"Despite its name, the Blink Indoor just doesn't cut it to handle the interior of the home."
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Battery life of up to two years
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Live playback limited to 30 seconds
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A wired power source is optional
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Very simple motion detection trigger
At the beginning of this year, the surveillance camera manufacturer Blink released the Blink Mini to expand its portfolio. This is certainly a step in a new direction as it was the company's first indoor camera following the success of its Blink XT outdoor cameras.
Now we're getting another indoor camera with the aptly named Blink Indoor, which looks very similar to its sibling – the Blink Outdoor. Compared to the Mini, the Blink Indoor is priced higher at $ 80 and is billed as a wireless solution. When the Blink Mini sells for $ 35, are you ready to pay the premium?
Lots of similarities
Place the Blink Indoor and Blink Outdoor cameras side by side and it will be difficult to tell them apart. From their square plastic design to being powered by two AA lithium batteries, they have a lot in common. The only difference, however, is that the back cover on the Blink Indoor does not have the same weatherproof cover. And, oh yes, the indoor is available in white while the outdoor is available in black. You can also use the Blink outdoor camera indoors if you want. However, you cannot use the indoor camera outdoors as it is not weatherproof.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
On the technical side, it's exactly like the Blink Outdoor, which in itself is similar to the previous Blink XT2 camera. It offers 1080p video recording, up to 30 frames per second, infrared night vision, and the same 110 degree field of view. The narrow field of view is still limited compared to the 140 degree range of the Ring Indoor Cam. However, if you want to monitor the entrances in the house, it is enough if you collect important information.
Since the Blink Outdoor has the same specs, its performance is no different. The 1080p video it produces is passable and clear enough to see scenes, but fine details are difficult to see. It suffers from its dynamic range and often blows out the highlights. Night vision holds up with its range of around 25 feet, but it's rather soft.
Limitations with live view
Due to its battery life, the Blink Indoor has a relatively brief live view when accessing the camera directly through the app – and that's a problem. If you access the live view, you will receive a smidgen over 30 seconds before the disconnection. I thought there was an option to customize, but there isn't. Once that 30 second mark is reached, a button will appear on the screen asking if you want to continue. Of course, you can press it after every 30 second mark, but that's a pain.
Interestingly, you can actually firmly connect the Blink Indoor to a power source because there is an exposed micro-USB port on the back. However, even with constant power supply, the live view is still limited to around 30 seconds. There are also controls for the sensitivity of the motion detection as well as the ability to set up motion zones to reduce false alarms. Speaking of which, it lacks advanced peer detection like person or pet detection, which will help reduce false positives.
Less of an indoor camera
As mentioned earlier, the Blink Mini was released as the company's first indoor camera solution earlier this year. However, the Blink Indoor Camera behaves more like an outdoor camera than an indoor camera, especially when it includes the same wall bracket as the Blink Outdoor. Because of this, when you put it on a table or countertop, you cannot articulate it for different angles.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Let's talk about the battery life. It's neat that the battery can last up to two years, but the app does a terrible job of showing you the remaining battery life. Instead of a percentage or a bar, the app only shows a vague "OK" after almost a week. Of course, battery life mainly depends on how often it is triggered. There is the option of plugging it into a power source, but making it more difficult that no cable is offered in the box.
Our opinion
There is only a $ 20 difference between Blink Outdoor and Indoor, with the main difference being the weatherproof construction of the former. At $ 80, the Blink Indoor is a tough sell as it has limited real-time streaming of video and lacks the advanced features of its contemporaries.
How long it will take?
The all-plastic construction makes it light, but still feels solid to withstand small drops. If it is defective, it is backed by a 1 year limited warranty.
Is there a better alternative?
While video quality is no different, given its $ 35 cost, the cheaper Blink Mini is a better buy. You're sure to save money and don't have to worry about live streaming restrictions.
Alternatively, the Eufy Indoor Cam 2K Pan and Tilt is an excellent offer. With tons of features, including 360-degree coverage. The Ring Indoor Cam is also a good choice at $ 60. It offers person recognition to reduce false alarms and integration into the ring ecosystem.
Should you buy it?
No. It lacks the need to turn it into a functional indoor camera and it is more expensive than much more powerful counterparts.
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