FLIR Lorex Wire Free System Tested

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John Scanlan
•Published Aug 29, 2017 14:56 PM

**** **** ***** ************ ** * major ***** ******* *********.

*** **** **** ******* **** ** be ******** *** *** *******, ***** resolution *** ***** ******* **** (******* see****'* ***** ****,****'* ******* **** ****,****'* ********* ***** **** ******* ****).

****'* ***** *** *************** '**** **** ******** ****** ******', **** ********* ** ** * ******* claiming * ****** ******* ****, ***** video, *** ***'+ ******** *****. *** FLIR ** ******* ****** ***** **** offering, ***** ********** ***** **** ** their most ****** ********'* ********** **** (*** **** ******** ******** **********).

*** **** ******** :

  • ******** *****: *** *** *** ** ****** reach ** *** **** *************?
  • ***** *******: *** *** ***** ******* ******** by *** *** ** ******** *** battery *********?
  • ******* ****
  • ********** ** ***********: *** **** *** low ***** ***********?
  • *******
  • ******** ************: ****, ** ***, ******* issues **** ********?

*** ****. *** *** ******* ******.

Key ********

**** *** *** *** ******** **** our **** ** *** ***** ******** system:

  • ***** ******* ***** *******:** *** ****** ******, ***** ******* of *** **** **** ******* *** poor, ********* **** ************ *** ********.
  • **** **: *** ******* ******** **** **** ************ at ***** ********* ~**' *****, **** IR **** ****** ** *** ***** of *** ***** ** ****.
  • ***** ********** ******** *****:**** *** ******** ******* ****** *** cameras *******, ******** ***** *** shorter **** **** ***/************ ***********.
  • **** ************ *****:**** *** ******** *******, ****** ****** reached **** ***' **** *** ********, well **** ****. *******, ********** *** receiver ******* **** ****** ******** *** extenders (*** ********) *** ** ******** wall ***********.
  • ******* *************:************* ******* *** *******, **** ** control ** ***** ******** ***** **** resolution, ** *** ** **** *** cloud ******, ** *** *********** ********, ** other ******* ******* ** **** ********-******* ****.

Versus ***** **** **** *******

**** ********/*** *****, *** ******* **** and ***** **** ** ******* **** as ****, ***** **, ** *** ***** **** ******* *** ****** ** ** ********* ** the ***** **** **** ***. 

*** ***** ***** ******* *** ****** IR ************ ** ******** ******** *****, *** Wire **** *** *** ** * better ******. ************, ** ****** ****** counts (*-*) *** ***** ***'* ******* (for *-* *******) ******* **** ***********, with * ***** **** *** ****** than ****, ***** **, ***. 

*******

******* ** *** **** **** *** varies **** $***.** *** * *** camera *** ** $***.** *** * six ****** ***, ******** **** *****. Lower ****** *** ** ***** ** ********* club ****** **** ****'*,***'* ****, ***., *** ***** ********* ********* require ***********. ***** *** **** *** new, ** ****** ******* ************ *** lower ****** ***** **** ****.

Camera ********

*** **** **** *** ******* *** similar ** ******* ****** ****** **** two *** ***********:

  1. ******** *******:*** ****** **** * ******** ******* mounted ** *** **** ** *** camera, *** ***** ** ******** ****** models. **** **** *** *** **** 2.4 *** ****** ******** ********, *** WiFi, *** ******** ************. 
  2. ******** ******** **** *** *******:*** ******'* ******* ****** **** *** base ** *** ****** (*** *****), making ** **** ******* **** *******. 

************, *** ***** *******' ******** *** plastic, ******* ** *** ***** ******* used ** ****** ******* (********* **** aluminum). ******* ** ****, ***** *** find *** ***** ******* **** **** rugged ******** ** ******* ****** *******. However, ***** **** **** *******, **** as ****, *****, ***., **** *** ******* housings. 

** ****** ***** ******** *** ******* to ******** ****** ****** ** **** video:

*** ***** ***** ***** ****** ** the ******'* ******* **** *** ******** mount. *** *** ***** **** *-**** batteries *** *** *******, ************ *** micro-USB. ***** ****** ****** **** *-**** packs **** ** ********* ****. 

**** **** ****** *********** **** **** cameras, ***** ********* ******* *** ** unmount/remount *** ****** ** ** ***** re-aim **** ******** *********, **** ****** allows *** ***** ******* **** ** be ******* ******* ************* *** ******. However, **** ***** *** ******* *** possibly ** ******* ******* ********** ******, while ***** ******* **** ***** *** user **** *****.

DVR/Wireless ********

*** ******** ** * ******* **** ******, but *** **** *** ***** ******** to ******* ****, **** ***** ***, Ethernet, *** ***. *** ****** *** port ** **** *** *** ******** receiver. **** ******** ** ************ *** may ** ******* ******* ** ******** outdoor ******** ***** (*** *****). *******, it ***** **** **** * *' USB *****, ***** *** ** ** issue **** ******* * ******** *** the ******** *** ********, ** *** best **** *** *** ******** *** not ** *** **** **** *** the ********, ** **** **** ** outside ****.

**** ******** ** ****** **** ***** wire **** ******* ** **** ** uses * *** *** ******* ** SD **** ** ***** ******* ******* by ******. ***** ****** **** ****** for ** ** *** ***** ** storage **** ** ****, ***** ***** cloud ******* ********* ******* ************* *** more **** * *** **** ** storage.

************, *** ***** ******** *** ** connected ** * ******* **** ******* DVRs/NVRs, ****** ***** ******* ***** **** no ***** ******* ******.

Wireless ***** / ********** *********

**** *** ******** ******* *******, ** * commercial ******** **** ***** *****/******, ******** range *** ~**'-***', ************* **** **** *** specified ************/**** *** ***** ** ***'. 

**** *** ******** ******* *******, *** ******* exceeded *****'* ********* ***' ******** *****, ********* a ****** ****** ** ***'. *******, this ***** ******* * ******** *********** and * *** ********.

Below ******* ***** *******

*** **** **** *** *******' ***** quality *** ***** ******* ** **** in *** ****** ******. 

**** *** ******* *** ***** ** direct ******** (~** ****), **** *** washed ***. *** ******* ********* ****** indoors ** **** ***** ****** (~*** lux), *** ***** *** *** ******* ***** details **** *** ******** **** ~** *** in * **** *** *****. *** to **** ** *** *****) *** camera **** ********* ** *** *****, not **** ** ******* ******* ** the ***** ** ********'* ****. 

Weak ** ************

*** **** **** ******'* **** * specified ** ***** ** **'. *******, in *** ******* **** **** ****** illumination *** ******* ** ~**', **** the ***** ** *** ***** ** view **** ****, ***** *****. **** that *********** *******, **** ***** ********** walls/surfaces, ** ****** ** ** *****.

**** **** ***** *********** ******* **' IR ***** ** *** **** **** kit ******* ***** (*****), *** *** spec ***** ****** **', **** *** disclaimer "****** ** ************ ***** ** based ** ***** ********** ** ******* outdoor ***** **** ******* ******** *** in ***** ********."

PIR ****** *********

** *** *******, *** ******'* *** was ******* ** ********* ******** ** ~25' ********, ********* *****'* ********* ***** of **'. *********** *** ******* ******* toward *** ****** *** ******** *** FOV.

Battery ****

***** ****** ~* ****** ******* ****, based ** ** ****** ***** *** day, ** ******* ****. **** *** course ** **** **** ** *******, the ******* **** ** *** **** still ******* ***% *******, ***** ~*** ******. 

Limited ****** *************

*** **** **** *** **** ***** to ****** ********** **** ***** ** 720p, **** ** ***** ****** ************* possible. ** ********** ** ***, ***********, bitrate, ** ***** ******* ** ********.

** *** *****, *** ******* ******** at ** ***/~** ************ ****** *** day *** * ***/~*** ** *****.

*** ** ************ ***** ****** *** day ** ************* ****** **** ****** (******* ~26, *** ** ****** ************ *********** **********) *** ********* *********** ** ***** quality ******** *** *** *******. ** the ***** ****, ****** ************ / greater *********** ******* ********* *********** ***** helps *** ******** ************. 

Mobile ***

** *** ***** *****, ** ****** the ***** ****** ****** ***, **** for ********** *** ******. *** ********* are ******* ** ***** **** **** and ********, **** ** *** ** searching ***** ***** **** ********, *** limited ************* *****. 

Test **********

*** **** ** ** **** ******** was **** ** *** **** ** testing:

  • ***** ***: ******** *****
  • ***** *******: ******** *****
Comments (5)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
•Aug 29, 2017

Great review! Sounds like the system has some challenges to work through, but what can one expect for the price.

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Sean Nelson
•Aug 29, 2017
Nelly's Security

Not bad. Not sure why they didnt think of the cable extension for outdoor receiver use. Im pleased with the outdoor range, but skeptical of how the camera would receive the signal if planted on the opposite exterior wall. Promising for the future of wire free cameras. Great review.

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Ethan Ace
•Aug 30, 2017

We updated the report based on feedback from Lorex.

  • Specified IR range is actually 26' in total darkness, not 40'. However, their marketing material prominently states 40' "night vision." This is disclaimed as range with "typical outdoor ambient lighting", though "typical" is unclear.
  • For clarity's sake, we reworded wireless range. Lorex specifies only unobstructed wireless range (450'), no spec of obstructed.
  • Lorex's spec sheet claims 3-4 months of battery life, not 4-6.

We added a note about battery replacement on the Lorex kit. Unlike other wire free cameras (Arlo, EZVIZ), the Lorex cameras do not require the camera to be moved to replace the battery, as it is mounted in the base. Others require the camera to be removed or flipped down, requiring re-aiming.

We also added a point about their use of a typical recorder instead of SD card based hubs or cloud recording. Lorex claims up to 2 years of recordings on a 1TB HDD (included) with no monthly fees. Others charge subscriptions for anything over a few days, and generally offer only 30 days maximum. Additionally, this recorder has a local video output, so may be used with a monitor and mouse, where other options cannot.

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Vincent Tong
•Aug 30, 2017

I wonder how long it would last in a busy environment.  Can you guys test how long it would last if it was on 24/7?  maybe point it at a fan or TV or something like that.

(1)
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Vincent Tong
•Sep 08, 2017
In reply to Vincent Tong

found the info 

 

So 4 months = 120 days x 4 minutes = 480 total min = 8 hrs continuous before battery runs out.