When the human is away, the dog comes out to play. Or does he? As a dog owner, I have always wondered what my dog is up to when I am out. Is he sleeping? Is he anxiously waiting for me by the door? Is he up to any mischief? Well, thanks to technology, I now have the answer.
Arlo is a leading internet-connected camera brand in the U.S., with a range of home security solutions from cameras to doorbells to smart lighting in its line-up. The brand has recently introduced its latest offering – the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera – the “indoor security camera that protects your home from the inside” according to Arlo.
The camera features a 2-megapixel sensor to capture video at 1080p resolution. It is equipped with a 130-degree field of view and a 12x digital zoom. It also has black-and-white night vision, using a high-powered single infrared LED, and also motion detection capabilities.
Getting Started
The camera is not wireless – you have to connect it to a power point. To get started, you would have to download the Arlo mobile app. Installation is fairly easy for most parts – the app would provide instructions every step of the way and the instructions are not hard to understand.
Installing Arlo is easy with instructions on the app. Photo © Asia 361
The only time I encountered a bump was when I had to link the camera to the wifi using the 2.4GHz connection instead of the usual 5GHz connection. I couldn’t remember the password for my 2.4GHz wifi and tried my luck to connect to the 5GHz connection. So take note that the camera has to use the 2.4GHz because it offers increased range.
Essentially, the Essential Indoor Camera uses the same mobile app as all Arlo cameras. This means if you have other Arlo cameras, you would be able to control all devices via the same app.
Plug and Play
The Essential Indoor Camera has varied uses, as I could deduce from the functions. It could be used as an indoor security camera, given that there are night vision capabilities and an 80dB siren for scaring off unwanted intruders.
There is also full duplex two-way audio and a single microphone with noise and echo cancellation. I would think these are functions that come in useful if the camera is installed at the door to speak with visitors. However, I am not sure of the practicality of doing so as the camera is wired. One might have to do some retrofitting work to put it at the door.
In my case, I am using the camera to monitor my pet dog. (Erm, dogs are considered babies to paw-rents, you know.) The day came for me to head out and leave my dog alone at home. I turned off the privacy shield and off I went.
The camera comes with a privacy shield that can be turned on and off. Photo © Asia 361
Once I was out, I started getting instant notifications on my phone from the Arlo app. The advanced artificial intelligence (A.I.) of the camera could detect motion. I was particularly impressed that the camera could differentiate between a person and an animal. I could even hear clearly that my dog barked at some point. Opps, sorry, neighbours.
The app sends instant notifications to your phone upon detecting motion. Photo © Asia 361
The app keeps video recordings by date, which allows me to find them easily. Each Arlo camera comes with a basic plan that lets the user store up to seven days of video recordings on the cloud. If you wish to get anything more than that, you would have to pay for a monthly subscription which starts from US$2.99 per month to store 30 days of recordings on the cloud.
The Bottomline
If you are looking for a basic camera system that offers great video quality and customised smart alerts, the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is a good option to consider. With the self-installation and self-monitoring, it could help you save cash versus installing a traditional security system if home monitoring is what you are seeking.
The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera retails at S$199 and is available at major retailers including Harvey Norman, Challenger, Best Denki, Amazon, Arlostore.sg and the official Arlo store on Lazada Singapore and Shopee Singapore.
