Panasonic Wireless 802.11 b/g Network Camera and Pet Cam (BL-C30A) | 
| Brand: Panasonic
List Price: $299.00
Buy New: $199.00
You Save: $100.00 (33%)
New (7) Used (2) Refurbished (1) from $199.00
Rating:  82 reviews
Sales Rank: 2561
Color: Gray
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Native Resolution: 32x240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 8.5 x 4
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: BL-C30A
Model: BL-C30A
UPC: 037988809721
EAN: 0037988809721
ASIN: B0002GS4ZA
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Record to a Web Site or Hard Drive | | • | 802.11b Wireless Technology | | • | Receive Email from the Camera | | • | Compact design with hideable lens, for added comfort and privacy | | • | Automatically upload images to an FTP server or Web page -- images can be viewed by 30 users at once |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Place the Panasonic BL-C30A Wireless Network Camera on a WLAN in your home or office and view it from a remote location--anywhere. Just go to your permanent assigned site! These cameras can be viewed and controlled from a standard Web browser, video display, or even a compatible cell phone or PDA. Place them in your home, office, vacation home or almost anywhere else that you'd like to keep an eye on things, with no PC required on location! They are easy to install and operate and require no additional software for the PC that you're viewing them on. Each camera also comes with a free Web address, which can track the camera automatically. All you need is a regular Web browser to view them on your PC, as all of the other required software, including control software (TCP/UDP) and e-mail software (SMTP), is already inside the camera. This camera can communicate wirelessly with standard 802.11b or 802.11g wireless devices, allowing the flexibility to install and operate the camera without running network wires, and utilizing SSID filtering and powerful 40/64/128 bit WEP encryption helps to protect your wireless network from illegal intrusion. Just plug-n-play with auto configuration. Once connected, using a simple Web browser, just enter in your free, permanent Web address which comes with the camera and you can see and move the camera! It's that simple. With the built-in heat sensor, the camera can be set to record and/or notify you by email when someone enters the room. It can even automatically move to a preset location when triggered, just in case someone was viewing a different part of the room. With the built in Privacy mode, your privacy is protected by simply pressing a button. An indicator on the front of the camera turns red, and you know at a glance that the camera is now only accessible by you2. The camera can also be set up to show a green light when the camera is being accessed.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 77 more reviews...
Good, but not good enough for surveillance January 10, 2005
DS (Owings Mills, MD)
202 out of 205 found this review helpful
Let me begin by offering my overall experience with this camera. I had no difficulty at all setting it up for either wired or wireless operation. The included software worked flawlessly allowing me to easily operate the pan and tilt operations, and allowing me to record sessions.
For my purposes, my intention was to supplement a surveillance system I currently have in operation using two high resolution Toshiba network cameras. I was hoping to be able to get half-decent quality from a camera costing about 1/2 of the cost of the Toshibas. Unfortunately, that's what I got...about half the image quality.
In general 640x480 does not provide sufficient resolution for surveillance as you cannot make out features in any detail. For example, you may be able to see someone entering your home, but you'll never be able to identify that person. Overall clarity was ok, better than, for example, another Linksys camera that I tried, but still I was unable to identify facial features in a person standing just 10 feet from the camera (using all of the highest image quality modes). Comparing this to my Toshiba cameras operating at just 800x600 is like comparing night to day, as the Toshiba is able to distinguish relatively fine detail.
All in all, for the price, it does what it advertises, and is better than other lower cost cameras that I've also tried (like the Linksys). However, I've found no camera in this price range to be able to work as a true surveillance camera. (I suggest the Toshiba IK-WB11A as the entry point of true surveillance network cameras.)
Excellent camera, but can be hard to setup and requires IE November 27, 2004
Giancarlo Cairella (Seattle, WA USA)
158 out of 158 found this review helpful
The Panasonic BL-C30A is a wireless camera with embedded web server. It can be connected to your home network through an ethernet cable or wirelessly (the initial setup has to be performed through the ethernet connection). Once you've properly configured it for wireless mode, you don't need a computer: just plug the power adapter into an outlet and place the camera wherever you want (within the range of your wireless network).
Anyone can connect and view/control the camera remotely. If you have a broadband connection and know how to configure your router to open a port and assign it to the camera's IP address, you can see your webcam from anywhere in the world. Very handy to keep an eye on your office or empty apartment while you're away.
The embedded web server supports access restrictions through passwords of course; and users can pan/tilt the camera lens -- the only drawback is that Internet Explorer is required to use the camera (the display and controls are handled through an ActiveX control, which basically means that only Windows PCs with IE will be able to use access it).
Image quality is pretty good: you have a choice of straming video at 320x240 or 640x480 (at a reduced frame rate) and you can control brightness and video quality from remote. Users can also take 'snapshots' (i.e. save individual images).
I have another wireless webcam (a Linksys WVC11B) and the Panasonic's image quality and features are definitely superior (on the other hand the Linksys is also $100 cheaper).
The camera also offers additional advanced features like heat detection (which can turn the camera on automatically and send an email alert if someone, or something, warm gets within the sensor's range) and scripting. I've never used this, but I suppose it can be useful if you plan to set up the camera as part of a rudimentary security/surveillance system. Some cameras offer motion detection, but it can be triggered by changes in light -- heat detection seems to make more sense.
Main caveat: configuration can be tough, especially if you're a newbie. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable and it still took me a while to get it work with my wireless network until I figured out that I had to set the WEP encryption mode to 'open key' on my wireless access point (shared key mode is not supported, though this fact is buried in the documentation).
Overall, I recommend the BL-C30A but I wish Panasonic provided a way for non-IE users to access the camera (and the configuration software could also be vastly improved).
 Works fine on a Mac February 26, 2005
Jefferson Harkins (FL, VI, NS)
61 out of 63 found this review helpful
Panasonic doesn't support it, but this camera, and all Panasonic Netcams, work fine with a Mac. Later versions of Safari, Netscape and Firefox allow you to view full motion video. No add-ons or active-x or other such nonsense is needed with. The video just works.
As for setup, you will have to set this (and other Panasonic Netcams) up with a broswer, not with the automatic setup CD that works with windows. It's not difficult. Configure your Mac to use the built in Ethernet connection only, configured manually to IP address 192.168.0.5, subnet 255.255.255.0. Connect an ethernet cable between your Mac and the Camera (with a modern Mac any cable will do, with older ones you'll need a crossover cable.) Then access the camera at the address specified deep in the documentation (for this camera it's 192.168.0.253). The first time in you'll be asked to select a username and password. Do that and then you'll have full access to the setup utilities where you can change IP addrerss, DCHP, and other parameters. You can also setup the excellent free viewnetcam.com service and give your camera a real internet name. This is my third Panasonic Netcam, and I've been very pleased with them all.
Nice camera for the price. Works great on a Mac September 24, 2006
JC
37 out of 38 found this review helpful
I compared the feature sets of a number of cameras and only the Panasonic had the wireless + pan/tilt for under $300. Video quality is good with decent lighting, but expect to see "Christmas light" pixels in poor lighting. As some of the other reviewers have said, don't be fooled by the documentation that states "Windows Required". It will work fine on your Mac OS X. Here are step-by-step instructions for setting it up using a Mac (don't worry, the steps go by quickly!):
1) Plug-in camera to AC and hold down the "reset" pin with a pen. My computer would not recognize the camera until I physically reset it.
2) Make sure camera switch is set to "wired".
3) Connect the camera via Ethernet cable to you Mac.
4) Temporarily give your Mac the manual IP address 192.168.0.5 and subnet 255.255.255.0 in the Network Prefs.
5) Connect to the camera using Safari at address 192.168.0.253 - you should be able to see the settings page now.
6) Click through the setup but say "No" when it asks if you want to "go on the internet". This will make it try to find your router (which is not on the network) so don't do it.
7) Enter 192.168.0.253 in Safari once again and it should take you to the Network Camera page. You should have access to the camera controls after you click the "Single" tab at the top of the page. But we're not done yet.
8) Click the Setup tab on right side of the tabbed toobar.
9) Click Static IP to load the static ip address page for the camera
10) Uncheck the "Enable" checkbox at the top. This is for Windows setup.
11) Enter an IP address in your wireless network. My network is 192.168.2.x so I gave my camera 192.168.2.253.
12) Enter your router's address in the Default Gateway field. Example: 192.168.2.1. If you don't do this, your camera will not be accessible from outside your wireless network!
13) Click the Wireless tab on the left navigation bar of the camera page.
14) For SSID enter the exact name of your network. This is the name you gave your wireless router when you set it up. It appears under the Airport signal strength menu with a checkbox next to it.
15) If you have security (and you should!), enter you WEP Key. Be sure to make the right selection for your wep key (ASCII, HEX, etc).
16) Click Save.
17) Edit other settings such as Date and Time
18) Disconnect the ethernet cable from the camera.
19) Flip the camera switch from Wired to Wireless
20) Unplug the camera power, replug camera power (to restart it)
21) The camera should now go through it's blinking light procedure and if all is well you'll get a solid green light.
22) Go to your Network Prefs and set your computer back to using your wireless router.
23) You should now be able to access your camera at the address 192.168.2.253 wirelessly now.
24) Your router blocks traffic from the internet to your camera so you cannot view the camera from outside your network. To access your camera from the internet you'll neet to open a port on your router that maps to your camera. This can be done by setting up a "Virtual Server" (aka port forwarding) on the router. See your router's instructions for mapping a virtual server to your camera's IP and port.
Happy viewing...
Very good, but such a pity has no audio features!!! :( October 7, 2005
Wong K. Li (HK)
28 out of 32 found this review helpful
Firstly, let me state that I do not own this product, but as of only a few hours ago, I almost bought it.
The reason I am writing this review is because over the past few days I have been doing a lot of research, and learnt many things which I felt I should share with others.
My focus originally centered upon the Sony SNC M3W, this Pananosic model, the Linksys, and the Dlink. Very soon, for reasons I won't mention, it became clear that the choice was between the Sony and the Panasonic.
I really liked the Sony, as it had virtually all the features I wanted, the main purpose of which was to allow me to monitor my baby who is about to be born. The features important to me are that it should be wireless, and allow me to hear my baby (ie., has built in mic). Of course, the picture quality is important too.
In terms of these features, that is where the Sony shines and the Panasonic falls. Sony not only has a built-in mic, but also lets you hook up speakers, so that not only can I hear my baby, I can TALK to her.
The Panasonic, unfortunately, can do neither. This was a big disappointment for me, because I think apart from that, the Panasonic picture quality is better (I was comparing in the shop).
The key advantage of the Panasonic over the Sony, which is where Sony falls, is that Sony's wireless standard only supports 801.11b, and does not support 801.11g. If your wireless router is 'b', then it makes no difference to you. However, 'b' routers are increasingly out of date as 'g' is much faster, and if you have a 'g' router like me, then even though you can still use the Sony, your entire wireless network will have to run on the slower 'b' standard because of the Sony. I was unwilling to make that compromise, so I very reluctantly had to dismiss the Sony too.
btw, another difference between the Sony and Panasonic is that the Panasonic does not have motion detect (a feature I'd like to have for surveillance purposes). instead, it relies on 'heat sensing' to determine whether there's a person present. I dunno, but that didn't appeal to me.
So which camera had everything I wanted? It was actually ANOTHER Panasonic outdoor surveillance camera. That was a beautiful and wonderful product, which I don't think they sell here on amazon. The problem was, it cost almost twice as much as this Panasonic. That model series begins with a C. I couldn't fault it in any way, except for the price. It also uses a ccd lens which is much better tha the CMOS lens that both this Panasonic and the Sony uses, giving superior picture quality. Well, that's why the cost is much higher, and also cos it's designed so that you can even use it OUTDOOR.
So which camera did I end up with? A very little known brand called Planex. (www.planex.net). It was priced at the same range as the Sony and thsi Panasonic, ran on wireless 'g', uses a ccd lens, had a built-in mic, could pan-tilt at a much larger angle, but the only drawback (very sad) was that it wouldn't let me hook speakers up to it - ie., I won't be able to talk to my baby... Pity they don't sell the product here.
To close, I'd like to come back to this Panasonic model. The downside (to me very big) is that it has no audio features (can't listen, and can't talk through it), and has no motion detect (only heat detect). The best thing about it is that it runs on wireless 'g', has great picture quality, and one more thing - if you have multiple Panasonic cameras, the interface is great for hooking them all up, and that's even if you have different Panasonic models. Even though this model had no audio features, I still debated getting it, so that in case in the future I splurge out money to get the C series Panasonic one I mentioned above, I could still hook them all up together seamlessly. And Panasonic is probably the strongest brand for surveillance cameras because they have been in this field for a long time. So, if you dont' care about the audio features, or motion detect, then this would make the perfect camera at this price point.
Anyway, hope my research helps you to make your decision.
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