Wireless Spycam with acceptable price value relationship
Written: Jan 14 '04 (Updated Jan 17 '04)
Product Rating:
Pros: Affordable, easy to use, versatile as wireless
Cons: Average picture quality, not good in low light conditions
The Bottom Line: This is a good unit for the starter. You get what you pay for. At about 150 USD this is the best price value relationship I could find.
leisure_larry's Full Review: D-link DCS-1000W Web Cam
This review covers the Dlink DCS-1000W Webcam. Note there is also the Dlink DCS-1000 Webcam out there, which is essentially the same unit excluding the wireless capability. Dlink also has just released the DCS-2000 and DCS-2100, which are about double the price.
I picked this unit up at a CompUSA sale (advertised at 149 USD after 20 USD instant and 30 USD mail-in rebates). Lone and behold, you should always CHECK ! The mail in rebate that CompUSA offers with the camera is 30 USD. Off the DLINK website, you can get a 50 USD coupon at the same time ! So the real cost before taxes is 129 USD if you choose the DLINK website coupon. (Will total about 140 USD after taxes).
Now that is a decent price. Most likely it will come further down, as Dlink just introduced the successor to this camera at CES electronics show, the Dlink DCS-2000 and the DCS-2100+, which feature sound,motion detection built-in, a better CCD sensor (CCD's are what is used in digital cameras) and better video compression algorythm for about 380 USD. (at which price you enter the professional area and might want to look at Netcam products as an alternative).
So what are the basic features of the DCS-1000 W?
CMOS sensor: color VGA resolution 640 x480
Video resolution: 160x120, 320x240 and 640 x 480
corresponding max frame rates: 30 fps, 20 fps , 3 fps
Looking through the marketing hype it is clear you can get one or the other but not both: high resolution and high frame rates. At full resolution the camera will deliver maximum 3 fps, which causes some jerky apperance. At the most useful streaming resolution of 320x240 you will get about 20 fps, which isn't stellar, but fully acceptable. At 160x120 the picture is to blurry to even bother.
You will note that high quality webcams are capable of delivering VGA resolution with 30 fps. This is only meaningful on an internal ethernet, as through the internet even with broadband connection, you will not be able to sustain the throughput, due to various bottlenecks on the way.
Also note that these are MAX rates, the actual rates are going to be lower based on your choice of connection (Lan or WLan) and the picture content compression. Lots of changes in the picture will take longer to compress and thereby drop the rates. At lower light levels at 320x240 resolution with lots of movement in the picture rates drop to around 8-9 fps. When hooked up via Ethernet, I get framerates at about 17 fps, via wireless with 64 bit encryption I get about 12 fps.
The camera has two each input and two output connectors for sensors, alarms and triggering sirens etc.
The box contains camera, tripod, Cat5 cable, Powersupply and set up CD . The cheap skates at DLINK included only a small start-up guide, the hand book is on the CD in Adobe format. Now that is less then one would expect from a 200 USD unit !
Setup is straightforward. Connect to the LAN, start the software, assign IP address and within 5 minutes you can see the first pictures IF YOU KNOW what you are doing. This is a networking device and you have to know your network settings and setups. If someone else installed it for you, you might want to ask that person back to help you with this installation. (If you know how to access your network router and how to get your IP range, gateway information and what a DHCP server does you are fine, if not, get some help).
If you use a wireless network, you will have to program the unit with your security keys to be recognized and that most certainly requires you to talk to your net admin.
The unit runs on a 5V DC external power supply, so no matter where you purchase it, by getting the right external powersupply you will be able to run it anywhere in the world.
Minimum illumination 2.5 lux. That means it doesn't work at night, nor does it have infrared night vision properties. If anything the unit is a bit weak for low ambient light levels.
High ambient light levels: Again, this unit will work in high ambient light, unless you expose it directly to sunlight, which will destroy the sensor. What it doesn't master well are high contrasts. If you take the picture of a room and you got a window with sunlight outside, the window will wash out completely or the room will sink into darkness. You can have one or the other, but not both.
Focus is manual.
Software comes complete with FTP server, Java and Active X interface. It is simple but user friendly
Maximum number of users that can access the cam simultaneously are 64.
There is the ability to create password accounts, so you can protect against unwanted access.
External security devices can be connected and trigger recording of movies or images, as well as setting off a 'silent" email alert, sending images to predefined email address.
All of it WITHOUT another computer running. Just the cam itself, hooked up to the net.
However, if you have a dial up connection instead of a permanent cable or DSL, I am not sure this will work. Actually by now I am sure it WON't. The unit has no dial-up possiblity. Doesn't make a lot of sense anyway if you don't have a permanent connection.
If you record movies, obviously you need a hard drive on a server to put them there. Doesn't need to be the computer at your home. (Actually shouldn't, what is the point in recording a burglar on the hard drive of your brand spanking new Athlon XXX system, if he steals it along with your other belongings ?)
The include IP view program is a very comfortable multi camera supervision module. It can display up to 16 cams simultaneously on your screen and even address cameras through the internet at other locations. This is very handy for a world wide remote network supervision. Also the software provides motion detection with audio alert.
You have to be careful though. Unless you have been assigned a static IP by your provider (which mine being Comcast doesn't) you will need extra service to keep your IP updated. The connection to your computer looks something like this http://253.6xx.2.xx:80 which is the physical IP your computer has on the external network. This one gets changed by your provider quite regularly in a lot of cases.
Then you will have to do the following.
Go to www.dyndns.org. Sign up for a dynamic DNS address for free.
This will look something like www.thisismywebcam.gotdns.org
Then you need to download a program that will update your DNS address with the DynDNS service regularly. This program in turn requires one of your computes running continuously, as it needs to update it with DYNDNS.
Alternative is to buy a Router that does that. Linksys has one. The Linksys WRT54G has this function, but also some issues with the DYNDNS Service. Better read the web here:
What this camera does NOT do, is serve as a webcam for netmeeting or other video conferencing tools.
It is a stand alone camera with webserver and there is no software to connect this camera with the video conferencing software. If you want to do that, better go with a Logitech Quickcam. You'd be sitting in front of your computer anyway. The other product you might review is the Linksys DVC-1000 and DVC-1100 videophones if you like to sit remote in your living room.
What would make this unit even better ?
- Sound capability
- Built in motion detector
- Higher quality CCD sensor
- Infrared and night shot capability
- Ruggedized housing for outside operation
Well if you want that, upgrade to the new DCS-2000 and DCS-2100
Nag factors:
1) The internal clock will reset if you cut the power supply. Guys, how about a buffer that keeps it alive for at least an hour ? With a camera that gets moved around it is a bear to manually adjust the camera each time
2) The camera can automatically synchronize with a NTP server. Nobody explains in the handbook that the website adress should be put in WITHOUT a leading http://
Took me a couple of days to find out how to solve this problem: DCS-1000W does not synchronize with NTP server.
Well, try this one: louie.udel.edu in the NTP server setting. It is open access. If you like to use another, go to www.ntp.org for a list. The one in the handbook does NOT work.
Other servers are listed here:
http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/clock2a.html
3) Uploading picture on an FTP server: Still have trouble getting it to work
Picture quality: Average webcam quality. Not stellar not bad. Low light pictures not exactly knocking your socks off. White balance of the camera leaves to be desired.
For streaming purposes this camera is very acceptable. If you like to use it for high quality picture taking (eg. as a bird or animal cam) you might want to consider trading up.
You want to compare picture quality I suggest you read following review from Silverstreak:
Dlink Wireless Internet Camera MJPEG, 802.11g /DCS-920 BRANDNEW! Your browser does not support objects, but you may view this content at Verify Quanti...More at eBay
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