Customer Reviews

SWANN SW-C-BLACKK Black Knight Wireless CCD Color Camera

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If you or a neighbor has a wireless Internet connection, and few purchasing this item would not, or a wireless phone using the 2.4Ghz spectrum, skip this product. Even with multiple channel capability the interference renders this product useless. Further, an e-mail on a driver issue for the video capture board took nearly a week for a terse response. Spend the extra money for a wired solution and save yourself from disappointment.

Installing this wireless camera is very easy compared to wired cameras and the image quality is decent for a wireless cam (about on par for a camera touting 420TVL). However, as with most wireless cameras, you may see noise and interference in the video feed while viewing it on your TV/monitor which may render this camera non-ideal for certain security applications. Further, this wireless camera tends to have some difficulty broadcasting its signal through one wall and door (obvious interference at about 50 ft away).

I would only install this cam if you really, really need a wireless solution with night-vision. For a true security solution though, I would definitely seek a wired cam, which in most cases will feature more-or-less the same resolution but at a cheaper price albeit requiring some installation time.

The camera is very easy to install. However, in order to find the right spot for the receiver to get the best signal, you have to move the receiver around. When the cables that come with the cam are too short, you don't have much choice but move the TV along with the receiver or take the VCR out your TV shelf. It's too bad that I found no place to buy a longer digital and sound cable, neither on Swann's web site. Then finally I found a spot that get the best reception, my VCR that connects to the receiver with that provided short cable is 2 feet away from the TV shelf. Other than that, the picture is clear and sound is fine. Night vision is amazingly clear. Not a bad cam.

We found the video quality to be excellent both day (color) and night (black and white). We have a 802.11G system (2.4GHz), and so do many of our neighbors, and interference has not been a problem at all. Moving around the camera and receiver a bit does help me find an optimal location during setup. The only interference we have noticed is when we turn on the microwave, there will be horizontal lines streaming across, but you can still see the video quite well.

The only thing I find lacking is audio. Signal to noise ratio is much lower than say any generic baby monitor.