So ... low cost 4G camera (small) review

[orphee]

Hi all.

This is a short review about this camera

Low price (150$)
PTZ (optical zoom)

I was quite afraid to buy this item but, for those who saw my expectations, I was looking for :

- solar powered camera (12V + low consumption)
- 4G connection only
- correct quality
- PTZ if possible

I tried it and ... it works !

Picture quality is very surprising (above all, you can select higher quality if you want, I choose the lowest quality for speed and try to see difference at a few times)

For consumption (12V5) the maximum power is less than 10W (when it start)
Normal connection cause about 3W consumption witch is very low I think for camera + 4G (day, no IR)

Negative points ? sometime it doesn't connect to my phone, I have to try again.
But , as I tried about 10 connections in a complete day to see what happen, I never need to restart camera which is a good point (in a few days, camera will be far away, about 250km).

Camera can send alarms too. It's seems to detect movement correctly (middle sensivity)

So my conclusion:

A good choice for a low price (and picture quality, and PTZ and ....)

 

[bp2008]

I hope it lasts for you.

I suppose you have to access the camera through the manufacturer's website?

 

[fundean]

For that much I think I'm going to order it! How about posting some footage?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Q™]

Edited because I'm stoopid.

 

[orphee]

I hope it lasts for you.

I suppose you have to access the camera through the manufacturer's website?

You can access to camera (for first settings) using local WIFI. I setted minimum WIFI power on camera (3 levels) to have lower consumption. In those settings you have to specify phone numbers list.
After this done , you only make connection with your 4G phone.

I will send pictures when camera is connected (next week probably) because I don't keep camera pictures on my phone.

 

[orphee]

Update: this week I tried to connect the camera. Simply impossible ...
Perhaps 4G has not a good level but, as my phone show me a high level, I'm quite disapointed.
I will re-test at my office .

 

[Kawboy12R]

Keep us posted. I have a number of locations where a simple cheap 4G cam on battery power would interesting for checking things sporadically. I've got one flood prone property on a river that'd be nice to see remotely at times.

 

[orphee]

Ok here is the "final" news

1) this camera has a nice picture...
2) ... when it works !

So don't buy this: sometime you have 4G level , sometime you have no level at all and, of course, no more connection. Most of time connection is bad (50-80% of time or more !).
You can compare, taking a look on your phone level and will see your phone has a good 4G level.
It would be great if you can connect to ethernet with a cable but you can't on this version. I think the cable version would probably be OK but I don't want to waste my money again.

So what ?

I think I will buy
1) DS-2CD2542FWD-IWS (Hikvision)
2) 4G router Tl-MR6400 (TP-LINK)

Can I use it without NVR ?

 

[Kawboy12R]

Yes

 

[th3bloody9]

I think I will buy
1) DS-2CD2542FWD-IWS (Hikvision)
2) 4G router Tl-MR6400 (TP-LINK)

Can I use it without NVR ?

I'm not sure if that 4g router is a good choice. You are going to need to setup a VPN in order to access your cameras remotely (unless you can get a sim card with a public IP address). The router needs to be able to run a VPN client. I don't think that router has VPN support, most of the 4G routers I've looked at don't.

I think a better choice would be a separate 4G modem like this:

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-LTE-Modem-Broadband-Connection/dp/B01N5ASNTE/

You can then use a normal router with VPN support. Using a separate 4G modem gives you loads more choices when it comes to the router. Asus routers seem like a safe option as they have VPN support built in.

 

[orphee]

I received items (TP link router and Hikvision camera)

It's works perfectly (using EZVIZ because internet brownsers doesn't support this anymore).
It consume (router & camera) less than 7W (about 6W) with ethernet cable.
4G level is always great compared to the first camera I bought: no disconnection at all.

I made an error: it's not a outdoor camera so I decided to add varnish on PCB and water protection instead of returning camera. I just wonder about sun direct light but, even if we have always sun here, it's not really direct (mountain in the morning)
If neccessary in the future I will buy outdoor camera direct in China, it would cost about the same price than returning this model in GB.

 

[orphee]

A problem: impossible to get email alarm working but, looking for solution, it seem's it's a "SSL" problem with gmail and other providers (I tried gmail, hotmail and some others).

I hope Hikvision will find a solution ... or I will have to buy another camera in the future

Notice my camera model is
DS-2DE2202