$260 IR Outdoor 'Speeddome' Tested

By John Scanlan, Published Apr 20, 2016, 08:27am EDT

Just $260 for an outdoor 'speeddome' form factor with integrated IR, wireless, HD video and more?

Pricing has certainly come down (e.g., we recently tested a ~$750 Hikvision speeddome), but $260 for a PTZ is eye opening.

We bought a Foscam FI9828P [link no longer available], based on a few member's requests, to understand how well it truly worked and failed.

*******

*** ****** ******* ******* decent ***** ******* *** and ***** ** *** tests, ********** *** * ~$260 ******* *** ******, though **** ******* **** capability ******** ** ******* full **** ****. ************, the ******'* ****** ***/***** access ****** ******* ****** in *** *****.

*******, ** *** *********** issues, *********:

** ***** *******, ******* the ******'* ********* ******* displaying *** ***** **** (though *** ****** ** ONVIF's ****).
***** *** **** **** moving ** ********* **** day ** *****. ***** the ****** ******* ****** or *** *** ****** switched, ********* ******* (*** not *****) ********** ********.
** **** ****** ** add *** ****** ** anything ***** **** **** (with ** *** *******) to *****, ********* *****, Avigilon, *********, *** * Hikvision ***.
**** ******* *** ****, with **** **** *****, and *** ******* **** literally ****** ** ** spell "*****"

** ***** *** ******** these ******, *** ******* may ** * **** value *** ***/*********** ********, as ** ** **** less ********* **** ******* PTZs.

*******

*** ****** ******* ***** for~$*** *** ******, ****** ** **** less ********* **** **** IR ****, **** ** the *** **** ********* **-********-** ($*** ******), ****** ***** models ********* *** ****** resolution (*****/***) **** ****** IR ***** (***'+).

Physical ********

******** ** ***** ******* IR *** *****, *** Foscam ****** ** **** smaller, ***** **** *** height ** *** ********* 5220, **** ***** (***** is ***** ******** ** other ** ****.).

** ****** *** ******** construction ** *** ****** in **** *****:

*************

*** ***** ******** **** other ****** ****, *** 9828P's *** ********* **** look **** ********. ** with **** ******, *** controls *** ***** ******* are ******** *** ********* is ******** ******* ****, with * ******* *** of * **/*, ***** may ** *********** ** busy ******.

** **** ******** *** screencast **** *** ****** *** **** ** PTZ **** *****:

VMS *************

** **** **** ****** models, ** **** ****** to ************ ********** ** with *** *** ** NVR, ********* *****, ********, Milestone, *** *********. **** is ******* ******* ********** the ***** **** ** the ******'* *** *** including ********** ***** ***** compatibility ** *** **** guide. RTSP ********* ****** ******* issues, ****** ** *** control ** *********. **** we ******* ******** **** ** *** ********** that ***** *** **** two ********** ******** **** Foscam *** ******* ** the *******.

Tech *******

******'* **** ******* *** poor. ****** *** *****, hold **** *** **** 20 *******. **** ** finally ******* *******, *** support *** ***** *** better **** ** *** call *********** ******* ** had ********* *** ****** from ** ********** ****** or *** *** ***** not ******* ******* **** information (****: ** ********* the ****** ** ******, an ********** ******).

** ***** ******* *** help ** ********** *** camera ** * *** via *****. ***** ******** was *********, "*** *** spell **** *** **, sir?" **** *** *** heard ** **, *** offered ** ******** ******* to *** ******* ** help ** ************ ** (we ********).

IR *****

** *** *****, *** FI9828P ******* *** ********* 20m/~65' *****, ************* *** middle ** *** ****** in *** **** **** a *********** ***** *****.

******** *** ****** ** an ******** *****, *****, we *** *** **** the ** ******* ** brighter ** *** ******/****** on *** *****, **** the ******* *******, *** without ******* ** *** edge ** *** ***.

Focus ******

*** ******* *** ********** tracking ***** **** ******, such ** *** **** below. ***** ** **** when *** ****** ****** panning, **** ********* *** working ***** *-* ******* after ******** *****.

** *** ************ **** switching **** ***** ** day **** *** **** versa. *** *******, ** order ** ******* *** camera ** *** ***** below, ** *** ** zoom *** **** ** to ******* *********.

Image *******

** ****** ********* ***** quality ** *** ****** PTZ ******* *** ********* DS-2DE5220-I ** *** *** their **-*[[****** *** ***** number ****]] ******* *** (no **). **** ***** shows *** ******* ** 80' *** **' ********.

** ****** ******** ******* of *** ******* ** ~40' *****, **** **** the ******* *** ********* 5220 ********* ***** ********* of *** *******. *** non-IR *** *** ****** to ******* *** ****** images.

Daytime ***** *******

******* *** ****** ********* ********* to ***** ****** ******, with ***** ******* ** the ******* *** **** chart ******* ** **** 4/5.

Test **********

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** ****** ********, which *** ************ ** 1/30s ***.

*** ********* ******** ******** were ****:

****** *******: *.*.*.**
********* **-********-**: **.*.* ***** 150910
********* **-*******: **.*.* ***** 150403

Comments (4)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

04/20/16 01:41pm

In the past when we've tested foscams we noticed that the ptz motors were not proper stepper motors so when you would use presets or patterns to have the camera jump around or scan the positions would actually slightly change and over a few days of using it the position would be noticibly off. Can you tell if this PTZ is similar?

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 04/20/16 04:25pm

We suspect it is the same, but we will hang the PTZ & set it to tour for a few days so we can verify this.

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 05/04/16 07:49pm

U1 - It stopped tour/cruise after two weeks.

We let the Foscam run on tour for a week and while it stayed accurate to the presets it lost focus almost immediately and remained out focus until it stopped cruising altogether today. I rebooted the camera and started the tour again, it moved to the first preset and stayed there, another reboot yielded the same result.

Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | 04/20/16 06:38pm

Its good to see tests of the bottom end lines every now and then to keep things in perspective.

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