Category: Spy Cameras

Most hidden cameras have to be placed in your chosen hiding place, and then retrieved after the incriminating recordings have been made. But what if you can live-view the hidden camera remotely, from anywhere on Earth?

Enter wireless hidden cameras, which connect to your home Wi-Fi. So all you need to do is use a smartphone app to connect to your hidden camera wirelessly and live-view or download recorded photos and clips. Without having to access the hidden camera physically. Now that’s the next level of hidden cameras!

We have rounded up the best wireless hidden cameras you can get today. They come in a variety of shapes and capabilities, so we have put together a quick buying guide below too.

The Best Wireless Hidden Camera Recommendations

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What to look for in a Wireless Hidden Camera

• Live stream to mobile – The main advantage of a wireless hidden camera over a standalone hidden camera is its ability to stream video in real time to a smartphone app.
• 1080p resolution – Full HD resolution is now pretty much the standard for wireless hidden cameras. 720p is not enough to give you a detailed enough video.
• Pre-record feature – When motion is detected, the camera should be able to record for a certain duration to an SD card. The best camera will have a pre-record feature so that you can see what happened a few seconds before motion was detected also
• Audio recording and recording trigger – Not all wireless hidden cameras record audio. Even rarer is the ability to detect sounds and start recording to the SD card.
• Battery backup – Battery power either as the main power source or as a backup is an essential feature of a hidden wireless camera. The higher the energy capacity (mAh) rating, the longer the battery will last before it needs a recharge.
• Charge battery and record at the same time – If you intend to hook up the hidden camera to AC power, as in the case of a deck clock it should charge the battery while it is recording.
• Infrared LEDs – Some IR LEDs have a wavelength that can be detected by human eyes. Some manufacturers use higher wavelength LEDs that do not visibly glow but those tend to have poor illumination. 850 nm is the most common – this is at the edge of what we can detect but also gives good illumination. So while the ‘no glow’ feature may sound like its undetectable, in perfect darkness you can actually make it out if you look for it.

Wireless Hidden Camera Alarm Clock with Wi-Fi

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Alarm clocks are the perfect hidden camera device. Its perfectly normal to have one on your bedside. This hidden camera disguised as an alarm clock is capable of real-time streaming without physical access to the device. The Wi-Fi feature and the mobile app are what makes this feature possible.

The image sensor is 1080p and will give you clear and sharp video. Motion detection is performed by the built-in software, there is no PIR/heat sensor. Audio is recorded by the built-in microphone.

While setting up the device, make sure you connect to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. This spy camera does not support the newer 5GHz frequency band that you increasingly see in homes and businesses.

Hidden cameras need a wide angle lens and this camera is no exception. It has a viewing angle of 90° giving decent scene coverage.

Night vision is available with the “no glow “InfraRed LEDs that cannot be easily detected by the naked eye. Pop in an SD card of up to 64GB, turn on loop recording and the camera will record non-stop for up to 4 hours. Or you can set it for motion detection recording to maximise battery life. When the 2000mAh battery runs out, recharge it and you are back in business.

The camera can record while the battery is being charged. In other words, you don’t have to worry about the battery running out. If the power does fail or if someone accidentally unplugs it, the battery will keep the clock and the camera running.

Set up the camera with the mobile app and you can get push notifications to your phone whenever motion is detected. Viewing the recorded clips and deleting them is achieved through the app too.

In case you are wondering, yes its a full-fledged alarm clock. One feature that would have been great is a PIR sensor for true and accurate motion detection. Another down-side is that only the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band is supported. There is no audio-triggered recording either.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p CMOS image sensor
• 90° Viewing Angle
• Night vision
• Microphone
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Live-view on mobile app
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• 2000 mAh rechargeable battery
• Can record and charge simultaneously
• 4 hours recording time
• SD card up to 64GB

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Alarm Clock Speaker with Wi-Fi

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Here’s another alarm clock which is also a hidden camera. This handsome cube is also a wirelesss Bluetooth 4.2 speaker with FM radio. The 5W speaker can do duty as your Bluetooth speaker but don’t expect super heavy bass from it.

The controls for the speaker and the clock are the touch-sensitive type and placed at the top.

The camera lens is well hidden and you won’t find it unless you know where to look. Some surprising features are support for 128GB SD cards which is really good. Wi-Fi is not required for the camera to record to the SD card.

When its dark, the spy camera will automatically switch to night vision using the “no glow” IR LEDs.

Of course it has all the standard features such as motion triggered recording, loop recording, and mobile app connectivity for real time streaming. The mobile app gets special mention as it is very easy to use, is very reliable and a treat to use.

Make sure you connect the camera to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, just like any other wireless hidden camera it doesn’t support the 5GHz band.

A unique addition to the camera is a USB port so that you can charge your mobile devices right at your bedside.

Now the biggest downside of this camera – the camera is mains powered and does not have a battery. However, there is a small backup battery inside so that the clock keeps time if power fails.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p CMOS image sensor
• Night vision with 30 feet range
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Schedule, Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• SD card up to 128 GB
• Live-view on mobile app
• Bluetooth speaker
• USB port for charging mobiles
• 3 dimmer levels for LCD Display

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: No
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Clothes Hook with Wi-Fi

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Want something a bit more discreet? Here’s something that nobody will ever suspect of being a hidden camera. This clothes hook hidden camera even sports 1080p,night vision and can take a microSD card of up to 128GB capacity.

The camera supports only 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n, so do remember to choose the right network when you first set it up.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• Product Dimension: 4.9*2.7*0.3 inch
• Full HD 1920×1080/JPEG
• Video Resolution: 1080P, 720P, 640P, 480P (adjustable)
• Video Format: ASF
• Frame Rate: 25 fps
• Wifi: 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n
• Available capacity: Micro SD up to 128GB
• USB Output: 5V/500mA
• Working voltage: AC 100V-240V

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Wall Clock with Wi-Fi

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A wall clock is an excellent object to place a hidden camera in. Better still, here’s a wall clock that comes with a hidden camera already installed in it.

What’s more you can position it to get an excellent view of the whole room without any issues, hey after all what better place to be a hidden camera than the fly on the wall approach. The 1080p sensor gives clear visuals and you can also adjust the resolution downwards to double the storage recording time.

The clock of course functions like a regular clock and nobody will suspect it has a lens hidden in the dial face. It can do either loop recording, automatically overwriting old footage or do motion detection recording.

The rechargeable battery has 220mAh capacity and can shoot video for 3-5 hours continuously. Motion detection range is 6 metres.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p CMOS image sensor
• 90° Viewing Angle
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Live-view on mobile app
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• 2200 mAh rechargeable battery
• Up to 5 hours recording time
• SD card up to 128GB

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Smoke Detector with Wi-Fi (AC Powered)

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A smoke detector has the advantage of a unique vantage point. It’s also something that nobody is going to suspect contains a security camera! Plus you have the advantage of wiring it to AC power.

This smoke detector hidden camera has Wi-Fi support and a smartphone app. Using the app you can live-view in real time, receive push notifications of motion alerts, and access recorded clips.

You can add up to a 64GB SD card for storage of recorded clips. If the power fails, the built-in battery can power the camera for up to 3 hours.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p CMOS image sensor
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Live-view on mobile app
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• AC power, Built-in rechargeable battery
• Up to 3 hours recording time
• SD card up to 64GB

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Keychain with Wi-Fi

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Want something a bit more portable? Something a bit more discreet? This humble keychain is a powerhouse of a hidden camera. With 1080p resolution, a 128GB SD card capacity and live-stream to mobile apps, these guys have thought of everything.

The camera can also live-stream or record to the SD card when it is plugged in for charging. So you won’t miss a minute of the action.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p 1/3″ progressive CMOS sensor
• Sensor sensitivity 3.3 Lux @ F 2.0
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Angle of View 66°
• Live-view on mobile app
• Motion detection or schedule recording
• AC power, Built-in rechargeable battery
• Continuous Record Time 70 Wi-Fi On,90 minutes Wi-Fi Off
• microSD card up to 128GB
• Vibration Alert Power on/off and Recording
• File Format MP4 and JPEG
• Power Input DC 5V
• 3.7V/550 mA battery

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Wall Charger with Wi-Fi

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A very innocuous looking wall charger could be hiding a lot more you may think. This hidden wireless camera packs quite a punch with 1080p Full HD resolution, real-time viewing through a mobile app, motion detection alerts, and video loop recording.

Oh, it will also charge your smartphone just like a regular wall charger.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p CMOS image sensor
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Live-view on mobile app
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• AC power, Built-in rechargeable battery
• SD card up to 64GB

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: No
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Photo Frame with Wi-Fi

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A photo frame has the advantage of being unobtrusively placed in virtually any room. Its also the perfect angle to capture the entire scene and you can also orient the frame without drawing suspicion.

This photo frame has a hidden wireless camera on the top bezel of the frame. Note that it is designed to hang on a wall or angled on a desk with a 15° downward tilt angle for the lens.

You can connect to the camera over Wi-Fi from a smartphone and live-view the camera video stream. You can also browse motion-tiggered recorded clips and download them.

The 720p sensor has a lens has a viewing angle of 65° giving acceptable scene coverage. Infrared night vision of the “no glow” variety is provided, it has 20 feet range to your phone gallery.

A standout feature on this spy camera is the PIR motion sensor which detects heat for motion detection. This is more accurate than software based motion detection and will reduce the number o false alerts you receive.

When motion is detected, the camera will send an alert to your smartphone and record a short 10-60 seconds clip of the event to the microSD Card.

Another stunner is the massive 10,000 mAh battery that can last for up to a year with motion detection recording.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 1MP 720p CMOS image sensor
• Viewing angle of 65°
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Live-view on mobile app
• PIR heat detection sensor
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• Built-in 10,000mAh rechargeable battery
• Up to 30 hours daytime / 10 hours night time continuous recording
• microSD card up to 128GB

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Wireless Hidden Camera Camera Bank with Wi-Fi

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Stuffing a wireless spy camera inside a power bank is ingenious. Huge amount of power available? Check. Can be left lying around randomly? Check. Enough power to run night vision? Check. Very long operation time? Yes!

That’s why this spy camera can record 1080p video for over 7 hours. It can also stream this video in real-time to your smartphone.

A very unique feature is the view and control option from a computer.

It’s also a fully functioning power bank and can charge up to 4 devices at the same time over the two full-size and two mini-USB ports

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p CMOS image sensor
• Viewing angle of 120°
• Fully functioning power back with 4 USB charging ports
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Night-vision, 15 feet range
• Live-view on mobile app
• View and control option from a computer
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• 5,000mAh rechargeable battery
• Can record while charging
• SD card up to 64GB

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No
• Smartphone app: HDMiniCam or P2PLiveCam

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Wireless Hidden Camera LED Light Bulb with Wi-Fi

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Another brilliant application of a hidden wireless camera is the humble light bulb. Of course it has to be LED, and this particular camera does a great job at that also. This is the highest resolution camera we have seen yet and is justified by the panoramic 360° viewing angle.

There’s a lot of features you would expect at this price range and its all there – night vision, 2-way audio, built-in mic and speaker, and microSD card support up to 128GB.

There is no battery backup though.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 3MP 1536p CMOS image sensor
• Panoramic viewing angle of 360°
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• Night vision IR LED with IR-cut filter
• 34 White LEDs, 1W power consumption
• Standard E27 bulb base
• Push notifications and camera control through 360eye app
• 2-way audio, built-in speaker
• Dual-microphones with noise reduction
• Live-view and light control on mobile app
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• AC power
• SD card up to 128GB
• 2-3 years service life
• Operating Temperature: 0-60 ℃

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: No
• Smart home compatibility: No
• Smartphone App: 360eye

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Wireless Hidden Camera Desktop Speakers with Wi-Fi

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This is the only good hidden wireless spy camera we found that supports the ONVIF protocol. So you can connect this camera to your existing ONVIF-compliant NVR or to a PC using software like Blur Iris.

There is 16GB internal memory but no SD card slot. The speakers are functional and you can connect to it using Bluetooth.

The LED lamp can be switched off in the smartphone app if you don’t like it.

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”clear”][wpsm_column size=”one-half”]Features:

• 2MP 1080p 1/2.8″ CMOS image sensor
• Viewing angle of 80°
• Functional Bluetooth speaker
• WiFi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz)
• 0.01Lux low light sensitivity
• Sensor is 940nm InfraRed sensitive
• ONVIF compliant
• 16GB internal memory
• Works with iSpyConnect, AnyCam, Blue Iris
• Works with Synology/QNAP Surveillance Station
• Live-view on mobile app
• Motion detection or continuous loop recording
• AC power

[/wpsm_column][wpsm_column size=”one-half” position=”last”]Verdict:

• Local storage available: Yes
• Cloud reliant: No
• Battery backup: Yes
• Smart home compatibility: No

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Conclusion

Hidden cameras with the Wi-Fi feature let you view what the camera sees in real-time, without physically accessing the device. This is a game-changer when it comes to hidden cameras.

How have you used a wireless hidden camera to keep your family or home safe? Tell us in the comments below!

Picking a hidden camera is not easy, is it? There are a ton of brands and models to choose from and no easy way to tell them apart. So we created a quick and easy guide to help you choose the best hidden camera for your needs in 2024!

Please note that our hidden camera recommendations below are only for the purpose of complementing your existing CCTV camera setup, and not for illegal or unethical purposes.

While visible CCTV cameras are a great deterrent for the outside of your home, you may want discreet hidden cameras inside your home to capture the identities of burglars should the worst happen. Strategically placing hidden cameras outside your home to cover the visible security cameras is also a great idea in case burglars attack the more prominent cameras first.

A quick note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

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Best Hidden Wireless Cameras with PIR Motion Detection and Night Vision

These cameras are great multi-purpose hidden cameras and can also be used as nanny spy cameras or in nursing homes.

Wi-Fi Hidden Camera Clock

The hidden camera market is filled with hundreds of products from dubious sounding Chinese manufacturers. So its useful to look for something that has been sold for quite some time and has lots of good reviews.

This is one such device – a 1080p digital video camera hidden inside a functional desk clock. It tells the time in a blue font and does a very good job of looking like an ordinary desk clock. Very close inspection can reveal the lens located to the right of the display, but only if you know where to look.

This hidden camera has a ton of features. Load it up with a microSD card and it can record video clips onto it. If the card gets full, it will over-write the oldest clips. Clips can either be recorded 24/7 (loop recording) or whenever the camera detects motion. There is a PIR sensor, so motion detection is accurate and you won’t get lots of useless clips recorded where nothing’s happening.

Night vision is standard with the built-in Infrared LEDs. Since this spy camera has Wi-Fi, you can connect to this camera anytime from anywhere and live-stream or access recorded clips. The mobile app is called HD Live Cam app. You can also add multiple cameras to the app and view them simultaneously like with an NVR! Pretty neat. The app can also send push notifications in real-time using P2P.

Power is provided through a standard 5V USB port, but there is a generously sized 3000 mAh battery that can provide backup power for up to 8 hours. But I suggest keeping it plugged in as much as possible.

What are the down-sides of this camera? There is no RTSP or ONVIF support, so you wont be able to connect it to an NVR, Blue Iris, Synology or QNAP NAS Surveillance Station.

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4K Wi-Fi Mini Spy Camera

This is a very small 4K digital video camera that makes no effort to hide its true nature. The camera is a cube type with a prominent lens on one side. This is a camera that you will need to well and truly hide!

But what you get in return is a stupendous 160° wide-angle lens and 16 feet of true night vision range.

There’s no wireless connection on offer here, so the only way you can record and view clips is using an SD card. It is designed for quick deployment as evidence by the two dedicated buttons for activation loop recording or motion detection.

This impressive camera packs in not just Infrared LEDs for night vision, but also a PIR sensor for true heat-based motion detection.

Power is as usual provided through a standard 5V USB port, but there is also a large 3000 mAh battery on board giving 18 hours of operation time.

Since there is no wireless connection or Ethernet port on this camera, there is no mobile app, RTSP, or ONVIF support here. This camera is purpose-built for hiding inside an object and then being left alone to do its thing.

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Best Tiny Hidden Camera

This hidden camera is the tiniest one we have found so far. The compact size doesn’t mean the camera compromises on quality as it sports a 1080p sensor and Wi-Fi! You also get motion detection or continuous recording that overwrites older clips when the microSD card gets full (loop recording).

Using the optional Wi-Fi connection, you can remote view this camera from anywhere in the world!

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Best Hidden Cameras with Wi-Fi Hotspot

If you want to avoid physically accessing your hidden camera once it has been installed and there is no Wi-Fi available at the installation point, get this camera with Wi-Fi hotspot function.

You can use the camera in three ways:

• Connect to the camera’s built-in hotspot to view recorded clips
• Connect the camera to your Wi-Fi router (if available)
• Record clips to an SD card

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Best Hidden Cameras with Bluetooth

Best Hidden Camera with Bluetooth Speaker, Clock and FM Radio

Its not easy to find a multi-purpose hidden camera that can also do double duty as your FM radio. This 3 inch cube is a mini marvel packing in an invisible camera, night vision, a Bluetooth speaker, digital clock and FM radio. It supports loop recording and motion detection. The camera is AC powered but includes a rechargeable battery for when the power goes down. You can disable the digital clock.

Want a Bluetooth speaker with a hidden camera? Throw in a digital alarm clock & FM radio too! It even has Wi-Fi support and a mobile app for live remote viewing. Great idea and great execution in this product which has a virtually invisible camera hidden inside a fully functioning Bluetooth speaker.

[easyazon_link identifier=”B083SQSDVQ” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

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Best Hidden Cameras with Long-life battery

Camera hidden as a Picture Frame

The camera in this picture frame is designed for remaining hidden for extended periods of time thanks to its massive 10,000 mAh battery and low power requirements. This camera has a 1 year standby period when fully charged and in PIR motion detection mode!

Unusually this camera has Wi-Fi capability and a mobile app. So whenever motion is detected, it immediately sends a push notification to the mobile app. You can then view a live-stream of what the camera sees, from anywhere in the world.

The camera also has infrared LEDs and true night vision with a range of 5-8 metres.

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07ZH6TSJG” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

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Best Outdoor Hidden Security Cameras

Reolink Argus 3 Pro

We reviewed the original Argus outdoor camera and really liked its design, features and impressive performance. The successor Argus 2 swapped out the CR123A batteries for a rechargeable Samsung battery back with a humongous 5200 mAh capacity. Now the Argus 3 is here with an even bigger 6000 mAh battery, colour night vision with built-in white LED, and smart detection of persons and vehicles.

The camera has a very good 122 degree field of view and a 1/3″ CMOS sensor. These specs set the Argus 3 Pro on a different level compared to most other portable cameras on the market. PIR based motion detection is very good even at night-time, but you also have person and vehicle motion detection available. 2-way audio is supported with the built-in speaker and microphone. Of course, this is a outdoor camera and so is IP65 rated.

Setting up the camera is a doddle and Wi-Fi support means that you can live-stream as well as access recorded clips remotely through the mobile app.

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Best 4G LTE Battery-powered Cellular Hidden Camera

Reolink Go Plus

What if you need to install a hidden camera that has to be 100% self-sufficient and cannot be connected to Wi-Fi? That’s where the new Reolink Go Plus is the best choice. This battery powered waterproof camera has a 4G LTE radio that lets it work anywhere there is an LTE signal. It also supports 3G and WCDMA across Europe, America and Australia.

It shares most of its hardware features with the Reolink Argus 2, but has a beefier 7800 mAh battery to power its cellular radios. The battery should last 2 months or 500 minutes of live-view or PIR motion recording.

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What to look for in a hidden camera

Size of the camera

Perhaps the most important factor in choosing a hidden camera is its size. This depends on whether you want to hide the camera or leave it in plain sight because it is already disguised as an everyday object. The larger models tend to have more features.

Video resolution

You should look for 1080p or 2 Megapixel resolution but 720p may be acceptable if your target scene is not too far away from the camera.

SD Card recording

Virtually all hidden cameras have this feature. Just pop in a microSD card and the camera will record video and audio clips to it. Cameras usually let you choose between recording motion detection clips or continuous recording by overwriting old clips (called loop recording).

Motion-activated recording

This is a great feature which conserves both storage space on your SD card and battery life. PIR based motion detection is preferable because it leads to fewer false alerts/recordings than software based detection.

24/7 Recording

Also called loop recording, most hidden cameras can overwrite older clips when the SD card gets full. So the camera will never run out of storage space. The downside is you will have to access the camera frequently to copy off clips before they get overwritten.

Night vision

Infrared LEDs are used to provide true night vision. This is an essential feature that most hidden cameras have. What varies a lot is the range of the LEDs and how bright they get.

Audio support

Note that in some countries it is illegal to record audio without permission and so you may find cameras compliant with local law will not record audio. Make sure you do not break any local laws or regulations while using hidden cameras.

Battery life

Obviously, the larger the battery energy storage capacity expressed in mAh (milli Amp-hour), the longer it is going to last. Motion detection mode has lower power consumption than continuous recording. Disabling night vision will also lengthen battery life.

AC power support

However good the battery is, your hidden camera is not going to last forever. More so if you are placing it outside your home or in the garden where battery life will be negatively affected by low temperatures. That’s why its great if the camera can run on AC power and charge its battery while operating.

Wireless/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth

If you want to live-stream the camera video, you need to get a camera with Wi-Fi support. Bluetooth is usually used only for connecting a smartphone to a camera that has a bluetooth speaker, not to live stream or access recorded clips.

Live Streaming

This is a very useful feature whereby you can view the camera video feed in real time. While setting up the camera, its good to see what the camera is aimed at. If you want to remotely access the camera video feed, once again look for this feature.

Weather-proofing

If your camera is going to spend any time outside the home, make sure it is rated for weather and rain. IP65 is my preferred rating but anything better is great.

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Conclusion

There is a hidden camera for every situation under the sun. We hope this guide has been useful in selecting your hidden camera. Let us know what you think – what or who have you caught using your hidden cameras?

Conbrov is one of the more prolific hidden camera manufacturers out there. I reviewed the DV9 book camera last year and that was a very well designed camera that could be hidden in plain sight. The latest model that Conbrov has kindly provided for us to review is the minuscule [easyazon_link identifier=”B076V2KKGV” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]T33[/easyazon_link] 1080p HD portable video recorder, which on the contrary is definitely meant to be hidden but is portable thanks to its built-in battery.

You could use the T33 in a variety of ways: a portable video recorder, webcam, or a mini home security camera. Since it can be powered by AC power or the built-in battery, you have a lot of flexibility in where and how you can use it.

Please note that we do not endorse any illegal use of the equipment we write about. All testing carried out using this camera features the authors of this blog only. Make sure you follow all local and national laws in your jurisdiction while operating this camera.

Conbrov T33 un-boxing

The Conbrov T33 comes in a smartly branded box that lists its main features on the back.

What’s in the box

• T33 Hidden Spy Camera
• User manual
• Pin for resetting the camera
• Magnetic bracket
• 1 x USB cable
• 1 x USB Card reader
• VIP membership card
• Warranty card
• UNICEF donation card

Main Specifications

[table id=45 responsive=scroll /]

Design and Features

The Conbrov T33 is impressively small for the crazy amount of features it packs, measuring just 1.18 inches on each side. The two-tone cubic shell has a polished bronze front half and a plastic black half.

Hardware Features

The front of the camera houses the lens, the PIR sensor and the Infrared LED. But only the lens is visible making the camera very discreet.

The rear of the camera has the micro SD card slot, the USB port and the activity LED lights. The top of the camera has two buttons – one for starting and stopping motion recording and another button for starting and stopping manual recording. There is also a reset button on the side of the camera. The camera has audio recording but it was not evident where the microphone is located.

Software Features

The camera can operate in two modes – manual recording that you start and stop or motion detection recording triggered by the on-board PIR motion sensor. Clips can be recorded at 1080p, 720p or VGA resolution. It can also add a date and time watermark to recorded clips. The camera can record while being powered over the USB port – this is a great feature and makes it possible to leave the camera in position for long periods of time without worrying about the battery dying.

PIR-based motion detection is more reliable than software-based detection and so top marks to Conbrov here. However I was disappointed to find that there is no pre-record feature, even on AC power. This is the feature whereby the camera records the few seconds before the actual event takes place. Its possible only if the camera is continuously recording to its video buffer, and I can understand this is too energy intensive when in battery mode, but could have been a great feature when the camera is powered over USB.

Loop recording or automatic overwriting is available when the SD card gets full, see the storage capacity section below to get an idea of how long a 32GB card would last. 32GB is the largest SD card capacity the camera supports.

Even though this camera can work off AC power, it doesn’t support the RTSP protocol or the ONVIF standard. So integrating this into an existing CCTV system is not an option. Which is a shame because a tiny camera like this can be very discreet indeed!

Audio is also recorded on the video clips – you can disable this feature in the camera settings screen – see below.

Camera Setup

The manual is written in good English and is very detailed. There are clear illustrations showing the different parts of the T33 camera and a helpful summary of the setup instructions. Then there are further sections that describe the setup process in detail.

A very helpful table of various LED indicator statuses is also provided at the end of the user manual.

So as per the instructions in the T33 user manual, I followed the steps below to set up the spy camera:

1. 1. I used the provided USB cable to plug the camera into my laptop USB port and charge the battery. Charging took a few hours and the yellow LED stays lit during this process. When the yellow LED goes off, it means the battery is fully charged.

      

   2. When the camera was fully charged and the yellow LED went off, I inserted a [easyazon_link identifier=”B007JTKLEK” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]32GB Sandisk Class 10 microSD[/easyazon_link] card. When I first tried to insert the SD card the right way up as shown on the back of the camera, it didn’t go in. I had to insert it upside down – contacts side up. However the user manual correctly shows which way you need to insert the SD card in. Push it in all the way until you hear a click. On my review unit, the SD slot didn’t line up perfectly with the outside casing and so I had to angle the SD card a bit to get it in properly.
   3. The third step is to set the camera parameters or in other words adjust the settings. Connect the camera to your computer using the USB cable. Press and hold the manual recording button for 2 seconds to turn on the camera and put it into USB disk mode. A blue LED at the back of the T33 will flash continuously and the microSD card will then show up as a removable disk on your computer.
   4. Open the SD card and you will see a file called SetCamera.exe, open this file. Make the desired changes, click Save and then Exit. You will now see a new file created called CONFIG.INI which stores your settings.

      

      

That’s it – there are really no other software settings you can control. On the camera itself, the only thing you can do is choose the recording mode – manual or motion detection.

The next challenge is positioning the camera. As with most spy cameras, there is no Wi-Fi or live stream feature. So you can’t know whether you are getting everything you want in your scene until you record and then play back the video. But that’s just a one-time exercise.

Performance

You can power the camera either using a DC 5V power source and a USB cable, or by using the built-in 1000mAh battery. Its interesting that Conbrov doesn’t shout about two of the best features of this camera – that it can be powered externally and so you don’t need to worry about running out of juice. What’s the other one? The PIR sensor that it uses instead of the more commons software based motion detection method. The PIR range is easily 5 metres or 16 feet and the Infrared LED is also very powerful. It does have a flashlight effect though.

Video clips are recorded in 1 minute intervals, so stitching together longer recordings could become a bit of a chore.

Daytime video quality

Daytime video was of decent quality at the default 1080p resolution. Motion was smooth and did not have any artifacts, if anything it was slightly grainy. There seems to be a true IR-cut filter, so colour during the day time was accurate unlike the DV9 model we tested previously.

As there is no pre-record feature and motion detection is PIR-based, the camera starts recording only 1-2 seconds after I opened the door and entered the room.

[wpsm_video]https://youtu.be/OhvNQ_dLU7Y[/wpsm_video]

Night time video quality

Night-time video was soft and quite grainy. There is an ambient light sensor, so the Infrared LED switches on automatically in low light conditions. Again the first 1-2 seconds of the event are not available.

[wpsm_video]https://youtu.be/Ycup5r16JHo[/wpsm_video]

 Audio quality

Audio quality was acceptable and I found the microphone of the T33 to be quite sensitive.

Battery life

The battery takes 3-4 hours to recharge fully and the yellow charging indicator LED will go off when its done. The charging speed depends on how much amperage your charging source puts out. I used my Samsung mobile phone charger which is rated at 1.5 Amps. Conbrov says the 1,000 mAh battery should provide a standby time of up to 12 months in motion detection mode, but of course we couldn’t test that.

There is no battery meter so if you are relying on the battery, be aware that it is rated for 6 hours of daytime usage and 3 hours of night time usage.

Storage capacity

The high bitrate of the recorded clips limits the number of hours the camera can record. I found that it needs approximately 2.15 Megabytes per second of video and audio in night mode and around 2.4 Megabytes per second for daytime clips. So a microSD card with the maximum supported size of 32 GB can store up to 4.1 hours of night-time video or 3.7 hours of day-time video before the loop recording feature kicks in and starts over-writing older clips.

Where can I buy one?

[easyazon_link identifier=”B076V2KKGV” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Check Price on your local Amazon Site[/easyazon_link]

(* = affiliate link / image source: Amazon Associates Program)

Verdict

The Conbrov T33 is a very compact camera that combines great features and practicality to make it one of the best hidden mini spy cameras available right now.

[review]

Senior citizens are some of the most vulnerable people in today’s modern society. It is devastating when I see reports of their abuse in the news and on social media. However, it is even more unbearable and disturbing when it happens to a loved one who might be forced into a situation where they are neglected and mistreated by a staff with no conscience.

It seems to happen all too frequently that these workers are hired without going through the proper screening process that would keep them from interacting with our family and friends. However, there is technology available to help get the evidence needed to catch and put a stop to this type of abuse. This is why I am writing this article about the best spy camera for nursing home centers.

With the proper video evidence, the nursing home and company can be sued since they are legally responsible for the patient who is under their care. So, while one can never truly nullify the effects of mental and physical trauma, there can be some types of reimbursement available through the filing of a personal injury or medical malpractice lawsuit.

Best Hidden Cameras for Nursing Homes

These are my top picks for hidden spy cameras that can help you in a nursing home setting. Also see the full article below for many more alternatives.

A quick note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

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Choosing the right Hidden camera for Nursing Homes

Knowing how to prove abuse is essential, and so let us take a look at the best spy cameras which can help to covertly get that nursing home abuse caught on camera. I have included a mini-review of each of these as they are each a best hidden camera for care home evidence gathering.

It is estimated that 1 in 6 of the elderly population have experienced some type of abuse with the percent of what is actually reported to authorities being around a mere 7% of the actual occurrences. Protect your loved one by choosing a quality product with long battery life and audio capabilities.

Here are my picks for the best on the market right now.

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Hidden Camera Picture Frame

[easyazon_link identifier=”B0B678PFZ6″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This is a photo frame hidden spy camera which has a camera lens that is so covertly placed that it may never be found even if you are looking for it and know that it is there. It has a myriad of features to cover every nursing home need to help catch abuse. The resolution of the camera is 1920*1080P (Full HD) at 30fps.

The SD card is not included with the spy frame, but it needs one which is a class 10 micro SD card up to 128 GB capacity for recording all of that video footage. The built-in battery has a super capacity which is good for 4 hours usage.

The downsides are that this camera’s video cannot be viewed in real time on a mobile app. Also this camera does not record audio in compliance with federal law.

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Wi-Fi Alarm Clock Spy Camera

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07GLTW936″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This is a great spy camera which doubles as an alarm clock so that it is not recognizable as anything other than an appliance to tell the time. It has a host of great features such as motion detection, a remote control, and others listed below. Unusually it has a PIR motion sensor that is more reliable for motion triggered recording. Unfortunately it doesn’t have a microphone, but this is required for compliance with federal law.

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Spy Pen Camera

[easyazon_link identifier=”B0B9G2FTX1″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This is a spy pen with a hidden camera that makes for a perfect portable device that you can use to capture abuse and neglect of your loved ones wherever they are. It is very affordable and a solid investment towards ending mistreatment. Its not a Wi-Fi camera and so you don’t need a Wi-Fi connection to use it.

Not being tethered to a power point has a huge advantage – the user can dynamically position it to capture the best angle or view of an abusive situation without giving away the presence of the spy camera. It can also be clipped into a front pocket or lapel to record situations away from the user’s room.

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Wi-Fi USB Charger Hub Spy Camera

[easyazon_link identifier=”B06XGWYXZQ” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This is a great USB charger hub which holds the perfect hidden functionality that you need in order to gather evidence of nursing home abuse. You will be able to catch abuse on camera with motion detection and auto-loop recording to keep the latest and most relevant footage on hand.

Since it has Wi-Fi, you can use the mobile app to drop in virtually any time to check on your loved ones. Audio recording is not possible in compliance with federal law. There are no Infrared LEDs for night vision and there is no battery backup in case of mains power failure.

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Hidden Camera USB Charger

[easyazon_link identifier=”B09KYJDNG7″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This camera uses a novel packaging method to disguise it as a power adapter. Since it can draw power form the AC socket, you are no longer constrained by battery life. On the flipside, you cannot always control the location of the camera due to it being dependent on a power socket!

So if you don’t need Wi-Fi, this is a good choice. As this camera is mains powered, you can view a live-stream on your mobile phone at any time without worrying about its battery running out. But on the other hand this means the camera won’t work if there is a mains power failure. Note that there is no audio recording in line with federal law.

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Hidden Camera Smart Watch

[easyazon_link identifier=”B09XFB7MCY” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This is an excellent looking watch that you would probably wear even if it did not come with the discreet spy camera functionality. It is in a league of its own as one of the best discreet hidden camera for nursing home abuse prevention – especially when there are no ideal power points to plug in a powered spy camera.

This hidden camera is unique in that it looks just like a normal smart watch but holds the spy camera functionality necessary to monitor nursing home and care facility areas. This is a great entry-level hidden camera that can record up to 3 hours continuously.

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Classic Watch Spy Camera

[easyazon_link identifier=”B093C1Y1SC” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

Sometimes you need something that not just works well as a spy camera but also needs to match the person wearing it. For an older person in a nursing home, this spy camera classic watch is a natural fit and will not arouse any suspicion at all.

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Wi-Fi Wall Clock Hidden Camera

[easyazon_link identifier=”B07H23TVY7″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-spynurshom-20″]Check Price on Amazon[/easyazon_link]

This is an excellent hidden camera in the form of a bog-standard wall clock which can be easily hung on the wall of a room or living area in order to capture everything that goes on in the room. You can charge the battery while using the camera. In fact it is recommended to connect the clock full-time to a USB power adaptor, and then rely on the built-in large capacity battery as a backup in case mains power fails.

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Conclusion

So there you have it, these are my recommendations for the best hidden spy cameras for nursing homes and care homes in 2023. It is important that all instances of nursing home abuse be recorded and investigated in order to protect those who are the most vulnerable in our society. Any of the great spy cameras detailed on this list should be a perfect tool to help accomplish that goal. With one of these you will be able to have the peace of mind to know that all is alright with your loved one even when you are not available to be there for them. Leave your thoughts below!

There’s been an explosion of hidden cameras in recent years, with cameras now available in nearly every shape and form you can image. Everyday stuff such as clocks, desk alarms, computer speakers, power plugs, even kids toys have been discreetly turned into high-tech high resolution spy cameras.

Interestingly enough, there are not many hidden spy cameras in the form of a book. You would have thought that a book lying around is probably one of the easiest spy cameras to hide in plain sight and so manufacturers would be rushing to make tons of these. However, there are not many options around.

There are essentially two things a good hidden camera should be able to do – blend into the background and record video and audio/video reliably. So how does the [easyazon_link identifier=”B077D26PKL” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Conbrov DV9[/easyazon_link] spy camera book fare? Conbrov kindly provided a unit for us to test, and we put it through its paces. Note that the model we tested has an upgraded 1080p sensor vs. the 720p model currently available on Amazon.

I must warn you at this point that we do not endorse any illegal use of these cameras. All testing carried out using this camera features the authors of this blog. Make sure you follow all local and national laws in your jurisdiction while operating this camera.

[wpsm_stickypanel][contents h2][/wpsm_stickypanel]

Un-boxing

The DV9 comes in a high quality packaging that provides adequate protection to the contents. There is no branding on the box at all.

What’s in the box

1 x Book camera
1 x User manual
1 x Pin for resetting the camera
1 x Warning sticker
1 x USB cable
1 x USB Card reader

Main Specifications

[table id=36 responsive=scroll /]

Design and Features

The Conbrov DV9 is described as a book by the seller, and it does look like a vintage book as you can see below.

But inside it looks more like a file folder or a binder. I can see why they went for a binder style inside of a book – you need a place to hide the massive 10,000 mAh battery and all the electronics. The spline of the binder is the perfect location for this. If someone were to casually flip through the DV9, they wouldn’t notice the settings buttons unless they went past the last page.

A few pages are included in the binder but you may want to add more pages to make it more realistic.

Hardware Features

There is a reflective glass cover at the top of the book concealing the InfraRed LED. Its noticeable only if someone is looking closely at the book. In operation, the IR LED glows a dim red. It is noticeable if you are looking for it, but is not so bright that it catches the eye.

Just below the IR LED is the camera lens. Even though the seller describes the camera as a 720p model, the video files I obtained from the camera were of 1080p resolution – a pleasant surprise! The camera has a claimed angle of view of 75 degrees and I verified this in my testing.

Further down you will find a very small PIR sensor with a detection angle of 65 degrees and a max range of 25 feet.

On the inside of the spline, you will find the MicroSD slot, a reset button, a microUSB port, activity LEDs, an audio On-Off toggle switch, and the mode selection switch. The camera supports up to 32GB microSD cards. The provision of a USB port allows you to connect the camera directly to a computer to download videos. This is much easier than removing the SD card and putting it in a computer using the included USB card reader device.

Even if you plug in a USB power cable, the battery does not seem to charge when the spy camera is in operation. This would be a good feature which would then let you use the battery as a power backup – potentially increasing the time you can keep the camera up and running if external power is available near the point of camera use.

Also missing are any wireless data transfer options. Why would you need Wi-Fi in a spy camera? So that you can retrieve recorded footage without having to physically access the spy camera. At the asking price, I would have expected to see a P2P Wi-Fi connection option. By the way this would also let you view a live stream from the camera.

Software Features

The camera has 2 operation modes – Motion Detection (MD) recording and Continuous recording (REC mode). In MD mode, recording is initiated whenever the PIR sensor detects motion. This is great because it prevents false recordings, helps conserve battery life and lets you record more on the microSD card. Audio recording is available in both MD and REC recording modes.

Date and time overlay is possible and you can turn on loop recording – but that’s it when it comes to configuring the camera. There is no way to adjust video quality settings such as the bitrate, or image quality adjustments such as brightness or contrast.

Camera Setup

The manual is written in very good English and is quite exhaustive in my opinion. There are clear illustrations showing the different parts of the spy camera and a clear summary of instructions. There are different sections that then detail each step of the summary.

A very helpful table of various LED indicator statuses is also provided.

So here are the steps I followed to set up the spy camera:

1. 1. Insert a [easyazon_link identifier=”B007JTKLEK” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]32GB Sandisk Class 10 microSD[/easyazon_link] card.
   2. Charge the spy camera up using the provided USB cable and a 2 Amp charger.
   3. When its fully charged, put the spy camera in REC mode. The microSD card will show up as a removable disk on your laptop.

1. 1. Open the YW_TIME.txt text file and enter the date and time, and whether you want the automatic video loop on or off.

That’s it – there are really no other software settings you can control. On the camera itself, you can turn the audio on/off, and choose the recording mode.

The next challenge is positioning the camera. As with most spy cameras, there is no Wi-Fi or live stream feature. So you can’t know whether you are getting everything you want in your scene until you record and then play back the video. But that’s just a one-time exercise.

Performance

Overall I was happy with the performance of the Conbrov book camera. Video quality is high at 1080p resolution and the audio quality is decent. The camera uses Variable Bit Rate (VBR) settings depending on the complexity of the scene – this helps optimise storage space. Sadly there is absolutely no way to control the camera video or audio settings.

There is some false colour during the daytime and that is because of the absence of an IR cut filter. But really that’s not an issue because the camera has a very low threshold for switching to night mode and then everything is black and white anyway.

Night time video quality

The following video was taken in absolute darkness, and you can see that the single IR LED is not powerful enough to light the whole scene and has a spotlight effect. The camera is around 10 feet from the wall.

Night time is grainy but I would take sharpness and detail over noise reduction any day (or night!).

[wpsm_video]https://youtu.be/ZZckY1MXeQc[/wpsm_video]

[wpsm_toggle title=”Here’s some technical info of the clip itself:”]
[wpsm_codebox style=”1″]
General
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 182 MiB
Duration : 1mn 58s
Overall bit rate : 12.9 Mbps

Video
ID : 0
Format : JPEG
Codec ID : MJPG
Duration : 1mn 58s
Bit rate : 12.9 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 088 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 30.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.206
Stream size : 183 MiB

Audio
ID : 1
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, Sign : Signed
Codec ID : 1
Duration : 1mn 58s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 8 000 Hz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 1.81 MiB (1%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 512 ms (15.37 video frames)
[/wpsm_codebox]
[/wpsm_toggle]

Daytime video quality

While the room was not brightly lit in the next test video, there was ample daylight coming in from the window. You can see this in the first couple of seconds of the video, before the camera switches to night mode and turns on the IR LED.

[wpsm_video]https://youtu.be/Q5uKyOC3S54[/wpsm_video]

What did I mean by the camera having false colour during the daytime? Check out this sample video shot outdoors – the leaves are not very green at all but actually they are very green, I promise:

[wpsm_video]https://youtu.be/FN_kvlnfMpU[/wpsm_video]

[wpsm_toggle title=”Here’s some technical info of the clip itself:”]
[wpsm_codebox style=”1″]
General
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 253 MiB
Duration : 1mn 29s
Overall bit rate : 23.7 Mbps

Video
ID : 0
Format : JPEG
Codec ID : MJPG
Duration : 1mn 29s
Bit rate : 25.2 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 088 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 30.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.403
Stream size : 268 MiB

Audio
ID : 1
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, Sign : Signed
Codec ID : 1
Duration : 1mn 29s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 8 000 Hz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 1.37 MiB (1%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 509 ms (15.26 video frames)
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Audio quality

What would you use audio in a spy camera for – to capture conversations. So it should be sensitive enough to pick up anything in the room. The DV9 is good enough – it easily recorded my baby crying downstairs and other bits of sounds outside the room through a closed door.

PIR Motion Detection

Software-based motion detection is the method employed by most spy cameras, so I was delighted to see that the Conbrov DV9 used a PIR sensor to detect motion. A PIR is far more accurate than software methods because it actually detects the presence of a heat radiating body in the scene. This means you have virtually no false recording triggers – which is the biggest issue with pure software based motion detection.

It detected motion in a range of 10 – 15 feet in our testing and never once missed a motion trigger. There is a slight delay before motion is detected but its very small, something like 1 second and is not a problem at all.

File Copy Speed

Plugged into a USB3 port with the included USB cable, it averaged around 5.7 MB/s which is fine. This was using a Class 10 Sandisk MicroSD card in the camera.

Battery life

The battery takes a few hours to recharge fully and the yellow charging indicator LED will go off when its done. Conbrov says the 10,000 mAh battery should provide a standby time of up to 24 months in motion detection mode, but of course we can’t test that. But the battery held up over 2 weeks of intense testing.

There is no battery gauge so you can’t know how much juice is left in the battery. Its very much a top it up and let it discharge till it is dry type of device.

Storage capacity

The high bitrate of the recorded clips limits the number of hours the camera can record. I found that it needs approximately 1.5 Megabytes per second of video and audio in night mode and around 3.0 Megabytes per second for daytime clips. So a microSD card with the maximum supported size of 32 GB can store up to 5.4 hours of night-time video or 2.7 hours of day-time video.

So to really take advantage of the massive battery capacity, you should use the motion detection recording mode, and this is what most people would probably use the spy camera for.

Verdict

So if you want a spy camera that does a nice job of melding into the background, but capture good quality full HD 1080p video and audio with a very long battery life, the DV9 is the spy camera for you.

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Where can I buy one?

[easyazon_link identifier=”B0736SNG4B” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Check Price on your local Amazon Site[/easyazon_link]