Ecobee SmartCamera review
Our Verdict
The Ecobee SmartCamera is a good home security photographic camera that can track a person as they cantankerous a room, and has Alexa built in.
For
- Wide field of view
- Good person tracking
- Integrates well with Ecobee's domicile security platform
Against
- Less video storage than competitors
- More expensive than other dwelling security cameras
Tom's Guide Verdict
The Ecobee SmartCamera is a expert home security camera that can track a person as they cantankerous a room, and has Alexa built in.
Pros
- +
Wide field of view
- +
Good person tracking
- +
Integrates well with Ecobee's domicile security platform
Cons
- -
Less video storage than competitors
- -
More expensive than other habitation security cameras
Ecobee SmartCamera specs
Camera resolution: 1080p
Field of view: 180 degrees
Epitome sensor: 5MP
Wireless: 802.xi b/grand/n @ two.4GHz, 802.11 a/n/ac @ 5GHz
Size: four.2 x 2.3 ten 1.7 inches
Works with: Alexa, Apple HomeKit
Deject video storage: 14 days
Ecobee first made its proper noun with some of the best smart thermostats, just now information technology'southward branching out with the straightforwardly-named Ecobee SmartCamera. This $179 home security photographic camera records 1080p video, has motion-tracking and person detection, and even has Amazon's Alexa digital assistant congenital-in.
The SmartCamera tin work in conjunction with the sensors in Ecobee'due south smart thermostats, every bit well as the company'south remote sensors, to alert you of intruders. It'southward a clever extension of the abilities already baked into the excellent Ecobee smart thermostat. By adding the SmartCamera — a very good abode security camera with Alexa support — y'all tin can continue your habitation warm and safe at the aforementioned time. But our Ecobee SmartCamera review found that the device needs a few more refinements earlier it makes our list of the best home security cameras.
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Ecobee SmartCamera: Price and availability
Ecobee is selling the SmartCamera by itself for $179. Yous can also buy it as part of a bundle:
- Total Abode Condolement and Security Bundle ($499): SmartThermostat, SmartCamera, SmartSensor 2-pack, and SmartSensor for doors and windows.
- Dwelling house Security Bundle ($279): SmartCamera, SmartSensor 2-pack, and SmartSensor for doors and windows.
Additional SmartSensors for doors and windows cost $79 per 2-pack, though a Sensor Coverage Packet ($99) is a better choice, as it includes two SmartSensors and ii SmartSensors for doors and windows.
Ecobee SmartCamera: Blueprint
Ecobee's SmartCamera is rectangular with rounded corners. The face of the camera is a glossy black, not unlike that of the Ecobee thermostat, while the rest of the example is a matte white. On the top of the camera are two touch-sensitive controls for turning off its microphones and activating Alexa.
The SmartCamera measures roughly 2.ii inches wide, iv inches alpine (without its stand), and 1.5 inches deep. It'due south not equally compact as Arlo's cameras, merely it's small-scale enough so that yous'll probably forget about it, until you hear Alexa speaking out of it.
The camera has ii mounting points — one on the bottom, and i on the rear — where you can attach its conical stainless steel base. You tin physically tilt the photographic camera on its base past a few degrees vertically, which is prissy, but the camera itself has a 180-caste field of view.
The base itself has a small slot where you tin claw it onto a screw in a wall, much every bit y'all would a painting. The screw, every bit well every bit an anchor, is included, every bit is a reasonably long power cord.
Ecobee SmartCamera: Performance and video quality
The Ecobee SmartCamera records video at a resolution of 1080p, and has a 180-caste field of view —much larger than that of a lot of other domicile security cameras. But what's more, the camera has a clever feature chosen SmartFocus, which, when information technology detects a person, will digitally pan and zoom to keep them in the eye of the frame.
During daylight, I found SmartFocus worked well, keeping upwards with me as I moved around my living room. However, it has a maximum effective range of near 14 anxiety, and then SmartFocus won't exist as constructive in larger rooms.
You can also manually pan and zoom the camera in the Ecobee app; the on-screen controls were very responsive, and the camera moved inside half a second. Digital zoom isn't as practiced as optical zoom — things get a chip splotchier — but it was good enough then that I could make out my dog, who was near xx feet from the camera.
Other features in the SmartCamera include person detection, and so the camera won't be triggered past your domestic dog wandering around. And, while the photographic camera is non water-resistant, yous can point it out a window and enable Window Mode, which disables the camera's infrared lights to eliminate reflections at night. You tin can too create activeness zones, also as adjust the motion sensitivity of the camera.
I was mostly pleased with the quality of the SmartCamera's video. While not as crisp every bit what we've seen from Arlo's cameras, daytime footage was abrupt and colorful, and I could hands make out the features of a person (me) as he walked across the room.
Dark video was a bit blotchier, but it was still easy to make out my features, and the camera was withal able to easily track me as I walked around a room.
The maximum length of any captured video is 2 minutes, which should be enough fourth dimension to identify any intruder, only other cameras, such as the Arlo Q, tin can record video for upwards to 5 minutes. What's more, you tin can as well customize the length of Arlo's recordings.
Ecobee SmartCamera: Security features
One of the best features of the Ecobee smart thermostat is a wireless temperature and occupancy SmartSensor; identify this sensor in a room that takes a while to cool or warm up, and yous can program the Ecobee to keep the Air conditioning or estrus on until the remote sensor gets to the desired temperature, just only if it detects a person in the room.
With Ecobee Oasis, the company is expanding the functionality of these sensors to warning the system if they detect a person while yous're away. In addition, the company is introducing door/window sensors that have a 3-yr bombardment life and an 80-foot range. Both types of sensors can be paired either with the Ecobee thermostat or the SmartCamera, though the sensors can't exist used to trigger the SmartCamera to first recording.
1 of the key features of Ecobee Haven system, which includes the Ecobee SmartCamera, is chosen Autopilot, which tin can automatically arm and disarm your organization based on your or i of your family members' phones; you can create upward to 15 accounts for family members.
Within the Ecobee app, there are three modes: Arm Abroad, which sends your movement and entry alerts from all devices; Arm Stay, which simply sends you lot alerts from door and window sensors; and Disarm. You can customize from which sensors you lot receive alerts — including the SmartCamera and SmartThermostat — and manually switch between the 3 modes, only there'southward no way to create a schedule for when the system changes modes.
Proceed in mind that Ecobee's system will but transport an alert to your phone; in that location are no plans to add professional monitoring, nor is there a button within Ecobee's app that can connect you to emergency services.
Ecobee SmartCamera: Video storage fees
Ecobee is offering two video storage plans: The Essential plan includes Dwelling monitoring + Autopilot video storage for one device for $five/month, while the Extended plan lets y'all store video from an unlimited number of devices for $10/calendar month. Both plans only store videos for 14 days. And, y'all don't get the Autopilot feature unless you subscribe, and so you have to manually turn your system on or off.
The Extended plan looks to be a good, just not cracking bargain. Most other abode security cameras offering at to the lowest degree 30 days of storage when you sign up for a subscription. However, none offer as low prices for as many cameras. For instance, the Arlo Premier Plan for up to five cameras costs $10 per month. And so if you want to create a mini surveillance state around your house, Ecobee's Extended plan could be the way to get.
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Ecobee SmartCamera: Smart home compatibility
Similar to Ecobee's current and by-generation smart thermostats, the Ecobee SmartCamera has Alexa built in, and then you can directly interact with Amazon'south vocalization banana. As with the thermostats, it's useful for extending Alexa into a room where you don't necessarily want a smart speaker, but information technology shouldn't be used equally a master entertainment device.
When you lot trigger Alexa, four bluish lights illuminate on the front of the SmartCamera. Alexa was as responsive every bit on other devices I've used, and supports features such as drop-in. During my testing, the SmartCamera did not back up music playback from Spotify and other streaming sources, only a representative said that characteristic would be available soon after launch.
Currently, the Ecobee Haven works with Alexa and HomeKit, and then y'all can arm and disarm the arrangement using your vox. Ecobee says that Google Assistant and SmartThings support is coming presently.
Ecobee SmartCamera: Verdict
If you're trying to create a smart dwelling security organization, having a abode security camera is a must, and Ecobee gets it mostly right here. The Ecobee SmartCamera records adept footage, its digital pan-and-zoom worked well, and information technology can distinguish betwixt people and pets. Its cloud-storage fees are reasonable, also.
However, its $179 cost is loftier for a home security camera. Our favorite home security camera, the Arlo Q, is $50 less, and while I like the SmartCamera's tracking tech, I'm non convinced after my Ecobee SmartCamera review that having Alexa built in is worth the premium. And, while I like the integration with Ecobee's other products, I wish I didn't have to pay a subscription fee only to get the arrangement to turn on and off automatically.
Ecobee's commencement foray into home security cameras is largely a successful one. If you already have an Ecobee smart thermostat, adding the SmartCamera is a good manner to start edifice a dwelling house security system.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/ecobee-smartcamera
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