Having to recharge a battery on a security camera is a pain. It’s always a pain. I’ve tested so many of these products over the years and will always prefer a wired connection simply because having wireless is just not worth the extra effort. I’m a forgetful person. Most people are forgetful people.
It’s not security downtime that’s the issue for me, it’s just that when you have multiple cameras set-up, it takes time going around and recharging each one.
That’s one of my favourite things about the Swann AllSecure650 2K Wireless Security Kit, which comes with up to six wireless cameras and a central Power Hub that can be used for easy recharging. The spare battery can quickly be swapped out once juiced up, which means no downtime and little effort.
If you’ve owned security cameras before, you know just how much this small detail helps. Yes, batteries do last for a very long time, especially for a 2K camera. But it’s still an extra layer of convenience that’s very much appreciated.
But that’s not even the main appeal of Swann’s AllSecure650. The price is reasonable given you’re getting four cameras and a power hub, and there’s a genuine attempt at solving the primary issue most people have with these devices. That is, where in the hell do you store all the footage?
You can either have footage on a cloud or you can store it locally. Preferences are down to the individual, but a lot of people are wearier about the cloud option given you have an additional spend for a subscription service. And we don’t need more subscriptions services, do we?
I’d much rather keep my running costs as low as possible so I can focus on other types of subscriptions (like Netflix), which is why this is such a compelling offer from the company, who aren’t yet as well-known as brands like Arlo and Ring. Otherwise, you’re committing yourself to yet another ongoing expense that you might not even need. Therein lies the value with this kit, giving you peace of mind in both security and expense.
Design
The antenna pointing from the top of each camera may look a bit unsightly, but other than there’s nothing really notable about the way these cameras are built. You’ve got a plain black face and a white body all-round – a very clean look.
The main thing to talk about is the power hub. It just needs to be physically attached to a router or connected wirelessly, giving you a 1TB hard drive that you can use to store all footage on locally. The hub also has a slot for that aforementioned spare battery, giving you a bit of a one-stop-shop while ensuring privacy concerns are minimal.
NOTE: 1TB is a lot, but it does run out eventually. After a few months of testing this system, I’d suggest that you have it only store actual motion events.
The hub also has an SD card slot and USB port to make things much easier. If you do have some footage you need to quickly share, you can simple save it on an SD card. You’ve also got the very intuitive companion app, where you can save videos digitally. It’s all very well thought-out and addresses some of the pain points people have had with smart security set ups to date. Specifically, Swann has designed the hub so that you have several options in how to share your footage should you need. Not everyone wants to use the companion app to save recordings digitally (for eg, to Dropbox) so this appeals to all kinds of users.
As above, the cameras themselves aren’t unique but they are effective. The whole thing is very easy to setup but you’d need to spend some time charging each camera for a few hours before use. It’s not the fastest set-up in the industry but once you’re done, you’re done.
You will hate this kit when you first buy it, however. Again, the set-up is a bit of a punish and is vastly outdated in a world that’s use to the convenience of modern technology. If you’re “more of a Linux” person, you might appreciate the fact that the installation process is quite geeky.
You can’t just use an app to set the cameras up. You’ll need to actually plug the hub into a TV or monitor (via HDMI) and then use USB mouse (supplied) to navigate the onscreen keyboard. It’s long and technical, but the instructions provided are very straight forward. Let’s just say, it’s the IKEA furniture of the smart security world. The process is far from sexy, but the results are rewarding.
Performance
The main appeal is that you have wireless cameras and local storage. Having the two together is very rare, so that helps negate some of the issues with the cameras themselves. Namely, the object detection isn’t nearly as advanced as some competitors and there’s no way to set custom motion zones, which is a popular feature for many.
This means that you’ll have to think carefully about camera placement. Since I live in a sharehouse in Darlinghurst, to respect my housemates I don’t like taking photos of the house and putting them out there. As such, I can’t show you exactly where I placed the cameras but I can tell you that it took some adjusting because I’d keep getting erroneous motion alerts on my phone.
On the plus side, it’s all very speedy and efficient. Just oversensitive at times. That is, unless you do pay for the additional subscription service. Yes, while Swann has been generous here with storage, they still present the option for an add-on subscription if you want more smart features. I didn’t so cannot attest to how accurate the distinction between different objects and humans is.
Despite only being rated for 2K, the camera quality is fantastic and very clear. Night mode is reasonable and not as strong as some competitors but it’s still good enough to distinguish different objects. The most impressive part, visually, is the contrast. Colours are handled well at night and can be adjusted via the companion app, which tempers the night vision light and can reach levels bright enough to do the job of a light bulb. This is great if you want to illuminate darker parts around the house, and I guess it could also signify the cameras to deter any would-be thieves in the first place.
Verdict
Swann is taking that necessary step in smart home security that other brands have not yet. Offering wireless cameras with local storage, while also having a product that works well, is rare in this market. I do think the hypersensitive motion alerts could be an issue for some and could force them into a subscription model anyway, but those who want to avoid ongoing costs can do so while still claiming they have a premium product.
I do think taking longer to set-up could deter some of the more impatient people who have been spoiled with easy set-ups over the past few years, but there’s plenty of value here to win people over if they want to reset a smart security set-up. But Swann’s security kit is mainly for people who don’t already have the luxury, unlocking great smart home security with a one-and-done approach.
The value depends on how many cameras you need. You can get as little as two and as much as six, with the latter it priced around $900. That’s great value for so many cameras, especially when considering you won’t have ongoing expenses and a spare battery on hand at all times.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: No real need for a subscription service; local storage and easy transfer; up to two-years of recording
Lowlights: The hypervigilance can be annoying at times; can’t set motion zones; old-school set up can be a pain
Price: $900 (for six cameras)
Unit supplied by Swann for review.
