FLIR Lorex Wire Free System Tested

By: John Scanlan, Published on Aug 29, 2017

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.

**** **** ***** ************ is * ***** ***** amongst *********.

*** **** **** ******* tend ** ** ******** for *** *******, ***** resolution *** ***** ******* life (******* *******'* ***** ****,****'* ******* **** ****,****'* ********* ***** **** Trooper ****).

****'* ***** *** *************** '**** **** ******** Camera ******', **** ********* ** to * ******* ******** 6 ****** ******* ****, 1080p *****, *** ***'+ wireless *****. *** **** is ******* ****** ***** this ********, ***** ********** cited **** ** ***** most ****** ********'* ********** call (******* ******** ******** **********).

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

  • ******** *****: *** *** can ** ****** ***** vs *** **** *************?
  • ***** *******: *** *** image ******* ******** ** its *** ** ******** and ******* *********?
  • ******* ****
  • ********** ** ***********: *** good *** *** ***** performance?
  • *******
  • ******** ************: ****, ** any, ******* ****** **** detected?

*** ****. *** *** results ******.

[***************]

Key ********

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

  • ***** ******* ***** *******:** *** ****** ******, image ******* ** *** Wire **** ******* *** poor, ********* **** ************ and ********.
  • **** **:*** ******* ******** **** weak ************ ** ***** specified ~**' *****, **** IR **** ****** ** the ***** ** *** field ** ****.
  • ***** ********** ******** *****:**** *** ******** ******* inside *** ******* *******, wireless ***** *** much ******* **** **** air/unobstructed ***********.
  • **** ************ *****:**** *** ******** *******, camera ****** ******* **** 600' **** *** ********, well **** ****. *******, installing *** ******** ******* most ****** ******** *** extenders (*** ********) *** an ******** **** ***********.
  • ******* *************:************* ******* *** *******, with ** ******* ** codec ******** ***** **** resolution, ** *** ** turn *** ***** ******, no *** *********** ********, or ***** ******* ******* of **** ********-******* ****.

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

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

*** ***** ***** ******* for ****** ** ************ or ******** ******** *****, the **** **** *** may ** * ****** option. ************, ** ****** camera ****** (*-*) *** Lorex ***'* ******* (*** 1-2 *******) ******* **** competitive, **** * ***** cost *** ****** **** Arlo, ***** **, ***.

*******

******* ** *** **** Free *** ****** **** $399.99 *** * *** camera *** ** $***.** for * *** ****** kit, ******** **** *****. Lower ****** *** ** found ** ********* **** stores **** ****'*,***'* ****, ***., *** ***** 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, ***., **** *** plastic ********.

** ****** ***** ******** 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 **** ******, *** has **** *** ***** compared ** ******* ****, only ***** ***, ********, and ***. *** ****** USB **** ** **** for *** ******** ********. This ******** ** ************ and *** ** ******* outside ** ******** ******* wireless ***** (*** *****). However, ** ***** **** only * *' *** cable, ***** *** ** an ***** **** ******* a ******** *** *** recorder *** ********, ** the **** **** *** the ******** *** *** be *** **** **** for *** ********, ** even **** ** ******* wall.

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

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

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

**** *** ******** ******* indoors, ** * ********** building **** ***** *****/******, wireless ***** *** ~**'-***', significantly **** **** *** specified ************/**** *** ***** of ***'.

**** *** ******** ******* outside, *** ******* ******** Lorex's ********* ***' ******** range, ********* * ****** signal ** ***'. *******, this ***** ******* * building *********** *** * USB ********.

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

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

**** *** ******* *** chart ** ****** ******** (~61 ****), **** *** washed ***. *** ******* performed ****** ******* ** full ***** ****** (~*** lux), *** ***** *** not ******* ***** ******* that *** ******** **** ~50 *** ** * well *** *****. *** to **** ** *** below) *** ****** **** struggled ** *** *****, not **** ** ******* details ** *** ***** or ********'* ****.

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% *******, ***** ~*** events.

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

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

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

*** ** ************ ***** during *** *** ** significantly ****** **** ****** (average ~**, ***** ****** ************ *********** 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

***** ******! ****** **** *** ****** *** **** ********** ** work *******, *** **** *** *** ****** *** *** *****.

Thumbnail newheadshot

Sean Nelson

Nelly Security | 08/29/17 06:27pm

*** ***. *** **** *** **** ***** ***** ** *** cable ********* *** ******* ******** ***. ** ******* **** *** outdoor *****, *** ********* ** *** *** ****** ***** ******* the ****** ** ******* ** *** ******** ******** ****. ********* for *** ****** ** **** **** *******. ***** ******.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 08/30/17 03:43pm

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

  • ********* ** ***** ** ******** **' ** ***** ********, *** 40'. *******, ***** ********* ******** *********** ****** **' "***** ******." This ** ********** ** ***** **** "******* ******* ******* ********", though "*******" ** *******.
  • *** *******'* ****, ** ******** ******** *****. ***** ********* **** unobstructed ******** ***** (***'), ** **** ** **********.
  • *****'* **** ***** ****** *-* ****** ** ******* ****, *** 4-6.

** ***** * **** ***** ******* *********** ** *** ***** kit. ****** ***** **** **** ******* (****, *****), *** ***** cameras ** *** ******* *** ****** ** ** ***** ** replace *** *******, ** ** ** ******* ** *** ****. Others ******* *** ****** ** ** ******* ** ******* ****, requiring **-******.

** **** ***** * ***** ***** ***** *** ** * typical ******** ******* ** ** **** ***** **** ** ***** recording. ***** ****** ** ** * ***** ** ********** ** a *** *** (********) **** ** ******* ****. ****** ****** subscriptions *** ******** **** * *** ****, *** ********* ***** only ** **** *******. ************, **** ******** *** * ***** video ******, ** *** ** **** **** * ******* *** mouse, ***** ***** ******* ******.

Thumbnail photo

Vincent Tong

08/30/17 03:49pm

* ****** *** **** ** ***** **** ** * **** environment. *** *** **** **** *** **** ** ***** **** if ** *** ** **/*? ***** ***** ** ** * fan ** ** ** ********* **** ****.

Thumbnail photo

Vincent Tong

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

***** *** ****

** * ****** = *** **** * * ******* = 480 ***** *** = * *** ********** ****** ******* **** out.

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