Logitech WiLife Digital Video Security System reviewed
Some think security camera systems are simply for the rich whose houses are filled with expensive belongings and various rare paintings. While this may be true for some individuals, it’s important to note that they’re integral to the protection of our families as well. Providing additional coverage on top of locks and alarm systems, cameras allow for recording the intrusion while it’s happening and recording it for later use. It helps make your home a safer place. However, simply constraining cameras to that use and that use alone is folly, as they have purposes beyond that. They can be used for keeping an eye on a young child or an ill elder. The Logitech WiLife Digital Video Security system is perfect in this sense, as it’s cheap in comparison to professional systems and can be expanded easily.
Advantages
This system provides easy expansion and can allow for an additional five cameras on top of the one packaged with the start kit. The indoor camera can be mounted on the ceiling, on the window to face inwards or outwards or simply placed on a flat surface. This is made easy with the provided mounts, which simply stick to flat surfaces or can be screwed onto walls. The outdoor cameras are fully weatherproof and have better reception due to the likelihood of them being further away as well as competing with additional walls.
For a clean setup, you can aim for around 15 minutes setup time ideally. It’s as simple as installing the software and plugging in the cameras and receiver. Furthermore, the software provides several decent features, such as the time line, which allows you see the recorded video feed for the selected time of day through one or all of the connected cameras. Also, it is possible to set up an alert system, which sends alerts to your email or mobile phone whenever motion is detected by a certain camera. It should be noted that this is only available for Microsoft Windows phones.
Disadvantages
As a starter kit, the quality should be expected to be lower than that of a high-end professional system. It sells for around $300 and provides only a single camera. Furthermore, some of the advanced software features requires a subscription to access. This software is also somewhat more difficult to install should you have any troubles. If you’re not tech savvy, it may take more than the prescribed fifteen minutes to setup. This is where the help line comes in handy, though they have been known to connect you to people who know little more than you do.
Some hardware issues are that the cameras must be within a certain distance of the receiver to function properly and they require manually focusing; there’s no auto-focus available. Additionally, they have a bright light, which diminishes their ability to be hidden from intruders and may keep light sleepers awake. On the other hand, if you want some visible deterrent, then the light serves this purpose.
Is It Worth It?
If you want a professional solution to protecting your family, then this is not it. This is simply a starter kit made for keeping an eye on certain things, like a young child. It won’t win any awards for quality, but it does provide an excellent starter for those getting into the security-conscious world.
