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Home Security Amazon style.

Chako · 13 · 2168

ca Offline Chako

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Home Security Amazon style.
on: November 25, 2020, 12:04:44 AM
I have wanted some surveillance cameras around my home for quite some time. I found recently that Amazon had some Black Friday sales on some of their gear, and decided to get one of those Amazon Show 5 screens bundled with a small blink mini. It was fairly cheap as they had a great deal going. After that was ordered, I found an Amazon Show 8 at the local Staples for the same sale price as Amazon had on their website. I ended up bringing that home. I have had it installed for a few days now in the living room and I must say, I really like that the built in camera has a privacy screen on it. Not as easy to use as the Google smart speakers I bought a few years ago and ended up giving to some friends. thus far, I have found that you need to ask Alexis specific questions for it to respond properly. Regardless, the idea is to have a few outdoor Blink cameras set up and then I can ask Alexis to show me what the cameras see. I am curious to see how that will work. When I purchased the Show 5 and Blink Mini which is an indoor camera, the outdoor ones were not on sale as of yet. I noticed the other day that they were now on sale. I bought a pair of Blink Outdoors to proceed with my wanting to see what is outside while I am inside, or away from the house. My plan is to use the Show 5 on my computer desk, and keep the Show 8 in my living room. I then noticed that they sell a rotating base for the Show 8, so I bought that...and to get free shipping, I bought another Blink Outdoor camera. That will give me 3 outdoors and 1 indoor camera. That will be enough to monitor everything I want monitored. I have read that there will be a new cloud subscription fee for video storage starting in 2021. I found out that you can also record to a USB drive and that is the route I want to go. Time will tell on how I get along with this system. At least there are some really nice deals going on with this camera system right now...so I do not have all that much invested in it.
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us Offline MadPlumbarian

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #1 on: November 25, 2020, 12:21:33 AM
We used to have a security system through our cable, and we asked if and when the day came and cut out do we get to keep the security part, they said yes! Well the day came and then said give it back, even though we paid for everything,, so, a day came and our garage door got egged, the next day not only did our door get egged but so did the kids car, so we were getting mad, so we looked on Amazon, OMG that’s freaky the Mrs is watching judge Judy and she just said Amazon! But we got two cameras one for the front and one to look over the garage to keep an eye on the kids car, all we really need is one more to put on the side of the garage and it would look over the backyard and give a clean view of the backdoor, and with just the three would give a good 90% coverage of everything, but we just never went ahead with the 3rd, but I love this little setup, here’s a nighttime pic of the two, in the rain,
JR
"The-Mad-Plumbarian" The Punisher Of Pipes!!! JR
As I sit on my Crapper Throne in the Reading Room and explode on the Commode, thinking, how my flush beat John’s and Jerry’s pair? Jack’s had to run for the Water Closet yet ended up tripping on a Can bowing and hitting his Head on the Porcelain God! 🚽


us Offline MadPlumbarian

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #2 on: November 25, 2020, 12:24:49 AM
Oh yeah, and the front one I’m suppose to be able to talk through it, and the back, he he, I can drop in and listen to anyone in the garage, and one day the kid was having a bad day with his gf and arguing, needless to say I kinda just dropped in very quickly :whistle:
JR
"The-Mad-Plumbarian" The Punisher Of Pipes!!! JR
As I sit on my Crapper Throne in the Reading Room and explode on the Commode, thinking, how my flush beat John’s and Jerry’s pair? Jack’s had to run for the Water Closet yet ended up tripping on a Can bowing and hitting his Head on the Porcelain God! 🚽


ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #3 on: November 25, 2020, 01:42:49 AM
I like that the batteries last for 2 years. I wonder how it will survive in the cold winter. Supposed to all arrive by Dec 6th.
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us Offline MadPlumbarian

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #4 on: November 25, 2020, 02:14:51 AM
Well the two cameras are diff, the garage one is hard wired but the front is solar,
JR
"The-Mad-Plumbarian" The Punisher Of Pipes!!! JR
As I sit on my Crapper Throne in the Reading Room and explode on the Commode, thinking, how my flush beat John’s and Jerry’s pair? Jack’s had to run for the Water Closet yet ended up tripping on a Can bowing and hitting his Head on the Porcelain God! 🚽


ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #5 on: November 25, 2020, 05:23:58 AM
 :tu:
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #6 on: November 25, 2020, 11:59:01 PM
Just received the show 5 and 2 cameras. The show 5 is very small compared to the show 8 lol.
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #7 on: November 28, 2020, 03:50:46 PM
That was a somewhat difficult if weird installation process. I sure which Amazon would spend a little money on some paper instructions. Frankly, that was way harder than it needed to be.

1. Find the proper security app online.
2. Setup said app and follow the instructions.
3. Set up account information and a 4 digit pin.
4. Install blink sync module 2.
5. Wait for blue blinking LED to turn solid while accessing the module via the phone app.
6. Once connected, then have to pair Blink cameras. Need to open door via included tool. Install 2 Lithium AA batteries in each and close them up.
7. Go back into app and pair the cameras each separately. Realize that I will have to open said cameras again to use phone to take a picture of the related product code to auto install it, otherwise will need to type in overly long code manually. Do this twice.
8. Go outside and install camera mounts. Once cameras are connected, mount them onto said mounts.
9. Check phone for live feed view of camera to fine tune their view.
10. Change name of cameras to reflect their location in application.
11. Done. Yay!

Go inside and ask Alexa to view camera by name. Alexa does nothing.  :think:

Go online to find out why it does nothing...have to find instructions online.  :poh:

Follow said instructions by opening a different app that I had to install called Alexa App when installing the Show 5 and 8 (which by the way did not come with instructions either). Found out I need to go into games and skills and enable Security skill. Now it works...but what the heck...why all the rigmarole. Simple clear concise instructions would have gone a long way. I figured it out but it was a lot harder then it needed to be.

Now I am happy that I have my property under video security. Still waiting for a 3rd Blink Outdoor and the Blink Mini to arrive. Now that I know what I am doing, the installation process was an easy and seamless one...not when you first start and know Jack Smurf.

The Blink Sync Module 2 has a USB port for storage instead of using the cloud which will be a monthly fee subscription starting in 2021. Thought I had that covered with a USB HD, but apparently, when I plug that into the Sync Module, the USB does not give enough electricity to power it. I sure whish Amazon was more free in their instructions. Guess I may need to buy one of those plug in flash drives as opposed to the larger USB HD.  :facepalm:

« Last Edit: November 28, 2020, 03:56:33 PM by Chako »
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #8 on: November 28, 2020, 03:58:36 PM
Just went outside to test the system and I got an immediate notification on the phone. Checked the video and its me. It works. Now I might be able to find out if its a fox or a cat that walks through my driveway some nights.
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #9 on: November 30, 2020, 12:12:38 PM
Ok. Got a cat visitor the first night at 5:35 am. A beautiful black and white female from what I can tell. She stayed on my back deck for a good half hour. She even noticed the new camera and tried to get a closer look by climbing my deck rail. I have asked around and it appears she is a well known neighbourhood stray (I just assumed she had a home). I decided Saturday night to put some food out for her and she must have been hungry...she ate everything I gave her. Now she appears to be a more common visitor. I have started feeding her food and will see what comes of it. This morning, my alarm gave me a warning on my cell phone. I went out and called to not startle her. She moved away a safe distance and started to roll around in the grass. She watched me fill up the food bowl and I left. She ran away afterwards, but I know she will be back to see what I have added this time around. Guess I may have to stop in after work to buy some cat food.  :think:
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #10 on: December 05, 2020, 08:24:14 PM
Well an update of sorts lol. The cat I am certain, lives close by and has a home. Whew. For a week, I was sure I might have to do a kitty rescue. I only see the cat from 6 PM to 6 AM. I reckon the owner gets home, lets the cat out all night and then back in before going to work. That is my current thought on the matter anyways.

The third Blink Outdoor camera and the Blink Mini indoor camera have since arrived. I just finished installing them. It is a breeze once you know how. I placed the third camera out front pointing towards my driveway. The side camera was positioned too far away to reliably pick up anyone that came to the front door. This will fixe that nicely. I placed the Blink Mini in my gun room. I am thinking another might be nice placed upstairs but only time will tell.

So far, I am really liking this system. Next on my agenda is to play with zones. I reckon the front door camera will pick up every vehicle going by, and I am unsure if I want that to happen.
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #11 on: December 13, 2020, 11:58:05 PM
My little security system keeps growing. I have another Blink Mini I want upstairs and another Blink Outdoor that I want on the garage outback on order. I am quickly realizing that the IR activation at night is limited and will not reach my garage which is a good 50 feet back. So far I am really liking this system. I love how I am constantly aware of what is happening around my house in it and at work. I never knew how much activity I had in my yard.
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Home Security Amazon style.
Reply #12 on: May 22, 2021, 07:39:49 PM
Well...now that my security system survived winter, I am getting a lot of bee and wasp action being captured on the cameras...not to mention birds lol. Still a good system though. I can tell you that being able to monitor the mailbox while away is such an awesome thing. Just for that capability alone, the system was well worth it.
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