INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the VS 500 underwater viewing system from MarCum Technologies.
Welcome to the world of underwater viewing. MarCum Technologies has incorporated the latest
technology in producing the most compact and technologically advanced underwater viewing
system available. Hunt for underwater treasure or locate the "spot on the spot" for great fishing.
There are hundreds of uses for your new VS 500 underwater viewing system. Now you’ll actually
be able to see what’s below the surface of your favorite lake.
FEATURES
The VS 500 underwater viewing system utilizes an on screen display that displays the various
modes of underwater lighting, percentage of battery charge remaining, low battery warning icon,
and relative viewing direction. See the appropriate section of this manual for specific information
regarding the on screen displays.
The VS 500 viewing system has various modes of illumination that provide enhanced visibility for
varying light conditions. The different lighting options can be selected through the keypad located
on the face of the monitor. Depending on the amount of natural light available, you can choose
between no illumination (ON), Infrared non-visible illumination for stealth viewing (IR-VU), or
multi-colored visible illumination (HI-VU). Even in the most dimly lit conditions you can identify
fish, structure, or objects with ease.
The VS 500 is available with a choice of either 60 or 100 feet of Kevilar reinforced underwater
camera cable. Your VS 500 system comes with a detachable camera that plugs and unplugs at
the rear of the monitor. A handy cable reel for convenient cable storage is provided with
the system.
The VS 500 includes the newest innovation in underwater viewing by providing a motorized
steering system for changing the viewing direction of the camera right from the keypad on the
monitor. This enables the user to utilize an ice hole (for viewing) up to fifteen feet away from the
monitor location.
The 5.5 inch black and white CRT monitor has excellent resolution allowing viewing with great
clarity and detail. Controls for adjusting vertical hold, contrast, and brightness are located at the
rear of the monitor behind the rubber plug. Adjustments can be made by removing the plug and
rotating the knob either clockwise or counter clockwise to obtain the desired picture. The rubber
plug should remain in place in the recessed area at all times to prevent moisture from entering
the monitor housing.
The VS 500 has a video-out jack located at the rear of the housing under the rubber plug in the
same recessed area as the monitor adjustment controls. The video-out jack can be utilized by
purchasing a cable of desired length with male RCA jacks from a local retailer of video or audio
equipment. The cable can be plugged into either a larger monitor or T.V. for a larger viewing
image or can be used to record onto a VCR or camcorder. To record onto a camcorder you must
have a camcorder with a video-in port.
The underwater camera comes with weights installed on the bottom of the camera housing.
These weights are required to provide the appropriate ballast for use in the both open water and
during ice fishing. Do not use the camera without these weights
A high quality padded “Soft Pack” carrying case incorporates a built in collapsible viewing shroud
to enhance viewing in bright light conditions. The front of the Soft Pack can be opened to allow
for viewing when not exposed to harsh light (i.e. when viewing in an enclosed ice house).
The versatile “Soft Pack” system provides protection from the elements as well as allows for the
easy storage of all camera accessories. A draw string pouch on the back of the “Soft Pack” holds
the camera cable while two side pouches accommodate the camera with attached steering Fin
and the Motorized Ice Arm with ratcheted steering clip.
The battery included with the system is a 12 volt, 7amp hour sealed lead acid electrolyte battery
that will provide approximately 8.5 hours of viewing time when fully charged.
Viewing time will vary dependent on the condition of the battery as well as the illumination mode
used, i.e.: 9.0 hours for ON (no illumination), 7.5 hours for IR-VU (non-visible infrared), and 8.0
hours for HI-VU (visible multi-color). A 500 mA DC wall charger is supplied to recharge the
battery to full capacity. Recharging the battery to full capacity after every use is recommended.
For further battery charging information, please see the “Battery Charging” section of
this manual.
GETTING STARTED
Remove your VS 500 monitor from the Soft Pack by first opening the front of the case. This is
accomplished by pulling the flap at the top and sides of the Soft Pack until the Velcro strips
separate. Reach into the Soft Pack on top of the monitor and grab the molded inset handle about
halfway back. Pull the monitor forward tilting the top towards you until it comes out of the Soft
Pack case. Place the monitor on a flat surface and open the battery compartment door located
on the front lower section of the monitor case. This is done by gently applying downward
pressure on the grooved finger inset at the top of the battery door and pulling forward. Connect
the battery leads to the battery terminals i.e.: red lead to battery positive and black lead to battery
negative. Replace battery door and place monitor back into padded Soft Pack case. Close front
of case by re-attaching Velcro strips. Turn the Soft Pack to the backside and remove the cable
reel from the back pouch.
Reach into the lower left corner of the rear pouch and undo the Velcro door. This allows access to
the plug-in port for the camera. Plug the camera cable into the upper plug-in port. Take notice
that the plug-in is not round but has a flat side. This is designed to assist in lining up the pins with
the sockets in the plug and help eliminate the bending of connector pins. Do not force the plug
into the receptacle, you may have it mis-aligned. There will be some resistance when plugging in
the camera due to the molded seal rings located on the plug, however, if lined up properly, this
should go together quite easily. The port marked as ACC is for plugging in the cable to operate
the motorized ice arm that steers the camera.
You should not attempt to plug the camera into this location. Once that camera is plugged into the
monitor, you can replace the camera cable into the rear storage pouch and pull the drawstring for
a snug fit. Place the camera with the attached weights in the storage pouch on the left side as
viewed from the front. Place the Motorized Ice Arm into the vertical storage pouch on the right
side as viewed from the front.
Attach the clip to the cable or store in the pouch on the left with the camera.You are now ready to
head to the lake. Once you reach your destination, remove the cable reel from the rear storage
pouch and remove the required length of cable. Open the front of the Soft Pack so that the
monitor and keypad are fully exposed. Turn the camera power on by depressing the ON button
on the keypad. The system will power up and the monitor screen will display “OVS SYSTEM
START-UP”. Once the start-up message clears from the screen the monitor will display the
picture that’s being transmitted by the camera. Lower the camera into the water to the desired
depth and secure the cable with the Motorized Ice Arm to prevent depth changes. As with all
CRT displays, bright light can washout the display making viewing difficult. If this occurs, rotate
the system so that the light source is not directly on the monitor screen.
In extreme bright light conditions it may be necessary to use the viewing shroud to shield the
monitor from the light source. To use the viewing shroud, remove the protective cap from the face
of the shroud located on the front of the padded Soft Pack. Grab the face of the view shroud and
pull towards you until all three collapsible parts are fully extended. The shroud is not fully
extended until you hear the telltale click of each part as it locks into place. This clicking locks the
shroud into position so it won’t collapse on its own. To collapse the shroud to its original position,
push on the face of the shroud until all three parts collapse inside each other and then the
replace the protective cover.
The depth of field, the distance the camera can see underwater, depends on the clarity of the
water and available light at the depth the camera is used. In extremely clear water the depth of
field can be several feet and in cloudy or muddy water the depth of view can be reduced to only a
few inches due to particles suspended in the water.
ON SCREEN DISPLAYS
The VS 500 utilizes a series of ON SCREEN icons to indicate user options and
system information.
Lighting Options
The underwater viewing system utilizes two different lighting options, IR-VU and HI-VU. Infrared
(IR-VU) can be selected by depressing the button labeled LIGHT on the keypad. The IR-VU icon
will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen for three seconds before disappearing.
The Infrared light source has now been activated. Infrared light is not visible to the human eye
but is visible to the camera and offers an excellent light source for certain conditions. To change
the lighting to HI-VU (multi colored lights) press the button on the keypad labeled LIGHT and the
icon in the upper right hand corner will display HI-VU. This will activate the high intensity multi-
colored LED lights. To turn off the multi-colored lights, depress the LIGHT key one more time and
the OFF icon will appear in the upper right hand corner. The selection of different lighting options
is set-up in a progressive series so you must filter through the IR-VU to reach HI-VU and through
HI-VU to reach lights OFF. Lighting considerations: Infrared works well in clear water or in low
light conditions (dusk or dawn) or when fish appear to be in a negative or neutral mood and react
negatively to the bright HI-VU lights. HI-VU should be used in extreme low light conditions or in
water that isn’t conducive for an Infrared light source.
Battery Status
The condition of charge remaining in your battery can be monitored by depressing the key
labeled BATT located on the keypad. The percentage of charge remaining will appear in the
upper right hand corner of the monitor and remain on the screen for a three second interval.
Low Battery Warning
When the battery charge remaining falls below ten percent, a low battery warning icon will flash
in the upper right corner of the monitor. The low battery icon will remain on the screen and
continue to flash until the system eventually shuts down. If the battery charge remaining gets too
low, the picture will get fuzzy or blurred before it completely shuts down. It’s recommended that
the battery be charged after every use and not remain in a discharged state too long before
recharging.
Viewing Direction
A viewing direction indicator will appear on the screen in the upper left hand corner of the monitor
when the system first fires up. The indicator will remain on the screen indefinitely until the DIR
key is depressed on the keypad to remove it. To put the icon back up on the screen, simply
depress the DIR key on the keypad. The direction indicator has an arrow that points in the
direction the camera is viewing regardless of the monitor position.
ICE FISHING APPLICATION
A folding Motorized Ice Arm with a ratcheted steering clip is included with the VS 500 to enhance
your viewing through the ice. The Motorized Ice Arm holds the cameras depth and steers the
viewing direction of the camera when positioned over an ice hole. To prepare the Motorized Ice
Arm for use, plug the connector from the ice arm into the ACC port on the backside of the
monitor. This can be done by raising the Velcro door located at the left on the inside of the mesh
compartment used to store the camera cable. The ACC plug in port is the lower of the two
available ports. Turn the system ON by depressing the ON key.
Once the system fires up, use the arrow keys at the bottom of the keypad to rotate the bobbin
gear in the ice arm until the smaller portion (Part A) of the gear is centered in the opening.
Remove the smaller portion (Part A) by placing your finger under the smaller portion of the gear
and apply upward pressure until the smaller portion pops out. Place the cable into the open slot
and replace Part A by placing it above the opening and applying downward pressure until it
snaps into place. Close the Ice Arm by rotating the smaller arm underneath counter clockwise
until the entire arm has been straightened. At this point the ice arm is ready to be placed over
the ice hole as shown on the outside of the original package. You are now ready to set the depth
for viewing by attaching the steering clip to the cable above the ice arm.
To attach the ratcheted steering clip, apply moderate pressure to the wings and simultaneously
slide the cable into the hole in the middle of the clip. Release pressure on the wings and cable will
be held firmly in place. The clip must sit in the ratcheted area of the bobbin gear with the camera
cable rising straight above the clip for at least 4 inches. If the cable is angled too severely above
the clip, the clip won’t sit flat in the ratcheted area resulting in poor contact and difficulty in
steering. If viewing adjustments are required, push either arrow key located on the face of the
monitor to steer the camera until the desired viewing direction is achieved. Suggestion: Do not
rotate the camera in only one direction. To avoid twisting the cable, do not rotate the camera
more than 360 degrees before reversing direction.
A suggestion on how best to utilize your viewing system while ice fishing. Drill two holes 3 to 4
feet apart. Lower your bait into one hole while placing the camera in the other hole pointing in the
direction of your fishing lure. Set the depth and angle of viewing so that your lure appears in the
middle of the viewing screen. Good Fish’n!
OPEN WATER APPLICATION
A Fin has been included with your system for use in open water. When using the system from a
boat or in water with current, it is recommended that the Fin be attached to help stabilize and
steer the camera in the correct direction. The camera should be used at slow speeds while
drifting, or while under propulsion from a trolling motor or outboard motor. The Fin is designed to
be reversible and can be mounted behind the camera housing with the Fin pointing upward for
forward viewing or in front of the housing with the Fin pointing downward for viewing backwards.
The camera can be attached to a down rigger cable by the use of a down rigger release attached
through the holes on the backside of the camera housing. The Fin should be used in front of the
camera lens and pointing downward when attached to a down rigger cable. The Fin can be
attached by sliding the rail of the Fin into the slots in the lead ballast weights at either the front or
rear of the weights depending on your desired viewing direction. A stainless bolt and nut are
provided to attach the Fin firmly to the lead ballast weights. When using the Fin & Weight, be
careful to keep the camera out of heavy weeds, brush, or large rocks.
If the camera becomes hung up, back up from the direction you were traveling and slowly try to
back the camera out of the snag. Do NOT pull upward with force unless all other avenues have
been pursued.
