IQEye Alliance Pro IQA32N 1080P Dome

Most of the cameras I’ve reviewed have built-in illuminators. This is something I like because external illuminators are costly and require additional wiring. What if there was a camera that worked well in low light without the need for illuminators? That’s the question that the LightGrabber II Low-light feature of IQEye cameras answers.

BlueIris NVR Software

BlueIris is one of the bargains in recording software for your surveillance cameras at only $49.95 per server. It has some unique features that makes it idea for home or small business surveillance and it’s easy to use. It also has a huge list of cameras that are supported and new cameras are constantly being added.

Milestone XProtect Go NVR Software

Milestone is one of the leaders in NVR software. About a year ago, they release a free version call “Go” that’s a limited version of their commercial software. The key advantages to XProtect is the wide variety of device support that is updated regularly with drivers for over 1,000 cameras from almost 100 different manufacturers.

Surveillance Technology Roadshow

GSS, a distributor is doing a free technology roadshow at various locations including Los Angeles (6/12), Cleveland (8/7) and Richmond, VA (7/10). This is a good way to meet camera manufacturers, see their latest products and ask questons. Mobotix, Messoa, Geovision, QNAP, RayTec and Kintera are presenting. Resellers and consumers are welcome. Breakfast & lunch provided.

Zoneminder Open Source NVR Software

For the budget minded, Zoneminder is open source NVR software to record from your IP cameras and allow you to view them from any web browser. The price, free, is alluring, but how well does it work and is it worth the money?

It’s been said that open source is free, like a free puppy. Zoneminder works, but it takes a great deal of effort to set it up so it depends on how much your time is worth. But as hobbiest know, the journey is half the fun. So let me take you on that journey.

exacqVision Start NVR Software

Some of you have asked what software can I use to record from my surveillance cameras. There’s many choices on the market and I chose to start this series with a popular product that came out in a “lite” version called exacqVision Start about a year ago. ExacqVision is easy to use and efficient NVR software. Their Start version makes it affordable for home and small business users at a reasonable price of $50/camera. The server can be installed on Windows or Linux and the client can additionally be installed on a Mac. Also included are free smart phone apps. This not only works with IP cameras, but can also record from analog cameras.

Axis Q6035-E Outdoor PTZ Dome Review

The Axis Q60 series is the crown jewel of the Axis lineup. An HD 1080P PTZ speed dome with 20X optical zoom and great image quality not only during the day, but also using available light at night. Previously I reviewed their 720P PTZ Dome, the P5534-E so we mounted the two side by side to you show you the difference between the two. The Q6035-E outdoor-ready PTZ dome provides HDTV coverage of large areas, great details when zooming in, and high-speed pan/tilt performance.

ACTi TCM-7811 Review

In the endless choices of network cameras, what makes one stand out as being different? To me, it’s a camera that has a nice crisp constrasty image at night. The problem is most cameras use CMOS sensors, and while they have been getting better, they don’t perform as well as CCD sensors in low light. In the past, the only CCD cameras available had D1/VGA resoluton and were mostly analog cameras. Enter the ACTi TCM-7811 with the Sony EXView HAD Progressive Scan CCD sensor. A very good low light outdoor dome camera with MegaPixel resolution.

Brickcom WOB-130Np Review

Brickcom has entered the U.S. market with cameras that have unique features that many have been asking for from the established players for years. The WOB-130Np is a megapixel bullet camera similar in shape to what ACTi, Vivotek, Messoa, Sony have done for years but that’s where the similarities end. What sets this camera apart is a combination of features including their wireless capabilities (WiFi & 4G), their ability to record to an SD card or a NAS, the ability to adjust focus and focal length from a browser and good low light performance.

ISC West 2012

This is my first ISC show and it was much larger than I expected. The Expo hall had over 900 exhibiting vendors including surveillance cameras, home automation, access control as well as supporting trades for example companies selling wire, tools, gates, even Ford had a display selling armoured vehicles for tactical law enforcement operations.