Covert Screw Cameras Tested
Covert cameras in smoke detectors and clocks are common but what about in a screw? How well do covert screw cameras work vs low-cost IP cameras and where can they be installed?
We bought and tested two covert 1080p and 480p screw cameras and tested them against Axis M-Series, Hikvison Value Series, and Wyze v3 Pro and in this report, we provide you with our fully tested results, including:
- How does the covert screw cameras' image quality compare in full light, low light, and WDR scenes to Axis M-Series, Hikvision Value Series, and Wyze v3?
- How much detail is produced on people while in motion in low light or WDR scenes?
- How well do these cameras blend in vs. general hardware screws?
- How well do these cameras blend into wall outlets, cover plates, or junction boxes?
- What modifications are required to install the screw cameras in wall sockets?
- How do the screw cameras connect to a VMS/NVR?
Executive *******
*** ******* ***** **** *** ****** screw ****** *** ** ****** ******* general ******** ******, ****** **** ********* to ******. *******, *** ***** ******* can ** ****** ********** ** **** if **** ** **** *******, ** baseplates, ***** *** ******** ******* ******* the ***** ** *** ***** ****, or ** *********** *** *** *********/**** a **** ************* ** ********. ****** to ****, ***** ***** ******* ***** likely ** ********* ** **** ******.
*** ***** ******* ******** ** **** screw ******* ** **** ************* ** Wyze, *********, ** **** ******* ** all ****** ******, *******, ** ****-*** scenes ****** ~**' **** ***** ******* tested ******* ****** ****** ** *** subjects ****** ****** ~**' **** ****** is ******** ** ******** ******.
******, *** ***** ******* ******* * TVI ********** ** **** *** ********* to ** ** *********, ******** *** covert ********* ** ********** *** ****** will ** ********* ** **** *********.
********
** ********* ** **-*** ***** ****** with * ********* *** ** ** that *** *** **** ********** ** areas, *** * **** ****** **** a ***** **** ****** ***** ******** a ****** **** ** *******. **** cameras ******* ** ** ** ********* which ******** ** ******** ** ** TVI ********** ** ********* **** ** encoder ** ***.
***** ** ** ******** ***** ** all ** *** ******** *************** ** the ****** ***** *******:
*******
*** ***** ****** ****** *** ** found ****** *** ~$**, ***** *** 480p ****** ****** *** ** ***** for ~$**. **** ** ************* **** than **** *** **** ** ****** which ***** ~$**, ****** *** ****** cameras ******* ******** ******** ** ** viewed ********.
Covert ******* ****** ************
*** ****** ****** ***** ******* **** purchased **** ****** (****** *****), *******, other ****** ******* *** ** ********* from ******* ****** ******, *********:
- ****** (****** ******):**** ************ *****
- *******
- **** *****
****** ******* *** **** *********/*** ** found ** **** ***** ****** ******, however, ** **** ****** * ***.
Similar ** ********/******* ******, *** ********* **** ******
**** ****** ***** ******* *** ********/******* screw-type **** ******* *** ** * lineup **** *** ***** ****** ** ~6" **** **** **** ******* ** the ***** ********.
********* ***** ******* *** ** ************ difficult ** *** ***** ******** * similar ****** *** ******** **** ***** as ******* ******** **** ** * specific ********.
***** *** ****** ****** ** *** stand *** **** ******** ** ***** panhead ******, ** ****** ** * wall ******, **** *** ** **** easily ********** ** ****. *** *******, most ******** **** ** ******* ** wallplates ********* ******* *** ***** *****.
*******, **** ******* ** **** **** setup ** ***** ** ** ********* distance ** ~*', *** * ********* angle ** ~** *******, ***** *** increasingly **** ** ******, *** **** will ****** *** ****** *** ***** camera.
***********, ** ****** ** * ******* colored ******** ***, *** ***** ******* are ************ ******/****** ** ******.
****, ***** *** ***** ******** ** a ********* ** ***, **** ******** ample ***** ** *** *** *******/*********** required.
Drilling ******** *** *******
** *** *******, ********** *** ****** cameras ** **** ****** ******** **** drilling ** ****** ****** ***** *** deploying *** ****** *******. *** ***** camera **** * ******* ******** ******** a ******* **** *** *** ** fit ******* *** **** *** *** screwed **, ***** ******* *******/*** *** camera **** * *****.
***** ** ** ******* ** *** hole **** ******** ** * **** socket ** *** **** ****** ******* compared ** *** ****** ***** ****.
*** ****** **** ****** **** **** the **** ******* * *** ******** a ****** ******* *** *** ** easily ********* **** * ****** **** if ** ***** ****** ******** ** an ********** ******** *********.
Composite *********** - ******* ** *** ********
**** ** *** ****** ******* *** connected ** ********* (***) *********** *** the ********* ******** ********* ** ******* adapters ***** *** **** ** ********* to ** ******* ** *** ** obtain *** ***** ******. ***** *** no *********** **** *** ** **** to *** ****** ***** **** ****** focus ** *** ***** ****** ******.
Full ***** ***** *******
**** ******** ** *****-**** ******* **** Axis, *********, *** *** **** ** in **** *****, *** ***** ****** camera ******** ********** ****** *******. *******, 1080p ****** *******' ***** ******* ** slightly *******/******* *** ******* **** **** color ******** ** ******** ** *** comparison *******. ** *** ***** ****, the **** ****** ****** **** ******** similar *******, ****** **** ******* *** to *** ****** ***** *******.
**** *** ******* ~**' ****, *** 1080p ****** ****** ******** ****** ******* in **** ***** **** *** ********** to ***** ******* ** ****, *********, and ****. *******, ** ***** ******* from ******** ****** *** **** ***** fidelity. ***** *** **** ****** ***** to ******* ** **** ****** ** its *********** **** **** ********.
Low ***** ***** *******
** *** ***** ** ~* ***, and ***** ** **** ****, *** 1080p ****** ****** ***** ***** ** providing ********** ****** ******* ** ***** of *********, ****, *** **** **. In ********, *** **** ****** ****** makes *** ******* ****** ***********, ******* to ******* ********** *******.
** *** ***** ********** ** ************* 2 ***, ***** ** ******, **** the ***** *** *** **** ****** cameras' *********** ** ** ********** **** even **** ********** ** * ******** of ***** * ****, ****** ******* are *** *******.
No **, ****** *** ******* ** ****
******* ** *** ****** ******* *** integrated ******** ** * ********* *** filter, ***** ***** **** ******** **** not ** ******* ** **** (~*.****) conditions.
WDR ***********
*** *********** *** ****** ** ** exit **** ***** **** ************ ******* from ~*,*** *** ******* ** ~** lux ******.
******* ** *** ****** ******* ****** provides ********** ******* ** *** *** scene, *** ******** **** *** *********** both ****** *** *******, **** **** minor ******** ******* ** *** ***** covert ******. *******, **** **** ******* to ******* *****, ** **** *** suffer **** ************ ** **** ** the **** ****** ****.
*********, ** * *** ***** **** quick ******** ** ***** ************, **** the ***** *** **** ******* ********** the ********** *** ***** **** *** details ** *** *******.
Made ** *****
**** ** *** ****** ******* **** made ** *****.
Versions ****
*** ********* ******** **** **** ****** testing.
- ***** ****** ******: ** ******** *****.
- **** ****** ******: ** ******** *****
- **** ***** : **.*.**
- **** ****-*: **.*.**
- ********* **-*********-**: **.*.** ***** ******
- **** **: *.**.*.****
** *** ******** **** *** **** listed *** ***** ******* - *** that **** *** *** ******** *** screw **** ****** ** *** ******* covert ******?
***,
*** **** ******* *** **** *** both ** *** ********* *******, **** use ** *** ********* *** ******* an *** ** ******* ******* ** connect ** *** *******.
**** *** ****** *** ******** *** or ***** *** ****** ******** ** this?
***,
*** *** *********** ********* **** ****** ****-*** ******** & ****** ********** ** **** ** ********* ******* ********* ****? ** ** ** *** *** test *** ****** ***** ******* **** it *** * *** *** **** up, **** **** ** *** **** you ** ****** ** *** ********* they **** ** ******.
***, ****'* *** ***. **** ***** up ** *** *** **** ***** was ****, ******. ** ****** ******* become **** ********* ** **** **** faster **** ** ****** ****. **** you ****** **** ** ******* *** detection? **** **** **** ************, *** I'm *** **** ** *** ****** camera ******* ****** ******* ****** *** that ** ** ******.
****: **** **** ** ****+ *** most***** ****** **** ****** ********. ** **** this ****+ ******* ** *** * shorter *** **** *** **** ***** interest, ******* ***** ******* ***** *** *** ** The ******* *** *************** ****** ******** “*****” ******.
*******, * ** ***** ***** *** continued ****** ******** ** *** ******** testing **** ********* ****** ****:**** *** ****** ****** **. ****** and *********,*** *** ******** ************ **** ****************** ********* ******** **** - ** Manufacturers, ** *********