Amazon Cloud Cam Stopped Recording
Tom's Guide Verdict
The Amazon Cloud Cam is less expensive than its competitors, delivers good-quality video and has proficient cloud storage options.
Pros
- +
Inexpensive
- +
Intuitive app
- +
Can distinguish between people and pets
- +
Good video quality
Cons
- -
Requires monthly subscription for extra features
- -
Express smart dwelling integration
Alexa, who's that knocking at my door? Amazon is expanding its smart home achieve from voice assistants to security cameras with the Cloud Cam, a $119 security photographic camera that can not just show you lot who's at your door but also let you unlock information technology. The Cloud Cam is about $60 to $70 less than our favorite cameras, the Netgear Arlo Q and the Nest Cam, and offers comparable quality and subscription plans. And, you lot can even view a feed from the camera on your Fire Boob tube, Echo Show and other Amazon devices merely by asking Alexa. Just outside of Amazon Key — its door-unlocking feature — the Cloud Cam doesn't really distinguish itself from more established players.
Editor's Annotation (3/16/18): Amazon has added new features to the Cloud Cam; we have updated this review accordingly.
Design
Similar in looks to the industry stalwart Nest Cam, the Amazon Deject Cam has a cylindrical caput (2.4 inches in diameter, 1.vii inches deep) that's supported by a small, white base.
It's almost 4.1 inches alpine with its stand. The Netgear Arlo Q, while more squarish, has a comparable pattern. Amazon's camera comes with a 10-foot USB cable, which provides ability to the Cloud Cam.
Video and Audio Quality
Like our top two cameras, the Netgear Arlo Q and the Nest Cam, the Amazon Cloud Cam has a resolution of 1080p and a frame charge per unit of 30 fps. Its field of view is slightly narrower, though, at 120 degrees, compared to 130 degrees for the Netgear and Nest.
When compared to the Nest Cam, video from the Deject Cam was more often than not very good. The Cloud Cam'due south video was brighter — as well much so in some cases. While it let me see more than details in darker areas — I could improve brand out the cables behind my Television set prepare — it was at the expense of lighter areas. For example, the centre of the video, which was illuminated by an overhead calorie-free, was completely washed out; when my white cat walked through the aforementioned area, he partially disappeared.
A ring of eight infrared LEDs provides nighttime illumination. I could see 1 of my cats as he prowled beyond the dark attic.
Colors were as well a lot more than washed out; the pennants hanging on the wall simply popped more in the Nest's video than it did in Amazon's.
Nevertheless, in other situations, the brighter video from the Amazon photographic camera was an asset; during the solar day, when the room was lit only by sunlight, I could clearly run across my gray cat sleeping on a gray couch. On the Nest Cam, the cat blended in, making him about invisible.
A band of eight infrared LEDs provides nighttime illumination; here too, the Cloud Cam performed well, letting me see one of my cats as he prowled across the night cranium.
Sound came through really well, too; although the Cloud Cam was in the attic, it picked up my cat, who was on the landing below, scratching the bell on his neckband.
Move and Sound Detection
Within the Cloud Cam app are a number of settings, most of which y'all can already detect in other security cam apps.
You lot tin can opt to receive notifications if the camera detects move, if it detects a person, or both. This worked every bit advertised; I received ane warning when one of my cats walked in front of the camera and a person notification when I walked in front end of information technology.
A geofencing feature will turn the camera on automatically when your phone leaves a item area and off when you get back home.
Zones let you specify areas within the camera's field of view that let yous ignore movement; for case, if you only want to monitor a particular door and not an entire room, you tin can create zones to exclude everything just the door.
Smart Domicile Integration
A keen characteristic that Amazon has added to Alexa is the ability to view alive feeds from security cameras on the Echo Show, Burn down Telly and other Amazon devices, just by asking Alexa. Nonetheless, this is non exclusive to the Deject Camera; a host of other security cameras (Arlo, Band, Nest, Logi Circle, TP-Link, August, IC Real, Vivint, Amcrest, and Eziviz) back up this feature. Merely say "Alexa, show live view of [your photographic camera's name." On my Echo Show, the feed appeared almost instantly. A small microphone button in the lower-right corner also allow me comport on conversations with people I saw in the camera's feed.
I merely had to concur the microphone push button on the Fire Telly stick, say, "Alexa, show me Man Cave," and a video stream appeared on my Television screen.
Update (iii/16/18):If the Cloud Cam detects a person or movement, y'all tin opt to receive notifications on your Echo device. On the Echo and Echo Dot, the Alexa ring will glow yellow. (The Sol by GE also turns yellowish, so this will probably happen with other Alexa-enabled devices, besides.) On the Echo Show and Repeat Spot, an alert appeared on the screen.
Other than that, though, you tin can't actually integrate the Cloud Cam with other smart home devices similar y'all can with other security cameras. For instance, y'all tin connect the Nest Cam to Philips Hue lights and then that your smart bulbs will plough on when the camera detects motion, or will turn the lights on and off randomly when the photographic camera is in Away manner. An Amazon spokesperson said, "We volition continue to provide updates that make Cloud Cam even smarter, more efficient and more useful to customers."
Amazon's new Amazon Fundamental service will permit you lot to unlock your front door remotely, and so that commitment people can slip your packages within your abode.
Amazon added a web interface to its cloud photographic camera service, and so y'all tin can now log into a web browser to view a live feed, equally well as see previous events. From here, you can turn the photographic camera on and off, merely can't adjust any other settings.
Amazon Key
Worried about packages existence stolen from your front door? Amazon's new Amazon Key service, available for Prime members, volition notify you when a commitment person is at your front door, let you see and communicate with the person using the Cloud Cam, and then allow you to unlock your forepart door remotely, then that he or she can exit your package inside.
For this service to work, you'll need the Cloud Cam, plus ane of the Amazon Fundamental-approved smart locks (the Yale Assure, Kwikset SmartCode 914 and Kwikset Convert are the three compatible locks), and you must live in one of the areas where this service is supported.
Personally, I'd much rather deal with a stolen parcel than give a consummate stranger admission to my house. The "Amazon Cardinal Happiness Guarantee" states that if "your product or property was damaged as a direct result of the delivery, we'll work with yous to right the problem." I'd prefer something more legally binding.
However, I could come across this beingness useful for the disabled or elderly, or anyone who has problem getting to his or her front end door. Amazon plans to expand this to dog walkers and firm cleaners besides as the myriad other Amazon Domicile Services providers.
You can go the Deject Cam and the smart lock for $249, which is a pretty good price for the combo. The only comparable device and service is the August Smart Lock and August Doorbell Cam Pro, which would cost $100 more than.
Subscription Options
Amazon'southward cloud storage plans are competitive, but they're not the best.
The Cloud Cam comes with a gratis xxx-twenty-four hour period trial; after that, if you don't desire to sign up for a subscription, you can salve clips from up to three cameras for 24 hours and get notifications when activeness is detected.
Signing upward for a subscription plan not only increases the amount of storage you get, but likewise adds three features: Person detection, which sends alerts only when the camera sees an bodily person; Zones, which lets yous specify detail areas to watch; and Unlimited Sharing, which lets y'all download clips.
The Basic plan ($vi.99/calendar month, $69.99/year) gets you 7 days of storage for up to three cameras. The Extended program ($nine.99/month, $99.99/year) increases the storage to 14 days and the number of cameras to 5. The elevation-tier Pro plan ($19.99/month, $199.99/year) includes thirty days of storage for up to x cameras.
By comparison, Nest offers two plans: For $10/calendar month (or $100/year), you get 10 days of recording, intelligent alerts, downloadable clips and customizable activity zones. For $thirty/month ($300/year), storage increases to 30 days' history. Each plan just supports 1 camera, but additional subscriptions are half off.
Netgear is the merely i of the three to offer more than 24 hours of recording gratis; the visitor's basic programme gives yous 7 days of recordings for up to five cameras. The Premier plan ($100/twelvemonth) ups that to 30 days for 10 cameras, and its Elite programme ($149/year) gets you lot 60 days of video history for upwards to 15 cameras.
MORE: Coolest Things the Amazon Repeat Can Do
Free Plans
| | Amazon | Nest | Netgear |
| Amount of Storage | 24 hours | 3 hours (snapshots) | seven days |
| Number of Cameras | 3 | ane | v |
Basic Plans
| | Amazon | Nest | Netgear |
| Cost Per Month | $6.99 | $10 | $x |
| Amount of Storage | 7 days | 10 days | 30 days |
| Number of Cameras | 3 | ane | ten |
Premium Plans
| | Amazon | Nest | Netgear |
| Cost Per Month | $20 | $30 | $15 |
| Amount of Storage | 30 days | thirty days | lx days |
| Number of Cameras | 10 | one | fifteen |
For a more than detailed look at the leading video deject storage plans, cheque out our in-depth guide to Nest, Ring, August, Canary, Amazon, and Netgear Arlo's options.
Bottom Line
All in all, the Amazon Deject Cam is a safe entry for the shopping behemothic. It'southward less expensive than its competitors, delivers good-quality video with a robust characteristic set and has good deject storage options. However, with the exception of Amazon Key, at that place'south nothing that makes this camera stand out from others on the market. But maybe that's all Amazon needs; its devices are there to make it easier for yous to buy things; if the Cloud Cam makes it easier for you to receive the things y'all purchase, then information technology's done its job.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/amazon-cloud-cam,review-4840.html
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