sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging What IP based Cameras would you recommend?

Hello everyone.

Sorry,I'm not sure if this post belongs here or in the networking area because its kind of a little of both topics.

I'm basically wondering if you guys have had any success with any type of Network Camera/ IP Camera.

I'm looking for something to monitor my house when I'm away on vacation with the Internet or use the motion detection to email when if it sees someone running around in my house,etc..
Hopefully the camera could use MPEG4 so as little bandwidth is used as possible.

I have read the reviews on the usual suspects such as Linksys and D-link and I must say that I have not found 1 single Camera with good reviews! There are horrible comments on every single Camera I've seen!

Can anyone here tell me if they found a Network Camera they like that is between $100 and $400? I'm want to test one to test before I commit a ton of money on the project.

Thanks.

I really like the Panasonic professional grade network cameras, but I think they may bust your budget. Pan/Tilt/Zoom add to the cost - you may be able to get a stationary unit within your price range.
Mike

To be honest I am not a big fan of IP cameras, I would recomend a standard camera connected to an IP addresable DVR. This way you have a better quilty camera and all the features you are looking for, for the same amount of $$$$ or less then a decent IP set up. If you are dead set on an IP camera Panasonic makes some nice products.

I did a lot of looking at IP cameras for my office. I didn't like the prospect of running even more cable, and then terminating the coax. My recommendation was Panasonic. One of their base-line models is just under 200 bucks, but it's got features up the wazoo over the budget models from linksys and dlink. Plus, I don't need a specialized machine, (DVR) I can either access the cameras directly, or they can store time-lapse photos and/or video on any FTP server.

Can you tell me the model number of the Camera that you used from Panasonic?

Are you looking at the consumer line or the business line?

The one thing that really surprised me about panasonic was that on the consumer line, it appeared they are not using the MPEG-4 video format but instead motion JPEG.

Its my understanding that unless the camera uses MPEG-4, it will require a LOT of bandwidth to stream the video across the internet.

Consumer:
https://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/w...002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702

Business:
https://catalog2.panasonic.com/weba...amp;catalogId=13051&catGroupId=14471


On the other subject of buying normal cameras connected to a DVR:

1. Can you have multiple DVR HUBS around the house each with its own set of Cameras feeding into it?

2. How does remote access work? Do you assign each camera a unique port on the IP address?

Camera 1 would be 67.584.547.45:10

Camera 2 would be 67.584.547.45:11

Camera 3 would be 67.584.547.45:12

Camera 4 would be 67.584.547.45:13

3. How does PTZ work on regular cameras if you wish to control it over the Internet? Does the DVR have to have some type of IR blaster relay connected to the camera? I mean, most regular
cameras work from BNC or RCA connector right?

4. If you have a house already build without conduits but wireless network works pretty well, what choice do you have with Cameras other than wireless IP based system? How are you suppose to run those wires without conduits? I'm guessing maybe if you have an inexpensive dedicated DVR for each room of the house?

Thanks for your help.

You can always snake the wires threw the walls..not the easiest way but is how it is done.

Wireless may not be a bad route for you I just perfer to hardwire my cameras.

By the way would you please fill out the rest of your profile...thanks.

Consumer - BL-C10A

Well, sure, but why would you be sending this over the internet? Your local network will not have a problem with the stream. Plus, a big factor in this whole scenario, is what exactly do you need the cameras to do?

If they're purely for basic security archives, then you can ignore the streaming bandwidth, and get away with a few jpeg pics per second stored in FTP.

If the cameras are primarily used for live monitoring, then maybe you make a good point about MPEG compression. But the cameras will be that much more expensive for it. And you still will have issues with storing this video.

But these cameras also have another feature. They may be set up to only record video when there's movement, and only still pics when there isn't. They can be configured to only care about movement in one section of the frame as well. Movement in the defined section triggers an alarm condition, which I think can trigger the video stream to begin recording. So the constant bandwidth requirments may be much less than you think.

All their features are configureable in a web-based control panel applet. The Pan Tilt Zoom too, which can be moved around by a live viewer, and be automatically returned to a preset position when they exit, or if there's an IR detector input to the camera.

Whether you go with the basic consumer model or something higher-priced, I think the Panasonic cameras are the way to go. There are very few other manufacturers with the array of features they've got, and being IP to boot.

I have to agree with Rob..If I were to go IP, in your price range, it would be with Panasonic

We use Panasonic for security cams and they are great.
Have 1 market with 24 of the older HCM10 units and 4
of the outside cams, forget the number, they have been in about 2 years. Using Pan recorder software.
14 cams on each PC. 300 gig drive gives months of storage. Epson DLP, a screen and a-b switch.
You can limit the bandwith each cam uses in the setup. On unlimited you can run 12 cams on a P4- 2.4, .5 gig ram. Pretty basic cheap PC.
The newer business modles have SD card slot and can use up to 2 gig. In many cases you would not even need PC. Also have audio and speaker output.
With the right software the Pan Tilt can be incorporated into a Patrol schedule- each cam has 8 presets, set cams to patrol these presets, if motion seen stay till motion stops or track motion. The PTZ modle with 22x optical zoom is
nice. The zoom can also be included in the Patrol settings. If you need extreme hi-res in a few locations use legacy cams with zoom lens and SW that supports both.
Each net cam can be set to fwd still pics when motion detected to E mail address.