Recommend a good IP security camera that does motion detection.

November 2, 2008 6:22 PM

Can anybody recommend a good IP surveillance camera that does motion detection internally?

I currently have an IP network based surveillance setup using a variety of Toshiba and D-link IP cameras all feeding a windows box running ActiveWebCam. currently the PC and software do all of the motion detection, and it hits the CPU pretty hard depending on how many cameras you have active.

i was wondering if anybody had any [resonably priced...$300-500] camera recommendations that did the motion detection and emailing of images/videos onboard rather than offloading it to a computer.

i've tried some Linksys solutions that had detection built in but the motion detection is spotty and the video quality is horrible.

thanks for any help

posted by monkeybutt to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

I've had two Panasonic BL-C20A cameras for about a year and a half and have been pleased. I couple this with Active WebCam from PYsoft which features motion detection and email of images.
posted by smoothhickory at 7:09 PM on November 2, 2008

Best answer: I use the Axis 207MW. Reasonably priced, hardwired and/or wireless, tiny, scriptable, motion detection, etc. Very happy with it. You may not want to pay the extra $$s for the megapixel version, but I like the image quality. Only real downside is poor low-light performance and no IR ability.
posted by taubman at 7:26 PM on November 2, 2008

Response by poster: thanks for the response, but i'm looking for a camera system that can take ActiveWebCam out of the loop. AWC chews up a lot of CPU cycles if you are using it in motion-detection mode (4 cameras running at 12fps at 320x240 nets out at a constant 40% CPU load on a 2.2ghz core2 duo....adding one 640x480 camera spokes that up to around 85%).

by offloading the motion-detection task to individual cameras i can conserve a bit on electricity/heat/noise from the PC

thanks again.
posted by monkeybutt at 7:28 PM on November 2, 2008

Response by poster: thanks Taubman.....

i was considering the 207MW's. can they handle emailing through an smtp server that requires authentication?
posted by monkeybutt at 7:31 PM on November 2, 2008

I havent fully explored smtp functionality myself, however I did take a quick look at the setup page for the 207MW I have here, and there are options for SMTP auth in the network settings. The user manual describes setting up "events" which will trigger the upload of images via http or smtp, so it looks like the camera will do exactly what you want.
posted by taubman at 11:43 PM on November 2, 2008

I've owned many IP cams, and I can't say enough about the NC1000. I've tossed out or sold 2 D-links, 2 linksys and numerous off-brand IP cameras but I simply won't give this thing up. While most refer to it as a gadget-spot unit, it's sold by whoever has a contract with the wacky chinese sweatshop that makes them at the time. They're all over ebay too.

- Fantastic picture/resolution, good sensor with decent noise
- standard CS-mount lens for cheap 3rd party upgrades to wide, zoom, etc
- surprisingly GOOD audio! (activex interface only)
- GPIO pinouts for external trigger input and alarm output
- Infrared LEDs (kinda suck)
- very good motion detection that can email (non-secure smtp only) or FTP on motion - no 'area definition' though

The list goes on - best non-axis cam I've ever had and CHEAAAP. Avoid the wifi version - it apparently does not work.
posted by datacenter refugee at 12:28 AM on November 3, 2008

Response by poster: wow, thanks for the recommend, datacenter refugee (great name by the way)

ironically enough i have TWO of those NC1000 cameras that i got off WOOT, and neither of them work. i bought them so my dad could monitor wildlife outside his window but i could not get either of them to work. once i run through the setup routine on the included software (connected by a crossover cable to a PC) i cannot get it to show up on my network or attach to it directly again. very weird. have you had this happen?

also its a bit of a drag about it not supporting smtp authentication since my ISP requires it before any relay.

thanks again for the extended recommendation; i'm going to give them a try again and see if i can get them working.
posted by monkeybutt at 5:28 AM on November 3, 2008

Sony SNC and IPELA series do motion detection with SMTP notification.
posted by ostranenie at 5:40 PM on November 3, 2008