Wilife DVS800C LukWerks Spy Camera Starter-Kit

Other products by Wilife Inc.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 16 x 4 x 14 inches ; 2.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000N2Z41A
• Item model number: DVS800C
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #54,897 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 19, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The WiLife Spy Camera is the world's first ever networked Spy Camera that delivers the power of professional-grade video security in a package that is easy to set up and affordable. The Spy Camera masquerades as a sleek, fully functioning digital clock. This hidden camera is perfect for coverage of any area of the home or small business that requires discreet observance.

The spy clock camera has a powerful 400 MHz onboard processor, which powers the camera's ability to provide superior image quality, motion detection, and intelligent image management.

Installation and setup of the Spy Camera is a breeze. Just plug it into any electrical outlet and the hidden camera sends recorded video back to your PC!

Intelligent Spy Camera

• High-resolution color video
• Digital motion detection
• Better than wireless -- just plug it in

Easy to Use Werks PC Software

• Monitor up to six cameras simultaneously
• Motion-based recording
• Powerful search and playback tools
• Email and cell phone alerts

Free Remote Monitoring

• Monitor your home or business from anywhere, anytime
• Internet browser accessible
• Windows Mobile cell phone accessible

What's in the Box
Smart Luk Camera, powerful Surveillance Software, Homeplug USB Receiver, Remote Viewing Technology, Install CD, QuickStart Setup Guide.

Note: Monitor shown is not included.

Product Description

The LukWerks Spy Camera Starter-Kit video security system protects homes and small businesses. Install the software and plug-in the cameras in minutes no wires needed! Your PC instantly becomes a command center for live monitoring, motion-based recording, internet remote viewing and security alerts. Add up to 5 LukWerks Add-on Cameras.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars ok for its price, August 28, 2007

By	sokha (mesa, arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

i used this thing for 2 days and returned it for the following reasons:

1) internet viewing can only be 3 minutes
this is true for all WiLife product and not just this kit.
internet viewing done via the free web address provided by WiLife.

2) the LCD clock is lit blue at night/dark and there's no option to turn it off. so much for camouflag!!

3) emailed tech support and never got a response. as of today....4 weeks later, still no response from them yet.

4) you need to install their software to view via LAN.
internet viewing kind of useless since you only have 3 minutes from WiLife.

5) camera is completely useless in the dark and also recording quality is quite poor. the best it can do is 15 fps. for a moving subject, it's very blurry.




everthing advertised by WiLife is true except those quirks i listed above which they didn't tell you until you use the system.

i returned the WiLife and got the Panasonic instead.
Axis and Toshiba seem like a good candidate also.
the nice thing about Panasonic, Axis and Toshiba is that you can spend as much or as little as you want to fit your budget.
WiLife camera quality needs some serious work.
it depends on your needs but i need a security system that i can identify the culprit's face and that means i will need PIXEL from the camera. unfortunately, WiLife has no camera that can do this.


INSTALLATION:
WiLife installation is plug-n-play.
the easiness installation of placing the camera anywhere that has electrical outlet in your house is nice. keep in mind that you can do the same with other brand like Panasonic. you just need to purchase the thing that called "powerline" which convert your household electrical outlet into LAN without having to run your own LAN cable.


LOCAL MONITORING:
you need to install WiLife software for local viewing compare to Panasonic doesn't need anything special.


RECORDING:
recording can only be done with local computer that has WiLife software.
you can record continuously or based on movement.
the recording used WM9 encoder.
quality is ok.
bad for security purposes since their no FTP for you to send the recording.
imagine if the culprit stole the computer with WiLife.
you would have no proof of the event!
if you have multiple cameras, you will need some powerful computer.
WiLife provided the list for this.
if you're serious about security, better to spend money on DVR.


ALERT:
alert via email works as advertised.
you can set sensitivity on the movement before activate the recording.


CONCLUSION:
keep in mind that Panasonic, Axis and Toshiba are the system use by the bank, airport, hotel, mall, park, government building, etc.
those brand are for serious security compare to WiLife target the low-end market. you can get a decent system from Axis or Panasonic for $319 which is the price for WiLife kit. i chose Panasonic because of its zoom, pan and tilt capability and when i'm ready to spend more money, i can stay within the same brand. Panasonic allows monitoring up to 12 cameras per account compare to WiLife only 6 cams. recording quality, 3 minutes internet viewing and no FTP were a serious turn off for me with WiLife.

i will write a separate review regarding the Panasonic after a couple months of usage. also will post the review on my own website, sokhaDotCom.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good quality & easy to use, December 8, 2007

By	Y. Pinhas (NYC area) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The product is high quality and easy to use. This is a very good choice for hidden camera. I specifically liked the quick install (just a few minutes, and it works!) and the web viewing capability.
Drawbacks:
1. Has a wide angle view, but still misses a bit. A few more degrees wide would have made it perfect.
2. Picture details very good (excellent resolution for the purpose). Color - not good. Most of the time show black & white with very light color. To get good color requires the room to be very lighted.
3. It comes with automatic "relay" mode that limits web viewing to 3 minutes at a time, and is very slow. Instructions to setup "direct" mode exist, but were working for me. I had to do more research to get direct mode working. Once I did, worked perfectly - no time limits, and no delays in web viewing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely economical survellience, November 6, 2008

By	Jet Captain - See all my reviews

First, it works flawlessly at the local network level.
Second,I use LogMein & Hamachi to schedule routine transfers of the .wmv files to the computer wherever I'm located.
Thirdly, for a very small fraction of the cost of a commercial security system I know exactly what anyone is doing or not doing in my other locations while I'm absent.
And for only several thousand dollars more you can get what some of the other reviewers think they should get for a few hundred bucks.