Security camera from old smart phone/phones

[stuckmotor]

Has anyone tried a camera that screws into a light socket?

Light Socket Security Camera - Top-Rated Lightbulb Security Camera

Light Socket Security Camera - The Most Advanced Light Bulb Security Camera. The camera is easy to install and comes with loads of hi-tech features for uses inside and outside of your home or office. Full Color Night vision, 1080p video resolution, panning up down, left, right and 360 rotation...

techgeartrends.com

Ads for these devices are popping up every time I do a search yet, nobody's tried them. They sound too easy to be true. I might get one anyway.

 

[tom3]

I'd guess they have limited functions without paying for a service. Sort of the same with the Wyze cameras. And once they catch on the service fee will get in the $100/year cost. But for the price I'm thinking it's probably a good buy if your wifi router is somewhere reasonably close to it. Give us a report if you do get one.

 

[California]

Searching Amazon for "Safe Cam 360 Light Bulb Camera" got 336 results with several on the first page under $30. Reading the reviews on several might give you a feel for that type.

This cheap Tuya looks good. I have Tuya phone-controlled lights outside and they work well. Most important, Tuya gear is part of the Smart Life/Smart Home family of interconectable gear, in contrast to some stand-alone brands where you need a different app for each. If you want to get fancy you cold have floodlights come on whenever the camera triggers. (But my experience with Wyze and Arlo is neither triggers reliably. Much vid caught by one isn't on the other).

Hmmm. Maybe that's what I should buy next.

https://www.amazon.com/Security-Lightbulb-Tracking-Google-Alexa/dp/B0BFR4RSKW

 

[mrmikey]

I'd guess they have limited functions without paying for a service. Sort of the same with the Wyze cameras

They started out good then went downhill by getting into too much and attempting to add too many options. I still have mine but use them only for actual real time monitoring. I bought a camera off Amazon for $50 I think it was that works great and no monthly fees.

 

[muddstopper]

I have a spypoint celluar game cam set up to watch my deer feeder. I dont pay for the subscription so I only get the free 100 pics a month. When I am using the feeder, it can take 100 pics in just a few days. I also have blink wifi cameras. The infared isnt that great and the lens tend to fog up if its rainy. I dont pay for the cloud storage with blink either. I bought the memory cards and put in the modules. Blink alerts me on my phone everytime it takes a pic and I can connect with my phone and see whats going on anytime I want to, from anyplace I have internet access. My biggest gripe with the blink cameras is I get pictures of spiders crawling across the camera lens and even the webs blowing in the air. You can fool with the setting and filter out some stuff, but if you try to get rid of all the junk picture taking then you miss things you might wish you had gotten. I also have another game cam thats not celluar. I took it down yesterday after being up since oct. I figured I would have a ton of deer pics, but nope, had it aimed to high and was very disappointed.

 

[3Ts]

I have an iPhone and used it to record a 1 minute video while on vacation. It got hot during the recording and later I went to play it back and the video was all black. i.e. there was nothing there. If you need something for security, a phone camera isn't it. I'd get a camera designed to be a security camera.

 

[nyone]

Will leaving a smart phone plugged into the charger for a week destroy the battery, set a fire or anything negative?).

A week is prob fine.
How ever we where useing an old smart phone for a baby white noise machine and a tablet for a baby monitor. At year 2-3 being plugged in there batteries swelled and we threw them out.

 

[California]

I also have an obsolete Arlo Pro ver 1 set I found at Goodwill for $8. 2 cameras and host router. Was expensive new. Abandoned by Arlo, free online view ends 4-1. Don't buy this as used from eBay.
At least it records only while it senses something, not that entire minute.

Both this Arlo and the Waze record locally too. Pull the memory chip / flash drive to view in pc.

I don't know about present Arlo but I wouldn't have paid $250 for this Arlo set in 2016.

Update: Arlo responded to owner complaints,
and now will not shut down online access to the recordings on these EndOfLife 2016 cameras.

Email I received today:

We heard those concerns and as part of our continued commitment to support our Arlo community, we are pleased to share that owners of Arlo EOL products will continue to have access to 7 days of cloud storage. When your EOL device enters the EOL stage on July 1, 2023, your EOL device will keep 7 days of cloud storage at no cost to you. Arlo will also continue to provide critical security updates to your EOL product for up to 1 year after the EOL Effective Date.

...

Also, to say thank you for being an Arlo customer, we are extending the offers we sent out in the original email. The first is 50% off any Arlo camera or video doorbell (limit 5 devices) available on Arlo.com — just click "Redeem Product Offer" and enter code AEOL-SXN-G6M-BQ7-QWZ at checkout to redeem.* The second is 75% off any Arlo Secure subscription service for 12 months available on Arlo.com.**

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Get a nice 4MP IP camera for $40 , add an SD card and be done. You can port forward to see it remote.

 

[stuckmotor]

Get a nice 4MP IP camera for $40 , add an SD card and be done. You can port forward to see it remote.

My limited understanding of these devices is that images of thieves are sent to the could fairly quickly while an SD card is in the camera where it can be stolen by anyone who can get to it. Am I correct?
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