Bosch CCTV Dubai
There’s an app for the cameras but not an app to review them for you. That’s where we step in. Our Experience in Bosch CCTV enable us to show off Bosch security cams, software and apps to buyers looking to secure and surveil their premises.
Being a Leading Bosch Distributor in Dubai we offer our customers with end to end supply and installation of Bosch CCTV.We supply bosch products across UAE , Including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khimah, Al Ain and Umm Al Quiwan.
Bosch security camera offer managemet threw Bosch Sostware and Bosch NVR/ DVR. Bosch’s security app available for for the iPad and iPhone. For Google lovers, an Android version isavailable in Google Play Store. If you’re looking for a feature-rich security camera setup, with more options then go for Bosch CCTV Systems in Dubai.
The Bosch IP Camera 200 Series HD: NDC-284-PT
This is Bosch’s 5 MP Vandal-Resistant Outdoor IP Microdome camera. The camera comes with an internal microSD card slot as well as a microSD card for onboard memory. It supports up to two TB storage capacity. We received two of these cams initially and unfortunately found one of them to be DOA. We also had some troubles pulling up the second on in the Bosch app, and with adjusting its default resolution. Once we got those issues sorted out, we installed the NDC-284-PT directly over our front door. If you’re installing the cam out of arm’s reach, the vandal-resistant design doesn’t much matter. However, for lower-altitude installs, you’ll be happy to know this MicroDome has a cover with three Torx-esque drivers. The “esque” stems from the fact that the fasteners have a small pin and hollowed out area on them, which means you can only remove them with the specialized tool included with the camera (don’t lose it)!
As with most camera installs, getting the wiring where you need it was the hard part. Bosch thoughtfully includes a template for the screw holes in the metal backplate of the camera. Our only real gripe with the install is that we would have liked to see larger screw holes and space for larger screw heads around the perimeter of the mounting plate, making room for larger fasteners. The stock fasteners are tiny, and we don’t see much point to making the cover vandal resistant if the camera can be pried off the wall without much effort.
At just over 4″ in diameter, the camera is small and unobtrusive, making it ideal for installations where you don’t want a giant, conspicuous camera. It’s rated at 0.3 lux which means low-light performance isn’t stellar. Our installation has a light illuminating the area after dark, which gave very acceptable results. However, if you’re looking for good image quality in low-light conditions, this particular model shouldn’t be at the top of your list. Dialling in aim and focus is straightforward, just keep in mind you’ll need to remove the cover anytime you might want to change the camera angle. Once the cam is in action, you’re treated with crisp resolution and vibrant images.
The Bosch IP Camera 200 Series HD: NDN-265-PIO
For a more traditional style Dome camera, Bosch’s NDN-265-PIO brings infrared illumination to low to no-light environments. Although the camera is rated at .3 lux, with the IR illuminators on, you can see what’s happening (albeit in black and white) in zero-light conditions. We installed this particular Bosch cam in an interior location with one of Bosch’s mounting arms. Installation was straight-forward and I liked how the ethernet cable for this model actually has LED status lights so you know you’re wired up properly and have a solid connection. The dome design, particularly with the mounting arm, makes for a very secure and versatile mount. Positioning the camera is easy. I was not a huge fan of the focus and zoom controls which not only required removal of the dome, (which of course makes perfect sense) but also relied on very sensitive adjustments with two rather spindly focus and zoom stems. The focus was a particular challenge to dial-in precisely. The camera is definitely not one you’d want to install in a setting that will require frequent changes to camera angle, focus, etc. However, once set, the camera delivered a solid view.
In our particular installation, the interior frequently was relatively dim, even during daylight hours. So much so, that the camera mostly stayed in IR / black and white mode, even when we would have expected it to switch over to daylight/ colour mode. How the camera handles switching from day to light mode is adjustable in the camera settings. With this particular cam, you can set it to either automatic, day, or night modes, but you can’t adjust the threshold the automatic setting uses. Bosch informed us that some of their more sophisticated cameras do have an adjustable threshold for this. We happened to install several new windows to space the cam was in, resulting in the camera kicking into a colour mode more as we would have expected it to. The dome looks and feels near bulletproof; however, we stopped short of using it for target practice. The metal housing is also very robust.
The Bosch IP Camera 200 Series HD: NTC-265-PI
This particular camera is what we used for the Bosch Demo Cam installation. It too is a 720p cam, featuring IR illuminators which make it a strong contender for both day and night applications. Its high efficiency 32 LED array didn’t create the same unwanted halo effect that we found when reviewing similar style security cameras from Vivotek. An adjustable sun shade can be slid forward and back with a simple screw twist, making the NTC-265-PI well suited for outdoor environments. It also sports an IP66 rating for dust and moisture resistance. However, the camera is just as readily suited for indoor use. Initially, I was disappointed the camera didn’t have a separate camera mount. I have found aftermarket mounts (at least the good ones), to be very flexible in terms of situating and adjusting the camera. I have to admit the design of the integrated mount on this model is a LOT more flexible than I thought it would be. Several screws can be loosened on the mount, allowing for near infinite adjustments whether you’re mounting the camera on a wall or ceiling. The downside to those set-screws is that some of them were awkward to get to when the camera was mounted at certain angles, particularly when I was balanced near the top of a 24-foot extension ladder during installation.
Like the cam reviewed above, we had some issues getting things focused. The NTC-265-PI is unique in that it has two holes at the bottom of the camera to facilitate focus and zoom. Using one end of the wrench they include the set screws, you can adjust zoom and focus without the need to open domes or remove access covers. The easy access is great, and it’s not easy enough access that someone is likely to adjust focus or zoom without authorization. The downside was that I was attempting to focus the camera perched near the top of a 24-foot extension ladder. Initially, I tried viewing the cam on my existing Security Spy camera software, through my iPhone. However, the screen was so small it was hard to tell when it was fully focused. Eventually, I resorted to requesting family assistance, and they held my iPad running the Bosch Security app perilously out the top of a second story window so I could see when things were focused. Thankfully, both the iPad and I survived the focusing adventure. Even with the iPad, the range between focus and out of focus was extremely tight. I repeatedly overshot the focus and had a hard time dialling in focus precisely. If you’re mounting the camera anywhere hard to access, I highly recommend trying to adjust zoom and particularly, focus, from a test location on terra firma if that’s at all feasible.
Finicky focus aside, I think the NTC-265-PI is a great all-around security camera that’s well suited to a broad range of installation conditions. It makes an excellent outdoor and indoor cam, and the low light performance, thanks to its substantial LED array, is excellent. Keep in mind these only come in Silver (I’m still trying to figure out a way to better camouflage mine). Street pricing on these is also around $575 via B & H.
Bosch Autodome Junior HD PTZ Camera
The Bosch Autodome Junior HD cameras come in a variety of options starting off with a fixed version at the low end (still a $1000+ camera) to the Pan Tilt Zoom version we tested (with a street price of over $2600). The cameras are available in white or charcoal, with clear or tinted domes, in both interior and exterior use options. Make sure you research the exact model that’s best suited for your particular install. In our case, we opted for the charcoal colour with a tinted dome to help it blend better with the house style and also because of its high sun exposure location. We could get away with an interior version since we added gaskets to the camera mount to keep things watertight, and a heater isn’t needed thanks to our temperate San Diego coastal weather. An outdoor, heated version exists for users that live in areas that actually have seasons.
Installation on this camera was the most challenging, due mainly to the precarious location I decided to install it in. I used a curved Bosch pipe mount which is designed to mount onto an existing double gang box. Since carving a box into the stucco of our house just under the roof didn’t make a lot of sense, I opted to improvise a bit and drilled the pipe mount directly into the framing by our eaves. By building up a thicker gasket around the perimeter of the pipe mount. The pipe mount relies on a Torx set screw to secure the camera in place and that’s an important thing to do. Once you have a camera like this in place, the last thing you want is it wiggling loose and dropping off the mount. Since there’s no real visual reference to indicate the Autodrome has been rotated sufficiently for the set screw, I actually marked the mount so I’d know how far to rotate it before locking it down.
After installing, I excitedly went to check out the results. What I found was a partial view of the camera’s housing and I was unable to pan or tilt the camera. After some troubleshooting with the Bosch pro’s, we realized that this particular model has a POE+ requirement. Basically, POE+ is a standard that allows for more power to be sent through the ethernet cabling. The standard came about with the increasing popularity of more power-hungry POE devices.
Conclusion
Bosch brings some very capable cameras to the surveillance table, and, more importantly, is making those cameras more usable, useful, accessible and effective by harnessing the power of your iPhone and iPad. With the iPad app relatively recent, and the iPhone app almost brand new, it’s still very early in the game for Bosch’s app development. In future versions, we’d love to see the use of alerts from triggers like motion detection in specific areas to provide notification via the iPad’s and iPhone’s notification system.