Why don't I review more wireless webcams?

I've received a lot of requests and questions recently about wireless webcams.

Wireless webcams tend to be of the IP (Internet Protocol) variety. They have small built-in computers and web servers which allow the viewer to connect directly to the camera.

Most of the wireless models I have looked at seem to be designed for point to point viewing (meaning, in other words, allowing one, or a very few persons, to connect directly to the camera to look at a streaming picture). As a result they cannot be used in conjunction with other software, such as Yahoo messenger or as a source for a webcam page like mine. I have tried a couple of webcam software programs which are supposed to be able to connect to these IP cameras and retrieve an image, but so far I have not been successful in getting any of them to work.

A few wireless cameras will allow you to save static images, such as for catching the bad guy entering a secure area. However, each of these images is saved with a unique file name. As a result they are not usable on a camera web page, such as the ones you see on my site. These webcam pages require a fixed file name so the script on the page can refresh the image at regular intervals.

I have seen a few cameras that have built in FTP clients allowing the camera to upload images to a website, but they still save each image with a unique file name.

Another factor is wireless webcams tend to be quite a bit more expensive than the types I cover in these reviews. Since my funds are limited, I have to reserve them for purchasing the type of cameras that most people seem to be looking for.

The only IP camera I have found thus far which will overwrite an FTP stored image, is the StarDot Netcam. This brand allows a fixed file name and or unique file names for storage of sequential images. However, these cameras are very expensive.

I will keep looking, and if anyone knows of an IP camera which will allow FTP upload with a fixed file name, please let me know and I will see if I can wrangle the funds to try one out.


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