Jan 2nd, 2006
Axis Networked Cameras
I just read a post on Wired.com about these nifty gadgets and how the German government is getting away with using these cameras in public places. The short story is that the Austrian government passed a law in which police can monitor public places with out having a court order. They are using stand-alone networked cameras manufactured by Axis Communications. 
This pissed off local civil liberties groups who brought up the famous question ‘who will watch the watchers’. Any way I found these cameras to be ‘pretty darn nifty’ and decided to look into the cost of having one. The cheapest one I found on ebay is the indoor fixed camera model ‘Axis 206’ is $250. If you want to go with a cheap outdoor Axis camera then you may want the ‘Axis 211’ which typically goes for about $700. You can also go with the ‘Axis 211A’ which is an outdoor camera with audio but this model is about +$150 more than the base 211 model. The neat thing about these cameras is the ability to access them through out a network and not have them hooked up to a computer. I guess you could go with a webcam but you will need a computer to manage the images. I would so love to have one of these to play around with at home. 
Look up some of these cameras on Google to check them out.
Bah. Bah i say. The “who watches the watchers” is a bit of a slippery slope isn’t it? It seems that you would then ask who watches the watchers of the watchers? and so on. of course, i still don’t like surveillance. or censorship. there’s a good quote that says something about if you have to give up a freedom to be safe, then you aren’t free or safe. some dead guy said that. smart fellow.
Searching for any of these terms will bring up some cameras for viewing if you feel nosy
Canon cameras:
* sample/LvAppl/
MOBOTIX cameras:
* /control/userimage.html
JVC cameras:
* “(c)copyright 1999-2003 VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED. All rights reserved” (- finaly I got to know the
meaning of the letters in the brand name JVC
* “V.Networks [Motion Picture(Java)”
* “Control the Pan/Tilt and move to the Preset Position”
FlexWatch cameras:
* /app/idxas.html
* “Saving & Retrieving Mode”
Panasonic cameras:
* /ViewerFrame?Mode=Motion
TOSHIBA cameras (maybe you need Java):
* “TOSHIBA Network Camera - User Login”
Axis cameras:
* /view/view.shtml axis
* “adding live video to one of your own pages a very easy task with an AXIS 2100 Network Camera”
* “Live view - / - AXIS”
* “Your browser has JavaScript turned off.For the user interface to work effectively”
* indexFrame.html axis
* “Live web imaging unleashed”
Sony cameras:
* /home/homeJ.html
webcamXP (software):
* “my webcamXP server!”