Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jeffrey Woodin]

Hi,

I am trying to help my brother buy and set up some IP cameras at his vacation house. We are both Mac users. I know the D-Link cameras don't come with recording for Macs (...D-Link SHOULD have a help web page for Mac users, with info and links to SecuritySpy software for Macs and other Mac software they can use with D-Link products) but if my brother buys, say a DCS-6620G or DCS-3420, does he need a Windows PC just to set up the cameras (for live viewing over the internet)? From what I am reading it would seem so. D-Link can't even provide a camera setup program for Mac users (let alone a firmware updater)?

Also, a question about this forum, it says my username/password "can be changed later", but I see no way to do that?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Jeffrey Woodin]

I have set up routers (and printers) where (with a hard wired connection to it on the network) all you needed was a web browser to set up and change configurations. It's quite nice. These IP cameras are "web servers", this seems the ideal solution to be able to use a web browser to configure them, change passwords, etc. But somehow I am thinking D-Link used some "Windows only" program for camera set up (which would be quite dumb in my opinion). Does anyone know?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Mackerel]

Mind you, I know mostly the DCS-910 and -920, and they can be set up without any program as all can be done via the web-interface. You will need either ActiveX (yup, windows) or Java capable browser to do so. But all in all it is fairly easy to set up these cameras using only a browser, because of their internal web-server...

[Jeffrey Woodin]

Thanks for the the reply That would be great news...

"either ActiveX (yup, windows) or Java capable browser"

...the keyword here is "or"? Sounds like Safari, Firefox or SeaMonkey "should" work.

I am not sure who is in charge of marketing and the web site at D-Link but the lack of "clarity" on this is amazing. It seems so hard just to find out some basic information. In the age of digital cameras and YouTube D-Link should have some demo videos showing unboxing and setup of the cameras. And I don't mean to knock just D-Link. It looks like they make fine products, and I have bought some of their hardware in the past. I had a similar issue on the Logitech site, had to call their tech support line just get some basic questions answered about what each of their camera products do. If Apple entered the security system/security camera market I guarantee it'd be way simpler. I've been building and around computers and electronics for over 30 years now. I don't know why so many high tech companies make their products so hard to understand.

I am hoping too someone will come out with an IP camera with "local storage", using maybe an SD memory card slot, to record motion or time lapse video too (GB SD cards are cheap now, and the SDXC spec allows up to 2TB of storage...).

Anyway, thanks for the reply

Jeff

[Mackerel]

I work with Firefox on the cameras and all works well... Not all Dlink products like non-IE browsers that much, but for the IP cams you should be fine. Even making these cameras visible remotely is not that much of a stretch. I myself am not a Mac-person, more of the base UNIX kind, with a dash of Windows...

Well, in the UK you can get a Dlink IP-cam with local storage via SD-card (methinks 32GB max), but here in North America that one is shamefully not for sale... Cannot remember the name, but a bit of Google might find you the type, and you would even be able to order it...

With your 30 years experience you still are a spring-chicken, mind you (Gramps here speaking)... But I hear you on the marketing and lack of clarity.

[Jeffrey Woodin]

Mac,

Well, yesterday I got a reply from D-Link tech support. Rather than answer my questions I was told I should call a phone number. Which I did today and got a nice, but foreign, lady....and I was told BOTH that the D-Link DCS-3420 camera could be configured with a Mac web browser AND that I need a Windows web browser!!! Which is it??? I also wanted to be sure this camera came with a lens, I have read that this camera needs an Auto-Iris lens to see at night. The nice woman on the phone did not understand what I was asking her. I gave up. I am not even sure D-Link sells an auto-iris lens for this camera, even though it appears to need one for optimum operation.

I was also curious if I put the camera in the DCS-60 enclosure if that isolates the built in microphone so I would not be able to hear sound from the camera. But I never even got to that question. My head is spinning at all of this...

There are 30+ million Mac users out there (and growing), plus more Linux/UNIX users. Why would you not use open standards in your products and convey that information to your potential customers??

Oh, in his email reply to me Eric did say "Some of the cameras are Java based and can be used with Mac and also have SD memory card slots." ....but again, not WHICH cameras are Java based and/or have a SD memory card slot.

Someone did tell me about a cam from "Y-cam" that has a SD slot, and I was able to find it and the exact same camera from "LTS" at a very good price. I would like to tell my brother to buy the D-Link DCS-3420 and DCS-60 enclosure. But at around $700.00 bucks for this setup and so many product and tech support questions I can't!! Any one in D-Link management reading this?? Your products may be great, but with confusing product information and tech support...and you apparent apathy towards non-Windows users...I cannot buy your products "hoping" they will work.

But I do really appreciate your taking the time Mackerel to try and answer some of my questions!

Jeff-