Indoor Camera

[TitanTim]

Hi all.

I currently have a Neos Smartcam which I've had for some years now. I have it sitting in the front room window covering the garden and drive and does a decent job. Only reason I went with this cam is it has free cloud storage. Cam still works great however its ability to work with Alexa on the Echo Show and spot is no more. It hasn't worked for about 3 months, just says in Alexa "Live View for Neos Smartcam is not available" Contacted Neos support who said to remove the skill and camera from Alexa and put it back on again. It still doesn't work and now Neos are ignoring my messages. Quick search on Amazon and it seems Neos isn't being supported anymore in Alexa. I suspect Neos are going down the pan as they don't seem to be selling the cam anymore but still supporting their App. I wonder how long that Will last.

Still works on my phone but annoying it's stopped working with Alexa.

Now looking for a replacement camera that's Alexa compatible and doesn't rely on a cloud storage fee.

Only stand out one is the TP-Link Tapo C100 for 20 quid which is SD card storage only or the Blink Mini but is cloud storage only with a fee for around 30 quid for the camera. Not looking to spend a fortune as not needed really.

Anyone know of any other cams that have free cloud storage? or rely on card storage only that might be a better bet than the Tapo.

Thanks,

Tim.

 

[pvr]

If you had gone with Ring, you would not get the Alexa ending bit. Unfortunately, Amazon is cutting support off (even IFTTT is not working with Alexa now).

I use the Ring cameras from a deal (very cheap), but pay for unlimited cloud storage (about £30 a year I think).

 

[TitanTim]

If you had gone with Ring, you would not get the Alexa ending bit. Unfortunately, Amazon is cutting support off (even IFTTT is not working with Alexa now).

I use the Ring cameras from a deal (very cheap), but pay for unlimited cloud storage (about £30 a year I think).

Thanks PVR, I've got 2 Ring Cams, older stick up cam in the extension and the latest cam linked to a solar panel that sits above the garage door, I do pay a subscription on these hence I didn't want to start paying any more out for additional cameras for the storage. I have both Ring cams in Alexa so I can view them on my Echo Show. So are are you saying the Alexa support is going to be stopped for Ring Not heard anything.

Tim.

 

[pvr]

Ring has a single subscription plan though, for no matter how many cameras you have

 

[Calps]

As PVR states, the ring subscription should suffice.

If memory is correct they have 2 subscription types - Basic and Plus (both with monthly, or annual cost options).

- Basic covers a single device
- Plus covers multiple devices

As you already have two devices (and assuming they are both on the Plus plan) there is no extra charge for any other devices (cameras, alarm sensors etc).

 

[TitanTim]

Thanks guys that's really helpful didn't realise that with Ring :roll: so will check my current subscription with them. Just be a case of getting an additional cam if that's the case

Tim.

 

[pvr]

I would not buy one today though as they are so often on offer with 50% off or so.

 

[Nanu]

I have the Tapo C200 and you get free cloud storage for a couple of months then just use a memory card. They are cheap and excellent quality and can dial into them from anywhere in the world.

 

[TitanTim]

I would not buy one today though as they are so often on offer with 50% off or so.

Good point

Tim.

 

[TitanTim]

I have the Tapo C200 and you get free cloud storage for a couple of months then just use a memory card. They are cheap and excellent quality and can dial into them from anywhere in the world.

Thanks Nanu, been looking at this model but it seems its not too great if pointing through a window, might be because the lens used with it being a pan and tilt, unsure.

Tim.

 

[Nanu]

I have the Tapo C200 and you get free cloud storage for a couple of months then just use a memory card. They are cheap and excellent quality and can dial into them from anywhere in the world.

Thanks Nanu, been looking at this model but it seems its not too great if pointing through a window, might be because the lens used with it being a pan and tilt, unsure.

Tim.

If it’s left on day mode you don’t get any reflection from the glass, it’s only when set on night mode that you get the reflection. If there is any movement in my garden I have a security light that activates so the day mode is perfectly good at night.

I don’t have the status LED light activated which shows that it is recording. To me that just encourages the window being put in and that little red light does reflect on the glass.

If you need a copy of a night recording I should be able to sort one and send you it in a PM

 

[TitanTim]

I have the Tapo C200 and you get free cloud storage for a couple of months then just use a memory card. They are cheap and excellent quality and can dial into them from anywhere in the world.

Thanks Nanu, been looking at this model but it seems its not too great if pointing through a window, might be because the lens used with it being a pan and tilt, unsure.

Tim.

If it’s left on day mode you don’t get any reflection from the glass, it’s only when set on night mode that you get the reflection. If there is any movement in my garden I have a security light that activates so the day mode is perfectly good at night.

I don’t have the status LED light activated which shows that it is recording. To me that just encourages the window being put in and that little red light does reflect on the glass.

If you need a copy of a night recording I should be able to sort one and send you it in a PM

Thanks again Nanu appreciate your help.

All sorted I went with the TP-Link Tapo C100 in the end which came on Friday and all installed Decided I didn't really need the pan facility of the C200. Only issue I had was it wouldn't format the SD card from my old cam for some reason so had to pinch one from a spare dash cam which worked ok, although its 16GB so have ordered a 128GB.

Quality of the day footage from the Tapo isn't as good as my old Neos cam which was also 1080p but the night footage is 100% better than the Neos. Main thing is now I can view the cam on my Amazon Echo show.

I did check my Ring Plan as hoping I could just add another Ring Cam and save to the cloud under the current plan I have but its just the basic plan so would cost more in the end so really for the cost of Tapo and using an SD card its a better solution for me.

Tim.

 

[RAYK47]

I have an Arlo camera system. Completely wireless but can have power plugged in. It is fully compatible with Alexa and if you have an Alexa show you can ask it to view the camera. You get a week of free cloud storage but can save them to storage if you want. You can also add a HDD to the base unit and schedule backups to that if you want to extend the 7 days.

https://www.arlo.com/en_gb/home?gcl...eisVLal36WrAZ_M7uahXPEqY58kLGKkRFkExoCxCIQAvD_BwE

 

[TitanTim]

I have an Arlo camera system. Completely wireless but can have power plugged in. It is fully compatible with Alexa and if you have an Alexa show you can ask it to view the camera. You get a week of free cloud storage but can save them to storage if you want. You can also add a HDD to the base unit and schedule backups to that if you want to extend the 7 days.

https://www.arlo.com/en_gb/home?gcl...eisVLal36WrAZ_M7uahXPEqY58kLGKkRFkExoCxCIQAvD_BwE

Thanks Ray, good to hear what other peeps are using and what they think of them

Tim.

 

[Nanu]

Only issue I had was it wouldn't format the SD card from my old cam for some reason

I had the same issue so format the card on my office computer each time I wipe it clean

 

[TitanTim]

Only issue I had was it wouldn't format the SD card from my old cam for some reason

I had the same issue so format the card on my office computer each time I wipe it clean

Thanks Nanu, managed it using a USB card reader stick and wiped it clean on the laptop

Tim.

 

[TitanTim]

Talking of cameras, not sure what this guy was doing that my doorbell camera fleetingly caught. He didn't face the camera which is above the letterbox. Looks like he was taking a photo of the car. Nothing through the letterbox to suggest dropping leaflets.

https://youtu.be/k45MyPlIPew?si=YI8H6NhpNXnVdwwS

Annoying my Ring cam above the garage door failed to be triggered. 99% of the time it works but I find Ring can be hit and miss at times if the connection drops.

My Tapo camera caught him walking down the drive.

It's not like the car is obviously on view as its tucked down the drive.

Maybe he's a Hyundai fan :lol:

Tim.