Many competitors in this market offer one-year warranties by default, with options to extend – and that typically costs extra. A pretty good one, sure, but one without smart home integrations. Otherwise, SimpliSafe is just a security system. One final note about home automation: You’ll need an Interactive plan to enjoy any home automation feature. For example, you can tell Alexa you’re going out, and Alexa will set the system to Away mode, so it’ll be armed and ready for any suspicious or hazardous activity. SimpliSafe users still have plenty of options to automate with other components, like smart lighting, smart locks, and smoke detectors. From there, you can set SimpliSafe to pull up your camera’s live stream if the alarm is triggered (and automatically sound the siren).Īll in all, SimpliSafe automates well with Alexa-enabled platforms like the Echo Show and Fire TV, but it was a little less intuitive than when I reviewed Blink’s security cameras. Since the camera requires a SimpliSafe system to work properly, the only way to sync it up with existing smart home devices and platforms in your home is through SimpliSafe’s smart hub (aka base station). Smart Home Integrationsīy itself, the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera doesn’t integrate with any smart home platforms or third-party devices. It fell just a bit short of expectations in audio clarity, but it definitely accomplished the task. The audio handled as well as many others in the market, like the affordable Wyze Cam I tested recently. This is a standard feature in security cameras, and for good reason: it can actually scare people away. The camera has a built-in microphone that lets you hear what’s happening around your home, even while you’re away, and talk to relatives or even suspicious lurkers within the camera’s view. It’s not anything the average wireless camera can’t do these days (see our analysis of Arlo’s wireless cameras for a slightly glossier experience), but if you’re a SimpliSafe loyalist, I think you’ll appreciate this simple but important feature. SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera Motion Detectionįor intrusions of the animal variety, turn on all-motion detection to track critters in your flower beds. But if you’re new to home security, check out my thorough security camera installation guide for more tips. Since I’m accustomed to DIY cameras, this step was no sweat. I liked how I could install the camera anywhere, using just two screws and the included bracket. More on this in our guide to security camera placement. These magnetic mounts are great for adjusting on the fly, but make sure you’re installing them where potential burglars and thieves can’t get their hands on them. We saw it with the Google Nest, and we saw it again when we reviewed Geeni. We really like this approach to mourning. Even before I’d finished charging the battery I could position the camera in the mount to test out different angles. It connects with the camera tightly, so I knew it would be secure once I mounted it, but it was also easy to adjust. I also had a closer look at the camera’s magnetic mounting bracket. While I waited for the battery to charge, I took the device apart and found the place the battery would go when it reached 100%. So with SimpliSafe Outdoor, I had a bit of flexibility, and I used it. (The battery lasts three to six months before it needs a recharge.) That’s not ideal, frankly, because I’m barely 5 feet tall, I don’t have the steadiest hands, and I’m just not very fond of ladders. You have to plug the USB cord into the camera itself to charge the battery, which – for me – meant having to climb up and take it down every two to three months or so. To compare, this was about the same time it took for the battery-operated Reolink Argus 2 camera to charge when I reviewed it.īut here’s the big difference between SimpliSafe and the Reolink cameras I reviewed: the Reolink’s battery isn’t removable. The battery took about two hours to reach a full charge (the three flashing lights on the battery are an easy indicator). I made sure to dig out the battery from the SimpliSafe Outdoor camera box, and charge it in the house before beginning installation. It’s always a good idea with any battery-operated camera to check the battery first to see if it needs charging (like we did when we reviewed the Ring Spotlight Battery). Everything about installation was easy and straightforward, from removing the camera from the box to placing it on my wall.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |