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Introduction to Trail Camera SD Card Viewers
There are a number of ways to view SD cards out in the field, or for that matter at home. But in this post I’m going to take a look at designated SD card readers.
You can use a smartphone with a USB adapter of course but an SD card reader that is specifically designed for the purpose to view video and pictures recorded from a trail camera does offer a number of advantages.
The first major plus point in using something like the Stealth Cam SD card reader is it’s robustness. If you drop it or any of these in the test then it’s very unlikely to break.
The other main benefit is battery life. They take standard batteries and I recommend using rechargeable batteries to keep costs down.
A trail camera SD card reader is also more compatible with trail camera video and picture footage, so there should be far less problems with viewing images.
Let’s take a look at the options available in 2020.
Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Stealth Cam SD Reader & Viewer
Stealth Cam SD card reader overview
Stealth Cam are well known in the trail camera world. Trail cams like the Stealth Cam G42NG have been around for a while and have a reputation for quality build and performance.
This Stealth Cam SD viewer is no different. It is well designed and has a rugged ABS plastic case.
Operating the CRV-43X as it’s known is simplicity itself. Insert the SD card into the slot while the viewer is powered up.
You can view both pictures and video on the 4.3 inch LCD screen, while scrolling and zooming into the detail of each image. Video that have recorded sound can be listened to via a 3.55 mm jack or the internal speaker.
The LCD screen has a brightness control and is easy to see unless standing under bright sunlight, so you may have to find a shaded area.
File management is available by simply deleting any unwanted videos or pictures.
The Stealth Cam SD card reader runs on 4 x AAA batteries and accepts SD cards up to 64 gigabytes.
- 4.3 inch LCD screen
- Internal speaker
- 3.55mm external jack
- 4 x AAA batteries
- Up to 64 gigabyte SD cards
Summary
You’ll find that the Stealth Cam SD card reader is compatible with all but the very latest trail cameras such as the Browning Spec Ops Extreme.
It does makes life easier in the field when trying to view your trail cam pictures.
Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Moultrie Trail Camera Picture Viewer
Moultrie trail camera picture viewer overview
The SD card reader by Moultrie is easy to operate and comes in a rugged design.
Just switch the SD card reader on and it displays the message “NO SD CARD” on the 4.3 inch LCD screen. Insert the SD card into the slot and away you go. The 4.3 inch LCD is clear and has a brightness function.
The Moultrie SD card reader has a micro USB connection so you can link it to your PC or mac to transfer pictures from the SD card.
There is a zoom function while viewing pictures, plus the option delete unwanted images. The only negative is that you can’t delete all the pictures at once. This is only a minor gripe as you can do this by formatting the SD card in a trail camera.
- 4.3 inch LCD screen
- Internal speaker
- Headphone jack
- 4 x AAA batteries
- 16 gigabyte cards or less only
Summary
The Moultrie SD card reader does as expected. The screen isn’t high resolution compared to a smartphone, but it does provide enough detail to make a decision on whether to move a trail cam when out in the field.
It’s a bit disappointing that it will only take SD cards 16 gigabytes or less in size.
Wildgame Innovations VU70 Trail Tablet Dual Sd Card Viewer
As the name suggests, this card reader and viewer acts like a tablet computer. You can zoom and swipe through picture as you would with say an iPad.
However the processor is not as powerful as a modern tablet so you will have to be fairly patient as it’s slow in comparison.
The screen is a 7 inch HD backlit screen and does a decent job when viewing pictures and video. There are 2 SD card slots that allow cards up to 32Gb in size only.
Not only does the VU70 Trail Tablet let you view pictures and video. It has the ability to archive all the data from one SD card onto the second SD card.
This makes it easy to download images to a computer via USB lead to computers without an SD card slot.
- 7 inch LCD screen
- 2 SD card slots for archive / transfer
- Auxiliary and micro USB ports
- 4 x AA batteries
- 32 gigabyte cards or less only
Summary
I know some people complain about the slowness while browsing pictures saved onto an SD card. I have to agree, it’s not as fast as an iPad or other modern tablet.
The ability to archive images to a second SD card is a useful feature. Whether its worth spending time doing this in the field is arguable. I have to say, I’d rather put a fresh SD card into the trail camera instead as opposed to messing around archiving images in the field.
Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
SD Card Reader Summary
It’s an interesting point as to whether it’s worth spending nearly $100 on a designated SD card reader. The smartphone option is a lot cheaper, coupled with a USB card reader, plus the screen on say an iPhone has greater clarity and resolution.
I personally prefer to keep my smartphone as a backup and use a purpose made trail camera SD card reader for viewing pictures.
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