Testing Smart Home PTZ (Remocam)

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Dec 03, 2015

The consumer cloud video market is dominated by wide angle, fixed cameras (Dropcam/ Nestcam, Simplicam, Canary, Piper, etc.)

Startup Remocam [link no longer available] is taking a different approach with a pan/tilt camera for the cost of most fixed options, with novel IR device control features for basic home automation.

Here's their marketing video for the pitch:

*** ******** ***** ***** ****** is ********* ** **** angle, ***** ******* (*******/ *******,*********,******,*****, ***.)

******* ******* [**** ** longer *********] ** ****** a ********* ******** **** * pan/tilt ****** *** *** cost ** **** ***** options, **** ***** ** device ******* ******** *** basic **** **********.

****'* ***** ********* ***** for *** *****:

** ****** * ******* *** tested **. ** **** report, ** **** ** Remocam's ********, ***********, *** pricing, *** *** *** it ****** ** ******* *** most **** ***** *****.

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

*******

******* **** **** ****** right, **** ** ***** and *** **** ** use, *** **** ***** features **** ** ***/**** *** IR ****** ******* ******** ** similarly ****** ******** ******.

*******, ** ** ****** ***** other *********** ***** ** have ******, ****** ** almost ***-******** *** ******** controls *******, ******* ***** to ****** ******* ***** numbers ** ****** ** find **** **** *** looking ***. ************, *** inability ** ****** ** card ********** *** *** app ****** ***** ** pay *** * ***** storage **** ** ****** *** SD **** ** **** video.

Key ********

**** *** *** *** ******** from *** **** ** Remocam:

*****

******* ***** *** *****, 2-3 *******, **** **-** information **** ************* ** the ****** **** * QR **** ** *** user's **********, *** ***** prompts ********* *** **** of ******.

********

***** ******** ** ****** was ******, **** *-* seconds **** ****** ******* video ** ***********.

** ***** ****** ** available ***** **** ** date, **** ** ***** grained ****** *******.

** ******** ***** **** play/pause *** * ***** bar *** ********* ****** playback, **** ** **** forward, **** ******, **********, etc.

***** ** ** ******** of ** **** ********* via ***, ******* ***** to ****** *** **** to ****** *****.

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

***/**** ******* *** ****, but *** *******. ******** began * ******** ** a ****** ***** ******* the ************* ******.

*** ******* ** **** ** control *** *** ***** devices *** ** ****** control, *** ** *** most ***** ********. ******** codes ******** ********** ******* TVs, *** ****** **** simple ** *** *** IR ********.

*******

******* ***** *** $*** USD ****** [**** ** longer *********] ** *** online *********. **** **** it ** *** **** range ** ***** ******** cameras, **** ** **** or *********. *******, ***** competitors ** *** ******* pan/tilt **********, ***** ** siren, ** ** ****** control ** *******.

***** ******* ***** *** priced **:

  • * ****: $*.**/***** ** $39.99/year
  • * ****: $*.**/***** ** $79.99/year
  • ** ****: $**.**/***** ** $299.99/year

*** * *** **** is ****** $* ***** than ****'* ****** ****, 10 ****. **** ** day ***** *** ****** the **** ($**/$***). *******, Nest ****** * **% discount *** ********** ******* on *** **** *******, which ******* **** ***.

Physical ********

*** ******* ** ****** overall **** ******* ******** *******, due ** *** ***/**** mechanisms (*** ***** ** other *******), ***** **** it **** ** * spherical *****. 

*** ******* ******** ******* storage, ******* ** ******* consumer ******, *** ******** mic/speaker ***********, *** ****** in **** ***** ** camera (****** **** ************ used). ** ****** *** physical ************ ** *** camera ** **** *****:

*****

*** ***** ******* ** Remocam ******** ***** *****, shown *****:

  • ***** ****** **.
  • ***** **** ******** ** phone.
  • **** ** ***** **** QR **** ** ******.

***** ***** **** ***** 2-3 ******* ** ********, including ******** ** *******. 

**** ******* ** ******* than **** ******** *******, which ******* ***** ** connect ** * ******** wireless ******* *** ********** (****), ******* *** ****** to * ******** (*******), ** ******* ********** and ****** **** * stereo ***** (******).

*******/******* *********

***** ****** ******* ** a *********** *******, ** about * *******. ******* was *** ******** ** many ******** *******, ***** 1 ****** (******** ** 2-5 ** ******* ******* in **** *******). **** ******* and *** ******* **** stable, ** ****, **** very *** ***********.

** *** *****, *** Remocam *** **** ******** when ********* ** * corporate *** **** ******** (SonicWALL). ***** **** **** was ****, ~** *******, and *** ****** ****** to ** ******** ** reconnect ******** *****, **** even ******* ** ** factory ***** *** **-*********.

Live *******

*******'* **** **** ****** is ******* ** ***** consumer ******, **** ******* snapshot, *********, *** *** way ***** ********. *******, there *** *** ******** options ***** ****:

  • *** *******: ***** ******* ***/**** via ** ****** ****** and ***** ** ********* zoom **/***. ******** ** slow, ~** ******* *** second, **** ** ****** to ******** *****. ************, there ** ** *** to ****** ******* (****** those **** *** *********** IR *******, *** *****).
  • ***** ** *****: ****** **** ******** models (***** **** ******), Remocam ******** * ***** in **** ***** ***** may ** ********* *** a ****** ** *** app. 

** ****** ***** ********* in **** *****:

********/******

******* ***** * ** second **** ****** *****. These *** ** ****** either ** ***** ** or ** *** *****. However, ***** ** ***** are *** ********** *** the ***, ******* ********* the **** ** ****** the ** **** ** view ****** *****. ******* informs ** **** ** storage *** ********** ******* for ********, *** *** been ******* *** **** intended ** ******* ** a ****** *******.

****** *** ********* ** a ****** **** ** date, **** **** ***** search (**** ****, ** hour/minute ********) ********.

******** ** **********, **** users ********* * ****** clip *** ******** ** play ** **** ** download ** *** *****. No **** *******, **** motion, ********, ** ***** controls *** *****.

IR ****** *******

*** ** *** **** novel ********, ******* ** able ** ******* ******* via ** ****** *******, such ** ***, *** top *****, ****, *** conditioners, ***. *** ****** ships **** ***** ******** for *********, *******, *** Sony ***, ********* ***** and *******/****** ** *** down. ***** ******* *** be ******* ** ****** the ******'* ****** ** the ******. 

**** ******* ** * device, *** **** ****/***** the ****** ** *** direction, ***** *** ****** recalls **** ******* ********. This ** *** **** "preset" ******** ***** ** the ******, **** ** option ** ***** ***/**** settings *** ***** ******.

Image *******

******* ****** * ***° angle ** ****, *** in *** ***** ****** AoV *** ******* ** and ** *******, ******** than **** ******* ******** models. *** ***** ***** demonstrates ****, **** *** camera ****** ******** ** one ****** ** *** room, *** ******* ******* side ****.

** *** *****, *** Remocam's ********** ** ** suitable *** ******* * small ****, ******* ** residential ********. ***** ** a ****** **** ****** caused ** ** ********** into *** ****. 

Comments (1)

Undisclosed #1

12/04/15 04:17pm

What's the security model on this device? Hard coded default password?

If one of these gets out on shodan I shudder to think of the torture that could be inflicted on unsuspecting owners. At least you can hear where the sound is coming from with the usual prank, but with IR jacking you would have no idea why the channel keeps changing back to pay per view porn or why every IR device in the room is rising up against you.

Worse yet, if you have an Internet connected smart tv, you may find your bank account hijacked as well...

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