Amcrest ProHD

1. Amcrest ProHD Amcrest Security ProHD camera has moved up to be one of the best selling wireless security cameras. The model is not just something that comes at a reasonable price but also comes with the latest features which work in most settings. Design and Features At 4.5 by 3.9 by 4.0 inches (HWD), the ProHD is significantly smaller than the TN900RW. It's available in black or white and comes with a ceiling mount, an Ethernet cable, an AC adapter with a 10-foot power cord, and a quick start guide. The round camera head is attached to a motorized cradle that offers 360 degrees of panning and 45 degrees of tilt maneuverability. The 1080p camera has a 2-megapixel CMOS sensor with a 90-degree field of view and a 3x digital zoom and uses 12 infrared LEDS to deliver up to 30 feet of night vision range. Video is recorded at 30 frames per second. The ProHD also has a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way audio and uses 802.11b/g Wi-Fi to connect to your home network. The rear panel contains a Fast Ethernet (10/100) LAN port, an LED indicator, a reset button, external alarm ports, audio in/out ports, a microSD card slot (card not included), and a power jack. You can save recorded video to a microSD card or subscribe to Amcrest's pricey cloud service. $6 per month gets you 7 days of storage; $10 per month gets you 14 days; and $15 per month gets you 30 days of storage, all with unlimited live streaming. Or you can use the free service, which gives you 4 hours of storage for free with a 2-hour monthly limit on live streaming. By way of comparison, Netgear's cloud service is much more reasonably priced; it gives you 7 days of storage for free, 30 days for $9.99, and 60 days for $14.99. Live and recorded video can be viewed on a mobile device using an Android or iOS app, and on a PC by logging into Amcrest's site. However, to do things like enable motion detection, set detection zones and motion sensitivity, and change camera image settings, you have to download and use the Amcrest IP Config utility and log directly into the camera using a Web browser. And you'll have to do it using Internet Explorer or Firefox, as Chrome and other

2. broswers are not yet supported. Oddly, the app has Device Manager and Motion Detection settings, but they don't work. A call to Amcrest confirmed that the majority of the camera settings must be configured through the PC utility. Despite the convoluted configuration process, the ProHD offers a wealth of camera and network settings including white balance, gamma, saturation, and exposure levels, as well as TCP/IP, DNS, IP Filter, and HTTP port settings. It can be configured to work with Bonjour and is compatible with the Amcrest Network Video Recorder (NVR) line, but it doesn't work with other home automation devices such as door/window sensors, door locks, and connected lighting, and it doesn't support If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes. Installation and Performance To install the ProHD, I downloaded the iOS app and selected Wi-Fi Camera from the Device Type menu. I then chose to set up the camera using Wi-Fi (you can also use a wired Ethernet connection). When prompted, I used my phone's camera to scan the QR code on the base of the camera, named the camera, and created an administrative name and password. Next I selected a Wi-Fi network and entered its password. It took around 30 seconds for the camera to connect. Once up and running, the ProHD delivers very sharp live and recorded 1080p video with excellent color quality. Black-and-white night vision video is also sharp, with good contrast. However, minor pincushion distortion is evident around the edges of the image. The pan and tilt mechanism is very quiet and provides smooth maneuvering, but the action is much slower when using the mobile app than it is when using the Web interface. Motion and audio detection also work well, and push notifications arrive instantly. Image detail remains crisp while using the digital zoom, and two-way audio is loud and clear.

3. Conclusions If you're looking for a motorized pan/tilt home surveillance camera on a limited budget, the Amcrest ProHD is worth a look. It delivers crisp 1080p video and still imagery, and it offers smooth pan and tilt functionality, although panning and tilting in the mobile app can be a bit sluggish. It has a microSD slot that allows you to store your recorded video locally, or you can use Amcrest's cloud storage service, but it doesn't come cheap. Camera and alert settings are abundant, but to use them you'll have to spend some time perusing the manual and downloading and configuring browser plug-ins, as many of the settings are not functional in the mobile app. For a much friendlier user experience, consider the Zmodo Pivot. It offers 360-degree panning, easy installation, and is equipped with temperature, humidity, motion, and door/window sensors. If you want a camera that can control a variety of connected home devices such as smart switches, thermostats, and lighting, the Icontrol Networks Piper nv is your best bet, and our Editors' Choice for home surveillance cameras. It costs more than the ProHD and doesn't offer motorized pan and tilt, but its digital pan and tilt features work wonderfully and it delivers excellent 1080p video.