First Alert WSC-100 Digital Web Server Color Camera with Ethernet Connection

by First Alert

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000065AGV
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Review

The First Alert WSC100 Digital Web Server Color Camera with Ethernet Connection is a simple, reliable, and highly economical solution for most any remote monitoring needs. Easy to install and set up, the First Alert WSC100 Web Server camera allows viewer access from anywhere on the intranet or Internet, making it perfect for retail or residential monitoring and business or home security.

This camera utilizes a 0.33-inch color CMOS (complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor) image sensor, with a six-millimeter fixed lens that allows for up to 640 by 480 effective pixels resolution. The First Alert WSC100's Web server includes a 32Bit RISC CPU with eight MB SDRAM that allows 384KB of video buffering. This unit is compatible with TCP/IP, SMTP, HTTP, FTP, and email Web server protocols, and can allow limited or full access to anybody on the LAN/WAN or Internet depending upon administrator settings. The WSC100 has a power consumption of 1.3 watts, and connects to the network via a standard RJ-45 connection.

Technical Features:

• Network connection: RJ-45
• Lens: 6 mm fixed
• Resolution: 640 x 480 effective pixels
• Dimensions: approximately 3.5 x 5.75 x 1.5 inches (W x D x H)

Designed primarily for indoor use, the First Alert WSC100 camera deserves serious consideration as your home or small business monitoring solution. With configurations and viewing controlled by a user-friendly Web application from anywhere on the network, the WSC100 is a great addition to almost any surveillance system. User's should note that the CCD sensor may become permanently damaged if exposed to long hours of direct sunlight or halogen light, so the camera should not be mounted or pointed directly at the sun or other bright-light sources.

About Surveillance Camera Technical Features
Lux rating is the measurement used to indicate how sensitive a camera is to light, and stands for the level of light reflected off a piece of paper by a candle from one meter away. Thus a sensitivity of three Lux would mean a camera could generate an acceptable picture of a piece-of-paper-sized object that was illuminated by the equivalent of three candles from one meter away. The lower the Lux level, the better the camera's ability to work in low-light conditions. The camera's resolution should be greater than or equal to the resolution supported by the system's recorder or monitor. The S/N, or signal to noise ratio, is an important measure of a camera's quality. A poor camera, low-light conditions or poor wiring causes "noise" which consumes processing power and disk space. A camera with a wide dynamic range is ideal, especially for recording areas in which both indoor and outdoor light are present. CCD (charge-coupled device) sensors provide high-quality images that are less susceptible to noise. CMOS (complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors offer less image quality, but are usually more cost-effective and energy efficient.

About IP Cameras
An IP camera can be used to project images and video directly through a computer's Web browser for remote monitoring. An IP camera, unlike a web cam, contains the IP and Web page within it and can often be added to a network without additional configuration or software. Combined with a network video recorder, an IP camera can be used to construct a reliable video surveillance system.

What's in the Box
Web server camera, application CD, network cable, and power adapter.

From the Manufacturer

Features include:

• Stand Alone Web Server Camera: No other devices are required to operate.
• Web Browser Compatible: View live video through the camera from anywhere in the world using world wide web.
• Set up Software included: Simplifies installation and set up.
• RJ-45 Network Connector: Easy plug and play operation.

Applications:

• Office and Business Security: Monitor employees, warehouse and plant activity.
• Marketing Tool: Show case your products and services with live video to potential customers.
• Retail Monitoring: Observe store activity for protection of assets and employees.
• Residential Observation: View your loved ones while you are away.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dad sees all!, December 10, 2002

By 

Creighton (Tacoma, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Alert WSC-100 Digital Web Server Color Camera with Ethernet Connection (Electronics)

This is a neat little web camera. Basically I got it so I can use my computer to watch the kids in the yard while I'm working in the house online. It can be used to check on the car back home in the drive way while you're traveling by using your laptop and a very fast connection and that kind of thing, but I just use it to make sure the boys aren't getting into trouble outside - not that they would get into trouble - maybe I'll catch them donating some money to an orphanage or something...right. Anyway, you have to have a fast connection to get this to really work well, but all in all it's a great way to keep an eye on anything or anyone that you want

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Way too much, February 24, 2003

By 

Simon Chan "SC" (South San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Alert WSC-100 Digital Web Server Color Camera with Ethernet Connection (Electronics)

I try to find the different between this product and the DCS-1000, I couldn't see why this cost so much more than DCS-1000. I think you guys should get DCS-1000 if you really want a web server cam. Forget about this. It is a ripe off with this price!

1 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A bit overpriced, December 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: First Alert WSC-100 Digital Web Server Color Camera with Ethernet Connection (Electronics)

It seems that one should only buy this product if they will seriously use this product to it's fullest extent. Possibly professionally.