Anyone tried the Loftek CXS-2200?

[OUAnthony]

This is a link to the camera I'm talking about: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WHZGH4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&m=A7XHMWMCZ9EID

If you use it, could you please answer the following questions:

1) Is there a way to disable the infrared lights (not the status light)?

2) Do the darks look blue only when the infrared lights are on?

3) Is the camera's built-in microphone supported by iCam? In other words, can you add the mic as a sound source in icamsource?

4) Will the new version of icamsource/iCam control the PTZ feature on this camera?

5) How do you like the camera (general quality/feel, image quality, etc)?

Thank you!

[OUAnthony]

Loftek customer service answered question 1...no way to disable IR lights. Gotta tape over 'em. Bummer. Still interested in this camera though.

[OUAnthony]

Are you using the Loftek CXS-2200 with iCam? If so, can you answer questions 2 through 5 above, especially 3 and 4?

[OUAnthony]

Loftek customer service won't know the answer to this question unless they are willing to download icamsource and purchase iCam in order to test it. And I know it has a microphone...but my question is similar to the PTZ one...will it work with iCam? I thought maybe you had the camera and have tested it, but it sounds like you are only interested in it, like me.

[OUAnthony]

iCam can control the pan/tilt features? I already knew the camera has those features...I need to know if I can control it with iCam, which only supports a few cameras as far as the PTZ feature goes. Thanks.

[OUAnthony]

For anyone considering the Loftek CXS-2200, I'm happy to report that, with the help of Bill at computassist.com, I can finally answer my own questions (most of them):

1) Is there a way to disable the infrared lights (not the status light)?

Per Loftek customer service, no. Bill, who owns a CXS-2200, opened the camera and unplugged the infrared LED's..."perfect" solution if you're aiming the camera out of a window. If you get one of these, write Loftek customer service and request a firmware update so the LED's can be disabled with an added option in the camera's website.

2) Do the darks look blue only when the infrared lights are on?

The darks looked dark to me...but the infrared lights were disabled...so I can't answer this for sure.

3) Is the camera's built-in microphone supported by iCam? In other words, can you add the mic as a sound source in icamsource?

When you use http://x.x.x.x/video.cgi (where x.x.x.x = IP address of camera) as the source URL in icamsource for the CXS-2200, sound IS supported automatically...nothing special has to be done concerning the sound source. Easy! For audio to work, though, you need to read the answer to the next question (concerning which version of icamsource to use).

4) Will the new version of icamsource/iCam control the PTZ feature on this camera?

As of 4/7/12, you need to use the latest beta version of icamsource, 2.4.5 (found here: http://skjm.com/forum/index.php?topic=3932.0). Pan/tilt IS supported if you use the camera URL source mentioned in the answer to question 3 above. This camera does NOT have a zoom feature, so zoom will obviously not work.

5) How do you like the camera (general quality/feel, image quality, etc)?

I got to "test-drive" the camera (from about 1,000 miles away) and I was impressed. According to several reviews I've read, the image quality is actually better than the more expensive Foscam FI8918W, which is otherwise virtually identical to the Loftek CXS-2200. I have not personally seen live feeds from many IP cameras, but I use several D-Link DCS-920's...and I'd say the image quality of the CXS-2200 is better than those, which aren't bad themselves (once properly focused). Bill mentioned that despite many cheaper IP cameras needing to be rebooted often, he has NOT experienced this problem with the CXS-2200.

So there you have it...the Loftek CXS-2200 is compatible with iCam if you use the latest beta version, including pan/tilt AND audio...image quality is likely better than the Foscam...and it's $20-30 cheaper than the Foscam. It's stable according to at least one user, with frequent reboots not needed. Still need the option to disable the IR lights via the camera's webpage...so that's a pain. Otherwise, I was impressed by the camera! Thanks Bill!