Q: How large are the images in Kbytes?
A: The size of the image depends on the resolution and the compression scheme used. An image of (352 x 288 or 352x240) that is compressed using MJPEG is only about 4-10 Kbytes. Higher resolution cameras such as the IQeye megapixel cameras, with resolution of 1200 x 1024, create file sizes as large as 80K bytes per frame. Since MPEG4 and H.264 improves compression by transferring only the difference between frames, we don't use frame size with these compression schemes. Instead we estimate an average data rate based on the resolution, frame rate and expected activity the camera will see. In general you can expect about 4 to 10 times improvement in compression using MPEG4, about 4 times better than MPEG4 using H.264. To learn more about this take a look at our newsletter article on this subject.

Q: How much bandwidth is used by an IP camera system?
A: The bandwidth depends on the number of cameras, the resolution of the cameras, the compression scheme used, and the frame rate of the cameras. To learn more about this take a look at our newsletter article on this subject.

Q: Does the IP camera device have its own IP address?
A: Yes, it acts as a standalone web-server.

Q: What is the difference between MPEG4 and MJPEG compression?
A: MPEG4 provides better compression, but MJPEG provides higher resolution in some situations. MPEG4 improves the compression by transferring only the difference between frames. MJPEG supports very high resolution. For more information about the difference between MPEG4 and MJPEG take a look at our newsletter article on this subject..

Q: Can I use an IP Network Camera for videoconference?
A: Yes, but it's not as good as general video conferencing solutions because there is some delay in the signals through the camera and network. if the cameras use MPEG4 or H.264 compression and support audio then it can be used for two-way communicaitons. For example you can use the Axis P1343 which has a built-in microphone and provides simultaneous transmission of both audio and video

Q: How much bandwidth audio require?
A: very little extra bandwidth is required to add audio. It's usually less than 56 Kbits/sec.

Q: Which camera is best for my application?
A: It depends on your application. To determine the best cameras you need to answer some questions.

• What do you want to view? How far away and how wide an area you want to view will determine the lens.
• Do you plan to use the camera indoors or outdoors?
• How much light is available? The amount of light determines how sensitive the camera needs to be.
• Do you have a large area that requires a Pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) camera? A PTZ camera can step through a set of positions (guard tour). Adding additional software, such as NetDVR, will instruct the camera to stop and record the video as long as motion is detected.
• What frame rate is required? Fast frame rate is required if you are looking at a fast moving object, but if you are using it for general surveillance, you may only require 1 or 2 frames/sec. The higher the frame rate the more storage you will require.
• What resolution do you require? To be able to identify a person's face you require about 50 pixels/foot. This means a camera with a resolution of 700 x 480 can be used to identify a person in a 14 foot wide area. To get this I divided 50 pixels/ft into 700 pixels. If you want to view a larger area then you need a higher resolution camera.

  For more about how to select the right system take a look at our newsletterarticle on this subject or contact us for help in selecting the right system.

Q: Where can I get accessories such as replacement lens, zoom lenses or other devices.
A: Kintronics provides a choice of lenses, enclosures, brackets and video cameras.

Q: Do the cameras come with a PC application for storing and managing the video?
A: Some cameras come with very basic software. For applications that require 4 or more cameras we recommend additional software. We provide a number of optional software and hardware products for controlling cameras, viewing and storing the video on standard hard drives. Take a look at our IP Software guide for examples of the software available.

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