Is buying a CCTV camera proving to be a hard task master? With technological advances new kit keeps coming up, better and improved and finding the right security camera is really about trying it out and seeing how well it works with your home. But who wants to risk that, time and money is precious. If you know what you want then that is half the battle. If you want a wire free system, something that is discreet and sleek looking so it will fit in with your home decor then you need to see this Arlo Wireless Security camera.
Arlo has several kits and components available depending on the size of the area you need coverage for and video quality. Here are their most popular kits so that you can see what we’re covering as we go through the review
What is this Arlo Kit All About?
This camera kit is produced by Netgear, who make networking equipment and routers. They have moved away from the ugly box shape of some cameras, and added a slick curvaceous camera that could double as a wirelesses signal booster or a blue tooth speaker. These cameras are so easy to pick up and set down they can cover a multitude of uses.
Use them as a baby cam monitor, add one in the garden when you’re kids are on the trampoline. Move it beside the front door to monitor who is calling. Place one in a discreet position to check if your kids are doing their homework while you hit the mall. You then can monitor the video using your smart phone.
The days of; where does this wire go? Or connecting it to the wrong place are over. These cameras are solely made for home use, both for indoors and outside.
HD VIEWING
This camera uses the 720p HD format and captures a 130 degree viewing angle. With 850mm LED capabilities and infrared cut off filters, this camera can literally see in the dark. With its night vision setting the camera still gives you high definition quality videos and allows you to see what is going on in the room or the perimeters of your home.
You can program it to switch on as programmed when it senses motion. With motion detection, the camera will record any movement that it senses and this can be viewed once the alert has been sent through. The videos recorded by the camera are sent to a cloud storage. With this service you get seven days free cloud storage and thereafter; if you would like to upgrade, you just need to pay extra starting at $9.99 per month. The video recording can be shared with family and friends. You download them from the cloud or simply save for future use.
One of the best features of this kit is that it is wire free. Not a single thread is needed to get them to work. The cameras come with batteries that are long life and should last to about six months depending on how the camera is utilised. With batteries who needs wires? So this allows them to be mounted anywhere and everywhere. They come with magnetic mounts which you can use screws or double sided tape to keep them in place.
It also comes with a base station which you connect using an ethernet cable which comes in the box, to your router and presto. The cameras have a sync button that immediately connects to your wireless network. You download an IOS or Android app and you have access to your cameras.
Arlo Security Kit Pros
The first most delightful pro is that this is truly a DIY kit. Everything you need comes in the box, all you have to do is mount the cameras in the position you need them in, plug in the base station and connect it to your WIFI router and you are half way to having peace of mind. All that will be left is downloading the app that will control the cameras and allow you to have access to the live feed and the recorded clips in the cloud storage. How great it is that you will not incur any costs by having people coming into your home and exposing your security set up and invading your privacy just to set up the cameras?
Another great pro is that everything is wireless. There is no damage to walls through drilling holes to put wires through. It is neat and tidy and you will never know it is there. You will never have to worry about plugging it in to the nearest socket as the cameras come with batteries which means you really can put them anywhere, even up a tree. The kit is neat and made with long lasting materials. The design can easily blend in with your home décor, it will just look like a fancy tech that you have near your router.
The cameras are weather proof so you do not have to worry about it being rained on or the sun hitting it too hard, your durable camera remains intact. You will not have to pull the cameras down every so often to protect them from the elements. The kit comes with its own batteries and the life span is about four to six months depending on how you will be using the kit. You can also use regular rechargeable batteries. This can help you save on costs.
With the app on your phone or tablet, you really have your eye on your precious possessions regardless of where you are. If you are at home or away you can turn to your app and watch live footage of what is taking place in your home, you can watch what the nanny is doing with your children, what the pets do when you are not home. It is a self-monitoring system and you know that if any motion has been detected you will be alerted and you can act appropriately.
Arlo Security Kit Cons
There is no product that does not have its faults. Some people may be surprised that they need to pay for video storage after they purchase the kit. For most consumers this isn’t a problem because they will understand this ahead of time.
There are a lot of positive reviews on this security camera kit. The video quality can be changed from HD to balanced to best life for the longevity of the batteries. The battery life can be controlled by changing these options. The easy set up and the wire free aspects has won a lot of hearts over. However some owners of this camera were not too happy with how far the cameras can go from the base station which is 300ft which means that this camera kit is not for super big properties unless more than one base stations are purchased.
Well if you can afford a mansion chances are you can afford another base station, not too mention a wired CCTV set up would probably be a better choice in the first place.
The cameras come in white and one customer complained about how this makes it very difficult for them to blend into the environment on the outside. This makes them easy to spot. Perhaps some camouflage tape roll from Amazon would help, or hiding it behind foliage would do the trick…
The PersonalSec Verdict
The wire free aspect and it coming with batteries helps keep the home neat with no holes. It’s slick design, and magnetic mounts makes it a cinch to grab a camera and set it up in another spot. If you are a non techy or just don’t want the hassle of constantly drilling up mounts and destroying the décor you will appreciate it.
For those who can afford it this is a versatile system, with visibility in the dark and no extra light needed it definitely helps you keep your most prized possessions safe. Netgear have definitely taken the Apple marketing mantle with this product, focus on sexy design, make it white, minimal, pack it with technology and charge high for it.
In short, investing in this camera is moving in the right direction technology wise if you like a click set and forget easy mount system that can be set up in 30 minutes and also looks good, plus is super easy to use.