The D-Link FHD Wi-Fi DCS-8300LHV2 is a 1080p@30fps, 120° FOV, mains powered indoor security camera. At $129.95, it is also relatively inexpensive. To position it – the D-Link FHD Wi-Fi DCS-8300LHV2 rounds out the 2020 DCS Wi-Fi range that includes FHD Outdoor (with and without spotlight), pan and tilt and mini cameras. All of these work with the mydlink app.
Review: D-Link FHD Wi-Fi DCS-8300LHV2 security camera
- Website here
- Price: $129.95
- Warranty: 1-year ACL
- Country of Manufacture: China
- D-Link, est. 1986 is a Taiwanese multinational networking company head quartered in Taipei, Taiwan. You can trust D-Link and your privacy.
- You can read other GadgetGuy D-Link news and reviews here
First impression – not another 1080p Wi-Fi camera!
Well, it is not just another Wi-Fi security camera but one that GadgetGuy trusts. You see, the great bulk of lower-cost Wi-Fi cameras are full of easily exploitable security flaws and some purposely spy on you. GadgetGuy’s trusted brands include D-Link, Arlo, Nest, Uniden, and Swann – the rest should be ripped and replaced as far as we are concerned. Be warned.
On the hardware front, it offers
- 1080p@30fps f/2.2 (most generics only have 15fps or lower)
- 120° field of view (fairly standard), but it is really (H) 100° (V) 52° (D) 120°
- IR mono night vision to 5m (ditto)
- Wi-Fi N 2.4Ghz connection IPv6
- Bluetooth BLE (for easy smartphone setup)
- Micro-USB 5V/1.2A/6W charger
- Micro-SD slot (to 256GB)
- Increased security with WPA3 encryption
- Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa compatible via mydlink app (limited commands)
- Wall and ceiling 360° gimbal mount with image inversion.
Best use
As a baby camera, as it does not have spotlights. Or as a room security camera – it has a reasonable depth of field. But it is a little smarter than the generics with D-Links on-device, AI-based person detection that identifies human motion, minimising false triggers and alarms. And while Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz can traverse up to 30 metres, its strength is almost halved each time it passes through walls, windows, cupboards, floors and bricks. In our test, it became marginal at 10 metres.
Worst use
It claims two-way audio but its half-duplex (walkie talkie style), and depending on Wi-Fi signal strength; the lag can be several seconds. Make sure the signal is strong – there is no Wi-Fi reception strength in the app. Use a Wi-Fi analyser (Google Play or Apple App Store) to ensure the signal strength where you place it is lower than -60dBm (lower is better).
We noticed too that despite its claim of 1080p@30fps, it defaulted to 720p and would not change. * Note the micro-USB to USB-A cable is 1.5m – that may limit your placement or buy a longer cable up to 3metres.
Setup
Very easy with the mydlink app and Bluetooth to originally set the device up.
D-Link Cloud
If you use a microSD card, you can record events to it and your phone. We are not averse to paying for a cloud as long as basic features are offered free. mydlink cloud offers (USD$4.99 a month or $49.99 per annum billed in advance)
- Up to five cameras
- Remote view of recorded clips
- Maximum 500 clips stored on a 14-day roll-over
- FHD recording (* that explain its default to 720p without the cloud)
There is a basic plan for three camera/7 days/100 clips for US$2.99 or $29.99 a year. The free plan is three cameras, one-day recording and 50 clips. Remember, you must provide a credit card number to sign up for plans, and it rolls over until you stop.
Other
You can designate two contact numbers for notification and live view. It also supports ONVIF for continuous recording with compatible NVR, VMS or NAS (not tested)
GadgetGuy’s take
D-Link FHD Wi-Fi DCS-8300LHV2 meets your indoor needs. First, one thing that annoys me. It is not a 1080p@30fps camera unless you pay for mydlink cloud. I hope that this is a simple marketing oversight, or it will earn a fail mark. Apart from that, it meets or exceeds your needs for an indoor colour camera with IR mono night vision.
Rating
Until the 1080p issue is resolved, it earns a pass mark – 8/10 as a 720p camera. Note: further images will be added to show a range of light conditions
