What Is your security camera missing?
Most of the models available aren't quite reliable enough.
People use Wi-Fi cameras for all kinds of things, from checking on the
dog to confirming that they turned off the stove burner. But people who
use them for home security expect the camera to be able to record
everything that happens in front of them. However, that's not always how
these things work.
Most Wi-Fi cameras can't actually catch everything, and we're not
talking about angles and field of view. After spending months testing
over 20 indoor and outdoor cameras, I've discovered that less than a
handful of units can make reliable recordings where you won't miss a
second of the action.
Almost every Wi-Fi camera is designed to record when it detects motion
happening. Most also have a recording time limit, anywhere between five
seconds and five minutes, so the video sizes don't get unmanageable. If
motion continues beyond that time limit, you expect the camera to
instantly start another clip. That way, you don't miss a face, a
raccoon, or whatever else is going bump in the night. However, most
cameras leave a gap in between those recorded clips. Camera
manufacturers call this a "reset" period or "retrigger" time.
This footage gap first came to my attention when reviewing the original
Netgear Arlo Pro for our wireless outdoor home security camera guide. I
went back and retested the unit, only to find that, on average, the
camera left gaps up to 35 seconds in between recordings. In one
recording, enough time elapsed between clips to leave me wondering which
one of my neighbors was kind enough to put my trash cans away. It's
also long enough to miss someone breaking into your home or stealing a
package from your porch.
When I asked Netgear about the issue, a representative stated that this
was put in place so the camera sensor could reset, so the video wouldn't
be stuck in a loop and kill the battery. They also said the company
planned to fix it by adding a "record until motion stops" feature, which
was included on some of the company's AC-powered cameras. Once the
camera was updated, the gaps still remained, but were shorter and
slightly more consistent in duration.
This got me wondering about other cordless, battery-powered cameras. But
after a bit more research and testing, I realized that some cameras
connected to AC power still left gaps anywhere from a few seconds and up
to five minutes. When it comes to choosing a camera for security, this
is a big deal.
A few manufacturers have acknowledged that by allowing you to adjust the
downtime. For instance, Blink allows users to set the retrigger time on
the outdoor XT between 10 and 60 seconds. Blink says this feature helps
to conserve battery life, but that doesn't explain why so many corded
cameras also do this.
Wi-Fi cameras often cut off recordings after a predetermined time, then leave a gap in between clips. Image: Ryan Hines
Having that reset can ensure that the camera isn't making endless
recordings triggered by people, cars, or animals. Of course, recent
features like defined activity zones and person detection are better
ways to address that problem.
Nest, Logitech, and Amazon are a few of the companies currently making
cameras that don't leave any sort of a gap. Logitech cuts off clips a
little after three minutes, but uses a "per frame tracking approach" to
start a new clip immediately. Amazon bumps clips up to five minutes and
"records a few seconds of video in temporary storage on the device and
continually writes over it" to make sure you never miss any of the
action. Nest just records everything 24/7 and makes a note when motion
occurs—and charges from $50 to $300 a year for it.
Why might you be willing to live with the gaps? Price is definitely a
consideration. Nest cameras and Logitech's Circle 2 cost two and, in
some cases, three times more than other security cameras. At $120, the
Amazon Cloud Cam is more affordable, but has trade-offs on image and
features.
Another reason you may be willing to live with gaps is convenience. This
is especially something to consider with outdoor cameras. If you don't
have an outside outlet, you may be willing to accept gaps in exchange
for a cordless camera. With almost 12,000 reviews and a 4.3-star (out of
five) rating on Amazon, Arlo Pro users don't seem too concerned with
missing a few seconds here and there.
If you're worried about not catching something (or someone), setting up a
system with multiple overlapping cameras may help. This is what pro
security companies do, but that gets expensive.
Before buying, think about how you're going to use the camera. If it's
for live viewing, watching the dog, or checking to see when the kids get
home, recording gaps might not matter. Plus, it's just a few seconds,
right?
If you'd like to learn more about Wi-Fi cameras, read our reviews of the
best wireless indoor security camera and best wireless outdoor security
camera.
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/42051
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