Dropcam Pro takes quick & easy Wi-Fi-based home video surveillance to next level

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2014
Dropcam Pro was announced on Thursday, adding sharper video, improved audio, and support for Bluetooth Low Energy and dual-band Wi-Fi to the wireless video monitoring system.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9FCW7K/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=reality&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00F9FCW7K&adid=06VFXVK79E0964P8N3PX&;">Dropcam

The new Dropcam Pro, which retails for $199.99, has an image quality twice as sharp as its predecessor, with an 8x zoom and 130-degree field of view. New support for dual band Wi-Fi also gives users the ability to use the camera with 2.4- and 5.0-gigahertz wireless networks.

The addition of Bluetooth Low Energy support also gives users the ability to set up DropCam Pro with an iPhone or iPad. That addition eliminates the need for the device to be connected to a Mac or PC for initial setup.

A new mic and speaker in the Dropcam Pro also allow for improved audio when using the two-walk talk feature. When remotely checking in on a camera, users can talk directly to people ? or their pets ? using these hardware features.

Dropcam Pro also has a night vision mode that allows users to view subjects in the dark, thanks to the use of automatic infrared LEDs. Intelligent alerts in the cloud-based device also send notifications by e-mail or directly to the Dropcam iOS application.

Dropcam


Location awareness support also allows Dropcam users to turn their camera on and off based on where they are. And a scheduling feature can turn the camera on and off at specific times of the day or week.

Content recorded from the Dropcam can be saved to the cloud, and users can also save and share their favorite clips. Live streams can also be shared with friends or publicly for others to view.

Dropcam says it uses bank-level security to ensure live and stored video are kept safe, even when connected to an open wireless network. The video recorded on Dropcam is encrypted on the camera itself, before it its transmitted to the cloud. It's also streamed to devices securely through SSL encryption.

An entry-level Dropcam is also available with a 107-degree field of view and 4x zoom. Its low-light vision and audio quality are not as strong as the new "Pro" version.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    I understand that this product is not American? This is a serious advantage as they wouldn't be bound by the NSA-Gestapo regulations and forced to provide their entire database like Facebook, Apple, Google, etc.
  • Reply 2 of 27
    A video camera in my living room that can only store its footage on some company's server (which in turn offers easy access for any government agency even without a judge's permission)... yeah, that indeed takes home video surveillance to the next level. Level 1984 I'd say.

    Who would seriously buy something like that?
  • Reply 3 of 27
    You forgot to mention their ridiculous pricing scheme of 30 days of video at $29.95/month!!
  • Reply 4 of 27
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    icam has been doing all of this (except for the two-way audio, and the exorbitant pricing) for me for three+ years for next to nothing. (i'm not associated with icam except for being a very happy customer.) ditto for several friends of mine.
  • Reply 5 of 27
    Try again. The selling price and monthly fee are laughable. A webcam and Evocam are a much better setup.
  • Reply 6 of 27
    heatvision wrote: »
    A video camera in my living room that can only store its footage on some company's server

    That is optional, not mandatory.


    [*] Stunning Video Quality - New optics and updated image sensor provide 2x sharper video.
    [*] 60 Second Setup - Connect to Wi-Fi via computer or iOS mobile device, live stream in under a minute.
    [*] Incredible Field of View - 130 degrees diagonal, plus Zoom and Night Vision, so you don't miss a thing.
    [*] Stay Connected with Two-Way Talk, Intelligent Alerts, Scheduling and Mobile & Web apps.
    [*] Cloud Video Recording (CVR) - Review footage and make clips with optional secure offsite recording.
    [*] Dual-band Wi-Fi - Dropcam Pro supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks for improved wireless connectivity.
    [*] The latest product from the company that makes the best-selling security camera, baby monitor and pet-cam.
    [*]

  • Reply 7 of 27
    Monthly fee? Buh bye now.
  • Reply 8 of 27
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    I'd like to see the Nest folks get into this area (and more), their products and software are always taken the the 'next level' and the most Apple like of anything out there.
  • Reply 9 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post



    I'd like to see the Nest folks get into this area (and more), their products and software are always taken the the 'next level' and the most Apple like of anything out there.



    I've thought the same thing. Nest Home Surveillance and a Nest Smart Doorbell (answer your door remotely, with video), along with Nest smart power/lighting controllers would be great next steps for Nest.

     

    I currently use Axis WiFi home surveillance cameras, and store the video using Vitamin D to my QNAP NAS.

  • Reply 10 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    That is optional, not mandatory.

     

     

    Understood; however, there should be an option to record footage to a local drive or memory card. A primary need for remote cameras is to retrieve footage that you've missed or recorded, and $30 a month is silly.

  • Reply 11 of 27
    Understood; however, there should be an option to record footage to a local drive or memory card. A primary need for remote cameras is to retrieve footage that you've missed or recorded, and $30 a month is silly.

    Fully agree.

    And speaking of silly:

    [VIDEO]
  • Reply 12 of 27
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    Fully agree.



    And speaking of silly:




    Dang... now I'm gonna have to make sure my dog poops in my yard...

  • Reply 13 of 27
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Understood; however, there should be an option to record footage to a local drive or memory card. A primary need for remote cameras is to retrieve footage that you've missed or recorded, and $30 a month is silly.

    I bought their previous dropcam mainly because of the ability to save on the cloud. There are plenty of other cameras that record to your server. Furthermore, DVR feature is $10/month for one week of recording. For home security this is more than what most people need. The $30 per month is for a month worth or DVR recording. Both allows you to save clips locally or on their server.

    There are many other cameras and dropcam is another option.
  • Reply 14 of 27
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by heatvision View Post

    A video camera in my living room that can only store its footage on some company's server (which in turn offers easy access for any government agency even without a judge's permission)... yeah, that indeed takes home video surveillance to the next level. Level 1984 I'd say.



    Who would seriously buy something like that?

     

    Doesn't have to go in a living room. Could be used as an entrance security cam or for other purposes.

    As others have said, there are other options. In Canada, even Rogers offers a similar product.
  • Reply 15 of 27
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post





    I bought their previous dropcam mainly because of the ability to save on the cloud. There are plenty of other cameras that record to your server. Furthermore, DVR feature is $10/month for one week of recording. For home security this is more than what most people need. The $30 per month is for a month worth or DVR recording. Both allows you to save clips locally or on their server.



    There are many other cameras and dropcam is another option.

    I just bought iCam from Pooch's recommendation.  Wow!  What an awesome, easy app.  You can save to Dropbox as well.

  • Reply 16 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post





    I bought their previous dropcam mainly because of the ability to save on the cloud. There are plenty of other cameras that record to your server. Furthermore, DVR feature is $10/month for one week of recording. For home security this is more than what most people need. The $30 per month is for a month worth or DVR recording. Both allows you to save clips locally or on their server.



    There are many other cameras and dropcam is another option.

     

    One camera being used for home security is definitely not what most people need, in the U.S. at least, most homes have more than one room and one entry.

     

    I'm sure this will be popular with the technically challenged who would like to dabble with a camera; however, they would've captured a wider market had they offered a simple local storage solution too, like an optional plug-n-play network drive.

     

    Just saying

  • Reply 17 of 27
    Paranormal Activity 5
  • Reply 18 of 27
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    Why do all these companies insist on making it a cloud offering rather than supporting local access standards?! I want to VPN into my vacation home and be able to check the video from there... not use some made-for-idiots-that-don't-understand-security-or-the-implications-of-sharing-things-with-the-world device!!
  • Reply 19 of 27
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member

    I'm curious at how much bandwidth one of these things uses per month? With just about every ISP having a bandwidth cap, I'm sure using this would eat away a big chunk of your bandwidth you are allowed each month. 

  • Reply 20 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bloggerblog View Post



    You forgot to mention their ridiculous pricing scheme of 30 days of video at $29.95/month!!

    Yep! I hate subscriptions....I would rather do without.

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