Useful surveillance camera with restrictions

The D-Link camera comes in a white housing with stand and power supply and thus fits in color more or less inconspicuously as a security camera for your location. It is only suitable for indoor use, as for example the back of the network connection is open and no rain, condensation water can withstand etc. This is a 1m long network cable, which is likely to be too short a rule. So you have to buy from a longer maybe 2-5m Extra. You should definitely buy a flexible network cable - as it also included - because of the very light plastic base is not very stable and the train of a rigid or stubborn better cable camera then instantly somehow obliquely draws on the table etc. Rear was applied across the terminals of a large orange warning sticker "STOP INSERT FIRST CD" .....

Installation is quick. After a brief reading of a program on the computer you have to be free to sign up for D-Link and set a password to access via a D-Link server on the camera image can. For this is absolutely necessary Java and ActiveX. Google Chrome is still 32 bit and takes the latest version of Java, which proposes the D-Link software does not. You must then download an older manually. In Safari and Firefox gabs no problems. While Windows XP and 7 after restarting the browser after each little loading time came a camera I had to Enable Java properly on Mac under Moutain Lion first. ITunes you can download a free app in my case for an iPhone 4 (optimized is the D-Link according to the manufacturer for 5) to download and install easily.

The picture is about 17x13cm tall on a 21-inch PC monitor, which I find to be absolutely sufficient, but the MAC 27 inches below Safari significantly smaller. The image size on the screen can not be changed by a button. You can change the computer, the image brightness in 5 steps. Contrast can not regulate or the color intensity you. Furthermore, you can clearly zoom out in 4 stages. This is a software zoom, so the sharpness decreases. Nevertheless, it can be quite useful, the object to be observed to see larger. Herausvergrößert is only the middle. Although the image information is indeed available, the zoom range can not be adjusted. The iPhone 4 is added as a restriction that you can not change the brightness. The zoom only by directly on the screen IPhone enlarged!

The camera image is a fixed focus, with which one can not focus on a particular (interesting) area. The sharpest is the picture at close range. One can to 3cm approach the lens and gets a sharp font. In the far range, the picture is quite detailarm. Backlight deteriorates the image clearly here. At 20cm distance an image width of 16cm is detected. At 5m distance approx 3m wide. At 20cm distance you can see a 1.5mm large print (small print on the package) so-so. The larger 3mm font goes perfectly. It is striking that the sharpness significantly decreases from left to right. You can also monitor a moderately lit room without any problems. At night, an infrared illumination is automatically generated by LEDs that illuminates an area of ​​20 square meters so far that you can see a baby or a person who walks through the room. The image is the day, of course better.

The camera connection is pleasingly stable. The frame rate depends on the quality of the internet connection decreases significantly. Mobil, the picture is very fast very slow. In 4 of 5 bar signal strength on Iphone was the displayed frame rate between 0.2 to 1 frame per second. Therefore, the low camera resolution of the D-Links is chosen all right, because of the high data rates it otherwise would constantly crashes or quasi stills.

To automatically store a function in selectable time intervals camera images or if the sound sensor responds (until I have the email is scanned the intruder out of the picture) is missing. Similarly, the image can not be filmed with the camera software. That's too bad.

Where can I use the camera? Of course, only indoors and by the built-in infrared lighting day and night. Practical! There can also be multiple cameras connected to the network (if necessary simple switch for 10 Euro) and simply call on the Web site of the manufacturer. One can imagine, yet affordable to monitor a home or workshop with 4 or 5 cameras, for example. A tool box with warning lights etc. can be monitored well or a baby. To monitor a parking space through a window is not so ideal. Here are missing in the distance strongly the details.