More Info and Purchase: https://amzn.to/2IrxLXB
Blog: https://bit.ly/2UeGJy9
At one time security cameras were big, bulky, hard to set up and with images that were grainy, low resolution and out of often out of focus. Those days have gone and the…
More Info and Purchase: https://amzn.to/2IrxLXB
Blog: https://bit.ly/2UeGJy9
At one time security cameras were big, bulky, hard to set up and with images that were grainy, low resolution and out of often out of focus. Those days have gone and the latest cameras are like this one, small, discreet, easy to set up and yield high-quality video. Gone too are the high prices, and except for high-end big-name market leaders prices have fallen as much as quality has risen. This camera is small, discreet and very stylish and has the sort of looks and presentation that used to only come from Silicon Valley startups. Although listed as a Baby Monitor it can be used as a general purpose IP security camera.
It has a rather basic looking silk white and grey plastic finish but nevertheless, the build quality seems good. On the front is the lens with Night Vision and multi-coloured LED to show Wifi and power status and the microphone opening. On the rear is the recessed micro-USB power in port and although it uses an angled plug power cable but I think any micro-USB cable should work. A UK plug USB adapter is included but it will work with any standard USB socket. Sadly, there is no Ethernet port and so wifi is the only way to connect the camera to your network. On the bases is the mount for the quick release wall/ceiling mount. The micro-SD card slot is easily overlooked but it is situated below the lens which needs to be angled upwards to get access to it.
The first thing to do is to download and install the Nooie app for Android or iOS, I tested using the Android app. You have to register the app before use but doing so is free and you can use a disposable email address to do so. Take note to ensure the phone used to configure the camera is connected to a 2.4Ghz network, not 5Ghz. After installing and registering the app and plugging in the camera follow the in-app instructions to add a new camera. After inputting your home wifi details the app generates a QR code which the camera reads to configure it for your network. After a few seconds, the camera will connect to your home wifi network and you can control it through the app. The app can be used to control multiple cameras and I was pleased to find that upon connection it immediately me offered a firmware update for the camera. Unlike with older cameras, there is no web-based interface so you cannot connect directly to the camera using your web browser.
This model has 1080P image quality which is clearly not the upscaled 720p of some lesser rivals. Video quality is one of the best I found for this price bracket. Unlike with older budget security cameras, this one boasts an i/r cut filter which when not needed removes the night time infrared filter to ensure good colour fidelity daytime images. It supports two-way audio which means it serves well as a Baby Monitor although the lack of audio in/out ports means external hardware cannot be used to improve the rather tinny audio quality.
It has motion and audio detection alerts with object tracking and it can capture images and send real-time alerts to the phone app as it records pictures and video to the micro SD card. If you use an SD card (none is provided) make sure you use a Class 10 card – the card must be able to cope with the high-speed data stream from the camera otherwise the results will be jittery and poor. Unlike most cameras, this one can take cards up to 128Gb in size. There is also the option to save images automatically to the cloud but that is an inexpensive paid service. The camera integrates seamlessly with Amazon Alexa and Google Home to allow for voice control
This is a high-quality security camera capable of excellent results. The £34.99 price is brilliant for the features on offer and allows me to overlook the lack of web-based User Interface and lack of an Ethernet port.
The Good
Works With Alexa
Stylish design
Great price
Night Vision
Motion detection alarm
In-app real-time push alerts
Two-way audio
SD card slot
Standard micro-USB power interface
The Bad
No 5Ghz wifi support
No SD card included
No audio output port
No audio in port
No Ethernet port
No Web Interface
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Silent Partner: How it Began
