SereneLife IPCAMOD47 - hard pass

Outdoor PTZ IP Security Camera - 4X Optical Zoom - Starlight Night Vision 2mp HD 1080p Home Wireless WiFi Video Surveillance - Two Way Audio, Cloud Storage, Alexa Show - SereneLife IPCAMOD47

Note description says 36mm lens but I think they mean 3.6 mm lens and it is fixed, not zoom (see below).

Manual and specs can be found here

When I went back looking for an alternate to this I'm wondering if I meant to order this 5 MP cam given it looks exactly the same though has totally diff specs and only $20 more. Already boxed this one up to go back. Below is why.

Cons:

• Appears the only way to set up is via phone while cam is wired
• In cam web interface is only available after setup via phone. In fact it does not even seem to get an IP address from DHCP till after you set it up via phone by scanning a tiny, hard to scan QR code.
• Requires creating account to use app needed to setup
• Zoom appears to be only digital and no zoom controls in web interface.
• No common protocol support so forget using an NVR including Blue Iris.
• Even less feature controls than any of the dozens of cams I've tried (See screen shots below)
• Web interface wants plugin for IE that antivirus blocks from installing (see screen shots below) though plug does not actually seem to be needed. On Chrome you get not video at all though it does not ask you to install the plugin
• Phone lost connection and would not reconnect despite web interface still working.
• Mute speaker and mic controls in web interface do not seem to work. You will need to mute your PC to avoid feedback during viewing via the web app if cam is within ear shot
• Takes long time to boot up and be ready
• NTP requests to odd server triggers IPS alerts but you can at least change it. (See screenshot) 
• Time defaults to 1971 and no option to sync with PC. Only can turn off sync and set manually at which point sync turns back on when saved
• Note factory reset does not seem to actually reset all settings.
• Firmware update gets flagged as network Trojan though probably mistakenly.
  
  
  

Pros:

• Has motion triggered lights
• 512 GB SD card support per manual though ad says 128 GB max. Seemed to work with a 256 GB SD fine. Though when I pulled the SD card when getting it ready to send back I did not find any video files on the SD. Just a "backup" file. Though I did see clips in playback interface. 
• Default login appears to be random string though you do not seem to be able to change it

Stuff that would be pros but did not get to try

• 2 way audio
• Alexa support
• Starlight sensor for color night vision

Screen shots

Network options

On screen display settings. If you turn on Display name you get a prompt that only takes letters, not numbers.

SD card screen

Motion settings page 1

Motion settings page 2 though both would fit on one easy.

Recording schedule screen

Maint screen

Other screen which is volume settings.

WiFi setup pops up right after first login

No video/audio stream on Chrome. Pan tilt controls also appear to be dead.

Yet Chrome did get a pic from the camera. It just goes blank when you click the play button. Note it does not auto play.

On IE you get prompted to install a plugin

IE after ignoring plugin install request

Time setting screen. Note the odd ntp server.

Typical download option. At least the plugin comes from the same place as the firmware update

Should you click Run here you will most likely get a nasty message from your anti virus program that just says I'm not letting you do this.