English When you leave your home for long periods of time - perhaps going on holidays, visiting relatives or for business - do you ever worry about it being broken into?
Many people feel uncomfortable about leaving their homes - the thought of someone there is unsettling.
Over the last years you have probably heard more about the so-called “smart” devices that connects to the internet so you can check their status and control them using a mobile device. A fairly new products in this field are home-monitoring devices: video cameras that let you view your home remotely using a smartphone.
Home monitoring devices typically comprise of a camera on a stand that plugs into the mains. The stand is adjustable so you can dictate which direction it points in or more advanced device with PT function, which gives you ability to remotely control the camera in all directions.
In order to use a home monitoring device on your smartphone you need to download a compatible app. We’ve been using Dahua A22P1080P Wi-Fi PT Camera, which works with the Lechange app (formerly Easy4ip).
The camera generates its own wi-fi hotspot, which you select from your phone’s settings menu to initially pair the camera with the app and your router. Once set up is completed, every time you want to check the camera, fire up the app, tap the camera and you’ll see a live stream from your house.
You also have functions, for example, you can activate push notification when the camera detects motion.The app lets you take a snapshot or record a video clip which is stored on the cameras SD card. With this device you can set it to record automatically when it detects motion, and store the footage in the cloud. The usage of a cloud is charged extra, but the device works without it as well. If your phone is with you all the time, you can simply open the app and manually check the camera for activity if a motion trigger alert appears.
If you have a large house, you can set up multiple devices and even share access to the cameras with others so that they can check your house for you.
The thing we like best about home-monitoring devices is that you can check what is going on at your house at any time – day or night, as long as you have an internet connection, so you can quickly check if your teenager really is at home alone, or what your dog is up to. And as well as seeing them, you can also hear them and talk to them. Home monitoring cameras don’t need complicated installation. The Dahua A22P took about 10 minutes to get up and running, following instructions on the app.
Because home monitoring cameras are wi-fi-enabled, it means cables aren’t tailing all over the house – the camera just needs to be near a power point.
Home-monitoring devices are fantastic for keeping an eye on your house, they aren't burglar deterrents, but we’ve been using a camera to keep an eye on our house for a while and the peace of mind it’s given us has been fantastic. Everyone has experienced the filling when false burglar alarm goes off because of a pet, vacuum cleaner or other interference. With devices like this, you can easily check what is happening and react accordingly.
So if you are looking for a cheap, accessible way to keep an eye on your home when you are away, this solution is well worth considering.
