DVR Security System Review

The Panasonic BB-HCM581A security camera has high zoom capabilities and can be connected directly to computer networks.  A standard PC can be used to operate the camera and it has pan, tilt and zoom capabilities, when monitoring the feed from the camera you can click on a zone within the image and the camera then focuses on the area.  You can pan the cameras lens around 360 degrees and it can tilt up and down 210 degrees.

The camera can be used to monitor areas of your home or business 24 hours a day, alternatively you can attach a variety of external sensors to the camera.  Depending on what sensor is attached the camera can trigger recording through means of motion, light or sound detection.  At maximum the camera is capable of capturing images at a speed of 30 frames per second regardless of the selected image resolution.  The maximum image resolution for the Panasonic camera is 640*480, you can also select between 320*240 and 192*144 image resolutions.

Multiple users can view the feed from the camera through a web browser and there is a password protection system that can be used to ensure only those who are authorised can control its functions.  The Panasonic security camera uses JPEG and MPEG-4 compression and it can also process audio, you can communicate two ways with the camera and it has a 3.5mm microphone jack built in.

You can use the camera to protect your premises at both day and night, it has a ¼ inch CCD image sensor, 21* optical zoom and 2* digital zoom.  You can set up the camera with the use of one CAT5 cable that is used to both power the camera and transmit its data stream.  You can stay informed via email about activities detected by the security camera, email protocols are built directly into the camera and it can email you an image the moment activity is detected by its built in sensor.

A personal web address can be set up for the camera so you can monitor its feed from any location that has Internet access.  Accessing the web address requires a password and once you have the system up and running it can prove useful for checking up on things at your premises when your away.

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Here is the Panasonic BB-HCM371A security camera, you can control the devices functions remotely and it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The camera is suitable for protecting a variety of areas within your home or business and can be used to set up a two way audio communication system. There is a built in heat sensor that can be used to determine when the camera activates recording and it also has a connector that can be used to attach external sensors.

SMTP software is built into the camera so you can be kept aware of activities that transpire within your home or business via email, when the camera detects activity such as a person entering a room it can warn you about this instantly. The camera operates wirelessly so you don’t need to go to the trouble of running wires around your premises to get the device up and running. To ensure intruders are unable to receive the feed from the camera it uses WEP encryption, the camera is compatible with other 802.11b/g wireless devices.

The Panasonic security camera can produce color images and it uses JPEG and M-JPEG compression. At maximum the camera can produce images at resolution of 640*480. The camera can process images at a maximum speed of 30 frames per second but this can only be achieved using an image resolution of 160*120. Up to 30 users can view the camera feed with the use of an Internet browser simultaneously, it also has a pre alarm image buffer.

Certain mobile phones can be used in conjunction with the camera and you can even use these devices to control the camera, it is also possible to receive snapshots from the camera through particular mobiles. A ¼ inch CCD image sensor is built in to the Panasonic security camera and it has a clear dome covering. White balancing controls are built into the camera and these can be controlled manually by the user or you can set the camera to control this manually.

An SD card slot is built into the camera so you can insert memory cards into the device for storing images, there are two input connectors and one output connector and these can be used to attach numerous external devices to the camera. The camera can also be powered with the use of PoE (power over Ethernet), it comes with a flexible stand and screws and a CD ROM for installation and set-up.

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Here is the Sony SNC-CS50N security camera, it is designed to be connected to computer networks and the device supports two different types of compression. The camera can be assigned its own unique IP address and multiple users are able to view the feed simultaneously. The cameras feed can be viewed through Internet Explorer with the use of Active X controls, each person wishes to view the camera feed will need a unique password.

The browser controls for the camera enable you to control many of its functions, you can zoom in and out, adjust the frame rate and adjust the cameras volume controls. The user interface for the camera also has a function that allows you to quickly send images to colleagues by file transfer protocol or by email. You can use the interface to save images to the cameras memory and to control the built in alarm outputs.

The Sony security camera is capable of capturing images at both day and night, there is also a built in voice alert feature. You can use voice alert to record a message and then playback that message for whatever reason for the benefit of those in the vicinity of the surveillance camera. There is also an audio input built into the camera so you can hear activities in the cameras range, the camera uses G.711 and G.726 audio compression.

At maximum the security camera is capable of capturing images at a maxim speed of 30 frames per second, it uses H.264, MPEG-4 and JPEG compression. The camera is capable of capturing images at a pixel range of 640*480 and it has a vari-focal zoom lens, inside the camera is a 1/3 inch SuperEXwave CCD image sensor. The camera has a horizontal resolution of 540 TV lines and it this version uses an NTSC video signal.

At the back of the camera is a BNC video input and it has two sensor inputs that can be used with a variety of external devices and it also has two alarm outputs. You can connect the camera directly to computer networks through its built in RJ-45 Ethernet connector and it is compatible with a variety of network protocols.

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Here we have the Sony SNC-Z20N with the ‘N’ denoting the fact this is the NTSC version of the Sony security camera. The SNC-Z20N is designed to operate on computer networks and is capable of capturing footage at a speed of 30 frames per second. The security camera can be connected to networks in a variety of ways either by connecting it to a DVR or PC already connected to a network and you can use the network connector built in to the back of the camera.

Numerous controls are built in to the back of the camera so you don’t have to be at a monitoring station to operate all of its functions. With the on board camera controls you can zoom in and out and select either telephoto or wide camera views. The camera can be used to connect a variety of devices to your security system, it has a built in RS-232C interface, a sensor input and two alarm outputs. The alarm outputs can be used to notify personnel when the camera detects motion on your premises with the use of an external alarm.

You can monitor the camera feed with a variety of PCs, the required specification is a machine with a processor that runs at least 500MHz however the higher the specification of your computer the better. You can view the camera feed through Internet Explorer with the use of Active X controls and control the cameras functions. The Sony security camera has an effective pixel range of 768*494 and an electronic shutter speed range of 1 to 1/10000 sec.

The security camera has exposure controls that include auto, shutter priority, iris priority and manual, there are also white balancing controls that include from automatic and manual settings and there are preset indoor and outdoor white balancing modes. The camera has a color image sensor, it is capable of capturing images at both day and night and has a maximum horizontal resolution of 470 TV lines.

Various network protocols are compatible with the camera including TCP/IP, HTTP and DHCP, it is fitted with an analog video output and uses JPEG compression. The camera includes all the necessary hardware need for installation and it also includes wire rope to protect the camera if it should be disconnecting from its housing.

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This is the Sony SNCDF50N security camera that has wide dynamic range and a feature known as ‘Dynamic Frame Integration’, this improves the clarity of images that include stationary and moving objects.  The Sony security camera has a 1/3 inch CCD image sensor and an effective pixel range of 768*494.  There are three user selectable video compression modes, these include MPEG-4, JPEG and H.264 video compression.

The camera is designed for use on computer networks and up to 20 users can monitor the cameras video feed simultaneously.  You can attach external alarms to the security camera, if you have motion sensors on your premises these can also be attached to the device.  The camera also has two alarm relay outputs that can be used to sound an alarm, you can program the camera to sound attached alarms based on various actions detected by the camera, i.e. motion detection.

You can configure the camera to transmit an image with its motion detection feature to keep you apprised of events.  One of the cameras more advanced features is object detection, this works by activating an alarm when objects enter and remain in the cameras view for a set period of time.  Object detection can be used to inform personnel when a subject in the vicinity of the security camera leaves behind a bag or to monitor the presence of motor vehicles.

There is a speaker output built in to the Sony security camera you can use to attach an external speaker to the device, you have the option record an audio file and store this in the cameras memory, this feature is known as voice alert.  Voice alert can be used in conjunction with the cameras alarm features, when the alarm is activated voice alert can be used to direct subjects in the cameras vicinity to walk to an exit on your premises.

The camera has a vari-focal lens and a shutter speed range of 1/60 – 1/10,000 s, the camera also has exposure control and white balancing.  The Sony camera has a horizontal resolution of 420 TV lines and uses an NTSC video signal.  You can zoom in up close to objects in the cameras range as it has a 3.6x optical zoom and a 1.5x digital zoom.

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Here is another model in the range of Sony security cameras, the Sony SSC  DC593 is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The Sony security camera has a feature known as variable gamma curve, there are four preset variable gamma curve settings you can select, each has an impact on the sharpness of dark and bright portions within an image.  There is a 1/3 inch interline transfer CCD type image sensor built into the camera and it has an effective pixel range of 768*494.

You can capture images at both day and night with the Sony security camera, it automatically detects changes in illumination levels.  When light levels fall to a specific level the camera remove any infra red filtering applied to an image, at this point switches from color to black and white mode.  The camera has a maximum resolution of 480 TV lines and operates in light levels as low as 0.8 lux in color mode and 0.07 lux in black and white mode.

The camera has a wide dynamic range lens and it also has a feature known as DynaView, DynaView improves the clarity of images shot in high contrast environments.  DynaView works by capturing two shots of an image by using a normal and a high shutter speed, it uses LSI technology to combine elements of both images to produced one enhanced image.

There are four gain control options you can select, the camera has a feature known as Turbo AGC, this feature allows you to adjust the cameras gain to 24dB.  The gain control functions include normal, turbo and manual, you also have the option to turn the gain control off.  Another feature that makes adjustments to the cameras settings based on lighting conditions is auto white tracing, the camera also has motion detection capabilities.

You can specify what elements within an image trigger its alarm relay with its activity detection function, when the camera detects motion in a specified area it also sends a visual alarm activation signal to your monitor.  The Sony Security camera also has a privacy zone masking function and the camera is compatible with CS-mount lenses that can be used for precision back focus adjustments.

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Here we have the Sony SNC DF40N security camera, it is compatible with both PAL and NTSC video signals and uses both JPEG and NTSC video compression.  The Sony security camera is designed for use on computer networks and it is capable of capturing sharp images at a smooth frame rate.  If your premises have a PC you can easily set the device up to act as a monitoring station for the Sony Security camera, A mid range specification PC will suffice.

The security camera can capture images at a rate of 30 frames per second and you can select one of six image quality modes, you can set the pixel range to a maximum of 640*480 and a minimum of 160*120.  To monitor the camera your PC needs to be connected to the Internet, through its web browser window you can view the camera feed with either a Java or Active X viewer.

As both Java and Active X viewers are supported the camera feed can be monitored through the Firefox web browser or through Internet Explorer.  The Active X viewer does have the advantage when it comes to the smoothness of the camera feed as it supports MPEG-4 compression.  From the viewer you can send image files to colleagues, adjust the cameras zoom and control a multitude of its other functions.

A 32 bit RISC processor is built into the camera and it has 64 megabytes of memory and 32 megabytes of flash RAM.  The camera has ¼ inch inter line transfer super HAD CCD image sensor and it has a horizontal resolution of 480 TV lines.  You can also hear the activities of subjects in the vicinity of the camera as it has a built in microphone, the camera uses G.711/G.726 audio compression.

The camera has white balancing and it is capable of capturing images in low level lighting, its alarm relay output can be used to attach it to an external alarm.  The alarm rely feature is very useful for alerting you when the camera detects motion, there is also a pre alarm buffer built in so you can view occurrences that lead up to an event before an alarm is activated.

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Here we have the Sony EVIHD1 security camera, arguably the most revered feature of the device is its high definition image capabilities. The Sony EVIHD1 has a 2 mega pixel range (16:9), the camera has an HD-SDI video output making it compatible with High definition televisions and standard NTSC and PAL TV’s. Inside the camera is a 1/3 inch CMOS image sensor and the devices shutter speed range falls between ½ to 1/10,000 of a second.

The Sony security camera has pan tilt and zoom functionality, you can select from one of six preset camera positions when monitoring the camera, it has the capability of retaining its position settings after it has been turned off. You can see objects from great distances with the camera as it has a 40x zoom ratio, specifically it has a 10x optical zoom and a 4x digital zoom.

The camera also has a wide viewing angle of 70 degrees so it can capture a high degree of objects through its image sensor without you having to adjust its position. As the camera has an RS-232C interface you can control its functions from a remote locations, you can control the camera remotely with use of the Sony Visca protocol. The cameras Visca protocol consists of a variety of commands that allow you to control features such as its shutter speed, zoom, zoom speed and more.

A neat remote control is included with the Sony security camera so you make adjustments to its position and image settings, this is very handy as a user does not have to be at a dedicated monitoring station to control it. The Sony EVIHD1 is not one of Sony’s cheapest camera but if image quality is paramount it will serve its purpose. The camera can be used both as a surveillance device or as a key tool for setting up a video conferencing system.

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Here we have another network camera produced by Sony, the SNC-DF70N is compatible with both PAL and NTSC signals and could possibly be the ideal camera for adding surveillance to your premises.  The Sony SNC-DF70N has a discreet design and when positioned correctly it can go relatively unnoticed, its outer casing is composed of die-cast aluminium.  Inside the casing is a ¼ inch Super HAD image sensor and the camera is capable of capturing images at both day and night.

You can connect the camera to either a standard PC or to a DVR in order to record its feed, the cameras outer design makes it suitable for either indoor or outdoor use.  The Sony security camera has a feature known as ‘Adaptive Rate Control’ and the function automatically adapts the cameras bit rate usage to compensate for fluctuations in network speed.  The purpose of the cameras adaptive rate control feature is to ensure there is no break in its audio and video feed.

The cameras built in microphone makes it ideal for setting up an intercom system that you can use to monitor and communicate with subjects at the entrance of your premises.  The outer casing of the camera is durable and can resist attempts of vandalism to a limited degree, it also has a built in pre alarm recording function so you can see a limited amount of footage that leads up to events.  The pre alarm recording function gives you the ability 15 seconds of camera footage that leads to an event.

Video feeds from the camera are high quality, it has a maximum effective pixel range of 768*494 and the cameras gain control can be set to automatic or manual.  The camera uses G.711 audio compression and you can select between JPEG and MPEG-4 video compression.  You can connect the camera to digital video recorders that have BNC video inputs and it has a horizontal resolution of 480 TV lines.

Software is included with the SNC-DF70N that you can use to set up a PC as a monitoring station, the software requires Windows 2000 or XP for installation.  The feed from the Sony security camera can be monitored over the web via Internet Explorer, this feature will prove useful for monitoring your premises while you are away.

Check the latest price on the Sony SNC-DF70N Security Camera

Here we have another security camera created by Sony, the SSC-DC80 has a 1/2 inch Exwave HAD image sensor, the Sony security camera has been designed to produce sharp images.  The camera is particularly useful making the background objects within an image show up more prominently, this particular feature proves useful when you need to increase the size of a recorded image.  There is also a privacy zone feature that you can use to ensure the camera does not monitor areas that are classed as private.

A feature known as ‘Turbo AGC’ gives you the ability to boost the cameras gain control up to 28 db, this feature is of most use in situations where you need to record a subject in low level light conditions.  Turbo AGC mode has a number of preset modes that you can select, these include normal, turbo and manual, you can also turn the feature off completely.

The camera has a set up menu and this allows you to set the cameras white balancing, synchronisation and other functions directly from the buttons situated at the side of the camera.  The Sony security camera has a BNC video output you can use to attach it directly to a DVR or other recording devices, the camera also has an S-Video that improves the quality of the feed from the camera.

The Sony security cameras white balancing controls can be controlled automatically or you can set the feature to manual.  The camera uses an NTSC video signal and has a maximum horizontal resolution of 480 TV lines.  The camera has an effective pixel range of 768*494 and its electronic shutter has a range between 1/60th and 1/100,000th of a second

You have the option to give the Sony security camera a specific name, this can be of help if the camera is to be attached to a surveillance system that already consists of many cameras.  When naming the camera you can add up to 24 characters to the name you wish to choose, you also have the option to change the cameras lens if you wish, the camera is compatible with DC servo and video servo type lenses.

Check the latest price on the Sony Security Camera SSC-DC80