LAN Camera Technology Offers A New View – THG.RU

LAN Camera Technology Offers New View

Network-based camera technology offers a lot more than your standard Web Camera.

It is pretty safe to assume that most THG readers have used some sort of a Web camera. Most readers would probably say that Web cameras are used for video conferencing, and that is currently the main use for these devices. And, while video conferencing is indeed an excellent use of PC camera technology, other uses are possible, as well.

Web cams connect to a computer via a USB port or a parallel port, in most cases, and a type of video conferencing software, such as NetMeeting or CuCme, is used to send pictures or video to the person on the other end of the call. Of course this limits the possible applications, as the camera must be connected to the PC.

So, what if you decided that you want to use that spiffy Logitech USB Web cam that you got for your birthday last year (currently collecting dust in your bedroom closet) as a security camera? First, you would need to select one of a variety of types of Web camera security applications. Take a look; there may be just such an application on the driver disc that came with your birthday gift camera. The ‘down’ side to this solution is that the camera must be fairly close to the computer so that the cables will reach. With the camera basically sitting on top of your computer, it could capture a flattering image of a crook stealing your computer system, and store that image on the stolen computer’s hard drive. However, this doesn’t present a very effective security system when the thief’s picture is available only on the stolen hard drive.

In order to have an effective security system, what is really needed is a camera that doesn’t have to be attached to a computer, such as a camera that can be mounted to the ceiling of the room it is watching. If the camera is detached from the computer, the camera will provide a ‘Web server to stream’ video, so you will be able to view all that it captures. The next obstacle is connectivity. You could string a number of USB hubs together, but due to the theft factor mentioned above, you don’t want these to be physically connected to the computer. HPNA is an option, but a better solution would be Ethernet, or perhaps 802.11b wireless. Another feature that could be useful is an external trigger or two, as well as an external output. The ability to use your broadband connection at your home to view the status from any of your other cameras by using the Internet is another feature that adds value.

While this technology has existed for some time, it is only now that this network-based camera technology is coming into its own. With the continued advancements in this type of technology, as well as the lowered cost of the components that make up these products, this is becoming a viable option in the consumer arena.

We will take a look at the possibilities of this technology and at these “network cameras” in this article. While security is perhaps the leading application for which these devices will be used, there are other options, as well. Imagine being able to hide one of these cameras in your house to monitor how well your babysitter is interacting with your children, or (using a weatherproof housing) placing a camera outside to keep an eye on your children while they are in the backyard. At the touch of a button, it is possible to go to a specific Web page and see what the camera is seeing. Some cameras allow you to zoom, pan, and tilt the camera right from within the Web interface, to provide more control over the viewing area. Some cameras will even email pictures to you, at scheduled intervals that you specify, so you can view them at work or even on your Web-enabled cell phone.

While this technology might be considered ‘elementary’ by some security professionals, it is obvious to us that there are still many useful applications for it. The ability to access your camera across your broadband connection from any place in the world is amazing technology. However, because this product arena is so new, growing pains are bound to exist until product maturity is achieved. In the meantime, to help you experiment with this technology, we will look at four different network cameras that take varying approaches to providing a network accessible ‘eye.’

A Tale Of Four Network-Based Cameras

We were able to obtain four camera models from different manufacturers that have varying feature sets. Camera One is the D-Link DCS-1000W; Camera Two is the Panasonic KX-HCM10; Camera Three is the Axis 2100; and Camera Four is the Intellinet 550550 Network IP camera.

Upon initial examination, it became obvious that the difference between the products was a lot wider than we expected. Because there are currently no established standard feature sets detailing what these products must encompass, each company took a different path to achieve its end results. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it does make it more difficult to compare and access the products across the board, because the feature sets vary so greatly.

Each of the cameras provides a different feature or purpose, and all of them may be used for specific applications. None of the units we reviewed were a disappointment, but your choice will depend on your application and your comfort level with one unit over another (which will have more to do with specific features found in one product, but absent in another). No one unit in this review offered all of the features or functions in exactly the same way as another unit. For example, one unit might provide a more flexible and polished interface, but lack the physical camera features of the others. With the introduction of new units that build upon the technology found in these ones, more advancements will be possible. In addition, we expect more sophisticated features to be offered in the next generation of network-based cameras.

One surprise that we met was the choice by Axis not to submit a product for testing. Axis is perhaps one of the best-known manufacturers of these products, and a brand that might be under consideration if you were to make a purchase of this type of product. We did attempt to contact Axis, but our emails and telephone calls went unanswered, which was surprising to us.

We contacted Abi Singh from Pyrinex as to his experience with the availability of Axis products. Abi loaned us one of Pyrinex’s own Axis 2100s cameras for this review. Abi suggested that we take a look at the Intellinet IP camera, as well. Thus, the Intellinet camera was a late entry, because we were previously not aware of their products. A special “thank you” is extended to Abi and his crew at Pyrinex for letting us review both the Axis 2100 and the Intellinet 550550.

While we had Abi’s “ear” available, we could not pass up the opportunity to get more information on these products and the technology, from a dealer’s perspective. Abi told us, “I really like the Intellinet 550550, as it provides an excellent set of features, some of which are not available in the Axis 2100. We have been using the Axis 2100 internally in our store and warehouse for about a year, and are pleased with the performance and the quality of these units. We have been finding that our customers are using these products in a variety of situations to address a number of challenges. While these cameras are not usually ‘impulse buy’ items, it is obvious that they offer a great deal of new technology that can be useful in a variety of situations. While some customers do find the cost of these products to be a little high initially, once they see some of the possibilities of how these products can work for them, you can see their excitement grow over the technology.”

With such a glowing endorsement from Abi, we were curious to see what was possible with these devices. Although a direct comparison of the units is difficult, we have tried to provide you with a look at the specifications and menu features of each unit. We found in our examination of these products that these are the two most important factors that need to be considered when making a buying choice.

The user interface and the software also make a big difference in the buying decision, so it is important to pay particular attention to these areas, as well. We used a standard picture setup to compare the video quality of each camera, which is represented by the included screen shots from each product. This will give you some idea of what kind of picture quality you can expect.

D-Link DCS-1000W

Here is a picture of the D-Link DCS-1000W. What is most unique about the DCS-1000W is its built-in 802.11b wireless support.

The D-Link DCS-1000W first caught our eye early this year at the Consumer Electronics Show. Bradley Morse from D-Link spent a great deal of time educating us on the possibilities of this technology. At the time, we picked it as one of our “best of show” items for CES. We were excited about the DCS-1000W, which contributed to our interest in writing this article.

The D-Link DCS-1000W was the only camera that we looked at that offered built-in wireless connectivity. The DCS-1000W features the traditional hardwired 10/100 Ethernet, as well as 802.11b wireless Ethernet connectivity. The added feature of wireless connectivity means that you don’t have to worry about running a network cable or having a network jack close to the unit. Depending on your environment, this can be a real advantage. The DCS-1000W offers a replaceable C/CS mount lens, as well as two digital inputs and two digital outputs.

Here is a picture of the DCS-1000W from the front. Notice the exceptionally sturdy base that is provided with this unit. This base offers the flexibility to mount the camera in a variety of locations.

The front of the unit contains the C/CS mount lens, the power LED, and the LAN/WLAN LED. The C/CS mount lens is changeable and allows you to focus the camera. When powered on, the power LED illuminates blue. If you want, you can change the operation of the power LED; you can set it to normal, off or dummy mode via the unit’s built-in Web server. The LAN/WLAN LED provides an indication as to the network status for the unit. When connected to the network, the LED illuminates orange. Just like the power LED, you can configure the LAN/WLAN LED to operate in the following modes: normal, off or dummy.

When looking at the back of the DCS-1000W, you can get an idea of the input and output connections that it offers. What is most striking are the two antennas that provide the wireless connection for the DCS-1000W.

D-Link DCS-1000W, Continued

On the rear of the DCS-1000W, you will see the following: power connector; network connector; I/O connector; reset button; two SMA type antenna connectors; and LAN / LAN + WLAN / WLAN switch. The power connect is where you attach the provided AC adapter power brick. The network connector is a standard RJ-45 Ethernet connector. The I/O connector is where you attach your external input/ output devices. The two antenna connectors are for the provided wireless antennas. The LAN / LAN+WLAN / WLAN switch allows to you to configure how you connect to the DCS-1000W. In the LAN position, only the RJ-45 Ethernet connector works; in the WLAN position, you can only connect through the WLAN. In the LAN+WLAN position, both the wireless and the hard-wired Ethernet options work. The recessed ‘reset’ button allows you to reset the unit or restore factory defaults.

The only thing on the bottom of the camera is the “bracket cavity.” The bracket cavity is where you attach the provided camera stand or a traditional tripod. The provided camera stand has a swivel ball screw head and a solid base that allows the camera to be mounted securely to a wall or ceiling.

In the box you will find the following items: DCS-1000W wireless network camera; two external wireless antennas; an installation CD-ROM; AC power adapter; camera stand; one Category 5 Ethernet cable; and the product manual.

The D-Link cameras are configured via their IPView software or via Web Configuration. The Web-based Configuration is convenient if you don’t want to install management software on your computer. We have included the configuration options for the Web Configuration a little further in the article. If you have multiple cameras, or if you like to record the camera’s video to a hard disk, you will have to use IPView. The current version available from the D-Link Web site is version 2.0.

IPView v2.0 gives you the ability to configure all of your camera(s) options. It has the ability to search your network to find cameras that need to be configured. The search option was very convenient when we initially connected the camera and didn’t know what the default IP address was. We used IPView to search our network and locate the misplaced camera. With IPView, you gain the ability to view one, four, nine, or sixteen cameras simultaneously. You also have the ability to record the video stream to your hard drive in AVI format.

Here is a sample image screen shot from the DCS-1000W using our standard test image for this article.

With the built-in Web Server, you can go straight to the IP address without using IPView. You lose the ability to capture video to your hard drive, but you gain the ability to use any system that has a Web browser with Java or ActiveX support. Just as with IPView, you have the ability to configure all the camera’s available options.

D-Link DCS-1000W – Specifications

D-Link DCS-1000W Configuration Options

Below are the configuration options available via the Web configuration tool.

Configuration Options – System

• Camera Name
• Location
• Admin – Admin ID, Admin Password, Confirm Password
• IP Assignment – Manually Assign
  • IP Address
  • Subnet Mask
  • Default Gateway
• IP Assignment – Assign Automatically Using
  • RARP
  • BOOTP
  • DHCP
  • PPPoE
  • Service Name
  • User ID
  • Password
  • DNS IP Address
• Wireless Interface – Connection Mode
  • Infrastructure
  • 802.11 Adhoc
  • Adhoc
  • Network Name (ESS-ID)
  • Wireless Channel
    • Encryption WEP Key – ASCII or HEX
• LED Control – Normal, Off, Dummy
• Loading ActiveX From
• Open Second Port – Yes, No
  1. Web Server – Default 80
  2. Transfer Image – Default 8481

Configuration Options – Image

• Video Resolution – 160 x 120, 320 x 240, 640 x 480
• Compression Rate – Very Low, Low, Medium, High, Very High
• Frame Rate – 1, 5, 7, 15, 20, Auto
• Brightness Control
• Contrast Control
• Hue Control
• Light Frequency – 50Hz, 60Hz

Configuration Options – Users

• Add User – User Name
  • User Password
  • I/O Output Control – Yes, No
• Delete User

Configuration Options – Date & Time

• Date & Time – Synchronized with Time Server
  • IP Address
  • Protocol – NTP, Time
  • TimeZone
• Set Manually
  • Date (yyyy-mm-dd)
  • Time (hh:mm:ss)

Configuration Options – Trigger

• I/O Input 1 Trigger – Send e-mail attached with image
  • SMTP Server Address
  • Sender e-mail Address
  • Receiver e-mail Address
  • Sending Interval
  • Sending Times
  • Trigger I/O Output
    • Output 1 Time
    • Output 2 Time
• I/O Input 2 Trigger – Send e-mail attached with image
  • SMTP Server Address
  • Sender e-mail Address
  • Receiver e-mail Address
  • Sending Interval
  • Sending Times
  • Trigger I/O Output
    • Output 1 Time
    • Output 2 Time

Configuration Options – Upload

• FTP Server – Host Address
  • Port Number (Default is 21)
  • User Name
  • Password
  • Directory Path
  • Passive Mode – Yes, No

Configuration Options – Time Schedule

• Upload image to FTP server
  • Always
  • Schedule
    • Day – Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
    • Time Period – Start, Stop (hh:mm:ss)
  • Image Frequency
  • Base File Name
  • File – Overwrite
    • Date/Time Suffix
    • Sequence Number Suffix Up to
  • Manual Operation – Upload image to FTP server
    • Base File Name
    • File – Overwrite
      • Date/Time Suffix
      • Sequence Number Suffix Up to

Configuration Options – Information

• Model – DCS-1000W
• Firmware Version – 1.26 (2002-08-06)
• MAC Address – 00 05 5D 57 0C D5
• IP Address – 192.168.21.9

Configuration Options – Tools

• Reset
• Factory Reset

D-Link offers a very nice product that should fill the needs of the average user. The built-in wireless adds a very convenient means of connectivity, which is clearly an advantage if you are not near a network jack. With two inputs and two outputs, you shouldn’t have any problems connecting remote sensors or alarms. D-Link should consider adding a serial port to this camera for pan/ tilt/ zoom control. We would also like to see this camera offered in a wireless-only, weatherproof version.

Panasonic KX-HCM10

This is the Panasonic KX-HCM10. What is most interesting about the KX-HCM10 is its proposed primary use as a baby-monitoring device.

The Panasonic KX-HCM10 does not feature the wireless connectivity that the D-Link provides, but it does feature built-in pan and tilt servos. It was the only unit in this review that offered this ability right out of the box. The unit will pan 60 degrees left and right, and tilt from 0 to 45 degrees down. This camera provides a fixed focus lens, one digital input and one digital output.

The Panasonic KX-HCM10 is very unique with its square, anti-brick look design. While the pan and tilt functions lend themselves to this configuration, be aware that the KX-HCM10 has a fixed focal lens.

The front of the KX-HCM10 only features the power LED and the fixed focus camera lens. The power LED that illuminates green can be configured to turn on during power on, turn on during camera access, or it can be set to be always off. Of course, this is a good option if you don’t want people to know when the camera is in use and when it is not.

The KX-HCM10 uses the right-hand side for its Ethernet jack, power input, and its I/O jack.

The right-hand side of the unit contains the following items: sensor I/O connector; Ethernet connector; Ethernet link LED; DC power connector. The I/O connector provides one digital input and one digital output. The Ethernet connector is a standard RJ-45 connector, which provides 10Base-T connectivity. We were surprised that Panasonic chose to just offer 10Base-T performance, rather than offering the more robust 100mbit performance offered by the other units in our review. This did not handicap the unit in our testing, which was a surprise. The Ethernet link LED lets you know when you have connectivity to your network. The DC power connector is where the AC adapter attaches.

Panasonic KX-HCM10, Continued

The bottom and the back of the unit are where you will find the mounting options. The back is where you can attach the included stand/ ceiling adapter. The bottom is where you can attach a standard tripod.

Inside the box, you will find the following: KX-HCM10; the AC adapter; a stand on which to mount the camera; mounting hardware (screws, washers); installation CD; and the user manual.

Network configuration of the KX-HCM10 is straightforward with the included configuration software. The configuration software will search your network for any Panasonic cameras and allow you to configure items such as Port Number, Static IP Address, Static Subnet Mask, DHCP Host Name, Default Gateway, DNS Server1, DNS Server2, DDNS Enable, and Maximum Bandwidth Usage. After your IP information has been saved to the camera, you will be able to continue configuring the camera via the built-in Web server.

The default Web page for the KX-HCM10 allows you to select between Motion JPEG and JPEG – Regularly Refreshed. The default refresh rate for JPEG – Regularly Refreshed is 30 seconds. You also have the ability to select one-camera display or four-camera display.

When looking at the screen capture from the KX-HCM10, its best feature may be its ability to control the Pan/Tilt with buttons that are clearly displayed on the left-hand side of the KX-HCM10 control interface. Notice that our test image appears a little dark. This is not because we didn’t have sufficient light, but is due to the design of the camera itself. It should be noted that the KX-HCM10 does particularly well at representing and handling the shadows, as you can see from the picture.

The image display screen gives you control over the pan and tilt functions as a return to home button. Other items that can be adjusted on the fly are: brightness; resolution (640×480, 320×240, 160×120); image quality (favor clarity, standard, favor motion); image size (x1.0, x1.5); buffered image (start capture, viewer). The new firmware adds preset motion programs for the pan and tilt controls, as well.

Panasonic KX-HCM10 – Features

Panasonic KX-HCM10 Configuration Options

Basic Network

• Network Configuration from Setup Program (Enable / Disable)
• Internet Connection
  • Port No (80)
  • Static
    • IP Address
    • Subnet Mask
  • DHCP
    • Host Name
    • Current IP Address
    • Current Subnet Mask
• Default Gateway
• DNS
  • DNS Server 1
  • DNS Server 2
• DDNS (Enable / Disable)
  • Your E-Mail Address
  • Personal (Camera) URL
  • Purchase Link
• Max Bandwidth Usage (0.1;0.2;0.3;0.5;1.0;Unlimited) Mbps

Name / Time

• Camera Name (1 to 15 Characters)
• Date and Time
  • Month / Date / Year
  • AM/PM or 24H
  • Hour / Minute / AM or PM
• Auto Adjustment (Enable / Disable)
  • NTP Server Address or Host Name
  • Time Zone

Security Administrator

• Authentication Enable (You should set up the Authentication Page for security.)
  • None (Anyone can access all pages.)
  • Administrator Only (for Setup Page)
  • Administrator (for Setup Page) and General User (for Top Page)
• Administrator Authentication
  • ID (4 to 15 Characters)
  • Password (4 to 15 Characters)
  • Retype Password

Security: General User

• General User Authentication
  • User ID List (30 Users MAX)
  • New User
    • ID (4 to 15 Characters)
    • Password (4 to 15 Characters)
    • Retype Password

Top View Image Setting

• Single Camera
  • Image Resolution (640×480; 320×240; 160×120)
  • Image Quality (Favor Clarity; Standard; Favor Motion)
  • Refresh Interval when Regularly Refreshed
    • (10s; 15s; 20s; 25s; 30s; 45s; 1min; 2min; 3min; 5min)
• Multi-Camera
  • Image Resolution (320×240; 160×120)
  • Image Quality (Favor Clarity; Standard; Favor Motion)
  • Refresh Interval when Regularly Refreshed
    • (10s; 15s; 20s; 25s; 30s; 45s; 1min; 2min; 3min; 5min)
• Limit time of Continuous Motion JPEG (Unlimited; 10s; 20s; 30s; 40s; 50s;
  • 1 to 10min; 20min; 30min; 40min; 50min; 60min)
• On-the-Air time
  • Always
  • Operational between
    • Time 1: hh:mm – hh:mm
    • Time 2: hh:mm – hh:mm
    • Time 3: hh:mm – hh:mm
    • Time 4: hh:mm – hh:mm
    • Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

Image Transfer

• Trigger Setting – Non-Transfer, Alarm, Timer
• Capture Control – Enable, Disable

Additional

Camera Setup

• White Balance (Auto; Fixed Indoor; Fixed Fluorescent_1; Fixed Fluorescent_2; Fixed; Outdoor; Hold)
• Power Line Frequency (for Fluorescent light) – 60Hz / 50Hz
• Brightness Control – Enable / Disable
• Pan / Tilt / Preset Control – Enable / Disable
• Preset Program Control – Enable / Disable

Multi-Camera

• Registration / Modification
  • 2nd Network Camera – Enable / Disable
    • IP Address or Host Name
    • Camera Name (1 to 15 Characters)
  • 3rd Network Camera – Enable / Disable
    • IP Address or Host Name
    • Camera Name (1 to 15 Characters)
  • 4th Network Camera – Enable / Disable
    • IP Address or Host Name
    • Camera Name (1 to 15 Characters)

External Output Control

• External Device Control Output – Open / Short to GND

Indicator Control

• Indicator Control
  • Turn on the Indicator during Power ON
  • Turn on the Indicator during Camera access
  • Turn off the Indicator always

Maintenance
Restart

Would you like to restart? Restart operation takes up to 1 minute.

Update Firmware

With power applied to the camera, click on “Update Firmware” below. Depending on the speed of your system, the procedure can take up to 3 minutes.

Reset to Factory Default

Would you like to reset to Factory Default? Reset to Factory Default operation takes up to one minute.

The KX-HCM10 can pan 120 degrees from left to right, and tilt 45 degrees. If you mount this camera in the corner of a room, you can easily see every inch of the room. We would like to see Panasonic choose a different CCD to get a better LUX rating, because in its current configuration its LUX performance can be considered a handicap when compared to other units. We were also a little confused as to Panasonic’s choice to offer this camera with only a 10Mbit Ethernet interface and no 100Mbit support. Although we can’t really say that this choice had an impact on the overall performance of the unit, clearly if you are on 100mbit network, you are going to want a 100mbit device. As we have seen in the past, in a heavy traffic environment with devices that stream media of some type, this could prove to be a potential issue.

Axis 2100

From its unique design and shape to its colorful and lively box that suggests you can monitor your goldfish, the Axis 2100 network camera could be considered the most widely known product in this technology arena.

The Axis 2100 is the most unique featureless camera of the bunch. It has a serial port that allows it to be attached to an Axis audio module or a serial modem for dial-in support. The 2100 Network Camera Operating System, Linux/CRIS, is based on the Linux 2.0 kernel with non-MMU CPU patches from uC-Linux. While the camera offers a limited array of features, these features lacked the “punch” found in some of the other units that we reviewed. However, even with very little feature punch, this is still is a very nice camera, and it is the only camera in our review than supports audio (through an additional module).

Here is a look at the 2100 from the front. What is most unique about the 2100 is its shape, which is very different from any of the other network cameras we looked at.

The front of the 2100 contains the C/CS mount lens, Control Button and the Status Indicator. The C/CS mount lens controls the unit’s focus, and it is replaceable. The Control Button allows you to reset the camera back to factory default, or enable the Focus Assistant. The Status Indicator is a multi-colored indicator that will illuminate green, orange and red. The indicator will flash green and orange during start-up and self tests. It will illuminate green to indicate a healthy status. You will see red when there is a problem with the unit.

In this picture of the 2100, you can see the variety of connections that it offers. Also, notice the extremely versatile and sturdy base that the Axis 2100 offers for mounting the camera.

Axis 2100, Continued

The rear of the unit features the following: a network connector; network indicator; power indicator; power supply connector; I/O connector; and a serial connector. The network connector is a standard RJ-45 connector to provide 10/100 Ethernet connectivity. The network indicator is a tri-color LED that illuminates yellow, green and red. Yellow indicates activity on a 10Mbps network. Green indicates activity on a 100Mbps network. Red indicates no physical connection to a network. The power indicator is illuminated when the unit is powered on; the power supply connector is where you connect the AC adapter. The I/O connector provides you with one digital output and one digital photo-coupled input. The serial connector is a standard DB9 connector to provide RS-232 connectivity. The serial port allows you to use the Axis 2191 Audio Module or a standard serial modem with the camera.

Inside the box, you will find the Axis 2100, a null modem cable, mounting assembly, power supply, power supply extension cable, manual and installation CD.

Getting the Axis 2100 on the network is simple using the IP Installer to locate the camera on the network and configure the IP information. Axis also provides a Java-based ThinWizard that also allows you to search your network for your Axis cameras and configure their IP information. You can also get the IP address from the camera via an ARP command with the camera’s MAC address and the PING command.

Here is a picture from the Axis 2100. As you can see, the image looks quite good. Unfortunate, the Axis 2100 is only able to deliver 10 fps. However, the 2100 had, by far, the best image quality.

The built-in Web server, which is based on the Boa Web server, provides a very clean page for viewing the video from the camera. The default page also provides a link to the Installation Wizard and the Administration Tools.

The HTTP server used is based on Boa. The source code for the Linux/CRIS kernel, Boa and more is available at http://developer.axis.com/.

Axis 2100 – Specifications

Axis 2100 Configuration Options

Image – General
Appearance

• Images – Single / Motion
• Resolution – 320×240; 640×480
• Rotation – Normal; Upside-down

Tuning

• Compression – Very High; High; Medium; Low; Lowest
• Brightness – 0…15
• White Balance – Automatic; Fixed
• Color Level – 0…15

Heading

• Text
• Date – No / Yes
• Time – No / 24h / 12h

Front LED flashes on image display

• Flashing Enabled – No / Yes
• Flash Frequency – 0…15

Default viewer for Internet Explorer

• Viewer – Active X / Java Applet

Network – TCP/IP
Set IP Address Automatically

• Protocol – Enable BOOTP / Enable DHCP

Set IP Address Manually

• IP Address
• Subnet Mask
• Default Router
• Host Name

DNS

• Domain Name
• Primary DNS Server
• Secondary DNS Server

Miscellaneous

• Select Media – Auto-negotiate; 10 Half;10 Full;100 Half;100 Full
• Max Bandwidth (images only) – 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.4; 0.5; 0.7;1.0; 1.5; 2.0; Unlimited
• HTTP Port Number (Default:80)

Network – SMTP
Mail Server

• Primary Mail Server
• Secondary Mail Server

Network Notification
HTTP

• HTTP – Enabled / Disabled
• URL
• Custom Parameters
• User Name – Password
• Proxy – Port
• Proxy User – Pass

SMTP

• SMTP – Enable / Disabled
• Recipient – From
• MSG Subject

FTP

• FTP – Enabled / Disabled
• Hostname – Upload path
• Username – Password
• Passive mode – Enable / Disable
• TXT Type – Short; Extended; Extended HTML

Text

• TXT Field

System – Date & Time
Current Camera Time

• Date – Time

New Camera Time

• Time Zone
• Automatically adjust for Daylight saving time changes – Enable / Disable
• Time Mode
  • Synchronize with computer time – Date / Time
  • Synchronize with NTP server – IP Address
  • Set Manually – Date / Time

System – Users
Current Camera Time

• Date – Time

New Camera Time

• Time Zone
• Automatically adjust for Daylight saving time changes – Enable / Disable
• Time Mode
  • Synchronize with computer time – Date / Time
  • Synchronize with NTP server – IP Address
  • Set Manually – Date / Time

External Devices – Selection

• Operation Mode
  • Axis 2191 Audio Module
  • Modem
  • None

External Devices – Audio

• Audio Mode
  • Full – Duplex
  • Half – Duplex
  • Simplex – Talk
  • Simplex – Listen
• Clients
  • Max number of clients
• Send
  • Yes (Only possible with Half-duplex)
  • No
• Push-to-talk
  • Toggle – Press button to talk. Press again to stop sending.
  • Instant – Press and hold the button to talk.

External Devices – Modem

• Disable incoming calls – Enable / Disable
• Modem Type
• Modem – US Robotics Sportster Flash; 3Com 56k Faxmodem; Ericsson K56
  • DTV; Diamond Supra Express 56e PRO; Generic Modem
• Initstring

Communication Settings

• Baud Rate – 300;600;1200;2400;4800;9600;19200;38400;57600;115200
• Flow Control – Hardware; Software; None

Callback

• Enable Callback – Enable / Disable
• Initiate After – 1…10 Ring Signals
• Disconnect After

External Devices – Advanced

• Edit – chatscript
• Edit – ip-down
• Edit – ip-up
• Edit – options.client
• Edit – options.server

External Devices – ISP

• Select ISP – Concentric Networks; Earthlink; Tele2;PSINet; Spray – Sweden; Ricochet; Generic
  • ISP Settings
    • Phone Number
    • User Name
    • Password
    • Connection – Always Open; Closes after; Optimized
    • Redial Attempts
    • Redial Interval

Applications
Operation – Selection

• Sequential Mode
• Alarm Mode

Operation – Scheduler
Primary Time

• Primary Time Enabled
  • Always
  • Restricted between
    • Start – hh:mm
    • Stop – hh:mm
    • Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
  • Primary Image Frequency
    • Every …tenth(s) of sec
    • Every …second(s)
    • Every …minute(s)
    • Every …hour(s)
  • Take Pictures
    • Regardless of input
    • Only when input is high
    • Only when input is low

Secondary Time

• Secondary Time Enabled
  • Primary Image Frequency
    • Every …tenth(s) of sec
    • Every …second(s)
    • Every …minute(s)
    • Every …hour(s)
  • Take Pictures
    • Regardless of input
    • Only when input is high
    • Only when input is low

Operation – Upload
Upload Via

• Network
• Modem

Upload Using

• FTP
• SMTP

Remote Host

• Host Name
• User Name
• Password

Detailed FTP Setting for Advanced User

• Use Passive Mode – Enabled / Disabled
• FTP Port Number

Image File

• Size – 320×240; 640×480
• Upload Path
• Base File Name
  • Overwrite
  • Date/Time suffix
  • Sequence number suffix up to default maximum
  • Sequence number suffix up to specified maximum

Operation – Enable

• Application is disabled – Enable / Disable

Layout – General

• Enable Personal Settings – Enable / Disable
• Personal Settings
  • Background Color – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Text Color – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Background Picture – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Title – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Logo – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Logo Link – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Description – Enable / Disable – Default / Own
  • Digital Output Buttons – Enable / Disable
  • Show Admin Button – Enable / Disable

Axis offers audio and serial modem support in their model 2100 camera, which is an excellent advantage. The expansion options that Axis offers for this camera are a clear advantage over any of the other cameras in this review. While other cameras in this article offer expansion options, the Axis is far ahead of the curve when it comes to providing these types of options. The user interface that Axis offers is very clean and simple, and perhaps far more polished, than any of the other units that we looked at in this review. This should be expected because Axis has such a lead over other companies in this market space. Unfortunately, this camera can only transmit at 10 frames per second and offers no pan/ tilt/ zoom control. Even after looking at these negative points, if you want audio as well as video support from your camera, only Axis offers this ability through the addition of the audio module.

Intellinet Network 550550 IP Camera

The Intellinet Network IP 550550 was an unknown to us. Perhaps the most striking thing you can see from the box is that Intellinet offers a lifetime warranty for the Network 550550 IP camera.

The Intellinet Network IP 550550 Camera was an unknown for us. We did not have any idea what to expect when we pulled this unit out of the box. Because the Intellinet 550550 was such an unknown, we thought it might be the same as what you might find in other generic units, but we were pleasantly surprised with what we found.

This camera offers a serial port that allows the camera to attach to a serial modem or a pan/ tilt/ zoom unit. We also found a unique feature set that was a combination of much of what we saw in the other products that we reviewed. This combination provided a good mix of features that was different from the other units that we tested.

The front of the Intellinet 550550 appears to be a cross design that is somewhere between the D-Link and the Axis models that we have looked at previously.

On the front of the Intellinet 550550, there is nothing more than the lens, but on the top there are several things to mention. On the top, you will see the Image Capture LED, the Power LED, Operating Status LED and the Network Packet Transmit LED. The Image Capture LED illuminates red and flashes when users are viewing the camera’s home page; it will flash once when a user captures one image. The Power LED illuminates red and indicates that the unit is on. The Operating Status LED blinks once every second indicating that the unit is functioning. The Network Packet Transmit LED illuminates green and is on as long as there is network connectivity.

The back of the Intellinet 550550 is very similar to the rear of other units. The most interesting thing to note is the PS/2 connector that is on the back of the unit.

The Intellinet 550550 camera has the following connections on the back of the unit: power connector; network connector; GPIO connector; and a PS/2-style RS232 cable connector. The power connector is for the included AC power adapter. The network connector is a standard RJ-45 Ethernet connector. The GPIO connector gives you the ability to connect external devices, such as infrared sensors and alarm sensors, to the unit. The RS232 connector is, unfortunately, a PS/2-style connector, and not a standard DB9 connector. The RS232 connector lets you attach external devices, such as modems and pan/ tilt/ zoom units, to the camera.

In the box are the following: the Network IP Camera; an AC power adapter; a RS232 cable; GPIO connector; a C mount lens; the User’s Guide; a wall/ table bracket; and the IP Installer CD.

Getting the Intellinet 550550 Network IP Camera onto our network was simple using the IP Installer software. It allowed us to scan the network and locate the unconfigured camera. Once IP Installer found the camera, we were able to set all the IP information and switch over to the Web-based administration. It is also possible to configure the camera through the serial port, using a terminal emulator such as Hyper Terminal.

The Intellinet 550550 does not offer the most polished interface of all of the cameras reviewed here. We did find its image quality to be good, and its ability to support DivX 5 to be an excellent addition. We hope that Intellinet will continue to develop and polish the user interface, as it is clear that they have the potential for a very good product with a little work on the UI.

The Intellinet 550550 camera’s image view page has everything that it needs. This page indicates the camera name, location and connected clients. It has Frame Rate and Expansion (digital zoom) options, as well as access to the Administrator Menu and an option to install DivX. There are also buttons for Save to AVI, Stop Saving, Snap Shot, and Show Image Only.

Intellinet Network IP Camera

Intellinet Network IP Camera – Configuration Options

Image Configuration

• Compression Rate – Level 1…10
• Image Size – 160*120; 320*240; 640*480
• Vertical Flip – On / Off
• Horizontal Flip – On / Off
• Brightness mode – Auto / Manual
• Brightness – 0…255
• Contrast – 0…15
• Hue – 0…15
• Saturation – 0…255
• Sharpness – 0…7
• Exposure Mode – Auto / Manual
• Exposure – 0…255
• Back light – On / Off
• Further reduce exposure time – Yes / No
• Indoor / Outdoor – Indoor / Outdoor

Network Configuration

• Set IP, Subnet Mask, Gateway Address – using DHCP / Manually
  • IP Address
  • Subnet Mask Address
  • Gateway Address
• Send IP Address to E-Mail
• Web server port number – 80~1023
• Image transfer port number – 8000~65535
• Upgrade port number – 8000~65535
• PTZ port number – 8000~65535
• 1st DNS server address
• 2nd DNS server address
• SMTP Server
• Use SMTP Authentication – Enable / Disable
  • ID
  • Password
  • Realm

Dynamic IP Registration

• Automatic Registration – Enable / Disable
• Add to public list – Yes / No
• DILS Server
• Auto registration period – 30~86400
• Access ID
• Access password
• Status

Admin, User Configuration

• Admin – ID / Password / Retype Password / Authority – All
• User – / Password / Retype Password / Authority – None; Viewing; All
• User – / Password / Retype Password / Authority – None; Viewing; All
• User – / Password / Retype Password / Authority – None; Viewing; All
• User – / Password / Retype Password / Authority – None; Viewing; All
• User – / Password / Retype Password / Authority – None; Viewing; All

Event Trigger Configuration

Trigger condition

• Activation of digital input or Motion Detection from 0~24 to 0~24.
• Periodically every 1~3600 seconds from 0~24 to 0~24.
• Motion detection sensitivity – 0 (least sensitive)…9 (most sensitive)

Image Capture Option

• Before event – 0~21 seconds
• After event – 0~21 seconds
• Image capture frame rate – 1; 2; 3; 5; 7; 10; 15 fps
• Image file name – ????????.jpg
• Append to the image file name
  • Camera IP Address
  • Date and Time
  • Trigger Condition Flag
  • Image Sequence Number

Trigger Output

• Supply voltage to output port for 0…255 seconds
• Send captured image to e-mail – Enable / Disable
  • E-mail address
  • E-mail title
• Send captured image to FTP server – Enable / Disable
  • FTP server
  • User ID
  • Password
  • Directory

Time Configuration

• Synchronized with NTP server
  • NTP server
  • Time Zone
• Set Manually
  • Date (yyyy/mm/dd)
  • Time (hh:mm:ss)

System Configuration

• Camera name
• Camera location
• Supply voltage to output port option – supply / don’t supply
• Set image sensor oscillator for 50Hz / 60Hz light source
• PTZ control – Enable / Disable
• System information
  • Model: MWNC-100
  • Serial Number:
  • MAC Number: 00:50:C2:07:46:5F
  • Bootrom Version: B003017
  • Firmware Version: F0030142

As we mentioned above, the Intellinet 550550 Network IP Camera was unknown to us before starting this review. We like what we have seen. The Intellinet 550550 offers up to 30 frames per second and pan/ tilt/ zoom control. The user interface is somewhat “rough around the edges,” but it is functional. This is something that you have to be prepared to deal with if you choose the Intellinet. The user interface offers the ability to record to a hard drive without the use of any management software, a feature that is clearly an advantage over any of the other units. Also, the Intellinet 550550 Network IP camera was the only camera that we saw that offered optional DivX 5 support, an option that many people would like to have. With additional upgrades, Intellinet could easily take the lead over its competition. After looking at the Intellinet Web site, it was difficult to get a sense of the frequency of updates that can be expected for the product, since the Support Section of the Web site was spartan, with little product information. Still, the Intellinet 550550 offers an excellent mix of features, and its only limitation is the “rough around the edges” user interface.

Conclusion: No One Device Will Be Perfect For Every Situation

If a network-based camera is what you are looking for, there are several manufacturers that are vying for your business. There are cameras for every application and every budget. If you don’t have a wired network, D-Link and Panasonic (Different Panasonic model that we did not review in this article) have you covered with their Wireless cameras. Panasonic, Axis and Intellinet offer pan and tilt options, with an add-on component. If you need the ability to zoom, Axis and Intellinet offer those features.

The fact that the D-Link DCS-1000W camera has wireless support already built-in is a major plus for home users with no wired network. It is possible to connect to the camera in “Ad hoc mode,” so that you don’t have to go through an access point. We did like the fact that you have control over the digital outputs via the image viewer. The D-Link also provides a low lux rating of 2.5lux.

The Panasonic KX-HCM10 offers pan and tilt servos contained in the unit, which are the major features of this camera. On the ‘minus’ side, Panasonic chose to use a fixed lens instead of a C/CS mount lens. The KX-HCM10 also has a disappointing minimum illumination rating of 10lux, which is a disadvantage.

The Axis 2100 is perhaps the most featureless camera of the lot. It does offer serial modem and audio support, but has no PTZ support. The design of the camera is unique and more interesting than other traditional “brick like” cameras. Unfortunately, the case is made of plastic; it would be nice to see this camera offered in a metal case. We do think that the 2100 had the best video quality of all the cameras we reviewed. It also had the third best low LUX rating of 3lux.

The Intellinet 550550 Network IP camera was a pleasant surprise, in that it offers support for PTZ mounts and serial modems. It has one digital input and one digital output for use with alarm devices and sensor devices. It is tied with the D-Link camera in its minimum illumination, at 2.5lux.

Each one of these cameras has a user interface that is as unique as the features that each camera offers. As we said earlier in this article, we think the Axis offers the most polished-looking interface. This might be because they have been making network cameras longer than the other three camera manufacturers in this review. If you dislike the user interface of a camera that you have purchased or are considering purchasing, you will need to be patient. As camera manufacturers get more input from their customers, the user interfaces will be improved, with features added via a firmware update to the camera.

We are still waiting for an ad for the X10.com Xcam2 Wireless camera with a built-in Ethernet port, Web server and the ability to receive more than one camera signal at a time. I can imagine that annoying flashing pop-up ad now: “The amazing XcamE! Buy now, and get not one, not two, but THREE XcamE cameras for the AMAZINGLY low price of $250!”

Each of these network cameras has its strong points. However, not one of these offers exactly what we would consider to be the “perfect” network camera solution. With that in mind, we are not going to select an Editor’s choice for a network camera at this time. THG feels that, at this time, the technology, as well as the software, needs additional time to mature. Once these products have been upgraded, and as new products arrive on the market, their innovations will offer the combined features of many of the products that we have mentioned here.

Purchasing a network-based camera is very application and location specific, and you should purchase the camera that best meets your needs. While none of the solutions reviewed here was “perfect” by itself, at least one of these available solutions should fit your basic needs. One thing to keep in mind is what we said in the introduction of this article, “None of the units we reviewed were a disappointment” and this perhaps is the thing to remember.

Network Based Camera Comparison Snap Shot