Wireless IP Camera thread

[pychen]

SMCWIPCAM

i have the smc ip cam and suspect there is something wrong with the night mode after comparing some of the pictures posted by other forumers.
SMC technical support said the cam will not capture anything in pitch darkness - there must be some light for it to work...(is it true? if so, then what is the IR feature for?)

here are the pictures i captured (with night mode) early in the morning 6am

1) room lights on

2) room lights off, living room light on

3) all lights off

here is another 2 shots when the camera "looked" through a piece of glass to the living room - notice that only 4 of the 8 IR lights can be spotted - wonder if it is normal

1) with light switched on

2) without lighs

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

here is another 2 shots when the camera "looked" through a piece of glass to the living room - notice that only 4 of the 8 IR lights can be spotted - wonder if it is normal

If you put a piece of paper in front of the SMCWIPCAM-PZ in the dark, you should see something like this:

7 IR LED "lights". The 8th LED is actually a sensor rather than an IR LED.

 

[pychen]

No I can't see any of the LED light that when I put a piece of paper in front of the camera - can only see a round patch of the paper

However when I put it in front of an LCD monitor screen I'll see 4 of the LED lights - just like the reflection from the glass

I think something is wrong with my hardware

 

[Apparatus]

Re

DLINK DNS726-4 reviews here. No point reinventing the wheel.

http://www.testseek.com/computers/h...4-p-46150bff-29b4-7f9c-847c-80a2d6c567da.html

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

No I can't see any of the LED light that when I put a piece of paper in front of the camera - can only see a round patch of the paper

However when I put it in front of an LCD monitor screen I'll see 4 of the LED lights - just like the reflection from the glass

I think something is wrong with my hardware

Can you talk a picture when you place a piece of paper in front of the camera? Turn off all the lights in the room so we can have a good view of the picture.

I suspect three of the LED may not be working. Try to maybe jiggle them a bit to see if the contact is loose.

 

[FTorres]

Found this website:

http://www.ipcam.com.sg/gallery.html

Anyone tried this product and how is it? Was quoted $330 for one camera + installation.

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

Found this website:

http://www.ipcam.com.sg/gallery.html

Anyone tried this product and how is it? Was quoted $330 for one camera + installation.

The camera looks like a H Series WiFi. Mediapro has it listed at S$288. I wanted to buy this initially, but when the DCS-5635 came out, I bought that (3 units actually) instead. I recall that the H series uses H.264 encoding, and the clarity of the images is very good, much like the one on the website.

Only issue is how well such cameras work with some of the DVR software (not that I am using it now, but I might in the future). Also, I'm not sure how well is the support, particularly with firmware updates.

Update: I read the manual on the said website. One of the picture's Active Title Bar showed HSerial Intranet search and settings(V2.0.1.2). So it does look like the H Series WiFi camera.

 

[eriq_swe]

Multiple clients at the same time

Hello,

I have been scanning through the various posts to find an answer to my question without success, so here it goes:

I am considering to buy the SMCWIPCAM-PZ but I do have the requirement to be able to have multiple clients to the camera at the same time. Not only a web-browser and a mobile phone. I am also looking for the capability to have multiple web clients at the same time. Is this something that someone has tested or someone is able to test? I personally would need the possiblity to have three different web clients looking at the very same camera at the very same time.

Hopefully someone might be able to answer it, perhaps Dr_Archer as you ssem to be on top of this.

Thanks in advance.

Erik

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

If I can have multiple browsers from different PCs looking at the same camera, I would think that I can have multiple web clients. Anyway, what is your definition of web clients?

 

[eriq_swe]

If I can have multiple browsers from different PCs looking at the same camera, I would think that I can have multiple web clients. Anyway, what is your definition of web clients?

I am referring to let's say three different computers running Internet Explorer to watch live
view on the very same camera at the very same time. Has this been tested?

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

I am referring to let's say three different computers running Internet Explorer to watch live
view on the very same camera at the very same time. Has this been tested?

Yes. I have 3 PCs and 2 laptops at home, and I can have several IE sessions running simultaneously on several machines. Cameras like the WVC200 and WCS-1040 can tell you how many users are online.

 

[davpiyo]

Hi Guys,

After many weeks of trying, asking and Dlink Tech Support I finally get it run few days 24hr with recording. The main reason I can't get it work before is due to the firmware if not I shall make it work sooner.

Per day 12GB file great video at 30fps.

The night mode was great.

 

[jason]

Anyone use this model before ?

Foscam FI8918W Wireless Pan & Tilt IP Camera
From http://www.ali2.com/products/Foscam-FI8918W-Wireless-Pan-&-Tilt-IP-Camera-.html

OR

Ali2 indoor Network Camera / IP Camera
http://www.ali2.com/products/Ali2-indoor-Network-Camera-{47}-IP-Camera.html

that comes with Ir-Cut lens.

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

Anyone use this model before ?

Foscam FI8918W Wireless Pan & Tilt IP Camera
From http://www.ali2.com/products/Foscam-FI8918W-Wireless-Pan-&-Tilt-IP-Camera-.html

OR

Ali2 indoor Network Camera / IP Camera
http://www.ali2.com/products/Ali2-indoor-Network-Camera-{47}-IP-Camera.html

that comes with Ir-Cut lens.

The Foscam looked like the F Series WiFi camera that Mediapro is selling. Mediapro's price is S$199. This model has IR capability, PT function and support 2-way audio.

The Ali2 has similar specs to the Foscam, and may be a rebranded version of the same camera. It is quite common to different brands using the same OEM. For example, my LevelOne WCS-2040 and my Dlink DIR-6620G is essentially the same model (same specs) and have a very similar user interface.

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

Readers would probably know my obsession with wireless IP cameras that have PTZ and IR capability. Like I said numerous times, as a father of 3 young kids, I want to be able to watch them as they sleep in their room while I work in my study. An IR capable camera can give me a picture in total darkness (with the appropriate IR illuminators, of course).

While my last IP camera is the high-end Dlink DIR-5635 (I have 3 units), the more budget conscious user might find it too steep a price to pay. Previously, for the sub-S$400 range, only the Linksys WVC200 has the IR capability (the newer WVC210 does not have it). SMC last year came up with one that has built-in IR illuminators. The cost is around $300-$400. Those who want to have a single unit without separate IR illuminator will find that the SMC's SMCWIPCAM-PZ is one of the few units that fit the bill of having IR capability with PTZ functionality (zoom is digital though). But the SMCWIPCAM-PZ seems to share the same OEM as Trendnets IP422 (not available locally).

Lately though, the entry level market (at least for those with PTZ capability) has several new choices. There is the F series camera (not sure if this is the brand name, but this is what is stated in Mediapro's price list), a made-in-China model that does PTZ and has IR capability. The F series is selling at $199 at Mediapro.

Then there is the H series, another made-in-China model. H series' specs appears to be better than the F series, such as supporting H.264 encoding (most IP cameras using MPEG4 or MJEPG). With my Maximus 4 Extreme board still in its box and my reluctance to set it up now only to disassemble it for future exchange, I decided to get the H series to play around.

Edimax also recently came up with a wireless N IP camera with IR capability and PTZ functionality. Being the hardware junkie, I decided to get it too:

The Edimax is slightly more expensive than the SMC (by about S$20), so the way I see it, the Edimax and SMC are competing with each other. On the other hand, the H series is about S$70 cheaper than the SMC, but function wise, seems to compete with both the Edimax and the SMC. I didn't get the F series (yet), but it is even cheaper than the H series.

In my previous comparisons of wireless IP cameras, I noted that the WVC200 is a solid performer, given good colour vibrancy while retaining the IR capability. In low light, WVC200 could still show colours, while SMCWIPCAM-PZ has already switched to a B/W mode. Unfortunatley, the WVC200 is not in production anymore, so that leaves the SMCWIPCAM-PZ as the camera to get if you want PTZ and IR capability without blowing a hole in your pocket (a la DIR-5635).

So is the Edimax's IC-7010PTn or the H series better than the SMCWIPCAM-PZ? When I have the time, I will do a comparison.

 

[jason]

The Foscam looked like the F Series WiFi camera that Mediapro is selling. Mediapro's price is S$199. This model has IR capability, PT function and support 2-way audio.

The Ali2 has similar specs to the Foscam, and may be a rebranded version of the same camera. It is quite common to different brands using the same OEM. For example, my LevelOne WCS-2040 and my Dlink DIR-6620G is essentially the same model (same specs) and have a very similar user interface.

That Foscam is $103 SGD. IR / PT also have. 14 months limited warranty but I bought the Ali2 which has the Ir-Cut lens, picture is richer. It is a inhouse brand of that company.

Just order yesterday afternoon and they ship out by last evening via DHL.

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

That Foscam is $103 SGD. IR / PT also have. 14 months limited warranty but I bought the Ali2 which has the Ir-Cut lens, picture is richer. It is a inhouse brand of that company.

Just order yesterday afternoon and they ship out by last evening via DHL.

Looking at the specs between Foscam and Ali2, they both share many common specs e.g.

o 1/4" color CMOS sensor
o 640x480 pixels
o Lens: f:3.6mm F:2.4
o Viewing angle 67 degrees
o Net weight: 418g (accessories included)
o Dimensions: 110x100x108
o Power: DC 5V / 2.0A

Only differences I found are no. of LEDs (Foscam has 11, Ali2 has 10) and PT angle (Foscam's 300° horizontal, 120° vertical, Ali2's 270° horizontal, 120° vertical).

Do let us know about the image quality etc.

 

[jason]

Ali2 indoor Network Camera / IP Camera (that comes with Ir-Cut lens.)
http://www.ali2.com/products/Ali2-indoor-Network-Camera-{47}-IP-Camera.html

Live Demo: http://shenbin333.3322.org:99
Sample as below

Comparison between 2.0Lux(other camera) and our 0.3Lux IP Camera(ali2 brand)

and


Foscam FI8918W Wireless Pan & Tilt IP Camera
http://www.ali2.com/products/Foscam-FI8918W-Wireless-Pan-&-Tilt-IP-Camera-.html
Live Demo: http://shenyongjun.3322.org:82


User: admin
Password: blank, no any word

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

Yeah, but the Foscam is not 2.0 lux camera. Site rate it as 0.5 Lux

 

[jason]

Yeah, but the Foscam is not 2.0 lux camera. Site rate it as 0.5 Lux

Ali2 brand is 0.3 Lux, so lower is better ?

Do you want to test this IP Cam ?