Swann Security Camera Kit Author: faceless105 -- Posted: 2008-03-26
Video is something we don't get a lot of a chance to talk about, but with how well it's being tied into computers lately I think this deserves some notice. Today I'll be going over the Safety Camera Kit by Swann.
The Safety Camera Kit is a wireless camera/mic that can be placed just about anywhere. The camera can be powered by either an adapter, or if you need to place it somewhere temporarily a bit more conspicuously, they provide you with an adapter that uses a 9v battery. The camera itself is incredibly small, smaller then the size of a golf ball and I'll be honest I still haven't figured out where the mic is yet, lol. The down side to the camera base is that it isn't made to be mounted. I'm sure though it would still be very easy to drill a small hole and screw it anywhere. Additionally you could easily use double sided tape as this camera is so light. Another benefit this camera is that you can remove the mount to place it on the top or bottom of the camera, giving you more options on placement, making it much easier to mount the complete camera in different areas.
The receiver is very straight forward. Almost like a mini wireless router, it lays on its side with an antenna in the back. The receiver can connect up to four cameras at a time. To display them it has the standard audio/video out plugs in the back which will connect to any tv or DVR card on a computer. The receiver only displays one video at a time, but it gives you the option selecting a specific camera to watch, or automatically cycling through each camera.
The camera provides a much clearer picture then I imagined. The image is a bit grainy but I imagine that is due solely to the size of the camera. The receiver also has a range of 150 ft from the cameras, so you shouldn't have much trouble reaching the places you need them to be. The camera as well as the receiver are also in full color, which is a great plus.
Here are some stats on the camera and receiver.
Overall, the installation is very straight forward. Connecting the receiver to a TV is very simple, just plug it in. The camera only needs power fed to it, which is just a matter of connecting the plug, or batter adapter. If the camera is out of focus at all, then you can adjust it with the adjusting key provided. This is done by rotating the piece around the lens, though I found in my case this wasn't even necessary.
* placed by a CD for size comparison
Pros...
- Easy installation
- Long Range
- Provides Audio
- Easy to conceal
Cons...
- Picture is slightly grainy
- Audio is slightly grainy
I imagine both the audio quality and video quality are directly related to the size of the camera. While these might be a problem for people with very high end requirements, I don't think they'd be any problem for a typical user.
I'd like to thank Swann Security for giving me the opportunity to review their [url=http://www.swannsecurity.com/s/products/view/?product=513]Safety Camera Kit[url=http://www.swannsecurity.com/s/products/view/?product=513]. If anyone is interested in setting up your own home security I'd definitely check these guys out because they have a huge range of products relating to home security.
If anyone has any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them :)
EDIT: I'll be getting a picture soon of the video quality
