Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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104 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Finally, a fairly priced good wireless camera, May 15, 2006
I purchased two of these cameras. They are new to the Linksys product line. They are not inexpensive. However, compared to all the other wireless-g cameras available, these are good and reasonably priced. (Note, I had tried another brand of wireless-g camera, and had written a review on it. I returned those cameras.)
The cameras support WEP or WPA security (I am using WEP), are good in low light conditions, are sensitive to infrared illumination, can be accessed from anywhere I have access to the internet, and have remotely controlled Pan and Tilt. I have had them for 1 month, and I like them. Kudos to Linksys.
A word of CAUTION, I have not seen any wireless network camera that is "plug and play." And if you have a wireless router, firewall, wireless security, cable modem, etc., it gets more complicated. That is just the way it is right now. For this price range, no manufacturer can afford to give you tech support, other than for the basics. And for networking, there are very little "basics."
The manual is decent (79 pages.), but could use more information. However, you still will need some knowledge about setting up network adapters, especially if you are using a different brand router (which I am.) With some knowledge, it's going to take at least an hour per camera (probably several hours for the first camera, if this is your first time setting up an internet camera.) With little or no knowledge, you may not want to bother. I can be very frustrating.
Pros:
-- Can access the camera wirelessly (within your network) and through the Internet (within or outside of your network.) I am using DynDNS for access from outside my network. Your browser must support ActiveX (currently, works best with Internet Explorer.) Linksys also provides monitoring software for access outside of your browser (but it doesn't work.)
-- Moving the camera to other locations (within your wireless network) is easy. Just unplug, move, and replug into AC outlet.
-- Has nice features regarding IP assignment, email alerts, motion detection, etc. I have tried all these features and they work well. Motion detection requires some tweaking so that it isn't constantly picking up motion. When away, I get an email with a 5 second video clip whenever motion is detected. (This can be as little as 2 seconds, or no video clip at all, just an email alert.)
-- Good image quality. Quality depends upon compression settings (the camera is transmitting images digitally, adjustment may be necessary to minimize the volume of data being transmitted [bandwidth].) Webcams don't have the same bandwidth constraints, since they plug right into your computer, so there quality tends to be better. The camera has adjustable framerate and quality settings.
-- Fair color quality. I don't believe this is a serious issue for security. Black and white is still predominantly used for security. Part of the lack of color quality (or accuracy of color) is the camera's infrared sensitivity, which is a plus. However, if security is a serious issue, there might be better choices for surveillance.
-- Decent low light sensitivity. The camera's infrared sensitivity makes the camera more sensitive in lower light incandescently lit areas. If you can read under the existing light, you will get a very good picture. (For viewing under dark conditions, you would need to supply your own infrared lights.)
-- Motion detection with email alerts. Works well when set up properly.
-- Good fixed focus. Camera focus can not be changed, however, the images appear clear under most conditions. (The ability to manually focus on a remote camera is not a feature that is easy to do. There is no viewfinder on the camera! Remotely focusing cameras are expensive.)
-- Multiple indicator lights and LCD address display on the camera, in case you forget what IP address your camera is assigned to. These lights and display can be turned off remotely.
-- Remote pan and tilt. Works well. The motor is a little noisy. But for the price...
-- Can use a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service other than SoloLink. I am using DynDNS and I have DDNS and a cable modem and a non-Linksys wireless router. Again, you need to know a little about networking.
Cons:
-- Setup is complex. This is probably an issue with any wireless camera. Setting up access, in particular from outside your network, is a complex process. Going from wired to wireless is particularly complex. The initial setup does not include all the options available when you access the camera remotely. So, you can't do a complete job during the initial wired setup (particularly with setting fixed IP addresses and port assignments.)
-- Camera is not small (like webcams.) With the motors and dome, I understand this is the best functionality you probably will get for the size and price. Smaller cameras require smaller motors, etc. and that would cost more.
-- The stand the camera sits on is flimsy; the camera just sits on it. I am surprised there is no snap/lock (or whatever) to hold the camera to the stand. It would not have cost any more. However, there are mounting holes and a tripod socket on the camera.
-- Monitoring software, for access without using your browser, has problems. I was only able to get it to work on one of three computers I installed it on. Linksys has not been helpful. This software is required for viewing multiple images at once and provides a recording capability. One can view multiple images with your browser, but you need to open up more than one window on your browser and then try to arrange them.
-- Accessing the camera wirelessly through the Internet can be a problem if you don't have enough bandwidth (internet speed.) Also, some corporate firewalls won't let you through.
-- Camera antenna is very directional. Requires careful adjustment in some locations in order to access it. The worst position is upright (vertical) as shown in all the pictures!
-- No useful online help or forums. My guess is that camera is still too new.
Other:
-- I have had both my cameras plugged in (AC power) for days with no need to reset. When I first installed my cameras, I unplugged them more frequently to reset. (There is a reset hole on the bottom of the camera; but unplugging is easier.) I don't have a conclusion.
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86 of 91 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Very Disappointed, May 7, 2006
I bought this camera to monitor my house over my wireless network when I'm away. Here are my impressions after one week:
PROS:
1. Kinda cool looking. The large lens cover camouflages the camera.
2. Images are decent (not great) in low light.
3. Multiple people can view the camera remotely through an IE browser (no other browser will work, however).
4. 30 frames per second gives smooth motion (however, faster frame rates and higher resolutions are only practical over local network, not over the Internet).
5. Remote pan/tilt feature works well (though noisy ... no stealth panning with this one).
6. Audio works fine.
7. Motion detection/email notification works well (after a non-intuitive set-up).
8. Linksys' "SoloLink" remote DDNS service works well, and you'll need it if your service provider and your network uses dynamic IP addresses (e.g., cable modems). There are alternatives, but you'll save yourself a lot of aggravation if you stick with SoloLink.
CONS:
1. VERY difficult set up ... much more difficult than my Linksys' WRT54G router, print server and two desktop adaptors. The camera works much better plugged into the router via Ethernet port. Going wireless adds a significant level of complexity to everything.
2. At first I believed that the antenna position was just plain finicky. The wireless connection didn't work until I set the antenna at right angle from the unit. Now the camera doesn't work wireless at all. I thought that perhaps the antenna was defective; however, other reviewers confirmed that this is a common problem.
3. Picture quality is below average. Not as crisp and detailed as my $80 Logitech webcam. Black shirts and green foliage appear purple. Tweaking the setup makes no difference. Not for serious surveillance.
4. The monitoring/recording utility software doesn't work; the software can't find this camera on my network, wireless or cabled. I've given up on using this utility and, instead, rely on the (inferior) browser with its buggy ActiveX viewer.
5. Finicky browser viewing. At first I thought the camera was dead until I discovered that I needed to kick-start the viewer with a browser refresh. The ActiveX plug-in also locks up my browser occasionally, even when I'm not using the camera. Connection speed is MUCH slower over the Internet. Using a higher resolution setting (640x480) prevents the image from loading over the Internet. Inside a corporate firewall? Forget it....
6. You'll need to use Linksys' EXPENSIVE SoloLink subscription to view the camera over the web if you have a dynamic IP address and DDNS (e.g., cable modem).
7. It took me all week to figure out how to get the motion detector email notification feature to work. The documentation doesn't tell you that you need to go into an obscure image "sensitivity" submenu and enable at least one of four "zones." Why isn't one of these "zones" enabled by default?
8. Camera "server" fails regularly and requires a reboot (unplug, then re-plug in the camera). I reboot each morning as a precaution. If I'm gone for several days, I'll need to find a way to reboot from a distance (on/off timer?).
9. Linksys online support/Q&As/user forums for any of its cameras is frustratingly non-existent.
10. PDF manual is woefully inadequate ... it appears as though the writers got lazy after a bullet point or two to highlight various features (but some aren't mentioned at all). The manual offers very little troubleshooting and no set up examples. This manual is a chief culprit why this camera is so difficult to set up and use.
BOTTOM LINE: How much set-up aggravation are you willing to put up with? And look elsewhere if you want "wireless."
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good for the most part but..., November 14, 2007
First of all, I actually give it 3.5 stars instead of 4
Well being a purchaser of many kinds of wireless and wired camera systems from various generic china made types, x-10, linksys, panasonic, and everything in between. I have definitely have had my experiences with cameras.
Now saying that I will get to what I think of the Panasonic BL-C131A camera. It is good for the most part. The motion is fluid and fast. It has great thermal detection and I love that feature very much. It's easy to set up and configure on your private network.
Now to compare this to the Linksys WVC200. It's much quieter in moving compared to the Linksys and they move about the same speed to me. A lot of people complained that they had trouble setting up the Linksys camera, I however had no problems whatsoever. I thought that they both set up fairly the same.
Image quality and color accuracy, I think that Panasonic has it hands down HOWEVER I like the Linksys cameras better for a few reasons. One since they are about the same price, several features really stand out with the Linksys camera. It can be placed outside, it can handle colder weather (see the first one) and last but the most important (at least to me) the Panasonic model as well as the wired version DOES NOT have an IR filter cut. They cant see an IR light, so they are useless in the dark. If they had and IR filter cut, I would claim Panasonic to be the better camera but whats the use of having a camera for security when it's blind half of the time. Don't get me wrong, it will grab every last bit of light that it can and use it well but that is about it. Panasonic with their thermal detection is GREAT, it detects me from over 40 feet away and the dog from around the corner. It works like a dream but it cant go outside, not even on a covered porch. It doesn't get wet where I place my linksys camera but the panasonic camera doesn't have a lens shield over that model so dust, debris and bugs can enter it easily. Also, operating temp range that it can handle is inferior to Linksys.
One thing that I find atrocious on the Panasonic camera is how it shows a person or object in motion. Even on "prefer motion" setting, it looks like crap with blotchy, ghosting movement compared to how the motion looks on Linksys.
Now saying that here is what I DISLIKE about linksys. The color representation during the day time is horrible to say the least. It portrays greens as purples. Its audible enough that when you move the lens around people know you have moved it. WORST of all, the motion detection software that comes with it DOES NOT WORK. If you use a third party software, it works fine but Linksys motion software sucks.
Panasonic's motions detection software is A+ works the first and every time. They both have great audio and in fact, I would give the audio also hands down to Panasonic. The reason being is because when you place it on the highest audio setting, you can hear EVERYTHING. Linksys audio is GREAT but Panasonic's is WOW.
Initially I had to reset Linksys camera once in a while but with the latest firmware I have had no problems. Here is the finally reason that I chose Linksys over Panasonic. I found it easier to set up Linksys cameras to be viewed from the web using a THIRD PARTY company, IE. DynDNS. Although both have their own DNS software and actually, Panasonic's is free for life as Linksys is only good for 60 days. The problem lies in the fact that I use DynDNS... its free and I have it to use PCAnywhere. They both say that they are able to use DynDNS but I still haven't been able to make Panasonic work with it. It works with their own software fine from the net but not with DynDNS. Maybe others have had better luck with DynDNS and Panasonic but not me.
So here is my conclusion. If you are going to use this camera only inside and in a somewhat lit area, then absolutely buy the Panasonic BL-C131A over the Linksys WVC200. It outperforms in almost all fashions from quietness of the servo to sound pickup and motion detection and you won't have to spend any more money on motion detection 3rd party software. If however u plan at all to use this in a dusty or outdoor area, use or planning to use DynDNS, you need clearer motion capture video, or IR lights then go with Linksys.
Oh, I almost forgot... One thing that I really like about the linksys recording software is that if you do a manual or timed recording, the amount of room that it consumes on your HD is about 1.1 gigs for every 24 hours. I find that to be very small for the amount and quality of video its recording. I haven't done manual or timed recording with Panasonic so I can't really say how it is.
I hope this helps make your choice easier
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