Withings Home REVIEW A Camera that streams everywhere
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Over the past few years, I’ve been working on increasing security around my home with various camera systems. Now, more than ever before, it’s become vital importance because I’m trying to get custody of my daughter and want to make sure we are protected all around the house. I tend to like the cameras that are easy to use and setup quickly. I also like cameras that are either easy to hide or look like part of the decor. Since this piece of technology becomes a part of my home, I want it to look good or be invisible. When I learned about the Withings Home monitoring system, I thought, “This will be just perfect as an addition to my home system.”
Specs
The Withings Home features a 5MP advanced HD camera with 1080P resolution. The camera can view a 135-degree wide angle and it features crystal clear night vision. Home connects wirelessly to your network’s WiFi and you can connect to it using cellular networks when you are away from your home. The camera also has high-quality 2-way audio with 2 digital microphones so that you have perfect two-way communication between your mobile device and the camera.
The base of the Home acts as a nightlight and detects motion and noise in your home. You can receive notifications 24/7 if you wish and you have the option to set up a recording schedule in the app. Home can also turn on when you leave your house and then turn off when you return to respect your privacy. The Withings Home even acts as an environment monitor and provides an air quality report from the internal environmental and air sensors.
In addition to all the ‘cool’ stuff the Withings Home can do, it also utilizes high-tech security solutions to keep your data stored safely. The camera uses AES-256 and secure HTTP (HTTPS) to protect all data on the device, cloud, and in the app.
The Home has a lot going for it, but perhaps one of the coolest things about it is the striking design. It has a gorgeous wood cover that you can use to cover the camera lens, which actually turns the camera off, and the base is a smooth white color. There is a small tray that comes with the Home and it allows you to angle your camera to the best possible view of the room you are capturing.
As I mentioned above, Home can act as a night light for any room, or you can turn on Baby Monitor mode to entertain and soothe babies. Your smartphone will control a variety of light and sound programs and the audio/motion alerts will be sent directly to your phone in the event of any issues. Plus, with the two-way communication option that is provided, you can always enjoy two-way talk at any time — even when you are away from your house.
Installation/Setup
Installing the Withings Home into my home network was a breeze. Withings makes it really simple and there is nothing too complicated to deal with. First, you download the app. Next, you determine where in your home you want to place the Home camera. If you plan on installing the camera using an Ethernet connection, plug that cable in before you plug in the power adapter. Once the Home has power, you will need to pair it via Bluetooth to your smartphone. When the Home is paired, you will be asked to create a Withings account.
Please note that if you already have a Withings account, you can simply open the app and “add a new camera”. The app will walk you through the installation process including connecting the camera to your WiFi network. After the Home is connected to WiFi (or other network connection), it will go through a firmware upgrade (if needed) and then within just a few minutes, you will have full use of your camera. All in all, the setup process took me about 5 minutes. I could see there being an issue if you don’t have a solid WiFi or network connection, but if you do, you really shouldn’t experience any bumps in the road.
User Experience
I was very impressed with the main functions of the camera. Being able to monitor the room it was placed in day or night with a perfectly clear image and sound is irreplaceable. When I first installed the app, I had a few issues with the music/sound option working properly — it would cause the app to crash. Since that time there has been an update and all functions work very well now. As far as home WiFi cameras go, the Withings Home is one of my favorites. The installation was simple, the device looks great, and the quality of the video feed is top notch. There are many WiFi cameras I’ve tested and even incorporated into my home that are difficult to deal with and lose connection all the time. The Home has been really solid and not given me any real issues.
Summary I believe in securing and protecting your home. I also believe that having at least one WiFi camera is an integral part of that. If you are looking for an easy to setup camera with great video and motion detection the Withings Home is the camera for you. The ability to monitor the temp in the room that the camera is in is also a wonderful add-on for a camera you would use to keep tabs on your infant while sleeping.
For more information, visit withings.com/home
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Originally published at macsources.com on February 23, 2017.
