Is "cheap security" an oxymoron?

[DoorMan 0]

I'm looking closely at 2 manufacturers, Sony and Acti. We all know Sony makes some good stuff but ACTi? Who would you choose if price was no object? I've had good results talking with both recently. Sony doesn't back-up their claims posting vids like ACTi. ACTi uses Sony components too though.

 

Two cameras I'm looking at are:

 

http://www.acti.com/product/detail/Megapixel_IP_Box_Bullet_Camera/TCM-5311

 

http://ws.sel.sony.com/PIPWebServices/RetrievePublicAsset/StepID/SEL-asset-72511/original/SNC-DS-DM%20series%20brochure%20final%203-08.pdf

 

Much different cameras I know but they are both megapixel CCD's which I feel confident with. Who would you favor, Sony or ACTi?

[rory 0]

Cheap security is a broom stick.

There are plenty cheap CCTV cameras also, not "IP" though.

[thewireguys 3]

I haven't used Sony cameras but I have installed ACTI. The 4201 1.3 megapixel with POE for around $250 great product for the price.

[DoorMan 0]

HA! Good one!

 

Somre of the cameras I looked at over the last couple months are better spent as broom sticks.... With a little up front tooling I've heard of some $ 0.32 solutions as well

[DoorMan 0]

I haven't used Sony cameras but I have installed ACTI. The 4201 1.3 megapixel with POE for around $250 great product for the price.

 

Thanks TWG!

 

So reliability wise and up to spec performance ACTi stands tall? I was hoping so.....

[Metrico 0]

I do like the batch of 3511 megapixel day/night domes I installed. I could have spent more to go with Axis or Panasonic or whoever, but then I'd be paying a lot extra for features that were beyond what I needed.

[thewireguys 3]

I haven't used Sony cameras but I have installed ACTI. The 4201 1.3 megapixel with POE for around $250 great product for the price.

 

Thanks TWG!

 

So reliability wise and up to spec performance ACTi stands tall? I was hoping so.....

 

I wasn't expecting much from ACTI but I have been happy for the budget minded customers.

[DoorMan 0]

I do like the batch of 3511 megapixel day/night domes I installed. I could have spent more to go with Axis or Panasonic or whoever, but then I'd be paying a lot extra for features that were beyond what I needed.

 

Glad to hear they were what you expectd. That's the important part of all this. And I agree, with all the gadgets, gizmos and hoplah they are cameras first and foremost.

 

I wouldn't mind spending but I would like to actually "see" where my money went....or specifically who would be walking away with it in the night.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Guest

[thewireguys 3]

Acti and Arecont for megaixel. Axis for PTZ, and Mobotix for the custom stuff..... We are happy and so our are customers.

 

Now if I could only find NVR software that I am happy with

[DoorMan 0]

Acti and Arecont for megaixel. Axis for PTZ, and Mobotix for the custom stuff..... We are happy and so our are customers.

 

Now if I could only find NVR software that I am happy with

 

I've only ever used Luxriot so I don't know the difference. This was cheap and available and covered most cameras I was looking at.

 

Now the TCM-5311 that I ordered isn't supported by it. Probably soon though. Time to learn custom config in Luxriot I suppose.....

[ak357 0]

 

Now the TCM-5311 that I ordered isn't supported by it. Probably soon though. Time to learn custom config in Luxriot I suppose.....

 

Tip

 

Try every camera under Acti on list

it may or will work

[DoorMan 0]

Thanks! I'll try that

[dopalgangr 1]

I like the Acti products, however the TCM-5311 vs the ACM-3411 or even their best dome the ACM-7411 is an unfair contest. The TCM-5311 will win hands down. For starters it has a CCD chip not a CMOS like the others. It also is one of the few available that gives you H.264 (plus the other two formats). But all this greatness has a price, the TCM-5311 is almost double the retail cost of the others and does not come with a lens like the others do (although the lens you get isn't the greatest it's still included)

 

Check through their demos and sort by all cameras and then by night only. You don't get many samples, and of the ones you do get anything other than the TCM-5311 sample is sorta crappy (look at the car thief, now try and identify that person). Is this just that people didn't put any night video up or just a fluke??? Hmmmm. The TCM night samples are excellent though. I spoke with Acti at length and if you look at their product link under posters you see:

http://www.acti.com/getfile/Product/literature_file/Megapixel_H.264_140x120.pdf

 

http://www.acti.com/getfile/Product/literature_file/H.264_VGA_D1.pdf

 

Here you see there is alot of cameras listed that you don't find in the regular products list. Alot more of the TCM models (Acti high-end stuff) and more with the H.264 format. I was advised that these new cameras will be coming out in either Q4 of this year or Q1 of next year and that this was just a taste of what was to come. So you may see this company producing even better stuff in the near future.

 

Definitely a company to watch...

[DoorMan 0]

Hey thanks for the heads-up Doplgangr!

 

They sure do seem like a busy bunch. I wish it were clear which of the new models are CCD and not. I know that when speaking with them they were very clear about what to expect with the 5311 and your right one of the best night videos I've seen was using the 5311. They definately are growing! They are a great group to speak with too.

 

I've coupled this camera with a highest end 3 MP D/N lens (from Fujinon anyways),that just came out. My expectations are pretty high and hopefully I can look at all this with an objective eye when it arrives.

 

I'm glad I got to choose the lens seperately on this one like we chatted last.

[Erron S. 0]

Acti and Arecont for megaixel. Axis for PTZ, and Mobotix for the custom stuff..... We are happy and so our are customers.

 

Now if I could only find NVR software that I am happy with

 

I'm really fond of the IQ Invision stuff myself.

 

What would you like the NVR software to do? Since we write our own software, we could probably help you.

[thewireguys 3]

Acti and Arecont for megaixel. Axis for PTZ, and Mobotix for the custom stuff..... We are happy and so our are customers.

 

Now if I could only find NVR software that I am happy with

 

I'm really fond of the IQ Invision stuff myself.

 

What would you like the NVR software to do? Since we write our own software, we could probably help you.

 

I would like a full featured web client, mapping, support for the cameras manufactures on my list and access control integration with HID edge products. do you have a demo I can try out?

[robert 0]

I'm looking closely at 2 manufacturers, Sony and Acti. We all know Sony makes some good stuff but ACTi? Who would you choose if price was no object? I've had good results talking with both recently. Sony doesn't back-up their claims posting vids like ACTi. ACTi uses Sony components too though.

 

Two cameras I'm looking at are:

 

http://www.acti.com/product/detail/Megapixel_IP_Box_Bullet_Camera/TCM-5311

 

http://ws.sel.sony.com/PIPWebServices/RetrievePublicAsset/StepID/SEL-asset-72511/original/SNC-DS-DM%20series%20brochure%20final%203-08.pdf

 

Much different cameras I know but they are both megapixel CCD's which I feel confident with. Who would you favor, Sony or ACTi?

 

I would definitely go for Sony. ACTi is cheap and not so good, BUT very good for that price.

[jtreibick 0]

I would definitely go for Sony. ACTi is cheap and not so good, BUT very good for that price.

 

I was wondering if this was the case with ACTi, however there doesn't seem to be any track record (either good or bad) that I can find for them. Is this just a kneejerk reaction because they are an inexpensive OEM? Is it that their company or their product 'looks' cheap on pape or in theory? Does anyone have any actual experience with their ACTi quality and reliability in the field?

[thewireguys 3]

For the money Acti is a great camera..... $299 for a 1.3megapixel camera with POE and audio. I recommend you order a ACTI camera and see for yourself.

 

If you need a camera without all the bells and whistles definitely check out ACTI.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Guest

[DoorMan 0]

For the last couple weeks I've been using the TCM-5311. It does what it says it does in the spec sheet. I've had a couple issues that needed to be hard booted but feel that it was my repeated erroneous querying of it that causes these freezes. A very good camera it is. Bang for buck however is subject to one's own interpretation. It works well and presently is the flagship camera of the ACTi line.

 

If only I could get it to work outside of IE and ACTi's Enterprise and Pro software I would use it more..... Still waiting on firmware update from ACTi and/or camera support from LuRiot. Will post vids when it is squared away...

[jtreibick 0]

I recommend you order a ACTI camera and see for yourself.

 

Just got a 4201 one. IMPRESSIVE.

 

If you need a camera without all the bells and whistles definitely check out ACTI.

 

I am not exactly sure what 'bells and whistles' means. From what I understand, @ ~ 1MP my options also include:

-CCD (ACTi)

-1/2" cmos sensors (Arecont)

-Better Lenses, DC Iris etc. (Some Arecont)

-H.264 streaming (Arecont, ACTi [cheaper])

-Different form factor "box" and "dome" (Arecont, ACTi [cheaper])

 

I feel in my application (well lit indoor) none of these features are really important to me, so would you consider the picture quality of a comparable arecont camera to be the same then?

 

It seems like you pay a large premium over the 4201 to get these features (over twice the cost)

[thewireguys 3]

I recommend you order a ACTI camera and see for yourself.

 

Just got a 4201 one. IMPRESSIVE.

 

If you need a camera without all the bells and whistles definitely check out ACTI.

 

I am not exactly sure what 'bells and whistles' means. From what I understand, @ ~ 1MP my options also include:

-CCD (ACTi)

-1/2" cmos sensors (Arecont)

-Better Lenses, DC Iris etc. (Some Arecont)

-H.264 streaming (Arecont, ACTi [cheaper])

-Different form factor "box" and "dome" (Arecont, ACTi [cheaper])

 

I feel in my application (well lit indoor) none of these features are really important to me, so would you consider the picture quality of a comparable arecont camera to be the same then?

 

It seems like you pay a large premium over the 4201 to get these features (over twice the cost)

 

Arecont has a better image, better video motion detection, and better compression but at a cost the ACTi. Also Arecont is way better in low light.

 

What I mean by bells and whistles is comepare ACTi/Arecont to Axis//Mobotix.

 

Higher frame rates, tamper alarms, multiple trigger in/outs, 2-way audio with VOIP support, Multiple streams at different frame rates and quality, Build in storage, multiple users, better security, remote zoom and focus, customizable web interfaces, built-in logic, ability to send email and upload to FTP servers, the ability for the cameras to communicate with each out without any other software. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

 

Acti and Arecont are security cameras where Axis/Mobotix are more of a integrated security system

[Erron S. 0]

 

I would like a full featured web client, mapping, support for the cameras manufactures on my list and access control integration with HID edge products. do you have a demo I can try out?

 

We do on the client side. The client software is free of course and includes our mapping software as well. We have a number of cameras that are preprogrammed into our dvrs and are list among the drop down menu with their IP finder utilities.

 

Let's see, the client software can had here..

http://www.3xlogic.com/software

 

It's probably best to have me walk you through it and show you all the goodies. If you have time, call me and I'll show you the bells and whistles.

 

 

Our compatability list for cameras is here...

http://www.3xlogic.com/supported-ip-cameras

 

We currently are setup to integrate with the RBH line of access control, but there's a number of ways to integrate through the DIO boards. I'd bet we can get pretty close to what you want with one of the interfacing boards.