Mac compatible HD camera with IR, POE and Audio?

[bioniccat]

Hi All,

I know there are lots of these sorts of posts already, but this is somewhat unique (I think) in that the Mac OS compatibility in a non-NVR environment is very important.

For a client I'm looking for a camera that, above all needs to be standalone Mac compatible with audio (one way is fine; two way is gravy) and low-light capable (built in IR preferred, but could get external IR). Would also like POE and a nice wide angle lens. This will also be a standalone device (no NVR) for remotely viewing a horse in a stall.

I have a handful of cameras myself having looked for this very thing and I still don't think I'm there: Acti 1231 is OK, but no audio and without some NVR software, you can't really use it on a Mac or iOS device.

The y-cam offerings have the best firmware for the Mac I've found (with audio, IR and POE), but the image quality is pretty darn mediocre and the lenses don't have a very wide field of view. They do have an HD bullet now that will be my choice if I don't find something better.

I'm not opposed to going more expensive ($1000 range) with Axis, but none of theirs has IR built in and I don't know about the audio. Totally open to experience of others on this one, but I haven't been overly impressed in screenshots I've seen.

Am I missing anything? Bullwinkle had a nice review of the AVN80X, but I don't think it's IR capable. (I don't want to blast the poor horse with the LED every time he moves.)

Anyone have an experiences to share? This will be in a barn, but it's heated, so I don't think outdoor capability is needed.

Thanks,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

All my cameras work fine on my mac, I just run them on Internet Explorer through VMWare Fusion
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[bioniccat]

LOL--Can you run ActiveX on an iPhone?

But seriously.... Any thoughts? I poked around the Axis site. I presume that anything listed as day/night will be IR compatible? That may be a bad assumption. I do have a little Axis camera which has Mac compatible firmware, but low light is el-stinko and it's not IR compatible.

Cheers,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

You said Mac, not IOS. If it's IOS it's way easier, ACTi provides a free IOS app for his iPhone.

If you go with Axis, you'll need to get a model that they consider day/night and then add an illuminator. Their low end with day/night capability is like their P series, like P1343. Then get a small Raytech or Axis illuminator. You should be able to do it for just under a grand tax and all.
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[bioniccat]

Does the ACTi iPhone app work without NVR software on the back end? I thought the iPhone app required NVR software as intermediary. Do you know if the iPhone app supports audio as well?

Re: the AXIS P1343, will any run of the mill IR illuminator work? I see some on Amazon around $50 or $60. I'm sure they're not the quality of the AXIS illuminator offering, but IR light is IR light, isn't it?

Are you happy with quality of the AXIS P1343? The clips online look terrific.

Cheers,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

You can get just about any camera and download a free to $5 app on iTunes and it will work fine. I use ip cam viewer.

I have not tried using the ACTi IOS app with just one cam, no NVR software. But doesn't he want to record?

As for an illuminator, you can get one with 20 LED's that's not as bright as one LED from a name brand company. They have misleading specs, so it's tough to just see something on eBay and compare it to anything. If you do get something cheap, make sure they have a return policy. Also consider that you'll need 12V power supply for most of them.
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[buellwinkle]

Take an Axis 2 day class for $500, get the P1344 and Axis 4 station license for free.
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[bioniccat]

Thanks for all your advice, buellwinkle!

So are you a fan of the 1343? I have the ACTi 1231. I think the image on it is good, but the frame rate is slow and it's not exactly Mac friendly. How would you compare the image quality of the 1343 to the 1231?

Also, any particular kind of Axis (or other brand) illuminator you'd recommend for a relatively small space?

Cheers,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

The P1343 is VGA, so to be closer, the P1344-e is 1MP and outdoor ready. I buy ACTi because I like the built in illuminator. To buy a comperable illuminator, you are looking at $250ish for a cheap Raytech capable of 30'. Also, I believe the image quality is comperable. If you want the faster frame rate and h.264 compression, get the ACTi TCM-1231 instead of the ACM-1231, it's about $75 more. But dollar for dollar, the P1344-e is a grand, so about double the ACTI and factor in the illuminators, 30% more resolution on the ACTi, wider focal range varifocal lens and free software and I personally would have a hard time justifying the Axis but by no means would I call the Axis a poor camera, just a little pricy for what it is. Go up the ladder in the ACTi line, and for still less than the P1344-e, the ACTi KCM-5211e is 4MP and has IR led's built in, is autofocus and has an 18X zoom. I'll be reviewing that camera in the next few weeks, waiting for them to ship one to me.
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[bioniccat]

Interesting....

Do you have the audio working to the iPhone with the Acti? I certainly can't get it to work on my Mac (even with supposedly compatible NVR software via my Synology NAS). I think for reasons of compatibly, I need to go with the Axis because the Acti just doesn't play nice with the Mac.

I want to like the Acti, but the motion is far from smooth, I can't get audio to work and the Mac compatibility isn't there.

Out of curiosity, give my original needs, if money weren't an issue, is there anything in particular you'd suggest?

Cheers,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

Don't know as I don't get audio with Safari on my Axis cams on my Mac (OS X Lion) the option doesn't even pop up like it does on IE. Or maybe it's me that I can't get audio to work on my Mac. I know Mobotix won't work, relies on IE for audio.

Still think your best bet is to run IE on the Mac, that's what I do. Parallels or Fusion is cheap, maybe $50. Get a copy of Windows from somewhere, doesn't have to be new. IE runs seamlessly in its own window and it's fast. It's not like a PC, I leave my Macbook on 24/7, so Windows is always running, no lag to boot it up. IE comes up almost as fast a Safari.
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[bioniccat]

Thanks for the thoughts, but these folks need to do it directly from Safari, Chrome or Firefox.

Given my initial wish list, what would you buy if money weren't an issue?

On the cheap side of things, any idea if the AVN80X is IR sensitive?

On the expensive side of thing, what Axis product would you use if wanted fluid motion and very good picture quality? Let's assume we'll be using an IR illuminator for dark shots.

Thanks,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

Theoretically audio should work on a Mac with Axis, but I'm not able to do so, not with Chrome either on Windows or OS X or Safari on Windows or OS X. There's no audio control with mjpeg and with mpeg or h.263 it just brings up quicktime and hangs. Had the same problem with AVTech and they say it should work, but doesn't for me, so something is busted on my Mac and PC.

But Axis should work, just get a decent illuminator from Axis, Raytech, Bosch, Extreme. No sense in putting in a quality camera and cheaping out on the lighting which is most important, no light, no image. The P1343 and P1344 have mics built in.
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[bioniccat]

Thanks again for all your thoughts. Still wondering what you would do if money were no object....

As for the Axis P1344 (they def. want HD), what are you thoughts on image and video quality?

Cheers,
Stephen

[buellwinkle]

I would get a Mobotix D14, lists for $1600ish, get it for a few hundred less. Order it with one night and one day lens. Much better image quality than the Axis P13 series. No moving parts like an IR cut filter that can break, very reliable, excellent support, weatherproof (Axis P13 with mic is not weatherproof, E series is but then you lose the mic). Works with any broswer, any OS. The previous model only had audio with IE, but I'm fairly sure the D14 has audio with any browser because they are using h.264, but check with them first.

http://www.mobotix.com/other/content/view/full/4642

As for IR lighting, because the Mobotix is more sensitive in low light you can get a cheaper IR illuminator. Get Raytech that can cover about 30-50' that is PoE so you don't have to run a seperate power supply for it, just feed it from your PoE switch.
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