The Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera is made by a well respected consumer electronics company not necessarily known for home security cameras. Based upon what’s on the market, it looks like Uniden is trying to establish a presence in what has become a significant marketplace.
The Uniden APPCAM 24HD enters a crowded field of home security cameras with 720p video and a basic app. The specs and footprint are somewhat similar to the Guardzilla All-In-One HD Video Security System and YI Home Camera Wireless IP Security Surveillance System but without a cloud feature. Let’s take a look at our hands-on experience with this camera.
Software
You can access the Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera with your iOS or Android smartphone. There is no web app so no smartphone means this camera isn’t right for you.
The instructions out of the box are sparse and it is a bit unusual of a setup. Download the Uniden APPCAM app. Start the app and you are immediately greeted with a prompt to add a camera. Hit the plus sign on your screen and off you go. Well kind of. Unlike most other home security cameras, this one requires multiple passwords that are part of the setup process.
So after getting it all connected, it takes some time to get used to the app as it is not the most intuitive. The key is to tap on the big blue globe once the app starts up and is connected. This gets you into a screen that is half blank and half live video. There has to be a better way to display the video and the app could use some lessons from the Nest app or Samsung SmartCam. Turning the smartphone into landscape will remove the upper white space. However, if needing to get at the camera settings, turn it back to portrait and go back a screen. There’s benefit to having everything on a single screen, but that isn’t the way the app was designed.
Getting into settings requires typing in the admin password each time so use something you aren’t likely to forget. From the settings, you can alter video quality, viewing orientation, low light enhancement a few other sparsely documented settings. Owners of this camera would be well advised to download the manual.
You can alter the sensitivity settings from the advanced menu to PIR mode or software. If using software, the app allows altering the day or night settings from low to high. You may also provide an email address for motion alerts. Higher end features such as motion zones are unsupported by this camera.
HD video is 720p and video options for lower 640×480 quality are also supported. If your WiFi strength is weak, the lowest setting will result in a more stable experience. You can easily toggle it up to the higher HD experience to see the action when necessary.
Hardware
That’s the Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera in the photo that accompanies this article. It’s average size versus other indoor cameras we have seen.
This is an indoor camera. Exposing it to outdoor elements is not recommended however you can catch outdoor action by pointing it out the window and turning off the night vision.
The video during the day is clear at 720p. The Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera has a 75 degree wide angle lens. Somewhat less than many competitors so I recommend placing this in a corner to get as much of the view as possible. The resulting video has a bit of compressed look to it.
The camera deploys 5 IR LEDs for night vision. The manufacturer states this is good enough for up to 25 feet from the camera. Testing showed this manufacturer statement to be accurate however the video quality was a bit too white for me.
There is a built in microphone on the lower part of the front of the camera. The speaker is located on the back. Sound quality was ok.
An Ethernet port is provided for those wanting to use this camera wired to a router.
An onboard micro SD slot will hold up to a 32 GB card. According to Uniden, a GB holds 1.3 hours of recorded video.
Connectivity
The Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera connects to your wireless router at 2.4GHz using 802.11 b/g/n. There aren’t any sync modules. Each wireless camera connects directly to a router.
Mounts
The Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera is attached to a typical flat surface stand. In the box are screws and anchors for mounting the camera to a wall or ceiling using the stand that’s already attached.
Fun and Different
The sensitivity settings allow toggling between the PIR sensor on the front of the camera and software detection. The software detection allows separate settings for day and night.
Summary
The Uniden APPCAM 24HD Indoor WiFi IP Camera is a camera that is ok for limited monitoring. The 75 degree wide angle, limited motion detection capabilities and somewhat quirky app makes this difficult to recommend. However for something like a garage, it might work fine. There are other cameras within this price range that have better hardware specifications and apps. However, if you can get this at a good price, it might be worth using in the right situation.
Quick Specs:
| Video Quality | Field of View | Cloud Support | SD Support | Night Vision | Mobile/Web App | Alerts | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1280x720 | 75 Degrees | No | Yes | Yes | Yes/No | Yes | No |
Manufacturer Link: Uniden