So I made myself at Amazon in search. And I hear about this product.
Actually, I'm always very critical products over which are remarkably low (compared to competitors), because you usually only as manure gets. But the positive reviews so far have me to simply misled times to order a thing.
And I must say, I'm so pleasantly surprised at the camera, I did the same today ordered a second that!
The camera makes a very good impression in terms of processing. The case is indeed plastic, but it wobbles or knarrzt nothing. It provides resolutions up to VGA, has a indoor and outdoor mode can be set in contrast and brightness. Moreover, it is completely pivoted. You should be supposedly waterproof and thus suitable for outdoor. However, since I have my doubts, especially in winter is likely because everyone's end. I did not try that out anyway. The quality of images is absolutely ok for this price range. Many people complain that the resolution could be higher, the better contrast, etc. One should however keep in mind that you can not buy such a camera to make wedding photos but for monitoring purposes. And for that, the quality is absolutely sufficient!
The highlights of the camera:
- Very good workmanship
- Round swivel, controllable via browser
- Works with the most popular browsers
- Has night vision mode (which I have not yet tried)
- Has a Motion Detection Alarm
- In case of alarm, the images can be sent via mail or FTP
- You can (adjustable) record and send images over complete periods at intervals
- Can the pictures sent via a Kalendefunktion control (eg Mon-Fri xy clock)
- You can connect the camera directly to DSL's
- The camera supports dynamic DNS
- Is provided a fitting frame, which can be mounted on wall or ceiling (you can then reflect the images or invert horizontal!)
- Can be different profiles for accessing the camera define the permissions "Admin" and "readers / viewers"
And all for the price!
The icing on the cake would have been a remote controllable zoom function, but that would be at the price then too much to ask.
Unfortunately, the camera has two real disadvantages for which there is the star deduction. The manufacturer should make improvements in any case!
1. this camera as apparently also in other models of the manufacturer's instructions is really scrap! I do not mean that these are only in English, but that is not really the product is explained. And thus laymen are totally overwhelmed with the configuration and be quickly frustrated. Those who do not should too well familiar with these things to bring in any case, an expert who sets all.
Contrary to the instructions you just have to install any extra software. The statement on the "package insert" is wrong (although in German but not necessarily in very good) that the product needs additional drivers. It connects the camera to a DSL router and activated DHCP. Then you look what IP has brought the camera and enters them in the browser. Now login and configure. Begin go with the WiFi, then you can abstöpseln the camera from the cable and configure the rest.
Is a real pain, that the camera reboots after each configuration change.
With the settings of the mail server I'm almost desperate. The trick here is to write all the configuration data, then save first, and only then make the SMTP test.
All in all you get, if you are familiar with the matter, configure the camera, much playfulness and patience, however, you should already have.
2. if you have configured DynDNS (or cohorts) on the DSL router and port forwarding, then you can access the camera via the Internet. Have the well tested once, works great. The whole thing, however, was with me a little choppy but also what it is that I live on the DSL is still very narrow of bandwidth. Otherwise, the live monitoring over the Internet works very well determined and liquid (in the WLAN is top).
But the huge disadvantage here is that it authenticates over the Internet without encryption at the camera, ie the login data is transmitted in plain text. This is a real shortcoming.
Another disadvantage is that if the URL of the camera enters the same login window pops up. If we now click "Cancel" as was supposed to be seen only a white screen. But unfortunately still the GUI of the camera is based on, without picture and sound, but a hacker would see immediately what is behind the IP and what product it is. He would see what can be configured, these are all valuable information. This could very easily do much better!
All in all but a very good product with a good price / performance ratio !!!
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Update 13.03.2012:
after I have both cams for about a year in use here's a small conclusion to (refers to the firmware that came installed in!).
1. Unfortunately, it soon turned out that the crash Cams happy times. Say, you can no longer connect to the cams and a ping goes nowhere. Only a reset or the power plug pull brings relief. This may happen every 2-3 days, and then again only after one month. A regularity can not be observed. Therefore, I have now aligned both cams on a "target". Annoying if you on vacation is time ...
2. when, once again, a crash is called for, then the cam must be aligned again. Because blöderweise can save individual positions in operation, these settings are lost when you reset the cam or separated from power.
3. In some cases, the motion has struck incorrect. On the one hand the Cam detects a changing sunlight as movement (false positive), on the other hand, moves a person in the target and then the cam reacts after about 5-10 seconds and this is interpreted as movement. And I do not mean that as a granny and 0,002km / h passes.
4. Firmware updates: after the experience made above I searched today for an update. The absoulte disaster! On the website of the seller, although many downloads are offered, which, however, is the right one you have to guess. Again, the docu absolutely flawed! After 2 hours (!) Trial and error, I finally found the correct drivers (from early 2012). Perhaps the above disadvantages have so done, we will see. At least you have a new GUI donated. SSL is also a foreign word which is still sad. Since urgently needs to be rectified! As a tip: you should here the J011 firmware 2x take (was at least in my Cams properly). Taking the wrong Cam, then works quickly once the swing function or WLAN is no longer (which took me 1.5 hours of life).
Here I would like to mention the issue of 2 comments, sorry, have seen this only now.
1. How to access "from outside" to the Cam? There are 2 ways. Either you close the Cam directly to the DSL modem (which you do not do well because you before a router). Or do I register for free at DynDNS and configure the router so. On the router to establish a port forwarding and assigns each cam a port. The DynDNS address can be from anywhere in the world now to the Cams access (Caution: This should only be done with the "viewer" account since no SSL).
2. Is it possible to connect the cam to a NAS? I think this is a failure, even though that would be a great feature! Although you can specify a location (when shooting video), but this only seems to work if you log in to a computer on the GUI. What I have not yet tried is to connect the computers via a drive to a NAS, then sign on the Cam and specify the NAS-path as the storage location. But I fear that it will no longer work if you disconnects from computer and Cam. An attempt, however, it would be all worth it.
A second way to configure the NAS as its FTP and then to configure the path in the Cam could. Although I assume that as analogous to the e-mail only something is uploaded when the motion sensor "starts".
Warning: you should look closely (legally speaking) what you monitored with such a Cam!
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Update 14/04/2012:
After a month in operation with the new firmware, I can draw a positive balance. The crashes seem to be resolved.
After I read other reviews here I would like to reiterate clearly to a here.
Positives: the camera offers very much for the money, is stable with the latest firmware and makes an overall good impression.
Negative: the documentary is a disaster, urgently needs to be remedied, not only in the German version (!). For lay people in the network technology, it is very difficult to adjust the camera. With time short a WPS code and then running it is nothing. Here the layman should press are looking for someone who is familiar with the matter!
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Update 15.06.2012:
Unfortunately, the first hope has not been fulfilled, that with the new firmware belonging to crashes of the past. They occur again. After the last crash I again connected my laptop to the Cam and lo and behold, it is still there! This was (at least for a test) in the old firmware is not the case.
So off to the continuous ping test. Lo and behold, the reaction times are in the tests partly in 3 seconds!
The suspect is now as follows: if you take the router durchbootet (eg when a configuration change) then it sometimes happens that the cam can no longer connect to the WLAN. Then only helps Intrusion wired or short from the power disconnect. Now the suspicion is that there is disconnects in seconds by the apparently relatively poor wireless connection and thus the cam can no longer connect to the WLAN. Apparently lacking as a mechanism with which the cam automatically connects to the router or WLAN again with a longer disconnection.
Well I bought on Amazon from TP-Link LAN power adapter and ping response times of 4-10ms.
Now If there are no more crashes on, then the cause is found. Then the manufacturer should consider, with the next firmware to resolve the issue.