Compro TN60W Cloud IP Camera Review

Final Thoughts

Cloud services are become more and more popular with many people as internet speeds increase and the ability to stream content to even mobile phones becomes easier. For people who are security conscious this means that the ability to monitor their home or work premises from virtually any location in the world is easier than ever and costs nothing to setup (apart from the hardware of course).

Compro offer up a wide variety of cameras for the home, SOHO and SMB markets, with cameras that only work on a local network and the new TN line of cameras that work on the cloud as well. For an entry level grade of camera, I have to say that I’m rather impressed with the features that it has to offer. Granted its not got HD video capability, but the 640×480 resolution that is provided by the 1/7″ CMOS sensor is still very good with colour reproduction and smooth frame rates to match it.

The software for configuring the cameras settings is fairly easy to use and the cloud service especially is very easy to set-up. With the C4Home app downloaded through the relevant portal for iOS and Android devices, the cameras unique ID number is either scanned in or manually entered into the app and it instantly pairs itself for remote monitoring – anywhere! The infra-red mode is also similarly impressive. The small cluster of three LEDs that are built into the camera light up a room or immediate area up to an effective range of 6m with a black and white video that remains clear and distinguishable. On top of this the two-way audio provides a peace-of-mind way of communicating with children that are in their room of a night for example or for deterring those unwanted guests with out having to confront them face to face.

When it comes to home or small office surveillance, having a simple and easy to set-up system is just what the end user needs. Priced at around £90 the system is not too expensive either, considering there are standalone systems on the market that offer less features and require a bit more setting up to get them up and running, whilst taking more time to do so. All I will say for now is that to make this an award winning system, I’d like to see some alterations made to the wireless dongle to make it less obvious during use as a bright blue flashing LED that can be seen from all angles is a bit of an attention grabber. Also there does need to be a note made within the quick set-up guide that the cameras need to be directly connected to a computer first to get them set-up for the first time, as this may lead users to believe (like I did to start) that they may have a faulty unit in their hands.

Pros:

• Compact build
• Two-way communication
• Infra-red night mode
• Wireless and LAN connectivity
• Remotely viewable
• Standalone mode with SD card
• SMS/email notifications
• Motion detection

Cons:

• Live stream recording only compatible with Internet Explorer
• Set-up guide needs to detail that cameras need to be directly connected to a computer for initial set-up before deployment
• Wireless activity LED in dongle very bright and attracts attention to camera.

eTeknix Says: “The cloud approach to video surveillance is a major step forward in home and small office security. Compro’s system is not only easy to set-up, but is also intuitive for the not to technically mined users who are among us. At one time remotely monitoring your security system would have cost a fortune but with cloud services and with the help of the TN60W from Compro, this cost is severely reduced.”