Smanos IP6 review

Unlike the other network cameras we’ve seen, there’s no option to view your video stream in a web browser – it’s all done through the app. You can use multiple devices to monitor and control a single camera by creating a QR code that can be scanned by another smartphone or tablet. This will instantly add the camera to that device’s app. A unified login through a web service would have been easier than having to scan multiple QR codes, however.

There’s not much in the way of configuration options, either, with just the ability to toggle between High, Middle and Low quality. Changing this setting not only lowered the quality but also made the field of view narrower, meaning you could see less of the room’s periphery in Low quality mode.

The IP6 has a built-in microphone and speaker, meaning you can use the app’s touch-to-talk function to use the camera as an intercom. Unlike the intercom features on some of the other cameras we’ve tested, such as the Philips In.sight HD, there was little audio delay either end.

The Smanos IP6’s video was very dark, and there was a lack of detail in the shadows. The frame rate wasn’t particularly smooth, either, but sufficient for surveillance purposes. Night-time video was useless as the camera lacks any infrared LEDs, so all we saw was a black rectangle.

Overall, the Smanos IP6 is limited by the lack of any motion detection, cloud storage or night vision options. It’s not the best choice for security, but it does a fine enough job if you only need to remotely check up on your pets.

However, it’s expensive for a camera with such basic functions, and even then its image quality leaves much to be desired. The app is basic and at times frustrating to use, too, making the Smanos IP6 difficult to recommend. If you just want basic monitoring functions with the option of cloud recording, the BT Smart Home Cam 100 is a better option, and if you want local recording the D-Link DCS-5222L offers far more features for its £35 premium.