D-Link DCS-8100H HD 180 Degree Wi-Fi Camera
Summary: The D-Link DCS-8100H HD 180 Degree Wi-Fi Camera is a decent compact product to give you discrete security in your home or office
4.5
Compact security
`The DCS-8100H from D-Link is their new compact high definition 180 degrees Wi-Fi cameras that not only supports remote access but also two way audio, including other beneficial features to support with monitoring your home and office that can literally be setup by anyone.
It even works with Google Assistance and Alexa and although the shape with its fold-out design may look a little unusual, it has been designed to pivot, tilt and rotate to increase the scope of what it can capture. Add in mounting screws and this Wi-Fi can easily be fixed.
Here are some of the key features of the D-Link HD 180 Degrees Wi-Fi Camera;
- High quality 720p HD resolution
- 180-degree viewing angle
- Bluetooth setup
- Built-in IR LEDs to capture video in up to 5m of complete darkness
- Motion and sound detection
- 4x Digital Zoom
- H.264 support for the best video streaming performance
- dlink app lets you remotely view, receive notifications, save snapshots and video clips to your mobile device
- Works with the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and IFTTT
- Supports cloud recording via the new mydlink app
- Supports local recording via Micro SD XC slot (up to 128GB) (Micro SD card not included)
In terms of size, the DCS-8100H is quite compact and measures at 65.8 x 103.2 x 91.1mm with a weight of 153.3 grams. However the most important features of this Wi-Fi camera is its 180 degree panoramic view lens which increases the scope of what this device can capture. Sure it looks a little ‘fisheye’ but this feature expands on the area that the DCS-81000H captures.
The 720p HD sensor and the DCS-8100H also captures some crisp video and snapshots with some minor issues in a totally dark room. Assisting with the installation is the inclusion of Bluetooth 4.0 which easily connects to your smartphone to help with setting up the DCS-8100H.
Add in scheduling, motion and sound detection plus the ability of push notifications (e.g. alerts to your phone) and cloud recording and the DCS-8100H has the most of the bells and whistles needed to give the end-user some peace of mind. If your network goes down, this Wi-Fi camera even has a microSD card slot in order to store recordings or images locally. If you want to use the cloud feature, D-Link offer some excellent plans from just $2.49 per month and a free 7-day trial.
Out of the box, the DCS-8100H is the perfect size to position it so if someone was to break into your office or home, they would not notice the camera. On the front of the unit is the Wireless Signal Strength LED, Microphone, IR LED (behind cover), Lens, Light Sensor and the adjustable base. On the back is the MicroUSB port for power, Power LED, Speaker and Reset Button. The MicroSD card slot on the left hand-side of the unit.
To setup the D-Link DCS-8100H HD 180 Degree Wi-Fi Camera, you need to download the mydlink app which connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. This process is relatively flawless and more importantly fast as thanks to QR technology, it makes the setup even simpler. The only thing that may make the installation process slightly easier is with the inclusion of a WPS button. Once the mydlink program found and setup the DCS-8100H which requires you to enter your Wi-Fi password, you are treated to a very easy to navigate app.
Where the magic happens is through the mydlink app which allows you to tweak the camera by adjusting the sensors, add in scheduling, setup push notifications and fine-tune where you want the camera to monitor by selecting which grids you want it to detect via the live video. As mentioned the video quality for 720p is clear and supports 30 frames per second.
Night vision is okay and although there are clearer products available, this model still does a good job and more importantly, it will alert you should something trigger it. The audio quality is clear and I love how D-Link have included two way audio which allows you to communicate to the person on the other end.
Final Thoughts?
If you’re looking for an affordably priced compact Wi-Fi security camera, this product, the D-Link DCS-8100H HD 180 Degree Wi-Fi Camera should definitely be on your radar. It has a wealth of features, one of the simplest setups that I’ve had the joy of testing and good image quality plus remote access, two way audio and push notifications and the 8100H makes for the perfect pint sized security guard.
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