Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Mac user beware...., April 21, 2009
I was very excited looking forward to being able the D-Link D-Life internet survelliance camera to keep an eye on things at home (most notable the dog who likes to eat things while we are out) - I was thrilled at how simple the camera seemed to install yet was very disappointed to discover that it does not really work on a mac. This was not made clear by the product description on Amazon when I ordered it.
You can use this with a mac but you need to have the parallels application to allow windows to be opened and used as I could not access the program using firefox or safari - a royal pain! Note that you must view the video through D-Link's website - it does not open as an application for your computer.
I wish I could give a better review or one that is more in depth or helpful however I was not really able to use the product on my mac.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buyer Beware!! Make Sure This Fits ALL of Your Requirements!, March 16, 2009
Make sure that you have everything required before you buy and set it up:
An XP or Vista PC with Internet explorer 6 or 7.
When you set it up you have to install several ActiveX controls, so be prepared for that.
An available Ethernet jack on your home network router and a fairly close proximity between the router and an electrical outlet that is not on a power strip.
A broadband internet connection.
An uncomplicated home electrical system and an available outlet near to where you want to place the camera.
To mount it on something, you will need a drill or it has screws and anchors for sheetrock. So, you will need a hammer and screwdriver, at least. The mount is very sturdy and heavy and some people might get good results by just placing it on a bookcase and taping it down. This device connects to the internet through your router, so it does not need to be connected to a PC before being used which is good, but that also makes it a little harder to get it mechanically set up properly. To help with the set-up you might consider following the very large (but easy to follow) poster and running the web side of things from a wireless laptop, and then having that laptop in the room where you are setting up this camera. This way, you can adjust the orientation and focus of the device much easier, especially since you only have 2 minutes at a time to view the video live. The camera cable is flat and that might help you to hide it or at least make it less noticable.
To make sure that this is (or is not) the camera that meets your needs, be sure and go to their website [..] and examine the features and requirements. Download and view the manual, too. That can really help you decide. At the time I got it, the Amazon product page for it was pretty sparse, which may explain why some people have been disappointed in the product's performance.
Also be advised that all of the components produce some heat, which is why they all have ventilation grids on them. You may wish to take some care with locating the components so they get enough ventilation and are not too close to flammable items. I do not know if this system would interfere with any other powerline equipment (such as X-10) or powerline bridge networking equipment.
It is supposed to be a `surveillance' camera, but it is kind of large to be a `hidden camera'. It might be useful to keep tabs on a pet or if someone enters a space they are not supposed to be in or if someone delivers something, but nothing very `covert'. I have wanted to have a camera that we can use to monitor our property and so I was very excited to try out this product. I had no connection problems from having the camera on the third floor (pointing through the window) of our house and the network adapter on the first floor. The setup for me went step by step as directed on the setup poster.
I understand that the powerline bridge ($50 to $150) and the web-hosting costs some money, but the price point seems a little high at the time of this review. Other products may fit your needs and your budget a little better. If you are looking for a wireless webcam, you might consider one of the following:
Linksys WVC54GCA Webcam 640x480 802.11G Wireless Internet Home Monitoring Camera or Linksys Compact Wireless-G Internet Video Camera or Panasonic BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802.11.
Amazon also has some different products that provide powerline ethernet from D-Link and Linksys, etc. if you think that might be helpful.
NETGEAR XE102G Wall-Plugged Ethernet Extender Kit or Linksys PLK200 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit or
D-Link DHP-301 Powerline HD Ethernet Kit.
I did not really expect much and for my purposes and my existing installation, this product works fine and setup was easy.
Update -- I have had a problem with this device -- the live video freezes after 80 seconds (instead of after 120 seconds). Their tech support says it is my fault as my upload speed is not high enough. I guess if you make junk, the best thing to do is blame the buyer for being dumb enough to buy the product! I would take away at least one star for this, but that is not possible.
Again, Buyer Beware!!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wish it had better night vision, June 18, 2009
From a technical standpoint, it's really quite awesome that the signal from the camera travels through the electrical output from the monitoring camera to the receiving station that then plugs into the router. Data over powerlines...amazing!
--- Set up ----
Regarding the setup, it really was easy to set up. The only annoyance that I had was that Internet Explorer wanted to install ActiveX controls over and over and over again to get the thing working through the browser.
--- Compatibility ---
Viewing the camera details from the Internet is really cool; however, I wish the camera supported other browsers. I'd like to be able to log in with my android phone and view the camera details remotely.
--- Components ---
I like that the camera is not bulky and that the base can adjust/pivot. You can mount it to a wall and turn the camera how you want.
--- Emails ---
The idea of sending of emails is cool when the motion sensor is triggered; however, I haven't been able to get it to work. I emailed support, but it's been two weeks and I haven't heard back yet.
--- Video Quality ---
The built-in camera on my laptop records better video quality and color than the D-link camera. It's unfortunate, but it is tollerable.
--- Night Vision ---
I wish the camera could see better at night. If you think about when you'd need the camera most, night vision is important.
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