Is this $ 20 security camera worth it? My decision after installing outside my house

Blink Mini 2 Home Security camera

Key takeaways of zdnet

• Blink Mini 2 is now on sale for $ 20.
• A strong construction, better video quality, new spotlight, with weather resistance for individual detection and external use, Blink Mini 2 is a certain upgradation from the first generation.
• As an Amazon device, the Blink works with Mini 2 Alexa, but not Google Home, Matter, or other smart home systems.

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If you are looking for an inexpensive safety camera that can rival the viz cam in functionality and durability, then the blink may be one for you.

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I tested the Blink Mini 2 for a few weeks and saw some big changes on the origin Blink MiniWhich I have met for almost two years. Widely known as an inexpensive indoor camera, the Blink Mini is a compact plug-in camera that can be installed anywhere inside or outside your house.

The old blink mini has two-way audio, 1080p video resolution, Amazon Alexa Integration, and the blink video serves as a chime for the doorbell. The new Blink Mini 2 has all these features, plus weather-resistant indoor and outdoor construction, person detection and a spotlight.

Weather resistance is a feature that leads the blink to the next level, which makes it direct Vayuz Cam V3 Competitive. Wyze Cam manufacturer Wyze Labs has recently been aiming for user frustration after a confidential incident after a service outage, where some users could temporarily see other users’ live cameras and events.

After testing the Blink Mini 2, I spoke to Blink’s Product of Product, Jonathan Kohan, to discuss the new security camera’s Ince and Out. Kohan explained that after hearing the user’s response, the company added weather resistance and a spotlight, which serves as a light source for color night vision, when motion is detected to illuminate dark areas. There is also a recording indicator to prevent intruders in the camera.

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While not as bright as an external light, the spotlight is bright enough to illuminate people as they look and light the path in the dark. This considered me to install a mini 2 by the garbage box next to my house, but I decided against it because I have no power source nearby, and the camera needs to be plugged all the time. Mini 2 goes to a garage or a carport to fully illuminate a driveway or survey a rear door.

Like the Blink Outdoor 4, the Blink Mini 2 can inform you when a person is detected, ignoring all other speeds operated by the silicon of the blink.

“Blink makes its chip and uses chip on our cameras, meaning that we own the end-to-end and design of our camera,” Kohan explained. Kohan said that the use of ownership silicon and design ensures that the blink can guarantee complete privacy and security experience when the light enters the video clip recorded in the lens, Kohan said.

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Although the Blink Mini and Mini 2 have 1080p HD resolution video recording, the difference in recorded clips is noticeable. Kohan reported that Blink significantly improved the video quality of Mini 2, which increased the field-off-view from 110 to 143 degrees for higher coverage, increasing the sensor’s low capacity and improved the dynamic range.

This means that the mini 2 can capture clear and more wide images in mixed light, even if the very bright and dark areas are in the same frame. A better dynamic range can show details in shady and brightly burnt areas in a video, making it easier to identify people and objects.

ZDNET purchase advice

In my house, Blink Mini 2 In my sunroom, a Yuz Cam V3 was replaced. This is a fairly moist room with direct entry into my house, so a camera with a spotlight is better than one. Since making the switch, I will not go back.

Blink cameras come with a 30-day free test for the camera blink subscription plan. Monthly membership gives users cloud storage and additional features, such as a person detection and continuous live feed for 90 minutes. You can bypass membership by purchasing a blink sink module and a USB flash drive to store the video clip, which I have set in my home.

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Since my house depends on Amazon’s Alexa, I appreciate that the Blink Mini 2 is sharp to connect to many eco shows compared to the mini 2 vaiz camera, showing me what is happening in the sunroom. The Blink does not integrate with Google Home, Apple Homekit, Samsung Smartthings, or other smart home systems, which is a factor to consider whether your smart home uses one.