The IP Camera and IP CCTV Blog

We’ve just heard that Panasonic are now officially discontinuing their BL-C1 and BL-C20 IP cameras.

This has been coming for a while as these models have already been replaced for a few months with the BL-C101 and BL-C121 respectively.

The BL-C101 and BL-C121 (wireless) offer advanced features over the old models, including:

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Recent reports out from the British Crime Survey show that in the last year while violent crime is down compared to the previous year, theft related crime has risen in the wake of the economic down turn.

Trends show a rise in domestic burglary and shoplifting over the past year along with a rise in the overall risk of being a victim of crime.

Many people today are now looking for new and reliable ways to protect their homes. Recent figures show that households with even basic security are nearly 2.5x less likely to be a victim of burglary than households with no security features. This figure rises to nearly 5x for households which include enhanced security.

While security features like CCTV act as a deterrent against crime they also offer peace of mind while away from your property. IP cameras which connect directly to your computer network now offer significant advantages over analogue CCTV.

Active security measures

While some traditional CCTV systems ran in the background only being called upon after a crime has occurred, others required constant active monitoring. IP cameras can intelligently monitor your property and even alert you before you become the victim of crime without any human intervention.

Key technologies included in IP cameras such as Video Motion Detection (VMD) allow for this intelligent unmanned surveillance and can notify you of alerts via email or even mobile phone. The option of being able to store data offsite along with the ability to view images over any Internet connection including your mobile phone makes an IP camera a robust and adaptable security solution.

Entry level IP camera security solutions

Below are a few examples of low cost IP cameras that can enhance security for your home or office.

Axis M1011
Entry level Axis IP camera with advanced video compression, motion detection, email notification and FTP upload, including recording software for one camera. A Wireless version is also available.

Y-cam Black
Includes infrared night vision and wireless capability along with motion detection, email notification and FTP upload. Addition outdoor housing for this camera is also available.

Panasonic BL-C101
A cheap introduction IP camera with one way audio, external sensor inputs along with motion detection, FTP upload and email notification.

The Q6032-E is the latest in PTZ dome network cameras from Axis.

It is a professional camera for high end security surveillance and monitoring, suitable for any indoor or outdoor location. With an IP66-rated case the camera is fully weatherproof and with Arctic Temperature Control can also withstand extreme temperatures of between -40 to +50 degrees C.

Easy to install

Designed for easy installation, the IP camera can be mounted quickly and easily and with support for the IEEE802.3at High Power over Ethernet pre-standard the camera can be powered using a single Ethernet cable.

Other features include:

• 35x optical zoom with autofocus
• H.264 video compression for bandwidth efficient monitoring
• Local storage to SD memory card
• Day/night monitoring for reliable 24-hour surveillance

For more information:

Network Webcams, one of the UKs leading IP CCTV firms, has appointed two new technical team members.

Kevin To and Simon Le Monnier will be at the spearhead of our technical support effort, both over the phone, by email and through the web. Our goal remains to provide the best technical support and customer service in the IP CCTV business. These appointments give Network Webcams capacity for further growth and success.

Based in Kirkcaldy, Fife, both Kevin (who has a background in IPTV) and Simon (educated in Music and Video Engineering) will spend some time getting used to how we do things around here, following our in-house training programme and learning the ropes.

We welcome both Kevin and Simon into the team and wish them every success within Network Webcams.