TI368 based cameras UC2 software - REVIEW

I've mentioned the TI365/368 based cameras that use UC2 software a few times in various threads so I was asked to do a review here.

I first built my surveillance system using analog cameras because IP cameras were just too expensive at the time. As Unix1992 mentioned in another thread, though, to have an effective analog system you need to have at least a 960H DVR - which is expensive. My first IP camera was a Geovision; it was a 720p box camera at the amazingly low price (on clearance) for 199.00. At that price, though, it still was not a clear win in value for IP cameras.

I've always been a fan of SecurityCamera2000.com. They have some great FPV cameras and videos and support the RC model airplane community a lot. I don't fly RC but I do love reading about it and seeing the videos. I had bought some analog cameras from them and go there from time to time to see what's new. When I discovered there 108 dollar 5MP IP cameras, that was a real game changer. It was a quantum leap in value for IP cameras.

I bought 1 for a test. It worked so well I bought 5 more. So let's get into the details. The cameras I purchased are:

http://www.securitycamera2000.com/products/1080P-Ti368-9P006-5MP-CMOS-Outdoor-IP-Camera-ONVIF-w%7B47%7DBracket-IR-15m.html.

These cameras are 5MP IP cameras for 98 dollars today. Someone somewhere wrote a bad review of the same camera under a different brand complaining that it is only 2MP native and it is upscaled to 5MP. Could be. But I can see the quality of the image go up as the MP goes up when I play with the camera so they do it well. Even at 2MP for 98 dollars it is a fantastic deal.

I'm going to take a few posts to cover this camera because I don't want to bore you too long at once. So to end this first post, let me throw in a couple snapshots just to show the video quality day and night so you know it's worth continuing to read. These are from our in-town apartment, looking over into the parking lot.

Well, I thought I'd post a night picture but PhotoBucket seems to be altering the images as I upload and they are destroying the quality on the night shot. I'll post more when I get home and when I figure out how to upload to PhotoBucket without having my images destroyed. The image shown is a 3MP capture.

These cameras are built from boards produced by, I think, tpsee.com. It's hard to tell for sure; there could be even another manufacturer up the chain but I think tpsee actually makes it. They also create the UC2 software. These cameras are based on the TI 365/368 Video Processor chips.

The cameras are available from SecurityCamera2000.com, TMEZON, and a few others in the US on Amazon and eBay. YOu can also search for UC2 CCTV Software on AliExpress and find several different cameras based on the TI chips and using the UC2 software.

The first 6 of these cameras I have I bought from SecurityCamera2000.com. Here are the specs from their site:

Features:

1/2.5'' Aptina 9P006 5MP CMOS Sensor

TI DaVinci DM368 DPS

Resolution: 2 MP:1920×1080@30 fps; 3 MP:2048×1536@15 fps; 5 MP:2592×1920@10 fps

Built-in Dual Filter Switch IR-Cut System

Dual video stream transmission

Support IE 10.0 browsing and parameter Settings (ActiveX)

H.264 video encoding

Support the motion detection record (By UC2 Software client)

Support iphone/Android remote

Day/Night, Night vision distance 15 meters

RTSP://192.168.0.123:554/mpeg4

Support Blue Iris video software

Support Synology NAS surveillance

Support ONVIF 2.0

Support Milestone System

support P2P and cloud access.

Support iphone /ios android mobile remote APP: Seetong

DC 12V Power input

Working Watts : 7W

In 5MP there is no substream available so I stuck with 3MP recording. It was good enough for my needs and allowed me to save processor utilization by viewing the substream. Recording 2 channels on my laptop uses 3% of CPU. Recording the same 2 channels using Blue Iris uses 100% of CPU. At home I've had as high as 6 cameras recording using UC2 at one time, all on 3MP record, and only got to about 24% CPU utilization and I have a very old processor. This is why I often recommend using a single brand of cameras and using the software that comes with the cameras. By optimizing the software for use with the single camera brand, they can be much more efficient than can be done with ONVIF.

The cameras have a 2MP lens so with 3MP and 5MP modes they start to fisheye - more on 5MP than on 3. You barely can see it on 3MP but it is visible, though not distracting, on 5MP. For making HD movies of the family, this would not work but for a security camera, the little bit of fisheye is ok. It would not affect the ability to identify a suspect.

I really struggled with getting the email notifications for motion detection working from the cameras and once I did get it working I was flooded with emails showing nothing at all except the static view - no people, no motion. My Synology NAS does a great job of motion detection so I use it and ignore that I can't make it work right from these cameras. Others have posted that they had it working.

I might, when I have time, work with SecurityCamera2000.com tech support to see if I can resolve the email notification issues. They have offered in the past to do a remote support session where they will log into my computer and can see what's going on. The remote access system they use is a fairly well known commercial product - I don't remember the name right now - so it is fairly safe to let them get into your PC.

I also have not been able to get the load to FTP working but others have reported that it works for them. Again, I just let Synology handle it for me and will work with tech support in the future to try to resolve it.

I'll add more at a later time.

You have done more advertising than you have about the camera

5mp but can't do it ?

Your 3mp is a bad image ... More like a bad 2mp

You can post a day time image but photo bucket won't allow you to post a night shot ??

But your in the same price range as 3mp dahua and you get

Sodtware

Phone apps

Twice the warranty

Problem I have with this post is it starts 5mp ..... Sales talk

If it's a 3mp SELL IT AS A 3

You have done more advertising than you have about the camera

 

5mp but can't do it ?

Your 3mp is a bad image ... More like a bad 2mp

You can post a day time image but photo bucket won't allow you to post a night shot ??

 

 

But your in the same price range as 3mp dahua and you get

 

Sodtware

Phone apps

Twice the warranty

 

 

Problem I have with this post is it starts 5mp ..... Sales talk

If it's a 3mp SELL IT AS A 3

+1, the image that was uploaded is not even 1mp...look at the properties...

Regardless, its foolish to jump on these off beat camera brands when as you point out you can get a dahua or hikvision for the same money...

Well, if PhotoBucket was destroying the 3MP night vision so that I could see it, I'm not surprised PhotoBucket destroyed the day image as well. The night vision looks completely gray when I upload it in full size but if I reduce the image size before uploading then PhotoBucket doesn't destroy it. I can post a reduced size but basically correct looking image but the resolution will be greatly reduced. I can also post the altered PhotoBucket image.

It's not advertising at all. Just because I use the cameras at 3MP doesn't mean that the 5MP mode shouldn't be mentioned. I mentioned it and even mentioned the drawbacks of it. I also mentioned the con of the email and FTP uploads not working for me. I don't get how you think it is advertising and not review. I think the problem is that it is not Dahua or Hikvision.

I also posted that I would add more later. I started with some basics about the camera and then planned to continue with more images and my opinions. If there's no interest in non-Hikvision or -Dahua cameras, then that's fine. I'm going to post the night pictures as uploaded to PhotoBucket so you can see the issue I was describing but, beyond that, since there's no interest in inexpensive Chinese cameras, I won't continue the review.

I have nothing at all to do with the camera makers or sellers and have no reason to simply advertise their products. If you look at my history of posts here, when I joined a few years ago I knew little to nothing about IP cameras.

When I purchased these cameras Hikvision or Dahua cameras with similar capabilities were twice the price. It's the price of cameras like these that have forced Hikvision and Dahua to reduce their prices.

As for why go cheap Chinese rather than Hikvision or Dahua? Well, I don't think it's an either/or because Hikvision and Dahua are cheap Chinese cameras. I would not be a bit surprised if the camera inside is not exactly the same board. The value claims of those brands mostly come from their promise of support but people who are buying Dahua and Hikvision online are not getting any better guarantee of support than you would get buying these cameras - in fact, if you buy them from AliExpress you can be sure you won't get as good of support and you may not get an actual Hikvision or Dahua camera.

If the only valid cameras to discuss here are Hikvision or Dahua, and throw in perhaps Axis and Mobotix, I guess they could just ban any discussion of other cameras. Funny because when I started here it was all about GeoVision, another cheap Chinese camera sold at expensive prices, and Dahua or Hikvision were barely acceptable alternatives. I hardly see GeoVision mentioned any longer.

Because of all of the "Cheap Chinese Cameras" talk here, I avoided the cheap cameras and started my system with GeoVision DVR cards and my first IP camera being GeoVision. But I kept reading about people's success in using the cheap Chinese cameras so I tried these. And they work. I don't know why people shouldn't or wouldn't buy them.

There's been a lot of talk lately on here about the cheap Chinese mini-NVRs. 39 pages of basically people's success with them. Issues to be sure but in the end it is mostly successful. I suppose we should quit talking about those and just stay with Hikvision and Dahua NVRs as well?

Night vision reduced before I upload to PhotoBucket:

Uploaded to PhotoBucket without reducing on my end. Besides reducing the size, you can see how they destroy the image. Even though I upload was 2048x1536 they reduced it to 1024x768 and destroyed the color in the process:

We are not saying that its hikvision dahua or nothing..but at the same exact price why risk it-they are know to be very reliable....dahua pss and hikvisions ivms are probably better than the uc2 software as well, but i never tried it.

Often these cheap no name vendors cut corners like overdriving the leds (something that will not be noticed until a year in)...it also looks like they are not using an IR corrected lens..you night image is blurry (not grainy but blurry)...its hard to see because of the poor mounting angle of the cameras, but you can see it on the vehicle rims.

In one post you knock costco systems which if chosen correctly are great and in another you advocate bottom barrel stuff like the mini NVR and these untested cams...

Why in the world should someone by this cam when there a proven alternatives at the same price...and dont kid yourself, hikvision and dahua did not lower prices because of these cams..its the competition between the big boys and the costs of technology thats driving the prices.

You have done more advertising than you have about the camera

 

5mp but can't do it ?

Your 3mp is a bad image ... More like a bad 2mp

You can post a day time image but photo bucket won't allow you to post a night shot ??

 

 

But your in the same price range as 3mp dahua and you get

 

Sodtware

Phone apps

Twice the warranty

 

 

Problem I have with this post is it starts 5mp ..... Sales talk

If it's a 3mp SELL IT AS A 3

My original post also states that these cameras come with software, IOS and Android apps. So your only complaint seems to be that Dahua or Hikvision offer twice the warranty and we all know that's not the case. If you buy cameras online you are stuck with the service from the seller. No warranty will be provided to you by Dahua or Hikvision.

And, honestly, if a camera lasts a year, it's almost certainly going to last two, three, or even five years. If one in ten break that rule then you pay enough for 5 additional cameras to buy ten in order to get the additional warranty to cover that one-in-ten exception. The numbers don't add up.

You have done more advertising than you have about the camera

 

5mp but can't do it ?

Your 3mp is a bad image ... More like a bad 2mp

You can post a day time image but photo bucket won't allow you to post a night shot ??

 

 

But your in the same price range as 3mp dahua and you get

 

Sodtware

Phone apps

Twice the warranty

 

 

Problem I have with this post is it starts 5mp ..... Sales talk

If it's a 3mp SELL IT AS A 3

 

My original post also states that these cameras come with software, IOS and Android apps. So your only complaint seems to be that Dahua or Hikvision offer twice the warranty and we all know that's not the case. If you buy cameras online you are stuck with the service from the seller. No warranty will be provided to you by Dahua or Hikvision.

 

And, honestly, if a camera lasts a year, it's almost certainly going to last two, three, or even five years. If one in ten break that rule then you pay enough for 5 additional cameras to buy ten in order to get the additional warranty to cover that one-in-ten exception. The numbers don't add up.

These are more expensive than hikvision or dahua 3mp cams...why would i buy them?? I can get a 2032 for 85 shipped.

I mentioned that the images have been reduced - in one case by me and in all the other cases by PhotoBucket. You can't see the original quality yet - I mentioned in my very first post that I would work on finding an upload site that doesn't destroy the images - so your judgments are premature.

If you can find me a Hikvision 3MP camera for 98 dollars, I'd like to see it. But I don't accept the automatic assumption that Hikvision is a better camera. You all keep saying that like it's Gospel and we are just supposed to accept it. I've yet to see any proof or even evidence to back up those statements. What I see are warranty problems people have after buying those brands online, on-camera motion detection not working on ONVIF, and people being locked into a single supplier for hardware and software.

I mentioned that the images have been reduced - in one case by me and in all the other cases by PhotoBucket. You can't see the original quality yet - I mentioned in my very first post that I would work on finding an upload site that doesn't destroy the images - so your judgments are premature.

 

If you can find me a Hikvision 3MP camera for 98 dollars, I'd like to see it. But I don't accept the automatic assumption that Hikvision is a better camera. You all keep saying that like it's Gospel and we are just supposed to accept it. I've yet to see any proof or even evidence to back up those statements. What I see are warranty problems people have after buying those brands online, on-camera motion detection not working on ONVIF, and people being locked into a single supplier for hardware and software.

When we buy on ali express we assume no warranty. I can buy from local suppliers for a bit over 100 with 3 year warranties (the 2mp bullets from LTS are 99 when on sale). You dont have a warranty from you place either as sending back to china is prohibitvlly expensive thats why there is "no warranty

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/2013-Hikvision-Original-infrared-gun-waterproof-network-camera-DS-2CD2032-I-3MP-IR-ip-camera-support/638300_1397052584.html

There you go...

Heck i can buy 8 cams and an NVR from costco today for 1300...thats not even a sale price.

http://www.costco.com/Swann-8-Channel-HD-NVR-Security-System-with-2TB-HDD-and-8-3MP-HD-IP-Cameras.product.100146087.html

3 year warranty from swann, ANYTHING goes wrong or i just dont like it even 10 years down the line i can pack it up and bring it back.

Every single time is see folks tout some obscure brand, they always come back with issues....its expensive to be cheap.

There are hundres of posts by folks using hikvision and dahua reliably..if you dont see them then your arent looking.

Thanks dalepres, always interesting to see some pictures instead of relying on pictures that are always the same at each product of the seller on aliexpress.

And not everyone can buy the Swann set at Costco, since there are a lot of international people here wandering on the forum and Costco does not ships to every country.

Well it's a review and the cameras are already bought (with full consciousness about the risks of importing, if you look at the other posts). I think some people, like me for example, think it's useful to have a 'honest' review about the ti sensor and the underlying software.

Of course we know that if you want to be safe with warranty and support you just try to buy everything (known brand if possible) locally or on the Internet in your own country.

We know that data and hikvision have a very good value for the money, but just like Don Stephens opened in that other topic, since diversity is always nice to look at:

I'll put it another way. I'm sick of looking at still shots from everyone's Hikvision 2032.