Testing D-Link's IP Camera (DCS-920)

BE
Benros Emata
•Published Jul 19, 2010 04:00 AM

*-**** ** *** ** *** **** commonly ******** ** ******* ** *** budget/home ******. ** **** ******, ** test *** *-**** ***-*** [**** ** longer *********], ** *********** **** ****** that ** ********* **** ******.

*** ** *** ***** ********* ** cameras *********, ** ******* *** *** and *********** ** *** ****** ********* integrating *** ****** **** *-****'* *** VMS ** **** ** ******** *** party *** *******.

** ***** * ****** ** ******** and ******** ****** **** *** ******/******** and *** * ****** *** (**** or ***). ** ****, ** ********* carefully ******** *** *****-**** ** **** environment.

*** **** ***** **** **** ** inexpensive *** ** **** *** ****** a *** ******* ******* ******* ****** monitoring, ** **** *** *-**** ***-*** to ** ** ********** ***. **** its ****** *****, ******** ********** *** provided *** ********, ** ******** *** key ********** *** * **** ************ solution ** * *** ****. ** the ***** ****, *** ****** ****** functionality, *** ****** **** ********** ***** and **** ** ****** ** *** wizard *** ***** *********** ** *********** to ***-********* *****.

*** * ***** ******** (**** **** than * *******), *** ***-*** ***** just ** ** '**' ***, ******** that ** ** ********** ** * location **** **** ******** *** ******* darkness. * ***** ******** **** ***** take ********* ** ***** ***, *** included ***** ********** ********, *** **** a ********** ****** ********** ** ********** live **********, *********, *** ************* *****.

*** * ****** ********** (**** * cameras), *** ***-*** *** *** ** the ****** ** *** ***** *** security ********* ********. *** ***** **** and *** ***** *********** ***** ****** from *********** ******** ** ******** ****** the ***** ** ****. ***** *** low ***** ***** ** **********, *** trade-off ** *** ******* ****** ***** the ****** ***** ** ******. ** addition, **** ** *** *** ***** VMS ******* *** ******* ** "******" VMS *********, *** ****** ** ******* for ************ *** *******. 

Key ********

*****:***** ** *** *-**** ***-*** *** easy. ** *** ***** ** ******** PCs, *** ******** ******  *** ************ ********** ** detecting *** *********** *** ****** **** the *******.

Monitoring ********: The included version of the DViewCam monitoring software (ver 2.03) on the CD is not compatible with 64bit OS. D-Link recommends downloading version 3.0 (64bit compatible) via their ****** *** ****(*** ********* ********* ** *** **** website). 

Bandwidth: The bandwidth consumption during the day was measured at 1.3Mbps, and 650kbps at night.  The camera's video settings were at 640x480, 15fps, MJPEG codec.

Details ** ********: With the camera's 5mm fixed lens, it will be difficult to get facial details of a subject within a large room but enough to identify the subject as a human.

Nighttime ***********:  In an indoor low light test, where the light level was controlled and measured at 1lux, the image was too dark to make out distinguishing features of our subject in the field of view; He appeared as a silhouette in the image. 

Third ***** *** *******: The DCS-920 was able to connect to the Luxriot DVR software using it's MJPEG stream. Although Milestone Enterprise does have support for D-Link cameras, we verified that the DCS-290 model is not supported.  In addition, we verified ExacqVision VMS did not support the camera.

*** ****** *** *******, ** **** able ** ************ ********* *** ****** to ***** ************ ***, **** ****, WebcamXP, *** *-******* *******.

Remote ****** & **********: The DCS-920 does not have any processes to automatically setup your network for remote access; All port forwarding tasks must be performed on your network router manually.

*-**** **** **** ***** ******* *******, *** *** ******** ************* **** not **** *** ********* ** **** service, *** **** *** ****** ** the ******'* *** ********* ******* *** registration ** *** *******.

Product ********

***** ******* *** *-**** ***-***, ** verified ***** ******* ******:

  • ******** **** ***** *****
  • *** ***** ****, */*" **** ******
  • ******* ********** ** ******* ** *****
  • ***** ****** ******** ** ** *** additional ***** ****** ** ******'* *** interface
  • ******** ***** ** ******** ************; ******** is ***.*** ****
  • ********** ******** ******** ** **, *** only ******** ***** ********* ******* (****** version *.* ** ********** **** *-****'* ftp ****)
  • ***** *** ** * ******** **** OEM ** ****'* *** (***** ** our ****** ** **** ********), ***** ******** ***** **** ********** *** playback ************* **** ******* ******** **** searching *** ****/****, *** *******, **********, and ***** ********* (***** *** **/*** out ******** *******)

*****

*** *-**** ***-*** ** ********* ******* direct ****** ******** ** ** **** of $***.** *** *********** ************* $** ***

Physical ********

*** ********* ********** ********** *** ******** form ****** *** *********** ** *** DCS-920.

*** ****** *******:

  • ****** *** ******** ** ***** ************
  • ******** ******** ***.*** ****
  • ****** *** *** ***** ****
  • ******* ********** ** ******* ****** ** 15fps
  • ******** **** ***** *****
  • ** ******* ** *** ****
  • ************* *** ******* *********** ** ******* available 

Setup & *************

*** ********* ********** ****** *** ***** procedure **** ***** *** ******** ** to ********* *** ******'* *** *********.

*** ****** *******:

  • ***** ** ******** * ***** ******
  • ***** ****** ******** ** **** **'* hard *****
  • ** *** ** *** ** ******* we ******, *** ***** ****** *** able ** ****** *** ****** ** the *******
  • ***** ****** **** ******* *** ************* in * **** ** **** *******
  • *-**** *** ** *-****'* ***** ********** software
  • *** ******* ** *-**** *** **** is ******** **** *** ** ** not ********** **** ***** ********* *******
  • ******* *.*, ***** ** ** *** compatible, *** ** ********** ** *-****'* FTP ****
  • ** *** *** *********, ** **** live *****, ****** ****** *** ******* or **** ********
  • ****** **** *** **** **** ******** features *** *** ***** ********* ******** that
  • *** ********* ******** * ****** ** change ************* *******
  • ********** *** ***** **** *** ** configured ** *** ***** *******
  • **********, ********, *** ********** ** ********** manually ** *** ***** ***** *******

Image ******* ********

*** ***-*** *** ****** ** ********* environments *** ***** ******.  *** ******** video ** ******** ** ** ********** to *** ******* ** ********** **** network *******.

******** *** ****** ***** [**** ** longer *********] (**.*** ********)

*** ****** *******:

  • ** * ******* ****** *****, ***** quality *** ****, *** ****** ** subject *** **** *** ****** **** a ****** *****
  • ** * *** ***** ****** ***** (1 ***), ******* ***** ** ** a silhouette, *** ************* ******* *** ***** be ****
  • ** * **** ******* ***** *****, outdoor ***** ****** *** *******, **** subject ***** *******, ** ** *** dark ** ** ****