In my (relatively informed) opinion, about half of the security industry is little more than a scam. Hardware often just doesn’t work as advertised and installers are more interested in signing off on a job as quickly as possible rather than doing things right.
“Engineers” in this field almost always follow a cookie-cutter approach without even considering their clients’ specific needs, and if anything should go wrong…well, the most you can expect out of anyone is “Oops!”.
In short, when it comes to your and your family’s safety, you really have no choice but to trust in your own judgment. It used to be the case that understanding the various security products and their associated jargon was almost a full-time job by itself.
Today, by contrast, the explosion of digital technologies has enabled the average consumer to cut through a lot of the clutter and find exactly the solution they need – not the one a salesman is trying to unload on you. Anyone who can operate a smartphone can now plan and install their own security system.
This camera is wireless, so it can be placed anywhere with a power supply. It offers ample internal data storage with the option of streaming the video feed to the cloud for a permanent record. You can also set custom alarms based on motion detection, sound, temperature (i.e. fire) and light level.
The usefulness of this isn’t limited to preventing burglaries. Though each unit has a siren, you can also use it as an intercom to speak to people at a far-off location while observing them. You can even set it to arm and disarm itself automatically depending on whether your phone is nearby.
Unlike some competing products, this camera doesn’t require a home automation system for some functions, though the ability to turn on lights and lock or unlock doors while you’re not at home is obviously useful if you can see what’s going on there.
Finally, though the associated app has room for improvement, it’s free rather than charging you a monthly fee just to use a device you’ve already paid for.
The major flaw of this security camera is its appearance. While some people will appreciate the ultra-modern design, at 7″ (18 cm) tall it’s certainly not discreet.
