Why choose Garden Safari?
We think our boxes and tables are.. well, the bee's knees.
- We use only solid, natural wood in our bat roosts, nest boxes,
bumble bee nests and bird tables. We don't use plywood or mdf because
it the surface is quite smooth which can make it difficult for chicks
to climb out, and it doesn't last as long without being stained or
painted.
- We don't use stains or preservatives of any kind on our nest boxes
because what is safe for one species may be toxic to others.
- The 15mm + (3/4 inch) thick wood we use on our bird boxes and bat
roosts means that our entrances holes are deep, so chicks have somewhere
to rest before taking that all-important first flight. It helpts to
keep predators out and is closer to the way a natural nest would be
- We use only wood sourced from sustainably-managed, FSC-certified
forests. We want to help the natural world, not damage it We don't
buy cheaper reclaimed timber because we can't be sure it was sustainably
sourced, and we can't be sure what chemicals it has been treated with.
- Our thick wood acts as a natural insulator, making our boxes cooler
on hot days and warmer on cold ones. That makes it more likely that
birds will use them.
- We supply finished boxes at the same price that most other companies
supply kits. We even include the rawlplugs for fixing to the wall!
- Our USB boxes plug straight into your PC* - no expensive video
converters or capture cards needed - easy to install, easy to use.
Make sure before you buy that you are getting the everything you need
- Garden Safari was founded by two ex-primary schools teachers and Charlie is also a teacher, so Garden Safari has a continuing history of links with schools and education and
offers an educational discount.
- All our products are hadnmade.
Garden Safari is a family-run business. Charlie and Clare are lucky enough to live in the country with a 'woodland' garden which attracts many species of birds. Charlie used to be a farmer and did a lot of work on the family farm to create wildlife and conservation areas. He now teaches Rural Studies and the Environment at a Gloucestershire school.
The founders of Garden Safari started the business when they realised there was a shortage of well-made, good value nesting boxes equipped with cameras. The range gradually developed to include wireless and IP cameras as well as bat boxes, bird tables and hedgehog houses. Charlie and Clare intend to extend the range further with motion-detector cameras, accessories and 'night garden' cameras.
For more information.
or email us on
sales@gardensafari.co.uk
Choosing the right camera type
We support a wide range of camera types. How should you choose which
one is right for you?
We have two basic options: cameras that plug into the USB port of your
PC (no MACs yet - sorry), and cameras that plug into the video inputs
of your TV, Video or DVD. Those basic types are then further divided
up into wired and wireless options.
Wired USB cameras
Wired USB cameras are probably the best choice if you are
on a budget. The picture quality is reasonable (see right) although
the window size on the PC is limited. Our standard USB cameras
ahieve 1.3Megapixels (effective) and work with pretty much any
PC of any kind as long as it has a USB port. The best thing with
these cameras is the ability to capture video from them without
buying expensive video converter cards or expensive software.
They are as close to plug-and-enjoy as anything on a PC ever is.
The cameras which we use on our feeders are 5 Megapixels and need
a slightly better PC to run them.
The cameras run off a wire, and that means a hole through
a wall somewhere between your PC and your camera. For technical
reasons, you should not run the camera off a non-powered USB hub
(in other words, the hub needs a power supply) - it should plug
directly into your PC. Some older laptops may struggle to run
the cameras while on battery power alone.
- Cheaper than wirelessTV cameras
- No need for batteries
- Capture video. Audio is available as an extra option on most
cameras.
- Better for mounting on high walls or difficult-to-reach places
- Plug directly into your PC's USB port - no need for expensive
video converters
- Allow you to take photographs from the camera
- Allow you to capture and store video without the need for
additional electronics hardware
- quick and easy to set up
- shorter range than wireless types
- better picture quality than wireless types
- Requires a hole in your wall or a place to feed the cable
through
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What's included with the product?
As well as your assembled nestbox / table/ hedgehog home etc, you
get:
- Rawplugs and screws as required
- Camera (fitted, focussed and tested)
- 10 metre USB connecting lead.
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| Both these pictures were taken with our USB camera.
 This
first shot from is one of our bird table cameras. The advantage
of roof mounting is that you get to see the plumage, making
identification easier, and the birds have a clear field of
view all around, making them more comfortable feeding.
 The
second shows why infrared is better than just a black-and-white
camera. This isn't a furry golfball- it's a very cold bluetit
roosting overnight in one of our boxes. It's pitch black
in the box and the bird can only be seen with the infrared
lights. These are invisible to the bird, so it wasn't disturbed
at all. If a bird feels safe to roost overwinter in the
box, it makes it much more likely that the bird will choose
the box to nest in in the spring.
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System requirements:
Our standard USB cameras work with almost any PC
with a USB port. We don't support MACs yet - sorry.
- IBM PC or compatible PC or Laptop with USB port
- Pentium 200 or higher CPU
- Windows ME/2000/XP operation system
- Over 200MB free hard disc space
- CDrom drive
- 32MB or higher memory
- Support DirectX VGA card
Our 5 Megapixel (effective) cameras need:
- Pentium 333Mhz or better
- windows 98/ME/2000/XP
- 16MB RAM
- USB1.1 port
Need Windows Vista? Call us
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Wired TV cameras
Wired cameras provide the best image quality and aren't susceptible
to interference. The wires carry the power supply to the camera,
so they don't need batteries, which makes them the sensible choice
if you are mounting your box high on a wall or in some other hard-to-reach
place. The downside, of course, is that the other end of the cables
plug into your TV, so you need to put a substantial hole through
a wall somewhere and feed three plugs through it.
Wired cables plug into the video inputs of your TV/VCR/DVR
or cable box (see picture) which are often used these days by
the kids' XBOX / PS2 etc, so you may have a battle on your hands!
But when your TV is tuned properly, wired cameras will also allow
you to simply "change channels" to Birdbox TV whenever
you want.
- Cheaper than wireless cameras
- No need for batteries
- Capture video and audio
- Better for mounting on high walls or difficult-to-reach places
- Plug directly into your TV or Video's video inputs
- See the picture on your TV and/or record to your video or
DVR
- quick and easy to set up
- locations limited to the length of the cable
- better image quality than wireless types
- Requires a hole in your wall or a place to feed the cable
through
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What's included with the product?
As well as your assembled nestbox / table/ hedgehog home etc, you get:
- Rawplugs and screws
- wired camera (fitted, focussed and tested)
- 10 metre combined audio, video and power lead
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System Requirements
Your TV must have a video and audio input phono-style socket
like these:
They are often on the back. If your TV has a SCART sockt instead,
you can buy a video-to scart conversion plug at most TV and electrical
outlets
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Wireless USB cameras
Wireless USB cameras offer you the best of both worlds -
these have outputs which plug into your TV and your PC, so you
can enjoy the pictures wherever you may be. However, the USB video
sampler built into the receivers is limited (equivalent to about
300Kpixels, about what you would get from an early digital camera))
, so this camera is best thought of as a wired TV camera with
the USB capture as a bonus.
Note: Although we supply a battery adaptor for the camera,
the infrared LEDs will drain a battery in a matter of hours overnight,
so we strongly recommend the use of the supplied mains adaptor
instead if you want to have the camera permanently "live"
. This means mounting your box within reach of a safe mains power
outlet. (we can supply additional power extension cables on request).
Although the box runs off a perfectly safe low voltage, any mains
socket feeding a garden appliance should be protected by an RCD
safety device.Alternatively, just plug your battery in, using
the supplied waterproof extension box, for a few minutes each
day, to see how the chicks are progressing and record video as
they hatch. Wireless cameras can be subject to interference,
but in our experience you shouldn't have a problem unless someone
is using an old electric drill or vacuum cleaner nearby.
- Cheaper than IP cameras
- Connect to both TV /Video and PC's USB port (watch the birds
then email the photos to your friends!)
- box, table or feeder can be up to 100metres (328 feet) away
from your PC or TV, depending on environment and conditions
- Can be used in places far beyond the reach of cables and
wires (like the end of a long garden) althoug this can be expensive
in batteries
- Cameras need batteries or a mains adaptor Note: At Garden
Safari, we didn't sell wireless boxes because we felt that changing
the camera batteries would disturb the birds - and changing
batteries when the box is mounted high on a house wall is impossible.
So we simply invented a battery box on a longer cable that solved
the problem - another Garden Safari innovation ! . We can
also supply mains adaptors with extra-long leads.
- Allow you to record video on your VCR, DVR or direct on your
PC without the need for additional electronics hardware.
- Capture video and audio to TV
- No neeed to drill holes in your walls or find places to put
cables through.
- Battery life depends on battery type, location and usage
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What's included with the product?
As well as your assembled nestbox / table/ hedgehog home etc, you get:
- Rawplugs and screws
- wireless Camera (fitted, focussed and tested)
- 10 metre camera power lead ending in weatherproof box
- 9v battery and connector for camera
- Mains power supply for camera
- Receiver
- Mains power supply for receiver
- A/V lead to connect receiver to Tv or VCR
- USB lead to connect to PC
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System Requirements
If using the TV connection, your TV must have a video and audio
input phono-style socket like these:
PC Connection is via USB2.0 connector
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Wireless TV cameras
Wireless cameras are best used when you need to place the box
or table a long way from your TV, or where there isn't a convenient
way to get a video cable through your wall. Although we supply a
battery adaptor for the camera, the infrared LEDs will drain a battery
in a matter of hours overnight, so we strongly recommend the use
of the supplied mains adaptor instead if you want to have the camera
permanently "live" . This means mounting your box within
reach of a safe mains power outlet. (we can supply additional power
extension cables on request). Although the box runs off a perfectly
safe low voltage, any mains socket feeding a garden appliance should
be protected by an RCD safety device.Alternatively, just plug your
battery in, using the supplied waterproof extension box, for a few
minutes each day, to see how the chicks are progressing and record
video as they hatch. Wireless cameras can be subject to interference,
but in our experience you shouldn't have a problem unless someone
is using an old electric drill or vacuum cleaner nearby.
- Cheaper than Wireless USB cameras
- Connect to both TV, Video or DVR (as long as it has a SCART
or Video port)
- box, table or feeder can be up to 100metres (328 feet) away
from your TV
- Do need batteries or a mains adaptor for the camera Note:
At Garden Safari, we didn't sell wireless boxes because we felt
that changing the camera batteries would disturb the birds -
and changing batteries when the box is mounted high on a house
wall is impossible. So we simply invented a battery box on a
longer cable that solved the problem - another Garden Safari
innovation ! . We can also supply mains adaptors with extra-long
leads.
- Allow you to record video on your VCR, DVR or direct on your
PC without the need for additional electronics hardware
- Capture video and audio
What's included with the product?
As well as your assembled nestbox / table/ hedgehog home etc, you
get: .
- Rawplugs and screws
- wireless Camera (fitted, focussed and tested)
- 10 metre camera power lead ending in weatherproof box
- 9v battery and connector for camera
- Mains power supply for camera
- Receiver
- Mains power supply for receiver
- A/V lead to connect receiver to Tv or VCR.
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System Requirements Your TV must have a video and audio input phono-style socket
like these:
They are often on the back. If your TV has a SCART sockt instead,
you can buy a video-to scart conversion plug at most TV and electrical
outlets
|
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Solar powered wireless cameras
Our solar powered cameras have been specially developed to free
you completely from wires. They're as green as you can get! For
tables the solar panel is mounted on the table roof, for other products
it is mounted on a separate wooden panel at the end of a 10
meter cable - so your box can be deep in a tree and your panel in
bright sunlight.
- Cheaper than Wireless USB cameras
- Connect to both TV, Video or DVR (as long as it has a SCART
or Video port)
- box, table or feeder can be up to 100metres (328 feet) away
from your TV
- Camera has no need of batteries and can be mounted
abnywhere within the receiver's range
- Allow you to record video on your VCR, DVR or direct on your
PC without the need for additional electronics hardware
- Capture video and audio
Please check availability before ordering our solar powered
products
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What's included with the product?
As well as your assembled nestbox / table/ hedgehog home etc, you
get: .
- Rawplugs and screws
- wireless Camera (fitted, focussed and tested)
- 10 metre camera power lead ending in weatherproof box
- 9v battery and connector for camera
- Mains power supply for camera
- Receiver
- Mains power supply for receiver
- A/V lead to connect receiver to Tv or VCR.
|
System Requirements Your TV must have a video and audio input phono-style socket
like these:
They are often on the back. If your TV has a SCART sockt instead,
you can buy a video-to scart conversion plug at most TV and electrical
outlets
|
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Remorec-ontrolled IP Network cameras
- Only cameras with a built in web server that you can access
across the internet
- Can be remote controlled for pan, tilt and zoom
- Can connect to PIR to activate camera when movement is detected
- Can activate external lighting
- box, table or feeder can be up to 80metres (240 feet) away
away from your PC
- Requires wired ethernet access point
- Image quality about that of a 480K pixel webcam.
Please check availability before ordering our wired IP products
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What's included with the product?
As well as your assembled camera platform, you get: .
- IP network camera
- UK mains power adaptor
- software installation disk
- (optional) up to 75 metre ethernet cable
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System Requirements
You will need a WIRED ethernet connection port
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screenshot of windows (runs inside normal web browser frame.
Image is showing approx 8inch x 8inch box base.
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Need more information and advice? Visit our FAQ
pages
