Mobotix P25 Camera Tested

Avatar
Derek Ward
•Published Aug 04, 2015 04:00 AM

***-**** **** *******?

**** ** ****** ******** ** *** $100 ******, *******'* ******** ~$*,*** ***** points *** **** ** *******.

***, ******* *** * *** ****** of ******* **** **** ~$***. ********, Mobotix *** ******* ********** **** *** to *** *** ***** **** ****** low ***** ***********.

** ****** ******** ***, ***** *****:

** ****** ** ******* *** ******* from ******* *** ***** ** **** as ***** ******* ******. **** ** a *** ***** *******:

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

***** *** ***** ***** *******

***** ******* ** *** ***** (* lux *** ***** ** *** *****) is *****, ****** **** *** *** Arecont ******, ****** ********** ***** **** the ***** *** ********* ***** *** to ********* ******* *****.

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

** **** *****, ~*** **, ***** quality *** ******* ** *** *** models ******, **** ********** ******* *** seen ** ***** ** *******.

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

** ******* ******** (*****, "****" ***** quality), *** ***'* ********* *********** *** higher **** *** ***** ******* ****** regardless ** ***** *****. ******** **** nearly ** **** ** *** ***** 5MP ** *** ~*.** *** *****, and ** ** ~* ***. ******** quality ** "******" ******* ******** ********, without ********** ****** ******, ****** **** remained ****** **** ***** ******* ** dark ******.

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

** **** *** **********, *** *** has * ******* ***** **** ** 8 ***. *******, ** *** *****, *** frame **** ***** ** **** ~* FPS. **** ******* *** *** ** 1080p, ******* ***** **** ** **** 17 ***, *** ******** ** **** cheap ***** ******, ********* ******* ** 30 ***.

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

*** *********** *********** ******, **** ***** Insight *** **** *** ********** **** camera *** *****. *** *** ********** to **** ******** *** ******* *** MJPEG. ***** **** *** ******* *** Mobotix *******. ********* ******** ****, *** the *** *** *** ****** ** supported *** *** *** *******.

******* *** *********

*** *** *** *********, **** ***** Mobotix *******, ** ************* ********* **** other ** *******, **** **** ********, many ****** *****, *** ******* ***** may ** ********* *** *** *** the **** ******* ******* *****. ***** must **** **** ******* ******** ** they *** **** ** ******, * requirement *** ***** ** **** ** cameras.

*****

*** ******* *** ***** ***~$*** *** ******, *** ********* ****, ** ********** ~$100. 

**** ** ********** ** *** ********** ************, ********** *** ~$***, *** *** *** ********* **-********-* (~$***), ******* ** ***** ******* ****.

**********, ******* ** ************* ***** **** the ***** *** ********* ***-*****-** ****** ****, ***** ***** *** ~$*,***, including ****.

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

*** ***** ******** ** ******* *** to *** *******, *** *** *** its *** *** ****** ******* ***** performance ** *** ***** *** **** light, ****** **** **** ******* *******, at * ***** ***** *****, ****** it ** ********** ******.

*******, *** ***** ***** *** ***** VMSes, *** ******'* **** *** ***** bitrates, **** ** *.*** ** ***** integration ** **** *****, *** ******* configuration ***** ***** ******* **********.

Physical ********

*** **** ** *** *** ****** housing ** ********* ***** *** *******, held **** ****** ******, **** **** the ****** ******* ********** *** ****** exposed.

**** **** **** *** **** ****** the ****** ******* **** *** **** the ****** ** *********, *** *** to ****** **** **** *****. ******* actually ***** ** **** ** ***** manual:

** **** *****, ** ******* *** physical ************ ** *** ******* ***. 

** ********** ******** **** ** *** camera, *** ***** ***** ***** * side ** **** ********** ** *** Mobotix ***, **** ***** *** **** P3354.

Web *********

***** ** * ********** *********** *** Mobotix ***'* *** *********. **** ****** ** note:

  • ******* *** *********: *** ******* *** interface *** ************* **** ******* **** most ***** ** *******, **** **** nested *****, ** ****** ********, ***. Users *** ****** *** **** ** be ****** ** ****** ******** ******* frequent ***.
  • ****** ********: ****** **** ** *******, Mobotix ******** ***** ** ***** ******** to ***** **** ****** ******** *******, in ******** ** ****** ******* *** "Set" ****** ** **** ****. ******* which *** *** ****** **** ** lost ** ******.
  • *** ******* ********: *** *** ******** ** * ********** of XGA (**** * ***) **** * slow ******* ** */* ******. ***** should ** **** ** ****** ***** settings.

***** ********** ** **** ** ***** review ** ******* ************* *** *** our ******* ****** ************* ****** ******. ****** ** **** ** ***** firmware *******, **** ******* ****** *********.

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

** ****** *** ******* *** ** our ******** ********** **** *****, *** the ~** **** **** *** ******* can ** **** *****. ** * side, ******* ***** ******* *** **** for *** ******* ******.

**** *****

** **** *****, *** ******* *** ****** out *** ****** ******* ** *** test ***** **** **** ~*-*, ******* to **** ** *** ***** *** Arecont ******* ******. *** ******* ** easily ************ ** *** ** *** comparisons ** **** *****, ******* ** notice ****** ***** *********** *** **** subject ******** ** *** ****.

*** *****

******** *** ****** **** ** ~* lux, *** ***** **** ******* *** is **** ** ******** *** ******* and **** ** **** **** ** line ~* ** *** **** *****, though ** ** ********** **** ***** than *** ***** *** *********.

****

** ~*.*****, *** ******* ** **** to **** ***** ~*-* ** *** test *****, *** ******* ***** ******** subject *******. *** ***** *** ********* ****** is ***** **** ** ******* **** subject ******* ** **** ***** *****. Other ******* *** ****** ** ******* usable ******.

*********

** *** *****, *** ******** *** significantly ****** **** *** ******* *** Bosch *** *******, ********** *********** ***** rate ***** ** **** * *** vs. *. 

** **** *****, *** ***'* ********* consumption *** ********** ****** **** *** Bosch ***** *** **** ***** **** the ******* ************.

***** **. *****

****** ******** **** ****** **** *.*** cameras ***** *****, **** **** *********** higher **** ********* **** ***** ** MJPEG ** *** ***. ** **** light, *** *******, *** **** ****** from ***** *.* **/* ** ****** 20 **/*. ** ~*.** ***, ***** bitrate *** **** ** **/*. ***** of ***** ***** **** ******* ***** in *** *** ****** ****** ***** huge ********* *******.

***********

** ********* *** **** *****  *** following ****** ******** ********:

  • ******* ***: **-**.*.*.**
  • ******* **********: *****
  • ******** *.*-***-***: *.*.*.** (*****)
  • **** *****: *.**.*.*
  • ***** ***-*****-**: *.**.**** (********)

*********** ******* *.*.*.***** *** **** **** for *******.

Comments (11)
JP
Josh Penfold
•Aug 05, 2015

One thing thats not mentioned often is the reason to use Mobotix over others in the first place. It has built in recording and management and has the VMS basically included. Most of Mobotix projects we get are for remote or sites where edge recording makes sense or the customer does not want a NVR or Server. With the mxbus and addon modules, being able to configure Relay control events, notifications on temperature, sound levels, io inputs is alot more then you see on other camera setups. Plus they now have in camera analytics,a really strong feature for retail applications.

Mobotix does ok when used as just a "camera" but its not really what its designed for.

Yes the use cases for these types of cameras are a small subset of general CCTV but when needed they perform circles around other solutions.

(5)
U
Undisclosed #2
•Aug 06, 2015
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Josh Penfold

...the use cases for these types of cameras are a small subset of general CCTV...

I would have to agree with you Josh. On the other hand, when I bought my first Mobotix camera 5-6 years ago, they were more competitive on price and were, IMHO, a solid alternative to Axis, as a higher-end supplier.

But no more, some reasons I see:

  1. Lack of H.264
  2. Lack of ONVIF support
  3. Lack of MxCC 2.0 for 3+ years
  4. Lack of Reset button

Ok, maybe number 4 didn't matter much. But the hubris is similar to the other items. What do you think the result would be if they surveryed their customers and asked "Do you wish there was a reset button y/n?". Ditto H.264/ONVIF.

IMHO, they are the poster child of not listening to their customers.

FWIW, all my Mobotix gear is still working and I have had zero hardware failures to date...

Do you agree with any of this?

(3)
JS
Jeff Sandine
•Aug 06, 2015
RadiusVision
In reply to Josh Penfold

I agree with Josh. I'm not aware of any other camera that has all the features and functionality embedded at the camera level, of the Mobotix system. For me, this is the single most compelling reason to choose Mobotix. A single Mobotix camera can function as a security camera system, a time lapse recording system, an intercom system, an access control system, a process control monitoring solution, an intrusion detection system, a 2-way audio system, the ultimate web cam system, on and on, the possibilities of what 1 Mobotix camera can do are almost unlimited. For my remote location projects, it's not about the price of a Mobotix camera vs the price of any other camera, it's about how much a single camera can accomplish, how many problems it can solve and what THAT functionality costs. If anyone knows of a camera that offers all the features of a Mobotix camera, at any price, please let me know.

(1)
(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
•Aug 06, 2015

[NOTE: Undisclosed 1 is a Mobotix employee]

Josh You are right on the money. IPVM only seems to be able to compare one cam against the next based on price and image quality. To me it seems that with all the features embedded in MOBOTIX cameras this may be the industry's saving grace to actually making money by being able to sell on features and not just price. IPVM you are in essence doing everything in your power to drive margins to a minimum for all. Or am I wrong, is everything we do these days 100% about price? Nothing to do with features? Is it just me or do others feel the same about IPVM driving price as low as it can go? Maybe a topic for another discussion.

(5)
JH
John Honovich
•Aug 06, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

Undisclosed 1, aka Mobotix sales employee.

"To me it seems that with all the features embedded in MOBOTIX cameras this may be the industry's saving grace to actually making money by being able to sell on features and not just price."

Mobotix does have some nice features but to take advantage of most of them you have to use end to end Mobotix (i.e., their VMS), which most are not going to do. Plus, see undisclosed 2's list of issues above.

Mobotix is its one worst enemy and I feel bad that you have had to suffer through Mobotix allowing its competitors to zoom by them in the past 5 years.

(1)
JP
Josh Penfold
•Aug 06, 2015
I don't see it as an issue about price, but about many people's view of lumping mobotix in with the rest of the cameras out there. It does require education for the user or installer to understand the benefits of the mobotix system, but once they see the benefits they are usually hooked.
(1)
JP
Josh Penfold
•Aug 06, 2015

In my opinion the first two dont matter too Much. You dont need a third party vms as all the recording management is done at the edge, and stored to sd card or directly to a nas as data. Onvif is dead and not very useful in my opinion due to varied support amd compliance. Mxcc was replaced by the new management center not too long ago, you should check it out. It will be adding third party camera viewing and recording shortly as well to for mixed environments.

Lack of a reset button is needed to prevent thefts and unauthorized access. Yes can cause situations, just dont lose the root password.

Mobotix has given away updates and the software for management free for years with the cameras as a complete solution, now you see a few big vendors doing the same with free vms licensing. End to end solutions help fight commodity selling.

(1)
JH
John Honovich
•Aug 06, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Josh Penfold

Josh,

It's a simple thing. Most people already use non-Mobotix VMSes or NVRs (on the order of 99.999% of the market).

I concur with you that if you choose to go all Mobotix, the Mobotix cameras are attractive but most people are not going to for various reasons.

Avatar
Paul Grefenstette
•Aug 06, 2015

John have you done a test exporting mxpeg clip from mobotix camera/sd card or even nas and compared it to one from axis, avigilon, etc from any vms and see the speed? Also, have you reviewed their new vms yet?

thanks

Paul

JH
John Honovich
•Aug 08, 2015
IPVM
In reply to Paul Grefenstette

No and no.

There is little overall member interest in Mobotix anymore (e.g., reads on this report are terrible).

From reviewing their marketing claims on the VMS, it appears better but I do not see that being enough to become a serious mainstream contender any more. If there is anything that you think is very important, please share and we will consider.

Avatar
Tom Sharples
•Feb 13, 2017

MX management center continues to be hilariously unfriendly, incomprehensible, and basically unusable. I don't know what they were thinking or smoking when they designed that interface. It's a shame, too, because as others here have pointed out the internal functionality of the cams themselves as well as their ruggedness and form-factor make them very hard to beat, when you need those capabilities.