Conico Cloud IP Camera Review: Modern Necessities on a Budget
Retail Price: $29.99
DISCLAIMER: CONICO SENT US A REVIEW UNIT OF THE CLOUD IP CAMERA BUT ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN
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Product Specs +
- 1080p HD camera
- Pan and tilt functionality
- Night vision
- Two way audio
- Motion/sound detection
- Cloud storage
- Works with Alexa
Times have changed as many of us are now proponents of the do-it-yourself home security systems. Just buy a product and plug it in. Let's face it, all we really need in a home security camera is good functionality and a user friendly app. The Conico Cloud IP Camera surely delivers with all the features you could want in a security camera for your home.
The Basics
The device features a clear 1080 HD camera with a wide angle viewing perspective. Best of all, it has full pan and tilt capabilities that gives nearly 360 degrees field of view. When simply using your fingers to swipe around through the proprietary app, you can not only view, but also control where the camera looks at. On top of that, it's also equipped with night vision that gives you the ability to see objects clearly in low to no light situations. By including infrared light to illuminate a room, the Conico camera sets itself up to be perfectly utilized as a baby monitor to watch over a child during bed time. IR mode actually gives surprisingly clean imagery, especially when you consider the $30 price tag. I could visibly make out minor details of surroundings in my pitch dark room.
Seeing as this is an indoor camera, it does not come equipped with a rechargeable battery, nor does it feature a weatherproof design. Of course, that goes to say that this is not a wireless camera and there is no battery backup in case of a power outage. It must be plugged into an outlet at all times to function. While this limits the potential uses of the camera as well as the discreet placement locations you could place it at, I did like the relatively small size of the unit. It’s essentially the size of a 20 oz water bottle.
Because the unit is pretty compact, the mounting places are not just limited to shelves and tabletops. The camera comes with hardware to mount onto a variety of platforms such as walls or even onto the ceiling. Thanks to its adjustable camera angles, knowing where to point the camera isn't as important when deciding a location, compared to a fixed non-adjustable security camera.
Setup and App Use
The Conico security camera uses the company's proprietary mobile app called MIPC. To my surprise, the app is very simple to use. I say this is surprising because as someone who works with homes for a career, many security camera apps I've used in the past have been finicky and laggy to interact with. Moving the camera through the app was respectable in regards to the response time here.
Initial setup to link the camera with the app was also a breeze thanks to the straightforward step-by-step instructions on the app. Once the camera has been added to your account, the video footage recorded, loads extremely quickly. I'm very impressed by how quickly the video loads up in the app for viewing even when using mobile data outside of a home's Wifi connection. It loads up as fast as it takes emails to populate my screen. This allows users to quickly view what is occurring without seeing that dreaded 'loading' or 'buffering' screen that many smart camera apps do.
Storage Flexibility
I appreciate the amount of flexibility Conico has provided users with in terms of storage options. Users can decide to record videos by inserting a maximum capacity SD card of 128 GB into the camera. You can choose to record directly onto the card. Cloud storage of videos utilizing Conico’s servers are also available to purchase with pretty affordable pricing. This isn’t something you’re forced to use though. In fact, not opting for either of those recording options will still allow for real-time viewing through the app. I love the flexibility of choices of how to use this camera for such a low price tag.
When viewing on the app, it is also possible to take snapshots of the current view or start recording the scene at any given time. Some other features of the camera include motion and sound detection and integration with Alexa. There is also the capability for two-way communication, which allows users to hear the camera's surrounding environment as well as being able to speak and have the user's voice project from the camera's speakers. They all work well enough. These are all modern necessities for smart devices in the 2020’s and to have it on such a low price point is terrific.
Worth It?
The Conico Cloud IP Camera has really impressed me with its functionality. Its super user-friendly interface combined with the versatility, flexibility, and its many additional features make this device the complete package in terms of an operational security camera. There really aren't a lot of things missing here for a pet or baby monitor. All of this for only $30 makes the Conico a winner for affordable family tech.
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Ben
The complex integration of buildings and automobiles always intrigued Ben. So much so that he dedicated his life to further his knowledge of technological development in building design. Whether he’s on a job site with new homes or in a studio designing a home, Ben understands the smarts required inside a home.