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TRENDnet TV-IP312W Wireless Day/Night Internet Camera Server with 2-Way Audio

Subject: TRENDnet TV-IP312W Wireless Day/Night Internet Camera Server with 2-Way Audio
From: Augello@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Friday, 22 May 09 6:06:47 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.security.alarms

Price:$226.99
Image: http:///image.php?id=B000WHEA3E
Best deal: http:///index.php?id=B000WHEA3E

It takes a little time to set it up if you want to use it as a camera to stream video over the internet. (look below for detailed instructions).
The video is great. The nightvision is great. The audio is great.

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR AFTER YOUR PURCHASE
Objective - set it up to access it from any computer away from home.
What I have at home: a router (with a firewall) and a cable internet connection.

If the firmware of your camera is 1.0.0.0 version 30+, the camera's IP is fixed 192.168.10.30. Thus to talk to the camera you will need to change the IP of your computer on the TCP/IP of the internet connection that it's being used, to a fixed IP starting in 192.168.10.xx (in the xx use any number you want).

If the firmware of your camera is newer, it comes with a DHCP (it will take a router assigned ip - thus you don't need to change the IP of your computer.

After finding out what is the ip of your camera, you have to access it to set it up, via your browser, just type in the ip of the camera and it wil
l show up a setting up screen. Here is very straight forward:
-> go to the ip setup and put the same domain of your router (i.e. 192.168.2.***). You can use a fixed IP or DHCP.

Note, if you had to change your computer's ip to talk to the camera, after setting it up, you will have to change your computer back, to talk to the camera in the new domain.

From within your router, all you need to do now is to type your camera's IP in the browser in order to access it.

From outside (through the internet), you still need a bit more setting up to do:

In the camera, change the access port from 80 to 81 (port 80 is blocked by many ISPs).

Now, go to the set up in your router and you have to open the port 81 for outside traffic. Just grant access (inbound port 81, put the IP of your camera, outbound port 81).

Now you have to know what is your external IP (the one provided to you by your ISP). You can use myip.com (note that some ISPs change your IP regularly), so you allways need an updated ip address.

In order to
have that done automatically, sign up to a free account at www.dyndns.com. Then go to your router and in the DDNS section of the setup, put in your dyndns sign in and password. The router will keep updating the dyndns with your external IP, so that everytime you go into your created dyndns address, it will forward you to the right external IP of your ISP/Router.

Now, to access your camera from outside, just type into any browser (IE works better), http:yourdyndnsaddress.com:81 (do not forget the :81), so that it will access the port that you have previously opened.

Well, that's it !!! Easy huh? ;-) It took me a long time to find out how to do it, but it works beautifully after this. The product is 5 stars, but the setting up is tough (but it couldn't be different, this is a sophisticated demand).

Have fun.
I bought this to basically serve as a baby monitor. It works great and is much better than the stand alone, purpose-built systems that you can buy. The camera does what it says it will, and works great in total darkness.

The other reviews that discuss the horrible documentation are right though. The manual that comes with it is scarce on specifics. It does take some time and finesse to set it up with your wireless system, but if you're computer literate or just willing to put in the time you'll figure it out. I have yet to set it up as an internet camera, so I can't speak to that, but given the documentation and support issues, if that's your primary purpose and you're not tech savvy, you may want to look elsewhere.

Bottom line, its a good camera, provides a nice picture with excellent in room IR capabilities, the software is simple and very functional, it has two way audio and is priced right. I'm looking to buy another for my other child's room.
Although the instructions included with the camera are not very helpful, a little research on the internet was all it took to get it up and running. A little knowledge of computers is a must. Combined with the Trendnet TV-M7 Wireless Camera Monitor it makes a great baby monitor that can also be monitored remotely.
I'd really give this camera 3.5 stars. If setup were easier, it would be a solid 4, if it didn't have manual focus 4.5, if all of above were true and the company's manual or website gave decent support, it would be 5 stars because of the low costs but high features.

My Trendnet IP312W is connected to a Mac (OS X Leopard) airport express network used for home and baby monitoring. Mac support from Trendnet's site and manual for this product is woefully low.

I am using it with Evocam software, which provided moral support during the various evenings I spent getting it to work. (Eventually selecting "use RTSP" for this camera in Evocam brought an image from the camera, that was after I changed the camera's default IP address, etc).

The camera provides a decent picture day and night via our local network. The image is browser accessible via the local network with most browsers (Safari, Firefox, IE).

The price on this camera was significantly lower than many other wireless cameras capable of joining a
more secure WPA2 wireless network and also providing night vision. Word to the wise, you can't buy some other color network camera and a standalone infrared light from Amazon and expect to make your own, budget, night vision system.
You can't find a better device at this price point, but it does come with some annoyances and limitations.

Things I Like:
- Really great night mode via built-in infrared lights.
- Stable. No crashes or hiccups in the month I've had it.
- Solid construction. The camera and included mounting bracket are very sturdy.
- MPEG streaming video. Really nice quality, and a fraction of the bandwidth required by MJPEG standards, so there's less "internet lag."
- The ability to backup your settings is a nice touch, in case you have to reset the camera for any reason.
- Three year warranty.
- Support for sound. Built-in ability to listen (from IE, not from Firefox/Java) and the ablilty to connect speakers to "talk through" the camera.

This I Dislike:
- Camera gets "stuck" in night mode. Under normal indoor lights, the camera often continues to force itself into night mode, which results in strange washed-out colors. This is made more frustrating by software limitations that don't allow you to manually control wh
ich mode the camera operates in. Seems to work okay in fluorescent lights from office settings. Surely, this is all just a software glitch that will be fixed in an eventual software patch....I hope.
- Always requires a username and password to view the camera. So if you want to just setup a public camera, that's a frustrating limitation.
- Difficult to remove Trendnet's "branding" around their live video images - their logo, border, and other stuff. I think this can be done, but it's certainly going to require web developer skills and a bit of hacking to do it.

Other things you'll want to know:
- Focusing the camera is done via the focus ring on the front of the housing, not from within the software. So you have to be physically present at the camera to do it. That means you'll also need your laptop (or a friend on a phone) to know you're getting it right.
- TrendNet's site includes a "lobby cam" from their office, as well as a simulated user interface, and digital version of the manuals. That gives
you a pretty good feel for what you're going to get with the camera.
- Viewing this camera from outside your home network is going to require some advanced skills in updating your router's settings. It's not especially hard, and there are instructions online to do it. But unless your router supports these settings and you're willing to tinker with them, many of the camera's features are going to be unavailable to you.
- The setup was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be, based on other reviews. The need to connect it via a network cable to do the initial setup is a little annoying, but understandable and not too difficult if you've read through the manual. The manual is actually pretty well-written - you can download it from the manufacturer's site to judge for yourself.
The 2-Way Audio Day/Night Internet Camera transmits real-time high quality video and audio over the Internet. See, hear and talk to people, in your cameraÂ¿s viewing area during the day or in the dark, from any Internet connection. Complimentary SecurView camera management software allows you to monitor what you value most at home or at work. The camera provides crystal clear MPEG4 video streams over an internet connection. The Infrared lens provides night monitoring for low light environment. A built-in microphone and optional speakers accommodate 2-way audio communication. Advanced intuitive software includes motion detection recording, email alerts, scheduled recordings and progressive search options. This cameras brilliant image quality, USB flash support, day and night capabilities and 2-way audio make it ideal for home, small office and business use.
The Trendnet Wireless 2-way Audio Day/Night Internet Camera Server transmits high quality video and audio over the Internet in real time. This provides an ideal solution for those who wish to remotely monitor their valuables at home or at work. The camera provides clear MPEG-4 video streams at up to 640 x 480 resolutions over an encrypted Internet connection that prevents others from viewing your video feed. The camera features an infrared lens that provides monitoring in low light environments. An internal microphone provides audio surveillance and by attaching optional speakers, you can have 2-way audio communication. The TV-IP312W is compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b wireless networks and supports advanced encryption modes including WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK. In addition to MPEG-4, 3GPP is also supported for viewing on a mobile phone. There is a built-in USB port for storing images directly onto a USB flash or hard drive. The included software includes motion detection recording, scheduled recordings, e
mail alerts, and progressive search. The Trendnet Wireless 2-way Audio Day/Night Internet Camera Server is backed by a 3-year warranty. What's in the Box TV-IP312W camera, multi-language quick installation guide, utility CD-ROM, camera stand, 5-foot (1.8-meter) Cat. 5 Fast Ethernet cable, and power adapter. How It Works