FLIR Lorex Wire Free System Tested

By John Scanlan, Published Aug 29, 2017, 10:56am EDT

Wire free video surveillance is a major trend amongst consumers.

But wire free systems tend to be designed for few cameras, lower resolution and short battery life (related see IPVM's Blink test, IPVM's Netgear Arlo test, IPVM's Hikvision Ezviz Mini Trooper Test).

FLIR's Lorex has introduced their 'Wire Free Security Camera System', kits including up to 6 cameras claiming 6 months battery life, 1080p video, and 450'+ wireless range. And FLIR is bullish enough about this offering, their executives cited this on their most recent investor's conference call (see FLIR Security Business Struggling).

Our test coverage :

  • Wireless range: How far can it really reach vs its high specification?
  • Image quality: Was the image quality impacted by its use of wireless and battery operation?
  • Battery life
  • Integrated IR performance: How good was low light performance?
  • Bitrate
  • Physical construction: What, if any, quality issues were detected?

And more. See our results inside.

Key ********

**** *** *** *** findings **** *** **** of *** ***** ******** system:

  • ***** ******* ***** *******:** *** ****** ******, image ******* ** *** Wire **** ******* *** poor, ********* **** ************ and ********.
  • **** **: *** ******* ******** **** weak ************ ** ***** specified ~**' *****, **** IR **** ****** ** the ***** ** *** field ** ****.
  • ***** ********** ******** *****:**** *** ******** ******* inside *** ******* *******, wireless ***** *** shorter **** **** ***/************ performance.
  • **** ************ *****:**** *** ******** *******, camera ****** ******* **** 600' **** *** ********, well **** ****. *******, installing *** ******** ******* most ****** ******** *** extenders (*** ********) *** an ******** **** ***********.
  • ******* *************:************* ******* *** *******, with ** ******* ** codec ******** ***** **** resolution, ** *** ** turn *** ***** ******, no *** *********** ********, ** other ******* ******* ** **** consumer-focused ****.

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

**** ********/*** *****, *** smaller **** *** ***** cost ** ******* **** as ****, ***** **, ** *** ***** **** ******* *** ****** ** ** preferred ** *** ***** Wire **** ***. 

*** ***** ***** ******* for ****** ** ************ ** extended ******** *****, *** Wire **** *** *** be * ****** ******. Additionally, ** ****** ****** counts (*-*) *** ***** kit's ******* (*** *-* cameras) ******* **** ***********, with * ***** **** per ****** **** ****, Blink **, ***. 

*******

******* ** *** **** Free *** ****** **** $399.99 *** * *** camera *** ** $***.** for * *** ****** kit, ******** **** *****. Lower ****** *** ** found ** ********* **** ****** such ****'*,***'* ****, ***., *** ***** retailers ********* ******* ***********. Since *** **** *** new, ** ****** ******* availability *** ***** ****** later **** ****.

Camera ********

*** **** **** *** cameras *** ******* ** typical ****** ****** **** two *** ***********:

  1. ******** *******:*** ****** **** * wireless ******* ******* ** the **** ** *** camera, *** ***** ** standard ****** ******. **** that *** *** **** 2.4 *** ****** ******** wireless, *** ****, *** wireless ************. 
  2. ******** ******** **** *** battery:*** ******'* ******* ****** into *** **** ** the ****** (*** *****), making ** **** ******* than *******. 

************, *** ***** *******' housings *** *******, ******* of *** ***** ******* used ** ****** ******* (typically **** ********). ******* of ****, ***** *** find *** ***** ******* feel **** ****** ******** to ******* ****** *******. However, ***** **** **** cameras, **** ** ****, Blink, ***., **** *** ******* housings. 

** ****** ***** ******** and ******* ** ******** bullet ****** ** **** video:

*** ***** ***** ***** detail ** *** ******'* battery **** *** ******** mount. *** *** ***** with *-**** ********* *** all *******, ************ *** micro-USB. ***** ****** ****** life *-**** ***** **** be ********* ****. 

**** **** ****** *********** wire **** *******, ***** typically ******* *** ** unmount/remount *** ****** ** at ***** **-*** **** changing *********, **** ****** allows *** ***** ******* pack ** ** ******* without ************* *** ******. However, **** ***** *** battery *** ******** ** removed ******* ********** ******, while ***** ******* **** alert *** **** **** moved.

DVR/Wireless ********

*** ******** ** * typical form ******, *** *** very *** ***** ******** to ******* ****, **** video ***, ********, *** USB. *** ****** *** port ** **** *** the ******** ********. **** receiver ** ************ *** may ** ******* ******* to ******** ******* ******** range (*** *****). *******, it ***** **** **** a *' *** *****, which *** ** ** issue **** ******* * location *** *** ******** and ********, ** *** best **** *** *** recorder *** *** ** the **** **** *** the ********, ** **** near ** ******* ****.

**** ******** ** ****** most ***** **** **** options ** **** ** uses * *** *** instead ** ** **** or ***** ******* ******* by ******. ***** ****** this ****** *** ** to *** ***** ** storage **** ** ****, while ***** ***** ******* typically ******* ************* *** more **** * *** days ** *******.

************, *** ***** ******** may ** ********* ** a ******* **** ******* DVRs/NVRs, ****** ***** ******* which **** ** ***** display ******.

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

**** *** ******** ******* *******, in * ********** ******** with ***** *****/******, ******** range *** ~**'-***', ************* **** than *** ********* ************/**** air ***** ** ***'. 

**** *** ******** ******* outside, the ******* ******** *****'* specified ***' ******** *****, ********* a ****** ****** ** 625'. *******, **** ***** require * ******** *********** and * *** ********.

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

*** **** **** *** cameras' ***** ******* *** below ******* ** **** in *** ****** ******. 

**** *** ******* *** chart ** ****** ******** (~61 ****), **** *** washed ***. *** ******* performed ****** ******* ** full ***** ****** (~*** lux), *** ***** *** *** provide ***** ******* **** are expected **** ~** *** in * **** *** scene. *** ** **** IR *** *****) *** camera **** ********* ** low *****, *** **** to ******* ******* ** the ***** ** ********'* face. 

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

*** **** **** ******'* have * ********* ** range ** **'. *******, in *** ******* **** only ****** ************ *** subject ** ~**', **** the ***** ** *** field ** **** **** dark, ***** *****. **** that *********** *******, **** fewer ********** *****/********, ** likely ** ** *****.

**** **** ***** *********** markets **' ** ***** on *** **** **** kit ******* ***** (*****), but *** **** ***** states **', **** *** disclaimer "****** ** ************ range ** ***** ** ideal ********** ** ******* outdoor ***** **** ******* lighting *** ** ***** darkness."

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

** *** *******, *** camera's *** *** ******* of ********* ******** ** ~25' ********, ********* *****'* specified ***** ** **'. Performance *** ******* ******* toward *** ****** *** crossing *** ***.

Battery ****

***** ****** ~* ****** battery ****, ***** ** 30 ****** ***** *** day, ** ******* ****. Over *** ****** ** four **** ** *******, the ******* **** ** our **** ***** ******* 100% *******, ***** ~*** ******. 

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

*** **** **** *** only ***** ** ****** resolution **** ***** ** 720p, **** ** ***** stream ************* ********. ** adjustment ** ***, ***********, bitrate, ** ***** ******* is ********.

** *** *****, *** cameras ******** ** ** FPS/~35 ************ ****** *** day *** * ***/~*** at *****.

*** ** ************ ***** during *** *** ** significantly higher **** ****** (******* ~26, *** ** ****** ************ *********** Comparison) *** ********* *********** to ***** ******* ******** for *** *******. ** the ***** ****, ****** quantization / ******* *********** reduces ********* *********** ***** helps *** ******** ************. 

Mobile ***

** *** ***** *****, we ****** *** ***** Secure ****** ***, **** for ********** *** ******. App ********* *** ******* to ***** **** **** and ********, **** ** way ** ********* ***** other **** ********, *** limited ************* *****. 

Test **********

*** **** ** ** date ******** *** **** at *** **** ** testing:

  • ***** ***: ******** *****
  • ***** *******: ******** *****

Comments (5)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/29/17 03:56pm

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

Avatar

Sean Nelson

Nelly's Security
08/29/17 06:27pm

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.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 08/30/17 03:43pm

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.

Avatar

Vincent Tong

08/30/17 03:49pm

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.

Avatar

Vincent Tong

In reply to Vincent Tong | 09/08/17 11:59pm

found the info 

 

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

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