D-Link DCS-3220G Questions

[Mordimer 0]

I am looking to pick up a few IP cameras for my home soon. Right now I am current looking at the D-Link DCS-3220G ( http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=30-115-117&depa=0 ) as I like the 2 way audio feature and the fact that it offeres a wired or wireless configuration. Finding reviews on specific cameras has been an exercise in futility though.

 

I was wondering if anyone here has had any experience with the D-Link line of IP cameras and what your findings were? Do they hold up well and have good quality? What about their software? Being a programmer I would love to find a brand that supplies an sdk or a way to hook into the camera so I can develop my own custom app, but more than likely I won't find that capability right now :/

 

Also, if you don't have any experience with these line of IP cams, are there other brands/makes/models that are similar in price range ($300 or less roughly) that are just as good that offer audio capability? I am not worried about the legalities of audio and what not. The use of the cams will be within the rights of the law as I won't be recording anyone that has a problem with that.

 

Thanks for any info you can provide.

[VST_Man 1]

I have experience with the DCS5300W. Fair quaility, decent wireless range, and worked well. It is all plastic and non-weather. One problem I ran into was after I got it I wanted to integrate it into other WEB Servers and realized that I was stuck with Dlink's software...only. If you are looking for something that works and is moderately priced, Dlink works well. If your looking at integrating and adding more down the road, take a look at the big picture now and build bacwards from there. You may want to buy more expensive now, which will allow for you to integrate all later. The router you link to will also play a large part in how well it works. I'm for Lynksys as I found it is faster and smarter. There are some decent PTZ with digital zoom out there that are wired but work great, for approx. $420.00. My DCS5300w is now on the shelf waiting for the appropriate install. ie. baby monitor.

 

Audio; it is ilegal to record audio without the consent of.

[Mordimer 0]

Thanks for the response VST_Man.

 

I am sad to hear that D-Link won't work with anything but their own softare :/ I was kind of afraid that this would be the case. Any suggestions on some that would work with proprietary software (or self-developed software)? And btw, I am looking to upgrade to more cam's later. I would prefer tha all the cameras be able to work together (even better to have them all work through the same software even though that may prove difficult since I beleive IP cameras are all compressed at the camera and not the pc).

 

Axis seemed a bit over-priced for what I was looking for even though they are supposedly the leaders in the IP Camera market. I did see another camera I liked, I think it was Intellinet or something like that, but it lacked audio capability.

 

As for the audio portion again. This isn't going to be a 24/7 ran cam setup. It's something that the wife and I only will be using and we would both like the audio capability (2-way audio prefered if possible). Later on I may add some more around the house that will run 24/7 and those will be non-audio.

[VST_Man 1]

Thomas??? How close are you to IP control via VideoInsight software? You told me that VI software was close to adding several manufactures (AXIS, DLINK, ect) IP camera's. Can you jump in and explain VI's package.

 

Mordimer....I'm a Video Insight warrior, which is a PC Based Video Server that is full of features and fun. I'm very happy to this point with VI.

[Thomas 0]

Um right now the main version we're distrubuting has support for Axis cameras, both revisions of their firmware. We're adding two more cameras right now, one of which is D-Link's line of cameras and the company that OEM's the cameras for them. We can view and control the camera right now and the OEM company's camera we can record from. The D-Link is spitting out it's more raw data in an odd way. Right now the IP camera server can be intergrated into our web client and network client.

[Mordimer 0]

Sounds like D-Link may still be a possibility then if your that far along with Video-Insight. It sounded like that was the biggest problem with the D-Link line anyways (software issue that is).

 

I will have to contact V-I and see how much it will cost to get software capable of 4 or 8 cams (thinking of future expansion) and go that route. I like the idea that it can handle multiple manufacturers which gives me more upgrading options down the road.