Dlink DCS 8630 Review : Spotlight on the Latest Outdoor Camera

Lights, Camera Action!

The new Dlink 8630 has arrived in style. With a spotlight attached to this 1080P 30fps outdoor camera, it is clearly made to shine.

Outdoor cameras are great for those with the need to monitor areas that are exposed to the elements. You can use it for patio, car porches, swimming pools yard and even front gate. Having a camera on the exterior of the house also acts as a deterrent for potential theft. Most of them would probably think twice about intruding when they see a camera monitoring the house.

Features

This 'smart' camera comes with a host of features for an outdoor camera. It is no longer just a monitoring device, but a sentinel looking out for you.

See the Night in Colour

The main difference this camera has over a standard outdoor camera is the spotlight feature. With a wide 150 degrees view at 1080P at 30fps. This camera would provide clear images in the day. 

Use it at night with the IR LED or activate the spotlight with 400 Lumen White Light LED that can be triggered by the live view or triggered by PIR/Motion Detected for colourful night surveillance. The triggering by live view is useful for those who want a spotlight for outdoors when they are not around, while the motion detected feature provided an additional warning to possible intruders.

Secure your home

The security features of this camera are top-notch. Other than the colour night vision, tt features a Glass Break Detection that triggers reaching when the sound of breaking glass is detected ( Great for those with glass sliding doors). It also comes with an ear-piercing 100db Siren, 2-way audio.

Smart Edge Based Person Detection

An outdoor camera is prone to a false alarm. Edge-based Person detection address that by processing information in real-time and can discern between human and non-human movement. You would not get an unwarranted alert from swaying plants or flying bugs.

Extreme Weather Endurance

Rated IP65, this waterproof unit is built to withstand harsh winters to -25° to blazing heat at 45°. Perfect for Singapore's Hot and Wet climate. 

Cloud Recording and Rich notification

Your footage can be saved in the micro SD card slot activate or alternatively you can subscribe to Cloud Recording. Cloud recording is free for 3 cameras and footage will be stored for the day. If you require more cameras and longer storage, you could upgrade to basic, premium or pro versions. There is a monthly fee for the upgrades.

With Cloud Recording, you could playback the footage or download it to your mobile device from anywhere, anytime. There is also push notification that allows you to call up to 2 designated contact numbers and a live view button.

Smart Camera

The DCS 8630 works with Google Assistance and Amazon Alexa. If you have these systems in your home, you could link that and use voice command to stream live video from the camera to Amazon fire TV, Echo Show, Echo Spot or Google Chromecast

Usage

Setting up the DCS8630 is a breeze. The MyDlink app will autodetect the camera and you just follow the instructions for set up. The camera will be up and running in less than 3 minutes.

The 1080p provides superly clear videos and photos. The additional spotlight is great for if you need a security light or to see the night in colour when there are movement detections. The only gripe is that you could not turn the spotlight function off during detection. Additionally, the light would also be lit during the day should there be a detection. The spotlight is good for lighting areas of up to 5 meters.

1080P

Other functions like Colour Night Vision and Siren can also be activated remoted via the My Dlink app. This would be convenient for those who would want to scare off intruders.

Wall Mount

Unlike the DCS 8600, the wall mount is by way of screws instead of magnets. This has its pros and cons. While it would mean it would be more secured, it also meant that taking the microSD card might be a tad inconvenient depending on your camera placement. 

In terms of WiFi strength. we were surprised that the DCS 8630 was able to pick up signals that our other cameras could not. This allows us to place in areas we could not do so previously.

What's in the box?

The items in the box are as follows

• DCS 8630 camera with wall mount bracket and tools
• Power Adapter with combine wiring at about 7 meters
• One 3pin and One 2 Pin plug
• Warranty and Menu

Verdict

The DCS 8630 is a good addition to your home security system. For those with outdoor spaces, this would keep your home under surveillance for 24/7. With Dlink reputed cloud system, you need not worry about future upgrades as your camera system will be upgraded too.

The DCS 8630 is now available at selected stores.

Disclosure

TWD was provided a unit for review. All opinions are of our own.