netcam User’s Manual www.stardot-tech.
Table of Contents Chapter 1 Configuration..........................................................................5 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Before You Start........................................................................5 What’s Included and What’s Required......................................5 Parts of NetCam.......................................................................6 Connecting NetCam to a Network............................................6 An Overview of Network Connectivity......
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Chapter 1 Configuration Congratulations on your purchase of a StarDot NetCam network camera with integrated web server. NetCam provides the highest quality live still images in a remote camera that can be connected to a network or a modem. With proper usage, NetCam will provide many years of quality remote imaging. We recommend that you read this manual carefully to completely understand NetCam’s capabilities. 1.
1.3 Parts of NetCam ne S1 (Aux) Configuration of NetCam via PC Serial Port, Auxilliary Device Control tca w w w. st ar do m tte ch .c om S0 (Modem) External Modem Connection For Internet ISP Dial-Out PWR (DC Power Jack) 8-15VDC, 1A Network Activity LED NET (Ethernet Port) Used to Connect NetCam to a Network 1.
DB9-DB9 Null Modem Cable (Included) Used to connect NetCam to a PC Serial Port for Configuring Camera ne w (normally not needed) tca w w.s ta rd ot -t m ec h. co m 12VDC Power Supply (Included) Plugs Into Combo Ethernet/Power Cable Router, Switch or Hub (Not Included) Combo Ethernet/Power Cable (50 ft., Included) Used to connect NetCam to Network and Power Supply To Internet/LAN 1.5 An Overview of Network Connectivity A LAN or network connection is the simplest configuration for NetCam.
If you are installing NetCam on a company network, you will probably want to get this information from your system administrator. The easiest way to configure NetCam manually is to connect NetCam to a serial port on your computer. Plug one end of the null modem serial cable into the S1 port on the back of NetCam and the other end into an available 9-pin serial port on the back of your computer. Use the included StarDot Tools software to configure NetCam.
1.6 Connecting NetCam to a Modem In order to use NetCam with an analog phone line, you will need the Dial-Out NetCam package (CAM-NETx2, which comes with an external modem and cable), a dial-up ISP account, and an analog phone line. Install the StarDot Tools software by inserting the included CD-ROM and running setup.exe. Connect one end of the null model serial cable to the S1 port of NetCam and the other end into an available serial port on your PC.
Chapter 2 Installation Before installing NetCam in its final location, it is important to configure and test it first (see Chapter 1). 2.1 Installing NetCam Ethernet Connection If NetCam will be connected directly to an Ethernet network, measure the distance from NetCam to the nearest Ethernet hub or switch. This distance should not exceed 300 feet. If you wish to extend the distance further than 300 feet, you can add an Ethernet hub or switch.
2.2 Installing NetCam Outdoors NetCam is an outdoor-capable camera, but two important steps must be taken before NetCam can be used in an outdoor environment. NetCam’s lens must be adjusted for daylight imaging, and NetCam must be enclosed in an outdoor enclosure. Lens Adjustment NetCam ships with a manual iris lens (if you ordered a different lens with NetCam, it will most likely have a manual iris). The iris must be closed down to a pinhole size before using the camera in daylight lighting.
Chapter 3 3.1 Accessing NetCam Viewing NetCam’s Images Any Java-enabled browser can be used to view the live images. Type NetCam’s IP address in your browser’s address bar (example: http://192.168.1.5). 3.2 Accessing NetCam’s Configuration Menus Virtually any web browser can be used to access NetCam’s configuration menus. To access these menus, type NetCam’s IP address in your browser’s address bar (example: http://192.168.1.5). This will bring up the live image page. Click on the Configuration link.
Auto Exposure Enabling Auto Exposure causes NetCam to automatically adjust the image exposure based on the overall brightness of the image. The following functions are only implemented when Auto Exposure is enabled. • • • Brightness - The higher the number, the brighter the picture. The default value is 60. Sensitivity - This value rarely needs to be adjusted. It sets the sensitivity of the Auto Exposure code. A higher number means a bigger change in lighting is required for the auto exposure to adjust.
(click the View Grid button to see the grid over the image). Conversely, if you’d like the exposure to be determined by the foreground, select only those squares. This is comparable to the spot exposure on a traditional camera. The default is the center 9 squares. PROCESSING Resolution Resolution is the dimensional size of the NetCam image, measured in pixels, horizontal by vertical. The maximum resolution of NetCam is 640x480 (1280x960 on NetCam MP) and the minimum is 96x80 color (80x60 grayscale).
Haze Haze is a factory setting and should normally not be changed. Default: 10 JPEG Quality The JPEG Quality is a balance between lossy image compression and image quality. The higher the number, the less compression artifacts in the image, but the bigger the file size. A value higher than 90 is not recommended, as it greatly increases the file size with very little noticeable difference in image quality. Default: 70 Sharpen When enabled, a software sharpening is performed on the live image.
3.4 Overlay Properties The Overlay Properties allow you to edit the text displayed on the image. After making changes, click the Apply button to save the settings in the camera. TIME/DATE/TEXT STAMP Text Any text entered into this field will be stamped onto the live image. Camera location and copyright information are two examples. In addition to static text, the current date and time, as well as internal camera parameters, can all become part of the text on the live image.
Font Color The text color can be modified by adjusting the red, green and blue values. In addition, you can change the alpha level or transparency of the text. Valid ranges are in hexadecimal and range from 00-FF. Default: R: AE G: B4 B: E4 A: FF Background Color The text background color can be modified by adjusting the red, green and blue values. In addition, you can change the alpha level or transparency of the text background. Valid ranges are in hexadecimal and range from 00-FF.
%U Week of Year (Starting with Sunday) [00-53] %W Week of Year (Starting with Monday) [00-53] %d Day of Month [01-31] %w Day of Week, Numerical (Sunday=0) [0-6] %u Day of Week, Numerical (Monday=1) [1-7] %A Day of Week, Full [Sunday-Saturday] %a Day of Week, Abbreviated [Sun-Sat] %j Day of Year (Julian Day) [001-366] %p AM/PM, Uppercase ${Z} Timezone Time Markups %H Hour, Military [00-23] %I Hour, Standard [00-12] %M Minute [00-59] %S Second [00-59] $03[ Milliseconds [000-999]
$n Frame Number $u Camera Uptime $r Amount of Red in Image, Hexadecimal $g Amount of Green in Image, Hexadecimal $b Amount of Blue in Image, Hexadecimal $I Image Intensity $z Image Haze $W Image Width $H Image Height $M MAC Address (Camera ID) $E Ethernet IP Address $P PPP IP Address (ISP Dial-Out IP) NetCam supports the much of the ISO 8859-1 character set, which is very useful for adding foreign language text to NetCam’s overlay. For a list of characters, visit stardot-tech.
3.5 FTP Properties The FTP Properties instruct NetCam to upload images to a remote server. After making changes, click the Apply button to save the settings in the camera. FTP Upload FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, one of the most popular methods for transferring files over the Internet. In addition to NetCam serving images from its internal web server, NetCam can also upload images to an external web server.
Path/File This field combines two elements, the image filename, preceded by an optional path or directory. Consult with your hosting company to determine if you need to specify a path. If you don’t, you simply put the desired name of the image file here. Example Without Path: netcam.jpg Example With Path: /html/images/netcam.jpg Advanced Fields Rotating Archive If enabled, NetCam will use a renaming scheme to store the current 10 images on your server.
Secondary Path/File NetCam can optionally upload the image with a separate path and/or filename from the Path/File above. This provides a very convenient way to archive images on your server while still maintaining a statically named live image. One way to do this is to include date/time markup characters as part of the filename. The current upload time of the image will become the filename. For example, the filename %Y-%m%d-%H%M%S.jpg automatically translates to 2006-04-15-153015.
Keep in mind that the overhead of FTP doesn’t allow for the same update rates that you see when accessing NetCam directly with a browser. It is safe to say that FTP restricts 320x240 uploads to once every 3-6 seconds, even on a DSL or cable connection. 640x480 images will probably not upload faster than once every 10-15 seconds. Default: 30 Upload Window NetCam can upload images 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or you can set whatever time window and days of the week you like.
3.6 Applet Properties The Applet/Web Properties page contains information for customizing the NetCam image-viewing Java applet. After making changes, click the Apply button to save the settings in the camera. IMAGE VIEWER JAVA APPLET The live images on the main NetCam web page are presented with the aid of a Java applet called Capture Client. This allows for smooth transitions between image frames. Options include the ability to add a countdown status bar and the ability to change the click URL.
Status Bar The applet contains an optional status bar displayed in the browser status bar or at the bottom of the applet. Status Text This is the text that is displayed in the applet status bar (if enabled). Default String: Reload in %s seconds Status Text Color This is the color of the text that is displayed in the applet status bar (if applet status bar is enabled). The color is defined in the HTML standard of 3 numbers for RGB. Format: RRGGBB (RR=red, GG=green, BB=blue, all values hexadecimal 00-FF).
3.7 Date/Time Properties The Date/Time Properties allow you to set the date and time in NetCam. After making changes, click the Apply button to save the settings in the camera. Setting the Date and Time Automatic vs. Manual - For the most accurate date & time, having NetCam automatically synchronize with a network time server is recommended.
also manually modify the time and date in the Date/Time box. In either case, be sure to hit the Apply button after you’ve set the time. Note: When using Internet Explorer, the Date/Time page may disappear after clicking the Apply button. If this happens, click the refresh button twice. TIME ZONE NetCam integrates your current time zone into the time/date string and can even automatically adjust for daylight savings time. Type in the time zone code from the list on this page.
3.8 Network Properties The Network Properties page contains all the IP configuration information for setting up NetCam on a network. After making changes, click the Apply button to save the settings in the camera. Ethernet If your network is Ethernet-based (LAN, cable modem, DSL), use the NET port on the back of NetCam to access the camera. The first step to network access is assigning NetCam an IP address. There are two ways in which this can be done: automatically (DHCP) or manually.
to use. If you are setting up NetCam behind a residential gateway or cable/DSL router, your IP address will probably be something similar to 192.168.1.5. • Subnet Mask - Find out your netmask from your network administrator. If you’re on a private network, your netmask will almost always be 255.255.255.0. • MAC Address - This is the factory-set Ethernet address of the camera. It also serves as the Camera ID (serial number). It cannot be changed.
3.9 Dial-Out Properties The Dial-Out Properties page contains all the ISP dial-up configuration information for setting up NetCam on a dial-up modem. After making changes, click the Apply button to save the settings in the camera. Internet Dial-Out Connection (PPP) If NetCam’s primary connection to the Internet will be a dial-up modem connection to the Internet, enter your ISP (Internet Service Provider) account information here.
, = pause one second # = same as # button on phone * = same as * button on phone Timeout NetCam will attempt to dial up the ISP for the specified number of seconds. If NetCam is unable to connect during this time period, it will stop and start over again. Default: 180 Username The username or login assigned to you by your ISP. Password The password assigned to you by your ISP. Default Connection Enabling this option makes the ISP dial-out connection NetCam’s default connection to the Internet.
3.10 Security Properties The Security properties page contains user/password information for securing NetCam from unwanted visitors. NetCam Users NetCam has its own multi-user capable, password protected operating system. By default, the live images can be viewed by anyone and only the configuration pages are password protected. However, these options can be changed. admin - The admin user has configuration and viewing rights.
Adding a New User To add a user to the Users list, type in the desired username in the Name field. Type and retype a password in the Password fields. Click the Add/Modify button. New users will only have viewing rights; only the admin user can make configuration changes in the camera. Deleting a User To remove a user from the Users list, click on the desired username and click on the Remove button. Note: The default users, admin and viewer, cannot be removed. 3.
TZO Dynamic DNS If NetCam is behind a DSL or cable modem connection and the public IP address changes, you can use tzo.com as a dynamic DNS service. This maps your dynamic (i.e. always changing) IP address to a static hostname of your choice (i.e. yourcompany.stardotcams.com or yourname.remotecam. com). Why is knowing your public IP address valuable? If your router is configured to “port forward” port 80 to NetCam’s local IP address, you can browse to NetCam directly from anywhere on the Internet.
Chapter 4 Imaging Tips As is the case with any camera, whether digital or film-based, steps can be taken that will great improve image quality. NetCam is no exception to this rule. The following tips will help you achieve the best possible images with NetCam. 4.1 Lighting Lighting is the single most important factor in quality photography. Proper lighting makes the difference between an amateur-looking snapshot and a professional-looking image.
The Sun If possible, aim NetCam so that it never points directly into the sun. The best direction is north or south. If you must point the camera in a western or eastern direction, try to get as little sky as possible in the image. What you want to avoid is direct sunlight -- as with any camera, or your eyes for that matter, looking into the sun produces some of the worst images. It can also damage the CCD sensor over time, even with the iris set properly.
both fluorescent and halogen lights will illuminate the room with different color temperatures, which will be visible in the NetCam images. 4.2 Image Processing Options The images produced by NetCam are processed and compressed inside the camera. Many options that affect the quality of the image are available on the Image Properties Page -- the important ones are listed here (for a complete list, see Chapter 2.1). Brightness - This controls how the bright the auto exposure will adjust the image.
Chapter 5 NetCam Lenses The Focus Ring NetCam ships with a pre-focused lens. Most lenses available for NetCam also have a focus ring which allows you to focus the lens for a closer subject. The focus ring may be marked in meters: 0.2m -- 0.3 -- 0.4 -- 0.5 -- 1.0 -- oo The oo stands for infinity. When NetCam leaves the factory, the infinity setting is back-focused for infinity. Turning the focus ring to 0.5 meters will yield a focus of half a meter.
it from StarDot, it will be noted on the packaging. The only difference between a C-Mount lens and CS-Mount lens is the C-Mount lens requires a 5mm spacer between the lens and the chrome back-focus ring (the spacer is included with the standard 8mm C-Mount lens that ships with NetCam). If your lens is CS-Mount, you do not need to use the included 5mm spacer.
Troubleshooting Guide The StarDot Tools software does not list NetCam on my local network and/or is not accessible via its IP address. 1. Double check all cable connections and make sure NetCam’s network cable is plugged into an active Ethernet hub, switch or router. Make sure NetCam’s power LED is on (amber on boot-up, then green). 2. Connect NetCam to a PC’s serial port with the included null modem cable to verify network settings with the StarDot Tools software.
Specifications TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Image Sensor NetCam - 640x480 Sharp 1/3” RGB Frame Transfer CCD NetCam MP - 1280x960 Sony 1/2” RGB Frame Transfer CCD Sensitivity 2 LUX (with f1.2 iris) Exposure Auto exposure with brightness adjustment and grid exposure selection or manual exposure (1/50,000 second ~ 1.
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