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Network Webcams blog
Archive for the ‘IP Camera Basics’ Category
Perimeter security – what to consider in a camera
Monitoring and protecting a perimeter, be a school ground or business premises is one of the most common surveillance scenarios. However, with such an array of cameras to choose from, how do you narrow down your options?
This article covers the main features to consider when purchasing cameras to protect a perimeter. Of course, budget is important too, so this guide can help you determine which features are required for your installation.
Recording at the edge – A new approach to surveillance system design
Edge recording is a term which is has started to populate through the IP camera industry with regards to network video recording. Edge recording is a network configuration designed to reduce the bottlenecks inherent to centralized video systems. This article describes how edge recording functions work and describes the pros and cons of its use.
Digital Pan, Tilt and Zoom Cameras: Can they compete with conventional cameras?
With the increase in megapixel and HD cameras, more and more camera manufacturers are offering digital pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) features as an alternative to conventional mechanical pan, tilt and zoom. Can digital pan, tilt and zoom cameras offer the same level of functionality when used in security scenarios?
What is a Network Port and why do I need one?
Network Ports can often be a difficult concept to understand. When working with IP cameras you don’t really need to worry about them until you have to set up remote access. Routers rely on ports to limit data which can access your camera and differentiate between multiple devices. Believe it or not, you are using a port just now, only you can’t see it.
How to set up IP cameras for remote access
Remote access is often a key factor when choosing a security camera. The ability to monitor a location remotely is a huge benefit for most and is often the main reason for selecting an IP camera.
However, the act of setting up remote access can often be very confusing for non-technical users and can lead to difficulty. The process is actually very simple but does require some explanation.
Universal Plug and Play: Friend or Foe?
We get a lot of technical support requests regarding Port Forwarding, the process of allowing access through the firewall on your router to your camera so that you can access your camera from across the Internet. It’s a tricky process which can leave many novice users scratching their heads.
Enter Universal Plug and Play
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a set of network protocols designed to allow network devices to automatically communicate without any manual intervention from the user. In the case of IP cameras, UPnP often provides an icon on your computer to let you easily navigate to the camera as well as automatic port forwarding so that you can access your camera quickly and easily from anywhere in the world without any configuration.
How to set up a personal FTP server for use with an IP camera’s image transfer function
With the image transfer feature found in many IP cameras you can store a number of images in a central location as an archive for security purposes or maybe for building a time-lapse movie.
These images are sent using the FTP protocol which stands for File Transfer Protocol and is normally associated with transferring files across the Internet. It also works equally as well on a local network and this guide will show you how to set it up.
Using H.264 video compression in IP video surveillance systems
H.264 is an open video compression standard. Uniquely, H.264 is the first compression format to be formed by collaboration between members of both the IT and telecommunications industries and each have their own name for it. H.264 is the name used by the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union) and MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is the name used by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). The video surveillance industry has adopted the term H.264 and this has become the primary reference to the standard. This is also the term we use.
H.264 is fast becoming the standard video compression format for the video surveillance world and if we look at the claims it makes we can see why. We hear bold statements about low bandwidth usage, reduced storage requirements, higher resolution monitoring and better quality images and it all sounds too good to be true… doesn’t it?
What is an IP camera?
IP cameras are known by many different names such as IP camera, network camera, IP network camera, Internet camera, network webcam, and so on but they all refer to the same item: An IP video device which which can deliver live images over IP-based networks such as a Local Area Network (LAN) or the Internet.
Stand-alone device
The IP camera is a stand-alone network device which can operate without the support of a PC. This means the camera does not rely on software from a PC to help it produce images in the same way a USB web cam would, but instead the IP camera can be connected to a local network based in any home or business and deliver images to any connected PC be it at the same location or half-way round the world across the internet.
How to prevent wireless interference
Making the transition from wired to wireless is an exciting step and with a wide choice of wireless IP cameras now available on the market you can keep an eye on your home or business without cluttering it up with cables.
Normally wireless connections are every bit as reliable as their wired counterpart but sometimes there can be something which prevents their smooth operation. Interference.
Interference
We’ve all experienced interference in some way, from the television picture breaking up during a heavy storm or crackling on the radio when you enter a built-up area or valley. Your wireless signal works very much in the same way as your radio or television and may dip in and out depending on circumstances and the environment.
We realise that when you are connecting your IP cameras wirelessly is it even more crucial that they remain connected at all times, especially when they are used as IP security cameras. So let’s take a look at some of the causes of interference and how we can help reduce their effect.
