This year, D-Link releases a brand new home IP (Internet Protocol) security camera with a fresh new design, the DCS-936L HD Wi-Fi camera. As compared to the D-Link DCS-960L which I have reviewed last year, this new home IP security camera is compact in size and its modern design fits well with any home decor.
Today, home IP security cameras are a popular device because it captures unforeseen events such as intruder into a house, theft from strangers from your rented room or even child abuse from a babysitter.
Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for setting up a home IP security camera, D-Link made home IP security cameras affordable for every family and easily available from many retail stores.
Small In Size, Great In Design
Out from the box, the DCS-936L resembles a DSLR portrait lens. The swivel design makes the tilting of the lens easy and best of all, the base and lens can be rotated. This design reduces the chance of blind spots and makes the mounting decision easier for anyone.
The 120-degree wide-angle lens has a high-quality optics of F2.4 aperture, making it possible to capture the whole room even in low lighting condition.
The DCS-936L comes with high-resolution 720p video quality. Using mydlink Lite app, I can operate the 4x digital zoom by spreading my fingers apart on my iPhone. If you wish to conserve storage space in the microSD card, simply switch the recording mode to 480p on the app. The photo and video quality are still pretty good.
The DCS-936L HD Wi-Fi camera comes with a 2-pin power plug with 5V 1.2A micro USB output connector.
Located at the back is the micro USB power input, WPS button, power/status LED and reset button. WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup and can be found on most wireless devices today. This wireless networking standard makes connections between a wireless router and wireless devices easier and faster.
Don’t worry if your wireless router does not have WPS button. The mydlink Lite app will walk you through the setup.
At the base of DCS-936L, there is a channel for tidy cable routeing. The microSD card slot, which supports up to 128 GB, can be found on the side of DCS-936L.
Probably One Of The Most Intelligent Home Security Camera
With built-in night vision up to 5 meters, you can be assured that the DCS-936L will capture high quality black and white images during the night.
Intelligently, the DCS-936L will trigger a record when there is any motion or sound detected. If you wish to be notified when a recording has been triggered by the IP camera, switch on the “Enable Notification” in the app for motion and/or sound detection.
Designed to help users to locate the optimal Wi-Fi connection, the DCS-936L has a Wi-Fi signal locator. I like this approach as it will help me to indicate the best spot to place my home security camera.
If I want to make this black-in-colour security camera in stealth mode, I can disable the LED through the mydlink Lite app. Unfortunately, during complete darkness, there will still be 2 obvious infrared lights for the night vision mode.
If you feel that your room is well-lited and you don’t need the night vision mode, you can switch to “Daylight” mode for colour recording images in the app. This will turn off the infrared lights on the camera.
My Thoughts On D-Link DCS-936L HD Wi-Fi Camera
I love this brand new swivel design with a rotatable base and lens! With the built-in Wi-Fi signal locator, anyone can place this compact security camera at the optimal location.
I am happy that D-Link kept two of their most intelligent functions in mydlink Lite app, motion and sound detection. I can customise the area of motion and the level of noise to trigger a record.
By signing up for a D-Link Cloud account, I can remotely connect to the camera and see what’s happening at home through the app or web browser. I also find the night vision mode impressively clear.
Priced at S$109, the D-Link DCS-936L is an affordable IP camera without any monthly fees. For more information, please visit http://www.dlink.com.sg.
