If you’re shopping for a security camera, your first decision may be between a wired and wireless model. Both have their advantages. A wired camera offers security in that, once installed, you won’t have to worry about changing and charging batteries. However, this may require professional installation. At the very least, you’ll need to be willing to put some time and effort into setting it up.
On the other hand, wireless cameras are often cheaper and easier to install.
The Cell 3C is a wireless outdoor camera designed to provide the best of both worlds, for home security you can count on. It is manufactured by IMOU, a smart home brand founded in 2015 that specializes in innovative home security technologies. Here’s what the Cell 3C can offer – and all at a phenomenal price.
Quick setup
The Cell 3C can be installed in just three minutes – and you don’t need any specialist tools or knowledge. All you need to do is screw in the camera mount and then install the camera. You can install it anywhere: roofs, walls or posts (the latter using nylon bar tape). All you need to do is make sure the camera is within range of your home Wi-Fi network.
The camera is waterproof enough to withstand heavy splashes of rain and is IP66 weatherproof, meaning it is completely dust-proof. It can operate comfortably in temperatures of -20°C to 50°C (-4°F-122°F).
Inside is space for an SD card, in case you don’t want to subscribe to IMOU’s cloud service. If you opt for the subscription, IMOU’s cloud storage package allows you to filter alerts for vehicles, pets, and other targets.
A detailed and reassuring view
If you’re used to the view of a standard 1,080-pixel camera, the Cell 3C’s 2K image quality – a much superior 2,304 x 1,296 pixels – will eliminate a lot of blur and uncertainty. You will be able to identify people much more easily and you will be able to use digital zoom to enlarge an image and see more details.
When it’s dark, you can choose from one of four night vision modes to tailor the view to your needs and ensure you maximize battery life without missing anything.
In smart mode, you’ll get black and white night vision, but when the sensors detect suspicious movement, the floodlights will turn on and you’ll get a color view of what’s happening. In color mode, the spots stay on, illuminating your outdoor space and giving you a constant, clear view of events. There is also an infrared mode that uses advanced IR algorithms to provide clear black and white images even in complete darkness. You can also choose to turn off the spotlights and night vision.
Fewer maintenance worries
The camera’s large 5,000 mAh battery can last up to 120 days, meaning you’ll only need to charge it three times a year. The camera’s power consumption is precisely monitored and you will receive an alert when the battery drops to 20%, 10% and 5%, so you will be notified when the battery level is low. This will give you plenty of time to charge it so it’s ready to protect your home if you need to be away.
In August, the Cell 3C kit will be available. This pairs the camera with a solar panel to provide another layer of protection and almost infinite power, as the camera is still powered by solar energy. The kit helps make the Cell 3C more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Fewer false alarms
Thanks to its PIR (passive infrared) technology and human detection system, you won’t receive an alert every time a tree branch waves or a fox crosses the garden into the camera’s field of view. Instead, PIR wakes the camera when abnormal heat sources are first detected, then uses an algorithm to filter out non-human heat sources, so you’re alerted only when you need to, and not when the camera catches a bird or an insect. The detection distance can reach 9m after proper installation and its accuracy is over 95%.
There are also options to customize what the camera sees – and what it doesn’t see. If you want to protect your privacy, for example when your children are playing in the garden, simply activate privacy mode. You won’t be bombarded with alerts and your children’s activities won’t be recorded.
You can also customize the camera detection zone in the app, so when these key zones are triggered, you receive alerts immediately. If, for example, you set your swimming pool as a detection zone, when someone breaks in or falls into the water, you will immediately receive an alert. If you set the gate and garage as the detection zone, you will be alerted when someone approaches or breaks in.
There’s also the ability to schedule the times of day that alerts occur, so you can start receiving alerts once you’ve gone to work or after the kids leave for school.
Another layer of protection
The Cell 3C is much more than just a camera. It features two-way talk, allowing you to talk to visitors to your home or garden. You can use it to talk to your children in the garden or tell a courier where to drop off a package. You can even use this feature remotely, so no one knows if you’re home or not.
But you don’t need to talk to visitors like you. Instead, you can choose a male or robotic voice to mask your identity – a reassuring feature for anyone alone in the house.
You can also choose to pre-record a greeting to welcome visitors to your home or warn intruders to leave. The camera is also equipped with a loud 110 dB siren and a spotlight to deter intruders.
Finally, let’s come to the price, which is very competitive for its feature set. You can buy the IMOU Cell 3C now on Amazon for just £39.99. The Cell 3C Kit with solar panel will be available from August.
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