360° Motion Detection Camera Tested (Zmodo Pivot)

By: John Scanlan, Published on May 18, 2016

The Zmodo Pivot trumpets "motion detection in 360 degrees", claiming to detect and capture intruders behind itself, a truly rare camera claim.

Plus, they include other features atypical in home/DIY cameras like:

  • Wireless sensor integration
  • Bluetooth music playback
  • Temperature/humidity sensing
  • Compatibility with other Zmodo models like their smart doorbell and light
We bought and tested the Pivot to see how well all of these features performed and if this 360° motion claim was all hype or not.

******** ************* "****** ********* ** 360 *******", ******** ** detect *** ******* ********* behind ******, * ***** rare ****** *****.

****, **** ******* ***** features ******** ** ****/*** cameras ****:

  • ******** ****** ***********
  • ********* ***** ********
  • ***********/******** *******
  • ************* **** ***** ***** models **** ********** ****************
** ****** *** ****** the ***** ** *** how **** *** ** these ******** ********* *** if **** ***° ****** claim *** *** **** or ***.

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

*******

*** ***** *****'* *** selling *****, ***° ****** detection, ****** *** *** work ** *** *****, failing ** ******* ****:

  • ****** ********* ** **********, missing ******** ~**% ** motion ****** *******.
  • **** ********* *** ****, it *** ************* *******, detecting ***** ~** ******* of *** ******* ***** present.
  • ***** ********* ** ***** in *** **********, *** camera **** *** ************* move ** *** ****** where ****** *** *********, instead ********** * ***° tour *** ********* * ~30 ****** ****.
  • *******, ****** ********* *** inconsistent, ** **** ***** 30+ *******, ** ****** cutting *** ***** **** a *** *******. ** settings ******* ******** **** issue.

*****'* ******** *********** ******** contacts ****** *** ********** properly ** *** *****, notifying ***** ** ***** / ******* ******* ** closing, *** *** ******'* pan ***** *** *** slow ** **** ** the ******* ******** ** time ** ******* ******** properly, **** **** * subject ****** ** ****** walking *****.

*******, ** *********** ******* stability ****** ** *** tests, **** *** ******'* pan ******** ******** ************ or *** ****** ********* several *****.

*******

*** ***** *** ** found****** *** ~$*** ***. ******* ******* *** available *** ~$** ****.

**** ** ******* ***** than **** ******** ******, such ** ******* *** (~$***), ** **** ** those *********** **** *** features **** ******** (~$***)******** (~$***).

Tech *******

*****'* ********* ******* *** poor, **** **** ********* hold ***** (>** *******) and ~** ******* ** get ** ****** **** operator. **** ** *** reach *******, ******* **** vague, ********* **** ****** up ********* ** ******** find **** ***********, *** chat ********* ******* ************ after ********* * ****** question, ******* ******* *** any ****** **.

Physical ************

*** ***** ** ***********, similar ** **** ** Canary ** *****, *** is ********* ** *****, gold, *** ******. ** the ***** ***** ** provide * ******** ******** of *** *****.


Poor ****** ***********

*****'* ****** ********* *********** was **** ** * number ** ****:

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

** *** ***** *****'* motion ********* ****** ** detect ~**% ** *** time. **** ** ******* moving **** *** ****** on *** *****, ** near ****** (*-*') ** well ** ****** ******** (~10-15'), ******* ** ******. The ***** *** **** not ***** *********** ******** or ***** *********** ** improve *********.

** ***** ***** ***** these ****** *********** *** they ******* ** ********** for ********* ***********.

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

****** *******, **** ****** detection *** *******, ** was ***** *******, ** much ** ** ******* to * ****** ***** the ****** *** ** the *****.

*** *******, ** **** clip *** ******* *** already ******* *** ****** the **** **** *** camera ***** ** ******* him (**** ******* *** doorway):

***° ******* ********

******* ** *** *********** delays ** ********* ** well ** *** ******'* slow *** *****, *****'* 360° **** ********* *** essentially ******* ** *** tests. ******** ***** *** already **** *** **** (seen *****) ** ***** past *** ****** ** it *** ******, ********* in ******* ******. ***** we **** * **** of * ******* ******* with * ***** ** the ******* ******* ******** on *** ****.

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

** *** *****, ****** recordings **** ** ************ lengths, **** **** **** 30 *******, *** ****** cutting *** ***** **** a *** *******. *** example, ** **** ******** the ****** ********* ****** and **** ** *****, but *** *** **** and ******** *** **** two *******, ******* **** the **** **** ** a *******:

Smart **** ********

*** ***** ******** ***** smart **** ********:

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

***** ********** ******** ****/****** contacts, ********* *** ******* an ***** **** *** object ** ******/******. **********, users *** *** * preset ** *** ******* location, ***** *** ****** will *** ** **** it ** *********. ** our *****, ******* ****** and ******* ******* ******.

*******, *** ** *** camera's **** *** *****, presets **** *********** ** use ** *** *****, as ******** *** **** the **** ****** *** camera ******** ******* ** the ******* ********. ** the **** *****, *** camera ******** ***** ** the **** **** *******, and ** ** ******, the ******* ***** ** a ****** **** ****** the *****. **** *** camera ****** **'* **** pan **** *** ******* triggers *** **** ******* by ******** *** *****/**** door *** ** ***** missed *** ** *** slow *** *****.


**** **** ***** ****** other *********** *** *********, such ** ************ ******, air ******* ********, *** smoke *********, *** ***** are *** *** ********. They ** ***** * smart ******** (******* ** Ring) *** ***** ****/****** combo (****** *****) ***** use *** **** ****** app.

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

***** **** ******** *** other ***** **** ********:

  • ***********/******** *******:***** ******** *** **** temperature *** ********, *** does *** ***** ***** on ***** **********.
  • ********* *******:*** ******* ** *** bottom ** *** **** may ** **** ** play ***** *** *********. However, ** ***** *** sound ******* ** ** mostly *** ********* *** barely ****** **** ** iPhone * *******.

Day/Night ***** *******

*****'* ***** ******* *** decent ** **** **** light *** *** ***** (~0.35lx). ** ************ *** powerful ****** ** ***** a ***-**** **** (**'***'). In *** ******* *****, the ******* ** ~**' from *** ****** (~** PPF).

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