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With long-lasting battery life, Blink Outdoor runs for up to two years on two AA lithium batteries (included). The Blink Outdoor 4 has the same resolution as its predecessor, the Blink Outdoor — 1080p and up to 30 fps — but the newer camera has a wider field of view (143 degrees diagonal as opposed to 110 degrees). More significantly, the Outdoor 4 has person detection — previously only available with the Blink Wired floodlight camera — and dual-zone motion detection, both of which should help reduce the number of false alerts you receive.
The only cameras I can recall that had an easier setup were from Wyze Cams. If you’re into simple wireless tech, you’ll appreciate Blink and Wyze. Not only do they resemble each other somewhat in appearance, the cameras also cost less than much of the competition. You can find much more on Wyze in my hands-on Wyze Cam review. See, hear and speak to visitors with Live View in real time and two-way audio features on your Blink Home Monitor app (live view is not continuous). Choose to save and share clips in the cloud with a free 30-day trial of the Blink Subscription Plan or locally with the Sync Module 2 and USB drive (each sold separately).That said, if a wide-angle lens camera sounds appealing to you, take a peek at my Amcrest camera review, where you’ll learn about a pair of solid devices with wider viewing angles, and better night vision, too. Managing Recordings With Blink Indoor On paper, both cameras have the same picture and video resolutions of 640 x 360 and 1080p, respectively. However, Blink's Outdoor 4 camera has a wider field of view, and the “best image quality yet” thanks to improved low-light performance and clarity according to Blink. These extra features offer plenty of different ways to tweak things to your liking. The most basic thing you can and should do is rename the camera itself to something like ‘garden’, which also makes it easier when asking your Echo Show device to bring up a live feed. You can also play around with the activity zones for motion detection, selecting rectangular segments from a grid overlay where motion will be ignored. This is particularly useful for ignoring notification from, for example, a swaying tree, or the area where your cat prefers to nap out and stretch.
The XT2 also works with IFTTT, which allows you to set up functions such as geofencing and disarming via Google Home, two features not natively supported by the camera. Blink XT2: Verdict My tests of Blink Mini centered around home entryways. Like all Blink cams, Blink Mini runs on fluid video, meaning it regularly fluctuates from higher (1080p) to lower video resolutions to allow it to run more smoothly and without gaps in your timeline. So the first thing to note: You won’t find much to gripe about in terms of video quality. This camera won’t let you down there. Motion Sensitivity
For less than $100, the Blink XT2 is a good truly wireless outdoor security camera.
Works with Alexa: pair Blink Mini with a supported Alexa-enabled device to engage live view, arm and disarm your camera, and more, using your voice. The Blink Outdoor uses the Blink Home Monitor mobile app for Android, Fire OS, and iOS devices. It opens to a home screen with panels for each installed camera. Each panel contains a still image of the camera’s field of view and has a button for taking a snapshot and a button for launching a live stream. You can view the live stream in full-screen mode by turning your phone sideways, and initiate two-way talk by pressing the Talk button. A motion icon appears in the upper right corner when motion detection is enabled, and next to that is a settings button. Blink says that the XT2, which runs on two AA batteries, can last up to two years without replacement batteries. This estimate assumes that you use the camera for roughly 900 minutes of video events, including Live View, motion-activated recording and two-way talk. The more the camera records video, and the more you use two-way talk and live video, the less uptime the camera will have. The camera itself feels sturdy and well-made, while its weatherproof design promises to fend off downpours (though it’s not rated for underwater submersion). During our few weeks’ worth of testing, the Blink Outdoor comfortably shrugged off some of the biggest British summer downpours we’ve ever seen, filling us with confidence in its outdoor durability. The one thing we will add though is that the plastic can get scratched quite easily, not that you’ll need to worry about that once it’s mounted.
See, hear and speak to people and pets in your home from your smartphone with Blink Mini’s live view and two-way audio. I’d like to note that since my last testing of the Blink Outdoor, Blink has come out with a newer version called the Blink Outdoor 4. The one I tested was the third generation, which replaced the Blink XT2 (2nd generation) and the Blink XT (first generation). You’ll find better night vision in one of the Ezviz cameras I reviewed recently, but generally, a camera with exceptional night vision needs some integrated lighting feature to do its best work. (Visit my Reolink Argus 3 Pro review for a really stellar night vision experience.) If you have family members you want to give access to your Blink system, you can manage users through the desktop app.The camera has a built-in thermometer, too, so the device can alert you if the temperature falls below or exceeds thresholds you set. You can also schedule times for when motion detection is activated.
The Blink Outdoor 4 snaps into the front of the accessory; a small USB cable connects the camera to the Floodlight. Both the lights and the camera can be adjusted to cover the area you need. The Outdoor Floodlight is powered by four D-cell batteries, which Blink says will last for up to two years. Get alerts on your smartphone whenever motion is detected, or customise motion detection zones so you can see what matters most. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test. The 700-lumen floodlights aren't as powerful as, say, the Ring Floodlight Cam (a massive 2,000 lumens), but I found the Blink's floodlights were more than bright enough to light up about 15 feet around my door.
Budget outdoor security camera gains a wider field of view, person detection
The standard Blink Outdoor kit includes the Blink Sync Module 2, a small square that acts as a bridge between the camera and your home Wi-Fi network. Similar to Arlo’s cameras, this module allows the Blink cameras to expend much less energy than they would if they had to connect directly via Wi-Fi to your router. As a bonus, the Sync Module 2 has a USB port; attach a thumb drive, and you can store videos locally. Get motion detection alerts on your phone with the option to customise motion zones in the Blink Home Monitor app so you’re only alerted when you need to be.
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