Frequently Asked Questions About AgeSpan’s Network IP Camera

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What is a Network Camera?

A Network IP Camera is a stand alone device that allows a user to view live, full motion video from anywhere on a computer network, even over the Internet, using a standard web-browser.  AgeSpan’s solutions only use this type of camera.

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Why Choose a Network IP Camera over a Web Camera?

An IP Camera is a true networking device containing an embedded OS (Operating System), supports multiple users, and can be viewed using any web browser. It does not require additional hardware to operate and therefore has the flexibility to be located anywhere with a network connection. A web cam must be connected to a host computer, supports only one user at a time, and cannot be shared on a network.  Only the host computer can access the web cam.

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Are All Network Cameras the Same?

No, some network cameras have an embedded OS (operating system) as well as an embedded Web server. To be called a Network IP camera, the only requirement is that the camera connects to the network, and not a computer - an embedded OS is what separates network cameras.  This imbedded OS is what AgeSpan’s solution uses so you are assured that you are getting the best technology available.

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What is the advantage of the embedded OS?

Cameras with an embedded OS communicated directly with the user, the images or video is sent directly from the camera to the person accessing the camera. A Network camera without an embedded OS must rely on a third party server or a separate piece of software, meaning the images/video is sent to the third party server, then the user access the image from the third party server.

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Do I need a public fixed address for each camera?

No, you of course, can have a real, public, static IP address for each camera, however, using just one static IP address for your router and a virtual server or port forwarding scheme, you can use many cameras with just one static IP and just about any router. Please also note that the IP camera must have an adjustable web server port (you must be able to change the web server port) to use multiple cameras behind a router.

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How does the built-in motion detection work?

It very simply compares what it sees now to what it saw in the last frame and based on a sensitivity you select will trigger an event. The event can be to send a email, to send a Image to a FTP server, or to send a series of images (before and after the motion is detected) to a email address or a FTP server-all with software built into the camera, nothing else is required.

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Can I use the camera outside?

AgeSpan’s Network IP Cameras is sturdy enough for outdoor use with an outdoor camera enclosure that AgeSpan can supply.

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How much video can be stored on a 20-gigabyte hard drive?

Our Network IP Cameras are equipped with compression technology that can store about a month of continuous streaming video on the user’s 20-gigabyte hard drive.  This is a huge advancement in camera technology in that now you don’t need complicated Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), constant tape changing VCRs, expensive Internet based video servers and such!

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What is Power over Ethernet and why is it so important?

Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) or "Active Ethernet" eliminates the need to run power to devices on a wired LAN. Using Power-over-Ethernet, installers need to run only a single CAT5 Ethernet cable that carries both power and data to each device. This allows greater flexibility and significantly decreases installation costs in many cases.  Let us show you how AgeSpan’s Engineering, Furnishing, & Installation team can create your monitoring backbone without the need for expensive licensed electrician’s and time consuming building permits.

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Can Network IP Cameras use different lenses for different applications?

Advanced Network IP Cameras utilize CS-mount lenses, which can accommodate a variety of specialized lenses, such as wide-angle, fish-eye or telephoto lenses.  Depending on your particular application, we can configure far away applications, whole rooms with the wide angle lenses, or just specific “safe spots” within a room such as a nursing home residence where the resident will always know, just as they know to draw the blinds at night, that this “safe spot” is where the camera is focused.

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Can the Network IP Camera take pictures in low light situations?

Yes, the camera can take pictures or streaming video in light as small as candlelight or as low as a night-light.  And with the newest SAM CAM technology, you do not need an infra-red Illuminator as it is built-in to the camera technology.  This is especially useful in nighttime surveillance or when a patient might fall out of their bed in the middle of the night.

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Can I view the Network IP Camera from my PDA or Cell Phone?

Network IP Cameras can now be viewed on most Windows CE, including Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 devices, such as the Compaq iPAQ, HP Jornada, Dell Axim, Casio Cassiopeia and many other devices.  AgeSpan is currently working on a software upgrade where you will be able to see the camera’s image on your cell phone!

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What Applications would I use AgeSpan’s Network IP Camera for?

Well, the most obvious application is using the camera to monitor your loved one’s in a nursing or assisted living home in order to eliminate any potential abuse that they may suffer!  We find that a lot “new parents” are using is the camera to monitor their children at daycare when both sets of nervous parents are at work.  Other applications are as follows:

·  New Home or Construction Sites

·        Vacation Home monitoring

·        Warehouse monitoring

·        Boat Marina monitoring

·        Beach monitoring

·        Pet or latch key kid monitoring

·        Retail monitoring such as a gas station or car wash

·        School computer lab monitoring and lots of other uses!

Last revised: 22 March 2007