Blurams might be one of many brands that come to mind when considering security cameras for smart homes, but keep that from deterring you. The Blurams Outdoor Lite 4 is clearly in the “cheap” category, but it boasts a rich set of features, making it an outstanding bargain at only $40.
The cylindrical bullet-style camera has an IP66 designation, indicating that the maker claims it is completely protected from dust and other particulates and can endure being blasted with a jet of water—but not a power washer. The Outdoor Lite 4 includes two high-gain antennas for a more robust Wi-Fi connection. That appears to provide a lot of placement freedom, but the camera requires main power; therefore, you’ll need to attach it near an electrical outlet either inside or outside your home.
If Wi-Fi isn’t available, a pigtail on the rear of the camera features an ethernet socket that enables you to connect the camera to your router. Unfortunately, the camera does not offer power over ethernet, which would reduce your cable count to one if you did not utilize Wi-Fi. That situation, of course, would necessitate using a PoE-capable router or switch.
How To Set Up Blurams Outdoor Lite 4
You must first configure the camera with the Blurams app before installing it; this is a straightforward guided procedure in which you select the camera type, connect to Wi-Fi, then use the camera to scan the QR code in the app. Once a camera is operational, it can be mounted to an outside wall or eaves. Blurams provide the screws and anchors to fasten the mounting bracket and some waterproof adhesive for the non-weatherized cable connectors.
Camera Specs
The camera features impressive specifications, such as 2K resolution and a 100-degree field of vision. It has black-and-white night vision and four high-powered white spotlights for full-color footage in the dark. Daylight video was crisp and detailed, with true colors, and both night vision types were great, offering approximately 30 feet of luminance. The app includes a clever night vision mode that captures video in black and white by default but immediately converts to color when activity recognition activates its inbuilt spotlight to deter attackers.
In addition to sounds, the device can detect human and general motion. You may tune detection sensitivity, define activity zones to ignore motion in certain areas of its field of vision, and tailor when you receive alerts by adjusting the schedule and recurrence settings. The camera captured a 12-second video clip of each triggering event, and detection was generally precise.
Event-triggered video clips can be saved locally to a microSD card. MicroSD cards with capacities of up to 128GB are permitted, and the videos are encrypted when recording, so if you unplug the card from the camera, you’ll need to have the Blurams app to watch them back.
The Blurams app is intended to provide simple camera control. Aside from seeing the live video feed, it also allows you to record videos on demand, take a screenshot, use two-way communication, and activate the camera’s built-in siren. It also allows you to choose between videos stored locally and those stored in the cloud. Captured footage is shown in a scroll beneath the feed pane. You may switch between event clips and ongoing video, import video from a microSD card or the cloud, and examine footage chronologically. The camera may also be linked to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing for basic voice activation and watching footage on the associated smart screens.
Blurams has again found the perfect spot among quality and price with the Outdoor Lite 4. Whether you’ve been just starting with home security or you already know you don’t require all of the bells and frills that come with more expensive cameras, the Outdoor Lite 4 is a perfect option.
Considerations When Purchasing a Home Security
Here are the few things you need to consider when buying home security:
Camera
Most home security cameras accomplish the same fundamental functions—detecting an event, recording the event, and sending you an alert—but not in the same way. And other cameras offer extra functions that go above and beyond the basics. Here are some of the most common characteristics you’ll come across while buying and why they’re vital.
Alerts
Home security cameras send notifications to your smartphone when they identify an event; this is the only method to keep an eye on your house in real time if you don’t want to watch the live feed all day. According to the camera, it may send SMS alerts when it detects motion, sound, a recognized or unknown face, or all three. Some will send notifications to several persons, usually anyone else in the household, via the product’s app; some will send emails and text messages as a backup in the event your mobile device is not accessible.
Local storage
Several cameras have memory card ports instead of, or in addition to, online storage, allowing you to store video directly on the device. It’s an appealing feature because it eliminates the need for monthly storage expenses. The disadvantage of not having a cloud backup is that if thieves steal your camera, they get your evidence in the case with them.
Resolution
If the surveillance video needs to be clearer, jerky, or otherwise distorted, it won’t help you. Look for a camera with the greatest resolution possible. 720p resolution was once considered typical; however, most contemporary cameras now support 1080p. Some models offer even higher resolution, such as 2K or 4K, but remember that higher-resolution cameras consume more internet and Wi-Fi bandwidth and battery life, if relevant.
Audio in both directions
When a security camera suggests on-the-spot monitoring, hearing what’s going on provides a full picture of what’s happening at home while you’re gone. It can also warn you if something is happening outside the camera’s view. This feature also allows you to speak over the camera, which is useful for remotely directing a wayward pet or catching an intruder off guard. You may need to connect to a powered speaker for this feature to work on some very low-end devices.
Observation angle
The field of vision of the camera influences how much it can see. Because you’re most likely monitoring a single room, you’ll need a broad viewing angle. The majority of modern cameras have a 130-degree field of view. These wide angles can occasionally produce visual distortion at the edges in the form of a fisheye effect, especially when used in smaller spaces, but you’re not going to use a security camera to take photos for your photo album.