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3 Oct 2023 00:47:11 UTC
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Tonbux 4K Waterproof WiFi Action Cam AC170201
Action camera prices are falling and every day it seems less buys more. At only £49.95 at the time of writing this is by no means at the bottom of the market either in price nor features. A year or so ago you could not get a decent sports camera for under £150. I have tried a few Tonbux products in the past and they have all been good quality but well priced and I was interested to see how this new action camera shaped up.
At this point I usually include a list of items in the box but in this case there are too many to mention. Suffice it to say that in addition to the camera the box also contains a collections of almost all the accessories and mounts needed by most users. Notably these include a second battery (one is already fitted) and waterproof housing that differs from the norm in design. It is also worth noting that although no case or carry bag was provided the simple cardboard box the camera arrived in would be robust enough to double for storage use between shoots. Also missing was a SD card. these are cheap enough these days and the inclusion of the card would allow the cammera to be used straight from the box.
The User Guide is typical for action cameras in that it is small and hard to read but explains the basics about the how to operate the action cam. I attach a copy of the guide to my unboxing video. Run the video full frame and pause when needed to read it.
The camera itself is actually rather better than I expected for the money. Video quality is excellent, and a definite step up from the cheaper no-name clones. The 170° angle of view is great but with the barrel distortion common to all cameras of this type. There was a time when this would have been seen as a high end camera and now standards are moving higher even in the budget market. This camera does a perfectly decent quality 4K@30fps (too slow for many action uses) as well several other rather more useful modes including 1920x1080@60fps and 720P slow motion at 120fps. The slow motion is good but could be better - my Nexus 6P phone does 240fps.
Similarly, we are told it is waterproof to 30M, which is way above average, but there is no mention if this means it has been tested and rated IP68 or what. I would want to know what this was before diving with the camera.
The camera has loop recording, which is used for cameras with Car Mode and it will automatically power up but recording would need to be started manually. Also I do not think the camera has a G-sensor needed to flag impact recordings. However, I have yet to find an action camera that will actually work effectively in car mode so it is no great loss..
Like many more upmarket action cameras it has wifi built in which means the camera generates a mini wifi network of its own which allows attached phone to control the camera and viewed live streamed video. To use it you need to download the “SportLook” app from Apple or Android. The Android app is better than most and will stream a decent quality video stream, save images and video to the app as well as give easy access to the otherwise rather hard to negotiate camera settings. I was not able to test the iOS version of the app.
I was impressed by video quality which I found to be excellent at the most used setting of 1080p@60fps. Slow motion was OK at 720p but could be better. Still images were OK but not exciting with low light resolution poor.
On balance I would say this is an excellent buy for the money and at the mid range price of just under £50 the price it is not too dear.
This is a excellent quality mid level camera and has a features and performance that lifts it above the run of the mill. If you enjoy using it you may want to shell out more in the future for a high end model.
The Good
Great price
Good video quality
170° Angle of view
True 4K video
120 fps 720p Slow motion
FHD @ 60fps
Wifi
64GB card support
Good Android app
Good packaging
The Bad
No SD card included
No Car mode
Slow motion could be better
No carry bag
More info and purchase: https://goo.gl/CVFDRQ
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-b_y17zDMg
At this point I usually include a list of items in the box but in this case there are too many to mention. Suffice it to say that in addition to the camera the box also contains a collections of almost all the accessories and mounts needed by most users. Notably these include a second battery (one is already fitted) and waterproof housing that differs from the norm in design. It is also worth noting that although no case or carry bag was provided the simple cardboard box the camera arrived in would be robust enough to double for storage use between shoots. Also missing was a SD card. these are cheap enough these days and the inclusion of the card would allow the cammera to be used straight from the box.
The User Guide is typical for action cameras in that it is small and hard to read but explains the basics about the how to operate the action cam. I attach a copy of the guide to my unboxing video. Run the video full frame and pause when needed to read it.
The camera itself is actually rather better than I expected for the money. Video quality is excellent, and a definite step up from the cheaper no-name clones. The 170° angle of view is great but with the barrel distortion common to all cameras of this type. There was a time when this would have been seen as a high end camera and now standards are moving higher even in the budget market. This camera does a perfectly decent quality 4K@30fps (too slow for many action uses) as well several other rather more useful modes including 1920x1080@60fps and 720P slow motion at 120fps. The slow motion is good but could be better - my Nexus 6P phone does 240fps.
Similarly, we are told it is waterproof to 30M, which is way above average, but there is no mention if this means it has been tested and rated IP68 or what. I would want to know what this was before diving with the camera.
The camera has loop recording, which is used for cameras with Car Mode and it will automatically power up but recording would need to be started manually. Also I do not think the camera has a G-sensor needed to flag impact recordings. However, I have yet to find an action camera that will actually work effectively in car mode so it is no great loss..
Like many more upmarket action cameras it has wifi built in which means the camera generates a mini wifi network of its own which allows attached phone to control the camera and viewed live streamed video. To use it you need to download the “SportLook” app from Apple or Android. The Android app is better than most and will stream a decent quality video stream, save images and video to the app as well as give easy access to the otherwise rather hard to negotiate camera settings. I was not able to test the iOS version of the app.
I was impressed by video quality which I found to be excellent at the most used setting of 1080p@60fps. Slow motion was OK at 720p but could be better. Still images were OK but not exciting with low light resolution poor.
On balance I would say this is an excellent buy for the money and at the mid range price of just under £50 the price it is not too dear.
This is a excellent quality mid level camera and has a features and performance that lifts it above the run of the mill. If you enjoy using it you may want to shell out more in the future for a high end model.
The Good
Great price
Good video quality
170° Angle of view
True 4K video
120 fps 720p Slow motion
FHD @ 60fps
Wifi
64GB card support
Good Android app
Good packaging
The Bad
No SD card included
No Car mode
Slow motion could be better
No carry bag
More info and purchase: https://goo.gl/CVFDRQ
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-b_y17zDMg
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video/mp4
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WATCH
watchd-smartwatch
Watchd Smartwatch
https://youtu.be/pa6WMc_3zuM
More Info and Purchase: https://watchd.co.uk/
(Use checkout code MARCO for a 10% reduction)
Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2021/07/06/watchd-smartwatch/
I have tried plenty of smartwatches before and most of the budget priced ones are not much to write home about but this new £59.99 watch from Watch is rather interesting with some features I have not seen before at this price point.
In the rather minimalist if not plain box was just the watch, a short charging cable and a simple but well printed Get Started guide. The overall feel generated was distinctly entry-level.
The watch itself is lightweight and feels rather low end with an annoyingly hard to use silicone strap, a bright but low resolution display and a distinctly limited range of just 7 watch faces. The watch is charged with a short pogo pin magnetic charger, which is simple and easy to use if not very elegant. There are a good number of apps pre-installed but so far as I know no way to download more or additional watch faces.
As with all smartwatches it had to be first paired to the phone using Bluetooth and this seemed to work well enough but I did encounter some later connection issues which I think may be down to my phone.
All the usual apps you expect to find are here - email, music controls, phone camera control, messaging, calendar. For some reason, some of the phone linked apps worked every time but others more intermittently despite both the watch and phone showing a connection, but I have had similar issues before and so it may be a problem with permissions on my phone despite my seemingly granting full access.
Perhaps the best and most interesting feature of this watch are the range of health related apps included: Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Blood Oxygen, ECG, Skin Temperature, Sleep Tracking. So far as I can tell they work well and seem accurate enough although apart from Sleep Tracking they work on demand only rather than always on.
Let's look at the most important features and see how they stand up.
Step Counter
Works well and seem reliable and easy to use. Shows steps, distance and calories burned and exercise history on both the watch and phone.
Sleep Tracking
Works well enough and seem reliable but little in the way of sleep analysis. Shows on both watch and phone.
Message/Call Notification
Did not work for me but I think that is a problem with my phone permissions.
Music Control
Worked intermittently but when working it worked well.
Camera Control
Worked every time with minimal lag and switched immediately the camera view within the M Active phone app.
Phone Call Control
Worked well with incoming alerts and outgoing dialling working well.
Heart Rate Monitor
Easy to use, begins immediately when opening the watch app and seems pretty accurate.
Blood Pressure Monitor
Again starts when opening the app and after using the phone app to calibrate it with an external Blood Pressure monitor, it works well, the best I have used on a smartwatch.
Blood Oxygen Monitor
Seems fast and accurate
ECG Monitor
Has to be controlled from the phone app and appears to work well but I am not able to confirm the accuracy.
Skin Temperature Monitor
Works well and seems accurate.
So basically what you have here is an entry-level smartwatch with some high-end features. With a more upmarket presentation, better build quality, and more screens I would be happy to pay much more than the price asked here.
If you need a budget health orientated watch that will perform all the usual functions with some specialised health monitoring thrown in, then this new watch may be for you.
Music: YouTube Audio Library: josh pan: Guitar House
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa6WMc_3zuM
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VIDEO
LESHP
leshp-true-wireless-bluetooth-4.2
At one time True Wireless Earbuds were produced by just a few elite high-end manufacturers and priced accordingly. Not so now as budgets models are entering the market, some good some bad.
I have been looking around for some time for a set to use in situations when I don’t to risk losing my expensive Jabra Elite Sports set. This set has a different design to many of the others which makes it stand out from the rest.
I will use the Jabra’s as a reference point in this review, which may seem unfair but this set is good enough to stand the comparison. The packaging and presentation although not as fancy as that of the posh Jabra’s is better than the plain and ugly boxes often used for inexpensive headsets. Inside the box were the earpieces themselves, charging case, a short USB charging cable, two additional sets of transparent buds, and a User Guide. The tiny fan-fold User Guide is above average and but due to the size and poor printing almost impossible to read. I enclose a scan of the User Guide on my unboxing video.
Build quality feels fine and everything seems well made and robust. These earbuds are smaller than many I have tried and fit well inside the ear. Each has a single button and are marked Right and Left. As with most true wireless headsets, this one comes with a robust case which also charges the earbuds when inserted. This charging case is different to most as the buds click into place on either end, are secured magnetically and begin charging automatically when inserted. This is good in some respects but although they buds click in place easily enough it is possible they could come loose just as easily if pressed accidentally.
The charger has a built-in 850mAh battery which will in charge the 45mAh battery built into each earbud. The case has a larger battery capacity than in many rivals I have tried. The case has a single red LED which will flash when the case battery is running low. A full charge of the case will take about two hours. When the earbud batteries are low a voice prompt will be heard and the status LED will flash red. The red charging LED on the buds will go off after about one hour to show charging is complete, a full charge will take about an hour. The charger is itself charged through a min-USB port and unlike with most rival units the charger has an output port to allow it to charge phones or other external devices.
Pairing the earbuds was easy enough although more complicated than with Jabra’s. When using the headset in dual bud mode short press the bud buttons simultaneously and after about three seconds they will pair together. When paired then press the right button on the red/blue lights flash and ...
For full review: https://goo.gl/czhSJ4
More info and purchase: https://goo.gl/ZoR9Ef
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzWZDWrjQXs
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VIDEO
FAIRY
fairywill-e6-sonic-electric-toothbrush
Fairywill E6 Sonic Electric Toothbrush Set
https://youtu.be/ZmWQ157QfdY
More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/yhk7pl3f
Blog:
https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2021/04/25/fairywill-e6-sonic-electric-toothbrush-set/
I have tested quite a few electric toothbrushes from Fairywill before and they have always impressed me with their functionality, build quality and presentation. This new entry-level model did not disappoint me,
The toothbrush arrived nicely packaged in an attractive product box inside of which was the toothbrush itself, six DuPont nylon bristled heads, two plastic head caps, a short USB Charging Cable and a well-written user guide. No USB charging adapter is included, although any standard phone charger will do.
The build quality seems excellent and although at just £16.99 this is not a high priced device, the toothbrush feels robust and sturdy and is lightweight and easy to hold in the hand. The head is of the sonic rather than rotary type and makes a not unpleasant buzz when in use. The toothbrush is IPX7 waterproof, so no need to worry if it falls in the bath!
Using the toothbrush was simple and straightforward. The toothbrush worked fine in all three brushing modes (Cool, Clean, and Care) selectable by pressing the large Power button. Tiny LEDs light up to confirm the selected mode. It has a two-minute auto-off timer with 30-second alerts. The Charging Indicator LED will flash when the brush needs charging, show continually when charging and go off when charging is complete. A charge should be good for over three weeks of normal use.
The brush sat nicely in the hand and was nice and quiet in use. My mouth felt just as clean and refreshed after use as with the high-end brush I usually use. The brushes seem good and strong and of course, there are six of them but replacements can be found online at Amazon.
This is a first-rate budget toothbrush, very well priced and well made, that works excellently, is easy to use and looks good in the bathroom. My only criticism is the use of a non-standard USB charging port on the device itself, so take care not to lose the charging cable. A travel case would have been nice too but for the price that cannot be expected.
This is an excellent budget-priced but decent quality toothbrush and a very worthwhile buy,
The Good
Great price
Good build quality
Six heads included
Five modes
Clear Mode status indication
Auto Timer
Good User Guide
The Bad
Non-standard Charging cable
No USB Adapter
No Carry case
No Charging Stand
Music: YouTube Audio Library: The Whole Other: A Guy Walks Into a Bar
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmWQ157QfdY
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VIDEO
PINE
pine-tree-tools-bamboo-working-gloves
Pine Tree Tools Bamboo Working Gloves
https://youtu.be/k4SIv6ZLYSo
More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/ybu2kx5g
Blog: https://tinyurl.com/yznmprwy
Priced at a shade under £10 these new bamboo fibre work gloves from Pine Tree Tools arrived simply packaged with no extras or information included and none needed. I chose Medium size and they make a snug but still comfortable fit for me and a slacker but still comfortable fit for my small-handed partner.
The gloves feel far lighter than normal gardening gloves and although by no means flimsy, may not be tough enough for sustained heavy duty work. These gloves are probably best saved for lighter gardening duties. The gloves themselves are made from bamboo fibre which feels soft and comfortable to wear and on me extends to just past the wrist. The palms and fingers are coated with what feels like a rubberised skin which is water resistant strong and protective but will work very well with touch screen devices, so no need to take the gloves off to answer the phone. The gloves themselves are not waterproof.
These are perhaps the most comfortable work gloves I have ever worn and really do not feel like work gloves at all. I do have doubts about their long term durability, although I have encountered no signs of them failing yet, but for the price, they remain a very attractive buy.
The Good
Lightweight
Breathable
Comfortable
No Skin Irritation
Skin Cooling
Touch Screen Friendly
The Bad
Not Heavy Duty
No Wrist Protection
Not Fully Waterproof
Music: YouTube Audio Library: josh pan: Guitar House
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SIv6ZLYSo
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VIDEO
NINEM
ninemax-42cm-metal-shoe-horn-review
NINEMAX 42cm Metal Shoe Horn Review
More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2l98h2oh
Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/marcoscu6
Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/04/ninemax-42cm-metal-shoe-horn/
As you get older getting your shoes on is not quite the easy task it used to be and a shoehorn can make life much simpler. An extra long shoe horn like this means that slip-on shoes can easily be slipped on without needing to bend down. I am not at that stage yet, but time marches on for us all.
What you get here is a single extra long, well made and ergonomically designed shoe horn designed to make getting your feet into over-tight or poorly designed footwear less of a task than it would be otherwise.
Packing and presentation are minimal, which is fine for me, with the shoe horn simply packaged in a shaped plastic bag with protection for the handle grip. No paperwork or other items were included and none were needed.
The shoe horn weighs 150g and is 42 cm in length (16.5 inches) with a hanging hook bend and handle on one and a shaped are to support the foot on the other. It is made from an unspecified metal which feels like a stainless steel alloy to me. The handle grip is detachable and looks like it is made from leather.
This shoe horn is robust, well made and designed for long term use. It is far longer than many rivals so can be used when standing as well as seated. I found it simple and easy to use and it sits well in the hand. Storage is easy as it can be hung from a radiator or any handy projection and is large enough not to be easily mislaid.
Priced at £11.89 this is not the cheapest out there but this is a well made, cleverly designed item, built to last that may well make your life just a little bit easier.
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Spirit Riders - Telecasted
00:00 - Intro
00:24 - In The Box
00:57 - Weight
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGKk2SX2dNw
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VIDEO
EVIL
evil-eye-10-30x50-zoom-binoculars
vil eye 10-30x50 Zoom Binoculars
https://youtu.be/abkfcLPYb1k
More Info and Purchase: USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NPGDFKB
Germany: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B09TT5MSQM
Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2022/04/11/evil-eye-10-30x50-zoom-binoculars/
My last binoculars fell overboard and now reside at the bottom of the North Sea so a replacement was needed. These zooming binoculars from Evil eye (boxed as Apexel) seemed interesting and so I decided to give them a try, and I am rather pleased that I did.
The binoculars arrived packaged in a mid-range display box, but everything was well packaged and arrived in good order. Inside aside from the binoculars themselves was a soft carry case with strap, neck strap, lens covers, eyepiece lens covers, and a well printed and easy to read user guide.
The build quality seems fine to me. There was no sign of any production problems, no chaff or swarf leftover adhering to the binoculars and from top to bottom the construction seems first rate. The binoculars, at 790g are medium weight, heavy enough to feel robust substantial in the hand but light enough for sustained use in the field. The carry case is only moderately padded but will protect the contents from liquid and scuffing. The binoculars are finished in a matt, easy grip non-reflective and slightly rubberised skin and this is both looks and feels good. The eyepiece lens covers are soft and flexible but are not fixed to the binoculars as some are and so take care not to lose them. The eyepieces themselves are well made with a large but poorly marked dioptre focusing ring on the right lens and protective rubber rings around both lenses to aid glasses wearers. The covers for the big 50mm objective lenses are also soft, flexible and easy to fit but again are unsecured. The objective lenses are FMC multi-coated and fog proof and the binoculars themselves are described as waterproof, with all the lenses O ring protected, although no specific water resistance rating is given. The User Guide basic is relatively large, well written and unlike those with many imported products, actually easy to read. I doubt you will need to use it.
Using them is as obvious as you might think. When looking through them rotate the focusing ring in the centre until the left side image is sharp and focus the right side eyepiece until that is also sharp, then gradually adjust the separation of the two lens barrels until one round central sharp image is obtained.
The binoculars use BAK-7 Porro Prisms, an improvement evidently on the lesser BAK-9 variety although how evident this is I cannot say but it does mean that obvious corners have not been cut when constructing these binoculars. There is a right adjusting diopter eyepiece which I found on my review unit it worked perfectly well. On the right side just in front of the eyepiece is the zoom adjustment lever and this works well with a smooth well engineered feel to it that makes it easy to use when viewing. On the front, between the two Objective lenses is a detachable cover that reveals a standard tripod mount fitting.
Magnification is slightly more than the less powerful glasses I am accustomed to but the added power and versatility of the zoom feature came in handy at times. When fully zoomed in and as you might expect lens shake becomes more of a problem and so for general use, I prefer them set to minimum magnification although there is always the option of a tripod mount. I found the image at all zoom levels to be bright, sharp and crisp with no colour fringing or other obvious optical aberrations.
This is a good quality pair of binoculars fine for general purpose use. Although not inexpensive at $99.99 I think the price is good for the quality of the product. You will not have much to complain about if you buy these binoculars.
The Good
Good build quality
BAK-7 Prisms optics
Suitable for glasses wearers
Good User Guide
Low Light Optimised
Padded carry case
The Bad
Poor right lens Dioptre markings
Expensive
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Guitar House - josh pan
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abkfcLPYb1k
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VIDEO
GNCC
gncc-t1-outdoor-wifi-security-camera
GNCC T1 Outdoor Wifi Security Camera
https://youtu.be/kC9_D8dREfc
More Info and Purchase: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LC8YLY4/
Blog:
https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2022/01/18/gncc-t1-outdoor-wifi-security-camera/
The GNCC T1 Outdoor Wifi Security Camera is a rather old-style camera but like the rest of the GNCC camera range is characterised by the excellent image quality, user-friendly app, 24/7 cloud/SD storage and a very attractive £29.99 price.
In the box can be found the camera, metal adjustable stand with mounting kit, UK power adapter and a short but useful user guide. Build quality of the all plastic IP65 water resistant camera is lightweight but seems robust enough for all weather use.
On the front of the camera is the lens and 850nm LED night vision array and sensor. On the bottom is the grommet protected bay for the micro-SD card slot and reset button with the speaker grill above it. On the sides are the two rotating antennas and on the rear a standard tripod/stand mounting screw hole. The lengthy USB power cable is hard wired into the rear of the camera.
All the setup and configuration of the many features of the camera is done through the OSAIO app and this is one of the best I have used, easy to navigate and sensibly laid out. A wide range of options are available including multi-schedule monitoring, motion detection, in-app alerts etc. Even high ends features such as zones, and 24/7 recording are possible.
Cloud storage offers several subscription models and is not expensive. Unlike with some rivals, the camera performs perfectly well using just the SD card and functionality is not hobbled in any way.
This model has 1080P image quality and is clearly not just upscaled 720p as on some lesser rivals. Video and audio quality are first-rate with recorded audio quality not being overlooked as so often happens with security cameras, Sound from the built-in speaker is a bit thin, as to be expected and it is a pity there is no audio out port to get around this. It supports two-way audio which allows a conversation with people being viewed, although they will need good ears to do so. Alexa control is also available through the OSAIO although this I have not tested.
This is a decent quality security camera capable of excellent results. The smartphone app is one of the best I have used for this purpose and is a major plus for the camera. The camera is rather lightweight in construction and the form factor is now a bit dated but the price is great for the features on offer and puts to shame many high rivals at several times the price. I look forward the GNCC launching their first outdoor wireless camera, but until then this one will be a worthwhile standby.
The Good
Good Quality Video
Good Quality Audio
Easy To Use App
SD or Cloud Storage
24/7 Recording Option
Great Price
The Bad
Dated Design
Lightweight Construction
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Unicord Heads: Wolf Moon
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC9_D8dREfc
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VIDEO
FACAM
facamword-mini-wifi-spy-camera
Facamword Mini WiFi Wireless Spy Camera
https://youtu.be/A6AeC4CjOLo
More Info and Purchase:
US amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Cameras-Security-Streaming-Detection/dp/B0821S2YVW
UK amazon link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Cameras-Security-Streaming-Detection/dp/B084M6BSF1
IT amazon link: https://www.amazon.it/Telecamera-Videocamera-Videoregistratore-Videocamere-rilevazione/dp/B084M6BSF1
FR amazon link: https://www.amazon.fr/Cam%C3%A9ra-Espion-Surveillance-D%C3%A9tection-Mouvement/dp/B084M6BSF1
Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2021/09/22/facamword-mini-wifi-spy-camera/
This really is the nearest to a true Spy Camera I have yet tested and although it has some limitations for the current Amazon price of £45.99 it bears serious consideration for those needing a specialised security camera.
In the rather plain product box was just the camera itself, a charging cable and a detailed and comprehensive User Guide, Build quality throughout seems first-rate although due to the nature of the spy camera design best handled carefully.
The camera consists of a 66 x 25 mm control box with a short hard-wired flexible antenna on one end and a 199 mm flexible plastic strip with a tiny lens, about the size of a little fingernail, on the end. Both the antenna and lens strip seem rather delicate, so treat them with care. The camera can be powered by the internal rechargeable 300mAh battery or through a USB cable to a mains adapter or Powerbank. Expect to get about an hour of continuous use between charges. A tiny LED inside the main body of the device confirms charging status. On the body of the device are the only controls which are easy to operate and clearly marked, an Off/On switch and a reset button. Also on the main body of the device is the micro-SD card slot which (unlike most of the spy cameras I have tried) is easy to access and simple to use and will take a card of up to a generous 128Gb in size.
The camera will begin recording as soon as it is switched on but the best results are obtained by setting it up and controlling it through the excellent HomeEye App. The app is well designed and simple to use although let down slightly by some poorly translated instructions. With the app, you can control the camera either directly by connecting to the Wifi hotspot generated by the camera or over the internet after first connecting the camera to your home network.
Configuring the camera through the app is simple enough and the app will walk you through this. Firstly, connect your smartphone to the camera Hotspot and then if you wish remote access follow the instructions to connect it to your home wifi. You can now start recording in HD, standard or low quality with audio on or off. You can download and save video and images to the phone from the camera and from within the app export them to YouTube or other online locations. You can also enable Motion Detection on the camera to record 30 seconds clips and send alerts to your phone when motion is detected. You can also adjust the brightness and contrast and microphone volume of the camera as well as turn the status LED on or off and enable recording time stamps. The camera does not have much exposure tolerance and the settings need to be changed from location to location to allow for this and it is crucial for best results.
What are the results like?
Due to the tiny lens and the lack of any stabilisation, even the smallest movement leads to violent camera shaking and this together with the sensitive lens and slow shutter speed of around 15fps means the camera is not well suited for use on the move. To get the best results the camera needs to be in a static position with the brightness and contrast carefully set up in advance. Of course, you are never going to get great video and audio from this camera and given the nature of the device and the price it is foolish to expect it but with care, you can get perfectly acceptable results. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the video I was able to obtain. The built-in microphone works OK but the levels are low and will need to be boosted at the editing stage but again are acceptable enough for a camera of this type.
For full review see my Blog:
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Unicorn Heads: Drifting at 432 Hz
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6AeC4CjOLo
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Created
2 weeks ago
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video/mp4
English
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VIDEO
LUMAR
lumary-smart-twin-led-strip-light-review
Lumary Smart Twin LED Strip Light Review
https://youtu.be/QqvOFkxxJwE
More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2dzlvrqu
Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/marcoscu6
Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2022/11/14/lumary-smart-twin-led-strip-light/
LED light strips have advanced a good deal over the years and this new twin 5M kit from Lumary is one of the best configured, most versatile, and easiest to use I have tried yet. It contains all you need to get going and allows for room for expansion later. This latest generation kit is a marked step upwards from the older ones and is better made and easier to fit although at £37.10 is slightly dearer.
In the attractive and well designed product box are the usual components: two self Adhesive 5050 5m Light strips, a UK Power supply, mounting kit, and a User Guide. The User Guide is indicative of just how far these kits have developed as it is well written, nicely printed and easy to read.
All you need is included here. There is no need to buy anything more unless you plan to expand the unit with more LED strips which can be daisy-chained onto this one and powered from the same PSU.
Fitting could not be easier but it is safest to get everything connected and working on the bench before mounting the strips in place. Carefully cut the LED strip to the lengths you want at the marked points, peel off the backing from the LED strip and stick it in place. The two strips can be connected using the tiny female to male adapter provided. One strip has an adapter pre installed and connect that end to the power supply.
Install the Lumary app to your phone, register an account and ensure the phone is connected to a 2.4Ghz wireless network (not 5Ghz!). The strips can be added in several ways but I found the Easy Mode to be the best. Power on the strip which should start flashing, enable Bluetooth on your phone, and press the button in the app to add a new device. Select ‘Strip Lights (Wifi)’ and the app should detect the strip and walk you through the setup process. Continue to follow the screen instructions to connect it to Amazon Alexa or Google Home to get full voice control and additional features
The fitted LED strips if discreetly mounted can be left in place for future festive occasions, otherwise, they can be carefully removed and returned to the box ready for future use. As with all LED strips over time the sticky strip backing will come loose and so for a long time use a more permanent clip mounting method should be used and clips for this are included with this kit. The strips are IP44 waterproof and so should be OK for use in the garden, but I suspect that does not apply to the power supply adapter.
Once set up and running you can select a range of colours and lighting modes available as well as schedules, timers and chained event routines and all with full voice control.
The user-friendliness and build quality of this kit make it better than most and well worth the price and for that price it is a great addition to your smart home.
Music: YouTube Audio Library: Look Both Ways - Nathan Moore
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqvOFkxxJwE
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Created
2 weeks ago
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video/mp4
English