Marcum Recon 5+ Pic / Video Problem

[Jim_MI]

I have a new Marcum Recon 5+ that has only been in the water twice so far.  Simple to operate, but the pics and vid look terrible when viewed on my Windows 10 PC.  The images are   W A Y   S T R E T C H E D   O U T   so that a perch looks like a starving walleye, or a pike looks like a fat eel.  This is not a problem with the PC screen resolution, since the same thing happens when I view the images on my wife's Mac, or on a Samsung smart TV, or my Android phone.  The specs say that the images are in 16:9 format but the actual jpg's are 720 x 240 pixels, which sounds more like 16:5 or so.  See photo below.  Are others seeing this problem too, or do I have a lemon?

[Fisherman 1]

Looks like a biafran pike.  Try adjusting your resolution on computer display, something definitely wrong.

[3300]

marcum says it's 800 x 480 Pixel
so what ever is saying otherwise maybe the problem.

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagv_prd/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-rapala-Library/default/v1485432052310/downloads/marcum/Recon_UserGuide%206_8%20V2%20English.pdf

[shootsmcgee]

might have something to do with this???

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=341192.0

[hardwater diehard]

might have something to do with this???

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=341192.0

[Jim_MI]

marcum says it's 800 x 480 Pixel
so what ever is saying otherwise maybe the problem.

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagv_prd/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-rapala-Library/default/v1485432052310/downloads/marcum/Recon_UserGuide%206_8%20V2%20English.pdf

No, that is the DISPLAY resolution, not the image resolution.

I have been round-and-round with Marcum on this.  They are just getting used to this new product and cannot offer an answer as yet.  The best advice is to download VLC video player, and then for each individual file you wish to view, go to the Video tab and change the Aspect Ratio to 16:9.  This will show the video with normal looking fish.  Unfortunately, VLC  will not "convert" the file for later viewing and also puts up warnings that the native Recon file is corrupted because it has no index file (allowing you to scroll forward or backward).  Absolutely horrible implementation of 5-yr old video technology!  But if you just want to view from beginning to end without jumping around, this multi-step workaround will get you there. 

From what I have found online, from Marcum Support, and from playing around with my new Recon 5+, there is NO WAY TO DISPLAY THE PICTURES in anything resembling normal aspect ratio on anything but the Marcum display.  Since the pics are just jpg frame grabs of their native corrupted video format, any jpg viewer shows them for what they are, low res horizontally distorted pics, as shown in my original post. 

Bottom line:  If you are willing to pay $100+ more for camera depth, temp, and direction then go for the Recon 5+ over the Recon 5.  But if you think the Recon 5+ will give you a functional DVR that will permit you to easily review pics or video on any platform except the Recon 5+ screen, you are (very unfortunately) dreaming.

[shootsmcgee]

I imagine they will come up with a software update in the near future to address problems. These units sold like hot cakes at the start of the year and other than the video issue they're pretty good. I run a macbook anyhow, pc's are for old men....

[3300]

i use mplayer and the codec pack to handle things like this. it's called mega codec pack. the picture viewer i use is acdsee.

either of these will handle their format, but i use the media player classic (mplayer) for all videos.

QuickTime Alternative 3.2.2
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/quicktime_alternative.htm

K-Lite Mega Codec Pack
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/k_lite_mega_codec_pack.htm

would you mind sending me some samples? if so, send me a pm and we'll take care of it via email.

this person must cry when he buys a new smart phone or pc or mac or tablet or note book because all of his apps aren't preloaded for him lol. probably makes you tubes for each one of those he has to down load too.

[Fisherman 1]

So in general terms, another piece of junk that needs updates and fixes and doesn't work properly out of the box. 

[Jim_MI]

So in general terms, another piece of junk that needs updates and fixes and doesn't work properly out of the box. 

It seems to function at the Recon 5 level fine. The live video you see while out on the ice is very good. The problem is with their DVR functionality. I think these new units are the BetaMax version and hopefully they will evolve as word gets out and sales drop.

[Jim_MI]

I run a macbook anyhow, pc's are for old men....

Well, my wife is not an old man so she has always followed the Mac crowd as well.  Recon 5+ video will play on her MacBook Pro without any 3rd party software, but it is still just as stretched out and distorted as on my PC. 

Turns out the video is also saved in 720 x 240 resolution, instead of the 720 x 480 as it was supposed to be.  So half the vertical pixels are missing, which accounts for the squashed-out appearance.  Software shenanigans to restore normal vertical look result in half-resolution pics and video.

I thought that maybe I had a lemon so I swapped it out for a new one at the retailer.  The new camera is behaving identically.  It's possible that I have had 2 lemons, but Marcum Tech Support didn't say that when I sent them examples.  They only instructed me how to use VLC to re-stretch the video vertically.

These DVR's don't work as described.  It is time for Marcum to fess-up, stop selling these units, fix the problem and issue a recall for units already sold.
 

[shootsmcgee]

Well, my wife is not an old man so she has always followed the Mac crowd as well.  Recon 5+ video will play on her MacBook Pro without any 3rd party software, but it is still just as stretched out and distorted as on my PC. 

Turns out the video is also saved in 720 x 240 resolution, instead of the 720 x 480 as it was supposed to be.  So half the vertical pixels are missing, which accounts for the squashed-out appearance.  Software shenanigans to restore normal vertical look result in half-resolution pics and video.

I thought that maybe I had a lemon so I swapped it out for a new one at the retailer.  The new camera is behaving identically.  It's possible that I have had 2 lemons, but Marcum Tech Support didn't say that when I sent them examples.  They only instructed me how to use VLC to re-stretch the video vertically.

These DVR's don't work as described.  It is time for Marcum to fess-up, stop selling these units, fix the problem and issue a recall for units already sold.

Hey man i'm with you on that one. I sent them an email but have yet to receive a reply. Hopefully a software update comes up quick. Might have to post a thread on their Facebook page to get some notice and the ball moving