SimpliSafe has finally added an outdoor camera to one of our favorite build-it-yourself home security systems. The new Wireless Outdoor Security Camera, first leaked by Dave Zatz, features a magnetic mount and a rechargeable battery that powers its LED spotlight and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio for a period of three to six months, depending upon settings. SimpliSafe will sell an optional solar panel to keep the battery topped-up later this fall.
The IP65 ruggedized camera offers a 1080p resolution with HDR, 140-degree field of view, and color “night vision” at a distance up to 10 feet thanks to that LED spotlight. Otherwise, there’s infrared night vision at a distance up to 30 feet. The camera is designed to integrate back into a SimpliSafe security system with the touch of a button, and therefore requires a $114.99 Base Station (sold separately). When the SimpliSafe system detects an incident, the camera can be set up to automatically start recording and blast an alert through its integrated 80dB siren (the speaker also supports two-way talk). The camera can be configured with custom motion zones, and knows the difference between people, cars, and pets so that it can only record potential human threats detected in a zone of interest. This helps to minimize false alerts and maximize battery life.
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By default, recorded videos are only visible to SimpliSafe owners. But users can explicitly opt-in to the company’s subscription-based monitoring service to make alarm-based recordings visible to the company’s dispatchers for up to an hour after an alarm event.
The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera is available now for $169.99. Extra batteries cost $29.99, otherwise there’s a 25-foot IP65-rated power cable for $49.99. The solar panel will cost $79.99 when it begins shipping this fall alongside a $34.99 permanent mount.