These features usually cost extra on most systems. Then you can tweak the settings of each camera individually, including adjusting retrigger time from 10 to 60 seconds, tweaking motion sensitivity, choosing clip length (5 to 60 seconds), and whether you want to turn off the microphone and/or motion recording.Ī Zones feature lets you set activity zones so the camera only records when action happens in those areas, and privacy zones to never record in certain spots (handy if your cam covers a neighbor's walkway). You need to set up a Home in the app and assign your cameras to it (you can have more than one). (If you signed up before 15 April 2020 you'll keep the free cloud storage for your existing system.)Ĭonnecting the cameras to the module is simple, just plug it in, connect it to Wi-Fi using the Blink Home app, power the camera on and scan the QR code on the back. This replaces the option of free cloud storage Blink XT2 had, and cloud storage now costs £3 a month for one camera and £10 a month for unlimited. It has a USB port that can accommodate a USB flash drive (up to 256gb) for local storage of recorded footage. The module acts as the brains of the system and needs to be plugged in indoors. Outside rival: Arlo Essential XL Spotlight review This comes packaged with the outdoor camera for £99, additional outdoor cams are £89 and indoor cams £79. The cameras do require a small hub to connect to wirelessly, the Blink Sync Module 2 - which supports up to 10 cameras. The whole setup is very well thought-out with minimal fuss or need for extra tools or pieces of plastic you may or may not use. Once mounted you can easily adjust the camera to the angle you need and removing it is as easy as giving it a gentle tug. When closed, the screw opening acts as the attachment for the mount, which can be used as a stand or screwed into a wall or ceiling. HomeKit Secure on a budget: Aqara Camera G2H reviewīoth are square with a flat base and have a plastic rear cover that screws off (using part of the mount as the screwdriver) to reveal a spot for two AA lithium batteries, plus a USB port. The indoor cam is identical to the outdoor cam, only in white and sans weatherproofing. The new Blink outdoor camera looks a lot like the Blink XT2, just slightly sleeker, with a more matte finish and cleaner lines. The Blink cameras are small, svelte, and easily mountable, and because of their extra-long battery life and square, flat design they can go almost anywhere (as long as you have WiFi there). We’ve been living with the new Blink camera system for a month now. It sports the same specs and shape, but with a more interior-friendly white finish and no weatherproofing to cut £10 off the price.Īll the Blink cameras integrate nicely with Alexa (Blink is owned by Amazon), you can view the feed on Alexa-enabled screens and use the camera's motion sensors as triggers in Alexa Routines, plus there’s IFTTT support. The indoor camera however, is completely new (Blink's previous indoor offering - the Blink Mini - is wired only). These specs are the same as the Blink XT2, and while there are some minor modifications to the outdoor camera's hardware the main change is that optional new battery pack (which is not compatible with the XT2) and the local storage option. This means there aren’t a lot of higher end features, but you do get 1080p video quality, 110-degree field of view, IR night vision, motion detection, and two-way audio. Cheap picks: The best budget home security cameras.Buyers guide: The very best smart home security cameras to buy now.That price-tag puts it up against the likes of the Ring Stick Up, the Reolink Argus 3 and the Kami Cam. Starting at $79, these are low-priced cameras but not Wyze / Kasa Spot low. You can also opt for a £3 a month cloud storage plan to playback videos. Instead, the new sync module required for these battery powered cameras to work accommodates a USB flash drive for local storage. While these aren't - as far as we can tell - replacing the Blink XT2 cameras (which will work with this system), sadly the free cloud storage that was on offer is no more. But slap on the £30 battery pack (coming later this year) and you get double that, so you'll only have to worry about charging these handy cams around twice a decade.īlink and you'll miss it: Blink Mini Review With an indoor model and an outdoor option, these completely wireless cameras have the same impressive two year battery life of their predecessor, the Blink XT2. That's the biggest selling point of the new Blink Indoor + Outdoor security camera system, which builds on the first generation by introducing a wireless indoor camera and local storage. The smart security camera market is a crowded one, so you need a headline feature to stand out.
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