Pat PilcherSummary
Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless Security Camera
PAT PILCHER fools around with the latest Amazon security camera and finds it almost impossible to fault. And it’s also cheap as chips.
$169
Security cameras used to be the exclusive preserve of the ultra-rich or supervillains guarding their lairs. Thanks to the wonders of Wi-Fi and affordable image sensors, putting electronic eyes around your home is dead easy and cheap.
Amazon’s Blink Outdoor 4 camera is a classic example of this, as it retails for a pocket-pleasing $169.
The camera comes with several components, including a Sync Module hub, charging adapter and mounting hardware. The whole shebang is powered by AA batteries which Amazon says will run for an impressive two years and it’s IP65 rated which means NZ weather is no problem at all. You can also have it in any colour you want, as long as you choose black. That said, you can buy optional silicone skins in a range of colours if you want to dress it up or camouflage it.
The camera is a curious-looking, boxy square beast. Its front has a lens, two passive infrared motion sensors and a mic. Video is captured in 1080p at 30fps with a 143-degree field of view. Around the back is a temperature sensor there’s a speaker on its side.
The Sync Module 2 uses Wi-Fi to connect to your home network and the wireless hub to link to the camera. Amazon has also thoughtfully included a USB-A port which means you can connect USB storage to store video locally, potentially saving you a pile of money on subscription fees for Cloud storage (which you can opt for, should you choose to do so).
Being an Amazon doodad means Alexa voice commands are supported. The flip side of this is that Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant isn’t. If you’re an Alexa owner you can use voice commands to arm/disarm the camera and view live video on an Amazon Echo Show.
Getting set up was as easy as charging and mounting the cameras. The mounting hardware makes this so idiot-proof that even I got it right the first time. After this, I connected the hub and installed the Blink app on my phone as well as the Blink Skill for Alexa. Next, I added the cameras to the hub and the app and I was good to go.
The Outdoor 4 camera captures 1080p video, and while it isn’t as crisp as you’d get with 4k or 2K cameras, the video quality captured under daylight is decent with good colour saturation. Monochrome night video isn’t bad but is limited to what the infrared LED on each camera can illuminate.
The cameras were also reasonably responsive. Motion detection alerts arrived with little latency, and Alexa was snappy at displaying live video from the cameras. Being able to get temperature readings also proved handy.
If you’re thinking I’m impressed by the Blink Outdoor 4 camera, you’d be right on the money. Speaking of which, at $169 they’re a bit of a bargain. Add to this a convenient and easy-to-install wireless setup, 143-degree field of view, two years of battery life and the ability to play nice with Alexa voice commands and there’s lots to like.
