Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2607 Wifi 802.11g IP Network Camera with built-in Web Server, Microphone, IR and Moonlight Color Night Vision
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Product Description
This Wifi b/g wireless IP camera has its own built in web server. You can view the video from your own home network or you can configure your router to view and control the camera from computers or cellphones on the internet, without dependence on any third party web sites or subscriptions. With the built-in microphone you can listen in. Excellent MPEG4 or MJPEG video quality at a full 640 x 480 resolution with up to 30 frames per second for fluid, natural motion color. For viewing or recording a single camera no software is required besides just your browser. For viewing or recording multiple Sharx IP cameras the included MultiView software for PCs supports up to 4 Sharx IP cameras simultaneously. Truly amazing to see the streaming video on your web enabled cell phone. For frequent use we recommend to upgrade your cellphone service to unlimited data, which costs just $15/mo extra on the ATT network. You can see motion even on non-3G phones like SonyEricsson w580i. If your phone does not support video you can see automatically refreshing JPEG images. At home, you can use this camera with your laptop or iPhone as a baby or pet monitor, and the very high light sensitivity in "moonlight mode" allows you to view out from a window to see what's happening in the street as long as there is some background light available. This camera has infrared night vision which can see in total, absolute darkness. Like any infrared sensitive camera, the daytime colors are subdued and can appear unnatural especially on plants and vegetation. For eye-popping, gorgeous daytime colors please select the less expensive Sharx SCNC2606 camera if you do not need night vision in total darkness. Wireless operation supports WEP, WPA, WPA2 encryption. On routers with UPnP feature the camera can set itself up automatically, and on routers without UPnP (such as Apple's Airport series) the camera can be set up with our step by step instructions.
Feature
- Hi-Resolution Wifi b/g IP Network Camera with infrared night vision
- Full 30 fps MPEG4 video performance at 640 x 480 resolution with audio
- See streaming video on ATT, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile smartphones including iPhone and BlackBerry
- Motion detection or timed emails and FTP uploads
- Supports Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Linux, VLC, QuickTime, 3GPP
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CustomerReviews
Wireless failure x 2
Have two of these and the wireless on both is now gone. Sharx replaced one when the wireless stopped working and also gave me back the old one so I can use wired. Very nice of them and they were very responsive to my emails. Saddly, the second camera wireless has now gone out. Both lasted 4 or 5 months I think. Coincidence? Just so you know, I know what I'm doing.
Pricey, but lots of features.
I've been very pleased with the Sharx camera and its performance. After running the Sharx camera for a few weeks, I've also discovered a lot about IR cameras, wireless cameras, and the Sharx itself.
I thought I'd share this here as it might save you some time with your own decisions. There were some unexpected issues I encountered, but this is more related to IR & wireless technologies than to this camera.
Quick Background on my set-up:
I purchased this camera when looking to set up a system to monitor my home for security purposes. I live in a dark neighborhood, and was looking for a solution that was web-enabled. After searching for the right products, I liked all the features the Sharx offered and bought 1 of them, for its IR & wireless capability. I also purchased two D-Link DCS920 Wireless-G Internet Camera ($85 ea.).
---------Sharx Camera Pros---------
1) Good manual, with excellent explanations and walkthroughs (you can tell Sharx is a small shop by the detail in the manual)
2) Fairly easy setup. I had it running in a few minutes.
3) Nice day-time detail in the images the camera creates
4) Web-access is awesome. We love being able to check the front door image from anywhere, by connecting to the camera's web server.
5) I can also use my iPhone from anywhere to check the real-time video.
6) the wireless connectivity performed well for me
7) the camera's software is stable - I haven't had to reset the camera.
---------Sharx Camera Cons---------
1) Price is high! But the camera does have a lot of value in IR/nightvision, its integration with web software, size, wireless support, etc...
2) Probably not so easy to set up if you're not technical. Have someone help you.
So, that's what I can pin on the camera. But, since you would be purchasing a *Wireless IR* camera, there are a few things you should know first.
---------IR Cameras Can Be Tricky!!---------
1) IR cameras don't see in "normal" colors. For instance, blues and greens and up looking purple. Think about a security scenario in which someone robbed your home. Cops ask, "What color was his jacket?". You'd say, "Purple!". Well, you don't really know the true color of that jacket. In that sense, this camera won't help you.
2) You _cannot_ point an IR camera out a window and expect it to see outside that window. The IR illuminators will reflect off the glass, blinding the camera. To get pictures at night you will need to mount the camera outside. (in a safe, dry place)
3) Nightvision can only see so far, and that's limited by how far the IR illuminators project. In my installation, it's about 10-15 feet from the camera.
---------Wireless Cameras May Not Be Your Solution---------
This camera did fine in relatively perfect wireless conditions: 1 wireless camera, and not much interference from neighbors.
But, If you are thinking about setting up more than 1 wireless camera, then you are asking for trouble. Wireless technology is not great at streaming video. I ran into issues with 2 cameras, which started to degrade video performance very quickly. 3 cameras was terrible, and the video was so bad I couldn't rely on it for security purposes. Again, not the fault of the Sharx.
Wireless is __GREAT__ for not having to hard-wire cameras to your network, which can be a pain. But, it's just not reliable like a wired connection. Additionally, the video quality on a wired network isn't an issue at all, with more than 1 camera.
---------Compared to the D-Link DCS920--------- D-Link DCS920 Wireless-G Internet Camera
The DCS920 is cheap, does not support IR, and is fairly reliable.
Well, the DCS920 isn't a bad day-time camera, if the sun is out. But the biggest hindrance to this camera is its inability to see in low light. It's pretty bad. It does not have IR, but it still has a lot of trouble at dusk or when most folks would think this camera *should* be able to deliver some sort of image. But other than that, it's a fine camera for the price. I use this camera in coordination with the Sharx, as it serves as a day-time camera that actually sees in true-color (unlike the Sharx).
---------Summary---------
Overall, the Sharx is simply better quality in all aspects. Is it $200 better? For me, yeah.
Think of the Sharx as a high-end, does-it-all camera. It's got wireless, IR, a built-in web server, authentication, mobile phone access, and microphone, all-in-one. Pretty cool!
Feature Packed and High Quality (if you're windowless)
We've recently had some trouble with neighborhood kids setting off acid bombs and we wanted to try and catch the hooligans in the act. I did quite a bit of research on outdoor cameras, but all of them required coax wiring and AC wiring to the mount point. It just wasn't worth the effort, especially given the high price. That's when I found the Sharx SCNC2607.
I was a little apprehensive about spending so much money for this camera, but I was swayed by the many great reviews. I have to say that I'm impressed by the feature set of this little guy, and the image quality is outstanding.
Because I want to keep an eye on the front of the house, I have this camera mounted with 3M Command Strips and pointed out my home office window. During the daylight hours, this works incredibly well. However, once darkness hits and the IR kicks in, the reflection of the IR illuminators on the window make night vision completely unusable. This isn't a problem specific to this camera. All IR cameras pointed out of a window experience the same problem. I have chosen to solve that by purchasing an IR illuminator (about $60) that I have put in the front of the house. This works incredibly well and I can see quite clearly at night. The IR illuminator looks like a bright spotlight shining out into the yard when viewed through the Sharx, but it's invisible to the human eye.
The only other minor issue I've encountered is that the ActiveX control used to view the video in Internet Explorer will cause IE to crash if you change a lot of settings while watching the camera. Fortunately, IE recovers well from this and the tab is recovered and video continues. The only reason I mention it is that there doesn't appear to be any servicing path for the software (downloadable updates), so it's hard to know if these types of problems will be addressed. However, it's not a big deal since once you configure all of your settings, there's really no need to reconfigure anything. Therefore, no stars knocked for this.
You can use Windows Media Player or QuickTime Player to view video on the camera as well. If you're on Windows 7 or Windows Vista and you're using WMP, you'll need to disable audio on the camera due to a licensing issue with the audio codec necessary to play audio. On QuickTime, you'll want to disable 3D acceleration in QuickTime preferences. URLs also differ based on what you're using to view the camera. You can view the URL for any stream by clicking links when you are setting up streaming.
You can also use third-party software to record video and watch more than one camera, assuming you aren't happy with the MultiLive application that ships with the camera. I am using LuxRiot to record video, and even though it doesn't list Sharx specifically as a supported camera, the SCNC2607 puts out a standard stream that LuxRiot can easily consume and use.
If you're looking for high-quality hardware in a security camera that has the flexibility to meet your needs as they evolve, this is a great choice! You definitely get what you pay for in this arena, and this camera is one that I highly recommend.
Decent camera but overpriced
This camera provides essentially the same quality as AirLink 101 SkyIPCam777W, but costs twice as much and does not have pan and tilt. I was happy after I bought it but needed a few more cameras and didn't want to spend a fortune. Finding SkyIPCam777W allowed me to see that such camera does not need to cost $300. Sharx may have a bit better color in the afternoon, although I haven't compared them side by side - I may do that later. At this point I would be undecided about which one to choose at the same price level, but twice the price for less features is unjustifiable.
don't waste your time with anything else
I researched this product for a lot longer than I would like to admit. I finally bought both the day and night capable versions 2606 and 2607 models and could not be happier. Set up was a breeze. I had one quick question and Sharx support could not be more helpful. In fact, they didn't rush me off the phone like other companies and actually showed me other features of the camera that I didn't even know existed. I use the night cam to monitor my little boy. It has never failed in complete darkness. Perfect when I'm on the road and want to check him out on my iPhone. Simply awesome. Between picture quality and ease of use, it's a no brainer. Stay away from the PC only cams. This works on my Macs and PCs as well as multiple phones. Simply amazing! For once, a product that not only does what it says, but does it better!
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