Vortez Editor David provides a great in-depth look at our camera and we were ecstatic to hear his thoughts on our outdoor HD camera, the Y-cam Bullet HD 1080.

Vortez Review

David starts, “The Bullet HD 1080 is under our observation today and is Y-cam’s premium choice in their outdoor range. It boasts full HD capabilities, as well as up to 30fps, Wi-Fi support and impressive Infrared night vision support,” continuing, “The camera is capable of recording up to 1920×1080 at 30fps, which is the perfect balance between quality and movement.”

“Compared to your standard IP camera, the Bullet HD 1080 has a plethora of settings which can be tweaked at your leisure.” David also seemed impressed by the camera’s impressive night vision, commenting, “The Bullet HD 1080 has impressive Infrared results. Recording in pitch dark surroundings presents no difficulties with seeing objects in the view of the lens. Y-Cam have given the LEDs a 15m distance capability which is more than sufficient for small home-office environments.”

To express this, David also included a video highlighting the camera’s image quality:

Conclusion

After fully testing all our camera had to offer, his conclusion was as follows:

“The Bullet HD 1080 is the first high-end IP camera we have had the pleasure of taking a look at and we are certainly impressed by what Y-Cam have brought to the table.”

“Being able to record at 1920×1080 and 30fps means that footage is crystal clear and fluid. This doesn’t just stand for daylight recording either, Y-Cam have equipped this camera with 32 Infrared LEDs which give excellent night vision capabilities and up to 15m of viewing.”

“Bullet HD 1080 is designed to operate outdoors and as a result has exceptional build quality. It has a protective visor to shield from the elements and is constructed of durable steel to give it a robust shell.”

“The Bullet HD 1080 is a sturdy outdoor IP camera that boasts full HD capabilities. It comes with an extensive software interface and we found its feature-set and performance to be top-class. We have no qualms in handing this camera our much coveted Gold award.”

To read Vortwz review of our Bullet HD 1080 visit their site at: www.vortez.net.

ASUSTOR NAS provides users with efficient and stable network storage that comes equipped with cross-platform file sharing, multi-tasking capabilities and their unique Surveillance Centre application, making it an optimal platform to build a surveillance system on.

ASUSTOR Surveillance Centre features a web-based interface that allows users to easily monitor cameras, execute real-time recordings, schedule recordings, playback video plus it is currently the only NAS on the market that syncs with Dropbox.

Here’s what ASUSTOR have to say on the partnership:

“We are very happy to announce this integration with Y-cam Solutions. ASUSTOR has taken advantage of its expertise in storage and surveillance management to continually expand its support for a growing number of IP camera models and brands, “ said James Su, Product Manager at ASUSTOR. “The ease of use and all around quality of Y-cam cameras have been widely espoused by the European media. This integration will also include the new night vision Y-cam Cube range of cameras as well as their waterproof models, which gives users greater options for 24/7 surveillance both indoor and outdoor.”

This collaboration offers further enhancement to our customers’ experience by combining ASUSTOR storage expertise and smooth surveillance software with our professional quality IP cameras, creating a perfect solution for protecting homes and businesses.

For more information on this integration continue reading ‘Y-cam Solutions announces integration with ASUSTOR’ or visit their website http://www.asustor.com/.

To see the list of compatible Y-cam IP cameras visit: http://www.asustor.com/service/ipcam?id=ipcam&brand_id=20

We released our Y-cam Cube range cameras early this year and over the past few months we’ve received some great feedback; both confirming the quality of our new cameras plus identifying a few niggling first release bugs. This fantastic feedback, from our reseller community and customers alike, has enabled us to update this range’s firmware, confirming the Cube as our best internal camera to date.

Features added

• New user interface offering streamlined initial set-up and on-going use.
• General bug fixes and stability improvements

All Cube cameras shipping now will already be operating with this firmware version, however we strongly advise all customers that have previously purchased any of our Y-cam Cube range cameras to upgrade to this latest firmware.

This firmware is only compatible with Y-cam Cube cameras; Y-cam Cube (YCW005/YCB005), Y-cam Cube HD 720 (YCWHD5/YCBHD5) and Y-cam Cube HD 1080 (YCWHD6/YCBHD6). Please do not attempt to upgrade any other Y-cam IP cameras with this firmware. If using a different Y-cam camera range please ensure your Y-cam IP camera is operating with the latest firmware by visiting our download page, www.y-cam.com/product-downloads.

Download now

Locate the model of your Cube camera below and follow the link to download your compatible firmware today. If you have any problems or concerns when upgrading please do not hesitate to contact us.

Y-cam Cube (White)
Y-cam Cube (Black)
Y-cam Cube HD 720 (White)
Y-cam Cube HD 720 (Black)
Y-cam Cube HD 1080 (White)
Y-cam Cube HD 1080 (Black)

For more information on our Cube cameras continue reading “Secure your home in HD with the small & sleek Y-cam Cube”

We know a lot of you would like to see the proof in the pudding so to support the launch our lovely friends over at UseIP have created two fantastic demo footage videos that really show the image power of these cameras.

Watch the HD demo footage videos below:

Y-cam Cube HD 720 demo footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgjl5C4Fgd4

Y-cam Cube HD 1080 demo footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsK3k1ZMik8

If you are interested in learning more about our latest HD IP camera range continue reading “Secure your home in HD with the small & sleek Y-cam Cube” or visit our dedicated product page www.y-cam.com/product-range/#cube.

There are so many options to make your home more connected, more efficient and safer – some more complicated than others, but if you are interested in the area and the growing possibilities, this is the place to start.

Looking at every avenue from setting up a secure and shareable Wi-Fi network at home, all the way to configuring your NAS to store and share, even recommending our good friends Synology.

One aspect we loved was PC Advisor’s “Sync your stuff” approach, meaning you can connect anything that is compatible with your home Wi-Fi network. Doing so will give you fantastic access to things like remote control over your entertainment systems – it is becoming increasingly normal for home entertainment systems to have Wi-Fi connection capabilities and apps to control them with. You can listen to music, stream video and play online games and increase home security.

However, what is good about this if you don’t have the best products to take advantage of your new found connectivity? Lucky you then as PC Advisor have listed their favourite products to help take advantage of your connected home.

1. Making music – Make sure you are up-to-date with the latest internet radio; check out Pure who’ll offer you the latest tech, 1000’s of stations and a stylish piece to place in the pad, or if you want to pick your own music make sure you check out Sonos. You can listen through their wireless speakers and control it all through apps.
2. Gaming and beyond – It’s all about the XBOX 360, the Wi-Fi connection lets you participate in multiplayer games.
3. Media streaming – If you want to see your content on the big screen, look no further than the Roku 2XS.
4. Monitor your home – PC Advisor lists none other than our own Wi-Fi cameras as their choice for easy home monitoring. To see their recommendations, check out our ultra-compatible Y-cam IP camera ranges or our latest easy cloud-based HomeMonitor cameras.
5. All round control – Don’t forget your tablet so you can remotely control your TV and other devices.

This is only the start of the possibilities to enhance your home and make the most of your Wi-Fi. For more ideas on how to create a connected home read PC Advisor’s May edition.

More information

Y-cam IP cameras – www.y-cam.com
HomeMonitor – www.homemonitor.me

Image from PC Advisor. Page 82, May 2013

Requirements

Dan explains “We ordered a variety of IP Cameras from different manufacturers to evaluate their capabilities. It was important that we be able to run the cameras via POE so that we didn’t need to hire an electrician to install them. We also needed quality night-vision capabilities and a zone-based motion detection system that doesn’t require a PhD in computer science to configure.

One of the key requirements for us was the possibility of developing our own iPad application to manage the cameras, including scheduling motion detection, reviewing archived footage and manually activating static recording modes. From the very beginning it was easy to see that the Y-cam kit excelled its competitors in almost every respect.”

Solution

Pen Warehouse’s initial order, after testing, was for around 40 internal cameras and a dozen external cameras. They were able to use the backup/restore settings features to populate camera settings to every device and thanks to the web-based camera management, it was easy to get their personally developed iPad app to talk to the cameras.

Outcome

After months of use we couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome for Dan and his team;

“Six months down the line, we’ve had very few problems with the cameras. Y-cam is one of the only I.T. companies I know of where calling the tech support line directly connects you to someone who’s actually technical. These guys were able to help us trouble-shoot our setup and get everything running smoothly in a concise and knowledgeable manor. Our managers are over the moon and general productivity has increased throughout the whole company. We’re now ordering a second batch of Y-cam cameras to install in our new building and that’s the best testament to my faith in these cameras that I can give!”

For further information on Y-cam IP cameras see our full product range, or to understand how Y-cam can support your business visit ‘How Y-cam helps’ for more details.

The full customer testimonial can be downloaded from : www.y-cam.com/docs/case-studies/Y-cam_Testimonial_Dans_Story.pdf

Throughout the whole series, presenter Dom Littlewood and his team of experts are looking at clever new methods the police and public are using to catch criminals and protect their homes, belongings and businesses. As you can imagine this is high up on our weekly watch list, so you can guess our surprise when none other than our very own Y-cam home security cameras pop onto the screen.

During last week’s episode, aired Thursday 14^th March 11am, Mr Wallis and his partner are filmed talking about the measures they took to securing there home, plus their equipment of choice; we we’re thrilled to see our Y-cam IP cameras were featured.

You can watch a clip of Y-cam on the big screen below, or if you want to catch up on the full series (which we would recommend) head on over to BBC iPlayer for all previous episodes thus far.

Y-cam featured on BBC1’s ‘Caught red handed’:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dF-6GnLW6Q

More information on Mr Wallis’ instaltion continue reading ‘Capturing criminals in the act‘.

The exclusive distribution agreement between Y-cam and Gem strengthens Gem’s offering in the camera and monitoring sector, giving customers an ideal solution without the hefty price tag, plus offers Y-cam the opportunity to support more customers, and their needs, though new retail channels.

Anthony Haworth, Gem’s Purchasing Director, is pleased that the contract has now been confirmed and comments;

“Video, streaming and being connected is an exciting and rapidly evolving market, something that we want to be a part of. We’ve chosen HomeMonitor as a very strong solution with a great deal of potential. They’re a British company. They’re the first to provide cloud video without a subscription fee, which we think will be very attractive to consumers. They’re very strong on the technology side from their background in video, and their solution is the first ‘bandwidth-friendly’ out there. We believe it’s going to be a game changer.”

However this union isn’t all one sided and we hear at Y-cam are thrilled to welcome Gem to our team.

“With HomeMonitor, we are launching a new solution that is accessible to any home and to anyone” comments Simon Carr, Commercial Director at Y-cam. “Its simplicity and the user experience means you don’t have to be a computer-whizz to use it – it just works, so you can protect and stay connected to your home, your loved ones, your valuables and everything in life that’s important to you.” Simon continues, “To help us make this widely available and tell everyone about it, Gem were a natural choice because of their experience, skills and previous success in working with retail partners and exciting new consumer products”

If you are interested in HomeMonitor for your home or business please continue reading http://www.y-cam.com/introducing-y-cam-homemonitor/ or if you would like to come onboard please visit our Gem store at store.gem.co.uk/y-cam or call your Gem account manager on 01279 822822.

To read the full press release please visit http://www.gem.co.uk/presscentre/view/860.

Top security camera trends for 2013

HD Security Cameras

HD is always increasing in popularity and with advancements in Wi-Fi and compression technology, this requirement is now not unachievable for home users. IMS Research predicted that last year HD models would out sell VGA and we ensured our offering met these demands with the release of our Cube HD models, available in 720p and 1080p (released Spring 2013). Both realistically offer HD security to all with advanced Wi-Fi technology and H.264 compression, making them suitable from home installations.

Mobile Video Streaming

Year on year smartphone and tablet sales increase, therefore it is not surprising that video mobile streaming is a key requirement. Ether directly from a web browser or through dedicated applications, for most it is necessary to access their world on the go, no matter where they may be.

Keep it Simple

The technology market in general is crowded, so if home monitoring and security cameras want a place, IMS Research predict that they need to ‘keep it simple’. With focus on products that are easy to install, easy to operate and easy to maintain; a motto Y-cam understands. We have always strived to keep our solutions as simple as possible and, with the release of HomeMonitor, simple set-up and remote access are now achievable for all.

On-board Camera & Online Cloud Storage

IMS research predicts that storage options will be the next step most security providers will take over the coming year due to the increase in customer demand of this new technology. Cloud and online storage is going to be a big trend over the next few years, while others companies will look to provide advanced on-camera recording.

Getting ahead of the curve, the majority of Y-cam professional IP cameras already offer on-camera recording and our latest range, the Cube, saw a huge leap in technology advancements and now supports up to 64GB of data recording, translating to 90hours of HD recording, plus is compatible with a huge variety of 3rd party cloud storage providers.

In addition to this, HomeMonitor offers users 7 days free online storage with every camera. The dedicated camera and account not only provide 24/7 security, alerts and free instant mobile streaming but also no-subscription online recording for 7 days, rolling.

For more information on IMS Research and their 2013 predictions for the security market, visit www.imsresearch.com.

To find out about HomeMonitor visit www.homemonitor.me or Y-cam professional cameras click through to our product range at www.y-cam.com/product-range.

Our tiny and unobtrusive camera was launched into the market with great success and has received a lot of interest thanks to its professional features and quality design. To read more about the extensive features of our Cube, visit: “Secure your home in HD with the small and sleek Y-cam Cube”.

For a great insight into the camera, we have a short un-boxing video using the Y-cam Cube HD 720 thanks to our friends over at UseIP. Now you can see exactly what our latest indoor HD security camera looks like, it’s new packaging and what is included in the box.

Watch the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptw7JViJExc

For more information on the Y-cam Cube HD 720 or the other Y-cam Cube IP cameras, please visit www.y-cam.com/product-page#cube.