Monitoring your home when you are away is something that can end up being very costly. If you have small children or a pet, you may want to monitor them while you are gone and there is a home security camera called the Home8 Twist HD Camera that you should check out.
The Home8 Twist HD Camera that I was sent to review came in pre-release packaging, which I didn’t mind. Basically a cardboard setup with a nice orange sleeve that showcased the two HD camera that I received (retail $299.99). They’ve included a quick start guide to get you started, and if you follow the directions detail-by-detail, the setup will be seamless.
Here are some specs of the Twist HD camera:
• Wi-Fi and Security : IEEE 802.11 b/g/n with WAP/WPA2 PSK • Video Quality : 1280×720
• Video Format : H.264
• Frame Rate : Up to 30fps
• Pan: +150° ~ -150° (Power-driven)
• Tilt: +40° ~ -40° (manual)
• Built-in Microphone : Sensitivity -22dB +/- 3dB
• Local Storage : Micro SD Card (up to 64GB)
• Power Adapter : Input AC 100-240V, output: DC 5V, 1A • Operating Environment : Indoor
• Wi-Fi Range : 300 feet (90m) line of sight
• Operating Temperature : 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)
Also in the box, you’ll get the two cameras, along with its companion three-foot long cable wrapped in a pink plastic. Sitting by itself is the security hub that connects to a power cable and your Wi-Fi router. Setting up the Twist HD is about as simple as you can get, needing to only connect to your Wi-Fi router (I use Verizon FiOS which is pretty reliable). With the companion Home8 app in the App Store, you can have everything set up in about 15-20 minutes.
It’s certainly worth mentioning that the Twist HD camera run solely off of the power cable, which means they have to be plugged in at all times. The three-foot included cable isn’t great, especially if you plan on mounting the TwistHD, but if you have a bookshelf, the nightstand you should be fine.
In terms of the actual camera itself, it’s a work of art. One thing that the Home8 Twist HD camera has that many do not is its night vision. Being able to get a live-view of your surrounding area regardless of how dark the room might be. When you initially start up the app, though, there is a noticeable five second delay between seeing what was there the last time you opened the app, and the live feed.
Having a puppy that sits in his crate throughout the day at work, the app helped in a MAJOR way two weeks ago when I somehow forgot to lock the crate and went on to work. Since Home8’s app is so fluid with notifications, you will actually get alerts if motion is detected throughout your home. So I noticed that I receive seven notifications back-to-back, so I opened the app to find my dog sitting on the couch, looking out of the window. Now with most cameras, you would only see a straight view of what’s in front of the camera, but the Twist HD actually rotates 180 degrees, which is perfect if you are at home and need the ability to see at home from your office, out of town, or even just in the next bedroom. There’s one caveat in regards to this though as the TwistHD when turning the camera through the app’s in app, in view controls, each click doesn’t automatically register, so you have to be patient.
So outside of just camera features, how do you keep your home secure? The Twist HD actually features two-way audio to not only notify someone in the house that you are monitoring them from a panoramic view, but you actually have an internal siren that is there to scare off unwanted guest. While it won’t call the police for you, you can make sure to report the evidence due to the Twist HD having 24/7 monitoring and local storage courtesy of a micro SD card, as well as cloud storage.
Compared to other cameras in the home security market, the Home8 Twist HD camera is simply marvelous. Being able to easily see my home 180-degrees at a time means that not only will I be able to see a clear view day or night, but I no longer have to mount it in a corner in order to get a view of a certain area. I can’t think of another home camera on the market that does this. One thing that I do look forward to is possible integration with Apples HomeKit.
The fact that you get all of this, WITHOUT having to pay a subscription is excellent. With integration to IFTTT, you can create scenarios with other third party accessories which is a feature I’ve yet to use but I fully intend on going forward. Overall the Twist HD Camera is not only a handy device that I intend on holding onto for a while.
Interested in the Home8? You should head over to Home8’s site today.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Night mode is excellent; 180-degree view is amazing
What Needs Improvement: Nothing
