Showing posts with label wireless camera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wireless camera. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

D-Link DCS-930L mydlink-Enabled Wireless N Network Camera Review

D-Link DCS-930L mydlink-Enabled Wireless N Network Camera
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I purchased this camera to use as a cheep wireless IP webcam. It offers the ability to hook into your network either with the wireless WSP functionality or with an ethernet connection. It is fairly small with the camera being about the size of an iphone (maybe about 80% that size). The base allows for you to mount it in multiple settings, but be clear, this is a very simple design...not rocket science by any means. The ac power cord is about 4 feet long.
Setup: I ran into an issue when I was trying to set up the wireless connection. I could not get my camera and wireless router to talk at all. I called tech support (the free version) and they were useless. The rep had no clue about the specific devise and it is clear that he was just in a large call center that probably supports dozens if not hundreds of products. I had NO problem when I hooked it into my network via an ethernet cable. The set up application runs very nicely and easily gives you the option to select either wireless or wired set up as needed.
Back to my wireless problem. I decided that I would pay $32 for D-Links premium support for 30 minutes of help...I rolled the dice, as they do not guarantee they will fix your problem for your investment, but I had a feeling my issue was something simple with my network configuration...and I was right. The rep was great, she remoted into my pc, checked out my wireless settings on my router and determined that I had a bad character in my site name. None of my other wireless products had a problem with the character, but the D-Link cam did not like it. She changed the name of my wireless network, we restarted the router,and instantly the camera linked in wirelessly.
I am absolutely convinced that if I had not had a dash in my wireless network name, then this wireless set up would have been a breeze. So, I can't place blame for this issue on D-Link, but it was interesting that no other wireless device I use had a problem with the naming convention of the network.
Once that hurdle was cleared, it has been smooth sailing. I really like the ease of use and the functionality included with the set up...through a web interface, you can control video size, audio (yes it has a mic and sends the audio over IP in realtime), you can set motion detection, auto emailing on detection, and it even has a built in ftp server to send the images where ever you like.
Simple camera that does exactly what it says...it provides decent video and audio wirelessly to your network and then you can do with it what you want.
Pros: Simple, straight forward, nice setup application used on your pc, D-Link offers free remote viewing via their web portal MyD-link, and they also offer a free iPhone app (no audio on the iPhone app).
Cons: Seems somewhat fragile...I would not want to drop it form more than a foot off the ground. A fall from any higher seems would shatter it.
Overall I think this is a really good value.


Click Here to see more reviews about: D-Link DCS-930L mydlink-Enabled Wireless N Network Camera


Stay connected to everything that you love 24/7 with the D-Link DCS-930L Wireless-N network camera, which is compatible with the mydlink portal (mydlink.com)--allowing you to easily and securely view and manage the camera from virtually anywhere over the Internet. With its small size and easy installation, the DCS-930L is a discreet and flexible way to check on your home, children, or pets in real time--even on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
The DCS-930L is ready to be viewed over the Internet in just three simple steps(see larger image).

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Friday, June 8, 2012

D-Link DCS-1130 mydlink enabled Wireless N Fixed IP Network Camera with Built-In Microphone Review

D-Link DCS-1130 mydlink enabled Wireless N Fixed IP Network Camera with Built-In Microphone
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this camera along with the Panasonic wireless to test out.
I was able to set up the dlink wireless camera in just a few minutes and view on the internet. (Panasonic took a lot longer but instructions on the review were great help!)
At first I thought this camera was horrible because the picture was so blurry.
I figured out that I had to turn the front lens to get it clear and was impressed with the picture. :)
I have not had to mess with it since then and the camera works well.
I have motion detection setup and every time someone comes up to my front door or walks in my front yard I receive a picture in my email. I think it is very cool and the picture is pretty nice.
One thing you cannot do with this camera that you can do with the Panasonic is control movement from the internet but I am ok with that. Also, I sometimes try to connect to my camera via mydlink and the connection is broken.
I haven't had time to figure that out yet but I suspect it has something to do with comcast.
I do still receive the motion detection emails even when I cannot connect to the camera over the internet from work so I know its setup issue.
Sound is also quite clear!
I do not think it is fair for the other reviewer to give this 1 star because it doesn't work on their iphone so I am giving it 5 stars :D
I can understand the frustration they may have. Maybe you can ask dlink support for assistance?
P.S. dlink support was supportive when I had a question about ports to set up with motion detection.
They did only have to direct me to comcast support which took multiple calls and finally on third call I got a port that worked and emails from motion detection are now sent out using comcast email.
Port is 587 for comcast smtp setup.
All in all it is a pretty decent camera.

Click Here to see more reviews about: D-Link DCS-1130 mydlink enabled Wireless N Fixed IP Network Camera with Built-In Microphone

D-Link DCS-1130 Mydlink-enabled Wireless N Fixed IP Network Camera with Built-in Microphone

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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Foscam FI8905W Outdoor Wireless/Wired IP Camera 12 mm Lens (22° to 40° Viewing Angle) - Silver Review

Foscam FI8905W Outdoor Wireless/Wired IP Camera 12 mm Lens (22° to 40° Viewing Angle) - Silver
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I'll preface my review by saying that I am an advanced computer user and have a pretty good understanding of networking, modem tweaking, etc. That said, it took me nearly 6 hours to get this camera set up! There are plenty of searchable forums for helping you get it set up but it will take time! Lots of time.
The directions are very difficult to understand and written in very poor English. Don't bother with tech-support because, as their website says; "Foscam.us does not provide support or warranties on behalf of ANY Amazon, Ebay, or other resellers, whatsoever". To get Foscam's help, you MUST purchase ONLY directly from Foscam. That's an odd stance for a legitimate company to take, especially when I assume that Amazon is not selling a knock-off Foscam product. But I digress . . .
The camera itself seems to be of decent quality. I did have a problem with blurry images after it was all up and running but then found out that you can focus the lens by unscrewing the face of the camera and twisting the lens until the picture comes into focus.
The only other issue is the brightness/contrast controls. You can set them up so the picture looks perfect in the daytime but then dawn, dusk, and dark pictures all suffer in image clarity and quality. I haven't found a happy medium yet for those settings. The pictures are acceptable, but not great.
The email alerts are awesome! Anytime the camera senses motion, it captures 6 images and uploads them to your email. I set mine up so that I receive the email immediately on my smartphone and I can see what's going on. If I want to watch the live action, I just open the ip-camera app and I can see the live feed from my camera. Can't get much better than that!
Overall, for a 100-bucks, you're not going to find anything comparable. This is a fair camera for non-critical outdoor surveillance. I'm happy with my purchase, despite having to spend quite a bit of time getting it set up.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Foscam FI8905W Outdoor Wireless/Wired IP Camera 12 mm Lens (22° to 40° Viewing Angle) - Silver

The Foscam FI8905 is a wireless or wired IP camera solution for outdoor use. It combines a high quality digital video camera with network connectivity and a powerful web server to bring clear video to your desktop or smartphone from anywhere on your local network or over the Internet. The high quality video image is transmitted with 30fps speed on the LAN/WAN by using MJPEG hardware compression technology. The image resultion is 640 x 480 (300k Pixels). The Foscam FI8905 camera is based on the TCP/IP standard. The control, management and maintenance of the camera is done simply by using your browser to remotely configure and upgrade the firmware. The Foscam FI8905W IP camera can reach up to 30 meters of visibility in absolute darkness with 60 infrared LED's.

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Click here for more information about Foscam FI8905W Outdoor Wireless/Wired IP Camera 12 mm Lens (22° to 40° Viewing Angle) - Silver

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Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Panasonic Wireless 802.11 b/g Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C30A) Review

Panasonic Wireless 802.11 b/g Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C30A)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The Panasonic BL-C30A is a wireless camera with embedded web server. It can be connected to your home network through an ethernet cable or wirelessly (the initial setup has to be performed through the ethernet connection). Once you've properly configured it for wireless mode, you don't need a computer: just plug the power adapter into an outlet and place the camera wherever you want (within the range of your wireless network).
Anyone can connect and view/control the camera remotely. If you have a broadband connection and know how to configure your router to open a port and assign it to the camera's IP address, you can see your webcam from anywhere in the world. Very handy to keep an eye on your office or empty apartment while you're away.
The embedded web server supports access restrictions through passwords of course; and users can pan/tilt the camera lens -- the only drawback is that Internet Explorer is required to use the camera (the display and controls are handled through an ActiveX control, which basically means that only Windows PCs with IE will be able to use access it).
Image quality is pretty good: you have a choice of straming video at 320x240 or 640x480 (at a reduced frame rate) and you can control brightness and video quality from remote. Users can also take 'snapshots' (i.e. save individual images).

I have another wireless webcam (a Linksys WVC11B) and the Panasonic's image quality and features are definitely superior (on the other hand the Linksys is also $100 cheaper).
The camera also offers additional advanced features like heat detection (which can turn the camera on automatically and send an email alert if someone, or something, warm gets within the sensor's range) and scripting. I've never used this, but I suppose it can be useful if you plan to set up the camera as part of a rudimentary security/surveillance system. Some cameras offer motion detection, but it can be triggered by changes in light -- heat detection seems to make more sense.
Main caveat: configuration can be tough, especially if you're a newbie. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable and it still took me a while to get it work with my wireless network until I figured out that I had to set the WEP encryption mode to 'open key' on my wireless access point (shared key mode is not supported, though this fact is buried in the documentation).
Overall, I recommend the BL-C30A but I wish Panasonic provided a way for non-IE users to access the camera (and the configuration software could also be vastly improved).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Wireless 802.11 b/g Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C30A)

Wireless Network Camera 802.11g, Automatic Network Configuration, Universal Plug and Play, Set-up Wizard, Remote Pan/Tilt Control, Built in PIR motion detector

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Thursday, April 26, 2012

Linksys Compact Wireless-G Internet Video Camera Review

Linksys Compact Wireless-G Internet Video Camera
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The image quality of this camera isn't great, and as the other reviewer states, it needs lots of light. The resolution of the video is fairly poor, comparable to a very cheap 4-year-old webcam. If you need to see detail in the image (e.g. for certain security-camera purposes), then it will not work.
Another thing to note is that this camera is much bigger than it looks--it is about the size of your hand. I was hoping to squeeze it into a tight space, but the camera's size took me by surprise. It will be difficult to hide this camera if you are hoping to use it for hidden security purposes.
In sum, if you need a cheap camera that can sit out in the open and take low-detail video of a well-lit room, then this is your product. Otherwise, you should look for more professional (or wired) cameras.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Linksys Compact Wireless-G Internet Video Camera

The Linksys Compact Wireless-G Internet Video Camera sends live video through the Internet to a web browser anywhere in the world! This compact, self-contained unit lets you keep track of your home, your kids, your workplace -- whatever's important to you. Unlike standard "web cams" that require an attached PC, the Internet Video Camera contains its own web server, so it can connect directly to a network, either over Wireless-G (802.11g) networking, or over 10/100 Ethernet cable. The advanced MPEG-4 video compression produces a high-quality, high-frame rate, up to 320x240 video stream. The Compact Internet Video Camera's unique form-factor and wireless connectivity allows you to mount it on a wall nearly anywhere, or slip it into its included stand for desktop use. Once it's connected to your home network, you can "see what it sees" from any Windows-based PC in the house, while the video stream is secured from the outside world, hidden behind your Router. If you want the video to be visible from outside your home network, you can open an appropriate port on the Router, and then create password protected accounts to manage access to the camera, or leave it wide open for the world to see. The SoloLink domain service (trial sign-up included) lets you access your camera using an easy-to-remember "name", even if your home Internet connection uses a dynamic IP address.

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Saturday, February 18, 2012

Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan & Tilt IP Camera with 8 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens (67° Viewing Angle) - White NEWEST MODEL (replaces the FI8908W) Review

Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan and Tilt IP Camera with 8 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens (67° Viewing Angle) - White NEWEST MODEL (replaces the FI8908W)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Where to start...
Well I'll open with.. I'm IMPRESSED! I opted to get the white version of the FI8918W just because it was cheaper than the black version and was identical other than the color. I was first concerned because I got two camera's and the first one was "loose" it seemed (camera from the base). The second seems to be identical so this must just be the way these camera's are. I hooked this up directly to my router as per the instructions and tried to determine a standard ip address without having to use the included software. I wasn't able to so then used the mini-disc on my windows 7 PC. The computer prompted for reboot which I did before I noticed the icon on the desktop. When it rebooted I double clicked the icon and after a brief moment it displayed the ip address of the camera. Note: I'm also using zone alarm and it requested access to 255.255.255.255:10000, which I allowed and it displayed the camera.
When I double clicked the ip address displayed in the software window I was taken to ie which then I put in the user id: admin and for the PW. I don't know if I'm just lucky because I've had so many lessons with my other IP cameras, but this one was very easy (outside trying to figure out why the wireless config wasn't working as expected). One of the other things I was really impressed with was the ease of setting up the wireless. I "scanned" for wireless sources, found mine, clicked it and nearly all the fields were prefilled. I only had to input my security key. Now... The issue I had. I'm currently running 4 different cameras, x2 different Linksys camera's and a trendnet. Those all when setup kept their ip address. This Foscam uses a different one. So after you have it setup I'd recommend re-running their ip software and finding the new ip address after you have removed the cat5 cable. This took me about an hour to figure out.My camera background:
I started out with x2 Linksys wvc54gca. These were my basis for learning about the IP camera's, the router work required to open the ports and more especially multiple camera's on the same router and how to accomplish that. After moving from the lower 48 to Alaska, we wanted a pan tilt zoom (PTZ) camera and opted for the Linksys WVC210. This camera is a very nice unit, but after getting the new Foscam night PTZ camera, I feel like I wasted a significant amount of money on this one unit, when I believe the Foscam FI8918W is easily a better buy. We also have the Trendnet tv-ip422w and compared to this new Foscam camera, the video is absolutely SUBPAR to the Foscam.
While this is a review about the Foscam FI8918W I want the readers to know and appreciate what this camera does. The Linksys WVC54GCA works perfectly in IE and Firefox (Safari as well). The WVC210 will NOT, repeat NOT work with IE. There is an active X that is required and Cisco must have an issue with Microsoft or something because I cannot force my computer to accept the active X. You can ONLY view this in Fire Fox (FF) or Safari (if I remember correctly), but FF is what we use to view it. These Foscam's work in: IE8, FF and FF on Mac OS-X (Snow Leopard). I haven't tried Safari, but our needs were met in that realm.
Mobile browsing: Both of the Linksys cam's were visible on our iPhone/iTouch. We have now ditched the iPhone (junk) and went with the Samsung captivate (android) and had the same experience. The Trendnet and Foscam units were not viewable on either of our phones. This was an initial HUGE issue, but I've found that on both the itunes and android app store there is an app (android has a free version, apple doesn't) called "IP Cam Viewer" by Robert Chou (android lite version works for free and has a banner at the top). If you use this program use "Add IP" in the settings to add your DNS address you established and go from there. This app also allows "swipe to pan" option.. NICE!!
In setting up, I mentioned that I have multiple camera's. I've resorted to using multiple different port's such as: myipcam,dot,com:1111 and the next is: myipcam,dot,com:1112, and: myipcam,dot,com:1113, etc. You will establish this in your individual camera settings and your router config.Over all.
I know my setup was based on historical config's I've done with other camera's so I was aware of some of the pitfalls. But I believe these cameras were the easiest to setup. The camera's software/firmware is a little "hokey" and could be improved I believe, but It has everything it needs to have (that I could determine) so I can't fault the firmware (admin) settings/options about that. The actual web GUI (interface) was pretty nice, especially compared to the other camera's I have. I didn't try the multiple setup and accessing them through the internet because one of the two cameras we received will be kept a little more "private" and may have access to part of our bedroom from its location.
The camera is very quiet. I found myself enjoying that with the movement options you can hold down the arrow (on the screen) and the camera will move until you unclick it.

The status LED, which can be turned off, is located on the back. I appreciate that as well.
The only thing I found a little annoying was the IR bulbs are a little too visible. We have one of these in the kids' bedroom and the red glow (obvious) always attracts attention. This is visible even when the IR is turned "off" in the settings.
The package included everything I believe a normal user would require/desire. Camera, base (movable/adjustable which is a nice touch), antenna, screws and anchor, cat5 cable and the power cord.
On the audio, I didn't try/use the included option. I'm sorry that a review of that feature cannot be included. With the amount of camera's we are running we can't support the additional bandwith requirements.
The only problem I experienced was the wireless being a different IP address vs. the wired IP address. I've never experienced this before, but was a simple fix by using the supplied software.In closing:
I wish I could provide a link so others could see how impressive these CAM's are. But I won't ;) Had I known how great a value these cameras would be I would have purchased at least a couple more, with the possibility of enough to replace / supplement all of our Linksys/Trendnet cam's. I'm leaving for a yearlong military deployment in 10 days so the ease in setup/config was a HUGE help and success on the part of this company. At this point I'd have no issue recommending these to anybody who is looking for an excellent camera. The day time image is excellent, the night vision (as with everything) is less grand, but the IR bulbs completely illuminate our 12x35' room with plenty of light to spare.These camera's are all usable on Win XP (laptop), Win Vista (laptop), Win 7 (PC) (Both with IE 8 and Fire Fox) and Mac OS-X (Snow Leopard) on a Macbook Pro and IMac , ipod Touch and Samsung Captivate (Android) WHEN using the app: ipcam viewer by Robert Chou (free on Android).
I really hope this review helps some other potential buyers as I had a ton of questions, to which few (if any) were answered by other reviews.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan & Tilt IP Camera with 8 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens (67° Viewing Angle) - White NEWEST MODEL (replaces the FI8908W)

Replacing the Foscam FI8908W, the FI8918W is this latest camera from Foscam. The FI8918W is a wireless or wired, pan/tilt IP camera solution for indoor use. It combines a high quality digital video camera, remote pan/tilt ability with network connectivity and a powerful web server to bring clear video to your desktop or smartphone from anywhere on your local network or over the Internet. The high quality video image is transmitted with 30fps speed on the LAN/WAN by using MJPEG hardware compression technology. The image resultion is 640 x 480 (300k Pixels). The Foscam FI8918W camera is based on the TCP/IP standard. The control, management and maintenance of the camera is done simply by using your browser to remotely configure and upgrade the firmware. The Foscam FI8918W IP camera can reach up to 8 meters of visibility in absolute darkness with 11 infrared LED's.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan & Tilt IP Camera with 8 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens (67° Viewing Angle) - White NEWEST MODEL (replaces the FI8908W)

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Imogen Studio Kerby Wireless Network Camera w/ iPhone, Android, and Facebook App Review

Imogen Studio Kerby Wireless Network Camera w/ iPhone, Android, and Facebook App
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this wireless network camera so that I could keep an eye on my new four month old baby miniature mule. We had put her out in the pasture with our horses, and I just needed to be sure that they were not hurting her or running her around. They all get along just fine and now it's just fun to watch all of them romping and playing together. I would recommend this camera to anyone who has a need for surveillance.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Imogen Studio Kerby Wireless Network Camera w/ iPhone, Android, and Facebook App

The Kerby is an innovative smart network camera that connects directly to your home wireless router and delivers high quality real-time video to you anywhere through the internet.
The Kerby is designed from the ground up for consumers and is superior to other network cameras in the following ways:
1. No Geeks Required - Easy setup with Smart Configurator and "Zero-Router Configuration" technology. Anyone who knows how to connect their computer to a wireless network can easily set up the Kerby in minutes. With Seedonk, you don't need to know IP Addresses or any other technical jargon, simply log in to view, manage, and share your camera.
2. Safe and Secure - What most network camera makers don't tell you is that anyone can access your camera from the internet! Your camera is outside your home firewall and publicly available 24/7 to any hacker in the world! Kerby is much, much more secure. It sits protected behind your home firewall (like the rest of your computers) only for you to access. Furthermore, when you are viewing the Kerby over the internet, the video streams are encrypted with the same level of protection used in online banking.
3. Native iPhone & Android Support - View on the go with Seedonk's iPhone and Android Apps.
4. Anywhere Management - View, share, and manage Kerby from anywhere online with the Seedonk? Messenger
5. Share the Love - Easily share the Kerby with loved ones through the Seedonk Facebook App. All your friends need is a browser and a Facebook account to view your camera.
6. View from Any Computer - View streaming video from your Kerby on any Adobe Flash enabled web browser.
7. Night Vision - Infrared lights allow for viewing in complete darkness.
8. Surveillance Software - The included Windows-based software turns your Kerby into a security camera with professional features like motion triggered recording, email notifications,and remote file uploading. Plus it can support up to 64 Kerby cameras!

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Click here for more information about Imogen Studio Kerby Wireless Network Camera w/ iPhone, Android, and Facebook App

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Friday, February 3, 2012

Eye-Fi Pro X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC Review

Eye-Fi Pro X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First off, there are several different Eye-Fi models so I suggest you get the one with the features you need. The "X2" models now have the Class 6 rating which is great news for fast D-SLR's with high megapixels (18+, etc) or taking 1080p HD video to ensure the data transfer rate can keep up with the recording.
The X2 adds the Class 6 rating, 802.11 b/g/n capability and endless memory. All of which were major concerns with the older models when using them in modern D-SLRs.
I chose this one because the X2 Pro offers RAW image transfers and Ad hoc mode. If you do not take pictures in RAW format and/or do not care to transfer directly from Camera to Laptop via WiFi, then get the X2 Explore for $50 cheaper.
Setup is a breeze. When you first put the card into the computer, it will ask if you want to install the software. You can use the web based settings manager if you do not want to install any software. I chose to install the Eye-Fi Manager software. Very functional.
The first thing it will ask you to do is to select a network to connect to. I chose mine at home and configured the WPA2 security in seconds.... it connected and asked me to put the card into my camera and take a test picture.
I did so and withing seconds, my T2i's display showed that the eye-fi was connected and transferring data. The computer software system tray icon lit up and confirmed this too.
I took an 18mp picture for the test which turned out to be about 22mb RAW and 7mb jpeg. It finished the transfer quickly.
There are many custom features you can set to tell it what to do with the pictures. I have mine set to transfer to my HDD and MobileMe account. There are about 25 online services you can automatically upload to.
I do like the fact that you can set it to upload to a "private" album so it is not automatically "shared".
You can add multiple cards to one account and manage them all through the software. I currently have 3 Eye-Fi cards (2 x 8GB X2 Pro for my D-SLR and 1 x 8GB X2 Explore for my point and shoot).
You can configure each card separately to deliver the pictures where you would like them.
I recommend this card.
UPDATE: I have been using this card all day today and through several battery cycles. There is a significant drop in battery life while using this card, which is understandable because it is transmitting via WiFi.
I am using the Canon T2i and the camera has an Eye-Fi menu within which I can disable the WiFi. The battery does last longer when I shut off the Eye-Fi card (WiFi). So something to think about, maybe get a spare battery or get a camera with Eye-Fi menu support.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Eye-Fi Pro X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC

The 8GB Eye-Fi Pro X2 offers class 6 read and write speeds enhanced by wireless capabilities. Wirelessly upload photos (JPEG, RAW) and videos directly to your computer and favorite sharing site. Transfer via router or ad hoc, plus get auto geotagging and hotspot access. Get the 8GB Eye-Fi Pro X2 SDHC memory card.

Buy NowGet 26% OFF

Click here for more information about Eye-Fi Pro X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC

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Friday, January 20, 2012

D-Link Wireless Internet Camera, Home Security, 802.11b, 11Mbps Review

D-Link Wireless Internet Camera, Home Security, 802.11b, 11Mbps
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I just bought this product and it's all what I expected. I just followed the quick installation guide, plugged in ethernet cable and the power, set the ip as recommended 192.168.0.20 on the camera and my wireless Netgear router and it works. I can view the camera immediately. But when I unplug the ethernet and into wireless mode, it didn't work. I ended up calling tech support and got a live support person in less than 5 minutes, he suggested I reboot(power down and up) my camera and router. The wireless mode now working.
I tried to set the camera up behind the router according to the instruction on the manual from the CD provided, it didn't work. After playing around for 3 hours, I finally figured out that the default port 80 and 8481 don't work, you have to open up the second port 81 and 8482. I IPView software provided in the CD does not have motion sensor, you can download the latest version of IPView with motion sensor for the DLINK website, and it works very well. It can detect a slightest movement.
PROS: price, good picture(can adjust brightness), motion sensor software(download latest IPView).
CONS: no audio, can not pan view(must manually pan camera), no email picture option.

Click Here to see more reviews about: D-Link Wireless Internet Camera, Home Security, 802.11b, 11Mbps

D-Link Wireless Internet Camera, Home Security, 802.11b, 11Mbps

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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Airlink101 AICN500W SkyIPCam500W Wireless Night Vision Network Camera Review

Airlink101 AICN500W SkyIPCam500W Wireless Night Vision Network Camera
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Bought this camera few days ago (Because of Night vision feature). But disappointed now!! Setup/Software is very buggy. Very flaky DHCP client. I have setup DHCP(which is not a default factory settings), everything seemed fine, then power cycle or you change any settings that caused reboot cycle and it won't pickup the IP address from DHCP next time, rather use default static IP. So I end up changing default static IP as well. That worked little better, but it will still loose network connection and need to power cycle time to time. Tried both wireless and wired connections. So obviously when you are away from the site, this just stopped working and you get no real value from this product.
I have another product from Airlink IPCam250W (w/o night vision), and that works much more reliably. Once setup I never had to touch it, working with DHCP, wireless no problem.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Airlink101 AICN500W SkyIPCam500W Wireless Night Vision Network Camera

Airlink101 AICN500W SkyIPCam500W Wireless Night Vision Network Camera

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

D-Link 10/100 Fast Ethernet Internet Camera Review

D-Link  10/100 Fast Ethernet Internet Camera
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought DCS910 in Nov.2008 and DCS920 one month later. I am quite satisfied with both of them and I did not meet any problem till now, or say I could solve the problems that I have found.
The network attached camera supports up to 640x480 in resolution. It is higher then lots of other network attached camera which has only 320x240. So the image quality is quite good. It has good vision in dim light. you could see image or video on your web browser. It supports both MS ActiveX and Sun Java for live video monitoring but it does NOT support sound :(
You may need to install ActiveX control plug-in and Sun Java plug-in for your browser to support live video.
The supplied DViewCam software also supports monitoring up to 32 cameras and you could record videos into computer hard disk. I have not used video record feture till now because it requires turning on computer and consumes too much router/switch band width. I think check from web from time to time is good enough for my needs.
It support user account management, NTP time sync, DDNS name service, FTP and email deliver of photos at the frequency you defined.
The device does not support SSL protocol, so your password could not be encrypted for delivery. So you could not use https or ftps for secured communication. But this is understandable because encryption cost too much resources for the embeded system. You could not expect too much from tiny embeded device. Anyway, normal web access and FTP upload are good enough if you do not have too much security concern.
It is quite simple to access the device from within the internal/home network because you PC and the camera are in the same network segment. But if you want to access the device from external/Internet, there are some other things to take care. You need to have some basic networking concept for the setup.
I have seen one user complain the tech support and blame the device to be not usable. I could understand the mensioned situation. It is not the user's fault nor the product's fault. Tech support is not wrong on what they said but they should explain clearly on the technical background and guide the user for a smooth set up. User is not network expert so it will be a little difficult for them to understand and follow the network rules.
Normally, ISP will only give one dynamic IP address to a user. The IP address will change when you turn on the router or after a certain period of time. So you need to keep track to your current IP address on the WAN port of your router. This is usually done by register a DDNS service(free or paid service). Most router support DDNS auto update service and this camera also supports it but you need to set it up in your device. All the devices in your home network will share this single IP address. Network applications will monitor communication port for TCP/IP communication. Different devices in your network have different unique IP address. The IP address for a specific device is unique in the network. So if you want to access your camera through the internet in a remote location, you need to have DDNS service set; set up a internal static IP address to your camera; setup your router port forward to your camera IP address. For example, use http://dcs910.mydomainname.com:9011/ to access your camera, you need to buy(or register a free child domain name from some website) your domain name 'mydomainname.com'; register your domain name to a DDNS server(paid or free service); setup your router to auto update DDNS for your current IP address; set router to forward 9011 port request to the 80 port of the static internal IP address that you have assigned to your camera(such as 192.168.0.3 depends on the settings on your router and camera). You may need an experienced friend to help you for the setting.
Even if you have set everything correctly, it not necessarily means you could watch live video in your office. You should be able to access static current image from web browser in your office but live video is another story. Normally office network is protected by firewall on gateway. Most office firewall uses proxy and only open ports for web requests and some predefined application ports and bann all other communications. The ActiveX and Java live video of this device may need dedicated port connection to open communication session but this will not be allowed by default on the proxy. So unless you know your network administrator and could ask them open the port for you, you will not able to access live video in office. This is not the problem of the device, it is the rule of the network security. But anyway, you could see still image of your home which is good enough.
I have used my DCS910 and DCS920 for 3 months and I am quite satisfied with the device. I would like to highly recommand this device to you for its clear image, easy setup(if you understand networking in and out), and resonable price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: D-Link 10/100 Fast Ethernet Internet Camera

The D-Link 10/100 Fast Ethernet Internet Camera (DCS-910) connects to a wired network to provide remote high-quality video recording. With its compact and sleek design, the DCS-910 is a low-cost Internet camera ideal for your home or small business. The DCS-910 connects quickly and easily to your existing 10/100 Fast Ethernet network, allowing you to steam high-quality MJPEG to your computer.

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Monday, September 5, 2011

Avaak Vue Personal Video Network Review

Avaak Vue Personal Video Network
Average Reviews:

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I've been using the Vue system for several months (part of their beta test program). If you understand the intended purpose and application for this product I think you'll be happy with it. The cameras are completely wireless - no network or power, plus they are extremely small and unobtrusive. This allows you place them almost anywhere. Because they are wireless, the product isn't designed for constant recording (battery life). The Vue system is intended to provide you with the ability to remotely check in and view your home for a few minutes at a time. While not perfect, it does this job very well.
I use this to check on my lake house when I'm not there. I have one cam pointed out a window looking out over the dock and another at the main living area. I always wonder if a storm or high wind has created any problem with the boat - so this allows me to check in, take a peek and put my mind at rest. Plus I can see if the lawn guy cut the grass or not. And when I'm at work and wish I was at the lake, I can get a quick fix ;)
Pros: extremely simple setup. Wonderful design for the cams - no wires and extremely compact. Easy to login online and view images from cameras live.
Cons: website is a bit flaky and controls are somewhat strange (but I expect that will improve over time). Image quality is adequate.
Bottom line: If you want high quality streaming video 24x7, this is not the product. If you want an easy to install, easy to use camera system to check in remotely periodically for a live view this fits the bill.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Avaak Vue Personal Video Network

Remote video viewing. Unplugged. Create your own personal video network and view your life from anywhere. Vue is incredibly simple to set-up with no camera wires or power cords to install, and no software to load. Unique patented mounts let you position and place cameras in minutes. Your personal video network can be viewed from anywhere at anytime. Simply access cameras to view live video from any browser or flash-enabled mobile device on your personal, secure page at my.VueZone.com. Live streaming video, recorded video or snapshots are easily and securely shared across the web with family and friends. Vue Personal Video Network – See what you’re missing.

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Friday, August 19, 2011

Panasonic Wireless Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C20A) Review

Panasonic Wireless Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C20A)
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Compact, very easy to set up and the image is sharp and clear. Free DDNS service makes this the best buy. I have another camera, Linksys, and I had to pay for this service. I defitely will drop it when it comes up for renewal. No more Linksys camera for me!
After a few days of use..I still love it! I just found out that I can access the camera with my Mac via Firefox browser. This alone beats all other cameras in the market! Set up the motion detector to email pictures is a breeze. You can also set the camera to periodically send a picture, motion or not. The only thing that you could say it is less than the Linksys is it could not send a video. Linksys video only lasts 30 seconds anyway. Highly recommended.
8/21/08: I have 2 of these cameras and the first one (3 yrs old) just failed. It is just not powered up doesn't matter how many times I tried. I guess it is expected. It has been reliably in service for 3 yrs. I will buy it again, when Amazon has a good deal.
The camera's software works flawlessly in Mac OS. I regularly access my camera via Safari web browser. This alone beats most other camera out there. You can get to it from either Windows or Mac. I set it up to email the jpeg to my Blackberry and view the picture there. Could not figure out how to do this on an iPod though.
3/20/09: When the 2nd camera failed, I thought the power supply was the culprit. I bought a $15 power supply from W**T and guess what? It works again. So I now both of my cameras work again! If your camera failed, likely it is the power supply!
Also, I can access my cameras from my iPod touch (live) using the supplied Safari browser when I have a wifi connection. COOL!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Wireless Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C20A)

Wireless Network Camera Automatic Network Configuration, Universal Plug and Play, Set-up Wizard, Remote Pan/Tilt Control, Built in PIR motion detector

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Sunday, July 31, 2011

TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP110W (Silver) Review

TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP110W (Silver)
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I bought this on a Gold Box deal and am very glad I did. First, the image quality is superb. TRENDnet supplies software to assist in setting up the camera but people with a bit of technical experience can go straight to the web interface and set things up there and there are some great features that allow you to set this camera up pretty much however you want.
All of the camera settings are configurable - brightness, contrast, saturation, frame rate, resolution, and even settings to synchronize with 50 or 60 Hz lighting or outdoors. It also supports WPA2 encryption and three levels of password-protected access. You can have it grab images based on movement (requires accessing the camera with Internet Explorer to configure that for some reason) or on a time schedule, and either have it e-mail the images or ftp them somewhere. And it supports dynamic domain name configuration so you can access the camera even if your IP address changes.
It also supports time and date stamping the images - pretty much a necessity - but it also supports accessing an NTP server to make sure the onboard clock is accurate.
And once you get the camera all set up the way you want it, you can save out the configuration file to make it a snap to reconfigure it in case you ever do a hard reset that restores all the defaults.
Not that it will matter to most, but this camera server is actually a full ARM-based computer running Linux. If you go to the TRENDnet website, besides getting the latest firmware, you can also get the source code for the camera OS for those that want to tinker.
The final issue is just the value. You are getting a video camera and a web-serving computer with both wired and wireless interfaces for this price. I'm glad I got mine and am using it to monitor my front porch for visitors and also as a way to monitor the weather at home. With multiple cameras, it's easy to monitor all sorts of things if someone wants to.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP110W (Silver)

The Wireless Internet Camera Server (TV-IP110W) transmits real-time high quality video over the Internet. View your camera from any Internet connection. Complimentary SecurView camera management software provides advanced monitoring of up to 16 cameras to protect what you value most. This stylish and compact Internet camera provides crystal clear MJPEG video streams. Mount the wireless camera on most surfaces with an included mounting kit. Intuitive software features motion detection recording, email alerts (Does not support SSL, 32-bit only, monitoring multiple cameras will require a high performance CPU and graphics card), and scheduled recordings. The camera\'s brilliant image quality, intuitive setup and complimentary software make it ideal for your home or office. SecurView cameras are not compatible with TRENDnet\'s IPView Pro camera application for ProView cameras.

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Click here for more information about TRENDnet SecurView Wireless Internet Surveillance Camera TV-IP110W (Silver)

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Monday, July 4, 2011

Cisco-Linksys Wireless-N Internet Home Monitoring Camera Review

Cisco-Linksys Wireless-N Internet Home Monitoring Camera
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Here's the scoop: I was rather concerned about reading the wide range of ratings on this camera, seeing that there were some one star reviews coming in, so I was fully ready to return this puppy if it didn't live up to my pretty high standards.
That said, here is my experience:
I have a Linksys Dual Band Wireless N Router running in a single level ranch about 50 yards from some pretty serious power lines. On the network is a Power Mac connected via ethernet cable, and 3 laptops (a PC, an older Macbook, and a newer Macbook Pro) via wireless. Off topic, I'm not impressed with the range on the Linksys Router, but it provides some pretty quick bandwidth in the home with two networks to connect into, so I live with it.
I unboxed the WVC80N, which came with an ethernet cable, a CD, and some instructions/manual. I followed the instructions to the letter, which instructed me to put the CD into a computer first. I put it in the Power Mac. The CD worked fine and opened up a set-up guide. The set-up guide told me what to do... it detected the wireless devices on the network, then told me to plug the ethernet cable into the camera... I clicked 'next', then into the router... 'next', then plug the power in on the camera... 'next', and turn it on... 'next'... it detected the camera via the ethernet cable with no issues, and continued to lead me through the set-up... I had to create user name and password for the camera, etc., then something awesome happened. I used to be pretty technical, but now don't like to mess with having to figure out how to make something work... I just like it to work. So to my pleasant surprise, when I clicked 'next' this time, ALL THE ADVANCED SETTINGS that allow the camera to be seen via the internet (through secure login and password) were done AUTOMATICALLY for me while I watched. No port mapping. No WPA set-up. No hassles! Awesome!
Then it led me to the TZO set-up (free for 90 days) for the service to be able to look at the camera from anywhere on the Internet any time you want. To explain the technical side of this to non tech folks: If you have a normal DSL or cable internet service, you get what's called a "dynamic IP address" assigned to you from your cable company. This IP address is a number that allows other computers to be able to find your computer whenever you ask to see something (like pulling down video from [...] or getting search results from google - it's a "send the video to this address" kind of thing). But a dynamic IP address can change every time the power goes out or your modem reboots. The internet provider just gives you another one from the ones they have laying around. So where your IP address at your house might have been 123.456.789.123 yesterday, it could be 123.456.789.456 today. So when you are out on the Internet looking to view your camera, you need to know what your IP address is for your house at that particular time. Enter TZO. TZO is an IP mapping service that has your camera send out a message to them saying "here I am". Then TZO writes down that IP address (automatically) for that day and gives you an address at their site to log into ([...]), which then forwards you to your house and your camera. The service costs $25 a year, or discounted for multiple years. NOTE: You don't have to have this service if you have a static IP address or can figure out your dynamic IP address without this service.
So I set up a TZO domain (and will probably pay the $25, because we got it to show the family what's going on in the nursery for a new baby... and it's a simple web address for the grandparents can bookmark. FYI, the camera allows you to set-up user accounts and passwords for different users.), and here's where another magical thing happened. I clicked on "show video"... and it just worked. FROM THE INTERNET ADDRESS... IT JUST WORKED. Amazing. So now I started to play with and test to see what the limitations of this device are:
First, we had two family members log on simultaneously to see frame rate response. It worked at almost 30fps for three simultaneous users at maximum resolution of 640x480. Cool. So let's play with the settings:
The camera is a smart device, and if you've ever seen your Router's set-up menus after logging into your wireless router... there's the same type of interface here inside the camera. You can change basic settings like dynamic or specific IP address, tell it whether or not to turn the power LED on/off on the front of the camera, etc.... you can change image settings, to large, med, or small resolution, set frame rate, etc... you can add or delete login accounts and passwords (add: grandma password: grandchild for grandma to use when she clicks on your camera's web address), and you can change the settings for automatic motion detection, automatic timed recording, etc. The camera will send you an email with still images or short 5 second video clips every time it detects a change in the camera's environment (if you want it to - fully customizable), and it works well if you set the outgoing SMTP server (google this).
My experience with network response in the home with the camera on:
I've seen the complaints about the camera interfering with throughput to other computers in the house, bogging down the network, etc. I tested this camera two ways: 1) I put everything on one side of the dual band router (simulating what it would be like for a normal wireless router), then 2) I put the camera on one side of the router, and everything else on the other. FYI, we cancelled cable/satellite as soon as Hulu started putting the good stuff online, and use that and podcasts as our sources of entertainment. As that [...] can be a bandwidth hog (streaming hi-res digital video usually is), I fired up hulu, set the camera to it's maximum resolution and frame rates, and did some tests.
First, if no one is looking at the camera, or it's not sending you an email telling you about motion, it doesn't affect bandwidth at all.
When looking at the camera feed, the camera's operation with nothing else going on within the network is great. 640x480 comes through mostly 30 fps at about 1/2 second lag or less. When you fire up hulu while the camera is running (on the same channel) is when you can start to see a difference. Both the camera and hulu suffered a bit. Where I usually don't have to wait for hulu to buffer, it stopped to buffer once while the camera was on the same side of the router, but mostly... it was still fine. The camera was running at about 10fps, and I was watching a hulu show. I was impressed. WARNING: When I turned on motion detection and walked into the room so I could force the camera to fire off a "motion detected" email... both hulu and the camera ground to a halt. I assume this is because the camera was creating media attachments and sending them off via email.
So then I put the camera on the other side of the router's dual band capability, giving it some bandwidth privacy. The camera worked great. Hulu worked great. I could even watch then simultaneously in two different windows. When hulu was showing a video, the frame rate on the camera drops a little (20fps?), and lag time increases to a second or so. But when you're not streaming digital video from the Internet or downloading some torrent, it's a top notch camera that works great. I would highly recommend the dual band router however if you want to have fewer bandwidth issues.
Image quality:
It's not HD, but it's not bad either. Digital artifacts are non-existent in proper lighting, and if any light is existent in the room at all (a night light), the low level light operation is exceptional. The camera WILL go dark if there is no light present. It is NOT an infrared camera, does not have IR lights, and did not pick up anything when I turned some IR lights on in the room. But crack the door with the hallway light on, and you can see. If you want to have the capability to check in on the cats during the day, or have the grandparents watch while you feed/change/play with the baby, this will be a great camera for that. Color is good. Clarity is good. I can even watch it on my iPhone. Having see what the rest of the market has to offer, and with as hit or miss as Linksys has become now-a-days, I gotta give this camera 4.5 stars.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cisco-Linksys Wireless-N Internet Home Monitoring Camera

Send live audio and video to a smartphone or web browser anywhere in the world! The Cisco-Linksys wireless-N internet home monitoring camera connects to your network wirelessly, and delivers a live audio/video stream to a smartphone or browser anywhere.Also captures video streams and sends email alerts with video clips upon motion detection.

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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Eye-Fi Share 2 GB Wi-Fi SD Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-2GB (OLD VERSION) Review

Eye-Fi Share 2 GB Wi-Fi SD Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-2GB (OLD VERSION)
Average Reviews:

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A few things to consider after getting the card:
1) Warm up time. If you haven't used the card for awhile or move to a different Access Point/Wireless router. It will sense it can't get a connection and goes through the access point list until it gets a connection if you have multiple WPA-TKIP entries it will add to this time. Hence the slowness of getting it started. Once it knows which AP to talk to. Uploads start within a few seconds after you take the picture.
2) As i tested it. It has the maximum security of WPA/2-TKIP. It can't do AES ecryption. They say WPA/2-PSK but don't mention at what level. It may frustrate some users trying to set it up. I spend 2 hours of pain until i reduced security on my wireless router.
3) The client is only required to setup the card. Afterwards the only reason why you need it is to recieve files onto a computer or setup more wireless access point.
4) Here's the big one. It always requires an internet connection. It always has to call home to the eye-fi service. Transfer to your computer is limited to you line's UPLOAD bandwidth. What it does is uploads your photos to the eye-fi service. The eye-fi service then sends it to your online service and then waits for contact from the eye-fi Client on your computer. Once the client connects it'll start downloading the image to the computer. So you can turn your computer off. Take a bunch of pictures. Turn your computer on and it'll start downloading all the pictures.
----------------
Almost 1 YEAR UPDATE
What can i say. The company is awesome. They've kept up with updates so early adopters can "upgrade" their cards to the newest features.
In fact all the new cards are the same card in reality just priced differently because of the features.
So with all the updates My old Problems #3 and #4 have been somewhat solved.
#3 - You still need to pre-configure the card. But now you can now pay $15 dollars a year for Hotspot access. So now you can go to a closed hotspot service and it'll connect. Check Eye-fi to see what hotspots you can use.
#4 - With the Eye-Fi Home edition they introduced the feature where it uploads to your computer first. And with the "Share"(original) and "explore"(geotag+hotspot 1 year subscribtion included) versions it'll upload to your internet spots afterwards. So now you can setup your computer and wireless router in a room. Take pictures and after a few seconds it'll show up on your computer. Also provided that you have the card setup with the access point and computer ahead of time. You can now shutoff the internet connection and it'll still work. Eg. Cheap man's wi-fi camera without internet connection. So if you bring a laptop and Wireless router (anything with DHCP enabled). You can shoot wirelessly directly to the laptop in the field even with zero internet connection. The coolest update.
You many have noticed there are various versions of the card. In reality ALL the cards are all the same. You can future upgrade even the most basic one. It'll end up costing nearly all the same. All it needs are firmware updates.
On another note. I never wrote about this but i was kinda mad that once you registered the card you couldn't tranfer the card to another address. I honestly thought i'd get rid of the card. But i didn't. Whats really nice. If you camera gets stolen and you have enough "open" access points pre-configured and maybe even the hotspot service. You might even catch the criminal like this lady did. http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Wi-Fi-Wireless-Memory-Card-helps-catch-thief
As they can't re-register the serial numbered card. And maybe you'll even get your pictures too.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Eye-Fi Share 2 GB Wi-Fi SD Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-2GB (OLD VERSION)

Manufacturer Product Description A Wireless Memory Card? Yes, there really is Wi-Fi inside that tiny little card. It's going to change the way you take, save and share photos.


It makes your camera a Wi-Fi camera. Upload and share your photos automatically. Photos shouldn't be trapped in your camera. Set them free effortlessly and wirelessly. The Eye-Fi Card is a wireless SD memory card for your digital camera. It stores pictures like a standard SD memory card, but also uses your home Wi-Fi network to automatically upload images from inside your camera to your PC or Mac and to your favorite photo or social networking website for sharing or printing. No cables, no cradles, no fuss.

Key Features

Unlimited WebShare ervice
Wireless Uploads to Computer
2 GB of storage

How it works



WebShare




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Friday, June 17, 2011

Panasonic BL-C230A Wireless Internet Security Camera Review

Panasonic BL-C230A Wireless Internet Security Camera
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I wanted a "nanny cam" to monitor a new nanny, but felt a little uncomfortable about having one of the hidden ones. I felt that having a visible camera known to the nanny was a more respectful approach, although I would need several of them to monitor multiple areas since the locations would be known (and could potentially be avoided).
The Panasonic BL-C230A seemed like a great choice as it is from a major international brand and the reviews of its other wired and wireless cameras indicated that they were well received.
PROS
1. It's cute - It could star as a character in a Japanese cartoon. The nanny cam is a cube about 3" x 3" x 3 1/4" (approximately) and actually looks cute with its single eye and single antenna that looks like an ear. It has a high quality look to it with its high gloss white finish and reminds me of a smaller version of an old Sony Dream Machine alarm clock. It actually looks like it belongs on a nightstand in the bedroom or in a kitchen. It does not look out of place in a home and does not have a "tech" feel to it. I think this is a major plus as I really don't want the nanny to feel like I'm trying to determine if she is a terrorist.
2. Uses Wi-Fi 802.11 b only, g only, b/g both
3. Free lifetime use of Panasonic's "dynamic DNS server" - (more on this later)
4. Easy setup (maybe) - Easy to use paper instructions limited to 3 sheets of paper (of which only 2 are necessary). Sheet 1 shows step-by-step instruction on how to plug the camera into your router with a cable (not supplied and necessary even for wireless in the setup phase) and to connect the power cable. Sheet 2 is the sheet on how to configure the camera using your computer. This is the part that has the potential to be alarming or at least uncomfortable if you're not lucky enough to have UPnP (universal plug and play) on your router. (More on this later.)
5. Great interface with web browsers - Once your device is set up for internet access (more on this later) it has a fairly intuitive interface using Internet Explorer with an Active X control (and also on my Apple Safari although I used my PC with Vista for the camera setup with my Apple Mac for the router changes). There is a viewing screen that allows for 3 resolutions (192x144, 320x240, 640x480). There is a graphical control on the left of the viewing screen with arrows up/down and left/right for tilt and pans. What's nice is there is an auto tilt and auto pan button that will cause the camera to sweep back and forth quickly to give a quick overview of the room. Clicking on a part of the viewing screen will redirect the camera to focus on that spot. There is also multi-camera support for what appears to be up to 16 separate cameras.
6. Fantastic image quality! (It is definitely grainy in low-light, but that's to be expected.)
7. Infrared body heat detection system - does not work if using only browsers but works well using the optional record software install
8. Sound detection - Camera can be set to record not just with body movement triggers but sound triggers.
9. Zoom ability - Only with the optional recording software installed. Does not zoom using browsers only.
10. Audio - (Not on iPhone browser or Google Chrome, however)
11. Mountable - Comes with mounting screws and a safety wire in case it falls from your wall
12. Seems to be Apple compatible (except the initial setup and for video recording which appears to require installation of software different from using just a web browser, although I have not yet tested the video recording feature yet) - Works on my Apple Safari web browser as well as Internet Explorer (with Active X).
The system requirements written on the outside of the Panasonic box seem to indicate only Windows XP SP2 and Vista with Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8 are compatible, but this may be true only for the additional software to set up video recording and the initial camera setup. The browsers seem adequate so far for just watching streaming video and taking still photos as well as maneuvering the camera. I cannot get sound, however, using my Apple iPhone Safari browser or Google Chrome on my PC. Sounds works well on Internet Explorer with Active-X.
CONS
1. Setting the camera up for internet access outside of your home can either be very easy or can be scary for technophobes. Your router must support something called UPnP, Universal Plug and Play for this to work smoothly (I imagine). When I say smoothly, I mean, being able to follow the step-by-step instruction on sheet #2. If you do NOT have a router that supports UPnP then the step-by-step instructions basically tell you to go to the manual on the CD which gives a great introduction on private IP addresses, WAN addresses, static IP addresses, and the usefulness of something called a "dynamic DNS server".
If you are now thinking that you will be over your head by all of this jargon, realize that most routers support UPnP and thus you can follow the step-by-step instructions which use an "automatic" mode in the configuration steps using your web browser. I am using an Apple Airport Base Extreme which does NOT support UPnP. My experience was that it required about 10 extra minutes for me to figure out that I needed to set up something like "port mapping" for my Apple router.
2. Although this is a "wireless" network camera, the description is slightly deceptive. It is wireless only in the networking sense. I should have thought about this more carefully, because what I really expected was a "cordless" camera. This camera has a powercord attached to it, although is "wireless".
3. It seems that there are 2 versions of video recording software that is an optional install. Oddly, the one for single camera support versus multiple (16) camera support are compatible with different Windows versions.
4. I have installed the optional software to my Windows Vista PC to support up to 16 cameras and found that the software works well and is intuitive to use for motion-detection recording. The software appears to be fine for my uses, but you have to pay for a retail version of the software if you want expanded features such as the ability to export their video data files to JPEG or MPEG format, or if you want to use their video backup feature. (I have separate third party software that mirrors my internal hard drives to external drives, so the lack of a built-in video backup feature is not critical to me.) I have not yet tried to see if this optional recording software will work with Bootcamp or VMWare on my Apple Macbook Pro.
TIPS
For those of you who also use an Apple Airport Base Extreme (which does not support UPnP), here's what I had to do:
A. Launch "Airport Utility" software from my Mac then select "Manual Setup"
B. Select "Advanced" from the top tab
C. Select "Port Mapping" from a sub-tab
D. Click on the "+" to add a device to this mapping so that an outside computer can access my device and is thus "mapped"
E. In the drop-down menu select "Personal Web Sharing"
F. Make sure the "public" and "private TCP" ports have the same number such as "80" in the text fields (which they do by default if you selected "Personal Web Sharing"
G. Save and update the modem (requires restart)
H. Go to the installation CD for the Camera and using Internet Explorer to configure the camera, choose "Setup" from the top in the web page
I. Select "Static" and NOT "Automatic Setup" and type in a number such as "80" into the "Port No." field, and save
J. Go to the "Internet" tab of the web page
K. Select "Disable" from the "Auto Port Forwarding (IPv4) option. This is DIFFERENT from the step-by-step instructions given which only work for those who have UPnP.
L. Select "Register with ...........com"
M. Select "Save"
N. You will then be directed to the "..............com" website which is Panasonic's "Dynamic DNS server" which basically will allow your router if it does not support UPnP to work. This website is also how you will be able to view your camera using a web browser outside of your home and local network.CONCLUSION
I am impressed enough to have ordered two additional "wireless" cameras. Its ease of use with the iPhone's standard web browser is simply awesome. My colleagues at work were so impressed by it that they have also placed orders for the device within hours of them seeing for themselves the streaming video on my iPhone and on my desktop at work.
I also suspect that my nanny will not feel like I'm some crazy overly zealous parent either, but that I just want a logical way to check up on the kids. It is a non-intimidating appearing piece of houseware that just seems fun and entertaining while being a legitimate surveillance camera.
I hope this review was of some help!

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Panasonic Pan/tilt network camera- Wireless- 2 Input external connectors- Sends H.264 or MPEG-4 and JPEG images simultaneously- Image transfer by timer, alarm, motion, sound or human presence- HTTPS Data encryption deters electronic eavesdropping.

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