Customer Reviews

Panasonic Wireless 802.11 b/g Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C30A)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The Panasonic BL-C30A is a wireless camera with embedded web server. It can be connected to your home network through an ethernet cable or wirelessly (the initial setup has to be performed through the ethernet connection). Once you've properly configured it for wireless mode, you don't need a computer: just plug the power adapter into an outlet and place the camera wherever you want (within the range of your wireless network).

Anyone can connect and view/control the camera remotely. If you have a broadband connection and know how to configure your router to open a port and assign it to the camera's IP address, you can see your webcam from anywhere in the world. Very handy to keep an eye on your office or empty apartment while you're away.

The embedded web server supports access restrictions through passwords of course; and users can pan/tilt the camera lens -- the only drawback is that Internet Explorer is required to use the camera (the display and controls are handled through an ActiveX control, which basically means that only Windows PCs with IE will be able to use access it).

Image quality is pretty good: you have a choice of straming video at 320x240 or 640x480 (at a reduced frame rate) and you can control brightness and video quality from remote. Users can also take 'snapshots' (i.e. save individual images).

I have another wireless webcam (a Linksys WVC11B) and the Panasonic's image quality and features are definitely superior (on the other hand the Linksys is also $100 cheaper).

The camera also offers additional advanced features like heat detection (which can turn the camera on automatically and send an email alert if someone, or something, warm gets within the sensor's range) and scripting. I've never used this, but I suppose it can be useful if you plan to set up the camera as part of a rudimentary security/surveillance system. Some cameras offer motion detection, but it can be triggered by changes in light -- heat detection seems to make more sense.

Main caveat: configuration can be tough, especially if you're a newbie. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable and it still took me a while to get it work with my wireless network until I figured out that I had to set the WEP encryption mode to 'open key' on my wireless access point (shared key mode is not supported, though this fact is buried in the documentation).

Overall, I recommend the BL-C30A but I wish Panasonic provided a way for non-IE users to access the camera (and the configuration software could also be vastly improved).

Let me begin by offering my overall experience with this camera. I had no difficulty at all setting it up for either wired or wireless operation. The included software worked flawlessly allowing me to easily operate the pan and tilt operations, and allowing me to record sessions.

For my purposes, my intention was to supplement a surveillance system I currently have in operation using two high resolution Toshiba network cameras. I was hoping to be able to get half-decent quality from a camera costing about 1/2 of the cost of the Toshibas. Unfortunately, that's what I got...about half the image quality.

In general 640x480 does not provide sufficient resolution for surveillance as you cannot make out features in any detail. For example, you may be able to see someone entering your home, but you'll never be able to identify that person. Overall clarity was ok, better than, for example, another Linksys camera that I tried, but still I was unable to identify facial features in a person standing just 10 feet from the camera (using all of the highest image quality modes). Comparing this to my Toshiba cameras operating at just 800x600 is like comparing night to day, as the Toshiba is able to distinguish relatively fine detail.

All in all, for the price, it does what it advertises, and is better than other lower cost cameras that I've also tried (like the Linksys). However, I've found no camera in this price range to be able to work as a true surveillance camera. (I suggest the Toshiba IK-WB11A as the entry point of true surveillance network cameras.)

Panasonic doesn't support it, but this camera, and all Panasonic Netcams, work fine with a Mac. Later versions of Safari, Netscape and Firefox allow you to view full motion video. No add-ons or active-x or other such nonsense is needed with. The video just works.

As for setup, you will have to set this (and other Panasonic Netcams) up with a broswer, not with the automatic setup CD that works with windows. It's not difficult. Configure your Mac to use the built in Ethernet connection only, configured manually to IP address 192.168.0.5, subnet 255.255.255.0. Connect an ethernet cable between your Mac and the Camera (with a modern Mac any cable will do, with older ones you'll need a crossover cable.) Then access the camera at the address specified deep in the documentation (for this camera it's 192.168.0.253). The first time in you'll be asked to select a username and password. Do that and then you'll have full access to the setup utilities where you can change IP addrerss, DCHP, and other parameters. You can also setup the excellent free viewnetcam.com service and give your camera a real internet name. This is my third Panasonic Netcam, and I've been very pleased with them all.

I compared the feature sets of a number of cameras and only the Panasonic had the wireless + pan/tilt for under $300. Video quality is good with decent lighting, but expect to see "Christmas light" pixels in poor lighting. As some of the other reviewers have said, don't be fooled by the documentation that states "Windows Required". It will work fine on your Mac OS X. Here are step-by-step instructions for setting it up using a Mac (don't worry, the steps go by quickly!):

1) Plug-in camera to AC and hold down the "reset" pin with a pen. My computer would not recognize the camera until I physically reset it.
2) Make sure camera switch is set to "wired".
3) Connect the camera via Ethernet cable to you Mac.
4) Temporarily give your Mac the manual IP address 192.168.0.5 and subnet 255.255.255.0 in the Network Prefs.
5) Connect to the camera using Safari at address 192.168.0.253 - you should be able to see the settings page now.
6) Click through the setup but say "No" when it asks if you want to "go on the internet". This will make it try to find your router (which is not on the network) so don't do it.
7) Enter 192.168.0.253 in Safari once again and it should take you to the Network Camera page. You should have access to the camera controls after you click the "Single" tab at the top of the page. But we're not done yet.
8) Click the Setup tab on right side of the tabbed toobar.
9) Click Static IP to load the static ip address page for the camera
10) Uncheck the "Enable" checkbox at the top. This is for Windows setup.
11) Enter an IP address in your wireless network. My network is 192.168.2.x so I gave my camera 192.168.2.253.
12) Enter your router's address in the Default Gateway field. Example: 192.168.2.1. If you don't do this, your camera will not be accessible from outside your wireless network!
13) Click the Wireless tab on the left navigation bar of the camera page.
14) For SSID enter the exact name of your network. This is the name you gave your wireless router when you set it up. It appears under the Airport signal strength menu with a checkbox next to it.
15) If you have security (and you should!), enter you WEP Key. Be sure to make the right selection for your wep key (ASCII, HEX, etc).
16) Click Save.
17) Edit other settings such as Date and Time
18) Disconnect the ethernet cable from the camera.
19) Flip the camera switch from Wired to Wireless
20) Unplug the camera power, replug camera power (to restart it)
21) The camera should now go through it's blinking light procedure and if all is well you'll get a solid green light.
22) Go to your Network Prefs and set your computer back to using your wireless router.
23) You should now be able to access your camera at the address 192.168.2.253 wirelessly now.
24) Your router blocks traffic from the internet to your camera so you cannot view the camera from outside your network. To access your camera from the internet you'll neet to open a port on your router that maps to your camera. This can be done by setting up a "Virtual Server" (aka port forwarding) on the router. See your router's instructions for mapping a virtual server to your camera's IP and port.

Happy viewing...

ORIGINAL REVIEW : If you're a Mac user, ignore the warnings that this netcam requires Windows and Internet Explorer. Nonsense! If you have ever set up a wireless router on your network (and if you are looking at an 802.11 camera then you probably have) then you will have no problem with this device. There are two less-than-obvious things you need to do to get working: 1) hardwire the camera via an Ethernet cable for the initial set up (camera default LAN IP is 192.168.0.253) and 2) download the 114-page PDF Operating Instructions from the Panasonic support page. Ignore the included CD-ROM.

I am using several Macs with OS X Tiger and Firefox and every single feature (there are so many!) works flawlessly. This includes the live video, free DDNS service, FTP uploads, IR motion triggers, etc, etc.

I am a little spoiled by the auto-focused quality of some Webcams like the iSight, so the Panasonic's image quality loses it a single Star rating. But the Panasonic is a true network cam that requires no computer once it is programmed, and that makes it very, very cool.

UPDATE SEPT 28 2006 : This unit keeps getting better. Panasonic updated the firmware for this netcam to Version 1.30 (look for it and the addendum to the operating manual on the product support page). The new firmware provides several neat new features. The most significant may be the addition of image-based motion detection. This is far more versatile and more controllable than the IR heat sensor. It also allows motion detection through a glass window, i.e like when watching the driveway from indoors. The unit can be set to send an email when motion is detected. I could not find a Mac browser that would properly display the motion detection preview image, but this is not necessary to using the motion detection feature.

I have tried three other cameras. Two by Linksys (WVC-54G and WVC200)and one by DLink (DCS-950G. I prefer the Panasonic BL-C30A.

In the other cameras I found the picture quality to be a little better than the Panasonic. However, picture quality does not matter if the camera won't work consistently.

I found the Panasonic camera to be much beter than the others in stability and ease of use.

I do have some experience with networks so maybe it would be easier for me, but I found the setup to be quite easy.

I have successfully used the heat sensor, motion detector, email notification, FTP upload and many other cool features.

One reviewer mentioned that it doesn't have optical zoom. This is true, but the Panasonic does have digital zoom.

Despite what an earlier reviewer said the camera can be used on a network using any channel from 1-11. I have tried five of them (1,2,6,10 and 11).

So, bottom line. It works hard and doesn't fail and provides adequate quality pics.

Though billed as an indoor camera rated down to 32 degrees, I took a chance and mounted it outside my interior Alaska home.

Under the eave of my roof, out of direct exposure to precipitation, it has nonetheless been fully exposed to the temperature extremes of this climate. It has continued to work fine -- panning and all -- despite temperatures that have ranged from 40 below zero to 90 above. 1.5 winters and one summer and still counting.

Will this kill it eventually? Maybe so, but I can tell you it is one tough little camera and doesn't give up easily.

I won't go on to repeat what all the other reviewers here have been saying about this camera (negative and positive), as I have found most of it to be true.

I would give this camera five stars except for one complaint: It doesn't support WPA security. It supports up to 128 bit WEP, which meant I had to downgrade my network from WPA to WEP to integrate it. And, Panasonic has not responded to any emails I have sent asking if WPA might be in a future firmware upgrade. But I would still not hesitate to recommend this network camera to anybody.

Firstly, let me state that I do not own this product, but as of only a few hours ago, I almost bought it.
The reason I am writing this review is because over the past few days I have been doing a lot of research, and learnt many things which I felt I should share with others.

My focus originally centered upon the Sony SNC M3W, this Pananosic model, the Linksys, and the Dlink. Very soon, for reasons I won't mention, it became clear that the choice was between the Sony and the Panasonic.

I really liked the Sony, as it had virtually all the features I wanted, the main purpose of which was to allow me to monitor my baby who is about to be born. The features important to me are that it should be wireless, and allow me to hear my baby (ie., has built in mic). Of course, the picture quality is important too.
In terms of these features, that is where the Sony shines and the Panasonic falls. Sony not only has a built-in mic, but also lets you hook up speakers, so that not only can I hear my baby, I can TALK to her.
The Panasonic, unfortunately, can do neither. This was a big disappointment for me, because I think apart from that, the Panasonic picture quality is better (I was comparing in the shop).
The key advantage of the Panasonic over the Sony, which is where Sony falls, is that Sony's wireless standard only supports 801.11b, and does not support 801.11g. If your wireless router is 'b', then it makes no difference to you. However, 'b' routers are increasingly out of date as 'g' is much faster, and if you have a 'g' router like me, then even though you can still use the Sony, your entire wireless network will have to run on the slower 'b' standard because of the Sony. I was unwilling to make that compromise, so I very reluctantly had to dismiss the Sony too.

btw, another difference between the Sony and Panasonic is that the Panasonic does not have motion detect (a feature I'd like to have for surveillance purposes). instead, it relies on 'heat sensing' to determine whether there's a person present. I dunno, but that didn't appeal to me.

So which camera had everything I wanted? It was actually ANOTHER Panasonic outdoor surveillance camera. That was a beautiful and wonderful product, which I don't think they sell here on amazon. The problem was, it cost almost twice as much as this Panasonic. That model series begins with a C. I couldn't fault it in any way, except for the price. It also uses a ccd lens which is much better tha the CMOS lens that both this Panasonic and the Sony uses, giving superior picture quality. Well, that's why the cost is much higher, and also cos it's designed so that you can even use it OUTDOOR.

So which camera did I end up with? A very little known brand called Planex. (www.planex.net). It was priced at the same range as the Sony and thsi Panasonic, ran on wireless 'g', uses a ccd lens, had a built-in mic, could pan-tilt at a much larger angle, but the only drawback (very sad) was that it wouldn't let me hook speakers up to it - ie., I won't be able to talk to my baby... Pity they don't sell the product here.

To close, I'd like to come back to this Panasonic model. The downside (to me very big) is that it has no audio features (can't listen, and can't talk through it), and has no motion detect (only heat detect). The best thing about it is that it runs on wireless 'g', has great picture quality, and one more thing - if you have multiple Panasonic cameras, the interface is great for hooking them all up, and that's even if you have different Panasonic models. Even though this model had no audio features, I still debated getting it, so that in case in the future I splurge out money to get the C series Panasonic one I mentioned above, I could still hook them all up together seamlessly. And Panasonic is probably the strongest brand for surveillance cameras because they have been in this field for a long time. So, if you dont' care about the audio features, or motion detect, then this would make the perfect camera at this price point.

Anyway, hope my research helps you to make your decision.

First of all, I didn't find this camera very difficult to setup. It's important that you understand wireless networking somewhat before getting any product like this. Also, to get to the webcam from outside of your firewall (or router), you must forward port 80 which may be a pain if you already have a web server running.

I bought this camera specifically because it has timed FTP transfer. I needed a solution that could handle a lot of users and since live video on a home network to thousands of users is NOT feasible with a simple plug-and-play solution like this, I was hopeful of uploading an image every second or so. This proved to be slower than I thought. First of all, you can only select buffering (snapshot) time intervals of 1 sec, 1 min, or 1 hour. This is not much of a choice. Second, the 1 second mode is too slow. It can't FTP out the images fast enough to make it even close to what I wanted. The images come about 15 to 30 seconds delayed and the system for doing this is so-so. I found that the system operated perfectly at 1 minute, so if this is all you need than the FTP option is right for you.

I was really frustrated at this point until I discovered the CGI documentation for this line of cameras. I haven't seen anyone else comment on this so I wanted to for all of the developers out there. Panasonic thought ahead when developing this product and made it such that you can issue CGI commands via HTTP1.0 (or 1.1) to make the camera do things or to acquire images. For my system this proved to be an absolutely perfect answer to my problem. I can call the camera with HTTP1.1, HTTP authentication, and a custom CGI and acquire the image on the screen at rates of 1 image per second with great results! There is no problem with the camera lagging at all. Best of all, almost everything you can do in the camera's admin panel can be done via CGI calls.

I also found that this camera does a decent job at night (using it to look outside), but as others have said is not good if you want to make out a ton of detail in someone's face for instance. The camera is also doing great being exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (in a garage) and hasn't froze or needed to be reset since I installed it a few weeks ago. The wireless range is really good... I am running the cam across the street to my wireless network with no problems.

For awesome customization and access via CGI, I'm giving this camera 5 big stars. This camera is a developer's best friend and for the price it is a huge value. Thanks Panasonic for solving some big problems for me!

Bought the camera last week. I really like this small camera and it has been working well so far (4 days).

Good:
1. easy to set up for the ethernet and wireless connection
2. picture guality is good enough for monitoring purpose
3. sensor, email and ftp features work nicely and easy to
configure
4. the pan/tilt and snapshot etc work well through IE browser
5. can view the real-time snapshot on my Treo 650 smart phone
Bad:
1. if your isp requires authentication for SMTP relay, you have
to find SMTP for outgoing email that doesn't require
authentication otherwise the email feature won't work
2. tech support is not that helpful. I have to explain to the
guy why email feature won't work unless someone can find a
SMTP server that doesn't require authentication. He doesn't
know well about the setup

Overall, it is a very good internet camera and highly recommend it.