Home security cameras have been around for quite some time now. In recent years, however, you find that different manufacturers add more features to these security cameras so that they do more than just record what’s happening around your home when you are not around.
The Remocam RMCU-1508 Smart Home Security Camera has several features, including wireless connectivity, night vision, two-way audio, and IP surveillance. These features would make you want to choose it over other cameras,but is it worth its price tag ?
Key features of the Remocam RMCU-1508 Smart Home Security Camera
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What do you get from the Remocam RMCU-1508? A lot! You get a motion sensor that helps you save storage space by recording only once it detects something is moving in the area under surveillance.
This also means that if you are reviewing the video, you do not have to go through a whole lot of footage where there is nothing happening. Plus, the camera can send you alerts when it detects movements!
You can store your footage locally via a microSD card or send these captured images and video to a cloud storage service. You can also control the camera as it gives you a 335˚ pan and 95˚ tilt motion, giving you the widest coverage for any area.
The camera also comes with night vision, giving you clear and recognizable captures even at low light conditions and duringthe night. This way, you can continue monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Other features you should know about are:
- HD camera sensor with 720p recording
- 256-Bit AES encryption
- Siren
- Two-way communication
- Light sensor
- Infrared remote sensor
- Live streaming
And here are some specifications for the Remocam:
| Dimensions | 4.1 inches x 4.2 inches x 5.4 inches |
| Weight | 0.75 pounds |
| Length of the Power Cord | 9.8 feet |
| Color | Black |
| Power | AC Power, cable is included |
| Mounting | Bracket, not included |
| Video Compression | H.264 |
| Viewer Capacity Per Account | 5 |
| Device Capacity Per Account | 5 |
| Digital Zoom | up to x3 |
The Remocam also comes with a lifetime theft guarantee and a limited manufacturer’s warranty.
How it works
Remocam is positioning itself as the right camera for the smart home. You can watch the videos in real time and you can watch crisp and clear streaming videos because of the HD camera.
Unlike earlier security cameras, the live stream comes with sound, so you are not only seeing what’s happening, but you also hear conversations and other sounds being picked up. You can also talk via the camera, making it possible to converse with the people in the room you are watching.
But what really sets it apart is that it has remote control capabilities: you can use the camera to control other electronic devices in your home via a mobile app.
You would probably need only one of this camera to monitor a room because of its pan and tilt capabilities. You can pan the camera to view the entire area and it rotates 335 degrees around the room.
And in the event that burglars or outsiders get inside your home, you can remotely activate the siren alarm to scare them off. Meanwhile, if you see a friendly face, you can talk to them just like you would on your phone.
If you turn on the motion sensor feature, the camera will record 20 seconds of footage and alert you so that you could view them once they are stored to a cloud storage service.
The Remocam mobile app
Imagine this scenario: You try to see what’s going on in your living room and you find that the TV is still turned on even when there is nobody at home. With other home security cameras, you can only let it go and just leave it be.
But with Remocam, you can turn the TV off using the camera as a remote control. All you have to do is to program your remote command into Remocam, and use the app to switch off any remote controlled appliance you have
at home.
You can turn your TV, heater, airconditioner off or on with the Remocam app.
Another scenario where this is useful is when you want to be cost-efficient yet comfortable at the same time. Just imagine that you are on your way home and you feel sticky with sweat because it is an unseasonably warm day out.
You can whip out your smartphone and switch your AC on sothat the moment you get home, the room is already cold and comfortable just the way you like it. You do not necessarily have to leave the air conditioning the entire time you
are out.
Setting up your Remocam RMCU-1508 Smart Home Security Camera
Setup is pretty straightforward and easy. You will need to first download the Remocam app as it will take you through the whole setup process.
It will prompt you to connect to the camera via your WiFi connection and then select your wireless network. Key in your network key and voila, your camera is ready for use.
You will need an account with Remocam, which you can also set up using
the app.
And if you want to use your Remocam Smart Home Security Camera to control your other appliances, you will need to program these to your app as well. You can even use the preset TV controls if you have an LG, Samsung or Sony TV.
Setting up the Remocam with the Remocam app is fairly fast and simple, but programming the remote feature can be tedious if you do not make use of the preset controls.
You basically point the camera towards the device that you want to control, and then get the device’s remote control and then click on the command that you want the app to record.
To show you that it has “learned” the function you want it to do correctly, the camera will point itself to the device and execute the programmed function.
What could be better?
If you only want to monitor your home, then the Remocam RMCU-1508 Smart Home Security Camera is ideal.
It gives you a pretty solid and crystal clear live stream of what’s happening at home and it alerts you when it detects movements and gives you twenty seconds of footage to see if there is cause for alarm or not.
However, if you plan on keeping a copy of recordings for your home, then you simply must look at another camera system.
Remocam also offers a cloud plan that is free for the first 30 days. Beyond that, you need to pay a monthly fee of $3.99 or $39 per year. If you do not want to pay that, you miss out on some features, such as the ability to stream recorded video online or the use ofthe app.
For people who do not want to be bothered with a subscription to the cloud plan, you can of course make use of the local storage. You can use a 32 gigabyte microSD card, but even if you do get alerts once the camera detects motion, you would not be able to view the 20-second footage on your smartphone.
You have to go home, remove the microSD card and then insert it to your laptop or any device to view it.
The final verdict
At $199, the Remocam RMCU-1508 Smart Home Security Camera is priced just right when compared to similar cameras. In fact, a quick comparison of similar smart cameras will show that it is the best-priced among similar devices because of all the features it offers.
| Remocam | Canary | NESTCAM | |
| Local & Cloud Storage | √ | √ | √ |
| Siren | √ | √ | √ |
| Speaker and Microphone | √ | √ | √ |
| Pan Tilt Zoom Capabilities | √ | √ | √ |
| Night Vision | √ | √ | √ |
| HD Recording | √ | √ | √ |
| IR Smart Home | √ | √ | √ |
| Live Feed | √ | √ | √ |
| Motion Sensor | √ | √ | √ |
| Area Detection | √ | √ | √ |
| 256-bit AES | √ | √ | √ |
So there is really no home security camera out there that offers you better value for your money than a Remocam RMCU-1508!
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