Did you know you can use your iPhone or iPad as a baby monitor? Neither did we until we came across the Withings Smart Baby Monitor.

It connects over Wi-Fi, and via the free app, streams video of your little one from anywhere you can get an internet connection – even over 3G.

The app doesn't just stream video though. It tells you all sorts of other things, such as the humidity, temperature and noise levels in the baby's room. And you can get it to issue alerts for all these different readings.

The camera can take a picture, and you can play a lullaby or speak to your child to soothe them back to sleep with the sound of your voice. The 3-megapixel camera also has an essential night-vision mode.

The setup procedure was refreshingly easy and we were soon up and running. The picture quality isn't particularly high, but it was good enough for its intended purpose, and the night vision worked well.

We also really liked the ability to talk through the unit from our iPhone. The app keeps the audio going in the background, so you can keep listening even when you're using your email client or browsing the web.

But the main problem is that if you start playing with more demanding apps on your iOS device you can interrupt the stream coming from the camera, and a restart of the app is required. You could use the Withings unit as a security camera to keep an eye on your home while you're away, but there are cheaper options available if that's all you need.

Most other IP security cameras we've tested have been static. That means that once they're set up and pointed in a direction, you have to physically move them if you want to focus on a different area. The Edimax IC-7010PTn is different: it's a PTZ IP device, which means you can pan, tilt and zoom the camera and lens remotely.

This extra control often leads to a more expensive camera, but the Edimax IC-7010PTn is competitively priced. It can move 355 degrees horizontally and 120 degrees vertically.

The pan, tilt and zoom functions give you leeway when installing the camera, and the camera's two wireless network aerials make things even easier.

Installation was easy, and the web browser interface offered plenty of options and ways to control the camera. Movement, motion detection and video and audio capture can all be controlled through the browser.

So far so good, but to achieve such a low price, Edimax has made some compromises. The first is that the casing feels far less robust than that of rival IP camera the Y-Cam EyeBall, and we'd hesitate to install it outdoors.

The second is that image quality isn't great, with a lot less detail than the Y-Cam EyeBall.

The infrared illuminators that surround the lens mean it works well in the dark, and can be set to turn on automatically at night. It wasn't as good as some more expensive IP night cameras, but for the price we can't complain.

Verdict

The Edimax IC-7010PTn offers some great features, but doesn't bridge the gap between home and professional use as well as the Y-Cam EyeBall.

The Y-Cam EyeBall bridges the gap between home and business security cameras. It will give you an extra layer of protection, without the need for professional surveillance gear.

The striking design sets the Y-Cam EyeBall apart from its competitors, having more in common with a security camera in a department store than a webcam.

Because of this, installing it is a lot more complicated than some other IP cameras, where all you need to do is drill a few holes and screw in the base. The Y-Cam EyeBall is designed to be installed on a ceiling. There's even a guide to help you drill through the ceiling from above.

Is all this extra effort worth it? For image quality alone, the answer is yes. The Y-Cam's video capture is excellent, with plenty of detail – essential if you need to identify people or vehicle registrations.

It has a built-in microphone for capturing sound and, unlike footage from it's rival the Jabbakam, it's stored locally on your home PC. This means that don't need to pay a subscription fee, but you'll need a dedicated PC to record the footage. If you're serious about security, you'll also need a PC with a large hard drive designed to run all day.

The build quality is excellent, and means the camera can be installed outside. While the browser-based interface isn't as accomplished as the Jabbakam's, it offers enough control for most users. The only thing missing is remote control.

Verdict

It might be overkill for a lot of people's needs, but if you want a powerful home security camera solution, the Y-Cam EyeBall is an excellent choice.

The Jabbakam is a much smaller IP camera than rival surveillance camera the Compro IP70, making it easier to install discreetly, but its small size also makes it feel less robust.

As with the IP70, the Jabbakam's base can double as awall mount. It's a bit flimsier than the IP70's stand, but has more areas of articulation, which make the camera easy to position.

Ease of use seems to be the Jabbakam's main focus. This is aproduct aimed at first-time users of IP cameras – a seasoned veteran may find it too limited. Installation is simple – we just plugged the camera into the router and power, then logged into the Jabbakam website with the credentials provided.

Everything to do with the Jabbakam is online. While this is great if you want to view footage from any PC, it does involve a few hidden costs. You need to sign up for a monthly subscription to record your video stream. The Jabbakam handles your recordings, but you're paying for something that's free with other cameras.

Jabbakam also monitors the status of your camera, and can alert you if it goes offline. Email alerts are free, but text and multimedia messages require Jabbakam credits, which cost 10p each.

The service is handy and easy to use – the web-based interface is one of the best we've seen for an IP camera – but all these extra costs make it feel like paying for the Jabbakam itself is only the beginning.

Verdict

The quality of the video stream isn't great, but it's enough to seewhat's going on. Using the Jabbakam is pleasant on the whole, but you can't help feeling you're paying for features that should have been included.

The Compro IP70 looks bulky, especially next to the Jabbakam, so positioning it in an unobtrusive spot will need a bit of thought and planning.

The camera's solid base makes it easy to adjust; it's heavy enough to use it as a stand for the camera on a flat surface, but can also be taken apart for use as a wall bracket. The camera is static, so it's essential that you position it carefully – you won't be able to change where it's looking remotely.

There's a built in speaker and microphone, and a handy SD slot that can be used to record footage locally.

The Compro IP70 was easy to set up. All we had to do was plug the camera into a power socket and into our router via the supplied Ethernet cable. The IP70 comes with a USB port for a Compro WL150 Wireless USB Adapter. This can be bought separately for around £20, and the flexibility of wireless networking may make it a compelling extra.

After plugging in the camera, we ran the setup wizard from the CD, which quickly found the device. A live view of the camera can help you identify it if you have a multi-camera setup.

The wizard then took us through more advanced features like IP address configuration. Although you can configure these, we found it best to leave them on their defaults, except for the option to give the camera stream a password.

You can also make a memorable internet address for viewing footage online. It's handy, but required us to install the VLC plugin for our browser.

The camera's image and sound quality were both very good, even in low light.

The tiny Smart Witness Smart-i is certainly the smallest network camera we've tested. While its tiny size means it offers some fun features and possibilities, it causes a few problems as well.

There are two ways to connect to the Smart-i. The first is to link it directly to your PC, smartphone or tablet. The Smart-i broadcasts its own wireless network, and once we'd connected to it via our test laptop, we simply opened a browser and accessed the IP address 192.168.2.1 to access the video stream.

Despite the camera's diminutive size, the image quality is pretty good. The 'Stream images' option didn't work in Internet Explorer 9, but it did in Chrome. You can change the resolution and compression of the footage, though the higher compression makes the video stream look awful.

Watching the video on a smartphone is also easy – simply access the IP address 192.168.2.1 using a browser. There are also Android and iPhone apps available to record footage to your phone.

The direct method of connecting the Smart-i suffers from a major shortcoming: you're limited to the Smart-i's wireless range, which is around 20 metres. This means that the only footage you'll be able to record with he Smart-i will be of things you can see with your own eyes anyway.

To get around this limitation, you can connect the Smart-i to your wireless network by switching it to 'Setup' mode. With a bit more tinkering, you can then to access the video stream via another computer on the network, or over the internet.

This is easily solved, but a more troubling shortcoming then presented itself. We noticed that the Smart-i became very hot when running, and the battery life was just under two hours. This severely limits the usefulness of the device, though a USB power adapter is available for an extra cost.

As a fun novelty it's not a bad device, but the Smart-i isn't going to replace a full-size network camera.

Cameras like the Y-Cam Knight SD include a web server which, when configured, can let you see inside your home from anywhere in the world. But the Y-Cam Knight's big innovation is the price.

At under £200 for a motion sensitive camera with night vision, the Knight puts home security within everyone's reach.

Setup is impressively simple. Just plug the camera into your router and install the included software. You can even omit the last step if you've got control of your router, since the external software's only job is detecting connected cameras on your network.

Everything important is included on the camera itself, and after giving it your wireless credentials, it's off, functioning as a completely separate unit with no host computer required.

The software on the unit is as good as we've seen, with a well-designed web-browser layout and a host of alert functionality, from email to FTP upload, and microSD integration for offline backup if needed.

The camera's picture is top quality, if not ultra hi-res. Its 640x480 sensor is especially impressive when combined with the ring of infrared LEDs that surrounds it.

While the colour definition in daylight isn't great, the clarity of the night-vision pictures is utterly fantastic. You can even combine alternating frames into a single image, cutting the frame rate but increasing the brightness of dark images.

Tuck this in a corner, set up email alerts on your iPhone, and you've got a 24/7 home security solution, wherever you are.

Each version of the Logitech WiLife Security System is modular and capable of supporting up to six cameras. The hardware might be pricey, but the appeal of this Logitech system is undoubtedly its ease of use.

Once the software has been installed, the cameras are effortlessly networked using HomePlug Powerline technology.

Footage can be viewed at 640 x 480 at 15fps. Without paying any more, you can set up a camera to detect motion and to notify you by SMS or email. You can opt to receive a status update, a JPEG snapshot or a video clip. You can also log in to view your cameras remotely over the web.

The system works well, but it has its limitations. There are no zoom, tilt or pan options in the basic package.

A £49 yearly subscription adds some advanced features such as live desktop notifications and 50MB of online video storage, but things soon add up: a three-camera system will cost over £750.

Buy from our affiliates: Comet

The story of Richard East is one of 2005's best examples of how technology is changing our lives. When someone tried to burgle his fl at in July, a motion sensor in a £99 Linksys Wireless-G Internet Video camera detected the thief, recorded a five-second colour video clip and sent it to Richard East's email address.

While this is a good example of DIY CCTV in action, Mr East has admitted that a video camera on its own wasn't a perfect solution. 'It didn't stop him from stealing my stuff,' he told The Times. 'I should have got an alarm, which might have scared him off.'

To protect and to serve

For double the price (and then some), Mr East could have bought Motorola's HomeSight starter kit. Not only does this system include a wireless video camera, but it also comes with a sensor to detect when a door or window has been opened. You can also link these two devices to an optional siren. You manage the package with a broadband-connected PC, which can send text alerts, photos or video clips to specified email addresses or your mobile phone.

Although the content of this starter bundle is focused squarely on home security, HomeSight is designed to extend into the hobbyist home automation sector. An optional water sensor can detect flooding, while Motorola plans modules that enable HomeSight to switch your lights on and off. The controller software can also link several devices together. You might want a door sensor to send an alert to a lighting controller, so that the lamps in your house turn on as you enter.

Do you really need it?

Such DIY home control isn't a new idea. You can put something similar together with X-10 technology and Harmony controller software. In its favour, the HomeSight kit is easy to install and use, and the system uses an 802.11g network to manage communication between devices. However, you quickly become aware of its limitations. There's no remote access to the controller software, so you can't view your home from the office, and the camera resolution is a poor 320 x 240 pixels.

Buy the kit as is, and you can do little more than receive alerts when movement is detected, or look at low-res images of your cat. While the HomeSight system is designed to expand, the extras are pricey. Even an extra camera costs another £100. A wireless keypad to remotely arm and disarm the system costs £60, while the siren is £50 - and we're not sure if you can turn it off remotely.

DIY home automation has been slow to take off in the UK. X-10 technology can be unreliable, while Z-Wave modules are scarce. This HomeSight package is a decent effort, but it needs to be cheaper and more flexible before we'll think about buying one.

DE