A new PTZ ready IP camera from Compro for the home or small office, featuring WiFi functionality and smartphone/tablet access via C4Home.
Product on Review: TN600 / TN600W
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Compro
Street Price: £140 GBP // $180 USD
Compro have been a key player in the network camera arena since the late 80s, their portfolio is packed with products that both the home and business user can take advantage of. Today we are back again, this time taking a look at the TN600W which was released back in July.
TN600W is a PTZ ready IP camera which brings with it WiFi functionality and the ability to stream live across the globe to any smartphone or tablet via C4Home.
Compro on their TN600
Compro TN600 camera offers an advanced pan and tilt mechanical design with the latest cloud technology and super easy QR code cloud installation, let you install camera and start monitoring from your smartphone or tablet just in seconds. It’s an ideal choice for securing homes, warehouses, restaurants, hotel lobbies, or any locations where there is a need to follow people or objects.
Technical Specifications
CAMERA
Image Sensor
1/7″ progressive scan CMOS sensor
Zoom
10x digital zoom
Pan Range
-170° ~ +170° total of 340 degree
Tilt Range
-10° ~ +90° total of 100 degree
Max Speed
Pan 44°/Sec., Tilt 60°/Sec.
Focusing Range
0.5 m ~ INF
Minimum Illumination
IR Mode: 0 lux with built-in IR LEDs on (12 LEDs in total; effective distance up to 10m)
Color Mode: 1.0 lux
Shutter Time
1/5 ~ 1/16000 sec.
VIDEO
Image Settings
M-JPEG, H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10)
Resolution & Frame Rate
160×120, 320×240, 640×480
Frame Rate
Up to 30 FPS at 640×480
Image Settings
Adjustable image size and quality
AGC, AWB, AES
Configurable brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness
AUDIO
Audio Communication
Two-way audio with built-in microphone and speaker
Audio Compression
G.711 PCM 64Kbit/sec
Audio Input / Output
MIC input / Audio output
NETWORK
Wireless LAN
Bundles Compro 802.11 b/g/n wireless adapter (TN600W only)
Security
User name / Password Protection
WEP/WPA/WPA2 encryption (wireless network)
Protocols
TCP/IP, HTTP, UDP, FTP, ICMP, ARP, DHCP, NTP, DDNS, UPnP, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, SMTP, IGMP, 3GPP, IPv4
Ethernet
10/100 Base-T, autosensing, RJ-45
FIRMWARE
Firmware
Support UPnP
Support online firmware update
WEB BROWSER
WebVUer Function
Remotely view camera video, pan/tilt camera and adjust camera settings
2-way audio communication
Capture snapshots
Supported Viewing Devices
PC, laptop, tablet with IE8
iPhone®/iPad, BlackBerry, Android™, WM, PDA, or cell phones with web browser (MJPEG mode)
Mac OS X 10.6 (LiveView in MJPEG mode only)
MOBILE MONITOR
C4Home App
Free mobile applications for iPhone and Android
Smart motion detection and push notification
Private mode and audio alarm
Mobile pan/tilt, digital zoom control and camera preset point setup
Air firmware update
Dropbox cloud storage for event snapshot
SD card playback for event recording
Share video to others
Watch 4 channels at the same screen (Android only, not support iOS)
MJPEG Mode
Viewing of camera image via phone browsers
3GPP Mode
Viewing of camera image via 3G phones (3GPP Streaming)
GENERAL
IR LED
12x IR LED
Video Surveillance
Free bundles ComproView 32-channels video management software
Local Storage
microSD/SDHC card slot (supports local storage of snapshots and video recordings)
Certification
CE, FCC
Operating Condition
0 °C ~ 40 °C(32 °F ~ 104 °F)
Power Supply
DC 5V/2A
Viewing System Requirements
Computer with 2.8GHz Dual-Core processor and 2GB memory or above
Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP SP3, Vista SP1, Windows 7, Max OS 10.6 (Live view in M-JPEG mode only)
Dimensions
105 x 128.6 x 125.5 mm
Image Sensor
1/7″ progressive scan CMOS sensor
Zoom
10x digital zoom
Pan Range
-170° ~ +170° total of 340 degree
Tilt Range
-10° ~ +90° total of 100 degree
Max Speed
Pan 44°/Sec., Tilt 60°/Sec.
Focusing Range
0.5 m ~ INF
Minimum Illumination
IR Mode: 0 lux with built-in IR LEDs on (12 LEDs in total; effective distance up to 10m)
Color Mode: 1.0 lux
Shutter Time
1/5 ~ 1/16000 sec.
VIDEO
Image Settings
M-JPEG, H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10)
Resolution & Frame Rate
160×120, 320×240, 640×480
Frame Rate
Up to 30 FPS at 640×480
Image Settings
Adjustable image size and quality
AGC, AWB, AES
Configurable brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness
AUDIO
Audio Communication
Two-way audio with built-in microphone and speaker
Audio Compression
G.711 PCM 64Kbit/sec
Audio Input / Output
MIC input / Audio output
NETWORK
Wireless LAN
Bundles Compro 802.11 b/g/n wireless adapter (TN600W only)
Security
User name / Password Protection
WEP/WPA/WPA2 encryption (wireless network)
Protocols
TCP/IP, HTTP, UDP, FTP, ICMP, ARP, DHCP, NTP, DDNS, UPnP, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, SMTP, IGMP, 3GPP, IPv4
Ethernet
10/100 Base-T, autosensing, RJ-45
FIRMWARE
Firmware
Support UPnP
Support online firmware update
WEB BROWSER
WebVUer Function
Remotely view camera video, pan/tilt camera and adjust camera settings
2-way audio communication
Capture snapshots
Supported Viewing Devices
PC, laptop, tablet with IE8
iPhone®/iPad, BlackBerry, Android™, WM, PDA, or cell phones with web browser (MJPEG mode)
Mac OS X 10.6 (LiveView in MJPEG mode only)
MOBILE MONITOR
C4Home App
Free mobile applications for iPhone and Android
Smart motion detection and push notification
Private mode and audio alarm
Mobile pan/tilt, digital zoom control and camera preset point setup
Air firmware update
Dropbox cloud storage for event snapshot
SD card playback for event recording
Share video to others
Watch 4 channels at the same screen (Android only, not support iOS)
MJPEG Mode
Viewing of camera image via phone browsers
3GPP Mode
Viewing of camera image via 3G phones (3GPP Streaming)
GENERAL
IR LED
12x IR LED
Video Surveillance
Free bundles ComproView 32-channels video management software
Local Storage
microSD/SDHC card slot (supports local storage of snapshots and video recordings)
Certification
CE, FCC
Operating Condition
0 °C ~ 40 °C(32 °F ~ 104 °F)
Power Supply
DC 5V/2A
Viewing System Requirements
Computer with 2.8GHz Dual-Core processor and 2GB memory or above
Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP SP3, Vista SP1, Windows 7, Max OS 10.6 (Live view in M-JPEG mode only)
Dimensions
105 x 128.6 x 125.5 mm
Packaging & Bundle
Much like other Compro products, TN600W is presented in a cardboard box which has a card cover. The packaging is bright and attractive, listing key features on the front and going into more detail on the reverse.
Inside, there is foam padding to protect all of the items inside. Essential components are contained within another cardboard box for even more protection.
Packaging for TN600W
Unpacking the accessories, we are left with a number of items which consist of the following:
• TN600 network camera
• Software CD (contains user’s manual)
• Quick installation guide
• Power adapter
• Wall plate
• Ethernet cable
• Screws for ceiling mounting
• Screw mount
• Camera pads
• USB 802.11n wireless adapter (TN600W only)
Included items within bundle
Closer Look
TN600W is quite a sizeable IP camera, measuring 105 x 128.6 x 125.5 mm. Those expecting this camera to be a discreet solution should look elsewhere, TN600W is bulky and although constructed of plastic the unit feels rather sturdy. This size is needful to accommodate the adept PTZ motor.
TN600W in all its glory
TN600W uses a 1/7″ progressive scan CMOS sensor, which to our surprise only outputs a maximum of 640×480 and 30FPS. Sadly there is no HD resolution available, thankfully though Compro have packed in 12x Infrared LEDs for night vision functionality of up to 10m.
Our lens also delivers 10x digital zoom and a shutter speed of 1/5 ~ 1/16000 sec.
1/7″ progressive scan CMOS sensor and 12 IR LEDs
Having PTZ functionality, TN600W can pan 340° in a horizontal motion whilst 100° in a vertical movement to give plenty of coverage. Another feature which comes in handy with TN600W is the two-way audio option, the unit has a speaker system and microphone fitted for this purpose. Compression in this particular regard uses G.711 PCM 64Kbit/sec.
PTZ functionality allowing horizontal and vertical movement
At the back of TN600W there are an assortment of different ports and options. The following are available:
• LAN port (10/100 Base-T)
• MIC input / Audio output
• USB port for use with USB 802.11n wireless adapter
• WPS and Reset button
• Micro SDHC slot
• DC 5V port
In order to use the camera wirelessly the adapter needs to be plugged into the slot at the back. When plugged in, the wireless adapter flashes erratically – unfortunately this cannot be disabled.
Ports and options at the back
Finally, the underside of TN600W features a QR code which after a quick scan performs an install and a spec label detailing the serial number and other critical information.
There are four incisions for use with the metal plate which Compro include – this is for mounting purposes and allows the camera to be attached to walls or ceilings.
Mounting options underneath
Software UI
iWizard
Initially it’s obligatory to run iWizard off the provided CD that comes accompanied with TN600W. Loading this application up allows you to locate the camera on your network, in the example below we have used an Ethernet cable to connect TN600W to our network. iWizard also allows you to create a Cloud4Home account and have the camera assigned to an account so that a smartphone can easily access the unit. This software also makes for others to access the camera because it provides the IP address and handles setting these basic connectivity features out without you having to do anything.
iWizard is used for initial setup
Inbuilt Software Interface
Once iWizard has been used, the camera can then be configured and accessed via its IP address in a web browser. Logging into the software interface gives a plethora of customisation from the framerate, image quality and resolution to the motion detection and recording history. The software is very extensive and also very user-friendly. Users with a basic understanding and needs are catered for and those with a more advanced set of requirements are also entertained too.
The inbuilt software is feature-packed
Many options, including advanced camera settings
Testing – Smartphone Usage & Image Quality
TN600W works in collaboration with C4Home. C4Home allows the user to monitor the camera from their smartphone. C4Home can be configured from the iWizard software – this helps to assign settings and enable the camera for use on this platform, the only other thing required is to download the app on a smartphone and input username/password. Below we demoed C4Home on an Android ready smartphone, it was easy to setup and offered great feedback. Furthermore, we were able to speak through the camera by simply pressing the screen and speaking.
C4Home in action using an Android-ready smartphone
Using iWizard, the port is automatically forwarded for you so that those externally can view the camera. User accounts can be set and given certain permissions to simply monitor or access settings.
TN600W gives plenty of flexibility for a multitude of different uses; recording footage depends on a micro SD card being present inside the camera. Below, we have uploaded a sample of the camera footage with the following settings: VGA – 640×480 using H.264 codec which outputs a .avi file. Footage is filmed at best quality 3Mbps and 30 frames per second. Footage is uploaded direct to YouTube without any additional compression. *recording footage direct to computer requires IE – does not work with other browsers*
Although movement is fluid, we’re underwhelmed by the quality which TN600W outputs during night mode. We expected more from a unit costing the price it does.
Conclusion
Having been impressed by Compro’s entry level TN50W we were excited at the prospect of examining the performance of their new TN600W and we have to say it’s rather a mixed bag.
The unit is extremely easy to setup thanks to the intuitive software which guides you right through the installation process and even configures settings to allow connectivity from external locations without the user having to do a thing.
What we especially like is the software UI and that TN600W is easy to manage and use via smartphone or tablet. The software leaves the end user with a plethora of options to tweak and the interface is designed in such a way to be user-friendly and pleasant to use.
Another aspect which comes in very handy is the PTZ functionality – being able to pan the camera in a horizontal and vertical motion is very useful and TN600W can even be programmed to move to certain positions through the day and of course these set points can have motion detection or set-time recording onto a Micro SDHC.
There are however some drawbacks with TN600W, especially when you consider the hefty price of £140 / $180. We were rather disappointed from the beginning by the lack of HD support, TN600W can only capture at a maximum of 640×480 which is rather poor for a camera of its calibre. There are still limitations with both the software (which only allows Internet Explorer to be used) and the WiFi adapter which flickers and flashes erratically. As we mentioned in our TN50W review, it would be nice to have an option to disable these activity flashes to further allow the unit to retain a degree of discreetness.
Compro’s new TN600W is an easy to use and configure IP camera with PTZ and WiFi functionality. It can be accessed anywhere in the world via smartphone or tablet and we found the software intuitive and user-friendly. Unfortunately though the lack of HD support at such a cost is detrimental.
Pros
+ Very easy to use & setup
+ Great software
+ Fluid video at 30FPS
+ Good build quality
+ WiFi functionality
+ Multiple viewing options – smartphone ready
+ PTZ functionality
+ Two-way audio – can speak through camera
+ Microphone is sensitive, picks up even faint sounds
Cons
– Bulky, not discreet
– Can only use Internet Explorer to access
– No HD resolution output
– Recorded video quality not great, especially night mode
– Hissy noise interference with microphone
– WiFi dongle flashes and cannot be disabled
+ Very easy to use & setup
+ Great software
+ Fluid video at 30FPS
+ Good build quality
+ WiFi functionality
+ Multiple viewing options – smartphone ready
+ PTZ functionality
+ Two-way audio – can speak through camera
+ Microphone is sensitive, picks up even faint sounds
Cons
– Bulky, not discreet
– Can only use Internet Explorer to access
– No HD resolution output
– Recorded video quality not great, especially night mode
– Hissy noise interference with microphone
– WiFi dongle flashes and cannot be disabled
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
