- IMOU has launched a home security camera with “unlimited” battery life
- Uses low-power image capture, with motion-activated video recording.
- You can also switch between Wi-Fi and 4G LTE to maintain connectivity.
IMOU, a company behind some of the best home security cameras we’ve tested here at TechRadar, just launched a new outdoor camera that’s completely wireless and offers “true, unlimited battery life” thanks to a solar panel, low-power always-on video recording, and a high-capacity battery.
The IMOU AOV PT 4G Solar Panel Camera System includes a 300-degree pan and 90-degree tilt camera, meaning you only need one to cover a large area. You can set custom privacy zones using the IMOU Life app. If you want complete privacy, a physical privacy mode tilts the camera lens down and disables recording.
The camera captures one frame every two seconds when idle and switches to full motion capture when motion is detected.
The “unlimited battery life” claim is based on its solar panel receiving two hours of direct sunlight, with 100 recording events triggered per day (50 during the day and 50 at night). Your actual results will depend on the intensity of sunlight and the number of triggers.
That’s where the in-camera AI with person detection comes into play, helping to avoid false alerts. As we’ve seen with other security cameras we’ve tested, false triggers are not only irritating, they can drastically reduce battery life. Companies like Reolink have shown how effective AI can be in preventing this, so I’m pleased to see it being applied more widely.
Wi-Fi and 4G switching
For areas with intermittent Wi-Fi coverage, IMOU’s new camera can switch to 4G LTE connectivity to maintain connectivity. It has a built-in SIM and comes with a free data trial so you can see if it’s useful where you plan to install it.
Your videos can be stored in the cloud (with a premium subscription) or locally on an SD card. In always-on video mode, without recording event triggers, you can store up to 690 days of footage on a 512MB card.
The IMOU AOV PT 4G Solar Panel Camera System is available now for £129.99 at Argos in the UK (around $170 / AU$260). I hope to test the new camera very soon to see how it compares to rivals such as Swann, Ring, Baseus and Blink, and give you a full review so you can choose the right camera for you.
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