INTRODUCTION
If you like watching movies like i do then you've probably heard several references to a time when people could leave the keys in the ignition of their cars and their doors wide open and worry not about something bad happening to them. Well i can't say that things were ever like that where i grew up but crime was almost non-existent back then. Today as you all know things have changed for the worse so people are always trying new things to keep themselves, their families and their belongings safe. For example several people here have placed steel bars around their windows, some have equipped themselves with baseball bats while others have invested in multi-lock security doors and complete house alarms. There are some people like us however who have chosen to install IP cameras to ensure that nothing bad happens, at least not without them knowing about it. Today our review is about one such IP camera and more specifically the latest TV-IP310PI Outdoor 3 MP PoE Day/Night Network Camera by our old friends over at TRENDnet.
Founded in Torrance, California, TRENDnet has grown to become a leading global networking hardware brand. From the network core to the periphery, TRENDnet's expansive product portfolio includes Wireless, Wired, Surveillance, Connectivity, and Peripheral device categories. An emphasis on continual improvement and our ISO 9001:2008 quality management certification (click here to view certificate) is an essential component of TRENDnet’s success. The TRENDnet brand is consistently recognized for exceptional quality, superior performance, and responsive support. TRENDnet's vision is to build innovative, easy to use, and reliable Networks People Trust™. TRENDnet solutions network the countless devices which enable your connected lifestyle and workplace. Building award winning networking solutions since 1990, TRENDnet connects you with what you value most.
Up to roughly a year ago 1080p Full HD (2MP) was pretty much as high as one could go in getting an very good IP camera without breaking the bank since the much better multi-camera (5MP+) models carried (and still do) very hefty price tags. Today and solely judging by all the latest models to get introduced in the market by most if not all of the leading players it seems that 1536p (3MP) has taken its place and since the extra pixels can always be used for wider viewing angles (and more detailed images) you will not hear us complain about it. So the 3 Megapixel 1/3" progressive scan CMOS sensor of the IP66 certified TV-IP310PI can record video at a maximum resolution of 2048x1536 pixels with up to 15fps (1920x1080@30fps) and WDR while the lens TRENDnet has used feature an wide horizontal angle of 70 degrees and are accompanied by several IR LEDs capable of up to 30 meters illumination in the dark. Image quality however is perhaps what we look most when we test such devices so let's move forward and see what TRENDnet offers with their latest bullet camera.
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
The TV-IP310PI arrived in a very small box which had me worried since i've kinda used to medium and large bullet cameras. A product picture and the main product features are the two things that take up the front of the box.
Moving on the left side we see two images and two drawings used to showcase the three step installation of the camera and the 24/7 technical support by TRENDnet.
On the right side we see the features and package contents lists.
The main features of the TV-IP310PI are also listed at the rear in 6 languages.
Packaging is quite good with the camera placed between 6 pieces of Styrofoam.
The bundle contains the TV-IP310PI IP bullet camera, drill template paper, quick installation guide, warranty information, software CD and all the necessary mounting hardware.
THE TV-IP310PI
The housing of the TV-IP310PI may be quite small (138mm in length, 77mm in height and 60mm in width) and it may also be very light (just 375g) but it's tamper proof and IP66 certified (weatherproof).
TRENDnet has placed their name on both sides of the camera.
Thanks to the 30 IR LEDs placed around the lens the TV-IP310PI can record clearly up to 30 meters (100ft) at night (according to TRENDnet that is).
At the rear of the camera we find the reset button, a screw with which you can secure a ground wire and the 3 Philips screws that hold the two pieces of the enclosure together.
You can find the serial number, barcode and hardware version on a sticker placed on the belly of the camera.
Moving to the end of the TV-IP310PI we find just the Ethernet port and a DC in port (since this is a PoE compatible model you can just use the Ethernet port with a compatible switch).
Although i don't suggest opening the enclosure since later on it may not be as "weatherproof" still we did to check out the components used. So the two most important components under the hood of the TV-IP310PI are the Ambarella A5s SoC and a 256MB DDR3 SDRAM module by Samsung.
SETUP
As always prior to using the device we strongly recommend heading over to the official TRENDnet support page to download the latest setup utility and firmware version.
The setup utility automatically detects any TRENDnet cameras connected to your local network and brings them up as seen above.
Here you have the option to either let the camera get an IP on its own via DHCP or to assign a specific IP to it (static).
Last step in the setup utility is to change the login password.
WEB INTERFACE PART 1
The first message you will see when you try to access the web interface of the TV-IP310PI informs you that you need to install a plugin.
Strangely enough we were asked to change the login password again (software bug?).
The right side of the main tab gives you a live feed while on the left you can access the playback recording files, the logs and the system information.
Via the system tab under the advanced settings area you can change the camera name (on the network), setup the time, adjust the live view parameters and the recording settings, reboot/reset and perform firmware updates on the device and export all available settings to a file for easier save.
The network tab allows the end user to adjust the network settings, enable/disable the use of a DDNS server and access various authentication settings (802.1x/SNMP).
WEB INTERFACE PART 2
Perhaps the one tab most people will visit for certain is the video tab and through here you can setup the video feed (format, resolution, bitrate and frame rate), the various picture settings (brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, sharpness, D-WDR), adjust the OSD, add a text overlay and setup video recording.
The events tab includes the motion detection, motion tracking and tamper proof options but from here you can also configure the camera to take snapshots and email you on certain events.
From within the storage tab you can choose where you want the camera to store its snapshots and although there isn't a microSD card slot available still you can choose to store them on a device on the network or via FTP.
TRENDNET VIEW PRO
TRENDnet also bundles their TRENDnetVIEW Pro software which allows you to control up to 32 IP cameras. Of course the setup procedure is very easy since the device searches for any available TRENDnet cameras on the local network (although you may need to access the video settings of the camera from within the product).
VIDEO QUALITY
For this test we took day and night snapshots at both 2048x1536p (top) and 1920x1080p (bottom) to showcase the difference in quality and area coverage (strangely enough 1920x1080 covers more horizontal area).
We did the same at night mostly to showcase the IR LED coverage.
CONCLUSION
The TV-IP310PI is not even close to being the perfect IP camera since the Ambarella A5s SoC doesn't produce the best possible image quality, certainly not what we'd expect from a 3 Megapixel model. Don't get us wrong, image/video quality is very good (sharp and smooth) especially for such a "tiny" IP camera, just not on par with some other and far more expensive 3MP IP cameras in the market. Ontop of that the TV-IP310PI lacks audio input/output like the more "advanced" models do and although Compro has followed the same path still it's a very important feature we feel that every IP camera in the market should offer. Also TRENDnet claims that the IR LEDs allow the camera to record up to 30m at night and as you can see from our pictures that seems to be correct (i do feel however that it's closer to 25m) although we've seen stronger illumination in the past. What surprised us the most however is the plethora of available features and settings offered by the web interface since i doubt anyone will ever get to use them all. Still it's always good to have more and in the case of the TV-IP310PI we really couldn't had asked for more.
The somewhat sudden increase in popularity of IP cameras has allowed manufacturers to create affordable high performance models and the TV-IP310PI with its current price tag of USD169.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 180Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) is a bright example. True it's obviously not fit for the job if you're after a vandal-proof IP camera or one with many inputs/outputs for audio, video and alarms but for "regular/simple" use we all feel that it offers a great price/performance ratio with a wealth of available settings and features and that's why it gets our Golden Award.
PROS
- 3MP CMOS Sensor
- Supports up to 2048x1536p @15fps
- IP66 Weatherproof Housing
- 30m Effective Night Vision
- Easy Installation
- Web Interface
- TRENDnetVIEW Pro Software
- Size
- Price (For Some)
CONS
- 15fps (30fps Is Ideal)
- Available Connectors (No Alarm, Video and Audio In/Out)