I plan to use this camera to replace my current CCTV camera which overlooks my outdoor plant shop. Due to current weather conditions and an video cable on order I have not yet been able to install it outside, therefore my review is based on me using it indoors while I become acquainted to it features. In order to install outside, the included four screws and wall plugs are used to attach the camera to a vertical brick wall. Also it is required to provide a hole to feed the cable through to the inside of the property.
As well as connecting via the wireless antenna, the attached cables allow for you to connect to the camera in two additional ways. The cables include an ac connector to power the device, composite cable connectors (with mono sound) for connecting to a DVR or television, ethernet socket to connect to your network, reset button and alarm configuration box. I opted to test the camera using the ethernet connection connected to my router.
Once the camera was connected, I waited briefly for my router to assign it an ip address and I found out what the address was by looking at the connected device list in my router. I then used this address to connect to the camera via my browser. I discovered that the plugins would not work with Google camera, but this may be may computer as I had the same problem with my existing security. Instead I connected with Mozilla Firefox I was soon presented with the video feed from the camera. I had a great time using the pan and zoom features to look at particular objects in the room. The picture quality was very good, however it did lag from time to time. This is lag was no fault of the camera as the network load at on the router is very high, the composite connection should be even better. Finally, I noted that the camera produces a whirring noise when panning, zooming or auto focusing, but as this is an outdoor camera it is not a problem.
I plan to later connect this camera to my DVR box, but I am still waiting for the correct lead to arrive. I will also make use of the ethernet and wireless connections so I can check the feed from my computer and smartphone. The camera does come with its own software, but instead opted to use the open source software iSpy as I had used it for my last camera. This camera was available on the iSpy quick setup list, so configuring the camera was as simple as selecting it from the list and pressing next a few times. A nice feature is that the timestamp on the feed adjusts from black to white depending on the background so that it is always legible.
What is in the box:
Included in the well protected, padded box is the outdoor wireless camera, an ethernet cable, ac mains adapter (UK 3 pin), wireless antenna, software CD, wallplugs, fitting screws, CCTV notification sticker, user manual and ebode product list.
Build quality:
The build quality of this camera is very strong and sturdy. It is made from a thick metal which shows no signs of flex under pressure. The camera is enclosed in a dome for protection as well as providing a sleeker look.
Pros:
+ Multiple ways to access the feed
+ Very well built
+ Compatible with iSpy
+ Simple to setup and configure
Cons:
- A little noisy when panning etc
Conclusion:
This CCTV camera has every latest connection you could need: the composite connection for your DVR, the ethernet connection for your computer and wireless connection for your smartphone. You can access the video feed over the internet too. The product is solidly built and will certainly withstand harsh outside conditions. I like that it is compatible with the existing iSpy software I had installed and it was really simple to setup and configure. The camera is noisy when panning etc, but as it is an outside camera it is not going to be an issue for me. I recommend this camera for anyone who needs an outside camera and who would benefit from its networking capabilities.
by EBODE
