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Piper Camera Review

Yaro

April 12, 2016

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Want to keep an eye on your home, no matter where you are? Security cameras can do the job for you! Best wireless home security camera, like the Piper Security System, can be easily installed; stream directly on your tablet, smartphone or computer; detect sound and motion; CARRY night vision ability; and many innovative features that are sure to add an advanced level of security to your home. This Piper NV Review will provide you with detailed information about the various aspects of Piper Smart Home Security System with Night Vision and 180-degree Video Camera. Before starting the discussion, let us first try to understand the different benefits of using a security system and why are they necessary for every home.

Benefits of Security Cameras

With the number of thefts and robberies increasing, it is imperative for home and business owners to ensure that their property is well-protected. Fortunately, modern security cameras make this job easy and simple. Let us have a look at some benefits of installing a security system.

• Preventing Theft- The primary reason for installing a security camera is to deter criminals, robbers and other unscrupulous elements from indulging in any illegal activities. These cameras can be installed in homes, offices, malls, shops, and other private and public areas for the purpose mentioned above. They monitor the premises and alert the owners or security team about these thefts in real-time.
• Security Savings- While security cameras have been around since long, they are usually considered expensive by home and business owners. While this was valid in the past, modern cameras, like the Piper Security Cameras are affordable and are miles ahead of their traditional counterparts. There are many different types of security cameras available on the market, and no matter what your budget and requirements are, you are certain to find a camera that will fit your needs.
• Insurance Benefits- The criminal activities recorded by security cameras can be used as evidence to make your case stronger while you file an insurance claim. Moreover, the majority of the insurance companies reduce the premium amount when your property is protected by security cameras. A high-quality security system can provide you with a discount of about 15% on your premiums.

Features of Piper NV Smart Home Security System

Design

The Piper Security Camera features a glossy plastic housing that is available in black or white. The front panel of the camera features the camera lens at the top and motion sensor below. You’ll also find a microphone at the lower end of the front panel for recording sound. The speaker of the camera is located at the top portion and enables you to use the security system as an intercom. The speaker can also emit a Piper alarm when the camera detects noise or motion.

At the rear, you will find the AC port on the camera and the battery panel which accommodates 3 x AA batteries for power backup. The camera comes with a wall mount and aluminum stand and features three small holes at the rear for installing the camera. A minor drawback is, you cannot tilt or rotate the camera once it is attached to the stand. However, the 180-degree rotating lenses of the camera makes up for this drawback. The mounting unit of the camera comes with a small screw and is easy to install. However, just like the stand, the mounting unit is also inflexible.

Installation

Installing the Piper Security System is a breeze. It comes with a simple quick-start guide which allows you to install the camera without any professional help. You need to install the Piper app available for Android and iOS smartphones. Once the application is installed, just press the power button of the camera after plugging it into an outlet and the LED positioned at the front will turn blue. Now, follow the instructions on the mobile screen to connect the security camera to a Wi-Fi network. That’s it! Your Piper Security Camera is ready to use.

Piper App

The Piper App is a free application which can be used in iOS v.7 or above and Android v.2.3 or above. The app is highly intuitive and allows you to control all the features of the camera through your smartphone. When you open the app, you’ll find five tabs- Live Video, Controls, Dashboard, Vitals and Rules, at the bottom of your mobile screen. You can tap on these buttons, to open their respective menu.

When you tap on the Live Video button, a full-screen live feed of the camera will start streaming on your mobile. There is also a small quad-view button on the live feed screen. When you press the button, it will break the fisheye picture of the camera into four quadrants which you can zoom and have a detailed look at different sections of the premises.

In the Controls panel, you can disable or enable the night vision feature of the camera, use the camera’s speaker as intercom, adjust the contrast of the feed and enable or disable Z-wave accessories. In the Rules panel, you can enable notifications and actions, like start video recording when the camera detects any noise, motion or temperature change.

The Dashboard is the home screen of the app. The upper part of the dashboard screen has a dial, which is divided into four sections, each one for the four different modes of the camera- Away, Stay, Vacation and Notification. You can tap any of these modes to activate that mode. When tapped, the activated part will turn red on the dial while others will remain gray.

On the right side of the dial, you’ll find Recordings, Events and Settings button. You can tap on any of these buttons to open their respective menu. In the Recordings menu, you will find the previously recorded videos. Events menu will display a list of various events, like detected movement, temperature change, etc. along with the time and date at which the event occurred. The settings menu is where you can configure the camera, remove or add Z-wave accessories, etc. The Events and Recordings can also be downloaded to your smartphone.

Home Control

One of the best features of Piper Security Camera is it allows you to control Z-Wave accessories through your phone. Z-Wave is a wireless technology that allows the accessories to communicate with one another through RF radio. There are many different types of Z-Wave accessories, like light bulbs, garage door openers, locks, thermostat and sensors.

This feature of the camera transforms it into a home security system rather than just a standard security camera. The Piper App will notify you if any of the sensors on your Z-Wave accessory is activated. Moreover, you can also control these accessories through this app, like for switching on the light bulbs, open garage doors, etc.

In Use

The Piper Security System features a 3.4MP camera that has a field view of 180 degrees. While the specifications suggest that the camera can record video in full HD, a lot of Piper Home Security Review suggests that it struggles to do so. There is a sliding scale in the Piper App for changing the quality of the video and it is set to 75% by default to minimize the choppiness that can occur because of high bandwidth consumption.

The reviews also suggest that when the video quality is increased to 1080p, and the camera is connected to Wi-Fi, the video is more detailed, but there is severe distortion and stuttering. The problem worsens when the camera is connected to mobile data.

On a brighter note, the Piper NV has a Night Vision feature which was not available in the original version of the camera. When activated, the Night Vision does an impressive job of amplifying the smallest amount of light available on the premises and allows you to see things clearly.

Overall, the quality of the video is not very impressive, but it is more than enough for a security camera. You can easily view people in the room, and what they are doing, however, you will not be able to make out tiniest of objects if they are not close to the camera.

Some Piper Security Review also suggests that the mobile app of the camera is not able to connect to the camera at times, especially when you open the app instantly after closing it.

Specifications

Camera 

• 3.4MP
• Field View of 180 degrees
• Tilt, Pan, Quad-View and Zoom
• Night Vision

Sensors 

• Light
• Temperature
• Motion
• Sound
• Humidity

Audio 

• Speaker
• Microphone
• 105-dB Piper Alarm

Power

• Wall Adapter (7.5W AC/DC)
• 3 x AA Battery Backup

Wireless

• Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
• Z-Wave Controller (Series 500)

Weight- 11.5 ounces

Dimension- 5.5 x 7 x 8.8 inches

Color- Black or White

Conclusion

While there are many other wireless security cameras available at a lower cost, this Piper Security Camera is an excellent choice for people looking for a security camera which also functions as a home-automation system. Moreover, its installation, Piper alarm, intuitive mobile app and compatibility with Z-Wave accessories take it miles ahead of its competitors. Most of the Piper Review on the internet agrees that the security camera is extremely easy to use and functions flawlessly.

While there are some drawbacks in the camera, like unavailability of a Web app, inflexible camera, etc. the company has made up for these through other features of the camera. If you are ready to spend such an amount, the Piper NV Security System is one of the best available on the market.

Summary

Reviewer

Yaro

Review Date

2016-04-12

Reviewed Item

Piper Camera

Author Rating

5

Product Name

Piper Smart Camera