Get a FREE fully-working copy of Steganos Security Suite 7 (worth £49.99) when you sign up to the Practical PC Newsletter. Review: Axis 205 Network Camera
Iain Laskey gets in to surveillance mode.
| Product | 205 Network Camera |
|---|---|
| Company | Axis |
| Web | www.axis.com |
| Price | £150 |
| We like | Standlone, web interface, flexible options |
| We don't like | Poor low light, lack of motion detector as supplied |
| Rating | 8/10 |
| Requirements |
The Axis 205 network camera is a cut above your normal webcam but then at £150 or so, you'd be entitled to expect that. The Axis 205 is aimed at users needing a camera for surveillance more than chatting to their niece in Australia.
Uses might include monitoring for a small business, perhaps watching public areas or to keep an eye on your home whilst away.
The 205 doesn't even need a PC. Instead it connects directly to your network. Installation is straightforward using the supplied 'One Click Installation' option. Ideally, the Axis 205 will get its IP address via DHCP but you can manually override this if required. Axis provide a service whereby the camera can be allocated a static DNS name via its serial number which makes finding it online afterwards a much easier proposition.
The 205 contains a built in web server and configuration is done via the web based interface generated by the camera. You can set passwords to prevent tinkering then configure the camera's resolution, compression and other settings as required.
The only real headache in getting things up and running is getting it to work via your particular network and any routers and firewalls that are involved. The skimpy manual and web site aren't particularly useful here and unless you know what you're doing, you may struggle a bit to get it visible to the outside world.
Once up and running though, the camera has a lot to offer. You can run in one of three resolutions up to 640x480 at 30fps. You can log on to the camera and view the images from any suitable computer on the web and this is where it really starts to shine. The Axis 205 is all about remote monitoring. As such, it's useful to have it watching business premises or your home and can provide peace of mind that everything is OK.
The camera itself can be used on its base or it can be attached to a wall or other suitable location to allow the best view of whatever you wish to monitor.
The image quality is better than most cheap web cams but isn't as good as the best and in particular, we would have liked better low light performance. If this is important you may wish to consider its stable mate the Axis 206. Focus is manual although other settings such as white balance, colour and so on are made remotely.
Another area where the Axis 205 excels is the sheer range of options. You can set the cameras LED status light to stay off or to flash when it is being accessed, the web interface can be branded and there are various options for overlaying text such as the date and time.
At additional cost there are further options include the ability to view and record multiple cameras at once including motion control triggers and alarms which can be sent by email or an alert beep.
Conclusion
If you want a normal web cam, we'd advise looking elsewhere. If however you need a reliable and highly configurable remote monitoring tool with room to grow with your needs, you'll find the Axis 205 a very cost effective solution that should be high on your shopping list.
