Tag: chroma

Tech Review – Twinkly Candies Candles HD smart lights

The festive season is well and truly here and we have a range of tech for the home indoors and outdoors to brighten things up and show off to your neighbours and it is already heating up on the street here but I have some cool lights here for both inside and out to let them step back and enjoy.

Twinkly has been in my home now some years and this year we are taking the festive approach with real tech this time and whats more these can be controlled via an app on your smartphone be it Android or iOS with cool designs and colours which will get the neighbours talking.

First up is their new Candies candles. they come in a few styles and we picked the candle shaped version, you can also get pearls, stars and hearts. There is a cable colour choice too which is clear Green or Black, we picked the clear cable.

The presentation is nice and inside the box you get two separate bundles of candies wrapped up to make life a bit easy as you have 2X 19.6 ft of cable to deal with so there is plenty to get creative with, you do not have to have them on the tree as the box suggests but you can create designs or wrap around current items in your home and so on.

With 16 million colours, you can unleash your full creativity using the free Twinkly app available on iOS and Android. The Twinkly app is also compatible with voice assistants including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit. Thanks to Twinkly’s exclusive mapping function, you can completely customise your lighting effects to your heart’s desire and instantaneously transform any living space into a playful canvas of beautiful, radiant colours and ambiance.

Setting up is simple and takes a few minutes once you have planned how you are going to execute you grand design or put on your Christmas Tree. You have a USB-C plug which is great and there is a control on the plug for the simpler things that changes the colours and how they operate but the app is where it is all at.

The APP

Features

  • Multicolour RGB LEDs: Choose from pearl, candle, star or heart-shaped Candies. Great as mood lighting in the living room, for your kids’ bedroom, for gaming, or as Christmas decoration
  • Unleash your Creativity: Enjoy a variety of ready-to-play customisable effects or craft your unique light show by choosing from 16 million colours with the Twinkly App for the ultimate decorative lighting
  • Gaming Integrations: Perfect for content creators, gamers and streamers. Compatible with the Homey app, Razer Chroma RGB and OMEN Light Studio for the ultimate gaming experience
  • USB-C Powered: Versatile indoor use, perfect for cosy nights in, festive celebrations or streaming setups – without ever running out of battery
  • Smart Home Device: Switch lights on and off, dim them or apply timers with the Twinkly app and use Twinkly Music (sold separately) to sync music with your lights. Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit

BUY 

Video Review

Tech Review – ANNKE NightChroma NCPT500 security camera

The ANNKE NightChroma NCPT500 is a high-quality 3K PT Speed Dome PoE Security Camera that offers exceptional night colour vision. It is made of solid rugged plastic construction for durability and is designed for outdoor use, with an IP66 rating that makes it waterproof against hose-directed water and falling drops of rain or snow (not intended to be submerged in water). The camera is available in black or white colour options and features an interface for easy setup and configuration.

 

 Contents:

  • 1X Camera
  • 1X Mounting Screws Bag
  • 1X User manual
  • 1X Surveillance Sign
  • 1X Allen wrench
  • 1X Mounting Hole Template
  • 1X Mounting Screw Bag
  • 1X Waterproof Lid

 

Features:

  • 1/1.8″ Progressive Scan CMOS
  • 3K full Colour Network Speed Dome with 16:9 image scale
  • Built-in microphone and speaker for real-time audio security
  • Built-in memory card slot, support MicroSD card, up to 256 GB• H.265+, H.265, H.264+, H.264
  • DWDR, 3D DNR
  • IP66
  • 12 VDC and PoE (802.3af)

 

Setup:

The User manual gives a good picture of the setup to an NVR or stand-alone setting, this can be hit and miss with some good instructional videos on the manufacture’s website while poor in other areas,

The PoE (Power over Ethernet) camera, when connected to an NVR required the camera to be initialised by adding a password to the system, and then connected to an NVR.

The set-up in the initial manual gives the basic connections but due to the array of options to set up this is listed on the website. the setup below is not using an NVR,

Note The manufacturer’s website instructions suggest using an outdated browser IE, in this setup Chrome was used.

Setup as done by Techbuzz Ireland

To connect the camera to your network without an NVR, plug the Ethernet cable into your router and the camera into the router, The camera can be powered on via a POE switch or a 12 DC, 1-amp PSU.

Power on the cameras and connect them to the same router as your computer.

Connect Laptop direct to the routed (hardwired) this may require an adapter as many modern laptops do not have an ethernet port.

For Windows system:

https://download.annke.com/CMS/SADP_v3.0.2.4.zip

For Mac OS, (for info only as a Windows laptop was used in this setup)

https://download.annke.com/document/Computer_Software/SADPTool.pkg.zip

 Install and run the Annke Vision software on your laptop.

The software will detect the camera connected to the router. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure the camera settings.


 The SADP will detect the camera’s IP address once refreshed, Follow the below picture to enable Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) for the camera.

Change the password.  (As per bullet number 3 above)

Then login to the IP address from the IP address Chrome –   http://192.168.1.16/

Download the Plug-in.

Storage:

The Annke NightChroma NCPT500 does not have internal storage but supports up to a 256 Gb microSD card. Techbuzz Ireland  recommend to format the card when connected and to use a good quality SD card from a trusted supplier. Once the system is operational, the recordings can easily be downloaded to a laptop via the supplied software.

Downloading

Note:

ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) which provided a standard for the interface between different IP-based security devices. This was not mentioned in the specifications while does have this noted when connected to other devices.

https://help.annke.com/hc/en-us/articles/900000598226-Annke-Vision-How-to-connect-ANNKE-IP-Camera-to-Different-Brands-of-DVR-NVR-System-via-Onvif-Protocol-

Warranty 2-year warranty

Conclusion:

In the Techbuzz Ireland review of the Annke NightChroma NCPT500, we found that it is a high-quality security camera that offers exceptional performance and advanced features for reliable surveillance day and night. The camera’s night colour vision is truly remarkable, allowing it to capture clear images even in low lights like as if the footage was taken in clear daylight. The Pan & Tilt options are responsive to the controls, allowing a steady panning around the surroundings.

However, we did find that the installation process is geared toward a professional installer due to the cable connectors requiring a new plug to be fitted to the cable for the waterproofing to work correctly. This may be a challenge for DIY enthusiasts, although it is possible to purchase a premade cable and connect it using a good quality waterproof tape to seal the connectors.

The camera’s bracket works to fit a wall or ceiling but has limited flexibility in the arrangement of the solid plastic. However, the camera allows for the pan tilt option (340° Pan & 110° Tilt) to capture more areas. The camera does not have internal storage but supports up to a 256 GB microSD card. Once the system is operational, the recordings can easily be downloaded to a laptop via the supplied software.

Overall, we believe that the Annke NightChroma NCPT500 is a business security solution camera on a home budget with the frills and features included to ensure reliable surveillance and capture clear images even in darkness. Its high-end features and user-friendly design make it an excellent choice for both residential and commercial applications. However, the installation process may be challenging for some users, lack of an optical zoom, and the bracket’s limited flexibility may be a drawback for certain installations.

BUY 

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