Brickcom Cube WCB-100AP review

Brickcom is new to the UK surveillance market and comes in with a bang - its latest Cube camera rivals the established names for features. This 1-megapixel camera has a top resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels and support for MJPEG and MPEG4 video streams at 15fps and H.264 at a full 30fps.

The Cube is very similar to Axis' M1054, but doesn't support PoE. However, it does score with its integral 802.11n wireless AP, which Axis has yet to implement in its cameras.

The Cube has a PIR (passive infrared) sensor, a high-intensity LED light and built-in speaker and mic. There's a microSD card slot in the side for direct recording, and buttons below activate WPS (Wi-Fi protected setup) and privacy where the video feed can be stopped.

Brickcom's EasyConfig tool finds the camera on the network and offers a one-click setup routine. This includes configuring a domain name, so it can be accessed over the internet via Brickcom's free EasyLink service.

Images in the Cube's live view aren't quite up to Axis' standards, but they're fine for indoor surveillance. Focus is sharp enough for facial recognition, colour balance is good and, with H.264 and 30fps selected, motion is conveyed without jerkiness.

Three motion-detection windows can be created in the viewing area and, when triggered, images and video clips can be sent to an FTP site, Samba server, multiple email addresses or the SD card.

The PIR sensor detects body heat and movement in the dark, and sound can be used to trigger a recording event. Two video streams are available in the live view and you can pick from the three supported codecs for each one.

Axis wins by a head for image quality, but Brickcom's Cube offers impressive features: motion detection and recording options are extensive and 802.11n makes it even better value.

Author: Dave Mitchell