Netgear VueZone Home Video Monitoring System - 1 Camera Kit Netgear VueZone Home Video Monitoring System - 1 Camera Kit

Pros: Good Picture

Cons: Motion Detection Sensitive, and can only turn on, or off. Cant adjust. Also, Called Customer Service, due to cameras/Base kept saying update, but wouldn't do it. Went to settings and after 2 days, it finally let me update. Customer service person gave me a case # and told me she would call back yesterday at 5:30 pm, and never did!! She kept me on the phone for over 2 hrs, trying to get my Log in to work, even after I registered. After going through 2 hrs of steps, they still would not let me log in, and she wanted me to change my Computers settings. After getting off the phone with No Help from a 2 hour call, I deleted my Browsing History, and BOOM. It let me Log on, and view! (No Call Back as she Promised though), and her English was terrible. Had a hard time understanding her.

Other Thoughts: OVERALL GOOD. Need a sensitivity adjustment though, and better support/Technical, good communicating person at Vuezone!!!

Pros: Got one of these for my vacation house and I use it to check the weather before we go. I get to see how much snow we're getting before we leave. Fun to have.

Cons: None

Pros: Easy setup, superb web software, easily expandable.

Cons: Low resolution in video modes.

Other Thoughts: I’ve been researching home security video systems for the past year. I became very disenchanted after reading many less-than-satisfactory product reviews on name-brand wired and wireless systems, until I discovered the NETGEAR VueZone system. I purchased the VueZone 2-camera system and added two NETGEAR VZMS2050-10000S Outdoor Shells to my order. I have since added four additional NETGEAR VueZone VZCM2050-100NAS motion-detection cameras and two additional outdoor shells.

In short, this is a SUPERBLY SIMPLE yet HIGHLY EFFECTIVE motion-detection video security system with an elegant interface using the NETGEAR VueZone service plan. The VueZone system uses an amazingly simple pairing and set-up process. Moreover, it’s a completely flexible system given its wireless interface. I have easily moved cameras to optimize motion-detection and viewing. My wife and I monitor our home using the beautiful VueZone iPhone/iPad apps, and on my Macbook Pro laptop using the NETGEAR VueZone web site on my Safari browser. And unlike so many other security systems, VueZone works beautifully on an Apple computer! My entire system is controlled through the VueZone web site on my Safari browser and/or through the VueZone iPhone/iPad app. My co-workers have been amazed how well I can remotely view our home using my iPad.

The fully adjustable motion detection system works beautifully. While I find the resolution on the 320 X 240 and 640 X 480 video modes to be too low for security purposes, the 1600 X 1200 time-lapse video mode provides excellent quality recorded images. Accordingly, I have my VueZone system set to provide 10-second 1600 X 1200 time-lapse video recordings on each of my outdoor cameras whenever motion is detected.

I initially subscribed to the VueZone Premiere level service plan. I travel extensively and absolutely love the real-time e-mail alerts with the attached video clip. I’m upgrading to the VueZone Elite level service plan to allow for several additional cameras as I plan to expand my VueZone system to cover the interior of our home.

I highly recommend the VueZone system. While it’s not meant to be a 24/7 video streaming system, it works brilliantly as a motion-detection system with live monitoring on an as-needed basis.

Pros: This kit offers interesting capabilities. It is extremely easy to setup and use to monitor the camera either on your computer or mobile devices with installation of the appropriate app.

Sofware installation is a breeze and installs and updates the required software after registration of the product.

There are 2 plans available, basic or premier. Basic is free (and includes 30 days of the premier trial). The premier installation costs $49.99/year or $4.99/month and gives you mobile access to your system.

The package allows on-line storage of your videos or single frame snapshots. The camera allows 320x240 or 640x480 frame rate resolution. There is also a time elapse setting with 1600x1200 images.

This kit is expandable and allows adding upto 5 cameras, although pricey additions as the camera with motion detection is $99.99 and without motion $79.95. Camera mounting is very versatile as well and this kit includes 2 mounts so you can change locations easily to either mount.

The camera itself that is included has motion detection, is very small and requires 2 123 size batteries which are included. After 23 days of use the battery indicator is still showing full bars, which is a nice reflection on the kit.

The base station must be plugged directly into your router so be aware you will need an available socket to attach the included network cable. The base station is small enough to place easily on your desk or shelf and dependant on the lenth of your network cable.

Signal strength is very good. I installed the base unit in the basement, and in my mult-level home I recieved an excellent signal at every location, including the farthest point from the base station.

Cons: Unfortunately there are several drawbacks to this kit. To have an effective monitoring system more than one camera is usually desired. Adding up to the maximum cameras would be costly.

The video leaves a lot to be desired. The video and single frames snapshots are exremely grainy, even at the 640 resolution. The video lag causes severe motion degradation. The vertical images (i.e. door frames) are distorted and bowed considerably.

To have the versatility of monitoring when you do not have a desktop top computer adds additional costs with the monthly or yearly subscriptions.

Other Thoughts: One interesting way of using the camera is as another eye. The camera can easily be mounted is a long handle and can peer in areas not accessible because of small openings. I found this as an intriguing use of the camera.

Pros: Setting up this product is very easy and only takes minutes:
- Plug base station into your home network and power it on
- Put batteries into camera (this is tricky) and power it on
- Press the Sync button on top of the base station to sync cameras
- Set up an account online to see the video feed.

After setup you need to visit my.vuezone.com and create an account, which only takes a minute or two using the unique identifier on your base station. Then to view the cameras you access the website from any computer with your username/password and can watch the stream through your web browser. Lastly position and mount the camera(s) with the magnetic domes. That's it!

The video quality is nothing special but it is about as good as most security camera videos you'd see in, say, the news if not better.

The magnetic mounts are a great idea and make mounting and positioning the cameras very easy and forgiving.

Lack of network configuration options makes it a no-brainer for the non-technically-inclined to set up, just plug it in and it pulls a DHCP address, no need for a static.

Cons: - Battery installation is tricky. It's a combination of pushing hard on a button on the underside and yanking on a plastic cover. Speaking of batteries, the device uses some odd CR123 lithium ones so you'll want to buy extras specifically for this.

- Video quality suffers indoors when there are windows visible with daylight passing through them, or outdoors after sunset. Slow framerate, and the 640x480 picture itself would only be detailed enough to make an ID at a police station if the person was standing within 5 feet of the camera or looked directly at it.

- No way to view the cameras without going through the website. Why? I want to be able to configure the device with a static IP and view them directly through my local network. Just one of the downfalls of making the device user-friendly and consistent. That said most users will like not worrying about IP addresses, and the $5/month subscription service to view video feed on android/apple devices is easiest this way.

Other Thoughts: For the technically inclined like myself, there are better options out there that allow you to configure all the settings and details to your liking with higher quality cameras for a similar price.

For the majority of users though -- the people who want to plug it in and have it just work, and make sure their kids (or other people) aren't ruining their house while they're away -- the Vuezone will work admirably. Just don't forget the spare batteries.

Pros: Nice compact home base unit and cameras. I really like the mounting system for the cameras (metal ball mount with magnet in the camera). Pairing the camera is extremely easy to do and worked very well for me.

I was given a 1 month trial of the premium mobile service through Vuezone. The Android app worked decently well although seemed like a memory/battery hog if you used it for a long period of time.

Overall, the system was almost brainlessly easy to setup. Pairing the cameras to the base unit just requires you to press a button on the base and pair the camera up. It takes less than a minute and the camera works.

The website is pretty simple and easy to log on to etc etc.

As for the cameras themselves, they seem to hold their own on battery life and the motion detectors work much better and more consistently than the actual video part of the camera.

Cons: Something I'm not too fond of is probably the most important aspect of this setup, the cameras. The video quality isn't expected to be stellar as these are, more or less, security cameras. However, the video quality is pretty awful. Not only is the image quality extremely distorted and, for the most part, not that useful, the camera seems to need just the perfect amount of light to even work. Slightly too much light (either from the sun coming through the windows or a light on that is close by) pretty much makes this little camera go solid white. Not enough light (as it gets into dusk) the camera goes black. Obviously this isn't a camera suited for low light but I expect it to perform if I'm able to see perfectly fine (I'm not talking pitch dark night time here) then I should be able to use the camera.

Something else that is rather unfortunate is the simple fact that I have to go on the internet and visit a website to view the cameras. To my knowledge, there isn't another way to view the cameras other than through the website. This setup is a little odd and, quite honestly, I'm not very happy with that. I will say that the system is, overall a great idea. However, there are a lot of discomforts that could really be improved on.

Other Thoughts: I tested this camera setup in a couple of places. I mounted it in my living room facing so that it had a view of the living room, dining room and the front door. I also tested it outside underneath the front porch overhang (to be able to see who is at the front door without leaving the office at the back of the house.

The cameras seem to hold up pretty well even when placed out on the porch for a week. No change in video quality (as in it didn't get any worse) even in 30F weather that I've been having here.

Pros: Very quick and easy to setup, took less than 30 minutes to place the camera, connect the base unit and access & configure the website account.

Quick Install instructions are clear, concise, accurate and very well-illustrated.

Attractively designed; the beige, gray and black color-scheme, along with flowing curves, makes the components rather pleasing to view and not so utilitarian.

Camera is small enough to be inobtrusive.

Rubberized grip-surfaces on the camera make it very easy to handle and position.

Normally acceptable video-quality for the intended usage of this system, but only just barely.

Remote-monitoring using an iPhone, Android-device or any internet browser is extremely convenient.

VueZone monitoring website (or mobile app) is fairly easy to navigate and offers several control options for camera settings.

Motion-sensor only activates camera when there is (presumably) activity taking place, preserving battery life. Once activated, the user can be emailed with a still-shot or short video clip of the activity.

Magnetic-hemisphere mounting system is very innovative, flexible and quite secure. You can shake the mount pretty vigorously and the camera will not budge loose, no persistent vibrations or slamming doors will shake the camera from the bracket.

Camera mounts can be "permanently" attached to smooth surfaces with the included adhesive pads, or you can also temporarily attach them via a keyhole-slot to a screw (or other similary-sized protruberance,) two (2) drywall expansion-plugs and screws are included.

Power supply is small and innocuous.

Available accessories include a table/ceiling sphere mount, indoor suction-cup window sphere mount and outdoor clamshell weather-resistant housing.

Includes all batteries and cables, everything required to setup and begin using right away.

30-days of Premier monitoring-account time is included.

Adequately packaged to prevent damage in transit.

Cons: No audio! In fairness, this is only marketed as a video system, but how much more functional would this device be with a simple audio feed along with the live video? Video only monitors a specific area, but with audio you can practically listen to an entire house. Huge oversight, in my opinion.

Expensive; at a starting price of $200 (at the time of this review) for the basic package, this is not for the frugally-inclined. Decent video-monitoring is never going to be cheap, but you definitely shell-out for the convenience of this system.

After the first 30 days, all but the most basic monitoring of this system (PC-browser only) requires a Premier subscription plan at either $5/mo or $50/year (equating to $4.17/mo.) Larger systems (more than five cameras and/or one base-unit) require an Elite plan at $80/year ($6.67/mo.) While none of these are extraordinarily expensive, the high initial-cost of these units should at least allow viewing via mobile device at no extra charge, which is one of the primary selling-points.

Barely-acceptable image quality, especially as light diminishes, definitely takes a lot of shine off the apple.

No local monitoring is possible, all feeds upload to the Netgear VueZone website and can only be accessed from there, period. Some clever hacker might possibly find a way to circumvent this, but it would undoubtedly violate some (or many) portions of the User Agreement, endeavor at your own risk (not recommended.)

Camera battery-cover release and power switches are overly small and difficult to manipulate.

Base-unit seems exceedingly large for this device -- I've seen highly-functional WiFi routers barely bigger than a matchbox -- Netgear should have easily been able to trim the size by 20%-30%.

No internal PSU, powered by the ubiquitous "wall-wart," of which the DC power-cord seems a bit on the short side, as well.

Cameras have a lower operating-temperature range limit of 32F, which means if you have one of the outdoor housings there's no useage during the winter, unless you live in a warmer climate.

Camera motion-sensors will not work through glass, so the window suction mount is not well suited to viewing outside in the automated fashion, only remote activation via browser/webapp will work.

Cameras rely on CR123A batteries, life will vary based on useage. Replacement batteries run between (approx.) $1.25/ea in bulk to $6.25/ea in pairs, not including shipping if you can't find them locally at similar prices.

Reviews on the Netgear VueZone website seem like "shills" or negative reviews were removed. After scanning Newegg reviews, user opinions seem at a great disparity between the two sites. There is also no obvious way to add reviews of your own. Are these then true reviews, or simply biased promotional material?

Other Thoughts: When I first discovered this system, I was at first very excited at all the possibilities, but then rather disappointed once reality hit home.

My initial thought was "hey, great baby monitor! As soon as baby (or grandbaby, in this case) stirs, I get an email to let me know he/she is awake. Or, I can just click-in and see/hear what baby is doing." Does that make me a lazy grandparent? Once you hit the big five-oh and have to suffer through significant knee-pain every time you traverse up and down steps because you THINK you heard something, we can talk. Until then, rest assured that our grandkids are in good hands.

Moving on, once I realized there is no audio feed from this device, its value for the aforementioned task rather plummeted, as sometimes babies just cry and move very little, which will not activate the camera and may not even be apparent in a video-only presentation. Sure, I could incorporate an audio baby-monitor into the mix, but I was hoping for an all-in-one solution here, not a mixed-media substitute. There are also audio/video baby monitors out there, but none (that I've seen yet) which can be viewed on your own mobile device(s.)

On the other hand, I can see where this system could be very useful for monitoring a teen or older adult, a quick, temporary setup for a workshop, garage or jobsite, checking on pets or a vacation home, etc. (assuming internet connectivity and power are both present.)

Due to the questionable video quality, I wouldn't be highly optimimistic about positively identifying an intruder, either; rather, only knowing an intrusion was occurring or had occurred. Unless a perpetrator stood facing the camera for several seconds, all you're likely to view is a motion-blurred image, but stranger things have happened. At the very least the police could likely identify clothing, general build and possibly gender and race, which could definitely assist an investigation.

As long as you understand the limitations, don't mind buying & changing batteries every few months, don't mind the subscription fees and don't have unrealistic expectations, this system could be a viable solution for your video-monitoring needs. If you place a premium on ease of setup and useage, that's a big checkmark in the "Pros" column.

I'm also a bit troubled by the "reviews" on the VueZone site, as most buyers have come to trust true reviews as open and unbiased opinions from a broad range of actual users, not hand-picked or fabricated testimonials which tout only the benefits and none of the pitfalls or caveats. This is not a product without benefits, but it is also not a cure-all for every monitoring need.

Once you've identified your needs and understand what this system can and cannot deliver, it may still be satisfactory, and you are unlikely to find anything else this easy to implement.

Pros: * Extremely easy to install
* Very small
* Can view cameras from anywhere you have a computer with internet access (and mobile devices if you pay for their premium level.)
* Good range (worked within the 200' radius I was testing in.)
* Color picture
* Doesn't use bandwidth if you aren't viewing the camera
* Web site is easy to navigate
* Can be setup to email you when motion is detected, and can even a video clip to your smartphone (premium service required)

Cons: * The biggest issue to me is this solution cannot be a closed system. All viewing traffic goes through VueZone.com which can be a huge security issue.
* Camera's brightness sensitivity range is rather limited.
* Image is 640x480 max for motion, so image clarity could be an issue. Viewing a moderately lit outdoor scene at 640x480 is grainy.
* Batteries are somewhat expensive to replace although they do last at least a month or two with moderate use.
* Cannot safely be mounted outside without purchasing a plastic shell to put the camera in.
* Premium access to VueZone is required if you want to use more than 2 cameras and/or you want to use a mobile device such as your phone. At $50 per year for Premium ($100 for Elite) plus the cost of the system, this can get prohibitively expensive.

Other Thoughts: First off, this system isn't designed as a security surveillance system. Think of this as more of a "Nanny Cam" setup where you can see what's going on at home from any internet-connected computer.

With their premium service, it can do motion-based recording, which can be very useful. It can also notify you when motion has been detected by any of the cameras.

The bad side - with the flexibility to see the camera from nearly anywhere, it opens up the possibility that someone else can also view your camera(s.) My credit/debit cards have been "compromised" about 5 times over the past couple of years and that's with bank-level security. Imagine what would happen if your VueZone account were compromised and your cameras are set up to view rooms in your home. It would be like having someone standing in your room(s) watching you and your family without your knowledge. There is currently no option to make this a closed system, where only you have access. Minus 2 eggs for that.

Several others have complained about the CR123A batteries. These do last quite a while and aren't as hard to find as it might seem (although at around $4 per battery, they can be expensive.) They're commonly used in cameras, so nearly every department store or hardware store is likely to carry them. If rechargeables are more desirable, look for rechargeable Lithium-ION CR123A batteries by companies such as Delkin or Lenmar. No eggs removed for this, since it makes the camera smaller, lighter and easier to inconspicuously mount although battery costs can get expensive.

Bottom Line: This is a great idea. Having cameras that can be installed in a matter of minutes and relocated at ease is initially better than a hard-wired system, although more costly in the long run. However, things went off the rails when this requires an external service to view your cameras. I don't care how secure their system is - anything connected to the Internet can be "compromised." As of right now, there is no alternative to an open system. For that reason alone I cannot recommend this system.

Pros: This system's greatest asset is its flexibility and ease of use. Once I opened the box, took a quick look at things, it was immediately apparent what went where, and I was off to the races setting it up through an internet browser.

The camera is quite versatile with many mounting options. It's fairly discreet, and can be hidden out of sight if a person was motivated.. Otherwise it can be spotted if one knew to look for it.

The hardware is well made and the camera can be made waterproof with an optional accessory sourced from Netgear.

Wireless range is very good, I had no issues mounting the camera in remote places of the house.

The software (web application) is very versatile with a lot of ingenious features, such as E-mailing still images upon motion detection. The mobile apps are especially handy, though they are only available with the paid service.

Cons: The power button on the camera is quite stubborn though I'm not sure you'd need to use it often. It's also not very intuitive, I was not sure which was on or off at first.

Quality, quality, quality. For the price, the image (still frame or video) is quite poor. I would expect this level of quality out of a $10 webcam, not a home monitoring system. While things are rather clear in broad daylight, the image takes a steep dive as the level of light drops off.

I found the video to be useless for all but the most obvious scenes and situations. The image can be made out, but the slow refresh kills whatever usefulness Netgear intended of this feature.

The camera is powered by CR1231a batteries, not all that common. Periodic daily use over three weeks used approximately half the battery life. I think low discharge rechargable NiMH would have been more appropriate.

The inability to view the video / still image locally without logging into the Netgear service is a huge nuisance. I can think of many applications where one would want to steer clear of the web service for simplicity among other reasons. The fact that you have to pay for the "better" level of service is a huge detraction from the product's supposed value.

I find the beige color to be a tad archaic, reminds me of early '90's computing.

Other Thoughts: Overall this is an okay system, but it's definitely not a one-size fits all home monitoring system. The consumer buying this needs to be aware of its strengths and limitations to be sure this product will perform adequately for their application.

I definitely would not trust my safety or valuable property using this as a security camera; the resolution and refresh rate is simply not good enough in most conditions.

Want to know when the Fedex guy came and dropped of the package?

Grounded teenager on the internet when she's not supposed to?

Kids get home safely and not burning down the house?

The above examples are all good uses for this camera. I'm sure there's lots of other things too. The flexibility is it's greatest asset, it will handle a lot of different tasks nicely, but some not so well.

For the price I would be very disappointed, especially given that many of the desired features only come with the paid service through Netgear. I went to great lengths to highlight the good things, but in the end, an entry-level camera at a "professional" price just does not add up... I've had baby monitors that have clearer, sharper images with a better refresh.

Pros: I struggled with this review because, technically, in the end it does what it says it does. I also wanted to write this review without too much bias from previous reviews, but I couldn't help noticing that they are all eggxpert reviews, so that should tell you something. But here goes: The pros are long battery life if you use them correctly (more later). Doesn't require a wifi network (they connect to each other over a wireless technology that is not dependent on your home wifi). Eventually, the camera worked and the motion sensor worked for stills (not so well for video). You can get email notification that the motion sensor detected movement and took a picture. Instead of motion sensor, you can schedule pictures (take a shot every 1 minute, for instance). iPhone app really works! (but requires monthly paid subscription). For you iPhone users out there...its like having a Facetime camera, but it's wireless and battery operated. (as fun as that is, it will drain the battery fast if you use it like a Facetime camera).

Cons: There are a lot, so hang in there:
Out of the box, the base station unit required a firmware update in order to get the motion sensor feature to work. OUT OF THE BOX! Which means, out of the box, the motion sensor doesn't work.
You manage the base station through their website, not through a web page on the base station. That's important to know for the following cons:
The website is slow. Sometimes (often, actually), the site will say it couldn't connect to the camera, try moving the camera closer to the base station (how do you do this if you are monitoring your home while on vacation?!). However, that's a bogus message, because if you use the iPhone app, you can get real time video from the camera, even when the website says connection lost. The iphone app is cool and really works, but you only get a 30 day trial, then it costs $10/month. I don't pay that for my telephone! no way would I pay a monthly fee to use that feature.
Sorry, I don't want to sound angry, so let me continue.
The first time the website connected to my base station, it said I needed a firmware update (and I did...the motion sensor feature was grayed out until I did the firmware update). It took about 10 attempts before the firmware update succeeded. After that, the motion sensor feature worked, somewhat. You should be able to set the motion sensor to take a still, a 10, 20 or 30 second video. I was only able to get it to take a still. When I did video, the "video" file was 1 second long and had no image.
Speaking of image...the image quality is pretty poor. Here are some examples. I tried pointing at the front door at work, then went to my desk to see if I could identify the people coming in our front door. Sure I could..it was "The Blurry Guy", every time. We all laughed, but seriously...most times, you couldn't tell if the blur was male or female. Here's another one. I took it home and put it next to my cat's food dish (a classic test: does the cat actually wake up and move around while you are at work?). So yes, he does. But, our cat is old and slow, and even some of HIS shots were blurry. You have to use a pretty slow shutter speed to take a blurry picture of MY cat, that's for sure. But at least I know he does get up during the day. Running of out room here, so briefly:
no option to schedule camera to turn off, so when you come home it will take a zillion pictures of you and your family moving around (if it was set for motion sensor). Additional cameras cost a lot. Only supports 2 cameras unless you pay the monthly fee. (to be fair, they do have to support the entire website because all your pictures are stored on their servers).
My unit came with a letter saying if you have problems please don't hesitate to contact support before giving them a negative review. I didn't notice that letter until after I had discovered most of these bugs and cons (and the workarounds), but still that might send up a red flag.

Other Thoughts: To be fair, it was fun to be at work and show my co-workers my cat eating from his food dish, in practically real time. However, they had to take my word for it that it was really my cat, because it was a set of blurry low resolution 320 pixel shots of my cat. Lots and lots of pictures of him, actually. Also, the website would say "connection lost" every 3rd time I tried to show someone, and when that happens you can't get to the pictures. If you used this for home monitoring and someone broke into your house, you would know via the motion sensor that a picture was taken, and that would be about it. You couldn't identify the intruder.
There are other interesting features available. email notification that a picture was taken. sharing of the website so others can see, but this brings up a potential problem:
The camera is designed for very long (up to 6 months) of battery life, BUT, every time you load the web page, it actually turns on the camera and takes a picture! That's not obvious until you read the help on the website (that's the only place to find documentation, so I suggest going through the entire help section of the website). If you use the iPhone app, the camera is operating in real time, sending 15 fps video. That will kill the battery fast. Also loading the website and leaving it up will keep the camera on. Sharing the page with your friend, and then HE leaves the page up and walks away from his computer, will also leave the camera on.

Overall, I felt like a beta tester for a new product. What's even weirder is, I found a bunch of reviews on another site for this product before Netgear bought them, so it's a mature product that's been around for a while, so why does it have so many weird quirks like it was just released in beta?

Summary: low resolution, blurry pictures, neat technology that sort of works, motion sensor stills but not video, slow and buggy website, monthly fee to use advanced features. Just too much to not like about it for the price.