[Ian]

Please leave your comments about Compro IP70 Network Camera in this thread

[Abarbarian]

Looks pretty darn impresive on the picture output side.

If you had one of these set up with the wireless usb dongle and a sd card would it work when the pc was shut down and your wireless router left on ?

or do you have to leave the pc on all the time ?

[Ian]

Yep, you don't need a PC always online to keep it running - just if you want to use it as a storage device. I was pretty impressed with the image quality too (although there are better cameras for image quality)

BTW, I should probably re-word the article threads - as it sounds like I'm demanding comments . They are all automatically created as discussion threads at the same time as the article.

[Abarbarian]

So if I had a IP70 and fitted it with a usb wi-fi and a sd card, a wi-fi router and set everything up on my pc. I could then turn of the pc and the wi-fi router and the IP70 would still be operational.
Also if I left the wi-fi router on I could then have the IP70 send messages to a phone or remote pc.
Are my assumptions correct.

[Ian]

You'd need to get the specific Compro wireless usb stick (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/220848 - £20), but it should work as you described - although you'd need to configure your router to allow traffic and then ideally set up a free DDNS service to easily view it from another PC or smartphone. It connects directly to the net, rather than using the PC as a proxy.

Going back to the microSD card - I'm not sure if it will record video or just snapshots (I'd assume video) on it where then there is no external storage, as it's not intended to be used that way... but I can check for you if you want?

[Ian]

I've just had an e-mail from Compro to confirm that it can indeed record full video to the microSD card .

[hander]

Well, I'm glad they email you, at least.

their support site is incredibly slow in answering queries and very poor. I'm returning my camera. Just doesn't do what you hope it will do.

For example,
1) Did you test audio? Nothing on mine.
2) Comproview link - did this work for you? Nothing on mine.
3) more than 1 event (via web interface), e.g. email and record video on movement. Does this work for you? Only one from me.

I bought this camera on the strength of this review.

[Ian]

Yep, audio and comproview link worked fine - it sounds like there could be a fault if that doesn't work. I'd try getting in touch with them and see what could be the problem (after firmware etc... has been updated), and return it for a replacement if it's faulty.

edit: I did some googling and found you've already updated the firmware from your other forum post (here) - this was a week before our review even went live, so I think it may have been another that you initially read (not that it matters).

[Abarbarian]

Originally Posted by Ian Cunningham

You'd need to get the specific Compro wireless usb stick (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/220848 - £20), but it should work as you described - although you'd need to configure your router to allow traffic and then ideally set up a free DDNS service to easily view it from another PC or smartphone. It connects directly to the net, rather than using the PC as a proxy.

Going back to the microSD card - I'm not sure if it will record video or just snapshots (I'd assume video) on it where then there is no external storage, as it's not intended to be used that way... but I can check for you if you want?

Thanks for the info Ian. If the pictures are as clear as the review indicated and it does all that I enquired about then this a pretty darn good piece of kit. You could protect your home or business and you would only need to leave your router and camera powered up both of which could easily be hidden.