Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver)
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Brand:Panasonic Model :BB-HCM531A Customer Rating : List Price :$799.00
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Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver) Feature
- Outdoor High-speed pan/tilt control with presets, PoE (802.3 af compliant)
- Progressive Scan
- Simultaneous MPEG-4 and JPEG recording onto SD card with audio
- 0.09 Lux Color Night View Mode
- Built-in Web Server/IP Address (IPv4/v6)
Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver) Overviews
Panasonic Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Network Camera
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Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver)
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Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver) RelateItems
- TRENDnet 8-Port 10/100Mbps PoE Switch (4x 10/100, 4x 10/100 PoE)
- D-Link DWL-P200 Power Over Ethernet Adapter
- Panasonic BB-HCM511A Network Camera with Two-Way Audio
- TRENDnet Power over Ethernet (PoE) Injector TPE-101I (Black)
- Panasonic BL-C230A Wireless Internet Security Camera
Available at Amazon
Panasonic BB-HCM531A Outdoor Pan/Tilt PoE Security Network Camera (Silver) CustomerReview
As others have indicated, this camera is truly an exceptional value for the money. Everything about it is of high quality from start to finsh… even the packaging it comes in is first rate. I love Panasonic products.
When doing my research on which brand and model of networked security camera to buy, I was a little concerned about not having an IR capable camera (such as this model). But after reading the excellent low-lux specifications and good reviews, I took the plunge and bought 5 of these. After using them for a month now, I’m nothing short of thrilled!
With the “Color Night View” option enabled (it’s turned off by default), the camera will automatically slow down the image refresh rate to compensate for low lighting conditions, which has the effect of brightening the image. Even on dark cloudy nights I can still clearly see the area around our home and detect when anything is amiss. The only drawback to using the Color Night View mode is that fast moving objects can appear blurred due to the slow image refresh rate. But even with this minor shortcoming, I can still see if someone (or some critter) was moving around in the darkness on the camera’s images. However, since we have motion activated lights outside around our home, it pretty much makes that a moot point!
I’m currently running all 5 of these cameras using two TRENDnet 8-Port 10/100Mbps PoE Switches which have 4 PoE ports each. I’m recording the video feeds using the excellent i-Catcher Console software from i-Code. Using the embedded web server in the i-Catcher software, I can monitor, operate the cameras, and playback recorded images directly on my iPhone (and it’s formatted properly for the iPhone screen). While at work I can check up on things around my home using either my iPhone or any web browser.
To get the most from these cameras, and to be able to view the video feeds over the Internet, it helps to be comfortable around computers and networking. But if you need help, Panasonic tech support is very responsive and helpful.
I’ve posted a daylight and nighttime image from one of my camera feeds so you can see what it looks like. I also posted a shot of the image playback screen from my iPhone. Look under “customer images” directly under the Amazon product photo.
Great cam, but also consider the BB-HCM735A – FlyingPolarBear – Fullerton, CA USA
This is a great camera; however considering the current price of this BB-HCM531A outdoor camera there are two better options for price/value/features:
1. The newer Panasonic BB-HCM735A outdoor model costs just a little bit more than what this one is currently selling for, but the 735A has a completely updated feature set. The 735A uses the new MOS sensor with better low light capability, higher resolution options, H.264 streaming, shock detection, etc. The 735A has the next generation technology that Panasonic is starting to incorporate in their product line, so why purchase this one that is 3 years behind and costs almost the same as the BB-HCM735A.
2. If cost is a factor and you’re not installing the camera directly exposed to rain, consider the indoor version of this model, the BB-HCM511A. It costs a lot less (much better value!) and there is not much different between the two cameras except that this 531A model comes with a plastic cover to protect the cable openings in the back. Some degree of weather protection can be achieved with the cheaper 511A model (for accidental moisture) using some tape over any exposed connector openings plus a layer of silicone aquarium sealant over the tape. But if you know that your location is going to get dripping wet for sure, then I’d stick with the outdoor model.
Works great – but can take a lot of time to get it working – R. Beckley – Herndon, VA USA
It took me 4 days to get this working. I connected the security camera to a Power Over Ethernet switch box to my Motorola modem/router. Everything worked on my home LAN. I could view the camera from the house and pan it via the web software. However, it was not visible over the Internet, which is what I bought the camera for. I called Panasonic, and after several hours of trying they suggested I call my ISP. I called Charter Cable (my ISP provider) and they said they did not have any block on signals that would prevent the camera from being viewed. After many calls over several days, I called Motorola, who made my modem. They said that the modem did not support a static address (which is what the Panasonic documentation told me to set up). They walked me through doing a DHCP Lease, adding in a new IP address (using the MAC address of the security camera) and bypassing the firewall. Once this was added, in the Security camera software [...] , I went to the Setup tab, set Connection Mode to DHCP, set port to 50000, left other fields blank, and clicked Start and Restart the camera. This set the camera up to accept DHCP for the camera on port 50000. I was now able to view the camera over the internet.
So, if you are willing to stick with it and call Panasonic, the PoE switch box provider, the ISP provider, and the modem provider, you will find a configuration that works. But there are a lot of pieces that need to be working together and I almost gave up along the way. It took me over 10 hours of my time to get this working.
Now that all the settings are ok, I am able to view the camera remotely (several states away) and it works beautifully. The picture is clear and bright. I can pan it and (digitally) zoom the camera. I am very pleased with the result.
Easy to install security cameras. Solid build quality. – Don K – Northern California
After a terrible expeience with the Panasonic BL-C160A Outdoor Lighted MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver) I gave panasonic another chance and am glad I did. With PoE installing these is very easy: just run the ethernet cable and screw in the base. You’ll need to have a switch that supports PoE, I use the TRENDnet 8-Port 10/100Mbps PoE Switch (4x 10/100, 4x 10/100 PoE) and have 4 cameras running with it. If you run multiple cameras I’d recommend avoiding Network Camera Software and get Blue Iris for instead.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored:Sep 03, 2010 19:37:47
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I HIGHLY recommend using SquareTrade to protect your electronics & look forward to using it again for my next camera.
Nathaniel English