At the recent NAB show the latest gyro-stabilized cameras from GyroCam, Flir and Wescam were demonstrated. These camera systems feature 30-1 zooms with price tags in the stratosphere.
They’ll be watching you. Homeland security platforms will include helicopters, blimps and municipal wireless networks. Just like England.
But today, anyone can create a surveillence state.
Panasonic’s KX-HCM280 (right) is a user-controlled outdoor Net Cam with Remote 350 Pan and 220 Tilt and 21x Optical Zoom ($1299). Toshiba’s TWB02A Network Camera outputs both video and IP.
A 1.45 megapixel Toshiba Netcam ($600) includes built-in 802.11a backhaul (demo). Panasonic’s network cameras start as low as $250 for a tiny netcam with built-in 802.11g and 640 x 480 resolution.
Tom’s Hardware explains how to make a camcorder into a webcam. Put Panasonic’s 30-1 zoom camcorder ($499) online with OrangeWare’s WebcamDV software. It turns a camcorder into a Webcam. Download the trial version free from their website and then upgrade to the full version for $20.
The Osprey-300 video digitizer ($499) combines both analog and the FireWire inputs. Wireless Netcams are common, but still cameras can also shoot video (with sound). Canon’s 12x zoom, five megapixel PowerShot S2 IS ($499) can zoom while shooting 640×480 movies at 30fps. Soon Wireless USB will add increased flexibility. FOCUS Enhancements can send two high-definition TV (HDTV) streams through walls.
The Slingbox Personal Broadcaster ($250) lets you access live video feeds on a cellphone, PDA or laptop, remotely. Orb Media uses Windows Media Center for video processing and storage. A Nokia 6620 cell phone, PDA or notebook can view your camera live. Virtually anywhere.
The combination of QuickTime Broadcaster and QuickTime Streaming Server provides the industry s first end-to-end MPEG-4-based Internet broadcasting system. When combined with QuickTime 7, QuickTime Broadcaster supports broadcasting in the new H.264 video codec delivering high quality live streams at low data rates.
DailyWireless has more on Panoramic Event Cams.
