Review - TOP-201 Super Mini 720P HD IP-Cam (The Cheapest IP Cam So Far !!)

[bls]

Sorry for the newbie questions. I bought one of the OP's cameras from Buyincoin and am trying to set it up tonight.

Out of the box should I be able to ping or connect to it with a web browser pointed to 192.168.1.10?
If so, I think I got a dud. iSpy can't see it, CMS can't see it, no ping, can't HTTP to it.

PC is on the same network (192.168.1.126).

What else should I try?

Dave

Are there other devices besides your PC and the camera on your network? If so, it may have the same ip set as another device and therefore be hidden. I usually have no trouble finding the ip of new cameras, but recently got one that had the same ip as my printer which caused me grief. With conflicting addresses I figured neither would work but the printer still worked perfectly. I forget which utility eventually led to discovering the problem, but whichever one it was returned information about the printer a number of times before eventually returning something that identified the ip as being a camera. Anyway, the first thing I be doing the next time I have a problem like this is limiting my network to just my pc and the new device.

 

[AlpineWatch]

Are there other devices besides your PC and the camera on your network? If so, it may have the same ip set as another device and therefore be hidden. I usually have no trouble finding the ip of new cameras, but recently got one that had the same ip as my printer which caused me grief. With conflicting addresses I figured neither would work but the printer still worked perfectly. I forget which utility eventually led to discovering the problem, but whichever one it was returned information about the printer a number of times before eventually returning something that identified the ip as being a camera. Anyway, the first thing I be doing the next time I have a problem like this is limiting my network to just my pc and the new device.

No, right now it's only a new Win 8.1 machine, router with ddwrt, and this Top-201 camera. I didn't want to expose my home network to any questionable software while I was setting things up.

JDWX - I tried ONVIF and that didn't work last night either.

Sabot - thanks for the tip on Netscan. Do you have a link to it? Several hits comes up when I google for it. Also will it span to different subnets? The CMS and iSpy scan did find my router and the PC I was working on but nothing else. So I'm thinking if the camera is on a different ip address than 192.168.1.10 that it on a different subnet too.

 

[JDWX]

That's odd. I'm on all different sub than the camera was and both CMS and ONVIF found mine, I just plugged it in and it was there. Interesting.

 

[Sabot]

Here's the link: https://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/

Yes, it will scan what you want.

 

[JDWX]

If you have an android phone on your WiFi there, the Fing application will show it as well as services it runs.

 

[AlpineWatch]

Tonight I plugged the camera directly into my laptop instead of going through my DDWRT flashed router and it's alive on 192.168.1.10! So DDWRT is blocking something which is odd as I would think port 80 would be clear. Login screen is in Chinese

 

[JDWX]

For mine, you could change language in a drop down menu in the upper right corner.

 

[AlpineWatch]

For mine, you could change language in a drop down menu in the upper right corner.

Thanks! Once I switched to IE instead of Chrome, the language box showed up.

So I tried iSpy and CMS on this lowly J1900 CPU box and CMS was the most stable. Played with a bunch of settings and then tried out my lens assortment. Found the stock lens on my TOP-201 isn't so great - lots of stray light issues. Also the window on the sensor needs to be cleaned - blobs and smears. Will take it to work tomorrow to clean it.

But it works! Now I have something to play with.

 

[cyanno]

Hi Everybody,

I have a small request. I´m using the top 201 next to 3 Wansview camera. the Wansview alarm streams are going to my NAS, no problem with these cameras.
Is the same working with a top 201 possible and if yes, where can I find the information how to connect?

Thx for an answer

Cyanno

edit: I habe to edit this post as my question was not that correct. Actually I´m saving my alarmstreams via FTP (192.168.1.210 und going to the folder ./Leo/Front etc..)
I know that the top 201 cam offers a FTP but I´m not able (or better I do not know) to save the streams via FTP.

I really would appriciate any help!

Thx
Cyanno


Re-edit:

After reading all posts I found this in post 294:


Updated 4/24/2015

Tech Support for this mini IP Camera series manufacturer has now stated that none of thier mini IP Camera boards that don't included a SD card currently can send motion detection alarm video via FTP and only can send snapshots via FTP.

There are no plans to add this feature in the future, to mini IP Cameras boards that don't include a SD card on them. Because the manufacturer says that trying to send video via FTP on motion detection alarms is unstable without the mini IP Camera board having a SD card to cache the pre-recorded and recording video. Prior to sending the recorded video via FTP.


So my question is answered!

Cyanno

 

[AlpineWatch]

Hello, camera friends. I see a big thread about 3518e cameras is going on there. Recently in ebay I saw this bad boy http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD-720P-1-0MP-IP-Camera-Dome-Network-P2P-Indoor-Security-24-IR-LED-Night-Vision-/161509444230?
It says this camera support regular snapshots upload to FTP (no need alarm, I guess). It looks like a typical 3518e camera, but with some different software. Maybe someone has this firmware? I have couple 00006510 cameras. Maybe i can flash my cameras with that firmware and have time based FTP upload of snapshots?

Okay, I did buy one of these but the bullet version and it does take snapshots every XX seconds and ftp's them. Video quality is very good - I am impressed with this camera. Going to use this as my weathercam. I'll start another thread on an issue I am having with it though (can't get activex to run).

 

[JDWX]

Odd thing I've possibly noticed, is when using mine with Blue Iris, it seems to require a lot of processor power compared to my Hikvision and Foscam. Previously, 3 cameras with only one recording w/motion ran at around CPU 30-40%, just adding this one, it jumped it up to 80+% And it is not even set to record. Even when set as disabled, it being connected seems to pull a bit more than the others used to. Unless a new update changed something around the same time, lol.

Nonetheless, a cool little cam with a somewhat better picture than my older Hik and Foscam.

 

[Josh Walford]

im looking at buying one of these but need to know a couple of things first.
1 does anyone know what dimensions the power jack is? and if possibel where to get a 10M cable for the the power( im uk based if it helps)
2 someone mentioned that the included disk often doesnt work, does someone have a link to the software for download.

 

[HamishMacBeth]

Hi Josh,

I'm UK based as well and my Top 201 arrived this morning. The power jack must be a pretty standard size. I tried my various 12v PSUs and found one that worked. You don't want a 10m power cable. Send the power over the ethernet cable. I bought this along with my camera and it works fine:
http://www.buyincoins.com/item/40698.html#.ViAflRFVhBc

That way you just need to run 1 cable to the camera.

If your CD/DVD drive has a tray then you should be fine. If not, then I think someone in this thread has put the software up somewhere.

 

[frank10]

But now that from china you can buy a 3MP Hikvision or Dahua at about 52-70€ shipped (or a hik 720p at 44€), does still it make sense buying this 720p ipcam (title say cheapest...but a year ago)?

 

[Driver]

The hikvision 3MP are much much better cameras - and also do POE, as well as a solid case - but are triple the price.

This camera was super cheap & I'm still very impressed for the $30 AUD i spent on it.

 

[Bradmph]

TOP-201 Super Mini 720P HD IP-Cam with IR RTSP TCP/IP Night Vision $28.99 Free shipping

Top-201-IR H264 1MP Super Mini Network IP Camera Home RTSP TCP/IP Night Vision
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Top-201-IR-H264-1MP-Super-Mini-Network-IP-Camera-Home-RTSP-TCP-IP-Night-Vision-/281719626339#ht_8703wt_1378

 

[frank10]

That is a good price, BUT nowadays it's not that unique, for example:
generic IPcam 720p 24,95$, free shipping:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/IP-Camera-Video-CCTV-Outdoor-IP-Micro-Surveillance-IR-Security-Camera-System-better-than-hikvision-Waterproof/2030353177.html?spm=2114.01020208.3.18.vMal4L&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_2_71_72_73_74_75,searchweb201527_4,searchweb201560_9

or another generic but 960p at 29,99$, free shipping:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/SAVE-XMEYE-IP-CAMERA-1-3MP-IR-CUT-960P-1280X960-Network-camera-Indoor-installation-Hikvision-Dome/32417787247.html?spm=2114.01020208.3.60.vMal4L&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_2_71_72_73_74_75,searchweb201527_4,searchweb201560_9

or a real Hikvision 720p at 35$ free shipping, too:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Genuine-licensed-Hikvision-DS-2CD1201D-I3-100W-network-camera-720P-HD-digital-monitoring/32426754851.html?spm=2114.01020208.3.100.vMal4L&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_2_71_72_73_74_75,searchweb201527_4,searchweb201560_9

So, my point was, yes a good cam, but today not the unique best deal ipcam. Instead if you need very compact ipcam, yes it could be the best, but you must also take note it is only for indoor.

 

[Jozer99]

Can anyone message me where to find a firmware for the 6531 (53H13) camera with working wifi. I supidly updated to the latest firmware, which works fine, but the Wifi menu is nowhere to be seen.

Edit:
Found a firmware that works with wifi: General_HZXM_IPC_HI3518E_53H13_S38_V4.02.R12.20150117_ALL.bin
I found the web interface upgrade doesn't seem to allow me to downgrade. I was able to force the downgrade using the "Device Manager" utility. Hopefully you can find this firmware online. If not, I have found it mirrored here:

http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=86661628896269415249

or here:

http://www.multiupfile.com/f/a26b4d5d

 

[ipcamsrock444]

I cannot get this CMS software to e-mail using gmail smtp (smtp.gmail.com, port 465, need ssl checked, gmailuser, password, sender gmailuser@gmail.com, receiver gmailuser@gmail.com, title). Says Failed to connect to server. Have google 2 factor on but created an app password for Google mail. I even tried using Google public DNS and enabeling IMAP in Gmail.

ELP 1280*720p 1.0 Megapixel Mini IP Camera


Anyone else have this problem?

 

[badmop]

I switched to yahoo mail, google gave me issues, would work sometimes and then wouldn't.
I have yahoo mail settings, but emailing to a GMAIL email.