Testing Smart Home PTZ (Remocam)

Author: 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 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:

We bought a Remocam and tested it. In this report, we look at Remocam's features, performance, and pricing, and see how it stacks up against the most well known names.

*** ******** ***** ***** ****** ** ********* ** **** *****, ***** cameras (*******/ *******,*********,******,*****, ***.)

**************** ****** * ********* ******** **** * ***/**** ****** *** *** cost ** **** ***** *******, **** ***** ** ****** ******* features *** ***** **** **********.

****'* ***** ********* ***** *** *** *****:

** ****** * ******* *** ****** **. ** **** ******, ** look ** *******'* ********, ***********, *** *******, *** *** *** it ****** ** ******* *** **** **** ***** *****.

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

*******

******* **** **** ****** *****, **** ** ***** *** *** ease ** ***, *** **** ***** ******** **** ** ***/**** *** IR ****** ******* ******** ** ********* ****** ******** ******.

*******, ** ** ****** ***** ***** *********** ***** ** **** ******, search ** ****** ***-******** *** ******** ******** *******, ******* ***** to ****** ******* ***** ******* ** ****** ** **** **** they *** ******* ***. ************, *** ********* ** ****** ** card ********** *** *** *** ****** ***** ** *** *** a ***** ******* **** ** ****** *** ** **** ** **** video.

Key ********

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

*****

******* ***** *** *****, *-* *******, **** **-** *********** **** automatically ** *** ****** **** * ** **** ** *** user's **********, *** ***** ******* ********* *** **** ** ******.

********

***** ******** ** ****** *** ******, **** *-* ******* **** before ******* ***** ** ***********.

** ***** ****** ** ********* ***** **** ** ****, **** no ***** ******* ****** *******.

** ******** ***** **** ****/***** *** * ***** *** *** available ****** ********, **** ** **** *******, **** ******, **********, etc.

***** ** ** ******** ** ** **** ********* *** ***, forcing ***** ** ****** *** **** ** ****** *****.

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

***/**** ******* *** ****, *** *** *******. ******** ***** * fraction ** * ****** ***** ******* *** ************* ******.

*** ******* ** **** ** ******* *** *** ***** ******* *** IR ****** *******, *** ** *** **** ***** ********. ******** codes ******** ********** ******* ***, *** ****** **** ****** ** add *** ** ********.

*******

******* ***** ***$*** *** ******** *** ****** *********. **** **** ** ** *** **** range ** ***** ******** *******, **** ** **** ** *********. However, ***** *********** ** *** ******* ***/**** **********, ***** ** siren, ** ** ****** ******* ** *******.

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

  • * ****: $*.**/***** ** $**.**/****
  • * ****: $*.**/***** ** $**.**/****
  • ** ****: $**.**/***** ** $***.**/****

*** * *** **** ** ****** $* ***** **** ****'* lowest ****, ** ****. **** ** *** ***** *** ****** the **** ($**/$***). *******, **** ****** * **% ******** *** additional ******* ** *** **** *******, ***** ******* **** ***.

Physical ********

*** ******* ** ****** ******* **** ******* ******** *******, *** ** its ***/**** ********** (*** ***** ** ***** *******), ***** **** it **** ** * ********* *****. 

*** ******* ******** ******* *******, ******* ** ******* ******** ******, and ******** ***/******* ***********, *** ****** ** **** ***** ** camera (****** **** ************ ****). ** ****** *** ******** ************ of *** ****** ** **** *****:

*****

*** ***** ******* ** ******* ******** ***** *****, ***** *****:

  • ***** ****** **.
  • ***** **** ******** ** *****.
  • **** ** ***** **** ** **** ** ******.

***** ***** **** ***** *-* ******* ** ********, ********* ******** an *******. 

**** ******* ** ******* **** **** ******** *******, ***** ******* users ** ******* ** * ******** ******** ******* *** ********** (****), ******* *** ****** ** * ******** (*******), ** ******* ********** *** ****** **** * ****** ***** (******).

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

***** ****** ******* ** * *********** *******, ** ***** * seconds. ******* *** *** ******** ** **** ******** *******, ***** 1 ****** (******** ** *-* ** ******* ******* ** **** segment). Live ******* *** *** ******* **** ******, ** ****, **** very *** ***********.

** *** *****, *** ******* *** **** ******** **** ********* to * ********* *** **** ******** (*********). ***** **** **** was ****, ~** *******, *** *** ****** ****** ** ** rebooted ** ********* ******** *****, **** **** ******* ** ** factory ***** *** **-*********.

Live *******

*******'* **** **** ****** ** ******* ** ***** ******** ******, with ******* ********, *********, *** *** *** ***** ********. *******, there *** *** ******** ******* ***** ****:

  • *** *******: ***** ******* ***/**** *** ** ****** ****** *** ***** to ********* **** **/***. ******** ** ****, ~** ******* *** second, **** ** ****** ** ******** *****. ************, ***** ** no *** ** ****** ******* (****** ***** **** *** *********** IR *******, *** *****).
  • ***** ** *****: ****** **** ******** ****** (***** **** ******), ******* ******** a ***** ** **** ***** ***** *** ** ********* *** a ****** ** *** ***. 

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

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

******* ***** * ** ****** **** ****** *****. ***** *** be ****** ****** ** ***** ** ** ** *** *****. However, ***** ** ***** *** *** ********** *** *** ***, instead ********* *** **** ** ****** *** ** **** ** view ****** *****. ******* ******* ** **** ** ******* *** originally ******* *** ********, *** *** **** ******* *** **** intended ** ******* ** * ****** *******.

****** *** ********* ** * ****** **** ** ****, **** only ***** ****** (**** ****, ** ****/****** ********) ********.

******** ** **********, **** ***** ********* * ****** **** *** choosing ** **** ** **** ** ******** ** *** *****. No **** *******, **** ******, ********, ** ***** ******** *** shown.

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

*** ** *** **** ***** ********, ******* ** **** ** control ******* *** ** ****** *******, **** ** ***, *** top *****, ****, *** ************, ***. *** ****** ***** **** codes ******** *** *********, *******, *** **** ***, ********* ***** and *******/****** ** *** ****. ***** ******* *** ** ******* by ****** *** ******'* ****** ** *** ******. 

**** ******* ** * ******, *** **** ****/***** *** ****** in *** *********, ***** *** ****** ******* **** ******* ********. This ** *** **** "******" ******** ***** ** *** ******, with ** ****** ** ***** ***/**** ******** *** ***** ******.

Image *******

******* ****** * ***° ***** ** ****, *** ** *** tests ****** *** *** ******* ** *** ** *******, ******** than **** ******* ******** ******. *** ***** ***** ************ ****, with *** ****** ****** ******** ** *** ****** ** *** room, *** ******* ******* **** ****.

** *** *****, *** *******'* ********** ** ** ******** *** filling * ***** ****, ******* ** *********** ********. ***** ** a ****** **** ****** ****** ** ** ********** **** *** lens. 

Comments (1)

Undisclosed #1

12/04/15 04:17pm

****'* *** ******** ***** ** **** ******? **** ***** ******* password?

** *** ** ***** **** *** ** ****** * ******* to ***** ** *** ******* **** ***** ** ********* ** unsuspecting ******. ** ***** *** *** **** ***** *** ***** is ****** **** **** *** ***** *****, *** **** ** jacking *** ***** **** ** **** *** *** ******* ***** changing **** ** *** *** **** **** ** *** ***** IR ****** ** *** **** ** ****** ** ******* ***.

***** ***, ** *** **** ** ******** ********* ***** **, you *** **** **** **** ******* ******** ** ****...

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