D-Link DCS-1000 Ethernet Internet Camera

by D-Link

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000063XJD
• Item model number: DCS-1000
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 16, 2002

Product Description

The DCS-1000 is a 10/100 Fast Ethernet Internet Camera that connects directly to your network and enables remote video image viewing from anywhere in the world. The powerful IPView software allows you to monitor and mange your DCS-1000, capture streaming video to your hard drive, and enable motion detection. Designed to work with your existing wired network, the DCS-1000 is a simple, innovative, and cost-effective security solution for your home.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Numerous issues with this camera., March 21, 2003

By 

Jeremy Chadwick (Mountain View, CA, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: D-Link DCS-1000 Ethernet Internet Camera (Personal Computers)

1. For an Ethernet device, the web interface is _incredibly_ slow. We're talking a good 10 seconds just to load up any configuration page.
2. Absolutely *HORRIBLE* CCD (the image sensor used to collect what's shown). For a device costing this much, I would expect a high-end CCD -- especially since it's advertised as a "security" device. Adjusting the resolution made it worse (see below). Bright lighting made no difference. I've seen CCDs this bad used in old (pre-2001) Logitech cameras; they're used solely for mass manufacturing (e.g. cheap).
3. 640x480 shows signs of bad hardware dithering -- hundreds of white dots along the edges of things. Bright lighting, again, made no difference. Even 320x240 shows signs of dithering.
4. Java interface lags behind by a good 1-2 seconds. This forces you to use the ActiveX component (which is properly syncd) -- however, the ActiveX component requires you to upload an .OCX file to an EXTERNAL webserver (it's not contained on the camera!).
5. This device cannot get more than 15, MAYBE 20, frames a second. I can see how for a security device this would be a Very Bad Thing(tm).
6. The latest firmware on D-Link's website is 1.26; the camera I bought from Amazon claimed to be 1.27. I find this mysteriously bothersome.

Positives, on the other hand, include VERY easy setup, and an excellent base mount (made of steel) -- although it's intended to be screw-mounted, not sit on a desk. It's Ethernet connectivity is great though (why don't more vendors use Ethernet!?)

But, for a device that costs this much, I would expect a LOT better quality.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars trouble, March 7, 2003

By 

tom matty (IRWIN, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Link DCS-1000 Ethernet Internet Camera (Personal Computers)

Cannot get the camera to upload to my web site on ATTBI.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not your average camera - below average to be precise, November 18, 2003

By 

Tobias Hoellrich (Santa Fe, New Mexico United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Link DCS-1000 Ethernet Internet Camera (Personal Computers)

I've purchased this camera despite all the negative comments I've seen on the web and decided to use it as a monitoring device for our baby's room. Installation was a breeze and could not have been easier (four stars for the setup of the system). I was a bit confused that it would not receive the DNS information via DHCP (like all my other DHCP devices), but this was a minor quirk.

The killer is really the video quality. In my case high frame-rates were not a requirement, but high image quality was one. The DCS-1000W failed miserably. Compression artefacts (although it was set to lowest compression), fringing in higher contrast areas, blow out pictures the moment it was a bit brighter in the room and dark frames the moment it was a bit darker in the room.
I was in contact with D-Link support and when they looked at the images of the camera, they told me I had a broken device. After replacement I saw the same problem again and support this time said that I should change suppliers, because my current supplier probably had a "bad batch of cameras". Support never asked where I got my cameras from. Decided to stay away from D-Link ...