under sunlight, monitor not clearly viewed

Firstly, it is recommended to adjust the viewing angle of the display screen to avoid direct sunlight or other strong light exposure. Please try adjusting the screen brightness or seeking strong light occlusion to solve this problem.

Vexilar Support

If you find that you need help, please contact us. Have the model number of your product ready and, if possible, the serial number. Please be sure to read this manual thoroughly and check vexilar.com for answers first.

Address:
Vexilar, LLC
6667 West Old Shakopee Road, Suite 101
Minneapolis, MN 55438-2622

Telephone: (952) 884-5291
Fax: (952) 884-5292
Email: service@vexilar.com

Web Site: https://vexilar.com

Business Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM M–F Central Time

Don't Forget: Register Your Vexilar Product Online!

In addition to streamlining any future service need, we'll also keep you up-to-date on the latest tips, videos and product updates so you'll be sure to get the most from your Vexilar!

Go to https://vexilar.com/pages/warranty

---

Warranty Information

This VEXILAR product is warranted against factory defects in material and workmanship for a period of 2 years from the date of purchase or receipt as a gift*. During the warranty period, VEXILAR will repair or at its option, replace at no cost to you for labor, materials or return transportation provided the unit is returned, shipped prepaid to Vexilar, LLC, 6667 West Old Shakopee Road, Suite 101, Minneapolis, MN 55438-2622. This warranty does not apply if the product has been damaged by accident or misuse, or as a result of service or modification by other than the factory. If a replacement is given, the original warranty period shall resume upon date of receipt.

Except as otherwise expressly stated in this previous paragraph, the COMPANY MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY OTHER MATTER WITH RESPECT TO THIS PRODUCT. Company shall not be liable for, and purchaser assumes responsibility for, all personal injury and property damage resulting from the handling, possession or use of the product by Purchaser or others who obtain it through purchaser.

* A sales receipt with date of purchase may be requested before service work is done under warranty if no warranty registration information is on file. A serial number or UPC code on the box cannot be used to establish date of purchase.

Register Your Warranty Online
https://vexilar.com/pages/warranty