The camera is quite minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing visually, especially considering the full featured capabilities of the unit. The only part that feels out of place is the usb port that is meant to hold the 802.11N adapter. It extends out and does a 90 degree turn upwards. My presumption is that this is to improve wireless reception and to decrease the footprint of the device when the adapter is being used. However I can't help but think that just having a normal usb port built into the casing might have been a better choice, externally there seems to be plenty of real estate on the backplate that would allow for this.  

The Compro IP540 utilizes a 1/3" CMOS Megapixel sensor. The fixed iris lens has a focal length of 4.0 mm. The motor on this camera had a very smooth tone, which, judging from the noise alone gave the impression of being higher quality than other PTZ cameras I have used. Think photo scanner motor vs grinding gears of a robotic toy or remote control car. This camera also has IO connections which provide support for extended security options that would come in handy for professional use. 

Software Setup Software Usage
Comments Locked

36 Comments

View All Comments

  • fausto412 - Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - link

    Can we get a round up so we know what else the competition offers. i can't compare and see what i get at different price levels without a roundup.
  • ganeshts - Tuesday, October 12, 2010 - link

    I understand :) This is only our 2nd IP camera review. Look for a roundup towards the later part of the year.

    Right now, there are two options which we have used and tested :

    1. Dropcam Echo : Perfect for the AnandTech readers' parents and those who don't want to read up manuals and documentation. Cost : $279 ; has cloud based support, easy sharing with friends by email address with sharing settings as private or public for a given time duration (all the stuff that comes in with cloud based services)

    2. Compro IP540 : Perfect for the tech users who don't want to trust their security to the cloud. More business oriented compared to the Dropcam. Cost : $200
  • Zoomer - Friday, October 15, 2010 - link

    Congrats compro for this major coup. :) However, activex support seems a little...quaint these days.

    Cameron Butterfield, what about reviewing these DVR-like systems that uses analog cameras? They seem to provide a ton of channels, record to hdd, etc, for a very affordable price. Like $300 for a 4 way system with recording capability.
  • gifpaste - Thursday, October 21, 2010 - link

    Awesome! Looking forward to your roundup
  • nanfy - Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - link

    This camera looks great but it isn't even for sale yet. Its on notify from mwave. They also have a PoE version and the optical zoom version but there is no place to buy them from yet.
  • Dk0524 - Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - link

    Hi All,

    I have seen the Compro NC570 in stock at www.ipcam-central.com. That's the Compro HD camera with 12x optical zoom, Pan and Tilt and night vision.

    Seems to be a quite powerful offering.
  • ganeshts - Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - link

    I am quite sure there must be some encryption for the stream.

    Cameron has the review unit in hand, and he will respond ASAP.
  • cbutters - Thursday, October 14, 2010 - link

    Although there is obviously username/password protection on the interface, this camera does not currently support encryption on the stream, compro plans to offer https connection in future professional camera lines starting Q1 2011.
  • nanfy - Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - link

    Some video samples with both IR on and off in 640x480@30fps and 1280x1024@15 fps would be nice.

    Thanks
  • vol7ron - Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - link

    agreed. also, is it just one camera per package? or are there packages that come with 4-8 like other comparable devices?

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now