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Ghengis

Camera with good standalone email/ftp capabilities

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Hi,

 

I'm looking to replace my old Panasonic BB-HCM715, with something with a better image (the Panasonic is really only good to 640x480).

 

Requirements:

- email me when it detects motion, with an attached image and a timeout before the next email

- upload images to an FTP server, with settings to upload images from before the detection event as well as after it.

- POE

- ideally, local (SD card) storage too but it's not necessary.

 

I'm not opposed to putting something lightweight on my PC for the email/FTP. However I don't want to overburden my lightweight server PC with motion detection, so BlueIris is out. I've tried XProtect Go but it can't handle TLS or SSL email(!) so that's out too.

 

The Panasonic has PTZ and a microphone, neither of which I use. It's mounted inside a window and there's an automatic light, so IR is not necessary either.

 

Looking to pay <$300, preferably more like $150. I'm in Australia so will probably have to buy online.

 

(I recently bought a ACTi D11, which can't attach an image to the email or delay before sending another, and a Swann HD-820CAM, which apparently can't do anything at all by itself . I don't want to buy another dud.)

 

Can anyone suggest a good camera?

 

Thanks for reading!

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Here's what I use and works for me.

 

I have an Axis M10 series, uses PIR for motion detection, sends me an email with as many pictures as I want spread out how I want them, for me, that's 4 pictures in 2 seconds. Faces the front door, anyone comes in, including me, I have their picture. Axis can also be set to FTP images (not video) and I used to use that to FTP an image every hour to a website with a fixed name (you can have a variable name too). This has been working well for a few years. Prices vary from below your budget to above your budget depending on resolution and features. The only downside is how long it takes to capture the emails, compose the email, send it and wait for my smartphone to pickup emails. So it could be several minutes from the event until you get notified, by then, Elvis could have left the building.

 

The other solution I have that I like even better is my AVTech cameras like my AV80X and AVN812 (AVN813 is same with SD card slot). It has push video where it alerts my iPhone or Android phone with chirps within seconds of the detection. Selecting the alert automatically starts playing the video from the last event so you can see what or who triggered it. You can also play video recorded to SD or live video right from your smartphone. Also has 2 way audio. It also uses PIR for motion detect, maybe 1 false alarm in 2 years I had this. The clarity in low light is very good, better than the Axis. It does email and ftp, but have not set that up since I'm happy with the smartphone/tablet capabilities for what I need it for which is as my alarm (saves me an alarm monitoring fee).

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Great info, thanks!

 

Your Axis is what I thought I wanted. However I didn't know about push video. Now I want that!

 

It looks like AVTech don't make any cameras that support both push video and PoE. There's a company called Zavio that do, but no one seems to have reviewed their stuff so I'm loath to buy one. Do you know of any other (good) cameras that support both push video and PoE?

 

PIR would be great, but I haven't yet found a way to mount a camera outside near my front door, so I don't think it would work for me.

 

Would I be safe to assume that all Axis cameras have the same email capability? The M3004-V (1MP "fixed mini-dome") looks like it would suit my needs, but its user manual doesn't say.

 

Is it really minutes from detection to email-buzzing-phone? My Panasonic camera is usually about 15 seconds.

 

Thanks again.

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How long it takes to email you depends on how many pictures you want, how fast your connection is and how long it takes for your phone to pickup messages. If you use POP it could be every 15 minutes, if you use say gmail, it could be a few seconds.

 

Many cameras have email alerts, nothing new or special. For example, with ACTi cameras you can email pictures or video with Axis you are limited to pictures. Dahua on the other hand can only email you alerts, no pictures or video.

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How long it takes to email you depends on how many pictures you want, how fast your connection is and how long it takes for your phone to pickup messages. If you use POP it could be every 15 minutes, if you use say gmail, it could be a few seconds.

 


Many cameras have email alerts, nothing new or special. For example, with ACTi cameras you can email pictures or video with Axis you are limited to pictures. Dahua on the other hand can only email you alerts, no pictures or video.



 


So you can setup the KCM5611 to send any length video to your email?


 


Typically I would only want the video to be 5 minutes maximum.


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What will likely happen is you will hit the maximum email allowed with anything more than say 10-20 seconds either by your mail server or the one you are sending it to.

 

On my E32, I click Event Configuration, Upload Video/Snapshot, click on 1,2 or 3, and you can select video or snapshot, upload period, email or ftp, what stream you want to use. Then setup an event list to trigger on motion and use that event configuration.

 

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Is it not easier just to have direct link sent via email with pre and post footage.

 

Having NVR/ dvr or camera sending full video is going to take time

 

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Is it not easier just to have direct link sent via email with pre and post footage.

 

Having NVR/ dvr or camera sending full video is going to take time

 

 

When you say direct link, what exactly do you mean? A link where you can access the footage direct from the NVR via the internet?

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