Swann’s AllSecure 650 Security Camera & Hub – how to save a bundle

Having security cameras on your house is a must when we live in an age where burglary, petty vandalism and theft are commonplace. Unfortunately, adding security cameras can cost a bomb.

While cameras are incredibly useful, and the hardware is more affordable than ever, most cameras save captured video to cloud-based servers. To save/view captured video, you’ve got to open your wallet and bleed copious amounts of cash throughout the lifetime of the cameras.

At least that was until Swann came along with their AllSecure 650 offering, which records video to a supplied 1TB server. Swann is no stranger to the security camera game (last year, I awarded them a 10 out of 10).

The AllSecure 650 is aimed at anyone who wants the convenience and simplicity of wireless but wants to avoid handing suitcases of money over for cloud recording services forever after.

To this end, Swann has bundled everything you’ll need to get set up. In the box, you get four wireless cameras, a server hub (with a charging bay – more on this later), mounting hardware and cables.

Getting set up was so idiot-proof that even I got it right the first time. Once I’d worked out where the cameras would best be placed, I mounted them using the supplied hardware. With that done, I connected the Hub to my lounge TV and network using the provided cables. After pairing the cameras with the Hub, downloading the mobile app and naming each of the cameras, I was good to go.

The Hub is a curious beast. It uses a spare HDMI input on the TV, so I can get an at-a-glance live view of what my cameras are seeing. Swann has also built a charging port into the Hub and included a spare battery. This is a clever move, as the battery serves two purposes. Firstly, it’s always charged and can be swapped out with a camera battery, so your cameras are always topped up. Secondly, it’ll also supply backup power to the Hub to keep the cameras recording in case of a power cut. The Hub has an integrated 1TB drive (which translates into two years’ worth of video storage and a metric shit-tonne of money saved for spending on other gadgets and goodies).

However, the odd thing about the Hub is that instead of an infrared remote, Swann bizarrely decided to bundle a computer mouse to control it. Because it is a wired rodent, you’re effectively tethered to the TV, which is awkward. This will be fine if you have the Hub connected to a PC monitor. Still, as many home users are likely to connect the Hub to their TV, it’s an odd choice and impacts usability.

The cameras have a 105-degree wide viewing angle and can record video at a resolution of 2560×1440, which makes pulling detail out of recorded video a doddle. As you’d expect, night vision is supported, and the cameras have a microphone and speaker, plus an LED light and a siren. Captured video is crisp and well-saturated. I did note that the cameras struggled with exposure levels, sometimes leading to overexposed video when the sun peeked out from behind clouds on a windy day. The cameras pack infrared sensors, so the number of false positive notifications from trees blowing in the wind is practically zero.

Speaking of notifications, the mobile app (Android/iOS) is comprehensive and capable. However, I had an early version of the app, which sometimes glitched, attempting to display several recordings simultaneously or simply displaying no video at all. Swann says that a soon-to-launch update will resolve these issues.

While the 1TB of storage is ample for most people, you can add 4TB using an external drive. There is also an option for storing recorded video footage in a Dropbox account. If your budget stretches to it, Swann offers plans on a monthly subscription for storing video on their servers.

The Swann AllSecure650 wireless camera setup is a clever piece of kit. It’s a doddle to set up, thanks to its wireless design. It combines local video recording with optional cloud recording. An extra battery that can act as backup power during a power cut is also incredibly useful. While there were some small issues, the AllSecure650 is a comprehensive package that ticks many boxes at a reasonable price.

https://au.swann.com/swnvk-650kh4/