Blink, Amazon’s budget smart security camera company, has announced the availability of its new Sync Module XR. The third generation of the system hub, the XR, can extend the range of Blink Outdoor 4 battery-powered cameras to 400 feet, thanks to a new, patented long-range radio built into custom-made silicon. However, increasing coverage comes with a trade-off in video quality.
The Sync XR module costs $59.99 and will be bundled with a free Outdoor 4 camera at launch (normally $99). The Wi-Fi module for Blink cameras can extend the range of new and existing Outdoor 4 cameras to 250 feet in XR mode and 400 feet in XR Plus mode. That’s four times the range of Blink’s current Sync 2 module, Blink chief product officer Jonathan Cohn told The Verge. “XR is a proprietary protocol custom-built on the 900MHz frequency to meet our ultra-low power video transmission needs,” he said.
Blink Outdoor 4 battery-powered camera and new Sync XR module. The XR uses a USB-C cable. Image: Wink
Tests conducted by Blink show that the XR protocol can penetrate a single external wall for up to 400 feet, but the further you go, the worse the image quality becomes. “At 250 feet, the XR provides up to 720p resolution and 360p at 400 feet,” Cohn says. This is lower than the standard 1080p resolution you can get with a strong Wi-Fi connection.
It seems that reducing video quality will make cameras less useful for security purposes and more useful for purposes such as wildlife viewing. Facial or license plate recognition in the dark at 360p seems unlikely, but we plan to test it and find out.
This graphic illustrates the potential distance the Blink Outdoor 4 camera can reach with the new Sync XR module. Image: Wink
Blink’s compact, simple cameras are known for their long battery life and low prices. There aren’t many bells and whistles, but the Blink Outdoor 4 can run for up to two years on two AA batteries (up to four with the expansion pack). This, combined with the new long-range capability, means they can be placed in the extreme corners of your property to monitor a shed, driveway, chicken coop or anywhere Wi-Fi doesn’t reach.
Few camera manufacturers have solved the problem of extending connectivity beyond the walls of the home. Security cameras installed right next to your home should be able to connect to Wi-Fi, but for other properties further away, streaming may be problematic unless you purchase an external Wi-Fi extender or invest in LTE-powered cameras that require a monthly subscription for connectivity .
Blink cameras don’t require a connectivity or recording subscription (although one is available for $3 a month); instead, the Sync XR module can record footage locally, storing up to 256 GB on a microSD card (not included). That’s up from the 128GB of storage available in the hub’s previous version, the Sync 2 ($49.99) module, which uses USB storage rather than a microSD card.
The Sync XR module can only extend the range of the Blink Outdoor 4 camera via the XR protocol and currently only two at a time. However, the module supports up to 10 Blink cameras operating on a Wi-Fi network, while also providing local storage of recorded video. This includes the Blink Mini 2 Wired Camera, Blink Video Doorbell, Blink Floodlight Wired Camera, and previous generations of Blink cameras.
The Blink Sync Module XR is available now on Amazon for $59.99. Introductory offer includes free Blink Outdoor 4 with the purchase of Sync Module XR. Starting in January, the Sync Module XR camera bundle will be priced at $139.99. With Black Friday approaching, the current Sync 2 ($49.99) module, which is often bundled with Blink cameras, will likely receive heavy discounts. However, if you want new capabilities, you will need a new XR module.
Credit : www.theverge.com
