The IP Camera and IP CCTV Blog

We’re offering £100 off the new Panasonic BB-HCM701 indoor fixed mini-dome IP camera.

This compact camera is designed for discreet indoor surveillance and would be perfect for use in offices, schools, hospitals, hotel reception areas, store and server rooms.

The camera is especially good in low light making the unit ideal in both bright and dimmed light conditions. At just over 11cm (approx 4”) in diameter the Panasonic BB-HCM701 is unobtrusive and PoE support means the camera can be neatly installed using just one cable. The camera has an SD card slot providing an additional internal storage option.

This exclusive offer is only available at www.networkwebcams.co.uk. Buy the Panasonic BB-HCM701 for £249 saving £100 and if you purchase the camera from us, we’ll give you a Free SecurityStation beta account.

Panasonic BB-HCM701 full product and specification >>

Read more about SecurityStation >>

Today, Network Webcams announces the launch of SecurityStation, its own Alerts & Recording Platform (ARP). Designed with the user in mind, SecurityStation makes viewing and recording from IP cameras as easy as using a website.

The new service can be accessed using all common browsers and does away with the need for recording devices or software of any kind. All a user need is a camera and an Internet connection, SecurityStation does the rest.

Secure, offsite remote servers managed by Network Webcams store the data captured from users’ cameras. Via www.MySecurityStation.com users have instant access to their event recordings, live camera feeds and system control settings.

Frank Crouwel, Managing Director at Network Webcams said, “We expect that SecurityStation will become a great success and a market leader amongst other Alerts & Recording Platforms (ARPs). The fact that the service is fully web-based and is accessible from anywhere on demand makes it easy to use for anybody, and this makes it such a powerful product. It will open up the use of IP video to a much wider market.”

Read more of this article…

Y-cam have been very successful with their IP cameras for the entry-level market. They have provided a small range of daylight viewing (Y-cam White) and night vision cameras (Y-cam Black/Knight) aimed for home and small business users but now they are launching something with the business user in mind.

The Y-cam Bullet

Enter the Y-cam Bullet, Y-cam’s first true day/night camera which is fully weatherproof and features wireless connectivity and 2-way audio.

The Y-cam Bullet is the next natural progression of the Y-cam Black or Y-cam Knight. It is a bullet-style camera which is self-contained in a weatherproof housing (no Y-cam Shell required!) and is the first camera from Y-cam to feature true infrared automatic day/night switching, Power over Ethernet connectivity and 2-way audio and comes with a new MJPEG optimised viewer for the iPhone.

Exclusive price until end of March 2010

From today we are selling the new Y-cam Bullet at a reduced price until the end of March. Buy from Network Webcams today and save £50 off the manufacturer’s RRP. See below link for details.

More information:

Y-cam Bullet true day/night wireless outdoor security camera
Y-cam Bullet product evaluation by Network Webcams

Y-cam have just released a new dedicated outdoor IP camera the Y-cam Bullet. Previously Y-cam had offered the Y-cam shell as an outdoor solution for their Y-cam range which is made from ABS plastic and offers IP66-ratedequivalent weatherproofing.

As you can see the new Y-cam Bullet seems to be a more streamlined, elegant solution in a metal case offering IP66-rated protection and to a much higher standard, with a proper weatherproof gland on cable entry. Also the addition of the external wireless antenna is bound to help the wireless performance over the Y-cam shell. However, appearances are not the only advantage of the Y-cam Bullet which now has true day/night switching, two-way audio capability and is compatible with Power over Ethernet as well as sporting a microSD card slot with all the functionality of the Y-cam SD.

Dimensions (WxHxD):

• Y-cam Shell: 125 x 135 x 170 mm (main body)
• Y-cam Bullet: 70 x 70 x 190 mm (main body)

Full product specification:
Y-cam Bullet outdoor IP camera
Y-cam Shell outdoor housing

Panasonic have recently released new network cameras the BB-HCM715 and the BB-HCM735 to replace the BB-HCM511 and the BB-HCM531 respectively. The cameras look the same, with pan and tilt control and can still be powered by Power over Ethernet, but they offer better image quality with a megapixel resolution and have H.264 video compression.

Key improvements:

• Both cameras now come with megapixel sensors which give 4x the resolution of the previous VGA models
• The addition of H.264 video compression allows the camera to efficiently encode video footage which is ideal for bandwidth restricted viewing such as over the Internet
• Improved low light performance including a 2×2 pixel binning which combines the light from 4 adjacent pixels and requires a minimum illumination of 0.3 lux, an improvement on the previously required 2 lux
• With the 4x resolution the image buffer size has been increased by nearly 4x from 350 images QVGA to 1290 images
• Improved weatherproofing from IP54 to IP55 (BB-HCM735 only) allows for better protection outdoors

Panasonic BB-HCM715 >>
Panasonic BB-HCM735 >>

Pelco have launched a free 4-channel video recording software solution, DS4U, which will now be bundled with every Pelco IP camera product for Windows and Mac users.

What DS4U offers is entry to their high-end Digital Sentry platform which allows users to manage data for multiple locations from a single client workstation.

DS4U is a free software-only video management solution, suitable for recording video from up to 4 Pelco IP cameras including HD support for Pelco’s Sarix range of megapixel IP cameras.

Read more of this article…

These cameras are already out in the US and are the direct replacements of probably our best selling cameras, the Panasonic BL-C111 and BL-C131.

Due out very soon in the UK the BL-C210 and BL-C230 (wireless model) are both targeted to the home security market. If you look at their appearance you can see they are moving away from the silver finish of the previous models now come in that white finish which Apple have made very fashionable over the last few years. This of course makes them blend in a little better with modern interiors (home or business).

Read more of this article…

Mobotix are in the process of rolling out new camera models with updated hardware. Their new M24M range adds a range of features over the older M22M which improve the effectiveness of your security installation.

Here are some of the features available:

Read more of this article…

Axis are the first to introduce a fully featured thermal network camera for surveillance, the Q1910 (outdoor variant Q1910-E). Before now thermal imaging cameras have been analogue-based and restricted to high-end installations with a heavy price tag but with the new cameras launched this week Axis are offering thermal network camera surveillance at an affordable price.

Read more of this article…

Something which caught our eye recently is the new 2 megapixel outdoor camera from VIVOTEK, the IP7361.

From the spec the IP7361 it’s definintely not shy of features:

• Outdoor-ready IP67 rated protection
• 2 Megapixel sensor (1600×1200 pixels) with digital PTZ
• True day/night functionality with built in IR illumination
• Power over Ethernet compliant to IEEE802.3af
• 2-way audio with SIP protocol
• On-camera recording using SD/SDHC memory cards

Read more of this article…

After the recent glowing review of the Mobotix Q24M by PC-Pro, Network Webcams are running an exclusive promotion on the Mobotix Q24M 3-megapixel hemispheric IP camera. Save £50 + VAT until the 28th of February 2010.

Only available from www.networkwebcams.co.uk

Mobotix Q24M full specification >>
Mobotix Q24M PC-Pro review >>

We have been lucky enough to get our hands on a Panasonic BB-HCM701 before they are released and we thought we’d share our first impressions.

Read more of this article…

Our Chester City Walls RemoteManager IP camera has hit the local press again as archaeologists uncovered a buried Roman tower during repair works. It’s believed that the well-preserved tower, which was found beneath the foundation of the city wall, was used by Roman guards patrolling the area. Interval towers were placed regularly every 65m or so along the rear of the main fortress wall and acted as lookout points and as bases for Roman artillery.

Chester residents are being enouraged to log on to the webcam to watch as more of the tower is uncovered.

Read the full story at Chester First.
Learn more about RemoteManager.

The Mobotix Q24M hemispheric IP camera recently scored highly when reviewed by the guys at PC Pro, “We were stunned when we first saw the live view. It’s not just that the image quality is good, it’s what the camera can do with it that’s so impressive.”

The Q24M from Mobotix uses a hemispheric lens to capture a 360 degree, 3 megapixel image. The camera then cleverly uses the circular fisheye image to provide up to four independent views, each with pan, tilt and 8x digital zoom functionality which are digitally corrected for distortion. The result is the image and control you would get from a standard mechanical PTZ camera without missing details or events by recording the complete 360 degree field of view.

All Mobotix cameras are designed to operate as a decentralised surveillance system with all image processing and recording performed by the camera. The Q24M comes with a pre-installed 4GB MicroSD card for a complete surveillance solution.

See the PC Pro article >>
Mobotix Q24M 360 degree hemispheric view network camera >>

Network Webcams is highlighting a recent report in the Sunday Mail on the staggering cost of school vandalism in Scotland. According to the report, vandalism in Scottish schools costs taxpayers £10,000 a day or £3.53 million per year, equivalent to the salary of more than 170 teachers.

According to Kevin Bowyer, our Kirkcaldy-based Technical Director: “Because of its proven effectiveness, more and more educational establishments are using networked CCTV surveillance to protect staff, students, property and buildings.

“One specific problem for schools is night-time vandalism against property, and the cost of damage is often significant. Network CCTV helps local authorities and individual schools to take control of this problem, not just by recording the event but by instantly raising alarms with people in other locations, who can then see what is going on and inform the police. The chance of catching the vandals in the act is much greater and a series of quick police responses will deter vandals from trying again next time.”

Read the full story…

Network Webcams’ RemoteManager construction webcam service is being used by Chester West and Chester council to document the reconstruction of Chester city walls.

A 25 metre section of the city walls was closed after part of the walls collapsed on 3 April 2008 close to the Eastgate Clock. The walls have been stabilised and in summer 2009 work was started on dismantling and then rebuilding the walls. The work is expected to last around 12 months.

Read more of this article…

Network Webcams has launched a spectacular offer on the best-selling Panasonic BB-HCM511 and BB-HCM531 IP network CCTV cameras. The offer is exclusively available from Network Webcams and reduces the cost of these Panasonic cameras by over 30% to the customer.

This spectacular Panasonic offer is available from www.networkwebcams.co.uk and is valid whilst stock last.

For full product specification:

Panasonic BB-HCM511 indoor IP camera
Panasonic BB-HCM531 outdoor IP camera

Press release October 7th 2009.

Following the release of the World’s first ONVIF conformant Network Video Products, LILIN have announced its partnership with Network Webcams, a leading specialist in Network Video and IP solutions.

Established in 2004, Network Webcams are one of the largest specialist companies in the area of IP Video. Providing networked CCTV systems and remote monitoring solutions for security and surveillance applications, they offer tailored web camera systems and webcam hosting and video streaming services.

Read more of this article…

Network Webcams is due to release a beta version of their new web-based CCTV Service in November this year. The service has been branded ‘SecurityStation’ and allows customers to manage their IP cameras fully via the web. It does away with the need for recording software or video recorders of any kind. The recording and storage is done offsite on remote servers managed by Network Webcams. Users simply log in to the system via the web and have full control over their cameras, all via the Internet.

Kevin Bowyer, Technical Director at Network Webcams, and the driving force behind the development of SecurityStation:

“We think we have made it so easy to use, it offers customers all the benefits of modern-day CCTV but we deliver it via the web in a way that many of us have become used to in our everyday life.

“We are releasing a Beta version of the service in November and are looking for users with a critical mind to provide feedback to us before we fully launch. This is the most important stage to us”.

The beta version will be free and available by invitation only. Beta users will be rewarded with a free lifetime SecurityStation account (Terms and conditions apply). You can register to receive an invitation at www.securitystation.com.

Feel free to call us if you want to find out more. Speak to Frank on 0151 633 2111.