In a perfect world, nobody would need a security camera. But it's not and we do and this pair are pretty decent candidates for their respective prices. The PTZ model is particularly attractive, since this more technologically savvy model also ships with its own solar panel for topping up the internal lithium-ion battery.
-
Design
-
Installation
-
Ease of Use
-
Features
-
Value
Running a bed-and-breakfast teaches you that home monitoring and a permanent internet connection are important factors to consider. When Stuff was given a pair of Duxbury wireless security cameras — the 1080P Wire-Free Battery Camera and the Wire-Free PTZ Battery Camera — to test, it was a perfect opportunity to see what difference security enhancement can make.
Of the pair, the latter camera shipped with a solar panel. Given how erratic Eskom has been in recent years, the 1440P PTZ camera seemed like a very sensible home security option. Both cameras are battery-powered (both should last six months at a time) but the PTZ option recharges via the solar panel. This potentially means absolutely no downtime, unless there’s a nuclear winter or something. In that case, you’ve got bigger problems.
Quite a pair
Duxbury’s cameras share a few features, though their designs are distinct. The 1080P Wire-Free is a simple black cube, ideal for tucking away in a dark exterior corner. The PTZ’s solar panel also suggests exterior usage — at least, that’s how we used it — but it’s better suited to sitting under some sort of awning.
Operation and setup once installed is simple enough, calling for little more than an internet connection and the VicoHome app. It’s worth having these cameras professionally installed, though. Neither are temporary installations and should last for as long as it takes for their respective lithium-ion batteries to stop working as intended. That time is measured in years, so don’t worry about these Duxbury units on that score.
Set up for success
If you’re handy enough, installing both in an out-of-the-way spot with excellent sightlines will take about half an hour. Both are fairly weatherproof but you’ll want to keep the PTZ camera somewhere it can swivel around without having its works gummed up.
From there it’s just a short jump to the VicoHome app (available free on both Android and iOS) to complete your setup and you’ll be streaming live video from your home to your mobile device in no time. If you want to. Otherwise, if you’re checking in remotely, the app stores the previous hour of video for you to search through. In the event of a movement notification, you can log in and check if it was the neighbour’s cat or something more sinister knocking over your bins.
Video captured by Duxbury’s cameras is compressed using the H.265 standard. They’re captured in 1080P, which is where the stock Wire-Free camera stops. The PTZ model, in addition to being able to swivel around to whatever’s roaming around your back door, also has integrated night vision. It’s limited to seven metres from the camera itself, so plan accordingly when installing.
Finally, both cameras have a two-way intercom system. You can remotely listen in to what’s being filmed and also chime in, if that chap with the crowbar hasn’t noticed the massive dog waiting behind the door he’s trying to level open. He’ll probably appreciate the warning before you release the hounds.
Service with a smile (and for a price)
It’s not all easy installation and messing with burglars. You can do the second more effectively if you’re willing to give Duxbury a monthly fee. R100/m nets you up to 60 days of cloud-stored footage, custom push notifications and security alerts if movement is detected in front of your home surveillance device, and the ability to set priorities for movement in specific areas. You can disregard traffic or pedestrians on the pavement and focus on your front door, for instance.
Or, like us, you might find that the free plan is just fine. That one stores up to seven days of video data — movement, rather than ages of inactive static shots — but the alerts aren’t quite as refined. You could just be paranoid and check in manually every so often rather than rely on machine intelligence to save yourself a hundred bucks a month.
Duxbury Security Cameras verdict
There are worse ways to protect your home than to install one of these two battery-powered security cameras. The free options are sufficient for most users and the paid extras are worth the not-exactly onerous monthly payment. If you’re protecting a commercial property with loads of foot traffic, it’s worth considering the subscription. The cameras themselves are equally affordable. The Duxbury 1080P Wire-Free will set you back R1,500 while the PTZ version, with its solar panel and pan/tilt capabilities, just barely tops the R2,000 mark. That’s not a lot of money to have the footage you need to make the insurance companies pay up promptly.
