VAVA wireless home camera review – does battery last for 365 days?

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You may know Vava best for a camera of another flavor — the company previously released its popular Dash Cam following an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, whereupon the team managed to raise over $600,000. That camera has received rave reviews on Amazon, with customers applauding the quality of the camera, in spite of the small size of the lens. That appears to be a common theme among Vava products — like the Dash Cam, the new Home Cam also seems rather diminutive, but don’t let that fool you. This is one security camera that won’t miss a beat. the VAVA wireless home camera has a built-in alarm and two-way audio capabilities, three levels of motion detection sensitivity so DIY smart home enthusiasts can tinker with the settings, and a 140-degree angle lens for maximum coverage. An onboard 128GH local MicroSD card allows for access to encrypted video recordings, while users can also access 1030 HD video via the accompanying iOS or Android mobile app. Reveal more in our VAVA wireless home camera review.

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In The Box 

For one camera

  • 1 x VAVA Home Cam
  • 1 x VAVA Base Station (can support up to four VAVA Home Cams)
  • 1 x microUSB charging cable
  • 1 x power adapter for Base Station
  • 1 x Desktop Mount
  • 1 x Outdoor Mount
  • 1 x Magnetic Mount

VAVA wireless home camera

“VAVA believes in creating innovative products that are about making life simple for everyone,” said Jeh Lin, director of marketing for VAVA, in a release. “By conducting user surveys and talking to homeowners, we are creating a home security camera that is made to last, made to protect, and made for simplicity, combining seamless designs with functionalities that users want, at a price that is attainable for the everyday consumer. Now we are introducing the VAVA Home Cam to every home, continuing the superior security and peace of mind for every aspects of life — at home, on the road, and more”Buy at eBay

Pros & Cons – VAVA wireless home camera (review)

What I liked:
-The camera and the base station have really nice looks. They could be an apple product in that sense.
-The software is simple to use and seems to work well
-Video quality is very good and the night vision works well and covers my entire patio easily
-Movement detection algorithm seems to work fine and includes human detection (see dislikes below)

What I didn’t like:
-No wifi whatsoever. The camera connects using some proprietary protocol to the base station, and the base station requires a wired connection. This is not an issue for me, as I only wanted one camera and my router is close enough that connecting the base station with an ethernet cable is not a problem. I don’t know how this would work for a large home, so keep it in mind.
-Human detection seems far from perfect. I turned it on and it highlighted my grill as detected. I tried moving around and it followed me pretty nicely, but having the grill detected is not very reassuring.
-No web-based access. At least none that I could find. It would be nice to be able to have the same functionality that I get from the Vava app in my desktop, but if it exists, I have not found it yet.

Specifications – VAVA wireless home camera

Camera

  • Lens: 140 degree wide-angle lens, f/2.0 
  • Sensor: Sony IMX323, 1/2.9″ 
  • Resolution: 1080pHD, H.265 encoding
  • Night view: 2 x 850nm infrared light
  • Microphone: Built-in
  • Speaker: 1.5W
  • Battery: 2500mAh polymer battery, 7.68V
  • Adapter power: 5V / 2.5A max
  • Internet: 2.4G WiFi, 60m/197 foot range
  • Weather-proof: IP66
  • 80.4 x 80.4 x 80.4 mm / 3.2 x 3.2 x 3.2 in
  • Operating temperature: -20C — 50C / -4F — 122F, RH<95%

Base Station

  • Speaker: 2W
  • MicroSD card memory: Up to 128GB
  • Internet connection: Ethernet
  • Effective range: 60m/197 ft
  • Cameras supported: 4
  • Adapter power: 12V/1.5A Max
  • USB Output: 5V/1A
  • Dimensions: 95 x 95 x 95 mm / 3.7 x 3.7 x 3.7 in
  • Operating temperature: -20C — 50C / -4— 122F, RH<95%

What is good in VAVA wireless home camera (review)?

  • Clear image and video quality: Crisp 1080p Full HD resolution with H.264 video encoding; Records high quality images and videos with efficiency
  • Easy to set up and use in any weather: The wireless camera setup takes only a few minutes; IP66 weatherproofing means no worries in the heaviest rain
  • Night vision & wide camera angle: 7m IR night vision mode makes sure the camera detects movement even in low lighting; 110° wide camera angle guarantees protection from all around
  • Smartphone app with notifications: Customizable alerts ensure that you are only notified when your camera detects anything out of the ordinary
  • Secure data encryption: Both the base station and our cloud storage use high standard data encryption to make sure your personal data is safe and secure

VAVA wireless home camera review

Camera & motion alerts

The camera has a built-in alarm that you can trip should you notice anything fishy, as well as two-way audio so that you can communicate with the people you’re seeing, even if you’re not physically present. You can also set three levels of motion detection sensitivity, which I’ve found to be particularly useful for actually obtaining accurate alerts (because you don’t, in fact, need to be notified every time your dog wags his tail).

Get automatic alerts straight to your Home Cam app when unusual activity is detected, such as motion or when someone tries to move your camera. Each VAVA Home Cam comes with three levels of motion sensitivity (low, medium, and high) and a customizable monitoring schedule, so you’ll only get the alerts that matter to you, when you want them.  For added protection, you’ll also receive an alert when your Home Cam is moved out of range.

Video quality

Recorded content is extremely clear, as content is delivered in 1080p HD during both day and nighttime. I was impressed by the 23-foot night vision range, which really does allow you to see across quite an impressive radius even during the darkest part of the evening. You’ll be getting a 140-degree view of your property, and while that’s not necessarily the widest angle around, it does the trick (and if you opt for two Home Cams, you can cover more than enough ground).

If you’re in need of a bit more storage space, the Vava does offer support for up a 128 local microSD card. I don’t think you’ll actually need that much additional storage, though I suppose it could come in handy if you’re away for a vacation or work trip, and will need to keep an eye on goings-on at home.

VAVA home cam setup

Setting

Setting up this is a breeze via the mobile app. The base unit needs to be connected to the internet. All the required cables are provided for this along with the charger of the camera and power plug of the base station.

Mounting

It comes with multiple options to install – you can place it on the table on the provided desktop stand, or use the magnetic back to hang it outside/inside on a wall. There is also a third option to use the provided stand which rotates all the way after installation.

Each VAVA Home Cam comes with three different mount types (outdoor mount, strong magnetic mount, and desktop mount) for easy placement on any surface.  Outdoors or indoors — the choice is yours. The Home Cam’s unique design gives you the flexibility of protecting your home’s exterior or keeping an eye on what’s going on indoors. 

Battery

VAVA Home Cam comes with a specially-engineered rechargeable battery designed to last up to a year on a single charge.  By using more efficient video processing standards (e.g., H.265 encoding uses up to 50% less bandwidth when compared to H.264 compression standards) and a low-energy, long-range wireless communication protocol between the Home Cam and Base Station, the VAVA Home Cam is designed to save energy without compromising performance. 

Apps

Always see what’s happening with the VAVA Home Cam mobile app, built for iOS and Android. We’ve included easy access to all the essentials you need, giving you one tap access to your live feed, alerts, snapshots, and two-way communication. 

Other app features include:

  • Triggering an alarm 
  • Bookmarking recordings
  • Sharing camera access with up to 20 family members and trusted contacts
  • Scheduling alert notifications
  • Setting activity detection zones

DIY option – VAVA Solar Panel

Stay Charged with the VAVA Solar Panel

Get even more energy smart by pairing the VAVA Home Cam with a VAVA Solar Panel to harness the power of the sun so you’ll never need to recharge.  Each IP66 weather-resistant VAVA Solar Panel comes with its own mounting kit and 2M (6.5 ft) charging cable and weather-proof connectors. 

  • Weight: 220g / 7.76 ounces
  • Charging Output: 5.5V/0.6A
  • Dimensions: 210 x 116 x 21.8 mm / 8.26 x 4.57 x 0.86 in

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Abu Saleh Rizvee
Abu Saleh Rizvee

I love to write content and contribute for my society. I invest my days in creating content for products those I love and brands who need online presence

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