We tried the new, totally wireless indoor surveillance camera from COCOCAM, a new brand for the Smart Home. In this review, we find out how we found it and what its strengths and weaknesses are.
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Design and construction
Compact and portable, the video camera is suitable exclusively for indoor environments, without the need for supports or special positioning. It can be easily placed on a piece of furniture, a shelf and so on, in fact this is the only way to use it since it cannot be fixed to the wall, as there are no magnetic or screw supports. In the package we find only, in addition to the surveillance camera, the multilingual instruction manual including Italian and a USB Type-C cable for charging the battery.
The COCOCAM Indoor Battery Cam C7 surveillance camera, as already mentioned, cannot work outdoors: in fact, it does not have IPXX certifications, but its strong point is undoubtedly its use without cables thanks to a large internal battery of 5200 mAh, which allows it to detect movement up to 5000 times, which in reality translates into an autonomy of almost a calendar month with a single charge. It is therefore ideal for positioning in places far from the electrical network but covered by the WiFi signal, an element clearly essential for its operation. Overall, the design is minimal and elegant and adapts to almost all domestic environments. On the back we find a speaker that allows you to listen to any external interlocutors by counting on two-way audio and a microphone positioned on the front, where the optics, the status LEDs and a sensor for night shots are also located.
On the left profile we then have the on/off button, the reset button and the micro SD input, with support for cuts up to 128 GB as we can save the footage and/or alarm events directly on the card or use the cloud, a paid service however. Finally, the base offers the USB Type-C port for charging as well as the possibility of rotating the COCOCAM 355° in pan or 90° in tilt.
COCOCAM Wireless Surveillance Camera Features
Let's get to the operation of the COCOCAM camera, designed to better distinguish the movements of humans from those of pets such as dogs and cats, but also birds, cars, etc. (paid services). In this way, annoying false alarms will be avoided. The notifications are instant and allow us to connect in a few seconds to the video stream of the camera to monitor the home and find out what generated the alert, for example an intrusion. The resolution of the COCOCAM camera is high definition, 2K (2304×1296) with a 3MP sensor, and thanks to the two-way audio it is also possible to communicate towards the home, similar to an intercom. The shots are of high quality even with night vision, while the viewing angle of the camera helps to cover as much area as possible and leave few blind spots.
Furthermore, the battery is a good 5200mAh with a duration of at least 1 month if not more. When the battery is about to run out, the camera sends a notification so as to never lose the connection. In our tests, we have not yet reached this eventuality but we confirm that monitoring the battery level for days and days of use, it decreases extremely slowly demonstrating that energy consumption is limited.
COCOCAM Connectivity and App
The iOS and Android application is complete with all the essential functions and offers a quick connection to the camera and convenient management of all its settings. Furthermore, in terms of connectivity we find support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home to control the camera with your voice and create scenarios with other connected objects. There is no shortage of scenarios even within the app itself, for example to manage additional COCOCAMs individually or in groups based on certain situations. The recordings are stored and protected locally on the 64GB micro SD card but it is possible to go further, if you need more space, and subscribe to a dedicated cloud plan directly from within the app.
The connection is made via a WiFi module with WiFi 6 support. We can set automatic recordings based on the alarm, but also set people detection zones (for example an entrance) as well as being able to control the camera via PTZ commands and trigger an alarm siren, scaring away any intruders.
Conclusions, price and availability
The new COCOCAM wireless indoor surveillance camera is available at €49,99 on Amazon but right on the purchase page you can redeem a coupon that brings the final price down to €39,99. At this price it is certainly an excellent solution for all users looking for a totally wireless surveillance camera, easy to use and install with excellent image quality both during the day and in the evening. The versatility of positioning is convenient, meaning you can move it wherever you want without making ad hoc connections. Its weak points are few: the lack of integration with HomeKit for Apple users and with other smart solutions, but we are satisfied with the compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant and then the lack of possibility of removing the battery to replace it with a spare one already charged so as to limit downtime. In any case we are convinced of the product also for the two-way audio which was clear and the autonomy that promises months with a single charge.
