My personal favorites so far:
power - TP-link Kasa Smartplugs and switches.
Cameras.
High end - Reolink
Low end - TP link Tapo or Kasa Indoor.
Anyone else have their favorites?
My personal favorites so far:
power - TP-link Kasa Smartplugs and switches.
Cameras.
High end - Reolink
Low end - TP link Tapo or Kasa Indoor.
Anyone else have their favorites?
Why don’t you tell us how you really feel!
I second Kasa SmartPlugs, rock solid as well as their LighBulbs.
I only own Wyze cameras so no comment for those. I only have V3s and V4. Like the cameras. Not very impressed with Wyze and their after sales approach to customers.
Kasa bulbs work great.
Got one Eufy 2k pan cam.
Otherwise, I have been content with Wyse non-pan cams v2, v3 and v4.
I went with Kasa to replace the smart plugs. I ordered 15 today and I’ll order another 15 in a couple of weeks.
I counted up my cameras
20 Stationary, mostly V3s with V2 and V4 mixed in
20 Pans
8 Battery cams. 4-V2 Battery Cams and 4 Pros.
For Home monitoring, Simplisafe seems to be similar to Wyze
Their monitoring service is actually pretty decent, and their stuff is easy to set up, but it’s a closed system, so it doesn’t play well with others. Their e-mail support is on par with Wyze’s (so…not great), and their approach to security best practices with regard to multi-user provisioning and permissions vs. sharing master accounts is about what you get with Wyze, too. (Follow that link only if you’re interested in another long trail of empty promises and frustration.)
I’ve commented elsewhere on the Forum that I think Tapo C120 beats Wyze Cam v4 on a number of points in a head-to-head match-up. My new-ish Tapo smart plugs and few-years-old Kasa smart switches haven’t given me any significant problems, and the only reason I have Kasa switches is because Wyze wasn’t yet offering them when I wanted them, otherwise I probably would’ve been in the Wyze ecosystem for those, too; I just didn’t want to wait.
Nice information. I’m going to order 1 Tapo to check out.
Thanks. I don’t have a dog in the fight, but I picked one up on sale a while back and am impressed with its base capabilities when compared with Cam v4. I think it offers some real value for someone who isn’t locked into the Wyze ecosystem for whatever reason.
I did some calculations… With multiple properties being monitored, it’s going to be about $1200 to un-WYZE myself.
I feel I don’t have a choice since the new APP has made the cameras unreliable and very difficult to use.
Can you imagine the money that could cost for a real security cam setup? Wyze is a cheap introduction to learning how cams work or not work for your situation. Life is a gamble. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.
Is there any brand that has price, automation, scheduling, magnetic mount form factor similar to Wyze? For example, can they restart all 50+ with a click?
If only there were a ‘cage match’ function on the forum, I might bump @Edge and @Earl.Automation in and ‘lock’ the door.
Even at that cost, I’m still saving over expensive real systems. Not to mention the flexibility to move/change things at will.
Tapo might… I’ve ordered a couple for evaluation.
For Smartplugs - kasa has everything wyze has.
I have used an older 4 camera ReoLink system at a former company and was very happy with it. I have also heard good things about Lorex.
That being said, am very happy with my Wyze v3 cameras. Mainly because of the Wyze price point, I use my v3 cameras as a security hobby and because I don’t update App versions or camera firmware until I read positive comments on this forum. Still on App version 2.50 on all of my devices.
Looks like they also have shortcuts and automations. Tapo | Smart Devices for Smart Living
But their form factor is kind of tradition, Wyze magnetic base is very versatile though it originated from Xiaomi design,
I have a bunch of Kasa plugs not installed yet since Wyze plugs are pretty stable now, especially v2.
I have Foscam, Samsung, Eufy, Yi cams. They all are pretty good, especially audio but no automation.
I agree for what they do at this price, I find them useful for checking around. I don’t even use the notifications. I just use them to check up on the yard, see if I left the garage door open or see who is at the door.
If I was serious about security, sounds like Lorex could be a candidate.
A friend ranted for years about buying a Lorex system. When he built his house 20 years ago, he had cables run throughout the house. When I checked on his camera progress, I asked how his Lorex plans are coming. He said he’s working on it but they are expensive cams.
For years, I recommended Wyze as an interim cam setup. He bought his fourth Wyze cam yesterday. He has seen a minimal issue that a return took care of.
Not sure if he is still saving up for a Lorex, but he can watch his vehicles now easily and cheaply.
At a price point, I think Tapo is currently one of the best cameras to replace Wyze (certain models also have Starlight sensor for lowlight conditions). I’ll go with Tapo instead of Kasa because it supports RTSP / ONVIF (for wired cameras only) and they tend to have more AI detection options.
According to FCC report, Roku is cooking up 2 new camera with a new manufacturer, Leedarson Lighting (known for manufacturer of IoT devices for IKEA). The form factor is just like Wyze’s V3 and V4. From the pictures and WLAN report, it should be 2.4GHz band 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) capable. It looks like it uses ANKYA AK39Av100 SoC. No clue if it has Starlight sensor or what specific Wi-FI radio.
After reading your reply, I briefly checked out Lorax. For the price point, Reolink are similar. I have 4 reoilink wifi/battery/solar camers in areas I needed 2K and outdoor reliability. I’ve been very happy with them. They do not offer 24/7 recording when on Battery. If you can get A/C power to them, they will record 24/7.
Posts on Reddit comparing reoilink to Lorax - Reolink wins the debate.
Good to know. Thanks for doing the research.
Received my 30 Smartplugs today (Kasa mini).
Replacement Temp and water sensors are on order (GOVEE LIFE)
Cameras are still being evaluated, I’m probably going with a mix of Reolink and Tapo depending on the location and quality needs.