Ip camera TP-Link tapo c200 connection
TP-Link Tapo C200. home wifi camera
Convenient video surveillance for security
Home Wi-Fi Camera Tapo C200.
| Swivel |
| 1080p |
| Two-way audio |
| Night vision |
| Motion Detection |
| Privacy mode |
Detects motion and sends alerts
Install a camera at the entrance to an apartment, house or garage to ensure the safety of the property.
Receive notification when motion is detected. After all, it can be both a courier and “suspicious guests”. Turn on light and sound alarms to scare away unwanted visitors.
You can sleep well. The camera will watch the house all night. Infrared night vision with 850nm wavelength supports automatic color switching filter in low light conditions, up to 9 meters away.
Privacy mode and reliable local storage
TP-Link Tapo C200 Pan & Tilt Wifi Camera setup and test
You can enable privacy mode, which will physically disable the camera lens, ensuring privacy. MicroSD card installed in the camera will store data locally and prevent hacker attacks.
Record videos in crystal clear 1080p resolution.
See exactly what happened anytime the camera was turned on. Make sure your kids are safe.
Away from home, you can make sure your pets are not mischievous. Two-way audio lets them know that you miss (or stop nibbling on the couch).
Wide viewing angle lets you see everything.
Share important events with loved ones. especially if they are far away.
The free Tapo Camera app gives you complete control.
- View previous entries. Select the desired camera and recording date.
- Set up a schedule to watch videos periodically. The camera will automatically record video based on the set schedule, regardless of motion detection.
- Find and maintain a given angle. When you select a saved position in the app, the camera will immediately adjust to the desired angle.
- Stream from multiple devices at the same time. Watch videos from multiple devices. 4 sources can broadcast on one page, and the application supports up to 32 cameras.
Easy setup from the app
You can set up your camera using the app in a few minutes.
- Download Tapo Camera App
- Connect the power to the camera and turn it on
- Follow the instructions in the app
- Unit of measurement: 1 piece
- Dimensions (mm): 87x85x118
| Matrix type | CMOS |
| Mechanical IR cut filter | Yes |
| Body color | White |
| Camcorder standard | IP |
| Dome camera | Yes |
| Max. video camera resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Max. viewing angle | 360 |
| Night mode | Yes |
| Maximum operating temperature, ° C | fifty |
| Sensors | Motion / Sound / Light |
| Lens | Fix. focus |
| Functions and features | Built-in speaker / Built-in microphone / IR cut filter / Memory card slot |
| Matrix size | 1 / 2.9 |
| Speed at max. Res. frame / sec, frame / sec | 15 |
| IR illumination | Yes |
| Minimum light sensitivity | 0 (IR) |
| Food | 220VAC |
| Minimum operating temperature, ° C | 0 |
| Vandal-proof | Not |
| PTZ video camera | Yes |
| The number of megapixels, MP | 2 |
| IP protection class | Not |
| POE | Not |
| Wireless connection | Not |
70 ° C
Package Contents: Wi-Fi Home Security Camera, Power Adapter, Quick Setup Guide, Mounting Screws, Mounting Plate, Camera Base
Main functions
- 1080p HD. Adequate resolution, 4K is not needed for home shooting.
- Night vision up to 9 meters. And quite a nice picture.
- Two-way audio. You can make a video call through this camera. there is both a microphone and a speaker.
- Micro SD slot up to 128GB. Enough for 16 days of recording (384 hours).
- Remote online viewing. Through the Tapo app, you can access your camera from anywhere in the world if there is internet on both sides.
- Privacy mode. In the application, you can temporarily turn off the camera, well, you never know someone will be annoyed.
- Voice control. Like the entire Tapo smart home, there is support for our usual Yandex Alice and Google Assistant systems.
- Motion Detection. If something moves in the camera, it will send an alert. And you can also customize the area of motion, for example, highlight something of value in the frame.
Using
Tapo smart home functions such as family access and voice control are included in our separate article on smart home. You can read it HERE. I propose to limit this article only to the settings of the camera itself.
The added camera immediately appears on the main page:
If you can do something with other devices from the main screen, then here I highly recommend going inside the camera by simply clicking on it. From the doorway, we are greeted by a general view of the camera with a live online display:
And at the slightest movement, notifications start pouring onto the phone:
- Grid mode of connected cameras or one. Those. draw here an image from one camera or try to place everything in the grid. Alternatively, you can also display different saved camera positions here, well, in order to quickly connect between the memorized areas, and not rotate the camera manually.
- To take a photo
- Start recording video
- Microphone level
- Full screen mode. In full screen mode, another side menu appears with the same functions that will be described below, I will not dwell separately.
Below the online camera view, there are buttons with functions that do not need to be specially explained for clarity:
- Speak. You are speaking here, and the camera is broadcasting your voice. At the same time, the speaker on the camera wheezes suspiciously, it can only be mine. If you start shouting with such a wheeze to intruders, they will surely rush to leave your premises.
- Pan and Tilt. Controls the camera’s display area.
- Voice call. video call. Almost like Skype, only you can see everything.
- Privacy mode. temporarily disable the camera.
- Alarm. when motion is detected, the camera emits scary warning sounds, broadcasting everything to the app.
- Playback & Memory. This is where the memory card settings and all saved photos / videos are located. From here you can immediately share them with loved ones.
- HQ-LQ. Good or Bad Video Quality.
- Auto. Day mode. Night mode. I left it on AUTO, but maybe someone always needs the night vision mode.
- Settings. everything that we configured at the very beginning of connecting the camera and a little more: camera name, room, turning off LED indicators, selecting a memory card, turning off detection notifications, rebooting and removing the camera from the application (but it’s better to reset the settings later). Separately, it is worth taking out Additional settings:
- Camera account. a separate username and password is created to connect the camera to third-party NVR or NAS systems
- The information on the display screen is the same date and time format. Maybe for someone it will be superfluous.
- PowerLine frequency. if there is flicker on the camera, you can manually set the frequency of the lamps.
I noticed that in the menu and when installing the camera there were no suggestions for updating the firmware (on other Tapo devices this window would pop up automatically). But this can be done through the main menu of the Tapo application (go to the profile, then to the Software Update, here you will see). So don’t forget to update the firmware. By the way, it is here that it is convenient to update your smart home, rather than logging into each device separately.
Characteristics
I carefully put it in a plate, you never know who will come in handy:
| Model | TAPO C200 |
| Viewing angle | 360 ° horizontal, 114 ° vertical |
| Resolution | 1080p 1920-1080 px |
| Audio | Two-way, built-in microphone and speaker |
| Night vision | Up to 9 meters, 850 nm |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 b / g / n 2.4 GHz |
| Power adapter Input | 100-240 V, 50-60 Hz, 0.3 A |
| Power adapter Output | 9 V, 0.6 A |
Equipment
- The camera itself
- Power adapter
- Quick Installation Guide
- Mounting kit
- Mounting plate (so that the camera can be rotated and then screwed to the ceiling).
Micro SD card not included. You need to buy separately!
Indicator
There are indicators near the camera peephole. As soon as you connect the camera to the network, something starts to light up there (if the indication is not turned off in the settings). Here is a complete list of possible states on the indicator:
- Solid red. loading.
- Solid green. connected to Wi-Fi, everything is fine.
- Blinking red. the camera is rebooting.
- Blinking red and green. ready for initial setup, ideally this should be the case when you turn it on for the first time, otherwise we reset to factory settings.
- Blinking green slowly. Wi-Fi connection in progress.
- Blinking green quickly. firmware update.
Appearance
The following camera awaits us in a nice box:
Simple, understandable, charming like Eva from WALLY))) The only thing missing is the handles for authenticity. And on the back (in the lower non-rotating part) there is a connector for the power adapter:
And if you manually raise the camera peephole to the top position, then the connector for the Micro SD card and the reset button to the factory settings will open from below:
That’s all. You can safely go to the functionality.
Installing the camera
- We put it on the table. Seen in the photo above. everything is very simple. You don’t need to do anything.
- We mount it on the ceiling (and in the application settings there is an image flip function). To do this, there is a mounting kit. screws, dowels, a mounting plate and even a template for marking (although I still prefer the old-fashioned method of “lean and eye”). The camera is attached to the plate by the rotation method.
Customization and basic features
As already mentioned, Tapo C200 can be installed in any place of the room convenient for the user, as long as there is an outlet within the reach. And you need to install the camera exactly in the premises, it is not intended for the street, judging by the operating temperature of 0-40 ° C and the lack of protection from moisture and dust. Then it is enough to connect the power supply, and the camera will turn on and quickly become available for search.
After that, you need to connect to it via Wi-Fi from your smartphone (it will create an access point itself), then connect the camera to your home network through the application. As soon as this happens, the camera will “tune” to the smartphone application, offer to rename it, specify the installation location (it will be convenient if there are several cameras in the house) and everything is ready. The whole procedure will not take more than 3-5 minutes.
Further, the manufacturer talks about three main scenarios of use: the classic version with a surveillance camera; baby monitor / baby monitor; communicator for pets.
The main features are suitable for these purposes. The camera captures a picture in Full HD resolution at 15 frames per second, and broadcasts it directly to the application (with a small ping). It can detect movement (over the entire visible area or in specified places), transmitting an alarm signal to the application, and at the same time automatically record what is happening. She can also record everything, regardless of the actions inside the surveyed area. Actually, for this you need a memory card, the maximum supported volume of which is 128 GB.
For nighttime, the camera has a night mode with IR sensors. Their coverage area is indicated up to 9 meters. In this case, the camera is able to automatically change the image modes depending on the lighting and time of day, or you can set the option the owner needs. There you can also lower the video quality if the user has a slow network access channel.
The camera has a microphone and speaker for communication. Thus, together with the image, the sound of what is happening in the room is recorded. But you can also access the camera from the application. At the same time, it can emit an alarm sound when it detects movement. At the same time, a notification will be sent to the smartphone. And when the user is at home (or where this camera is installed), it is worth enabling Privacy Mode, which turns off the picture and microphone.
From other settings, you can set the time zone, rotate the picture (if installed on a wall / ceiling), turn off the activity indicator on the camera, set the motion detection zone and sensitivity, set the hourly schedule for continuous recording or motion detection, and also set the caption displayed on the picture. set the frequency of flickering of the lighting lamps, set up automatic restart and a couple of other little things.
Also in the application, you can forcefully take a photo, record a video and change the microphone volume. You can connect several cameras at once (up to 32) and monitor multiple rooms or angles simultaneously in split screen mode. In this case, the picture can be expanded to the full screen of the smartphone.
The camera communicates via Wi-Fi, but only in the 2.4 GHz (802.11n) band. The image is naturally encrypted (128 bit). This is the entire set of features of the Tapo C200 camera available today.
Tapo C200 complete set
The box with the camera contains a power supply, a mount for mounting on the ceiling, a small “sight sticker” for installing this mount, and instructions. The place for installation should be thought out right away, because the camera is plugged into an outlet, and this is not everywhere, and it will not be very aesthetically pleasing if the cable from the power supply is pulled through half of the wall.
You need a smartphone to set up. As is the case with the new Mesh systems from TP-Link, Tapo devices are configured and controlled only through a proprietary smartphone app.
A Security Camera as a Webcam using RTSP. TP Link Tapo
Introducing TP-Link Tapo C200 Wi-Fi surveillance camera
social networks:
Such devices rarely come to us. In this case, we turned out to have a surveillance camera from TP-Link’s sub-brand. Tapo. This is a new division of the manufacturer, which deals with “smart” devices for the home. So far, there are a couple of cameras and an outlet on the product list. We will return to the latter later, and today we will get acquainted with the Tapo C200 camera.
Appearance Tapo C200
The Tapo C200 camera resembles a small ball on a pedestal. The dimensions of the whole structure are 117.7 x 85 x 86.6 mm. The color of the design is only white with a small black insert where the camera lens is located. In this case, the upper part is movable, and the bottom remains in a fixed position. This allows the camera to rotate around itself, for which there is a separate drive mechanism.
Also, the lens can be turned not only on the sides, but also up and down. But if horizontally the camera can capture all 360 °, then vertically only 114 °. But in most cases, this will be enough. The movement can be controlled from the application completely manually, or you can set several points and move between them by one tap.
You can install the camera as you like: just place it, for example, on a cabinet, or mount it on a wall or ceiling. In the first case, no additional action is required, the platform is stable and it has rubberized feet to fix it in place. For wall or ceiling mounting, the kit contains everything you need. But in any case, you will have to take care of the outlet, because there is no other way to maintain the camera‘s performance.
There are not so many controls for the camera. If you tilt the lens upwards, the reset button will open. Next to it there is a slot for a microSD memory card. There is a power connector on the back of the stand. All other controls are in the app.
So, the device really looks standard and it is quite obvious that this is a surveillance camera. This will fit into a home environment, but it would be nice to have several color options for the body for different interior styles.
Tapo C200 in action
By connecting the camera, it will be ready for use almost immediately. Almost no additional settings are required. It should be noted right away that it does not connect to existing security systems or consoles. Tapo C200 works exclusively as a separate unit and only with the company’s proprietary application.
Once all the variables have been set, you often don’t have to return to the settings section. But there are small bugs in the application. During the writing of the review, the version for iOS was used, where there were freezes of the picture, unknown errors when moving the lens and other trifles. Almost all of this was solved by restarting the application. But at the same time, all the declared functions worked.
It is also important to remember that the camera works only over Wi-Fi and without a backup power source. This means that it will become useless if the electricity goes out in the house. Such a moment may not be very critical in scenarios for using a baby monitor or communicator (you can approach a child, and a pet will certainly survive the working day without the voice of the owner or hostess). But if the camera is used as a security camera, a banal power outage or Internet access will help an intruder stop notifications about movement in the house. Therefore, such a solution requires additional actions with redundant power supplies and communication channels.
If such conditions suit, then the quality of the picture should not upset. The recording can be carried out in Full HD-quality, or “drop” up to 640 × 320. The camera takes photos in the same resolution as video. For a good broadcast, you need a stable Wi-Fi signal and an access speed of at least 11 Mbps, otherwise the image transmission quality decreases and additional problems appear.
I liked the image. Tapo C200 well “sees” what is happening in different lighting conditions and independently switches between modes. Of course, depending on the conditions, it is not a fact that it will come out to make out all the signs of a person who has entered the house, for example, but it will be well understood what is happening in the room and why the alarm went off at all.
Examples of photos and videos in artificial lighting: