networked cameras

Jim Jensen · December 07, 2011, 09:32:54 AM

New area for me and hoping that some with knowledge can shorten my learning curve. For a long time I've toyed with the thought of putting a small video camera in our main office area. While in my office, I can't see the reception area and at times it would be helpful. Being a small office, there are times when I'm the only one here, or others are on the phone and can't respond to who comes in the door. I've thought it would be handy to be able to just pop over to a feed from a camera and see who came in the door so I know whether I need to address them or not. I don't really need it to be viewable over the internet, just over the LAN, so I can see it on my workstation monitor. Smaller is better.

Do wireless cameras function on a wireless networking appliance (router or WAP) or with a different receiver on a workstation? I presume that wired models are USB. I know I could search on this stuff, but I've zero knowledge about them and wouldn't know what to ferret out as important info. My knowledge is simply that the X10 camera was very popular, but their ads were very annoying way back then...

Mark · December 07, 2011, 02:33:29 PM

X10 has a lot of cool stuff (yes, extremely annoying ads!!)

My expectation of a wireless camera is that it is configurable via a web interface much like a linksys router is and that it connects to your WiFi and is assigned a static IP which can be used to browse to it and stream, etc, or at least to point a viewing client to.

That is what I'd expect to get if I bought one. Not sure what the reality is.

David Mallard · December 09, 2011, 12:03:42 PM

Jim, I think I can save you a bunch of the time and agravation I've been through. My experience started with a client acquiring an old D-Link DCS-3220 Network camera. That was easy, only required power and a cat5 connection. Then came the desire for it to be able to Pan-Tilt-Zoom. We tried X-10 but the software and quality was really poor.

Price was a huge consideration in all of this so we have never paid any attention to anything much over $150. In my humble opinion, there is a Chinese made camera that is by far the best value out there, especially if you just want to get your feet wet and see if it works for you. The same camera is sold under many brands, probably best known as a Foscam Fi89018 or such. I was able to buy a Zmodo CM-I11123BK for $49 after discounts and sale pricing from Newegg. They had a Vonnic C907ip this morning for $86.99. Oh yeah, X-10 just started carrying the same camera. As far as I can tell, they're all the same.

These are Wireless or RJ45, just need power. They pan about 270 degrees and scroll up and down probably 60 degrees or so. Infrared LED so it works in the dark. Software builtin is more than adequate, it provides motion detection alarms (good for your front door), record to hard drive, and a bunch of other cute tricks we haven't bothered to figure out yet.

Accessible from internet explorer, just loads a DirectX app and off and running. Apparently allows multiple views at the same time.

It's also easily accessible from the ipCam Viewer Android app. Even allows pan and tilt from the android. We have also experimented with other security monitoring software like WebcamXP and it's worked with just about everything we've tried. Note that these were experiments and we never bothered to purchase additional software. The builtin software allows you to set up multiple device viewing under any one camera. It looks like up to 9 other cams.

I have had great (expensive) Logitech USB webcams but have never been able to use them in applications like you suggest, and there aren't many applications that make them available to another pc. (But WebcamXP works well with them if you already have one).

Hope that helps somewhat.

Cheers,
DMM

Mark · December 09, 2011, 12:54:22 PM

Wow, David -- thank you!! You just saved me a TON of work as well!! +1!

Jim Jensen · December 09, 2011, 12:56:15 PM

Awesome info, David Thanks!

KenH · December 09, 2011, 09:18:38 PM

I would also suggest looking at Asante Voyager.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?MfrId=1265&CatId=4442
I installed several of the previous Voyager I. Most of those situations were what you are looking to do. I have two cameras installed in a remote office that often has only 1 person. The receptionist can pop open the window and see if they have a client before transfering a call. You can record to an attached USB drive for security purposes.

I have not used the current model, but appears to be more of a software upgrade than anything.

No pan, Tilt or zoom, but a really nice pice of equipment for the money.

Jim Jensen · December 10, 2011, 08:39:01 PM

Might consider these for home front door too.

Jeff Golas · December 12, 2011, 11:27:35 AM

Hint: Radio shack just put all their Schlage Wireless cameras on Clearance - $15 for wired and $30 for Wifi. These normally require a subscription to activate, but if you flash them with the manufacturers firmware they work great. Picked 3 up over the weekend (and honestly those 3 were few and far between).

View of box/product:
http://www.zwaveworld.com/prodrevs/113009/reviews.php
(and on a funny note...I can't believe someone would actually post a pic of that door online!! OMG!)

Firmware upgrade (pretty easy but requires an XP computer):
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,5841.0.html?PHPSESSID=8b1aa4cd022e20c8c431af5acea3945b

Mark · January 20, 2012, 09:13:17 AM

Reviving this thread because I am about to start looking for an outdoor Wi-Fi camera, preferably with some type of low light/night vision, that can record videoto network storage.

Are there any different/new suggestions for that type of application?

Kenny Cruzan · January 27, 2012, 12:05:42 PM

Mark,
Stop trying to catch your neighbor skinny dipping at night.

Mark · January 27, 2012, 12:11:35 PM

Quote from: Kenny Cruzan on January 27, 2012, 12:05:42 PM
Mark,
Stop trying to catch your neighbor skinny dipping at night.

Is that why you were private messaging me about night vision cameras? tsk tsk. and now you're trying to blame it on me!

Kenny Cruzan · January 30, 2012, 11:31:41 AM

That is a good reply Mark. Everyone knows I would not put a little wireless web cam to spy on my neighbors. I would have spot lights with serious Jimmy V style cameras connected straight to my Nick O style web servers providing live feeds for thousands.

Mark · January 30, 2012, 11:32:57 AM

Quote from: Kenny Cruzan on January 30, 2012, 11:31:41 AM
That is a good reply Mark. Everyone knows I would not put a little wireless web cam to spy on my neighbors. I would have spot lights with serious Jimmy V style cameras connected straight to my Nick O style web servers providing live feeds for thousands.

HAH! That you would, my friend. THAT you would.