There is no mention of the large usb port that I can find. What is it for?
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It’s for daisy chaining power from one camera to a second camera without the second camera needing it’s own power adapter.
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I had a hard time finding info on the USB port as well. Thought I might be able to use it to record to a memory stick instead of using the micro USB port, but it turns out it only provides outgoing power to directly hook-up an additional camera (daisy chain)
This is the first place I’ve seen the “USB Output” port mentioned. I tried to connect it to my PC, and even plugged in a flash drive to see if I could record to it. No such luck. 
I guess I was confused by its name. USB Output implied to me that it was a full USB…you know, a serial bus, not merely a power output.
Anyway, still learning. 
It would be great in the future if it could also support video/audio output via the USB port to a flash or external hard drive.
Too true. First time I’ve seen it mentioned as well (since the user manual only said it was the “USB Output”) and no FAQ or support documentation even acknowledges its existence afaik.
I was hoping it would be at least a switched output so I could design and control an external infrared spot, since there’s a huge compatibility clash between “it is not weather-safe and should not be installed outdoors” and “night mode through a window causes terrible reflection issues.” Oh well. A cheap outdoor IR spotlight with sensor is in order I guess.
Dang. Daisy chaining just means that you’re going to very quickly exceed the current limit of the USB. Based on their statement of 20Ah for 33 hours, this brings average current draw to 600mA per camera. According to the table on Wikipedia, this means you can’t even run two in series, as the current limit is spec’d at 900mA for high power USB-3.
i had the same idea about it as you did.
great minds think alike eh ?
love this idea! may just use it to power the 5v IR “floodlight” i have…
Hello! I am here to ALSO please request: switchable external infra-red lighting!!!
The built-in lights are useless when you mount on glass from indoors, as so many of us obviously do! Super reflection city!
But the night vision capability is EXCELLENT otherwise! I’d LOVE if we could get external IR USB lights that we could stick to our windows a foot or so away, providing illumination WITHOUT the reflection!! PLEASE!
-Owner of 4 cams
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I’d like to know more about your 5v IR “floodlight” when you have the time. Thank you!
Sadly, you won’t get hardly any illumination off of a single 5V USB port. What I was hoping for, though was the idea of using something like https://www.ebay.com/itm/132432483518. Or even https://www.ebay.com/itm/332484542168 if you want to go the cheap route. Then if Wyze’s USB port were switched, the camera could turn it on or off based on settings, which could then be routed through some high power driver like a ULN2003.
Most of the expensive security cameras (like the D-Link DCS-3110 which I have at work) have the 24V output with which they could drive the floodlight directly, but I see no reason why not to just power this one directly from a 12-24V wall wart.
In fact, looking at photos of the above floodlight from eBay, the thing even has the light detection circuitry built in (that little green lens at the bottom), so when it gets dark enough, it would just turn on by itself, independent of the Wyzecam.
In fact, this seems like a perfectly reasonable route to take anyway - give this thing its own power and turn off the IR feature of Wyzecam completely. It should still capture fine without its own lights in use.
Yup. I second that. It would be great if the USB port could be used for piping the video output to an external hard drive.
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Daniel wrote: “this brings average current draw to 600mA per camera”.
The cameras aren’t that power hungry. I’ve measured the actual current drawn by my V2 cam:
- 310 mA with IR off.
- 440 mA with IR on.
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Anyone know if the USB type a port at the back has the data pins? I mean physically, do Data+ and Data- exist? Or is it wired only Vcc and Gnd?
If pins have data pinouts a firmware update can enable data out to a USB stick (if the developers agree to implement). But if there is a physical limitation, obviously USB data out is a no go.
Seems kinda problematic for the Pan. I know mine are in locations where swinging a cord around would be a problem.