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I’ve beforehand reviewed the SpotCam Video Doorbell 2 and located it to be , reasonably priced different to in style video doorbells comparable to Ring, Eufy and Arlo.
Spotcam lately launched the SpotCam Solo Professional, which is a wi-fi digital camera system designed to compete with wi-fi surveillance cameras such because the Arlo Professional 5 and Eufy Safety S300.
The SpotCam Solo Professional presents 2.5K video decision, a 160-degree subject of view, free 7-day cloud storage, and color evening imaginative and prescient. It has a singular design with an omnidirectional magnetic mount, permitting versatile positioning. The built-in battery guarantees as much as 6 months of operation per cost, making it straightforward to put in anyplace with out wiring.
On this assessment, I’ll cowl the important thing specs, design, setup course of, app options, video and picture high quality throughout day and evening, movement detection efficiency, pricing, and options. After testing this digital camera extensively, I discovered that it lives as much as most of its claims and offers excellent worth for cash.
Specification
- Decision: 2560 x 1440p (2.5K)
- Discipline of View: 160 levels diagonal
- Evening Imaginative and prescient: Constructed-in white highlight for vibrant evening imaginative and prescient and flashing deterrent.
- Audio: Constructed-in microphone and speaker to hear and speak to the SpotCam
- Movement/Object Detection: Constructed-in microphone and speaker to hear and speak to the SpotCam
- Connectivity: Wi-fi (Digicam) / Ethernet cable (Base Station)
- Weatherproofing: IP65 rated
- Battery Life: As much as 6 months per cost
- Cloud Storage: Free 7-day cloud storage, as much as 1 12 months out there
- Native Storage: MicroSD card slot, as much as 256GB
- Mounting: Magnetic base or tripod thread
- Dimensions: 8.7cm x 4.7cm x 5.9cm (digital camera), 14.5cm x 8.5cm x 7.5cm (base station)
Design
The SpotCam Solo Professional consists of the bottom station and cameras.
The bottom station is comparatively distinctive because it connects to your property router through Ethernet. The Eufy HomeBase can be wired to Ethernet however many reasonably priced manufacturers keep on with WiFi.
The bottom station then has two exterior antennas to maximise the wi-fi vary to the cameras. The utmost line-of-sight vary is 50 meters.
The cameras are compact and light-weight at simply 218g. It has an all-white end with black accents across the digital camera lens. The lens itself has a large 160-degree subject of view.
The digital camera has a omni-directional magnetic base. This permits the digital camera to be mounted on any metallic floor at any angle. It might simply be repositioned as wanted. The bottom has a typical tripod thread, which I discover preferable hen utilizing open air as I reside in a coastal city within the north of England and something not bolted down will get blown away.
An optionally available photo voltaic panel accent is out there, permitting theoretically indefinite operation with out charging. The photo voltaic panel connects on to the digital camera’s USB port.
Total, the design is trendy and versatile, permitting set up in additional locations in comparison with opponents.
Set Up
Getting arrange takes round 10-Quarter-hour. First, you’ll want to join the bottom station to your router utilizing the included Ethernet cable.
Subsequent, energy on the digital camera and connect with its WiFi entry level out of your cellphone. Launch the SpotCam app and observe the on-screen directions to hyperlink the digital camera with the bottom station.
As soon as linked, you possibly can identify the digital camera, assign it to a location, and configure settings like movement detection and cloud storage. The app guides you thru every step, making setup easy.
Just like Eufy and different techniques with a base station, the cameras connect with the bottom station instantly utilizing their very own personal wi-fi protocol. I assume that is simply regular 2.4GHz WiFi however a hidden community. The advantage of that is that cameras connecting on to a base station usually have an extended battery life than people who connect with your property WiFI.
Subscription Companies
SpotCam has walled off lots of superior options with subscriptions. This isn’t unusual for surveillance cameras.
Manufacturers like Arlo can be utilized and not using a subscription, and if in case you have a base station, you possibly can file and not using a subscription, however superior options like particular person detection require an Arlo Safe subscription, which can set you again £4.49 pcm for a single digital camera at 2k or £10.99 for 4 cameras at 2K each with 30 days cloud recording or for £14.99 pcm you possibly can have limitless cameras, 4K recordings and 60 days of storage.
SpotCam is barely totally different as they’ve a extra complicated however modular strategy to their companies, which is damaged down into cloud recording choices and cloud AI companies.
For all of the subscriptions, it’s a per-camera price, which may get costly shortly.
For cloud recording, you possibly can apply for a free 7-day subscription, which I believe is a incredible supply.
However, if you’d like 30 days recording, that’s $3 pcm per digital camera or $5 per digital camera for 180 days recording.
Then for the cloud AI companies, you’ve a great deal of spectacular choices however these all price between $4 and $10 monthly per digital camera.
There may be an indoor service pack which supplies you human and pet detection then lacking object and digital fence. That is $10 per digital camera, but it surely doesn’t work with these cameras.
The outside pack can also’t be utilized, but it surely prices $10 and offers human/car detection, adopted by the identical lacking object and digital fence.
One of many particular person choices is face recognition, which is definitely fairly a uncommon characteristic that I’ve solely used on the Eufy Safety S300, Netatmo, the Aqara doorbell and a few of their digital camera hubs. I’m impressed that they’ve this characteristic, but it surely prices $10 monthly for a digital camera, which is simply ridiculously costly.
It’s good that you just don’t want a subscription to make use of the SpotCam, however sadly the subscription service is so costly I can’t see why anybody would purchase it.
Recording Choices
I’ve already coated recording choices above, however to reiterate, there are two methods to retailer video from the SpotCam Solo Professional:
Cloud Storage: All cameras include free rolling 7-day cloud storage. This implies the most recent 7 days of recordings are accessible within the cloud for gratis. You’ll be able to optionally buy 30-day or 1-year cloud plans for $3.99/month and $39.99/12 months respectively per digital camera.
Native Storage: For twenty-four/7 steady recording, a microSD card will be inserted to retailer footage domestically on the digital camera. Playing cards as much as 256GB are supported. There is no such thing as a month-to-month charge for native storage, simply the upfront price of a reminiscence card.
Throughout my testing, each cloud and native recordings have been dependable, with no gaps or corrupted footage. The benefit of native storage is that it avoids any cloud subscription charges. The benefit of cloud storage is distant entry from anyplace. So you possibly can select the most suitable choice on your wants.
The native storage additionally helps a backup operate in case of disconnection. If customers are concurrently utilizing a reminiscence card and a cloud storage plan, the footage will probably be synchronized in each places. Within the occasion of disconnection and subsequent reconnection, the footage may even be uploaded to the cloud, offering customers with twin backup performance for added peace of thoughts.
App Settings
The SpotCam app (out there for iOS and Android) offers full management over the digital camera. The dashboard exhibits all linked cameras, battery stage, sign power, and cloud storage utilization.
From the digital camera feed display, you possibly can take a snapshot, allow audio and use the microphone. There is no such thing as a technique to remotely allow the highlight.
Inside the settings, you possibly can modify the picture high quality, outline how evening imaginative and prescient works and allow HD video. By default, the evening imaginative and prescient is about to fundamental B&W with the highlight not turning on. It will protect the battery, however I’d suggest setting it to come back on when movement is detected.
The Settings menu additionally contains choices for alerts, notifications and schedules, however there isn’t any movement detection sensitivity or exercise zones as I assume these are throughout the subscription service.
Lastly, below the final app settings and good connection, you’ve choices for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and IFTTT, which can be utilized for automation based mostly on movement occasions. You’ll be able to, for instance, flash a sensible bulb each time the digital camera detects movement at evening.
Movement Detection
With no subscription, you solely get fundamental movement detection. It labored properly, and it was correct and fast to answer. You may get notifications to your cellular and e mail with the e-mail containing a picture of the occasion.
Primary movement detection works properly indoors however for outside sue, you actually need the AI object detection to minimise false positives.
Inside the settings, you possibly can outline the recording length. The default is 10 seconds however there are alternatives for 20 and 30 seconds.
Worth and Various Choices
Pricing is:
- SpotCam Solo Professional Highlight Digicam – 2 Pack with Base Station $235
- SpotCam Solo Professional Highlight Digicam – 4 Pack with Base Station $377
It’s that can be purchased from Amazon US however shouldn’t be at the moment out there on Amazon UK.
The eufyCam S300, which I’ve referenced on this assessment, is £320 for a 2-pack.
Reolink has a number of Argus cameras, together with:
- Argus 3 Extremely with 4K, a highlight for color evening imaginative and prescient and a couple of.4/5GHz WiFi connectivity. This prices £125 per digital camera.
- Argus Eco Professional with 5MP 2K Tremendous HD, a highlight for color evening imaginative and prescient and a couple of.4/5GHz WiFi connectivity for £107 per digital camera.
Total
I believe the SpotCam Solo Professional is an efficient wi-fi digital camera system with a gorgeous up entrance charge, glorious video high quality and versatile storage choices which incorporates 7-days free cloud recording and subscription free native recording to microSD.
I’m impressed that they’ve a major variety of AI options which incorporates facial recognition and fall detection. These are options you received’t discover on many competing merchandise. Sadly, that is let down by the excessive subscription charges. I’d pay $/£10-15 monthly for all of the options for all of the cameras, however lower than $10 monthly per characteristic per digital camera.
Total although, if you happen to don’t want the AI options, I believe the SpotCam Solo Professional is properly price contemplating.
SpotCam Solo Professional Overview
Abstract
I believe the SpotCam Solo Professional is an efficient wi-fi digital camera system with a gorgeous up entrance charge, glorious video high quality and versatile storage choices which incorporates 7-days free cloud recording and subscription free native recording to microSD. It’s let down by the excessively costly AI subscription charges. If these have been extra cheap it will have been an excellent digital camera.
Execs
- Reasonably priced up entrance price
- 7 days free cloud storage plus microSD
- Good high quality footage for an reasonably priced digital camera.
Cons
- AI options have a really excessive subscription charge
I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Enthusiastic about all issues expertise, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cellular, wearables, and good dwelling units.
As a health fanatic who loves working and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related expertise, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My numerous pursuits enable me to deliver a singular perspective to tech running a blog, merging way of life, health, and the most recent tech developments.
In my tutorial pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Programs Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior examine additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the expertise curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has persistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many high expertise blogs within the UK. With my dedication to expertise and drive to share my insights, I intention to proceed offering my readers with participating and informative content material.
