If you could reduce your worry about home security, would you? It seems like a silly question but that’s exactly what Xiaomi is offering with its broad range of Smart Cameras, whether you need to keep an eye on what’s going down inside or outside your home.
Unlike traditional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that often need a dedicated recording device, Xiaomi’s Smart Cameras connect to your home’s wireless network and use the Mi Home app on your smartphone as their central point of control. Checking your home’s security can be done without much effort or fuss and in some cases you won’t even need to lift a finger. With built-in support for Google Home and Amazon Alexa, you can make your smart home do the leg work through voice commands.
All of Xiaomi’s Smart Cameras also include several useful features as standard. The surveillance mode allows you to schedule specific monitoring times and will send you notifications if any movement is detected. The two-way audio feature enables you to communicate with your home invader or naughty pet through the Xiaomi Home app while the person (or animal) in the room with your Smart Camera can chat back in real-time. Saving and storing your footage is possible and secure via encrypted data transmission to the cloud or locally to a microSD card and is accessible through the app.
Picking the right Smart Camera for the job
Xiaomi’s latest Smart Camera range includes five models; three for indoor use, and two dedicated to keeping your garden safe.
The three indoor models (C200, C300, and C400) are capable of motorised rotation allowing them to cover a complete 360-degree horizontal angle. They can all be mounted upright or inverted and all feature AI human detection smarts with varying degrees of night vision abilities.
If you’re looking for safety on a budget, the Xiaomi Smart Camera C200 is the one you’re after. It shoots clear 1,920 x 1,080 video and packs in all of the features already mentioned along with automatic movement tracking, meaning the camera will follow any movement detected, keeping the subject in the frame.
If you’ve got a bit more budget to play with, the Xiaomi Smart Camera C300 steps up video resolution to 2,304 x 1,296, providing an even clearer view of what’s going on in your living room (or any room for that matter). It offers all of the same features as the C200 but also includes a baby monitoring mode and enhanced night vision thanks to its improved camera system and high-sensitivity image sensor.
The Xiaomi Smart Camera C400 improves video quality even further with its 2,560 x 1,440 resolution from the onboard 4MP image sensor. Its large-diameter design also improves the two-way audio quality which will make all the difference when you’re trying to get Rusty to stop chewing your couch. You can also look forward to a more stable Wi-Fi connection with dual-band support, improved AI human detection to eliminate false alarms, and enhanced low-light vision.
When it comes to securing the outside of your home, the Xiaomi Smart Camera AW200 and Xiaomi Smart Camera AW300 are built to survive the weather with IP65 and IP66 ratings, respectively. They also connect to your home’s wireless network and benefit from the same great features as their indoor counterparts with a few extra additions.
The Xiaomi Smart Camera AW200 provides clear 1,920 x 1,080 full HD video footage day or night thanks to its true non-intrusive infrared night vision. It also provides more than just home security. With its time-lapse recording feature, you can capture the rising sun or blossoming flowers on a quiet morning. Like Xiaomi’s other Smart Cameras, it can detect human movement with the added ability to play personalised sound recordings when it does – be that a recorded warning or deterring alarm tone.
The Xiaomi Smart Camera AW300 is the brand’s flagship outdoor security solution. It records ultra-clear 2,304 x 1,296 video and, thanks to its two infrared lights, can capture full-colour footage in the darkest of nights. Like its brothers, when human movement is detected in monitoring mode, it will send you a notification and switch to full-colour mode while also alerting everyone nearby via its dual high-power white lights and customizable audio alarms.
The AW300 also features the ability to set a specific focus zone of up to 25 metres, allowing you to restrict your camera to only focus where you need it. Should your smart security network feature multiple AW300 units, the Xiaomi Home app allows for simultaneous viewing of up to four cameras, ensuring you never miss a moment.
All Xiaomi Smart Cameras are available at Xiaomi’s local online store, Takealot, Yuppiechef, and Incredible Connection.
