After using the SimpliSafe monitoring system in my home for years, I decided to take a chance on Amazon-purchased cameras for the first time. I was mainly in the market for a couple of cameras to be able to “keep an eye” on an elderly person. When I started my search on Amazon, these cameras were among the first to populate. After reading a few positive and negative reviews, I decided to pull the trigger and purchase them. They have turned out to be a great investment so far. Here are some of the pros and cons I noticed so far.
Packaging and Installation:
The box they came in is sturdy and neatly organized. The cameras are straightforward to install, and the instructions are simple. It is unlikely to have any issues assembling these, even if you have little to no experience setting up cameras or with technology in general.
Functionality and Performance:
The cameras work splendidly when there is plenty of day or artificial light. The view is, for the most part, crisp and well-defined. Likewise, the picture quality with the night vision is decent. However, if the cameras are too close to a light source when the room is dark, they will likely reflect the circuit board where the lens is mounted. This isn’t a huge deal as you can still see clearly most things around it. However, it is somewhat annoying. Although, now and then, it takes a while for it to respond, I like the feature that allows you to rotate the position of the lens 360 degrees right from your phone. This feature mimics that of a joystick in a video game controller. It is possible that the lag is due to issues with the internet connection. The devices also allow you to take stills and videos, which are saved directly to your phone. It is worth noting that the company also offers a cloud storage service for an additional fee. They also come with a microphone to communicate through the camera. I love this feature as it allows me to control Alexa remotely to turn on TVs, shut off lights, play music, turn on the news, etc.
It would be ideal if the company would develop a way to access these devices through your computer in addition to your phone. But all in all, these cameras are an excellent choice if you are not looking to spend much money on complicated monitoring systems. I recommend it.
Genie - Research Bot
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