Very cheap wired IP Webcam (Edimax IC 1500 Ip)

Member Name: bikerchris

Product:	Edimax IC 1500 Ip
Date:	03/11/08 (270 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Price, functions, did I mention price? Easy set-up

Disadvantages: Could do with a few extra settings, think I need to spend more money :-(

I bought this from Novatech for just under £40 just to 'play' really and never remotely connected to it via the internet.

However I was able to attach it to a network very easily and found the web browser (Internet Explorer ONLY) controls very easy to use. There are extensive settings, some are for remote access whereas some are quite thoughtful - allowing the image to be flipped in case you decide to nail it to the ceiling for instance.

The unit itself is very light, much lighter than it looks. It has a partially rubberised outer casing which makes me think it could be a little water-proof. Manual focus is only available and located on the lense itself, just a rotately black bezel surrounding the lense.

After a few hours use it does get a little warm, but cooler than your average cheap router and really nothing to worry about.

Features include motion detection and with it's only SMTP server (outgoing email) it can email you a still of whatever set it off. For the price, this is probably quite good, but the reason I got a refund was (hopefully) a logical one. My aim is to set-up an IP webcam to either upload video (using FTP, which it does for stills only) upon activation via a motion detector, or to store video to a NAS (Network Attached Storage). I don't think this is asking much as the intention of having an IP camera is to avoid a PC being on.

Video/Picture quality is adaquate but not overly impressive unless you remind yourself about the price.

If you're looking to remotely keep an eye on another property (perhaps a second house) and if you're prepared to have a bit of a fiddle with network settings, this could be the hardware for you. It would be very cheap and only require 'always on' broadband at both ends. If you don't want to use a wireless device, remember that wired can DEFINITELY work up to 200m, so if you have a long drive it would do the job.

Note: There are many IP Webcams that can take power from the network connection, eliminating the wiring of a power source. Just a thought.

Cheers! :-)

PS Thank you to Novatech for a smooth refund, they're good eggs and I just hope they don't get so big they go bad, visa ve Dabs.

PS SORRY FOR THE TYPOS, I'VE GONE BACK OVER IT NOW :-)

Summary: If you're on a budget and want remote security, this would be the cheapest way to do it.

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