The Tapo C210 rotating camera from TP-Link for home surveillance creates remarkably clear recordings with a resolution of 3 MPx, thanks to which you will capture the smallest detail.
The manufacturer of network devices TP-Link has released Tapo C210 – updated in 2021 version of its rotating Wi-Fi camera for home and apartment monitoring. In fact, it is an improved version of the Tapo C200 webcam with one major change – the image captured by C210 has three times the resolution of 3 megapixelsmaking your recordings even clearer. In the case of monitoring, it is extremely important because we are able to capture more details and thus it is easier to recognize the uninvited guest.
When it comes to the construction and appearance, the new version of the webcam does not differ from its predecessor. You can even risk that the housing is exactly the same – the differences, however, lie inside the device. The same ball, rotating 360 degrees, is placed on the discreet base wide-angle lens, recording the image at a resolution of 3 MPx. The lens can also be tilted horizontally up to 114 degrees.
Along with the increase in the quality of the recorded image (and thus the size of the saved files), the manufacturer of Tapo C210 made sure that the device had an input for a large external memory – now the camera supports microSD cards up to 256 GB – which is twice as much as the previous model. The socket (as well as the reset button) is located in the same place, below the lens – in the application you need to point the lens up to get to it. However, the card must be purchased separately as it is not included in the set. Thanks to the recording of recordings on an external medium, and not on cloud servers, the camera is less vulnerable to hacking attacks.
The loudspeaker, sufficient power for such a small webcam, is located at the rear of the device. Microphones are also pretty good at picking up sound from the surroundings. Finally, remote access to the camera is possible thanks to the TP-Link Tapo mobile application, available for download in the App Store and Google Play. Kame® can also be operated by voice with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Network communication with the camera takes place via Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, i.e. in the lower band with a frequency of 2.4 GHz, but with a greater range.
The most important features of the Tapo C210 webcam
3 Mpx
Full HD high definition video 3 megapixeland
256 GB
support for microSD cards with a capacity up to 256 GB – 512 hours of recording – about 21 days (the card is not included)
voice chat
2-way audio transmission – the built-in microphone and loudspeaker enable effective communication with others
dark mode
night mode with infrared recording of 850 nm Supports an automatic low-light switching color filter, detecting movement up to 9 m
How to use a Wi-Fi camera to monitor a house or apartment?
The most important thing is the place where we put the webcam – it’s best to hide it among other objects, instead of displaying it in a visible place. You can also attach it to a wall, furniture or ceiling thanks to the special holes in the base of the C210 camera.
Included is a power supply with a fairly long cable that should be enough to reach a power outlet. You can always use an extension cord.
After inserting the microSD card into the webcam and connecting it to the power supply, let’s give it a moment to calibrate itself. We will configure everything very quickly through an intuitive application TP-Link Tapowhose interface has been very well translated into Polish, unlike other applications of this type from Chinese producers, where we can come across nice “flowers” directly from the automatic translator. In the application, simply select the device model from the list, and then follow the on-screen instructions. The app tells you step by step, so no one should have a problem with the correct connection of the webcam.
The application itself works without any problems and fulfills its function, so the manufacturer has made sure that the use of the webcam and other smart home accessories is a pleasure for the user – as evidenced by frequent updates, on average once a month.
In the Tapo application, we will preview the image from the camera in real time, update the camera firmware wirelessly, communicate remotely with the household members, set the C210 motion detection function and notification method, as well as whether to take pictures of the image and record streaming video. In addition, it has many advanced settings:
- Recording schedule – the camera automatically records an image based on a designated schedule, regardless of whether it detects movement during this time.
- Recording box – thanks to the calendar, you can select a specific date and view automatically saved recordings
- Fixed camera angle – ability to save default camera positions. After clicking on the camera position saved in the application, the Tapo C200 will immediately adjust to the selected angle.
- View from several cameras at the same time – you can play the view from 4 different devices on one screen or select the view from one camera (the app supports up to 32 cameras) for a more detailed view.
- Private mode – after turning on the private mode, the lenses are covered and it is not possible to record or preview the image from the camera
- Settings way of informing about motion detection and remote control of the camera and its parameters.
You can download the free Tapo mobile application on a device with iOS (iPhone) and Android systems:
Image quality and notification system
The quality of the recorded image and the notification system are the two most important parameters that should work for a home monitoring device. As Tapo C210 is mainly used for domestic applications, we want to make it easy to identify the uninvited guest both during the day and at night. Therefore, the Full HD 3 Mpx resolution of the recorded video guarantees that the image will be clean and clear – and it really is. Recordings are saved at a resolution of 2304 × 1296 pixels with a slightly low frame rate (15 fps), but sufficient for this type of application.
Also the 850 nm IR diode handles recording at night quite well – up to 9 meters according to the manufacturer’s assurances. The grayscale scale is very high and should be sufficient to spot nocturnal looters. In addition, the options in the application allow you to adjust the sensitivity and reaction of the camera to motion.
When the camera detects motion, it immediately sends a notification to the mobile device paired with it – the condition is, of course, working internet at home and on the phone. If a burglar is detected, you can immediately scare him off by activating the alarm in the camera or be scared by voice over the built-in loudspeaker.
The camera can also be used as an intercom, because it has a loudspeaker and a microphone enabling two-way communication between the person in front of the camera and the person with the configured device in the Tapo mobile application. The other person also sees the image from the camera. You can use the camera to communicate with your pet or, for example, with a courier, if you are away from home.
Technical specification Tapo C210
| dimensions | 86.6 x 85 x 117.7 mm (3.4 x 3.3 x 4.6 inches) |
| buttons | reset – located below the lens |
| diodes | LED system (can be turned off) |
| image converter | 1 / 2.8 ″ |
| resolution | 3 MPx (2304 x 1296) Full HD |
| lenses | F / NO: 2.4 focal length: 3.83 mm |
| range of visibility | 360 ° horizontally, 114 ° vertically |
| day video recordings | H.264 video compression, 15 fps, 3 Mpx |
| recording at night | 850 nm IR LED (up to 9 meters) |
| audio | two-way audio transmission, built-in microphone and speaker |
| certificate of compliance | CE, NCC |
| system requirements | iOS 9+, Android 4.4+ |
| network | 802.11b / g / n (up to 150 Mb / s), 2.4 GHz, 128-bit AES encryption with SSL / TLS |
| another | motion sensor, push notifications, compatible with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa |
Summary
Tapo C210 rotating webcam combines is a great combination of quality and low price. Thanks to the increased quality of the recordings she records, it will be perfect for everyday monitoring of the house in our absence or for communicating with household members or animals (e.g. a dog) and for watching children while playing in the other room.
In addition to supporting high definition, the features of automatic motion detection and night recording deserve special attention. The gray scale of the recordings obtained is very high, so there is no problem with recognizing objects or people.
To our full happiness, we do not lack a reliable notification and alarm system, which activates immediately in justified cases and lets us know through the application installed on the smartphone.
ADVANTAGES ☺
- low price (about 159 PLN)
- notification system
- very high image quality during the day and high gray scale at night
- two-way audio communication
- recordings on a microSD card up to 256 GB
- operation using the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
DISADVANTAGES ☹
- no support for Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz standard
- no internal memory or SD card attached
- no possibility to write to network drives (e.g. in the cloud)
OUR EVALUATION
9 ★
on a 10-point scale (9/10)
If you have additional questions regarding the use of this webcam, write to me or ask a question in the comment.
Where and for how much to buy Tapo C210?
Tapo C210
from159PLN .00
as of July 5, 2021
source: own study | affiliate article
