Speco IP Line??

[mgb 0]

I'm looking for any info/feedback on Speco Technologies IP camera line.

Most specifically, the zipkit4D1.

I'm not typically interested in package deals but the price on this kit from my local supplier makes it more cost effective and easier for residential installs.

The cameras that come with the kit are not any of Specos regularly available cameras so I'm not real sure on all the specs other than they're 3.7mm ir 2mp domes.

I have used Speco's analog cctv and audio lines in the past and they always seemed to work well enough but it's been a bit since I've used their stuff.

Any help would be great.

Thanks.

[buellwinkle 0]

Not sure if that kit a great deal. I've seen their IP cameras and not impressed by the image quality. You can piece together a Hikvision or Dahua 4 camera setup for the same or less with known good quality and you get pick which cameras to use.

 

Also, Messoa had a nice bundle deal for a good price, but yes, the use special cameras not sold separately, so you don't know what you are getting.

[mgb 0]

Thanks for the reply.

Thinking about prices, I'm sure your right. I should be able to get a hik or Dahua for the same or better.

This kit is at ADI and I like the support I get there as far as returns and all so I was hoping but I've got another supplier right in the same area who sells Hikvision and Dahua at lower prices than ADI so I'm gonna give him a shot.

Thanks

[MrMxyzptlk 0]

We've been using Speco for a few systems lately. We were using Everfocus but their hardware isn't playing well with Windows 7 and 8 so we've moved away from them. I like the Speco 12X analog PTZ so far, reasonable price for decent zoom and speed. The ZipKit irritated me a bit as it was the first IP POE system I did. Didn't know the pattern for the CAT5 ends was so important. It is. Look it up and follow it religiously. Short runs are ok but over 50 ft and the camera wont work unless the ends are done right. The Zip Kit cameras are a fish eye lens so they see a wide arc but the quality is moderate and the images all have an odd curved quality. Also they don't have heaters on board so as outside cameras they are questionable. The NVR is not bad. Fairly user friendly. The instructions are not intuitive and Tech Support isn't great on the phone. However they respond to emails within 24 hours M-F. I wouldn't use the IP POE stuff unless you have a customer who has a backbone of CAT5 already running through the property. Otherwise you will have to run cable anyhow so why not run Siamese RG59 18/2 and save big bucks sticking to analog. They have some real nice analog cams we put in a liquor store and the customer is happy as can be with the quality.

 

Speco also is fairly serious about supporting their vendors. Visit their site and make sure your vendor is on their approved list or else you will not get any warranty on the products.

 

Have fun.

 

Scott

[mgb 0]

We've been using Speco for a few systems lately. We were using Everfocus but their hardware isn't playing well with Windows 7 and 8 so we've moved away from them. I like the Speco 12X analog PTZ so far, reasonable price for decent zoom and speed. The ZipKit irritated me a bit as it was the first IP POE system I did. Didn't know the pattern for the CAT5 ends was so important. It is. Look it up and follow it religiously. Short runs are ok but over 50 ft and the camera wont work unless the ends are done right. The Zip Kit cameras are a fish eye lens so they see a wide arc but the quality is moderate and the images all have an odd curved quality. Also they don't have heaters on board so as outside cameras they are questionable. The NVR is not bad. Fairly user friendly. The instructions are not intuitive and Tech Support isn't great on the phone. However they respond to emails within 24 hours M-F. I wouldn't use the IP POE stuff unless you have a customer who has a backbone of CAT5 already running through the property. Otherwise you will have to run cable anyhow so why not run Siamese RG59 18/2 and save big bucks sticking to analog. They have some real nice analog cams we put in a liquor store and the customer is happy as can be with the quality.

 

Speco also is fairly serious about supporting their vendors. Visit their site and make sure your vendor is on their approved list or else you will not get any warranty on the products.

 

Have fun.

 

Scott

 

On this job, the customer wants HD so I'm going with IP.

I have no problems on the cabling and setup end, as this is what I do for a living.

I've done alot of analog and IP and I don't really find cabling for either (cat or Siamese) to be harder to run than the other but I do prefer running cat5e for Poe ip cameras.

For my full time job, we work in commercial systems so alot of my work is ip but on my side work, I deal with primarily residential so selling ip is harder but I'm finding more people are wanting it.

 

Those cameras from the zip kit, however are not fisheye.

They're 3.7 mm which is a pretty general wide fov.

[Boogieman 1]

We've been using Speco for a few systems lately. We were using Everfocus but their hardware isn't playing well with Windows 7 and 8 so we've moved away from them. I like the Speco 12X analog PTZ so far, reasonable price for decent zoom and speed. The ZipKit irritated me a bit as it was the first IP POE system I did. Didn't know the pattern for the CAT5 ends was so important. It is. Look it up and follow it religiously. Short runs are ok but over 50 ft and the camera wont work unless the ends are done right. The Zip Kit cameras are a fish eye lens so they see a wide arc but the quality is moderate and the images all have an odd curved quality. Also they don't have heaters on board so as outside cameras they are questionable. The NVR is not bad. Fairly user friendly. The instructions are not intuitive and Tech Support isn't great on the phone. However they respond to emails within 24 hours M-F. I wouldn't use the IP POE stuff unless you have a customer who has a backbone of CAT5 already running through the property. Otherwise you will have to run cable anyhow so why not run Siamese RG59 18/2 and save big bucks sticking to analog. They have some real nice analog cams we put in a liquor store and the customer is happy as can be with the quality.

 

Speco also is fairly serious about supporting their vendors. Visit their site and make sure your vendor is on their approved list or else you will not get any warranty on the products.

 

Have fun.

 

Scott

Reason for not running rg59 and saving big bux is because you can get much better quality with ip. You also dont have to run each cable home run to the NVR. You can run say 8 cameras to a gigabit switch on one side of the property then run a single cable back to the NVR on the other side. The savings going with a high end analog is minimal. Its really easy to run cat5 and you can even use old rg59 to pull the cat5. The cat5 ends must be "done right" regardless of the length of the run. You dont need heaters on outdoor cameras unless you are mounting them in an alaskan climate.