TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Pan/Tilt Security Camera, AI Detection
TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Pan/Tilt Security Camera, AI Detection, Privacy Protection, Starlight Sensor, 2-way Audio, 4MP, Night Vision, Cloud&SD Card Storage, Works with Alexa & Google Home (Tapo C225)
2K QHD Clear View
With a F1.6 large aperture, Tapo C225 captures more light to create crisper images.
Starlight Sensor
The highly sensitive starlight sensor captures higher-quality images even in low-light conditions.
Smart Motion Tracking
Precisely tracks and follows a subject, keeping it within the camera’s field of view with up to 120°/s rotating speed.
Customizable Night Vision
Switch to the 940nm IR invisible LED to watch over your baby without interrupting their sleep.
Panoramic View
Generate a panoramic view by photographing the surrounding environment.
| Weight: | 590 g |
| Dimensions: | 8 x 8 x 11.2 cm; 590 Grams |
| Brand: | TP-Link |
| Model: | Tapo C225 |
| Colour: | White |
| Manufacture: | TP-Link |
| Dimensions: | 8 x 8 x 11.2 cm; 590 Grams |
Very happy with this camera. The tracking feature is amazing, this can be seen on my video. I didn’t bother paying for cloud storage, I used a spare 8GB Micro SD card and it stores plenty. It can be set to only record when it detects movement and all recordings can be accessed from anywhere using the app. Ideal for keeping an eye on pets. The night vision is also very good and you can see clearly without and lights on.
Camera detection is great , can choose from detecting people or movements in a designated area and loads more setting , i have 2 of there for front and rear of house and can’t fault thm save data with cloud , sim card or both reliable for the price
Arrived on time and well packaged. Easy to set up, need to read instructions before you start to get the App and charge it. Simple to mount on the bracket supplied. It’s a great little camera. I can see who has entered onto my property and keep an eye on the dogs. It sends you notifications if it detects movement and you can save any screenshots or videos. Probably going to get another one for the back garden.
This product is great. It’s easy to set up, easy to use and will patrol your room or windows when set up to do so.
My only issue is that I lost all the alerts and cloud when the free trial ran out which I guess most cameras are the same.
So now it’s sat in my room and not really monitored as it doesn’t appear on my phone notifications when someone walks past. Other than that I would 1000% recommend.
The main plus point of this camera is it doesn’t force you into a monthly cloud subscription in order to download the videos stored on its internal SD card to your phone or get notifications. That’s a huge plus in a market awash with rip-off cameras that can’t even do the basics without requiring the cash grab of a monthly “cloud” service.
Setting up instructions were oversimplified but were more complicated than I thought.
Mainly connecting it to my Network (whereby I can use the Camera Remotely)
Pan/Tilt, Patrol and Record Facility are excellent. Only surpassed by Picture Quality (with both Day & Night Modes).
The only thing I’m unable to do is to set the Camera to follow an Intruder as they move.
AND I don’t know if this IS possible.
I will keep you posted as I discover what else it can do
Setting up the camera was easy, including adding it to the app. Installing the storage card was straightforward once I researched how it’s done on the internet because the instructions weren’t that amazing.
Since using it for the last month or so, I learnt that the changing tenants don’t even go into the disaster zone that is the garden on their side, so the only person the camera caught was me hanging out my laundry. I also learnt that the fox cubs have grown up and either don’t play anymore or are very smart foxes because they never seem to come into the garden anymore. Go figure.
The motion detection is great. Every time the wind blows, I get a notification that my tall grass moves, but fortunately, you can adjust in settings whether you want to see this. Person detection is good enough. On installation, I set the alarm to test it and got the fright of my life. Imagine a large ship horn right next to your ear. When you view the recordings, it’s possible to zoom in and out. I also like that you can remotely pan and tilt the view. Very handy. If you place the camera in a fixed position, it is possible to create shortcuts to set views to change the view quickly.
The night detection mode is worth a mention. It is very sensitive. I never knew so many bugs visited my windows at night. It’s all primarily dark and bright, but they certainly have a better nightlife than I do.
Overall, I found this little camera a fun addition to my home, even though the most exciting thing I catch is my own movement.
Bought to keep an eye on my dogs whilst I’m out of the house. Arrived on time and we’ll packaged. Super easy to set up, done in 10 minutes with easy guide and I am no techy whatsoever! Can be placed or screen toe surface (attachment and screws included if required). Great picture quality and area coverage. App is simple to use and enables you to move the camera picture and speak into the room. Motion detection and privacy controls on or off. I don’t use an SD card, there is an option to pay for cloud storage 2.49 to 2.99 a month for one device if you want. Highly recommend, am looking to buy more.
Fastforward to the present – I bought a different Tapo, the C210. The good and the bad, in short:
THE TAPO C210:
+ The camera is ‘built’ on a ball/rotating system, which you can adjust up and down, left and right, remotely, from your phone/the app. It’s really convenient if you want to look around the room and see what’s going on. It’s perfect for pets/children/general security. (See image 1)
+ You can save ‘fixed’ camera positions – i.e. if you find a really good angle, you can ‘save it’ and toggle between them easily rather than adjusting the camera manually on the app. (See image 2)
+ There’s a mode that enables the camera to ‘follow’ movement, so if your camera is angled at the door, for example, then somebody walks into the room, the camera will follow them. (This can be turned off – the camera can be fixed to a still position). (See Image 4)
+ There are various ‘modes’ you can select, depending on what you are using the camera for e.g. to detect a baby crying, motion, people etc. (Motion and people are different, as explained below) – simply turn those modes on and the camera will heighten its sensitivity to those issues. (Although I cannot say how responsive it is to a baby crying, but even with the ‘baby crying’ feature off, it detects dogs making noises/whimpering).
+ You can modify the sensitivity to motion (i.e. light/medium/sensitive). My camera has detected a rustling bin bag on all three sensitivities, so it is effective. I have not messed around to determine levels of sensitivity, other than this. (See Image 3)
+ You can adjust the ‘area’ within the camera screen (i.e. to only detect motion on a specific part of the frame). It’s a handy option for people whose camera coverage also overlaps public space. (See Image 3, also)
+ Motion vs People detection. – there are separate detections for people and objects (which you can adjust/turn on or off). It’s a handy option, depending on what you are using the camera for. (See Image 4 – ‘AI Detection’ and ‘Motion Detection’ are separate).
+ Notifications for movement in general, or people, are separate – the notification will also clearly identify if there’s just something moving or if there’s a person identified. (See Image 5 – I use an iPhone)
+ I haven’t tested them, so cannot comment on effectiveness, but there are sound and light ‘alarms’ on the cameras, which I assume go off on the camera, and are to deter intruders. (You may wish to check this – but it seems like a good feature). (See image 4)
+ Sound quality itself is good – I can hear everything that goes on in the home.
+ Sensitivity to sound is (a) great quality – a good feature, and good in quality itself.
+ Fantastic price for the item.
+ Good quality image, even at night.
+ No subscription necessary – although you may wish to buy a micro SD card separately to record movement. (Note: nothing over 256gb is supported)
+ Easy to use app – very simple and straight forward options, as far as apps go.
+ Quite easy to setup – although a tiny bit of messing around when connecting to wifi.
+ Easy ‘recording’ features – although I am awaiting my memory card, so will report back with any useful findings/issues.
– The instructions aren’t the best. If you aren’t ‘tech-minded’ you may struggle slightly to set it up (although it is not a complicated set up, by far, it can be a bit finicky) – I’d recommend watching a YouTube video, as I imagine they will be substantially better than the small instruction book. (Although when I had issues, I didn’t resort to this, fiddled with the wifi a bit and it worked).
– The instructions for app use/features is poor too. I have had to mess around with the item to work out how best to use it. It wasn’t until messing around with the app that I discovered the features within and things like people/motion being detected differently.
– If you plan to use this facing out of a window, I wouldn’t recommend it. Night vision is good generally, but there is a small light on the camera that reflects on windows so visibility outside becomes distorted.
– A small issue that I experience – sometimes the app isn’t the best with data connection. Not awful if your camera is recording constantly, but if you get a notification whilst you’re out and you want to check, it can take a while to load and/or a few attempts, and you may have missed the movement (especially if using this camera without recording etc – i.e. ‘live’ only).
All in all, a fantastic budget option with various settings to meet the criteria of many. Some minor issues that will need to be rectified to improve it, but as far as use, price and features go, it’s an item that will cater to a lot of needs.
Bought this for a friend who has trouble sleep walking. It was very easy to set up and get working. App is simple to use and using local storage was a must due to it being in the bedroom. Easy to set the recording times and remove the motion detection (she has 4 cats so would if been a nightmare) Overall a good little camera. Night vision is really good also.
Really useful, and great quality. Not that it really bothers me, but the smart features don’t work well. It thinks every fore of movement is an intruder. So a moving bush or fly buzzing near the camera will set it off. But great for a remote camera.
Great features such as motion detection notification and you can control the camera remotely from your phone anywhere.
Great for home security and has features of something many times the price. DVR not required as it records to a micro SD card.
Yet again a tp link product that works.
So easy to set up and get going. App to the phone easy to follow and link with the camera
Easy to share with other family members.
So so quiet which is brilliant .
Picture quality is super very high definition.
Privacy feature on the camera which could be useful for some people
Don’t like the purchasing of cloud storage . Surely it should have a 7 day rolling storage for free.
1. **Packaging**: The product came impeccably packed. Clearly, the brand prioritizes the safety and presentation of their product during transit.
2. **Memory Card Installation**: This was akin to a mini-adventure. The slot for the memory card isn’t immediately evident, making it a tad challenging to locate. That said, this discreet placement can be seen as an added layer of security.
3. **Night Vision**: The night vision functionality is top-notch. The camera doesn’t miss a beat even in dim conditions, ensuring everything remains visible.
4. **Image/Video Quality**: I was quite impressed with the clarity of the video feed. Human faces pop with clarity, making it a fantastic tool for security and monitoring.
5. **Pan/Tilt Feature**: This feature delivers exactly what it promises. With easy maneuverability, I was able to get the exact viewing angles I wanted, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
6. **Cloud Recording**: The cloud storage and recording aspect of this camera worked seamlessly. It gives me peace of mind knowing I can retrieve past footages at any time.
7. **Motion Detection**: Here’s where I faced a minor hiccup. The motion detection can be a bit sensitive, especially with lighting changes. To counteract the frequent alerts, I opted to disable the app notifications. It’s a workaround, and I hope a future software update can provide a more refined solution to this.
8. **Final Thoughts**: Despite the motion detection sensitivity, the Tapo Security Camera has been a stellar addition to my security setup. Its top-tier features coupled with the overall dependable performance make it a solid 5-star product. If you’re seeking a security camera that offers clarity and reliability, the Tapo is a strong contender.
I trust this review provides valuable insights to potential buyers. Cheers to the Tapo team for producing such a commendable product!
The record function is useful as we found his carers were not doing every thing they were supposed to do and their visits were far shorter than they were contracted for. Recordings were vital to improving Dad’s quality of care.
The “Tapo” app made it easy to set the camera up and monitor our Dad to make sure he is alright.
My Sister who lives on the other side of the world is able to see my Dad too on her phone.
Will probably get a couple more of these cameras as you can link up to 32 if needed.
Good value for money.
with sd card this camera is recording internally and you can review it as and when you like. the videos get overwritten when card is full but with a 32gb card i got few days of footage as i set it to record when movement is detected only. You don’t need subscription to get footage saved on your sd card. motion tracking works well as well, picture and sound quality is very good as well. I bought 5 of them and i really recommend them
Absolutely love this camera. I am always nervous of setting technical items up. I downloaded the Tapo app and plugged the camera in and connected it to my Internet hub. Very easy set up. I purchased a SD card as I didn’t want to pay a subscription. Works great with my phone, which receives an alert when Motion is detected. You can set the camera to sound an alarm also. The talk quality is really good also. There is a privacy mode to set the camera to when you are at home. I highly recommend.
The motion and people detection can be a bit hit and miss because of the above. I have checked the saved videos for any detected motion. Sometimes they pick up on movements, without people. Sometimes they pick up people as just movement but not because it recognised people have walked pass.
Sometimes it doesn’t record at all even when there were people walking or cars driven pass. Not sure if it is all down to the reflection in the glass.
When it picks up on motion, sometimes the the lens will follow the movement even if it had to spin round 180 degrees. However, other times looking out the window, it doesn’t really follow the motion, even though it has detected that there was motion.
Overall, I still like them. So much so, I have a pair watching the front and the back of home for activities.
The image quality, day & night mode is superb for the price and does not require a fast internet connection to obtain that quality. The delay I have found for any tilt/pan operations is about 3 seconds on a mobile connection, which is absolutely fine for my intended use.
The app for Android works faultlessly and it’s extremely easy to set up, the cable length is fantastic and will suit majority of homes for the above use, I have purchased several of these for security as well as pet cam.
The storage is expandable via mini SD cards, I personally use 64GB as that is what I had laying around.
Positives:
– Brilliant video quality (day & night)
– Easy to install (if you’re familiar with tech, if not instructions are easy to follow)
– Motion sensors & alerts are quick!
Negatives:
– Cloud storage price is expensive
– Sound quality isn’t the greatest for two-way communication.
Night mode is useless though, turn it straight to day mode.
Turn off the led light in settings as this can interfere with night time recording.
This is only the only micro S.D. (Samsung 32gb) which seemed to work out of the 5 I have and attempted to format on the app in the settings so I can continuously record without subscriptions etc.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B073S49S8M?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Turn up the sensitivity to high
Take of manufacturers stamp off the screen
Turn of notifications otherwise your phone will go off every 2 seconds.
I like this, because when you not at home you can whatch what your pets doing.
Only arrived today but love it all ready. So easy to set up, 10 mins start to finish, set up, it auto formatted my SD card which was brilliant too. Motion detect and speed it sends notifications is great. Fantastic for the price
Great security cameras. Can mount on walls or even upside down and revert image etc. Software is easy to set up and you can record to sd card and replay and download for free with up to 4 cameras on one account.
This is amazing for the price.
The picture is extremely clear, the pan and tilt buttons are very easy to use.
One of the best purchases I’ve made
I originally only brought one of these however after installing it I was so impressed that I brought another one, the picture quality is superb and the app is so easy to use
We’ve added an SD card to the ones that matter. 128GB will get you approx 2 weeks on 2k definition, couldn’t ask for a better non subscription solution to looking after the house!
Can someone help locate spare screws for the SD card cover ? Dropped one and no chance of finding one so small
is good. Only one think I don’t like: before you buy membership in one month trial, cloud working with SD card with no any problems, but when trial finish and you pay for membership, it’s gone. Yo can’t use SD card and cloud. Only one of them.
Absolutely brilliant. Good quality and easy to set up. Also I can put it onto multiple devices, so other family members can use it as well. I brought it to keep and eye on my dogs. The sound is really good and picture quality is great.
– the power cable needs to be a bit longer. Cameras are usually mounted up high to get a good view, but power sockets are only a few inches above the floor. Finding a place with a good view but was close enough to power was a bit tricky!
– the integration with Google and Amazon speakers was easy to set up, but it turns out there isn’t much it lets you do, making it a bit pointless.
– it can take a while (minutes?) after the camera has triggered and recorded for the video for it to be accessible on the phone app. A little patience is required.
You get what you pay for but these cameras are very good. I have 4 of these internal and 2 external cameras. Quality is clear, you can download the video from the camera via WiFi of for a subscription, you can have it all backed up to the cloud. Well worth the money.
Good camera, follows my kitten around the room so I can always see him. Can also speak from the camera and hear what is happening in the room.
Only issues is it’s a little laggy and SD card is needed or a subscription to save videos
At first I was struggling to view outside at night and the light from the camera was reflecting off the window, but if you just go into settings and change to daylight you get a brilliant view.. I use the camera for front house security..If not recording you still have videos of 24 hours which delete themselves off your phone.
I find it a good camera..
Easy to set up, just a few clicks to download app, enter email and password then add to wifi and app. Easy.
Picture quality is excellent. Not using any account as I am using this to check on three 3D printesr on 2nd floor whilst I am on ground floor. I can move the camera between ech of them and instantly see what is happening. A good price and perfect for my needs.
This is the second TP-Link camera we have purchased, we use them whilst we are away on holiday, so easy to set up, they work perfectly, product quality is very good, picture quality is amazing, and they have great security features.
We use these cameras along with the TP-Link Smart Plugs for lighting whilst away, I have been very impressed with these products and the price has been great.
Great little camera, easy to set up and install (i found a youtube video that explained it all which was helpful).
Looks like you can have upto 32 cameras although ive only the one to keep an eye on the cat.
It has sound and a talk facility and you can turn privacy mode on/off . Motion playback is good and the picture quality can be set to either 720p or 1080p
You need to buy the micro-sd card separately (only costs 10ish)
I have 3 types of the camera. I don’t see the picture quality being any better with the C210 camera. Also found the C210 much more of an issue to connect to the software than the other 2 versions. Also with the C210 I found an issue with playing a recorded image which I have had no issue with the other versions of this camera I have. I do not think this camera is an improvment over the other cameras.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good the video and picture quality is with this camera and the fact I can move the camera left right up and down remotely is a added bonus. Night vision works perfect and I can always see what my tarantula’s are doing during the night which is why I got it since they seem to do more when it’s dark lol. Another bonus is that you can link it to google although for some reason you can’t access the video via google home app as it can only be seen on a smart display but not a deal breaker and I have a google smart display so it doesn’t bother me too much 🙂
You may have a different reasons for being here looking at IP cameras. You could be doing it for home security, or perhaps for monitoring babies, children or pets. I’m writing my review from the perspective of a pet owner who likes to know what his border collie is up to, but also with a nod to home security.
I already have in place several security camera systems around my property which have different benefits and weaknesses. We have an 8-channel Swann CCTV system, which is a more traditional wired product using BNC cables and requiring a lot of wiring and thought about placement. While being accessible from an app anywhere in the world they record all of their footage to a base unit. They can be very incredibly expensive to buy, difficult to install and a challenge to set-up, but once in place they are very good quality. They’re not for everyone, though, and aren’t as long-living as their price might suggest. I also have an existing IP camera system, from a company called Victure, which I assembled over several months with purchases from Amazon some four years ago. Amazon no longer sell them, and the quality was rudimentary. They got the job done, but they were showing their weaknesses. A recent upgrade of our home internet with a new router that the Victure cameras refused to connect to was the last straw, which set me on a path looking for a new IP camera supplier.
An IP camera system is generally much simpler and cheaper to set up than the traditional system. You buy the cameras individually and they can operate independently of any other devices, or you can add to them over time to create a really large network of cameras that you can control through a single app. You record either to a memory card which is either in the camera itself or in a central hub, or you can subscribe to a cloud based service. A memory card can be typically 10-30 so you need to factor that into your budget, but that cost is quickly returned after perhaps 9-12 months of paying for a cloud subscription.
IP cameras are normally powered by either a USB (USB-C or USB-A) cable or a DC adapter, although some cameras can be powered by a solar panel. They’re typically quite a bit more expensive though.
There are hundreds of different manufacturers of IP cameras when you look around, and they all have their own app to control them. I mention this because it’s very tempting to buy whatever camera is on offer at that time and find yourself with several cameras from several different brands requiring different apps to view the footage. You’ll get frustrated hunting through the apps that control the camera you want to view so one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give is to find a single manufacturer that you’re happy with and stick to their ecosystem. And, with that in mind, you ideally want a brand that is reputably, reliable, and is going to be around for some time. TP-Link are just such a company.
If you’re not familiar with them, TP-Link manufacture some of the very best WiFi routers, smart sockets, range extenders and network switches. I have examples of all of these in my home and I’ve never been let down by them. They also make a wide selection of IP cameras for different purposes, and the range is continuing to grow. The make internal and external cameras, mains powered or solar powered, static or rotating cameras in different qualities of image resolution. They gave me confidence that if I did invest in a number of cameras I wouldn’t find myself in a dead end in a couple of years time.
My current IP system is 8 internal cameras and 2 external. My intention is to replace all of them. Although I was happy with the brand, I did have my concerns about a couple of things. Firstly, I’d noted that the power delivery to the camera was by a DC adapter and 3m long cable. All of my previous IP cameras were powered by USB cable which are easily and cheaply replaced should you need a longer cable. And, that’s the issue with security cameras. You normally mount them somewhere where they’re not necessarily close to a power socket. I was concerned that I was going to struggle to wire the cameras up in a method that was safe and visually tidy. Additionally, the app is your main interface and you’re never too sure of how good the app is going to be. I’ve tested a lot of camera apps for Amazon over the last few years and more often than not they’re clunky at best. They struggle to connect, even more so to remain connected, don’t offer much in the way of parameter customisation, and either don’t show live screens or only show one camera at a time. I didn’t know what the TP-Link Tapo app was going to be like.
I decided to buy one each of the C210, C225 and C320WS cameras to try them out before I committed to buy the full system. Each of these are the top of the TP-Link Tapo range of their particular styles. The C210 is the traditional internal dome camera, the C225 the brand new internal dome camera with motion tracking ability, and the C320WS is the external camera. There are battery-powered external cameras also available at a higher cost, but these aren’t what I was looking for, so these three cameras are the best available for my particular needs. I should also note that care must be taken in selecting the right camera. TP-Link and Amazon continue to sell older or lower specced versions of their cameras. With some cameras being on offer at different times it can lead you to believe that a more expensive camera is the better specced camera, which isn’t always the case.
Inside each camera’s box you get the camera itself, a DC adapter with fixed 3m cable (note that it’s a 9v DC adapter with the C210 and C320Ws and a 12v DC adapter with the C225), wall fixings with screw marking guide and a basic instruction manual. To set up and operate the cameras you will also need to download the Tapo app for Android or iOS.
My concern over the cameras being powered by DC adapter was realised, and the cables were too short for the locations I wished to place the camera. Fortunately you can be extension cables for DC adapters, so I purchased a twin pack of 5m cables for 8 off of Amazon. Not ideal that it was additional expense, but it was a problem that was easily solved.
The cameras are really straightforward to set up. After you plug the camera in you go into the Tapo app and select add camera. After a few moments the status light on the camera flashes green and red to signify it’s ready to connect. You go to your internet settings on your phone and connect to the TP-Link WiFi that will have appeared, and go back to the app. You’ll hear a voice coming out of the camera to say it’s connecting, and then has connected, and that’s it. The camera will be connected to the app. You can then tailor the settings to suit your requirements. You can set up scheduled recording between certain times or have it recording 24/7. You can change what resolution it’s recording in, which effects how quickly you’ll fill up your memory card. You can adjust when you get alerts to your phone, or no alerts at all. Set up privacy zones so that neighbours aren’t getting recorded, for example. You can also invert the image which allows you to mount the camera upside down should you wish to attach it to the underside of something.
And, most pleasingly of all, you can view up to four screens live all at once. That means I can see the live images from four screens constantly without having to swipe across or back out and choose another camera. That to me is worth so much. My iPad sits above my laptop and I can see the four locations that my dog is likely to be around the house with just a glance. No further interaction necessary. I genuinely can’t tell you how valuable that is. It’s pretty standard for a traditional CCTV system like my Swann, but I’ve not seen that in any other IP camera system I’ve used.
My only complaint with the app is one that irritates me about several apps. The majority of the interface in the app is in portrait mode. If you mainly use your phone for viewing the app then you might not worry about that, but tablets such as the iPad are usually used in landscape mode. Quite a lot of apps don’t take that into account so you’re forced to tilt your head if you’ve got your tablet on its stand. It is a pain, but not the end of the world. Fortunately, when you go to watch the live view of the cameras the orientation does change to landscape if you wish. And that’s where the app will spend the majority of its time, so I can live with that.
I’ve spent two weeks with the cameras and app now, and despite my concerns about a couple of details prior to buying them I have to say that on reflection the cameras have exceeded my expectations considerably. The quality of the image from the cameras are superb. All of them, not just the new C225. All have excellent low light capabilities, even when remaining in full colour. When it does go to night vision the image is crisp and clear. Reviewing footage is also very simple. You can see activity along a time line, or pick out the activity from a list showing times, type of motion detected and a freeze frame. It works very well, rivalling my Swann system and an Arlo 4 Pro I also have which was close to 200 for a single camera. The general footage throughout the day is so much better than what I used to get with my old Victure cameras, I really have been very impressed.
The C210 is highly recommended, especially when on offer. It’s not got quite the overall build quality or motion tracking features as the C225, but it’s also a lot cheaper. If you’re building a multi-camera system then I would go with those. If you’re only wanting one or two cameras then the C225 becomes the better camera.
Are the cameras perfect? No, there’s always ways to improve any system. The DC power cable was a pain for my application and I’d rather it had been USB, but it was a problem that I got around and I’m sure most people wouldn’t even notice. The app being mainly in portrait mode was irritating, but the important views are in landscape so I’m not going to complain too hard. The footage is exceptional for the price of the cameras. I can see what the dog is up to at all times, in any lighting condition.
Overall, despite my initial misgivings that had me thinking it was never going to be more than a four star product I have to say that the TP-Link Tapo cameras have turned it around and delivered three products that I would happily award a five star review to.
I was initially impressed with this little camera. The picture is sharp and night vision is good. Unfortunately it does not really pair with the Alexa app as you cannot get notifications and live pictures through it so you have to use the Tapo app. It is a great camera to keep an eye on your pets or maybe for a baby nursery but not really as a security device. Also you will have to subscribe to get full motion Tracking though you get a free month to try out all the features. All in all I am happy as I got it on offer and it lets me keep an eye on my dog when we are out.