This system is a big step up that eliminates the need to attach solar panels. While it may have a problem under eaves, I found that it delivered even on days that there was limited sunshine. As for image capture, I would be surprised if you found a sharper and more precise image capture and because of the design and the fact that it captures information over 200 metres makes this an ideal solution for home or business use.
Four Hour Battery Pack
64GB Local Memory, Cloud Backup Option
STARVIS Technology
Nighttime Interpretation Of Images
What’s desperately needed for this camera rig is Wi Fi connectivity between the hub base station and your router.
Currently you need to run an Ethernet cable between a router and the hub and while there is nothing wrong with this connectivity, it would be ideal if you could eliminate the ethernet cable.
As I understand it Swann is working on a 2.4GHz/5G WiFi capability to connect the hub to the Internet wirelessly in the future.
There are two things that really annoy me when it comes to security camera, one is security cameras that need to have their batteries replaced every couple of months, and premium security cameras, that struggle over longer distance and have poor image capture.
Recently I was able to review the brand new Swann MaxRanger 4K Solar Wireless system.
This is a brand new camera system that is being added to the Australian security Company’s portfolio of devices and the first impression before you even switch on the device is that it’s well designed sturdy and designed with a clear purpose in mind including being able to power it from solar without have a cumbersome plug in solar panel.
This is no lightweight device which under the bonnet houses a powerful image capture processor which we have not seen before in a Swann camera.
I first saw the MaxRanger 4K Solar Wireless Camera in operation at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, and I walked away seriously impressed especially when I first saw the quality of the images captured over 200 metres with one able to see people coming and going, and then being able to zoom in and pick off details from the captured image.
It was at this viewing that I realised that this was no ordinary camera, it was compact and the solar capture cells that are built flat into the top of the camera allow it to be mounted in locations up to 200 metres away from the base station while still delivering strong Wi Fi connectivity even in an environment where multiple Wi Fi networks are being used.
One of the reasons that the camera is able to operate efficiently over long distances is because it operates on a dedicated 900MHz channel which is why at this stage you still need to use an ethernet cable between the base station and your broadband router.
Whether you are in crowded areas or positioning the camera over 200 metres away the signal is strong, and the cameras don’t struggle to maintain a reliable Wi-Fi connection primarily because of the use of 900Mhz Wi-Fi technology.
In the Australian market there are a lot of high risk Chinese security cameras being sold by retailers and some are from Companies that have been banned by the Australian, US and UK Governments because of security risks, there is so such risks with a Swann system or camera offering.
The new Swann offering delivers 20 times the coverage of conventional Wi-Fi cameras which is a major achievement for an Australia security Company whose products are sold around the world.
Out of the box I was able to take the base station plug in the power cord, connect an ethernet cable between the base station and my router in a matter of minutes.
I also set up the admin and password for the base station and cameras.
I then plugged in a HDMI cable between a TV and the base station and immediately after activating the cameras I was able to monitor the 4K Streaming of multiple cameras.
For the sake of this exercise, I set up one of the camera 200 metres from my house and despite multiple houses and Wi Fi networks in between I was able to get a clear image to my TV.
As for battery power and solar, I suspect that you are going to get 10 to 15% top up on sunny days of the battery due to the built in solar panel which is more than what you need as the cameras come with a big battery.
As for the base station this has a battery capability which allows you to run your cameras for up to five hours without having to plug in a power supply.
What is really impressive is the nighttime interpretation of images captured by the new camera.
This is due in part to the use of a Sony STARVIS sensors.
In some cases, night video was actually turned into day with one able to clearly define an image and above all detail that I have never seen before with night security vision. In fact, you only have to watch some of the night visions shots aired by TV stations to realise that not all night shooting is equal.
How this is achieved is because the Sony sensor captures light and converts it to electrical signals in order to create very clear images and other data.
This technology delivers a significant step up for Swann cameras because it allows you to capture images accurately in dark locations.
To achieve this, it is crucial that the sensor is able to sense the faintest light in darkness and convert this to electrical signals efficiently without allowing noise contamination to get in the way.
The STARVIS technology can capture the faintest light in a dark place, such as a small front entrance or courtyard, without streetlights, convert this light into noise-less electrical signals.
Once the data is captured the technology built into the MaxRanger 4K Solar Wireless Cameras deliver an image of the target object through the real time rendition of shapes and colours that are very realistic and above all identifiable.
The Swann MaxRanger4K has 64GB of local memory and a cloud backup option for continuous, storage, however you have a multitude of options from stepping up to a 256 Gb memory card or being able to plug into the base station hub, a USB storage system. In addition there is a siren and speaker built in as well as a True Detect heat and motion sensor as well as a spotlight.
In case of power outages, the hub includes a battery backup for up to five hours. Available in configurations of 2, 3, or 4 cameras, with the ability to expand up to 8 cameras on the same hub, the MaxRanger4K is an ideal solution for both business and home security.
The Swann MaxRanger4K is selling for $398 for a single camera or $1,698 for a 4 camera system.
This system is a big step up that eliminates the need to attach solar panels. While it may have a problem under eaves, I found that it delivered even on days that there was limited sunshine. As for image capture, I would be surprised if you found a sharper and more precise image capture and because of the design and the fact that it captures information over 200 metres makes this an ideal solution for home or business use.
Four Hour Battery Pack
64GB Local Memory, Cloud Backup Option
STARVIS Technology
Nighttime Interpretation Of Images
What’s desperately needed for this camera rig is Wi Fi connectivity between the hub base station and your router.
Currently you need to run an Ethernet cable between a router and the hub and while there is nothing wrong with this connectivity, it would be ideal if you could eliminate the ethernet cable.
As I understand it Swann is working on a 2.4GHz/5G WiFi capability to connect the hub to the Internet wirelessly in the future.