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So I'm Buying a New PTZ Cam....
By: ScottL Rank: Frequent User Topics: 25 From: n/a	Added: 05/20/2011 - 02:47 AM What's the best value? Previously owned a Logitech Orbit that lasted about five years. Thx.
By: MelvinG Rank: Magna Cum Laude Topics: 661 From: Los Angeles, USA	Added: 05/20/2011 - 06:56 AM As far as USB cams go, the only one worth serious consideration IMHO is the Orbit AF. There are a few others on the market for half the price (Typhoon, Gear Head, InSight) but they are all the same camera - just badged different - and the image quality is horrible unless you have insanely bright lighting all the time. For an IP PTZ under $1000 I like TrendNet TV-IP410. I have the wired version and I paid about US$250 for it. There's a wireless version for about $20 more that I have not tried. This cam seems to me like a good value, and it's well supported by AbelCam. The really nice IP PTZ cams cost well over $1000 still. Of the people who post here frequently, SSE is the only one I know owns any of these high-end cams. He has several kinds. Avoid at all costs: Asante Voyager cams. I spent a huge amount of time emailing with a guy who bought one and wanted to use it with AbelCam. We determined that the Asante firmware is so crude that the PT (it has no zoom) can't be operated effectively by AbelCam (or other progs).
By: sse Rank: Forum Addict Topics: 73 From: n/a	Added: 05/20/2011 - 11:34 AM The camera Melvin was mentioning can be tested here I don't only own an expensive Axis 214 but also two cheaper IP PT(Z) cameras. Z in brackets because it's AbelCams digital zoom, no optical zoom: - LevelOne FCS-0020 available at around 220 USD as well, currently on display here in a 90° rotated configuration acceptable image quality, max size 640x480 - LevelOne FCS-1060 available at around 220 USD also, currently on display here lousy image quality, but great Pan/Tilt range - Panasonic BB-HCM311 at around 330 USD, test it here There are many different Panasonics with different features (and price tags), the one above does a good job. Unlike the TrendNet and the LevelOne cameras it has positional feedback. Even if you use the cameras built in web server to look around AbelCam will keep track of the position. The LevelOnes linked above are set up at 2fps, they can be faster of course. The Panasonic runs at around 5fps, the TrendNet at 3fps. There are many other IP cameras around which also work in AbelCam, but I have not tested any of them. As long as they can deliver Motion JPEG and/or JPEG images and be controlled with HTTP GET requests, they can be used in AbelCam.