I did some more investigating and found this in the motion log file:
========== NEW LOG SECTION ==========
1 02/20/11 00:03:27 57 (spawning-device) Starting... 1
1 02/20/11 00:03:27 57 (spawning-device) Found /usr/pluto/bin/Motion_Wrapper
05 02/20/11 0:03:28.864 Connect() failed, Error Code 111 (Connection refused)) <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:29.864 Connect() failed, Error Code 111 (Connection refused)) <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:30.864 Connect() failed, Error Code 111 (Connection refused)) <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:31.864 Connect() failed, Error Code 111 (Connection refused)) <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:32.864 Connect() failed, Error Code 111 (Connection refused)) <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Creating child 59 <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Note: Device manager has attached a device of type 66 that this has no custom event handler for. It will not fire events. <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Note: Device manager has attached a device of type 66 that this has no custom handler for. This is normal for IR. <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Creating child 60 <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Note: Device manager has attached a device of type 66 that this has no custom event handler for. It will not fire events. <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Note: Device manager has attached a device of type 66 that this has no custom handler for. This is normal for IR. <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Creating child 104 <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Note: Device manager has attached a device of type 66 that this has no custom event handler for. It will not fire events. <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:03:42.044 Note: Device manager has attached a device of type 66 that this has no custom handler for. This is normal for IR. <0xb70fa6c0>
05 02/20/11 0:05:24.934 Could not take snapshot, fail sending SIGALRM signal... <0xb58f6b90>
05 02/20/11 0:05:25.176 Could not take snapshot, fail sending SIGALRM signal... <0xb58f6b90>
it would seem the three analog cameras don't have a "custom event handler" I'm not sure what that means.... but I did follow these directions very carefully:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Monitor_surveillance_camerasany suggestions?