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@pa-woodchuck_802982477914301 Battery cams are better than no cams at all, but wired low voltage wifi cams are better. They both need a good wifi signal outside to be reliable. The distance they can operate depends on your wifi system. Reolink cams can record to SD card inside without an NVR but having an NVR is better. POE wired cams are the best if you can install the cables. If you buy cameras and NVR in a bundle together they are cheaper. But you only get one model cam. It's better to buy an NVR and the cams separately so you can buy different model cams to fit specific field of view you are looking for, maybe a PTZ cam or Reolink's new low light cam CX410 or wide angle view like the Duo series with 180 degrees view, do you want cams with spotlights for color night vision or just IR black/white at night, etc. 8MP and 12MP have the best resolution. Home consumer security cams can ID faces depending on the distance, the cam model, if it's day or night. At night cams cannot ID faces nearly as well due to lack of light.Reolink makes several NVR models, you can read their specs, how many cams they support, how much HDD storage they have. Reolink has an 8 channel NVR if you don't plan on using more than 8 cams. Reolink's newest model is the 36, supports 36 cams, lots of HDD storage, but it does not have built in POE or HDD, you have to buy your own POE switch and HDD drives.You could read the first post on Reolink Reddit, lots of info about Reolink cams including cam specs charts, see below link. You could also watch YouTube channel LifeHackster who reviews Reolink cams, you'll get an idea how they perform, how to install and use the app. Take your time, do some research before you buy so you know better what you are getting.https://www.reddit.com/r/reolinkcam/comments/133vod7/welcome_to_the_official_reolink_subreddit_please/?rdt=43409
@rohan_748713748697288 How old is your NVR? Older NVRs were limited to maybe one or two brands of wireless mice. I don't think new models have a problem with most any brand wireless mouse. Have you checked to see if your NVR has a newer firmware update, might help. Contact Reolink support and ask. The normal range for a mouse to connect to it's USB is about 30 feet, beyond that I don't know.
@user_588567793635436_588567793635436 Settings can vary a little between the phone app, computer client app and NVR. All Reolink cams can post-motion record but not pre-motion. I have a pre-motion record setting on my newer Argus 3 Pro in the client but it's not there on my older Reolink battery cams. Battery cams are inferior to wired cams. Battery cams use PIR motion detection, wired cams use pixel based detection. PIR has limited range of about 30 feet. PIR detects better with movement across the view rather than motion coming straight to the cam. Battery cams stay in low power mode to save battery life. It can take a little bit for it to detect motion and trigger to start recording. If a runner is only briefly in the cam's view or at the limit of detection range, it's understandable the battery cam will miss it. I [censored]ume you've experimented with the sensitivity, set to maximum.Pre-motion recording works well on my wired cams. For the pre-motion setting in the client for battery cams, there's a page on Reolink support that says it's only for recording during live view. It's not for detection recording. Recording live view would have a limit, the firmware would time out I [censored]ume after a few minutes so save battery life. I don't know if it works recording live view, haven't tried it. I suppose it's a new feature for new battery cams. See the note at bottom of link:https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/900000784786-Introduction-to-Pre-Motion-Record/
@user_753931108643014_753931108643014 Try rebooting and restoring the cam. When restoring you'll need to re-enter the p[censored]word. Also try resetting the cam with the reset cable on the camera. Did you protect all the cable ends from moisture? It says in the start up guide to protect the ends. Water on the cable ends can cause camera problems. Some use a junction box, put the cable ends in a big enough hole in the wall, put cable ends up in soffit or use waterproof shrink tape. Reolink provides a cover for the ethernet connection but not for the other two cable ends. Also test your ethernet cable and it's wiring/RJ45 jack. If all that does not help, contact Reolink support.
@reolinkshayla I really like my Reolink cameras, great value for the price. Reolink releases new cams every year with new features and firmware updates. Reolink customer service to good too. However, every business, no matter what they sell, can have problems sometimes. The E1 Outdoor is a good cam but it has a flaw which Reolink knows about but has not fixed. The prior E1 Outdoor versions cannot go back to monitor point reliably, there is degree drift. It's very frustrating for users. I don't know if it's a firmware or hardware problem. At the very least Reolink should put it in the cam specs there can be monitor set point drift. It hurts Reolink's reputation to continue to sell a cam with a problem. I hate to criticize Reolink because overall I like the brand. But I will be honest, I would not recommend any E1 Outdoor model unless they fix this problem. Those reading this can watch YouTube channel LifeHackster who reviewed the E1 Outdoor and shows this problem. I have an 823A 5x which is a better camera, better motor and does not have point drift. Buy a POE 823A rather than a E1 Outdoor in my opinion.
@p5ycho A serial number on a product is for identification from the manufacturer for warranty service, tracking possible defects, identifying if stolen, etc. A camera UID is a unique number used for wifi and mobile internet communication from the camera to Reolink servers to process notifications and connect with the Reolink phone app. When you buy a camera you should register it using the Reolink app so the camera and its UID is [censored]igned to you. So each camera has its own unique number for internet traffic and it also serves as the warranty serial number. At least that's how I think it is. Maybe someone else can explain it better if I'm wrong.
@marian-siczek_715086104985814 It can be frustrating trying to learn and adjust the settings. A lot depends what cameras you have, the settings. Reolink cams can detect further during day sunlight, only about 30 feet at night due to lack of light and just using their IR. My Reolink POE cameras can detect up to about 90 feet during the day and are reliable doing it. I and others record 24/7 with some cameras be sure all movement is recorded. Are your detection settings high? Use the search line on Reolink support page, You can type in questions, how to update firmware on the NVR, how to update firmware on the cameras, how to use and adjust motion detection, etc. NVR firmware can be downloaded to your computer from Reolink download page, then put on a flash drive, then insert the drive into USB port of the NVR. Camera firmware can downloaded to your computer and installed using the Reolink client app. The auto update [censored]on usually does not work well. There are YouTube videos you can watch. Reolink has a Youtube channel. I like LifeHackster channel to learn about Reolink cams.https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/https://reolink.com/download-center/
@user_748581736141008_748581736141008 That would be a nice feature. The problem would be if the person leaving forgets to turn notifications back on, the place could be burglarized during night and nobody would know at that time to call police. Notifications can be set to a schedule, that would not work for someone needing to go in at an unscheduled time. But maybe most employees could turn notifications off or set their notifications to a schedule so only one or a few would receive notifications during certain times. I [censored]ume many small businesses usually only have the owner and/or manager have access and control of the cams.
@thongsleigh_263573017145565 My first cams were battery cams, getting started, easy to install, learned how they run. You need a good wifi signal outside for them to connect. Later I bought a couple low voltage powered wifi cams then finally ran cables in the attic and now have POE cams. Battery cams are better than no cams at all. But they are inferior to wired cams. Battery cams use PIR motion detection which is okay going across the field of view, but they can record late when someone heads straight toward the cam. Battery cams sometimes don't record long enough to see a whole event. Their detection range is less than wired cams. A battery cam will detect to about 35-40 feet during day, less at night. My POE cams can detect up to about 90 feet during day. I live in a cold winter climate. Batteries do not charge well below freezing. I have to take my battery cams down, bring them inside, let them warm up to charge. It helps if you used a solar panel though. Even with a solar panel a battery cam will not be able to record 24/7. My Reolink Argus 3 battery cams are on the side of the house where there is not much traffic. For my street, front door, back door I use POE cams. I have a Duo 2 POE above my garage, I like it's 180 degree view. Even if you had to hire an electrician to get power to the cam it would be worth it in the long run in my opinion. You could watch YouTube channel LIfeHackster, he has reviewed the Duo 2 and other Reolink cams.
@user_744890082836685_744890082836685 Yeah sometimes features and settings are not fully explained or hard to find, here it is:https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007684614-Introduction-to-the-Logout-Time-of-Battery-Powered-Cameras/If you just bought the cam you could return it for free and go for a wired one, up to you. Wired cams have more features, can record 24/7, have longer detection range, etc. Reolink has a YouTube channel you could watch and my favorite channel for Reolink cam reviews is LifeHackster.
@user_744890082836685_744890082836685 To save battery life they are designed to go to sleep after a few minutes live view. This is normal. It does not matter if it is plugged into a solar panel or not, the view will change from live view to not connected until you tap it again in the phone or client app. If you want constant live view you'll need to buy wired cameras, either wifi low voltage powered or POE.
@user_610695079637035_610695079637035 Some have used tape, thin vinyl wrap or painted their cams. I'd use a method that could be removed if the cam needed warranty service. I have a CX410, really like it.
@bearhug Yeah, some of the descriptions of cams vary a bit. If a cam has a mic then it will have two way talk too, etc. You could go to YouTube and watch a channel I like, LifeHackster. He reviews Reolink cams, shows how to use them etc. Reolink also has its own Youtube channel and support site with info. On Reddit Reolink the very first Welcome post has lots of info about Reolink cams including specs comparison charts. There's info there about the differences of buying a bundle with cams and NVR or buying cams separately and using a POE switch between the cams and the NVR. It's good to do some research before buying so you know what you are getting and how to install.https://www.reddit.com/r/reolinkcam/comments/133vod7/welcome_to_the_official_reolink_subreddit_please/?rdt=33235
@ryandanielwood_77905830711496 This is a common issue with many brand cams. Some brands say they have HDR but they don't really work that great. Some cams that cost more have good HDR in my opinion. If this is the only cam you have, I suggest you install another cam above your garage door, etc. for multiple views. It's wise to have double coverage anyway.
@user_730633382940830_730633382940830 I have two 811A, they don't have this issue. Have you looked close at the lenses to see if there is any condensation or dirt on the lenses? But it's likely due to the IR light reflection from the roof overhang (soffit). Try pointing the cams down a little to get the roof overhang out of view. You could also move the cams a little forward to get the overhang out of of view.
@matthew-willey_71877025214 On Reolink's cloud storage site there's a drop down menu that shows what cams are supported in the country you live in. It's wise to research before a person buys so they know what features are offered. A lot of users do not want to use the cloud on the small chance their cameras might get hacked. A strong p[censored]word prevents hacking in most cases. You don't say what camera models you bought. Depending on the model, Reolink cams can record several ways, to memory card in the camera, to an NVR, notification videos sent to your email, FTP to another company server if you want. It takes time to learn how to do these but it's good to have multiple places to keep videos. I don't use cloud storage.
@bamainark_709557840093322 You could watch LifeHackster YouTube channel. He has reviewed both cams. Maybe that would help you decide. As you install cams and look at their fields of view on your house, it's likely you'll do some experimenting with locations, cam angles etc. A lot of users end up buying several different models to better fit certain areas around the house with wider field of view or narrow like an entryway. Buying a system in a bundle saves some money but doesn't have the flexibility of having different camera models. I and others bought cams separately and run them through a POE switch connected to the NVR which gives us more options. Buying a bundle may work fine for your needs though, it's up to you to consider and you could add different cams later up to the number of channels the NVR can handle. I have two 811A, one 833A, one 823A, one Duo 2, one of the new low light cams CX410 which is a great cam for night vision IMO. The Trackmix is a great cam too but I don't need one, for now LOL.See the first welcome post on Reddit Reolink which has a lot of info including camera specs comparisons. https://www.reddit.com/r/reolinkcam/comments/133vod7/welcome_to_the_official_reolink_subreddit_please/
@user_720647334826202_720647334826202 Well you don't say what cam model(s) you have. They can have different settings controls. Battery cameras have limited settings. Some models have AI detection and you can turn off "any motion" to just detect human and vehicle, use alarm delay and object size. Go to Reolink support site, there's info there.
@joldham320_363419968991360 People can't help unless you provide more info, otherwise we are just guessing. Have you tried rebooting or restoring the cam? With restoring you'll need to use your p[censored]word. How long have you had the camera? Was it working good before then started having problems? Is the cam plugged into a Reolink NVR or POE switch? Often it is wire connection/power problems and not hardware failure. The cable ends may have been exposed to water, not protected and they become corroded, etc. If it's installed you could take the cam down, bring it inside and test it with a short good cable. Or run another long temporary cable out the door to the cam, test that. If the cam works then you know your cable/connection is bad. Also, you could contact Reolink support, they'll need to know your setup specifics.
@brandoncarrolleet_691346059215349 I had not seen Elvia's article. Much of what she said I agree with. The part about license plate reading may be true for daytime, but certainly not at night. I [censored]ume she hasn't really seen any testing or reviews of the 823A models capabilities in real night conditions with license plates, either stationary or moving plates. She should edit her post IMO to say reading plates at night is hard to do. In fact I've never seen any home camera brand advertise videos of quick night motion of a person jogging/running, a license plate on a moving car, probably because they can't do it very good. Below is link to The Hook Up YouTube channel testing color night vision with him jogging, one is a Reolink cam. All have some blurr, difficult to ID a face. One Reolink cam may be better for reading night plates, the new low light CX410. I have one, I keep its spotlights off. There's enough ambient light from a street light two houses down. It can see stationary car plates pretty well at close range to about 25 feet. Further and they become blurry. If Reolink added this low light sensor in a 823A with optical zoom that would be really sweet. I like my Reolink cams, good cameras at a good price. I don't expect them to have professional features of expensive cams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naufg0K6VqI
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