Andy Shaw tests a new home-security camera that saves any video footage it captures to the internet
We’ve been reviewing home security cameras but, until now, only one brand has really stood out. Y-Cam’s HomeMonitor range (www.ycam.com) dominated the field because it records motion-detected footage to the cloud for free, which means you receive alerts on your mobile devices and can view the footage within seconds on the web or via an app.
It’s taken years for Y-Cam’s rivals to catch up but Netgear has finally launched a similar service with the introduction of its new camera, the Arlo Q. Unlike the previous batterypowered Arlo cameras, the new model is powered from a wall socket via a 3m cable. It comes with a high-quality stand that supports the camera on a flat surface or there’s a mounting plate included so you can screw it into a wall.
The camera connects to the internet via Wi-Fi and is very easy to set up. You just connect a laptop or mobile device to the network you want it to join and follow the simple setup instructions. This creates a QR code you hold in front of the camera, which transfers all the settings to it.
The device records in 1080p, even in the dark, and captures both sound and video. It even has a built-in speaker, so you can talk into the app to project your voice from the camera. This feature could be used to calm down a distressed pet or let anyone in the room know that they’re being watched.
There are three tiers of account. The free service gives you seven days of online storage for motion- or sound-triggered events (up to 1GB) for up to five cameras. You can upgrade to Premiere (£6.49 per month) for 30 days of event storage (or 10GB) and 10 cameras; or Elite (£9.99 per month) for 60 days of events (up to 100GB) and 15 cameras. You can also add continuous recording from a single camera but this will cost you £6.99 per month for 14 days or £12.99 for 30 days.
The software is well designed, easy to operate and good at detecting movement and sound. The app (available on the web, Android or iOS) can be used to set up sophisticated rules, which let you send different events to different people, or generally do different things around the various alerts.
There are a number of features that trump HomeMonitor’s cameras, but the best is the viewing angle, which increases HomeMonitor’s 80 degrees to 130 degrees, so you see more of your room. The app is also more sophisticated, but the cameras are a little more expensive.
VERDICT
It’s been a long time coming but the new Arlo Q from Netgear is the first network security camera that’s equal to Y-Cam’s HomeMonitor range. The recording service is more or less identical, with seven days of motion- or soundtriggered footage stored in the cloud for free. Even better, the camera has a wider viewing angle and two-way communication, and only costs a few pounds more.
SPECIFICATIONS
- 1080p 30fps video recording
- H.264 format
- 130-degree field of view
- Night vision operates up to 25ft
- 71 x 70 x 114mm
- 168g
- Control via browser or app (iOS, Android, FireOS)