British smart home company Hive announces a first outdoor security camera-- the Hive View Outdoor, a camera similar to the indoor Hive View featuring weatherproof housing, night vision and 2-way audio.
The View Outdoor camera attaches magnetically to a mount, and is easily adjustable according to customer preferences. The mount requires access to mains power, something Hive says allows for more powerful built-in wifi hardware. Customers can either install the camera themselves or hire the services of a professional installer, and they can lock it to the mains cable to prevent theft.
In terms of camera capabilities, the View Outdoor carries a 130-degree wide angle lens and up to 8x digital zoom, together with night vision and 1080p video recording. The camera only starts recording when it detects noise or movement, and sends a notification in case of such events. Users can either view the feed live or check stored recordings via Hive app. An onboard microphone and speaker allow for 2-way audio.
Customers can use the camera on either a standalone basis or as part of a wider Hive home automation setup, all managed through the same Hive app. However one has to keep in mind it is not compatible with 3rd party home automation systems.
The Hive View Outdoors ships from December 2018.