The Better Optics: The DIY Dropcam Pro Home Security System Review

What if you can see who’s hiding in the dark?

With Dropcam HD, you can have 4x digital zoom power and digital panning ability. What’s more interesting is that you can the same features even in the dark with the camera’s night vision capability. Amusing, don’t you think?

However, they have another camera that can better amuse you. Dropcam Pro multiplies Dropcam HD’s resolution camera to even a greater extent.

• Dropcam Pro has 8x digital zoom power which you can manipulate through a software. It’s twice the efficiency of the HD version in getting a closer view.
• It is WiFi capable with dual-band 802.11n.
• It has no Ethernet port but it has Bluetooth LE. Also called as Bluetooth Smart, others claim this technology as the future of home automation system.
• Dropcam has a doubled image sharpness in full light and seven times better optic performance on low light to night mode. You would have to thank the new 6 element glass lens and a twice larger sensor for this.
• Dropcam Pro has a wider view range of 130 degrees from its previous 103 degree version. You can let it sit in a corner and still have a full view of the room

Setting up Dropcam can only take you a little more than 60 seconds.

1. You need to plug Dropcam to an electrical outlet via the AC adaptor.
2. Afterwhich, you download the Dropcam mobile app and make an account.
3. Upon initializing the app, there’s a plus button on the screen. You press it to add your camera.
4. You will then be asked to key in your network password to connect.
5. From there, the camera should be able to stream live feeds to the app. You can also access the camera through any web-enabled device in any part of the world.
6. After completing the first sync process, you can follow the same steps for integrating other cameras.

Since you can’t pan or tilt the camera physically, you would have to rely on Dropcam’s feature of “pinch to zoom”. You literally need to pinch in against your mobile’s screen to get a clearer view of a room. If that is not enough, you can try using Dropcam’s wand on the app. As if like magic,it works to concentrate light on your target area to give you a clearer shot, like finding your cat hiding under your coffee table in the corner.

Dropcam utilizes 8 infrared LEDs on its night vision mode. Though it contains a fewer number of LEDs than Dropcam HD, it is still as efficient as it claims to be on dark room monitoring. Dropcam Pro also has a better two way talk feature. The mic sensitivity was increased so you can experience a clearer quality. However, Dropcam Pro doesn’t have a backup power source so you have to make sure it’s constantly plugged in.

Dropcam’s recording is cloud based. You get live video streaming for free. However, if you decide to get rewinds of previous recordings, you may have to pay $9.95 a month. That is good for a seven day recording. If you want to have it for a whole month, you may need to add  an additional $29.95. You can download a recorded video as an MP4 file or you can even make it available for public streaming. Whichever you prefer, Dropcam assures you that all data are secured on a bank-level security.

With Dropcam’s ability to capture events in a higher resolution, it is often used to monitor kids at home. Dropcam is a perfect choice to look after your babies. You can conveniently watch over your kids while you’re going through your other household chores.  How?

1. First, it can make you see a wider view of your kid’s room. Even if you set it to sit in a corner of the room, you’ll still see what goes around.
2. It has an excellent day and night vision. Of course, you would want to keep an eye on your kid. However, that doesn’t mean you have to keep getting out of bed, too. You can simply take your smartphone and take a peek before you return to sleep again.
3. It can give you a clearer image quality. When you take a look at what your kid is doing, you want to make sure you see everything. With better image quality, you’ll not miss on anything that can be potentially harmful to your child. Say for example, your kid has been playing with a very small toy. Seeing it clearly will avoid any incident relating to choking accidents.

However, there are many claims and questions regarding Dropcam Pro’s temperature threshold and overheating issues.  Dropcam explains that the device’s back is specifically designed to act as a heat-sink. If you happen to touch Dropcam and you find it warm touch, don’t panic. The developers claim that it is not uncommon to happen.

Dropcam app provides geofencing capabilities which means you can omit the manual arming and disarming of your system every time you get home. It senses you whenever you arrive or leave. You can also manage your alerts by Location Aware. This feature automatically turns on alerts once you leave the house.

Dropcam Pro costs $199 while the Dropcam HD is sold at $149.

THE CHECKLIST:

 The Dropcam Pro has an 8x digital zooming capacity.
 It has a “pinch to zoom” feature on the app. You can also use the Dropcam wand to get a better view.
 The camera is trusted as a baby monitoring device as well as for keeping an eye on pets.
 Dropcam is prone to overheating, especially on night mode.
 Live video streaming is included for free.
 It has Bluetooth LE.
 Dropcam has dual WiFi and can connect via 2.4 GHz or 5GHz.
 You’ll have to pay for Cloud Video Recording.
 There is no local video storage.
 It provides crystal clear video and better low light performance.
 There is a wider field of view with the wider lens and bigger sensor.