Questions and Answers From the Product Manager's POV
An interview with Gary Perlin
- By Security Products Staff
- Jan 01, 2009
Recently introduced, the InPro camera from Speco
Technologies has a way of catching end users’ attention.
Why? Well, the camera is able to inspect the router
and connect to the Internet within 30 seconds of being
connected to the network. We wanted to know more, so
we sat down with Gary Perlin, vice president of video
products at Speco, to get the full insight.
Q. Speco Technologies has recently introduced a
self-networking camera. How does it work,
and can it automatically configure to a router?
A. Speco Technologies’ InPro Series cameras are the
most user-friendly network cameras on the market.
They have both analog and network outputs to simplify
the installer’s job. By plugging the InPro camera into
the network, it automatically inspects the router and connects
to the Internet within 30 seconds. Notice that we
said inspects, not configures.
The InPro camera will find its way through even the
most secure routers without changing their configuration,
which could affect other equipment on the network.
Because the networking process is so automated, the
installer can mount, aim, focus, adjust and place these
cameras onto the Internet without a computer. That is
one of the reasons behind the analog output. The InPro
camera can be installed and set up like an analog camera
using a standard test monitor and then plugged into the
network as a final installation procedure. Nothing else
needs to be done to get the InPro onto the network.
Each camera comes with an identification card, a
12-volt DC 1.5-amp power supply, a CD-ROM containing
SpecoView software and an instruction manual, a
printed copy of the instruction manual and a 10-inch
Ethernet cable.
The identification card contains the particular camera’s
nine-digit ID number and a changeable password.
This information is needed to initially locate or connect
to the camera. After the initial connection, this information
can be remembered by your computer. After the
camera is mounted and powered up, it is time to network—
plug the camera into the nearest router, switch or
available network outlet, and you are finished.
Now, it’s time to view your InPro camera over the network
or Internet. Install the free SpecoView software
onto a PC. It is a small program that will install in seconds.
Once launched, you will see a GUI with room for
camera pictures—up to 16—and a column to list the
cameras that you wish to view.
If you are on a LAN and your computer is connected to
the same network as the InPro cameras, then the camera ID
numbers will automatically appear. Simply drag and drop
the ID number onto the GUI screen, and then you will be
prompted for the password. Your camera will immediately
appear. You can name the camera and set your computer to
memorize the password at that time.
If you are on the Internet, after launching
SpecoView, you will perform a one-time entry of the
camera’s ID number and password to find it from anywhere
in the world.
Q. Presumably, the end user can connect a camera
from anywhere by using a camera ID number
and password. What other features make this
product an exclusive purchase?
A. The user will have the ability to view a camera
from a thumb drive. First, save the SpecoView
software from the original CD onto a thumb drive. Once
the software is loaded onto the drive, you can view the
camera from any networked computer that has active
USB ports. Just take the USB thumb drive and plug it
into the PC, clicking on the icon that says SpecoView.
When the program opens, click on the desired camera
and you are viewing your cameras live or recording onto
the thumb drive. When the drive is removed, you have
left no remnants of your software behind.
InPro also includes other high-end features, such as
the ability to record onto your PC either manually or
through motion detection, the ability to send e-mails
when motion is detected and throttling to control bandwidth
usage.
Q. In terms of small-business use, what types of
cameras are available? Is the InPro also available
for residential use?
A. These cameras are great for small to mid-sized
businesses, from one to 30 cameras, and for residential
applications where higher speed Internet access
is available. They are available as weatherproof, IR LED
bullet cameras with varifocal lenses; indoor IR LED
dome cameras with varifocal lenses; outdoor tamperproof,
weatherproof IR LED dome cameras with varifocal
lenses and traditional box cameras.
Q. Installation is always a concern. How easy is it
to network the camera after installation?
A. Each InPro camera has an analog and a network
output. Installation can be completed as an analog
camera using the same analog test monitor. Simply
install the camera and plug it into a local network. The
camera does not have to address the router, firewall or
forward ports to the router. The installer does not need to
have experience with networking to get the camera to
work. InPro is Speco Technologies’ shortened name for
Intelligent Protocol. As mentioned previously, when the
camera is accessed through SpecoView, it automatically
detects itself.
Q. Tell us about the research and development
that led to this technology.
A. Speco Technologies has been selling DVRs for
about eight years and network cameras for the
last three. We knew that trying to install and network
these products took a lot of time and technical expertise.
Fitting this equipment into a network infrastructure
could be a nightmare for the installer who would need
access to the customer’s router and IP information.
Often, the installer would find himself on the phone
with the router’s and ISP’s tech support department for
hours trying to get the answers to simple questions.
Speco recognized these issues as being detrimental to
the installation of IP products and wanted to do something
about it to make everyone into an instant networking
expert. The InPro product line is the result of a oneyear
effort to understand the challenges faced by our
installers and the common-sense ways to automatically
navigate around them.
Q. How will Speco Technologies get the word
out about how easy it is to install the InPro
IP camera?
A. Anyone can go to Speco Technologies’ Web site
and click on the STTV-Educational Video button
at the top of the home page. You will be brought to a Web
page where you can see an InPro instructional video about
how to install the cameras. Speco’s salespeople are giving
InPro camera demonstrations and sponsoring contests at
distributors all over the country. They are even timing how
long it takes to set-up the InPro camera.
This article originally appeared in the issue of .