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Have done a couple of such installation using ACTi's system: http://www.securitypark.co.uk/article.asp?articleid=24744&CategoryID=9 http://www.securitypark.co.uk/article.asp?articleid=24790&CategoryID=1 or from ACTi's site which has some illustrations: http://www.acti.com/Press_RoomV2/News.Asp Particularly for the Pinnacle@Duxton 50-storey apartmentd project, we will be mounting the 2nd camera on the main tower crane which will eventually be raised to 200 meters height. With IP cameras like ACTi's system, you can actually stream live video instead of through a FTP server. IN most of our projects, we require only 128 Kbps to stream a CIF size 5 frames per second live video. If you want to have a feel of the live video streaming from these sites, PM me your email address.

I have checked though a couple of my deployment following your method, don't seem to have such occurence, only 1 of the speed domes which is put on email snapshot notification is accessing the WAN once in a while. All my deployment have been upgraded to A1D-1.03.06-AC firmware, will try to flash a test unit to the older firmware and see.

I have deployed more than 300 channels of ACTi's products since a year ago in the South East Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia and Phillipines. These countries are all in the hot and humid tropical region where daytime temperature constantly go above 30 degrees Celcius and as high as 36 to 38 degrees. Have not encountered any reliability problem so far, and the MPEG4 ASP codec is extremely bandwidth friendly, ideal for remote live monitoring. 2 of my projects are featured on ACTi website: http://www.acti.com/Press_RoomV2/News.Asp (The Singapore Marina Barrage and Pinnacle@Duxton construction projects) Both have been implemented for more than 6 months in a very hash outdoor construction environment, especially the Marina Barrage project. You can view the live streaming of the Marina Barrage project here: http://www.pub.gov.sg/Marina/camview.htm

You are right indeed, that the MPEG4 ASP codec used by SED-2300Q can stream a 5 fps CIF size video at 56 Kbps. But there is a lots of sacrifices on the image quality, especially for moving objects. From what I have tried out, 56 Kmps streaming speed is adequate only for CIF size 2 fps.

If you do not want to have the recorder on site, then a good 4-chanel video server with the right cameras may be the best solution. Can consider this, the ACTi SED-2300Q 4-channel MPEG4 video server: http://www.acti.com/Web_AdministratorV2/CatalogV2/DataSheet/{CC9A2768-1776-42A0-8C6F-EECEDD15D1F.PDF 1 of this plus 4 pieces of infrared cameras should cost you below US$1,000. But to record the video offsite, you would need a good broadband connection, at least 512 Kbps uplink speed: the SED-2300Q requires 128 Kbps per channel for a good quality CIF size 5 fps video stream.

Check out the ACTi's answer to AXIS 221, the CAM-5120: http://www.acti.com/Web_AdministratorV2/CatalogV2/DataSheet/{03C40ECE-27CA-4085-9022-76A2FBE70D4.PDF The ExView CCD used by CAM-5120 has better low light performance than the WFine CCD used by the AXIS 221. ACTi also has a better MPEG4 codec than the AXIS, with 30 fps capability at full D1 (720x480) compares to AXIS 24 fps at VGA (640 x 480). Price wise, ACTi is at least 30% cheaper.

Interesting. What is the firmware version? Just tried 2 of my installed units, don't seem to have such problem, except 1 unit which has DNS setting entries for email/FTP notification (a function in the Streaming Activator software), when system info is requested, it does ping the DNS servers to ensure connectivity.

ACTi SED-2300Q Quad Input video server is quite affordable, what you need is just 2 units of it.. Another suggestion, since you do not really need simulteneous viewing of all cameras, why not consider getting an IP speed dome camera with full pan/tilt/zoom functions remotely controllable and with multiple preset positions, eg. ACTi-Cam6200 or Cam-6230. 1 such IP speed dome can easily replace a few fixed view cameras. Check out http://www.acti.com

for few hundred cameras establishment like your company, noone will be crazy enough to let you hook on to the existing LAN. there should be a separate LAN setup for the IP video network.

ok is just simply the conversion to IP (internet protocol) based video system. analogue video signal from conventional CCTV camera is fed to a video server (or video encoder) and converted into internet protocol based digital signal. each of these IP video is identified by an IP address and can be sent over ethernet network (LAN) and be accessed by any PC based system which is also connected to the same LAN. and there are IP cameras which are actually CCTV cameras with built-in video server, ie. the output from the camera already in IP video form.

like the Veo Observer, the Dlink DCS-5300G is also not a serious IP surveillance system., both are good for home or maybe small office usage, that's why you don't get much recommendation for them. So over here I am just putting the Veo and the Dlink side by side, in this case, Dlink is definitely a better system than Veo, for the fact that it is employing MpEG4 Short Header, or H263 compression system, comparing to the rather outdated MJPEG system used by VEO.

guess it will be fine, but for a little bit more, you can get the Dlink DCS-5300 which comes with MPEG4 compression and 270 degrees pan. the MPEG4 compression will save you quite a bit on hard disk strorage and this should compensate the initial higher cost. as a guide, MJPEG compression needs 5 times more bandwidth and hard disk storage, compared to MPEG4 system.

All models of ACTi IP cameras come with analogue video output (BNC), which means you can also use them as a conventional analogue system for connecting to a DVR, consider these models: CAM-5100MN - budget model with 380 TV lines CCD CAM-5100HN - 480 TV lines model, 0.15 lux CAM-5120N - day & night model with infra-red cut filter, 0.01 lux CAM-7100N - IP rugged dome with vandalism proof housing, 0.5 lux Alternatively you can consider getting an analogue camera and get a video server separately, so that when you use the camera later with your DVR, you can still use the video server else where. consider these models: ACTi SED-2100S - budget MPEG4 video server with CIF resoltuion ACTi SED-2100R - MPEG4 video server with full D1 resolution ACTi SED-2400 - MPEG4 video server with 2-way audio ACTi has an office in Seattle now, can check with them on the resellers in US: http://www.acti.com/Press_RoomV2/News_Content_View.Asp?strType=News&strRECORD_ID=%7BB0F63B64%2D4198%2D41BB%2D9BCB%2D39A067857B0

If you have not commited on the 50 new cameras yet, maybe is the right time for you to consider IP convergence? Instead of messy criss-crossing of the analogue video cables, use of ethernet network cabling system with IP video servers should save you quite some hazzles, and enable a possibility of setting up an IP video matrix. http://www.acti.com/Solution/System_Diagram.asp

Hi Tim, Sorry just pick up your post today as was on a long holiday trip. I do sell ACTi's IP Speed Domes but maybe a bit far for you as I am in Singapore, some tiny dot on the map in South East Asia . ACTi has setup its US office in Seattle, check out their site http://www.acti.com . Just in case if they do not offer you good pricing, feel free to contact me, I am sure we can work out something. Daniel

Hi Daryl nice to find someone here from Singapore too, maybe we have met or compete in some projects before? I am also building up my stock of AXIS cameras and video sevrers, mainly those older MJPEG models that my clients dumped for the newer, better and cheaper ACTi's system.

Main problem is the MJPEG compression which needs high streaming bandwidth and huge recording storage space,

Hi Adam, If you can wait, I will setup the ACTi IP speed dome early next week and let you try out the full admin controls. Or if you can PM me your email address, will give you the link to 1 of my installed live cameras, and the instructions on how to view it. Daniel

ACTi's demo site is working fine, just that you need to install active-X to view the video streaming, download the Active_X from here and you should be able to view it: http://www.acti.com/Software/download/Explorer-Setup20041202-ACTi.exe Noone will allow you to have admin access to their online demo. If you are keen on the ACTi, I will setup 1 of its MPEG4 IP Speed Dome at home for you to play with it. I have other demo sites in Singapore but can't let you access the admin, and even PTZ controls.

Is Cam-6100 which is the basic version, Cam-6110 is night enhanced version.

You were probably looking at the CAM-6220/6230 which are using the Sony SuperHAD 1/4" CCD sensor, sensitivity in low lux mode is 0.1 Lux. Thee higher grade CAM-6110 speed dome is using Sony ExView 1/4" CCD sensor, perforamance at low lux mode (black & white) is 0.01 lux.

SNCRZ30N is not a good model to judge Sony CCD sensors, it uses 1/6" SuperHAD CCD which does not offer good low light sensitivity. The 1/4" SuperHAD CCD would give 0.1 Lux, and the 1/4" ExView CCD could reach as low as 0.0.1 Lux. ACTi's cams use either 1/4" SuperHAD or ExView CCD sensors.

have to agree with rory, AXIS, while maintaining its steep pricing, has started to make toy cameras like the 205/206 series. just compare its latest 225FD IP dome with ACTi's CAM-7100 IP rugged dome, you will tell the difference.

Hi Adams, AXIS 241S is a great video server, if price is not really a concern for you. I have used some of them (also the AXIS241Q) and have no complain actaully except the steep pricing. Discovered ACTi products a few months back, particularly the SED-2100R video server which is much cheaper than the AXIS 241S. Tried it out on some projects and found it perform as good as, if not better than AXIS 241S. Only thing is AXIS 241S has both MPEG4 and MJPEG options, ACTi only believes in MPEG4, but who cares about MJPEG these days? Daniel

Hybrid solution with IP speed domes, analogue speed domes with video servers, IP video matrix with video transcoders and NVR maybe just the right way to go for your project. Customised VMS (video management software) is required for the pretty complex stand alone webcam f****ions stated, not much of a problem if SDK (software development kit) is available. You can use IP camera with normal DVR by incorporating a compatible video transcoder (decoder) at the DVR end. Control, presets and tours can be achieved by the customised VMS. Do take a serious look of the ACTi system: http://www.acti.com Products that maybe of your interest are: CAM-6220/6230 MPEG4 IP Speed Domes CAM-5120 MPEG4 Day and Night IP Cam CAM-7100 MPEG4 IP Rugged Dome SED-2100R MPEG4 Video Server SED-2400 MPEG4 Video Server with 2-way Audio SED-3200 MPEG4 Video Transcoder SDK-2100 MPEG4 Video Server Software Development Kit MPEG4 NVR Sollution You are more likely to find your solution between AXIS or ACTi, my bet is ACTi will be more cost effective with its cheaper comparabel products against AXIS', as well as the availability of the SDK/