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(More customer reviews)Businesses have used security/surveillance cameras for many years, to identify people in certain areas of the building, to watch for suspicious activity, or to catch people in the act of doing evil deeds. However, as technology has improved and prices have dropped, these cameras have now become popular additions to home security systems as well. While many people still choose Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and recorders, mostly due to their low cost, the added flexibility of network cameras (otherwise known as IP cameras or Internet cameras) is starting to greatly influence homeowners. Network cameras allow easy installation and integration with your wired or wireless home network. While CCTV cameras require a standalone monitor to view the images, network cameras can be controlled and viewed from any computer on your home network, and can also be viewed from outside your network with computers, cell phones and PDAs that have an active Internet connection. But choosing a good network camera that meets your needs can be a bit tricky, as most of the network cameras currently on the market are either low end (relatively inexpensive) or high end (extremely expensive); with very few choices that fall in between. If you're looking for a network camera that you can control pan, tilt, and zoom, it can be very difficult to find a quality device that is affordable. Well Panasonic recognized the strong need for a mid-level network camera, which would offer features that are usually only available on high priced models. They answered this consumer need with the Panasonic BB-HCM527A PoE ceiling mount, dome network camera; complete with motorized pan, tilt and zoom features.
Setting up a home computer network and adding IP cameras to this network requires a bit of technical aptitude, so you may wish to call upon the help of someone with a computer technical background if you are not very tech-savvy. This review is for the BB-HCM527A network camera, so I am going to concentrate on the camera itself and not include a long dissertation about home networking in general.
The Panasonic BB-HCM527A network camera is NOT a Wi-Fi device, so you need to make sure you are able to run a CAT5, CAT5e or CAT6 cable from your network router, switch or hub to where your camera will be mounted. This model is also a PoE (Power over Ethernet) device, so you will want to make sure your network has a PoE switch, or you will need to purchase a separate PoE injector. Although PoE technology is becoming more popular in business environments, most home networks do not yet utilize this new and somewhat expensive technology. However, the advantage of PoE is that your power travels over the same Ethernet cable as your data; meaning that you do not have to have a power outlet right next to where you plan to mount your camera. I do not have a PoE network in my home, so I purchased the PD-3001/AC 1PORT Poe Injector Ac Input 802.3AF and Cisco Supported, made by PowerDsine. This allowed me to run a cable from my network switch to the injector, which plugs into a wall AC outlet, and then run another cable from the injector to the network camera itself. You now have your power and data connections all in one wire.
This remarkable device is a feature rich network camera, with nearly all of the bells and whistles you could want. It is able to pan from -175 to +175 degrees, giving a total sweep of roughly 350 degrees. Mounting the camera to the ceiling is a fairly straightforward process, utilizing the easy to follow instructions and mounting hardware, which is all included in the camera kit. It has a tilt angle adjustment from 0 degrees (straight down) to +82 degrees. The zoom capabilities of this camera are not quite as impressive; offering only a 4.6x zoom (2.3x optical, 2x digital). Still, for most home or small business applications this should prove to be sufficient. Video output can be adjusted between three different resolutions, at up to 30 frames per second. Output formats include JPEG, with three different quality settings, and MPEG4. The light sensitivity of this camera is from 2 to 100,000 lux, and can go all the way down to 0.2 lux when in "Color Night View" mode. It also allows 2-way, half-duplex audio, with a built-in microphone and an output for an external speaker (sold separately). Buyers should be aware that there is no built-in speaker in this camera, so it will only allow 1-way audio unless a self-powered speaker is plugged into the camera. All video and audio from this camera can be monitored from your home or business network, or from outside your local network with a computer, or a web compatible cellular phone or PDA; all using a free Internet service called "Viewnetcam." This Internet service is totally free for anyone who owns a Panasonic IP camera, and it gives full access to all of the camera controls, configuration settings, and video/audio output from the camera. I could go on and on, explaining all of the features and specifications of this network camera, but I will simply list them below for your review.
Technical Specs:
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* Lens = 73° Wide-Angle
* Lens Brightness = F1.9 (Wide) - F2.8 (Tele)
* Required Light Intensity = 2 to 100,000 lux (0.2 to 100,000 lux in Color Night View Mode)
* Lens Focus Point = Fixed (focal range: 0.5m to infinity)
* Zoom = 4.6x (2.3x optical, 2x digital)
* Image Sensor = 1/3.6 inch MAICOVICON, approx. 370,000 pixels
* Horizontal Viewing Angle = Tele: 32° (optical) / 16° (digital), Wide: 73°
* Vertical Viewing Angle = Tele: 24° (optical) / 12° (digital), Wide: 55°
* Remote Pan Angle = -175° up to +175°
* Remote Tilt Angle = 0° up to +82°
* Maximum Pan/Tilt Speed = Pan: 300°/sec, Tilt: 80°/sec
* Image Compression = JPEG (Motion JPEG), MPEG4
* Video Resolution Settings = 192 x 144, 320 x 240 (default), 640 x 480
* Image Quality Settings = JPEG (favor clarity, standard, favor motion), MPEG4
* Frame Rate = Max. 30 frames/sec @ 640 x 480, 320 x 240 or 192 x 144
* Progressive Scan Video Output
* Authentication = User ID/Password, SSL
* IPv4/v6 Dual Stack
* Supported IPv4 Network Protocols = TCP, UDP, IP, HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DHCP, DNS, ARP, ICMP, POP3, NTP, UPnP(tm), SMTP Authentication, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, SSL, HTTPS, TLS.
* Supported IPv6 Network Protocols = ICP, UDP, IP, HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS, ICMPv6, POP3, NDP, NTP, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, SSL, HTTPS, TLS.
* Buffered Images = Approx. 350 images (320 x 240) -standard image quality (16kb per image), with time display, without using SD/SDHC memory card.
* Image Buffer = Alarm, Time or Motion Detection Triggers
* Image Transfer via E-Mail = SMTP, FTP, HTTP
* DDNS Compatible = Yes (using free Viewnetcam.com viewer)
* Cellular Phone Compatibility = Remote Monitoring
* Multiple Camera Views = 4-up, 9-up, or 16-up
* Audio Signal = 2-Way / half-duplex
* Audio CODEC = ADPCM (32kbps)
* Audio Frequency Range = 300Hz - 3.4kHz
* Audio Input = Built-in Microphone or External Microphone Input Terminal (3.5mm mini-jack)
* Audio Output = Line Output Terminal for External Speaker (3.5mm mini-jack)
* Audio Reception = Method: ActiveX / Decoding: ActiveX
* Network Connection = Ethernet (10Base-T/100Base-TX)
* SD Card Slot for Image Buffer = Up to 2GB SD, or up to 8GB SDHC
* Analog Video Output = Analog Composite Plug (NTSC/PAL)
* Built-in Motion Sensor
* Power Source = PoE: 48V, IEEEE 802.3af-compliant Power over Ethernet
* Power Consumption = PoE: 4.4W (view only) / 7.9W (pan-scan)
* Dimensions = 6" (H) x 4 9/16" (W) x 6" (D)
Since this camera has a built-in motion sensor, you can adjust the trigger threshold and sensitivity settings on a PC, and the camera will then automatically capture and record images when motion is detected. The images can be stored in the camera's memory buffer, to a user installed SD or SDHC card, or they can be sent to you via e-mail or FTP transfer. This makes the BB-HCM527A network camera a great device for a business environment or for a vacation home, for motion detection security. And speaking of security, the BB-HCM527A can also be connected to most home or business security systems, so that the camera will automatically start recording when an alarm is triggered by the security system. Unfortunately the camera lens will not automatically pan or tilt to the area where the motion was detected. Therefore you will want to position the lens in the direction of the area you wish to be monitored in your absence. The camera also has a timer record feature, which allows you to setup days of the week and times at which you wish to have the camera record. Both video and audio can be captured during a motion triggered or timed event. Reading the saved data from the built-in memory buffer or from an installed SD card is very easy, using any web browser. You can also use 3rd party software, installed on any PC on your home or business network, to record full-time or triggered event streaming video and audio. Panasonic gives you a demo version of their own recording utility called Network Camera Recorder with Viewer Software. However, purchasing the fully licensed version of this software will set you back a few hundred dollars, and it is pretty basic software for such a hefty price tag.
Connecting this camera to my network wasn't overly challenging; but I have worked in the I.T. support field for over 20 years. Still, hooking this model camera up to your personal home or small business network really shouldn't prove to be very difficult for most people. The camera will acquire an IP address from your DHCP...Read more›
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Panasonic BB-HCM527A PoE Ceiling Mount Dome Network Camera with Tilt Motion
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