Ive had 4 of these around my home for about 1 year now and love them. Amazon just announced the blink XT2 a 2-way audio outdoor/indoor cam. Better go get it!
Best, most informative video on this product on the net. Answered every question, and didn't talk about things nobody cares about. Going to purchase the four camera system right now. The Passive Infrared systems works like this. It either emits 5-7-9 "fingers" outwardly. In order to set the PIR off, a heat source must appear at one finger, disappear from that finger, and the reappear at another finger. So a crossing motion works best. Theoretically, a bandits or one of those mean ole terrorists that are 7000 miles away can walk straight towards your home. He would have to guess where the "fingers"are. If the camera is at any angle at all, it might make it more affective and more confusing to the bandits. I love this little vide, thanks tons
Thanks for the analogy...yes, that is how PIR sensors work:). Position the camera so that the movement of someone that you want monitored will be crossing the camera's (PIR sensor) view from left to right or vice versa.
LifeHackster my cameras are on their way. Ordered for my daughters home also... they finally simplified things. Again , great video. I used to own a small computer firm and was pretty saavy. Now I can’t make the easiest video editing software work for me. Trying to master KineMaster but they don’t make enough Xanax for sit still. Lol
@@LifeHackster I'm confused at 8:12 in this video. so for this to work safely, i have to buy a mount? which mount? what happens if i don't buy a new mount...the weather will damage the camera or solar panel or both or something?? doesn't the panel/camera both say weatherproof??? n what happens with the "rusting" issue u mention? what if my panel is on my porch, but not facing the Sun directly, or it's a foggy day, or both? "UnderStructureRepair" and other users: feel free to answer what u know
Thank you so much for this video - I bought some solar panels 1-2 years ago that weren't anything like this one is and I am happy to see there is something that is out there that is more or less turn-key. I am clicking direct on your link in your description and hope you have affiliate setup with them so you get credit. Thank you!
did it work? also I'm confused at 8:12 in this video. so for this to work safely, i have to buy a mount? which mount? what happens if i don't buy a new mount...the weather will damage the camera or solar panel or both or something?? doesn't the panel/camera both say weatherproof??? n what happens with the "rusting" issue the uploader mentions? what if my panel is on my porch, but not facing the Sun directly, or it's a foggy day, or both?
Only bad thing about Eufey cams are that... when battery is gone, it’s garbage for the camera as well. I spoke to a rep. From the company, and he confirmed this.
As the blink can be mains powered could one use a waterproof cable to do so instead of using the solar panel for outside use, perhaps using a Case to cover the blink camera like the one in the video !
I've had my 4 Blink XT cameras up for 2 weeks now. One of my cameras had a pink tint appear all of a sudden. Blink customer service was on it quickly shipped out a new camera in 2 days. 2 things needed are different notification sound choices. The default and only sound is quite low and may not wake you. I'd also like to see some sore of push siren since we can hear audio yet we can't communicate with someone. Lastly I was told by customer service that recently Apple and iOS has made it impossible to send clips 15 seconds or longer in a text message. So if your clips are longer than 10 second you can't share by message. This is a must have feature. Hopefully that changes.
I agree with different alert tones. Ring is the only one that I know that you can change it per camera that you have so that you will know which camera got triggered. As to the siren, they have a stand alone siren accessory( manually activated) which is not really functional just because on how the BLink is set up to notify you. It will only send the alert notification when it finishes recording. The length of time depends on how you set it up. So, by the time you get an alert and clicked live view, the subject that triggered the motion might have left the cameras view already.
1) you do great reviews 2) I'm debating between the Blink XT2 and Eufy Cam e The Eufy costs more but A) I like the SD card recording - I'm mainly concerned about power outages and internet outages B) that it notifies at the beginning of recording, not at the end Question: have you had the internet down and, this, not had recording and/or alerts?
I follow you a lot. How could I use a solar panel to charge up two security cameras at the same time. They are on the same corner facing and covering different areas. Thanks
Hey Friend. I have blink outdoor camera. I did like you did and grayed out the areas I did not want recorded. Several cars went by the grayed out area and set the camera to record their movement. Tried to resolved this issue with blink and they report that the shadow set off the Recording. I don’t think it is so. What do you think.
It can be the shadow but not the shadow per se.. but with the shadow comes change in temperature..which will trigger the camera..try lowering down the sensitivity.
one more thing, i emailed blink customer service and i was planning to connect one of my cameras to usb plug from the wall and the other solar panel. They told me to take out the batteries is that true , they told me if i leave the battery in for both setups then that would not be good for the device. suggestion yes or no
I have a question: I've reviewed Amazon's site for Blink XT as well as the solar panel. I've watched other video's showing a connector for syncing the camera? Less is better. I want to use a solar powered camera with FREE cloud service. Is this the best out there? Thank you, Vito Cipponeri
QUESTION: I've read the Blink cameras need to be within a reasonable distance of the control module. But, how close does the Blink control module need to be to your wify router ? Thanks, great reviews !
It needs to be around the same distance of where your cameras are. All 3 of them needs to be at a reasonable distance. In my setup, it was able to work around 60 feet with walls.
@@JRB33169 I had a problem with one of my cameras so blink sent me a new one I updated it and noticed the active zones was not in the settings menu so I called blink they told me The active zone update was causing camera to constantly make a clicking noise that drained the batteries much faster so they removed the update to they fix the issue. Once they fix it they will send the new update out.
Please tell me if there is anyway I can retrieve Blink videos going many months back (which includes Theft at my home) I was told once deleted they can not be retrieved. Please respond asap!
Great review as always! What is the realistic max range from the wireless sync module to the outdoor camera? I'm trying to decide between this Blink XT and a Ring Stickup Cam. Thanks!
I will not recommend it. It will power it up but because the Wyze cam is designed to be plugged in for its motion detection, (doesn't use PIR sensor) it will drain the battery faster than the Sun will charge it.
It will work but non-battery powered cameras like the Wyze are designed to be ON all the time which will drain the battery faster than the sun can charge it.
Do you think keeping the batteries in w/ the solar panel would affect performance due to heat increase from having the micro USB plugged in? Awesome video, my order just arrived.
@@LifeHackster I just got this solar panel and it has two batteries in it. Not the one battery, so this is a great update. Your video is also right on. Thanks, and Aloohaa
I've noticed you hit Arlos every chance on pricing but isn't Ring just as much? I got 2 Arlos cameras, the base station, and doorbell for $379 on sale and am evaluating them but Ring looks to cost much more.
Not really...Ring has more features than the Arlo's for the price. They have "lights and in-camera siren". Also, the Arlo's if you don't have the Arlo Pro 2's (costs more) are only 720p.
@@LifeHackster I finally settled in and picked a system, well 2 acutally. I liked the Arlo Pro 2 system a lot but it was Ring's doorbell pro that won me over as well as when my security system's monitoring contract is up I can switch to cheaper monitoring. The Argus 2 camera I got after watching your video is also really good value so I am returning Arlo and switching to Ring, also keeping my Argus camera.
I have one of those. I have to say you get what you pay for. It will not be a EcoBee or a Nest. I have a small house (1400 sgft) so typically no need for Wifi extenders but this thermostat loses connection a lot and then it is difficult to reconnect. Now I haven't had an issue in about 4 months so maybe its been fixed with an update.
@@btran213 That may be, but so have a bunch of music and movies that suck. The only good thing about it is the price. That's why I got it initially. IMO it would be worth saving that money and getting a EcoBee or nest.
Question, i know BLINK doesn't recommend using RECHARGEABLE AA Batteries but i still am wondering if using rechargeable batteries works and how long will it work? have you tested this before?
It could well be that regular rechargeable batteries discharge while not in use. So they might drain in a few months no matter what, so are not good for the Blink. HOWEVER, "Hybrio" batteries use different tech and retain significant charge over longer periods (eg: year+). So maybe those might be the way to go/try? ps: I have/use Hybrio rechargables in things like remote controls for this reason. They last a year+ before needing a recharge.
@@CCscott Regular rechargeables will lose charge quickly. Hybrios will last far far longer without losing their charge. eg: All our remotes etc use them...
Neil Fawcett I’ll have to check them out. Thanks. I like idea of the solar charger since the cold temperatures here will quickly drain any battery I use outside.
Nice Review. I noticed you have a few videos on the Blink XT system. They’re really good detailed information about that system. I have a few question. Does it have local storage option? Can it record more than the max of 60 seconds? If not then what happens if there is motion for more than a minute? What is the max range between the sync module and cameras with walls? Overall do you think it’s a good system to have? I’m a debating between Blink and Arlo. I know Arlo are good cameras too but super overly expensive, and Blink look good too and affordable in my opinion.
1. The Blink has no local storage option. 2. max record time is 60 secs and any motion after that will not be recorded not unless you set the retrigger time to 60 seconds then if there is motion, it will trigger the recording again. 3. It really depends and I can only back my setup which is around 70 feet with 2 walls. 4. Between BLink and Arlo and if I have some extra cash, I will go with the Arlo.. but, if you have access to an outlet, a wired security camera beats battery powered ones everytime.
I download any videos I want to save to my phone, I can then save on Google. I've used my video for a theft on our property to give sheriffs officer. The video is clear
Hello LifeHacker. i just got the BLINK XT and it is working great. I just installed the APP and got everything working great. However, the ACTIVITY ZONE is not showing up in my APP that installed today. i know it's in BETA however do you still have it in your APP? i wonder if BLINK removed it? please advise...
hi there , i just got this solar panel and there is a on/off switch in the back of the solar panel how do i need when this is off or on. any suggestions. great videos how is your blink holding
Thanks for the great reviews! Question about the connection between wifi, blink xt camera and the sync module. Should the Blink XT camera be set within range of the Sync Module? or as long as both the Sync Module and the Blink XT camera are within range of the same wifi network it will work? (camera and sync module both in front of the house VS camera in front, then sync module at the backroom of the house)
The best setup is like a triangle. All of them (WiFi router, module and camera) needs to be close as much as possible. My usual setup is the camera and the module are close to each other.
Hey Jason. I’ve had my blink Xt Installed on a detached garage for about 3 weeks and it’s worked perfectly. Last night (after a long Rain) I noticed that the camera had a super bad glare and fog over it. I went out to wipe off the lense and it cleared up, however this morning the fog/haze was back. I was able to wipe it clean again but this is obviously not ideal. I’m using the stock setup with a Wasserstein mount. Any ideas on why this is happening and how to prevent?
I don't know who you are calling Jason but anyways, check to see if the camera is closed properly and the rubber seal doesn't have any wear or got twisted. It seems like moisture was able to get in.
Usually if there is moisture inside the camera the back cover of the Xt camera was not properly closed. In order for you to remove the moisture inside, remove the camera from the mounting bracket and place it on a air tight container with a silica gel. That way all the moisture inside the camera will be gone and after that make sure to close properly the back cover.
does this come with a subscription? I WILL HAVE TO PAY SO I NEVER STOP PAYING FOR SERVICE ITS NOT STAND ALONE ALSO, WHERE I CAN USE WITHOUT A SUBSCRPTION
what would you compare this to the wyze camera, except the quality, and battery pack seems like wyze win at every level..i really like your video, just purchase the whole ring alarm and ring doorbell 2 because of your video, now im just want 3 more working camera for the garage inside the living room and kitchem, i recntly purchase blink but seems like wyze can do everything blink 2 with a cheaper price...
Hi everyone. Let me start by saying I love all your videos. I’m looking at the ArloPro 2 wanted to know if you still recommend it I want something simple and reliable I know it’s expensive compared to some other options out there but I don’t want a costly monthly subscription. Or is there a other option I should look into. Plus I don’t want to run any wires or drill holes. Thanks for any help or advice you and anyone else can help Oh and one more ? Is Arlo coming out with any things new for 2019
Arlo Pro 2 is a good choice for your needs. You can also check out the Reolink Argus 2 which is a bit cheaper and better video quality but the app is not as user friendly. As to Arlo, they are releasing the Ultra which would be the most expensive battery powered camera when it comes out.
LifeHackster Hey thank you very much for the reply sorry I just came across it today yes I was reading that they’re coming out with 4K not sure if that’s correct but I’m sure is just going to be more expensive and perhaps reduce the battery life I just need something that simple that will give me alerts and perhaps just keep me in form of what’s going on around the house I can’t afford nothing professional and I don’t want to hide monthly or yearly subscription I was just having some people say that sometimes the Arlo pro sometimes go off-line have you experienced any of this thanks again for your advice It means a lot to me and I love all your videos they’re amazing thank you keep up the good work
I like your videos. Thanks for making them. I'm watching a ton of them and I'm wondering why (all) the cameras may have missed such a simple feature. Can 1 camera trigger other cameras to record? That is, a camera placed around a corner triggers a camera on your deck or patio to start recording. They have WiFi... They push notifications... Seems they should be able to. Also it would solve the distance the PIR sensor can sense. And for that matter, why not just use a Hue like PIR motion sensor that triggers recording. Then I could put one near the mailbox and the camera near my door records all the way up to the house. No more laggy notifications. Are there any sensors paired with IFTTT that solve this?
With a Blink camera, No, you cannot trigger one camera to trigger another one. The Arlo's though you can, you can set it up so that it will trigger another or all your cameras. Blink integrates with IFTTT but the Blink is used mostly as the sensor. It doesn't have a start recording trigger.
Hi. Bro is the BLINK XT2 A good buy?? Trying to get a cheaper but still doable/reliable video camera like blink XT2. What's your honest advice for this blink xt2?
Hey Lifehackster, just got the blink xt2 would you say the solar panel is enough for live view and the features or a hard wired connection plugged into a mains outlet socket?
I would like to buy one blink xt for the outside front of my house but I would like to know how is the quality ? Do you recommend this camera ? And if I buy this camera I would like to keep the camera plugged in at all time , do you recommend have this camera outside and plugged in with a weatherproof long cable and a case or cover for the camera ? I know is weatherproof but I'm worry about the usb port on the camera when it rains . I hope you can help me . Keep the good work
It is an "OK' camera. Not the best video quality especially at night. For the price right now, which I think it is still on sale, I recommend it. As to the USB port, if you buy a weatherproof cable designed for Blink (tons at Amazon) it will come with a rubber plug/seal that will help with weatherproofing.
@@LifeHackster Thank you for the reply .. is there any specific weather proof cable that you recommend and a case ? And another question do you think is better plugged in at all time wutg the cable or with the solar panel ( is ir weatherproof?) ?
@@Xmatador20 any of the ones on Amazon are about the same. Plugging it in with a usb cable, solar panel or just using batteries depends on your specific needs. If you can't easily run a wire to the camera and is in a very high traffic area then a solar panel may work best for you. If you put it in an area that hardly gets any traffic then the battery option would be fine but if you can instal it in an area that you can easily run a wire to it that's the way I have mine. I bought a 4 camera set for 235 bucks and have 3 of the 4 cameras plugged in with a cable. I was able to easily drill a small hole from outside into the garage and ran the cable to a plug. Here is the case I got for mine www.amazon.com/dp/B07CNZ2TQT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_nLMfCbQ85CB3B Here is the 25ft cables I used www.amazon.com/dp/B07GB75YTM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_TPMfCb6J3CV3C And if you don't like or want another little box just sitting on a table and want to conceal the module you can get this I used it so mine would be in a plug behind my couch and not visible www.amazon.com/dp/B07GKCPCFZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_NRMfCbQSNC35P
Hi sir, you've got it wrong to put the battery at the back of the camera while using a micro usb cable to power up the camera. It will still use up the batteries even though there is a micro USB cable plug in. So usually, you remove the batteries so that it will not drain the batteries. Also it is recommended to use a 5volt/1 amp power brick or solar panel to power up the camera. And also the PIR sensor can only detect for the maximum distance of 20 feet. Best regards.
I have to disagree. I also have been reading in Blink forums that if a micro USB cable is plugged in, then it will not use up the battery. This is the reason why you cannot use a rechargeable battery on the camera itself and recharge it with a solar panel. It will not work. You need to have a solar panel like in my video to make it to work with Blink cameras. I agree with you on the PIR sensor though. I tested it and will release a video soon comparing PIR sensor distances between different battery powered cameras.
Thank you so much for your reviews. I’ve been watching a lot of your comparisons and I finally got a ring doorbell pro with two Argus 2 cameras. I really didn’t want to have 2 systems but the camera quality and responsiveness of these according to your reviews are the best. Do you think I should have just got all Ring cameras for my house? The Argus cameras will go in locations I don’t have power. Is my setup going to be good?
Those are pretty good choices. I like Ring cameras but the "wired" plugged in versions but I also kinda like their battery powered stick up cam. I have the battery powered spotlight cam that I need to do more testing but I am not satisfied on its motion detection. I either get a lot of false alerts or it misses motion. I will be testing it more in the near future. Argus is pretty good battery powered camera.
Good overview, I just got a couple of the xt cameras, does anyone know if you can use rechargeable AA ni-mh batteries instead ofAA lithium? I have some eneloops AA's thinking about using in the future for cameras in high traffic areas.
their IFTTT integration has gone to sh*t and don't expect customer support. The cameras are ok, but the company hasn't figured out how to actually interact with customers.
Do not waste your money on this system. Regardless of your settings, it'll catch and record something in the farthest corner of vies, but will not record anything in the damn center.
That is how PIR sensor works. You need to position the camera so that the motion that you want to monitor needed to be at an angle and will be crossing the camera left to right or vice versa. PIR sensors has a delay in picking up if the motion is going towards or away from it.
You need to position the camera to a 45 degree angle, so that the subject will go from the left to right and vice versa. In that way it can detect motion properly. If the subject going towards the camera it will be having hard time detecting motion.
Ive had 4 of these around my home for about 1 year now and love them. Amazon just announced the blink XT2 a 2-way audio outdoor/indoor cam. Better go get it!
I got my preorder in...
Best, most informative video on this product on the net. Answered every question, and didn't talk about things nobody cares about. Going to purchase the four camera system right now. The Passive Infrared systems works like this. It either emits 5-7-9 "fingers" outwardly. In order to set the PIR off, a heat source must appear at one finger, disappear from that finger, and the reappear at another finger. So a crossing motion works best. Theoretically, a bandits or one of those mean ole terrorists that are 7000 miles away can walk straight towards your home. He would have to guess where the "fingers"are. If the camera is at any angle at all, it might make it more affective and more confusing to the bandits. I love this little vide, thanks tons
Thanks for the analogy...yes, that is how PIR sensors work:). Position the camera so that the movement of someone that you want monitored will be crossing the camera's (PIR sensor) view from left to right or vice versa.
LifeHackster my cameras are on their way. Ordered for my daughters home also... they finally simplified things. Again , great video. I used to own a small computer firm and was pretty saavy. Now I can’t make the easiest video editing software work for me. Trying to master KineMaster but they don’t make enough Xanax for sit still. Lol
@@LifeHackster I'm confused at 8:12 in this video. so for this to work safely, i have to buy a mount? which mount? what happens if i don't buy a new mount...the weather will damage the camera or solar panel or both or something?? doesn't the panel/camera both say weatherproof???
n what happens with the "rusting" issue u mention?
what if my panel is on my porch, but not facing the Sun directly, or it's a foggy day, or both?
"UnderStructureRepair" and other users: feel free to answer what u know
Your videos have convinced me to buy a Blink XT.
Cool.
Thank you so much for this video - I bought some solar panels 1-2 years ago that weren't anything like this one is and I am happy to see there is something that is out there that is more or less turn-key. I am clicking direct on your link in your description and hope you have affiliate setup with them so you get credit. Thank you!
Thank You.
Worth considering. I really like the Blink system, my front camera gets heavy usage the batteries only lasted "three" weeks.
@Jack Wells you guys are bots stop lying says you just created your accounts one week ago
@Rene Malcolm you too
Awesome review as always. Thank you.
Thank You. I appreciate it.
Thanks for the video. Now I'm going to buy one..
:) You are welcome.
did it work? also I'm confused at 8:12 in this video. so for this to work safely, i have to buy a mount? which mount? what happens if i don't buy a new mount...the weather will damage the camera or solar panel or both or something?? doesn't the panel/camera both say weatherproof???
n what happens with the "rusting" issue the uploader mentions?
what if my panel is on my porch, but not facing the Sun directly, or it's a foggy day, or both?
What a nice 5th gen prelude!
Only bad thing about Eufey cams are that... when battery is gone, it’s garbage for the camera as well. I spoke to a rep. From the company, and he confirmed this.
As the blink can be mains powered could one use a waterproof cable to do so instead of using the solar panel for outside use, perhaps using a Case to cover the blink camera like the one in the video !
Great review, thanks.
You are welcome.
Great video. Thanks. I'm sold
How does something that is charge by the sun run out of juice?
I've had my 4 Blink XT cameras up for 2 weeks now. One of my cameras had a pink tint appear all of a sudden. Blink customer service was on it quickly shipped out a new camera in 2 days.
2 things needed are different notification sound choices. The default and only sound is quite low and may not wake you.
I'd also like to see some sore of push siren since we can hear audio yet we can't communicate with someone.
Lastly I was told by customer service that recently Apple and iOS has made it impossible to send clips 15 seconds or longer in a text message. So if your clips are longer than 10 second you can't share by message. This is a must have feature.
Hopefully that changes.
I agree with different alert tones. Ring is the only one that I know that you can change it per camera that you have so that you will know which camera got triggered. As to the siren, they have a stand alone siren accessory( manually activated) which is not really functional just because on how the BLink is set up to notify you. It will only send the alert notification when it finishes recording. The length of time depends on how you set it up. So, by the time you get an alert and clicked live view, the subject that triggered the motion might have left the cameras view already.
You won't be communicating with whoever set off your camera. They will be long gone before before you get an alert.
1) you do great reviews
2) I'm debating between the
Blink XT2 and
Eufy Cam e
The Eufy costs more but
A) I like the SD card recording - I'm mainly concerned about power outages and internet outages
B) that it notifies at the beginning of recording, not at the end
Question: have you had the internet down and, this, not had recording and/or alerts?
Evan good question.
Can you replace the battery in the blink solar panel?
can the camra just run off the solar panel
No. The solar panel needs to charge a battery which is turn powers the camera. You will not be able to power the camera using the solar panel only.
@@LifeHackster so will i after buy litium rechargeable batteries for the camra for the solar panel to charge
I follow you a lot. How could I use a solar panel to charge up two security cameras at the same time. They are on the same corner facing and covering different areas. Thanks
Hey Friend. I have blink outdoor camera. I did like you did and grayed out the areas I did not want recorded. Several cars went by the grayed out area and set the camera to record their movement. Tried to resolved this issue with blink and they report that the shadow set off the Recording. I don’t think it is so. What do you think.
It can be the shadow but not the shadow per se.. but with the shadow comes change in temperature..which will trigger the camera..try lowering down the sensitivity.
LifeHackster thanks Friend. I’ll try that.
You are awesome!!!! Thank you...
I need a good system that shows a clear stream while using app to view cameras.
Lots to choose from..Reolink Argus, eufy cam e, Blink and ring to name a few.
LifeHackster thanks
I ended up going with YI Home 3. Hope these are good.
one more thing, i emailed blink customer service and i was planning to connect one of my cameras to usb plug from the wall and the other solar panel. They told me to take out the batteries is that true , they told me if i leave the battery in for both setups then that would not be good for the device. suggestion yes or no
Take the batteries out or they will eventually corrode and damage the interior.
Please do a review on the Lorex wire free cameras.
We will see, I've been seeing then at Sams Club.
thanks for your great videos!
You are welcome.
I have a question: I've reviewed Amazon's site for Blink XT as well as the solar panel. I've watched other video's showing a connector for syncing the camera? Less is better. I want to use a solar powered camera with FREE cloud service. Is this the best out there? Thank you, Vito Cipponeri
The Arlos Pro2s are another option. It has better video quality and has 2 way audio...the blink doesn’t...but blink is pretty reliable.
Thanks! I like cloud service free. No extra fees.
This solo panels did not work for me camera go off line and reboot and blink customer support very this for me they said they are not comtainle
Ok blink or Eufycam E?
QUESTION: I've read the Blink cameras need to be within a reasonable distance of the control module. But, how close does the Blink control module need to be to your wify router ? Thanks, great reviews !
It needs to be around the same distance of where your cameras are. All 3 of them needs to be at a reasonable distance. In my setup, it was able to work around 60 feet with walls.
@@LifeHackster Thanks for your timely feedback and well done reviews.
Hello, nice video, Does the solar panel battery keep working all night?
i didnt get the activity zone updates yet
The activity zone update has been put on hold. They are fixing a glitch and they will resume the roll out within the next two weeks.
Not everybody has the update yet. It is still in "beta" but should be rolling out to everybody soon.
@@JRB33169 I had a problem with one of my cameras so blink sent me a new one I updated it and noticed the active zones was not in the settings menu so I called blink they told me The active zone update was causing camera to constantly make a clicking noise that drained the batteries much faster so they removed the update to they fix the issue. Once they fix it they will send the new update out.
Great video!!
thank you. great review
You are welcome.
Please tell me if there is anyway I can retrieve Blink videos going many months back (which includes Theft at my home) I was told once deleted they can not be retrieved. Please respond asap!
Yes.. if it got looped over, it is gone sorry.
Thanks for the update. Mine still works great after 6 months but I am not impressed by the picture quality.
I know, the video quality could be better...but it works though without fail...senses motion and records every time.
Great review as always! What is the realistic max range from the wireless sync module to the outdoor camera? I'm trying to decide between this Blink XT and a Ring Stickup Cam. Thanks!
I did test it the sync module at around 60 feet away with 3-4 interior walls that it has to go through.
Does this solar panel work with Wyze ??
I will not recommend it. It will power it up but because the Wyze cam is designed to be plugged in for its motion detection, (doesn't use PIR sensor) it will drain the battery faster than the Sun will charge it.
Hi how do you make the usb waterproof after connecting to solar panel do you use silcone or??
Have you tried to see if it works for other cameras wyze Yi cam ?
It will work but non-battery powered cameras like the Wyze are designed to be ON all the time which will drain the battery faster than the sun can charge it.
@@LifeHackster ok thank you for informing me
My blink xt doesn't have the option to set zones unfortunately
It will be updated soon...
Hi when using the solar panel for the blink XT2 do we have to take the battery out?
You don’t have to..
Do you think keeping the batteries in w/ the solar panel would affect performance due to heat increase from having the micro USB plugged in? Awesome video, my order just arrived.
This is a very good review... thank you....
Question.. is the Christmas tree voice activated...😜
Thank You.. and yes, the lights were set to voice activated.
What's the overall battery capacity with the solar panel. Especially in the winter?
2500 mAH.. I’m not sure how it will handle in the winter...
@@LifeHackster I just got this solar panel and it has two batteries in it. Not the one battery, so this is a great update. Your video is also right on. Thanks, and Aloohaa
When will the nest hello up date video be up?
I'm still doing some testing and that will be my next upload. Probably some time this weekend.
I've noticed you hit Arlos every chance on pricing but isn't Ring just as much? I got 2 Arlos cameras, the base station, and doorbell for $379 on sale and am evaluating them but Ring looks to cost much more.
Not really...Ring has more features than the Arlo's for the price. They have "lights and in-camera siren". Also, the Arlo's if you don't have the Arlo Pro 2's (costs more) are only 720p.
@@LifeHackster I finally settled in and picked a system, well 2 acutally. I liked the Arlo Pro 2 system a lot but it was Ring's doorbell pro that won me over as well as when my security system's monitoring contract is up I can switch to cheaper monitoring. The Argus 2 camera I got after watching your video is also really good value so I am returning Arlo and switching to Ring, also keeping my Argus camera.
Is blink still developing a doorbell, I heard one was in the works.
I am not sure about their doorbell. They removed any information about it from their website.
can u do the emerson sensi bluetooth touchscreen thermostat?
I'll see. I'm not guaranteeing any brand that I'm not familiar with not unless they contact me to review their products.
I have one of those. I have to say you get what you pay for. It will not be a EcoBee or a Nest. I have a small house (1400 sgft) so typically no need for Wifi extenders but this thermostat loses connection a lot and then it is difficult to reconnect. Now I haven't had an issue in about 4 months so maybe its been fixed with an update.
@@clellbritt3434 it has good reviews. it won awards
@@btran213 That may be, but so have a bunch of music and movies that suck. The only good thing about it is the price. That's why I got it initially. IMO it would be worth saving that money and getting a EcoBee or nest.
@@clellbritt3434 eco bee has those thermo sensors u can put in different rooms. that feature i like
thank you!
You are welcome.
Will the Solar Panel power 2 Blink XT2 Cameras?
Hi informative reviews! How well does the blink xt work in areas that have a lot of insects? Does it get a lot of false notifications?
Not really unless the insect is pretty close or on the camera lens. It uses PIR sensor and it detects heat change.
Thanks!
How do you have the "Activity Zone" added in your camera settings?
It is in "beta" and I just have it in my settings. My Blink automatically updates.
LifeHackster cool! Do you know when they are releasing that update?
@@FreddyNg it is released already. Also the activity zone is intergrated for blink indoor cameras as well.
so is it worth buying then
Yes. They are decent cameras.
Question, i know BLINK doesn't recommend using RECHARGEABLE AA Batteries but i still am wondering if using rechargeable batteries works and how long will it work? have you tested this before?
No, I haven't tested it. It might not be reliable though. Blink only recommends lithium AA batteries,
It could well be that regular rechargeable batteries discharge while not in use. So they might drain in a few months no matter what, so are not good for the Blink.
HOWEVER, "Hybrio" batteries use different tech and retain significant charge over longer periods (eg: year+). So maybe those might be the way to go/try?
ps: I have/use Hybrio rechargables in things like remote controls for this reason. They last a year+ before needing a recharge.
I’ve never had rechargeable batteries hold a charge as long as advertised in anything.
@@CCscott Regular rechargeables will lose charge quickly. Hybrios will last far far longer without losing their charge. eg: All our remotes etc use them...
Neil Fawcett I’ll have to check them out. Thanks. I like idea of the solar charger since the cold temperatures here will quickly drain any battery I use outside.
Can you talk through these like a Ring?
No. It only has 1 way audio... the camera only has a mic.
Nice Review. I noticed you have a few videos on the Blink XT system. They’re really good detailed information about that system. I have a few question. Does it have local storage option?
Can it record more than the max of 60 seconds? If not then what happens if there is motion for more than a minute?
What is the max range between the sync module and cameras with walls?
Overall do you think it’s a good system to have? I’m a debating between Blink and Arlo. I know Arlo are good cameras too but super overly expensive, and Blink look good too and affordable in my opinion.
1. The Blink has no local storage option.
2. max record time is 60 secs and any motion after that will not be recorded not unless you set the retrigger time to 60 seconds then if there is motion, it will trigger the recording again.
3. It really depends and I can only back my setup which is around 70 feet with 2 walls.
4. Between BLink and Arlo and if I have some extra cash, I will go with the Arlo.. but, if you have access to an outlet, a wired security camera beats battery powered ones everytime.
I download any videos I want to save to my phone, I can then save on Google. I've used my video for a theft on our property to give sheriffs officer. The video is clear
Hello LifeHacker. i just got the BLINK XT and it is working great. I just installed the APP and got everything working great. However, the ACTIVITY ZONE is not showing up in my APP that installed today. i know it's in BETA however do you still have it in your APP? i wonder if BLINK removed it? please advise...
I still have it. Not all customers have it yet and they will probably release it to all customers pretty soon.
Can someone tell me if the motion detection activity zones can be used on the XT or only the XT2 (I'm in the UK btw)
hi there , i just got this solar panel and there is a on/off switch in the back of the solar panel how do i need when this is off or on. any suggestions. great videos how is your blink holding
You have to turn it on to power your camera.
Thanks for the great reviews! Question about the connection between wifi, blink xt camera and the sync module. Should the Blink XT camera be set within range of the Sync Module? or as long as both the Sync Module and the Blink XT camera are within range of the same wifi network it will work? (camera and sync module both in front of the house VS camera in front, then sync module at the backroom of the house)
The best setup is like a triangle. All of them (WiFi router, module and camera) needs to be close as much as possible. My usual setup is the camera and the module are close to each other.
Hey Jason. I’ve had my blink Xt Installed on a detached garage for about 3 weeks and it’s worked perfectly. Last night (after a long Rain) I noticed that the camera had a super bad glare and fog over it. I went out to wipe off the lense and it cleared up, however this morning the fog/haze was back. I was able to wipe it clean again but this is obviously not ideal. I’m using the stock setup with a Wasserstein mount. Any ideas on why this is happening and how to prevent?
I don't know who you are calling Jason but anyways, check to see if the camera is closed properly and the rubber seal doesn't have any wear or got twisted. It seems like moisture was able to get in.
Usually if there is moisture inside the camera the back cover of the Xt camera was not properly closed. In order for you to remove the moisture inside, remove the camera from the mounting bracket and place it on a air tight container with a silica gel. That way all the moisture inside the camera will be gone and after that make sure to close properly the back cover.
does this come with a subscription? I WILL HAVE TO PAY SO I NEVER STOP PAYING FOR SERVICE ITS NOT STAND ALONE ALSO, WHERE I CAN USE WITHOUT A SUBSCRPTION
what would you compare this to the wyze camera, except the quality, and battery pack seems like wyze win at every level..i really like your video, just purchase the whole ring alarm and ring doorbell 2 because of your video, now im just want 3 more working camera for the garage inside the living room and kitchem, i recntly purchase blink but seems like wyze can do everything blink 2 with a cheaper price...
For indoor applications - lots of movement, I'll go with wired cameras and Wyze cam is an excellent and cheaper choice.
Strange, on amazon they giving away a free echo dot with a purchase of a blink xt. Not sure how a dot would be of use but alright lol.
You can arm or disarm the Blink via Alexa.
Hi everyone. Let me start by saying I love all your videos.
I’m looking at the ArloPro 2 wanted to know if you still recommend it I want something simple and reliable
I know it’s expensive compared to some other options out there but I don’t want a costly monthly subscription.
Or is there a other option I should look into.
Plus I don’t want to run any wires or drill holes.
Thanks for any help or advice you and anyone else can help
Oh and one more ? Is Arlo coming out with any things new for 2019
Arlo Pro 2 is a good choice for your needs. You can also check out the Reolink Argus 2 which is a bit cheaper and better video quality but the app is not as user friendly. As to Arlo, they are releasing the Ultra which would be the most expensive battery powered camera when it comes out.
LifeHackster Hey thank you very much for the reply sorry I just came across it today yes I was reading that they’re coming out with 4K not sure if that’s correct but I’m sure is just going to be more expensive and perhaps reduce the battery life I just need something that simple that will give me alerts and perhaps just keep me in form of what’s going on around the house I can’t afford nothing professional and I don’t want to hide monthly or yearly subscription I was just having some people say that sometimes the Arlo pro sometimes go off-line have you experienced any of this thanks again for your advice
It means a lot to me and I love all your videos they’re amazing thank you keep up the good work
I like your videos. Thanks for making them. I'm watching a ton of them and I'm wondering why (all) the cameras may have missed such a simple feature. Can 1 camera trigger other cameras to record? That is, a camera placed around a corner triggers a camera on your deck or patio to start recording. They have WiFi... They push notifications... Seems they should be able to. Also it would solve the distance the PIR sensor can sense. And for that matter, why not just use a Hue like PIR motion sensor that triggers recording. Then I could put one near the mailbox and the camera near my door records all the way up to the house. No more laggy notifications. Are there any sensors paired with IFTTT that solve this?
With a Blink camera, No, you cannot trigger one camera to trigger another one. The Arlo's though you can, you can set it up so that it will trigger another or all your cameras. Blink integrates with IFTTT but the Blink is used mostly as the sensor. It doesn't have a start recording trigger.
Hi. Bro is the BLINK XT2 A good buy?? Trying to get a cheaper but still doable/reliable video camera like blink XT2. What's your honest advice for this blink xt2?
It is an OK camera.. It is good in motion detecting..video quality is ok in daytime but at night is not that great.
Hey Lifehackster, just got the blink xt2 would you say the solar panel is enough for live view and the features or a hard wired connection plugged into a mains outlet socket?
I would like to buy one blink xt for the outside front of my house but I would like to know how is the quality ? Do you recommend this camera ? And if I buy this camera I would like to keep the camera plugged in at all time , do you recommend have this camera outside and plugged in with a weatherproof long cable and a case or cover for the camera ? I know is weatherproof but I'm worry about the usb port on the camera when it rains . I hope you can help me . Keep the good work
It is an "OK' camera. Not the best video quality especially at night. For the price right now, which I think it is still on sale, I recommend it. As to the USB port, if you buy a weatherproof cable designed for Blink (tons at Amazon) it will come with a rubber plug/seal that will help with weatherproofing.
@@LifeHackster Thank you for the reply .. is there any specific weather proof cable that you recommend and a case ? And another question do you think is better plugged in at all time wutg the cable or with the solar panel ( is ir weatherproof?) ?
@@Xmatador20 any of the ones on Amazon are about the same. Plugging it in with a usb cable, solar panel or just using batteries depends on your specific needs. If you can't easily run a wire to the camera and is in a very high traffic area then a solar panel may work best for you. If you put it in an area that hardly gets any traffic then the battery option would be fine but if you can instal it in an area that you can easily run a wire to it that's the way I have mine. I bought a 4 camera set for 235 bucks and have 3 of the 4 cameras plugged in with a cable. I was able to easily drill a small hole from outside into the garage and ran the cable to a plug.
Here is the case I got for mine www.amazon.com/dp/B07CNZ2TQT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_nLMfCbQ85CB3B
Here is the 25ft cables I used www.amazon.com/dp/B07GB75YTM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_TPMfCb6J3CV3C
And if you don't like or want another little box just sitting on a table and want to conceal the module you can get this I used it so mine would be in a plug behind my couch and not visible www.amazon.com/dp/B07GKCPCFZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_NRMfCbQSNC35P
@@Vgp-rp4iu Thanks for all this information .. I really appreciate it 👍🏻
Thank
You are welcome.
Hi sir, you've got it wrong to put the battery at the back of the camera while using a micro usb cable to power up the camera. It will still use up the batteries even though there is a micro USB cable plug in. So usually, you remove the batteries so that it will not drain the batteries. Also it is recommended to use a 5volt/1 amp power brick or solar panel to power up the camera. And also the PIR sensor can only detect for the maximum distance of 20 feet. Best regards.
I have to disagree. I also have been reading in Blink forums that if a micro USB cable is plugged in, then it will not use up the battery. This is the reason why you cannot use a rechargeable battery on the camera itself and recharge it with a solar panel. It will not work. You need to have a solar panel like in my video to make it to work with Blink cameras. I agree with you on the PIR sensor though. I tested it and will release a video soon comparing PIR sensor distances between different battery powered cameras.
Thank you so much for your reviews. I’ve been watching a lot of your comparisons and I finally got a ring doorbell pro with two Argus 2 cameras. I really didn’t want to have 2 systems but the camera quality and responsiveness of these according to your reviews are the best. Do you think I should have just got all Ring cameras for my house? The Argus cameras will go in locations I don’t have power. Is my setup going to be good?
Those are pretty good choices. I like Ring cameras but the "wired" plugged in versions but I also kinda like their battery powered stick up cam. I have the battery powered spotlight cam that I need to do more testing but I am not satisfied on its motion detection. I either get a lot of false alerts or it misses motion. I will be testing it more in the near future. Argus is pretty good battery powered camera.
Good overview, I just got a couple of the xt cameras, does anyone know if you can use rechargeable AA ni-mh batteries instead ofAA lithium? I have some eneloops AA's thinking about using in the future for cameras in high traffic areas.
Blink doesn't recommend it but you can try. I don't think it will last that long though.
their IFTTT integration has gone to sh*t and don't expect customer support. The cameras are ok, but the company hasn't figured out how to actually interact with customers.
I haven't had any experience with their customer support. It should be better now that Amazon acquired them.
Have 2 of these cameras. Night vision is worthlesss . A small light from a wall clock makes it impossible to see anything. Frustrating.
You don't need to get the subscription for the Arlo.
Yes..up to 5 cameras only... more than that, you need to subscribe.
Do not waste your money on this system. Regardless of your settings, it'll catch and record something in the farthest corner of vies, but will not record anything in the damn center.
That is how PIR sensor works. You need to position the camera so that the motion that you want to monitor needed to be at an angle and will be crossing the camera left to right or vice versa. PIR sensors has a delay in picking up if the motion is going towards or away from it.
You need to position the camera to a 45 degree angle, so that the subject will go from the left to right and vice versa. In that way it can detect motion properly. If the subject going towards the camera it will be having hard time detecting motion.