Red Hen VMS-333 User manual

VMS-333 & VMS-Mobile
User Guide
VERSION 1.0

VMS-333 & VMS-Mobile User Guide
Version 1.0
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Copyright © Red Hen Systems
Copyright and Trademarks
VMS-333 & VMS-Mobile User Guide
©2013 Red Hen Systems, LLC All rights reserved.
First Edition.
This material may not be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part without the written permission
of Red Hen Systems, Drake Professional Park, 2627 Redwing Road, Suite 235, Fort Collins, CO 80526.
Trademark Notices
VMS-333 Video Mapping System™, VMS-Mobile, MediaMapper®, MediaMapper ELITE®, EZdiff™,
RHVoice are trademarks of Red Hen Systems, LLC.
All other trademarks listed in this document are the property of their respective owners.
Visit Red Hen Systems on the World Wide Web at www.redhensystems.com
Technical Support
Availability: Monday through Friday during business hours
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Feedback
Please email your comments and suggestions about the VMS-333 and documentation to:
[e-mail]

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FCC Notice
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment causes
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

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Table of Contents
Preface.................................................................................................................................................... 7
Who is this guide for?.......................................................................................................................... 7
Why read this guide? ..........................................................................................................................7
How is this guide organized? ............................................................................................................... 7
Section 1. Introducing the VMS-333 ........................................................................................................ 8
1.1 What is VMS-333 and what does it do? .........................................................................................8
1.2 What is VMS-Mobile? .................................................................................................................... 8
1.3 Why use VMS-333 and VMS-Mobile?............................................................................................. 9
Section 2. Understanding the Equipment............................................................................................... 10
2.1 Equipment Handling .................................................................................................................... 10
2.2 Parts Inventory............................................................................................................................ 10
Hardware....................................................................................................................................... 10
Software........................................................................................................................................ 12
GIS................................................................................................................................................. 12
2.3 Parts Diagrams ............................................................................................................................ 13
All necessary parts ......................................................................................................................... 13
3. Getting to Know the Controls and Connectors ................................................................................... 15
3.1 Identify the VMS-333 components .............................................................................................. 15
Front ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Side ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Bottom .......................................................................................................................................... 17
3.2 NanoFLASH.................................................................................................................................. 18
Front ............................................................................................................................................. 18
4. Setting Up Your GPS Receiver ............................................................................................................ 19
4. 1 Wired (GPS unit shipped with VMS-333) ..................................................................................... 19
4.2 Wired (GPS unit in aircraft).......................................................................................................... 19
4.3 Unwired (Bluetooth).................................................................................................................... 19
5. Setting up the VMS-333 ..................................................................................................................... 20
5.2 Connect the VMS-333.................................................................................................................. 20
Scenario 1. Connect the VMS-333 to the video camcorder............................................................. 20
Scenario 2. Connect the VMS-333 to a DSLR still camera................................................................ 21
Scenario 3. Connect the VMS-333 External Feature Trigger cable to the DLSR camera PC connector.
...................................................................................................................................................... 22
Note: In standard use, you would EITHER use the Flash Feedback Cable -OR- use the External
Feature Trigger button; you would NOT use both. ......................................................................... 22
Scenario 4. Hook the VMS-333 to the NanoFLASH.......................................................................... 24
5.3 Test your setup............................................................................................................................ 25
6.0 Using the VMS-333 with Video Recorders ........................................................................................ 26
6.1 Turn on the device and record what you see while traveling........................................................ 26
6.2 Adjust the speaker volume .......................................................................................................... 26
6.3 Adjust the headphone volume..................................................................................................... 26
6.4 Use the feature trigger to mark features of interest..................................................................... 26

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6.5 Make an audio note..................................................................................................................... 26
6.6 Upload recorded data to the computer. ...................................................................................... 27
6.7 View your recorded data ............................................................................................................. 27
6.8 Pay attention to indicators .......................................................................................................... 27
Light indicators (LEDs).................................................................................................................... 27
Audio indicators............................................................................................................................. 28
7.0 Using an Android Device with the VMS-333 and DSLR Cameras ....................................................... 29
7.1 Connect the Android device to the VMS-333 ............................................................................... 29
7.2 Optional: Connect the Android device directly to a Nikon DSLR camera....................................... 29
7.3 Start up VMS-Mobile and examine the home screen ................................................................... 30
7.3 Upload new firmware to the VMS-333......................................................................................... 31
7.4 Load the offline map you want to access from VMS-Mobile......................................................... 32
7.4 Work with offline maps ............................................................................................................... 36
7.5 Load KML and KMZ files............................................................................................................... 37
7.6 Mark a feature of interest ........................................................................................................... 40
7.7 Customize the feature triggers .................................................................................................... 41
7.8. Control the way the VMS-333 feature triggers behave................................................................ 42
7.9 Determine if the camera is running properly ............................................................................... 43
7.10 Control the behavior of the DSLR camera .................................................................................. 44
7.11 Set intervalometry parameters.................................................................................................. 45
7.12 Configure VMS-333 data............................................................................................................ 47
7.13 Configure VMS-333 parameters................................................................................................. 48
7.14 Configure VMS-333 buttons....................................................................................................... 48
7.15 Get familiar with the VMS-Mobile folder structure .................................................................... 49
8.0 Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................................. 50
8.1 Most Common Fixes .................................................................................................................... 50
8.2 Red Hen Systems Support Team .................................................................................................. 51
Appendix A. Quick Reference for VMS-Mobile Screens .......................................................................... 52
Home................................................................................................................................................ 52
Home > Control Camera.................................................................................................................... 52
Home > Mark Features...................................................................................................................... 53
Home > Configure ............................................................................................................................. 53
Home > Configure > Data .................................................................................................................. 54
Home > Configure > Data (long press) ............................................................................................... 54
Home > Configure > Buttons ............................................................................................................. 55
Home > Configure > Buttons > Internal Feature Trigger ..................................................................... 55
Home > Configure > Buttons > External Feature Trigger .................................................................... 55
Home > Configure > Offline Maps > menu button.............................................................................. 55
Home > Configure > Parameters........................................................................................................ 56
Home > Configure > Parameters > Intervalometry Mode > Time ....................................................... 56
Home > Configure > Parameters > Intervalometry Mode > Distance.................................................. 56
Home > Configure > Parameters > Intervalometry Mode > Field of View ........................................... 56
Home > Configure > Feature Triggers ................................................................................................ 57
Home > Configure > Load KML .......................................................................................................... 57
Appendix B. Pin-out Diagrams ............................................................................................................... 58
B.1 Connectors on VMS-333 .............................................................................................................. 58

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FT .................................................................................................................................................. 58
GPS................................................................................................................................................ 58
PWR .............................................................................................................................................. 58
COM .............................................................................................................................................. 58
Appendix C. External GPS Receivers....................................................................................................... 59
C.1 NMEA 0183 Version 2.0 Interface ................................................................................................ 59
C.2 Trimble GPS Receivers................................................................................................................. 59
GGA. Global Positioning System Fix Data........................................................................................ 60
RMC. Recommended Maximum Specific GNSS Data ...................................................................... 61
Appendix D. VMS-333 Warranty ............................................................................................................ 62

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Preface
Who is this guide for?
This User Guide is for anyone who will be installing or using the VMS-333 and VMS-Mobile Android
application. If you are reading this, you are probably one of the following types of people:
Pilots with or without GIS and photography skills. You may even be a member of the Professional
Aeronautic Photography Association.
Vehicle drivers or vessel pilots with or without GIS or photography skills.
Operators who are skilled with GIS equipment and cameras (these individuals usually install and
maintain the VMS-333 equipment).
Why read this guide?
This guide provides you with step-by-step instructions for setting up your equipment, as well as
capturing geotagged media, and transferring it to your computer for examination.
How is this guide organized?
This manual is organized for ease-of-use to make things easy to find and read. This means it starts
with the basics (what you get with the product and how to recognize its parts), proceeds with
instructions for connecting everything, and then moves into using the VMS-333 and the VMS-Mobile
Android application. It even has a short trouble-shooting section to help you deal with any problems
you might encounter.
For those of you who prefer technical details, check out the appendices. There you can review pin-
out diagrams of connectors.

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Section 1. Introducing the VMS-333
1.1 What is VMS-333 and what does it do?
When it comes to right-of-way patrol, whether you are flying over power lines, boating along the coast,
or driving along a railroad line, the VMS-333 is the ideal device for geotagging audio and video data in
real time.
With VMS-333, you can capture both what you see, via an off-the-shelf camcorder, video recorder, or
Nikon DSLR camera (with a memory card or hard drive), and what you say, via a headset and
microphone. You can even take still photos of points of interest and make audio notes about them, if
necessary. The VMS-333 automatically geo-tags the captured data with location and time information,
using a GPS receiver.
VMS-333 works with various types of GPS receivers from hardwired external (NMEA) units to wireless
Bluetooth GPS devices. The GPS unit supplied with the VMS-333 is a wired “puck” style receiver
powered by the VMS-333 through a single cable. It also includes a magnetic mount for easy attachment
to the outside of the vehicle.
When connected to a Nikon DSLR camera, the VMS-333 acts as an intervalometer that controls how
often, how long, and how many shots are taken to create a collection of continuous corridor image
strips. It provides three modes of intervalometry functions:
Time. Triggers camera shots at specific time intervals.
Distance. Triggers camera shots at specific distances as measured by GPS.
Field of View. Triggers aerial camera shots that take in a specific coverage. For example, as altitude
decreases, more shots are taken, and as altitude increases, less shots are taken.
Note: Because the VMS-333 includes a Bluetooth wireless communications channel, you use an Android
tablet running the VMS-Mobile application to set the parameters associated with intervalometry and
camera control.
The GPS data and other metadata are encapsulated in the media files containing the captured audio and
video data. These data files are stored on the hard drive or memory card of the video recorder. You can
then transfer this data to your personal computer and display the results on a map through
MediaMapper. All you need to do is select any video trail on the map to watch the video or click any
marked point of interest on the map to view its associated still photo or listen to its audio notes.
This information can be very useful in corridor management of pipeline and electric transmission right of
ways. It is also beneficial in managing riparian areas along rivers and streams and other types of
corridors, both natural and man-made.
1.2 What is VMS-Mobile?
VMS-Mobile is an Android application that allows you to control the behavior of the VMS-333 and any
DSLR camera connected to it, as well as download and view maps.

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1.3 Why use VMS-333 and VMS-Mobile?
The VMS-333 benefits a wide variety of industries that do right-of-way patrol over highways, gas and
oil pipelines, transmission lines, shorelines, and rivers. You may want to use it because:
Compact, light, and mobile solution that can record more than 7 hours of video.
Expandable—you can connect up to four audio capable recording devices.
Accurate, easy to set up and operate, producing compliant content that is easy to review.
For ease of use, VMS-Mobile allows you to control the VMS-333 and DSLR camera without being
physically connected to it.
Note: If you purchased the Red Hen VMS HD-II, you also got a DVR called a NanoFLASH. You can connect
the VMS-333 to up to four NanoFLASH units.

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Section 2. Understanding the Equipment
This section deals with making sure you have all the parts you need before you get started.
2.1 Equipment Handling
It’s important to take care of the equipment you have purchased. Here are some things you should be
aware of.
VMS-333 hardware is designed to be rugged for portable use; however, it is not a
sealed unit and you should take care to protect the connectors and electronic
components.
If you use VMS-333 with 120 VAC power, use ONLY the adapter supplied with VMS-
333. Other models may specify 7-16 VDC output, but those may allow power surges
that will damage the hardware.
Make sure the power switch is in the OFF position when connecting to an external
power source.
2.2 Parts Inventory
This section identifies all the parts you need to properly operate the VMS-333. Photos of each part
appear in Section 2.3 Parts Diagrams.
Hardware
This is the hardware you must have in place to operate the VMS-333. (NA = not applicable)
Item
Notes
Primary parts
Red Hen Systems VMS-333 GPS hardware
Required, included
GPS receiver (wired or wireless)
Required, included
16 GB memory card
included if you purchased the Red Hen VMS
HD-II
Convergent Design NanoFLASH box
included if you purchased the Red Hen VMS
HD-II
Cables
LanC (2.5mm stereo) cable
NA
Microphone/Headphone (3.5 mm stereo)
cable
NA
Computer serial (9-pin) cable
NA