There are two control methods available for the Predator: Serial-stream and Analog. These relate to positioning as follows:

Serial-Stream: Ultimately, regardless of model, the Predator is a serial-controlled camera. In all cases, a serial stream of commands determines the camera configuration. This makes the camera highly compatible with networked systems, and makes it much more easily adapted for remote applications such as, say, wildlife applications.

This Serial-Control feature enables the control of remote Predator applications (especially those where AC power is not readily available) by researchers on-site, by administrators in an office miles away, or by the public perhaps thousands of miles away, all using the appropriate software.

Analog: For many of those systems using old-school analog control (frequently converted to serial streams by a 'back-box'), the Predator is directly compatible and may be substituted for the existing camera with no changes required. However, for those analog control systems with which the Predator is incompatible, the Predator may be fitted with a backbox which reads the control voltage and converts it to the appropriate serial-stream command, at additional expense.

It is important to note that the advantage of embracing the Serial-Stream control method is that there is no extra equipment required as there is for analog-controlled systems; no lens controllers, no receiver/drivers, no joy-sticks, etc. And, there is no requirement for AC power to power that extra equipment (especially advantageous where AC power is not an option, such as truly remote systems).

Choices. Successful camera system design is all about choices, and the flexibility of the Predator family of cameras makes many such choices available to the designer.