Webcam

[BoBo]

I was wondering what the common model for webcam is that is used around the lake. I'm interested in getting one, but have limited computer skills. Advice?
Thank you,
Mark

[webmaster]

Many use the Stardot cameras. I've been using them for over 15 years. They are very reliable and operate in all weather conditions without trouble.

Their new cameras have live Youtube streaming and every other webcam feature you need built in.

http://www.stardot.com/products

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by BoBo

I was wondering what the common model for webcam is that is used around the lake. I'm interested in getting one, but have limited computer skills. Advice?
Thank you,
Mark

You can be up and running with a Nestcam in less than five minutes! I have two at my camp, one outside in a weatherproof enclosure and one inside looking out a window. Both have worked flawlessly in extreme cold and heat for a few years now. Very user friendly!

Dan

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

You can be up and running with a Nestcam in less than five minutes! I have two at my camp, one outside in a weatherproof enclosure and one inside looking out a window. Both have worked flawlessly in extreme cold and heat for a few years now. Very user friendly!

Dan

What Nestcam models do you have?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Rusty

What Nestcam models do you have?

Rusty;

This is the one I have.... https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I believe DropCam was bought out by Nest but they still sell the exact same product / camera. Super easy setup and super reliable!

Dan

[BoBo]

Thank you all for the information and feedback.
Mark

[Phantom]

DropCam was indeed bought by NEST a while back and they are essentially the same (forward & backward compatible).

Like ishoot, I have been using them for years as well .... I was using the dropcam with an aftermarket housing for exterior mounting and have not had any problems in the 3 years it's been operating ..... Santa just delivered the new NEST outdoor cam, which I will add to the collection of 4 installed currently.

As mentioned, they are SUPER Simple to set up ....all you need is a power outlet within 10ft of where you are mounting.... follow the 3-5 minutes of prompts (depending on how fast you type) and voila !

There are a lot of neat features that can be learned later like setting up motion sensing zones, alerts, etc -- which are all best done on a PC as opposed to phone or tablet.

For PC's, you access your cams through the NEST homepage by simply logging in (upper right corner)

If you need any help -- PM me.

[webmaster]

I guess I misunderstood what BoBo was looking for. When BoBo asked about "webcams" I recommended the Stardot cameras based on almost 20 years of experience running webcams. "Webcams" are designed to upload either still images or streaming video to the internet for public viewing (usually) using ONVIF, FTP or RTSP. The cameras are designed to operate in extreme conditions. The images or video is normally embedded in web pages. When someone says "webcam" that's what I think of.

Although the Nest cameras are great for home security and surveillance they are not really designed to be "webcams". They will not support ONVIF, FTP or RTSP which are needed to do uploads to the web and public live streaming.

So, to backtrack on my first post, I'd say that if you want a security and surveillance camera that you and your family can access the Nest camera can't be beat. However, if you want to setup a webcam that we all can view stick with a camera that's designed for that purpose.

Nest Cam Advantages

Impressive hardware design and specification;
Great video quality during both day-time and night-time;
Wide angle lens;
Two-way audio;
Very easy-to-setup with live view support from anywhere;
Integrated cloud recording service.
Integrated with Nest's other services and smart thermostat

Nest Cam Disadvantages

Expensive hardware - one-time cost
Expensive cloud service - recurring cost
Granted, it is optional, but cloud recording is too important to not have. It only works with Nest's own service with only two retention plans (10-day retention or 30-day retention).
Does not support local video streaming
Your camera must be always connected to the Internet to work!
No SD card or any other local storage support
Completely proprietary
It is incompatible with any other cloud recording service or IP camera management software; does not support IP camera standard protocols such as ONVIF, FTP or RTSP.
Wi-Fi only
With 1080P video streaming, Wi-Fi connection may not be reliable and the video quality may degrade.
Indoor only and does not support PoE.
High bandwidth usage

Nest Cam (Drop Cam) cameras offer great video quality at the expense of high bandwidth usage. If you have multiple Nest Cam cameras, you are likely to run into a few problems:

Your Wi-Fi connection will become less reliable;
Your might reach your Internet connection's maximum upload bandwidth;
Your might reach your ISP's max monthly data usage limit. Many users probably don't know their ISPs limit their max monthly data usage, e.g. AT&T's ADSL may limit the monthly data usage to be only 150GB, Comcast may limit your monthly data usage to be only 250GB.

[ishoot308]

Don,

The original poster stated he had limited computer skills and that was the reason I gave him the option of the Nestcam.

With your "20 years experience" I'm sure setting up and maintaining a true "webcam" is a breeze but for those of us with limited computer skills it can be extremely frustrating to say the least. Nestcam gives us technologically challenged people another and much simpler option....

Dan

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by webmaster

Many use the Stardot cameras. I've been using them for over 15 years. They are very reliable and operate in all weather conditions without trouble.

Their new cameras have live Youtube streaming and every other webcam feature you need built in.

http://www.stardot.com/products

This stardot camera seems like a good deal and you can live stream to youtube or your website:
http://stardot.com/netcamlive?gclid=...FZaCswodg7cAhA