Mobotix upgrades camera system

Mobotix AG has improved on an already good thing — its IP Digital Network Camera System.

Mobotix surveillance cameras are low-cost closed-circuit TV network cameras that require no external power source and no extra software aside from a Web browser.

The outdoor cameras are advertised as weatherproof with an IP 65 rating, meaning dust or water can't penetrate or damage them. They can operate in temperatures from minus 22 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

One of the camera system's strong points is that, when networked, it doesn't eat up bandwidth because image processing and video management take place inside the camera. It uses the network only when externally storing a predetermined image or sequence. It can even bridge network failures thanks to its buffering system.

The new model, the M10-Day/Night, features a megapixel sensor with 1,280 x 960 resolution, a frame rate of up to 25 frames per second and a light sensitivity 10 times higher than previous models. Users can also customize the image size.

The M10 can store more images than the M1 thanks to its larger 128M memory. Another new feature is the digital pan, tilt and zoom. A built-in logo generator can serve as a watermark for images.

The M10-Day/Night is equipped with two image sensors and two lenses. Depending on the illumination, the camera uses either the color image sensor with the daylight lens or the black-and-white image sensor with the infrared lens.

The camera can be configured externally with any Microsoft Corp. Windows, Linux or Apple Computer Inc. Macintosh operating system.

For more information about the M10, visit www.mobotix.com.