What does IP mean?

The most prevalent transmission and switching technique being used today is IP (Internet Protocol) / Ethernet. IP/Ethernet was originally designed for the LAN but is also migrating into the MAN etc. This technology accounts for over 80% of all installed LANs today. In addition, over 90% of the devices in these networks are IP enabled i.e. they can be found by their IP address. The future of digital networks lies in these multi-application solutions. The video being used over such networks need not be for security and this opens up a whole range of video applications to be provided by the network providers and used by the network users!
IP is a protocol (Internet Protocol) that operates within the network layer of the OSI model. It receives packets from the data link layer (Ethernet) and sends them to the correct address. If more than one possible route is available for the data to travel, the network layer figures out the best route. Without this layer, the data would never get to the right place. The core of IP functions using Internet addresses. The IP address is a series of numbers separated by full-stops (e.g. 137.22.22.1) and identifies one network interface on a host. Every device needs an IP address.
However, IP does not take care of everything. It does not, for instance, know if the information being sent has been received by the correct address and in the right order. For this we need another protocol. Two choices are available—TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol). These two protocols take the data packet and transport it up to or down from the application.
After a packet of information is received by the correct IP address TCP goes to work. TCP will enable a dialogue to take place between the sender (server) and the recipient (client) to check that all the information has been received (error checking), and that it has arrived in the right order (sequence numbering). Additionally, it will instruct the network to resend lost data.
UDP carries out a similar function to TCP but contains no error checking or sequence numbering. UDP would be used on more reliable networks where data does not get lost, and where the benefit to the customer would be a reduction in the overhead that TCP would otherwise use. UDP makes a more payload-efficient network

How is IP carried on a network?

IP really isn't very fussy about how its packets are transported. The details of how an IP packet is carried over a particular kind of network are usually chosen to be convenient for the network itself. As long as the transmitter and receiver observe some convention that allows IP packets to be differentiated from any other data that might be seen by the receiver, then IP can be used to carry data between those stations.
On a LAN, IP is carried in the data portion of the LAN frame and the frame header contains additional information that identifies the frame an an IP frame. Different LAN's have different conventions for carrying that additional information. On an Ethernet the Ethertype field is used; a value of 0x0800 identifies a frame that contains IP data. FDDI and Token Ring use frames that conform to IEEE 802 Logical Link Control, and on those LAN's IP is carried in Unnumbered Information frames with Source and Destination LSAP's of 0xAA and a SNAP header of 00-00-00-08-00.
The only thing that IP cares strongly about is the maximum size of a frame that can be carried on the medium. This controls whether, and to what extent, IP must break down large data packets into a train of smaller packets before arranging for them to be transmitted on the medium. This activity is called "fragmentation" and the resulting smaller and incomplete packets are called "fragments". The final destination is responsible for rebuilding the original IP packet from its fragments, an activity called "fragment reassembly".

Learn about IP camera

CCTV - camera surveillance
For decades, CCTV (eg. camera surveillance) was considered an expensive form of surveillance. In fact, CCTV was first only used in industrial process surveillance, where the environment prohibited human presence. Not until CCTV equipment prices began to fall in the 1970s did the technique become more common in traditional security surveillance.

In the last few years, with the advent of smart, computer-enabled surveillance technologies like network video management software, use of surveillance systems for security reasons has exploded. Nowadays, CCTV surveillance is within economic and technological reach of even the smallest company.
IP Cameras vs. Analog Cameras
With an analog surveillance camera, the analog video signal is sent through a coaxial cable to a video recorder or monitor. One cable can transport only one video signal from one camera at a time. If you have two cameras, you have to have two cables.

With an IP-based network camera, the network camera immediately digitizes the images and the video stream is ready to be sent over any computer network available. One network cable can easily handle signals from two network cameras simultaneously. In fact, one standard UTP network cable can forward images from more than 220 network cameras simultaneously, without becoming overloaded.

Bridging the technological gap

IP-Surveillance technology offers more cost-efficient, future-proof solutions that bridge the technological gap between the analog and digital worlds. Video servers, for example, can be integrated into an analog CCTV system to digitize analog video sources and distribute digital video over an IP network -- essentially turning analog cameras into network cameras. 
A major advantage of using a video server in an analog system is the ability to access real-time video remotely, via an IP network. Live video can be accessed by authorized personnel at any defined workstation on the network, or over the Internet. Additionally, video servers can, using built-in serial ports, control equipment such as Pan/Tilt/Zoom cameras, or special cameras such as super sensitive black/white cameras, miniature cameras and microscope cameras. Furthermore, inputs, such as alarm events, can be used to trigger the server to start transmitting images. Servers equipped with image buffers can also send pre-alarm images.

Camera video server solutions are ideal for sharing high-quality video streams over existing computer networks. Superior to analog video solutions, IP-Surveillance means reliable and distributed access or recording of high-quality digital images, and improved functionality and cost:

• Reduced cabling and installation costs
• Digitization and compression within the network camera/video server
• Embedded Web server for remote access over the LAN/Internet
• Integration with existing analog CCTV systems
• Remote storage, reliable and secure

Does IP protect data on the network?

IP itself does not guarantee to deliver data correctly. It leaves all issues of data protection to the transport protocol. Both TCP and UDP have mechanisms that guarantee that the data they deliver to an application is correct.
IP does try to protect the packet's IP header, the relatively small part of each packet that controls how the packet is moved through the network. It does this by calculating a checksum on the header fields and including that checksum in the transmitted packet. The receiver verifies the IP header checksum before processing the packet. Packets whose checksums no longer match have been damaged in some way and are simply discarded.

Are all network IP 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.

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.

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.

Do I need a public fixed IP 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.

What is DDNS?

DDNS is a service that maps Internet domain names to IP addresses. DDNS serves a similar purpose to DNS: DDNS allows anyone hosting a Web or FTP server to advertise a public name to prospective users.
Unlike DNS that only works with static IP addresses, DDNS works with dynamic IP addresses, such as those assigned by an ISP or other DHCP server. DDNS is popular with home networkers, who typically receive dynamic, frequently-changing IP addresses from their service provider. To use DDNS, one simply signs up with a provider and installs network software on their host to monitor its IP address.

How does the built-in motion detection work?

Motion detection works with a relatively simple algorithm, take a snapshot and subtract it from a reference frame. Every pixel that is not zero is a change. Next, all changes above a certain noise level are counted, if the result is above a certain threshold it is declared a motion. Slow light changes (sun moving during the day) are not detected because the reference picture is constantly updated with the new image after motion detection. The average of the two is used as the new reference frame, so the reference frame will consist of 1/2 frame(n-1) + 1/4 frame(n-2) + 1/8 frame(n-3) and so on.

What is Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)?

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.

Can network IP cameras use different lenses?

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.

What image sizes can be viewed from network IP cameras?

Advanced Network IP Cameras use multiple pre-set image sizes that typically include D1:720×576 CIF:320×288 FIELD:720×288 QCIF:176×144 pixel image sizes.

What does Lux mean?

Lux (1/10 of a foot candle) is a standardized method by which to measure a security camera's sensitivity to light. The lower the number, the less light it will take to reproduce a clear image. For example: A securtiy camera that sees down to 1 LUX, means it generally has the ability to see an image during early evening hours or just before dusk. A security camera that's down to .1 has the ability to see an image in let's say, a well lit parking lot. A rating of .05, the ability to clearly view an image in a dimly lit area at night. A .05 image can usually enable a security camera to actually see better than the human eye at night!

what is difference CCD and CMOS?

CCD image sensor could provide better picture quanlity than CMOS with higher price.
If you have advantage requirement on picture, we strongly recommend purchasing CCD cameras.

What is Horizontal Resolution?

Horizontal Resolution is a professional standard to evaluate the quality of TV picture.
TV lines are the measure unit. The higher horizontal resolution means the better picture quality.
For example, the horizontal resolution of DVD is 520 TV lines, and regular broadcast TV only get 330 TV lines, VCD is 240 TV lines, VHS is 220 TV lines.

What is Illumination?

Generally, the illumination is the professional standard of the average brightness surroundings.
The minimun illumination means that the darkest enviroment which camera could take normal picture.
Illumination in normal situation as listed below:
Under Sunshine: 50,000 Lux ~ 1,000,000 Lux
Cloudy: 100 Lux ~ 10,000 Lux
Shop: 75 Lux ~ 300 Lux
Office: 300 Lux ~ 500 Lux
Street lamp at night: 10 Lux

What is Water proof ?

Water proof means the camera could work normally in water.

What is IR ?

IR is the abbreviation for Infra Red.
IR camera means the camera with IR compensation is able to take pictures in absolute dark enviroment.
The pictures could be monochrome under IR lights.

What should I know before intalling camera ?

1. Do NOT put the package platics bags in reach of children or babies. It might cause asphyxia if children or babies putting the bags into the mouths.
2. Do NOT plug the AC adapter into the outlet in improper situation.
3. Do Not cover AC adapter when it is connecting to power socket, place the adapter near heater, and put it on the floor which is equipped with a heater.
4. Do Not use it aboard, please abide by the airway’s provision.
5. Do Not put the camera in the wet place where water might splash or where rainwater and mist might erode ( Except Weather-proof series )
6. Do Not disassemble or repair the camera, the receiver and other relevant peripheral equipment.
7. Do Not put the camera in the quaky places.
8. Do Not use the receiver on the surface of thermo labile materials.
9. Do Not place the AC adapter on the temperature sensitive materials.
10. Do Not touch, shake, or hold the aerial
11. Do Not use several cameras with neighboring frequency working too close at the same time.
12. Do Not let several cameras with same frequency work at the same time.
13. Do Not use the camera in complex environment. The obstruction of stumbling block will affect the electromagnetic wave andinfluence the receiving range.
14. Do Not use the camera in the place which are covered by metal.