More Info and Purchase: https://amzn.to/2WcKOob
Blog: https://bit.ly/2QOh8tT
Although having a fairly traditional PTZ cam appearance, in fact, this new budget camera from APEMAN has the latest updated technology within. Listed as a Baby Monitor i…
More Info and Purchase: https://amzn.to/2WcKOob
Blog: https://bit.ly/2QOh8tT
Although having a fairly traditional PTZ cam appearance, in fact, this new budget camera from APEMAN has the latest updated technology within. Listed as a Baby Monitor it can be used as a general-purpose IP security camera.
It has a silk finished and rather lightweight black body but nevertheless, the build quality seems good. On the front is the lens, the microphone opening. Night Vision Sensor and on the bottom the micro-SD card slot - scroll the lens up to access it. On the rear is the recessed micro-USB power in port, status LED and easy access reset button. 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 base is the screw mount for the wall/ceiling mount.
The first thing to do is to download and install the Tuya Smart 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 or with Google Home and Alexa. The app can be used to control multiple cameras and is simple and intuitive to use. Unlike with older cameras, there is no web-based interface so you cannot connect directly to the camera using your web browser. I found the camera will also work with the Smart Life app but the camera seems not to be recognised by Alexa this way. In general, I have to say the app offers a very full range of options and settings for the camera and is easy and intuitive to use.
This model has 1080P @25fps 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 phone, micro SD card or cloud. 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 64Gb in size. There is also the option to save images automatically to the cloud but which is an inexpensive optional paid service. There is no option to link it to Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
This is a high-quality security camera capable of excellent results. The £22.49 price is brilliant for the features on offer and allows me to overlook the few things it does lack.
The Good
Stylish design
Great price
Night Vision
Motion detection alarm
Great App
In-app real-time push alerts
Two-way audio
SD card slot
Standard micro-USB power interface
Works Alexa/Google
The Bad
No 5Ghz wifi support
No audio output port
No audio in port
No Ethernet port
No Web Interface
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Doug Maxwell: Corporate Mellow Groove
