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Swann - 1080p Wi-fi Floodlight Security Camera Review

Written By segunda-feira, 18 de abril de 2022 Add Comment Edit
8.6/10 average rating

Information technology'due south unfortunate times when the days of leaving your doors unlocked are long gone. There are enough of security companies offering home security options but non everyone wants to pay a huge monthly fee to accept their dwelling monitored. Fortunately, in that location are DIY options and our Swann Floodlight Security System review takes a expect at a 1080p security camera with automatic floodlights, local and cloud storage, and night vision. Read on to see how information technology performs.

UPDATED (6/13/2020): Equally of this time, we can't recommend this version. Since February nosotros take been going back and forth with technical back up with regards to issues with the SWWHD-FLOCAM. We accept been experiencing everything from excessive triggering to not being able to view the recorded video footage to having no video footage.

On that annotation, Swann has sent over the newer SWIFI-FLOCAM2W and we'll be posting our review on that once we've had it installed for a few weeks.

UPDATED (11/12/2019): If you are having issues with the SAFE by Swann app and Android 10 devices, opt into the testing program and install the beta version.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Specifications

The Swann Floodlight Security Organisation Wi-Fi Series has the following features and specifications:

  • Model: SWWHD-FLOCAM
  • Video Resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels)
  • Viewing Angle: Wide 125º
  • PIR Thermal/Motion Sensor: Yep, Truthful Detect™ PIR
  • Sensor Range: Upwards to 32ft / 10m, 270º
  • Infrared Nighttime Vision: 32ft / 10m (B&W)
  • Floodlit Night Vision: 100ft / 30m (Colour)
  • Brightness: 2500 lumens
  • Color Temperature: 5000K
  • Video Storage: Internal & Secure Cloud (Fees apply to 30 twenty-four hours cloud storage choice)
  • Audio: Microphone & Speaker, 2-Way Audio
  • Siren: Yes, upwardly to 75dB
  • Operating Temperature: -4ºF to 140ºF/-20ºC to 60ºC
  • Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor (weatherproof IP65 rated)
  • Power Source: Difficult Wired. Connects to existing wiring
  • Working Voltage: AC 100~240V 50/60hz
  • Power: 30W
  • Wi-Fi Frequency: 2.4GHz (wireless range upwards to 65ft/20m)
  • App (iOS & Android): Condom by Swann
  • Attention: THIS PRODUCT HAS UNTERMINATED ELECTRICAL WIRING. IN SOME COUNTRIES THIS PRODUCT MUST BE INSTALLED By A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN. Bank check LOCAL LAWS & REGULATIONS.
  • This product must be installed on a vertical surface. This production should non be installed on a horizontal surface, such as a ceiling.
  • Camera Dimensions: two.68" 10 2.36" x 4.72"/68mm x 60mm 10 120mm
  • Overall Dimensions: ix.5″ x 9.5″ x 6.7″/ 240mm x 240mm ten 170mm
  • Weight: 2.44lbs/1110g

What'due south in the box

  • Floodlight Security System
  • Mounting Bracket & Hardware
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Theft Deterrent Stickers
What's included with the Swann Floodlight Security System
What's included with the Swann Floodlight Security System.

Design

The Swann Floodlight Security Organization looks like a pair of floodlights with a photographic camera component attached. The primary unit is round in shape with a pigsty in the middle for the mounting bolt and cap. Located on the left and right side and slightly to a higher place the mounting hole are the two floodlights. Squarish in shape with rounded corners, the floodlights have a plastic frame around them with a bit more of a flange on the tiptop. On the inside of each floodlight near the base is an adjustment knob while on the opposite side is a locking nut. Loosening the locking nut will allow you lot to utilize the adjustment knob to motion the floodlights to their desired position.

Centered below the mounting hole is the camera unit. The camera unit has a rectangular shape with rounded sides. While the entire Floodlight Security System unit is white, the front face of the camera unit is black. This area houses the microphone, night detection sensor, infrared LEDs, LED indicator, and speaker/siren. The Swann logo is printed in white just above the speaker area. At the bottom of the camera unit is a white inverted dome. This dome houses Swann's Truthful Detect passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor.

The dome houses Swann's True Detect passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor
The dome houses Swann's True Detect passive infrared (PIR) movement sensor.

Located on the back of the photographic camera unit is the reset button. Just below this, the camera unit is mounted to the base past manner of a solid arm with a locking neckband. Loosening the locking neckband allows you to adjust the camera unit by way of a ball hinge mount. Once positioned, tightening the locking collar holds the camera unit of measurement in identify.

The back of the base unit is sealed and has iii wires coming out of it. There is a blackness live wire, white neutral wire, and a green/yellow ground wire. Nosotros'll talk over these more than in the installation section. There is too a foam gasket and all the mounting hardware you demand to mount the system on an existing junction box, which isn't included.

Looking at the Swann Floodlight Security System leaves no doubt that it is a security photographic camera with some pretty beefy looking floodlights on information technology.

Installation

Before yous install the floodlight camera, there are a few steps you should have first, namely making sure the Wi-Fi strength where you desire to install the floodlight camera is strong plenty. Once you lot've confirmed that, yous tin proceed to the bodily concrete installation of the camera.

While my installation was a fleck different than what others may feel, I'd plan on an hour or less if you lot take an existing fixture you're replacing, or upward to two hours if y'all don't. Unfortunately, I fell into the latter category. Withal, the installation was a cakewalk, even for a non-electrician. On that annotation, before we continue, if you at all experience uncomfortable doing a self-install, past all means, contact a licensed electrician. In addition, the instructions exercise warn that in some jurisdictions, the light must be installed by a licensed electrician.

All you really have to remember is to plow off the breaker associated with the fixture your replacing, and to match colours. It really is that easy. Swann provides everything you need if you're going this route, including grommets, screws, and a mounting bracket.

Once you lot've killed the power and removed the old light fixture, connect white to white, greenish/yellow to your ground (or other green wire), and black to black. Screw the mounting subclass on the junction box, then utilise the foam gasket to the back of the camera unit. In one case you've washed that, screw the camera unit onto the mounting bracket using the included commodities, and stop off by capping it. Once in identify, you lot can and then suit the floodlights and camera by loosening the locking nuts, locking collar, and adjustment knobs as required.

Once you're gear up upwardly, plough the breaker dorsum on and proceed to the software section for details on how to install and pair the organisation to the app on your smartphone.

For those of use non using an existing fixture, the installation will take a bit longer and require a few more than materials. In my case, I used an extension cord (information technology was cheaper than electrical cable and a male plug end), low profile junction box, and a vinyl siding styled box cover. Birthday it cost about CA$40 for the actress parts. At whatsoever rate, I cutting a proper sized pigsty in my siding, mounted the junction box to the wall, and covered information technology with the box cover. I and then drilled a hole just thick enough to slide the extension cord cable through the wall of the garage.

Once that was done, I cut the extension cord the length I needed, leaving the male end on the piece I needed with the female end fastened to the scrap bit of cord I didn't. Later feeding it through the hole, I and so joined the white, dark-green, and black wires to the floodlight camera accordingly using the marrettes (twist-on wire connectors). After that indicate, it was pretty much the aforementioned installation as to an existing lite fixture. All said and done, that took virtually two hours or so.

Either way, the installation was pretty easy and the instruction diagram is pretty straightforward and piece of cake to follow. If you need more assistance, Swann does accept an installation video also.

Software

Annotation: Every bit mentioned above, if you are having issues with the SAFE by Swann app and Android 10 devices, opt into the testing programme and install the beta version.

One time you've completed the concrete installation, y'all'll need to download the Safety by Swann app, create an account, verify electronic mail, continue with the setup. Setup is pretty straightforward and the app does a adequately decent job of walking you through it.

When opening the app, you're greeted with a dashboard. In my case, it consisted of a recent snap of the camera view and two square buttons next below that for quick light and siren toggling. If yous take multiple supported Swann cameras, you can add together them likewise and further customize your dashboard. Along the bottom is an icon for the currently agile mode on the left. Pressing the icon will allow you to quickly modify the active mode. On the correct, is an icon for activity which, when pressed, brings upwardly your cloud storage video clips.

Selecting the main image volition bring y'all into the live video stream for the camera. Pressing either the lite or siren buttons beneath will toggle the lights or siren on or off depending what it'due south current state is. When the light is on, you tin can also adapt the brightness (from 0-100%) of the light. This setting is saved after you turn it off so you only have to adjust it as needed.

There's the usual hamburger menu in the upper left corner which gives you admission to your cameras, pairing cameras, activity, modes, user manual, about, support, and the ability to sign out. When selecting My Cameras, you can then get into settings and add a cloud storage subscription if y'all wish. More than on that in the Performance section beneath.

The Modes option lets you set up if the cameras are armed or disarmed for Home, Abroad, and Night Mode. The activity selection lets you view past recordings from the cloud. In order to view the videos stored on the camera, you lot actually accept to go to My Cameras > Settings > Photographic camera > View Photographic camera Backup. Likewise, you set the photographic camera sensitivity in My Cameras > Settings > Photographic camera as opposed to with the arming/disarming in the Modes selection tab. Not but that, when setting the sensitivity, you lot're setting it for the currently agile mode so you'll have to make certain you're in the right mode before you become into the settings to alter it. You can likewise set the low-cal duration and the siren volume and if it goes off when triggered here also.

Camera settings screen in SAFE by Swann app
Camera settings screen in SAFE by Swann app.

When ready to the highest sensitivity, the photographic camera would pick up every vehicle driving by or every person walking past the sidewalk. Unfortunately, the app doesn't actually show you with a diagram overly what each sensitivity range covered. Later on some trial and error, I institute a sensitivity that simply triggered when someone actually walked up and across the driveway, which is what we wanted during the day. Fortunately, you lot can set Habitation, Away, and Night Mode configurations. In my case, I set information technology lower during the mean solar day and for night time, I prepare the sensitivity to the highest information technology would get. After that, information technology's merely a matter of remembering to switch the organization to Night Style earlier going to bed.

The My Photographic camera > Settings also allows you to name your camera, update your Wi-Fi, and Sync to Phone Time. Lastly, you tin update the firmware for your photographic camera in the My Camera > Nearly section. While you tin't check for updated, the dashboard will display a message indicating that a firmware update is available if one, in fact, is.

The app isn't as well bad only I did accept to email support and consult the manual a few times to initial effigy out how to change a specific setting or update the firmware. It could definitely practise with an overhaul or, in the least, moving effectually of some of the settings so they're better grouped and made more apparent where they are located. Additionally, having to go into separate screens to view the cloud and local storage is a bit strange too and these could be combined in a single area equally well.

Overall, though, one time you get used to it, finding settings and viewing your by videos is fairly uncomplicated and easy.

Ease of Use

Once gear up and paired with the app, the Swann Floodlight Security System basically runs itself. Every bit indicated above, you can use the app to suit the sensitivity of the motility detection. Likewise, you can adjust what happens and how long it auto-records once motion is detected.

When an alert notification comes through, touching it will open the app and have you to the main screen. At this betoken, y'all'll have to touch the live view tile in order to view what's going on. To be honest, it'd be squeamish to have it open the live view automatically from a notification to save time. More than often than not, by the time the live view was launched, there was nothing to exist seen on the screen.

Equally for the other features, information technology's pretty straightforward to toggle the floodlights on and off, toggle the siren, view both live and archive clips, and enable the vocalism feature.

Performance

Initially, we encountered some performance issues with the camera and the app. When checking live view on the app, it loaded every bit quick as 3 seconds or sometimes non at all. As far every bit receiving an alert? Sometimes it was instant, other times it was a infinitesimal or 2 later. At that place were also some bug with viewing the archives. Sometimes, captured motion video showed up a couple of minutes later, sometimes non until the side by side morning time. I was definitely baffled as my phone indicated a solid Wi-Fi connectedness while standing right underneath the camera.

Live View is Unavailable screen in SAFE by Swann app
Live View is Unavailable screen in SAFE by Swann app.

Later on going dorsum and forth with Swann support, with cipher actually resolved, I ran a Wi-Fi analyzer and noticed that my Wi-Fi network was on the same channel as many others in the expanse. I switched my Wi-Fi to a different channel and immediately noticed an improvement in the camera's reliability when information technology came to viewing through the app. That's not to say it'southward perfect, but it was definitely much better and, in my opinion, adequate.

As mentioned to a higher place, the system notifies yous of move with a notification on your smartphone. Pressing it opens the app but doesn't take yous direct into alive photographic camera view, wasting what could be precious seconds. Almost of the time, we had to wait a few minutes for the clip to show up under the archives in social club to encounter what the motion was almost. On that note, the camera does a great job of capturing about 5 seconds before the motion that triggered it too as the 25 seconds after.

The system as well triggers as oftentimes as each minute. Even though we are home most of the time, we opted to get out the camera warning and capture way e'er on. While this was o.k. for the most part, information technology did pose a claiming while the kids went out forepart to play basketball every bit it would trigger every minute.

During testing, and the occasional legitimate motion issue not triggered by testing, the arrangement did a decent job of capturing and storing the motility event. The camera itself provides seven days of clip storage. While I couldn't get an verbal storage size from Swann, they bodacious me that it is aplenty enough to store seven days of clips, based on each clip being roughly 5.47 MB in size for a 1080p mp4 file. If the carte du jour was 1GB, that'd be plenty to shop approximately 180 clips.

Live view at night with floodlights off and no overlay in SAFE by Swann app
Alive view at nighttime with floodlights off and no overlay in SAFE by Swann app.

In addition, Swann offers two days of cloud storage for clips for free and an optional 30 days of storage for US$4.99/mth or 49.99/year. This isn't a bad deal every bit both plans permit you to store thirty days of clips in the cloud and upwards to 5GB of video clips which is plenty. You lot can likewise download and share recorded clips as well as have access to premium call support for this cost.

And then far I've mentioned move a few times. On that annotation, the system likewise uses Swann's True Discover Heat Sensing technology to help alert you lot sooner when the system is triggered.

Some other swell feature is that the Swann Floodlight Security Camera supports Alexa and Google Banana. While I didn't exam it with Alexa, I was able to successfully tell my Google Nest Hub to "Show me my garage" and, albeit it after a minute or 2, it would live stream the video feed to the Nest Hub by my bedside. While this is useful, the fact it took a bit before it started streaming could as well be a detriment as y'all'd likely miss whatever it was that alerted you to start streaming.

Camera

When the camera is connected live streaming or motion recording, the LED low-cal on the front panel is solid cherry-red. As far as the camera quality is concerned, it's pretty decent given it's FHD 1080p. The more light available, the better the picture is. When watching the footage, in that location is a brief 2d or two when the camera is readjusting to the lights existence turned on and during this time the footage isn't all that articulate. That existence said, between the five seconds before and the 25 seconds subsequently the lights plow on, there should be enough footage to possibly brand an identification from the video clip.

The night vision camera is decent as well and I actually found mixed results with the floodlights at night. When there was zip parked in the driveway, the floodlight footage seemed to exist decent enough. When my white truck was parked in the driveway, I found that the nighttime vision gave a better video image. On that note, we practice accept forepart lights that are on all night so that definitely affects both the nighttime vision and floodlight video due to the added light.

Depending on the distance the discipline is from the photographic camera, as well equally the bending of their face up, being able to easily identify someone is striking and miss. The video clips tin can be downloaded, as well as paused and screenshots taken if you need to for whatever reason.

On that annotation, the fact the floodlights can be ready to come up on automatically when motion is detected should be enough to deter a potential thief every bit they actually light upwardly the area, peculiarly when prepare to 100% brightness. As a further deterrent, the siren can too be set to turn on when motion is detected.

Microphone/Voice Quality

The Swann Floodlight Security System also comes with a siren and two-mode audio speaker organization. While the audible siren works well plenty, it's not overly loud. While this is adept in that it won't disturb your neighbours in the heart of the night, I felt it wasn't loud enough to act as an added deterrent when move was detected. And so once again, if the lights and siren come on at the same time, it may simply exist plenty to startle a would-exist burglar.

A couple of times, I tried to exam the 2-fashion audio speaker with poor results. Not only was the audio delayed but on the app end of things, information technology sounded really crackly which made it hard to hear the person standing exterior. When speaking through the app, the person on the outside had an equally hard time hearing me. In either case, yous could brand out what the other person was saying, but merely barely and often by guessing at a couple of missed words. The delay actually makes information technology an inadequate tool for communication to someone outside. For the tape, I experienced this lack of quality both while on the aforementioned wireless network also as when away from habitation and on an LTE network.

Price/Value

The Swann Floodlight Security System has an MSRP of US$179.99/CA$249.99. Based on its performance and the retail price of competing systems, this floodlight security camera is pretty reasonably priced.

That beingness said, you lot can also expect to be out an actress $4.99/calendar month or $49.99/yr if you desire xxx days of cloud storage instead of simply the ii days that come with the free plan. Withal, checking with your insurance visitor may offer up a disbelieve on your yearly insurance premiums if y'all opt for more online cloud storage. If so, that could be taken into account as a cost offset, making this system a amend value.

Wrap-up

There are plenty of options when it comes to dwelling security systems out there. If y'all're looking for a DIY option, the Swann Floodlight Security System offers adequately decent, albeit with minor problems, and relatively consistent performance with actress lighting for late-night motion detection capture.

*We were sent a sample of the Swann Floodlight Security Arrangement Wi-Fi Serial for the purposes of this review.

Terminal Updated on February iii, 2021.

Swann Floodlight Security System

US$179.99

Swann Floodlight Security System

Microphone/Voice Quality

5.0/10

Nailed it

  • Fairly easy to install
  • 1080p video
  • seven solar day local, 2 mean solar day cloud storage gratuitous
  • Bright light for ameliorate vision at dark
  • Siren choice for extra security
  • Records 5s before and 25s after beingness triggered

Needs work

  • Settings are a bit obscure to find at commencement in the app
  • Pressing a notification doesn't automatically open live view
  • Had the occasional disconnect from my home Wi-Fi
  • Sometimes night vision would give a better video
  • Siren isn't that loud
  • Two-way speaker is very poor
  • Viewing video from camera storage slow loading

Swann Floodlight Security System

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Source: https://techaeris.com/2019/08/18/swann-floodlight-security-system-review-fairly-decent-security-cam-with-floodlights/

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