ANNKE1080P 2MP AHD CCTV Home Surveillance Dome PT Wired Camera with 350° pan and 90° tilt, 100ft IR Night Vision, IP65 Weatherproof Security Add–On Cam for Outdoor Use, Wide Compatibility - APT200

I have been using an 8-camera DVR CCTV system on my property for over 10 years. During that time I have upgraded cameras and DVR's as the quality for the price has gone up or as cameras failed due to weathering or other issues. Currently using a Harbor Freight 8-channel 1080p DVR that came with 4 Cobra branded cameras. These are very decent cameras for the money, I haven't had to replace any. Unfortunately they are no longer available. The remaining 4 lower resolution cameras from my older system I have been gradually replacing. I bought 2 of these Annke cameras on speculation because the price was really low for a 2MP PT camera. I replaced 2 older PTZ cameras, one an expensive Swann and the other an older Eversecu. Both were very passable cameras in their day but not 1080p resolution. Also both were Pelco-D which requires an extra wire run for the camera movement.The Annke's both use the COAX setting (UTC) which works with the standard power/signal cable that comes with most inexpensive cameras. All that is necessary to activate and use the pan/tilt is go in to the PTZ settings in your DVR or phone app and set it to Coax instead of Pelco. No need for a special cable and programming the camera. It just works. As far as resolution, the picture is clear and sharp, as a result I don't miss the zoom feature I had on the old lower res cameras. Although if they could figure out how to put a zoom in these for the price it would be awesome. As far as night vision, my observation is they are about average in illumination distance for this type of camera. How much reach you get with IR depends somewhat on the scene/area you are viewing, the amount of ambient light there already and the presence of reflective surfaces. If you don't have the reach you need then extra IR illuminators are available on Amazon and are pretty inexpensive. The daylight color saturation is very good.The physical mounts allow this camera to be wall mounted or from a ceiling or soffit. I opted to mount one of mine to the vented vinyl soffit under my roof overhang, and another to my back porch post. Both were easily done as the mounting piece separates from the camera so you can level and mount it then click the camera into place.Another nice thing is the product support; I had trouble panning with my phone app at first and the tech at Annke got back to me within about 6 hours by e-mail with suggestions to solve the issue. Pretty nice to get an answer for a product at this price point.All and all very pleased with this product. Am about to order another to keep as a spare.

Works great, I can adjust it via my phone, zoom in/out and it works great with the hard drive recorder (sold separately). Plus and play

Update 2024/09/16:Groups: The Annke tech continued to work with me and said he was able to create a group that did not get deleted. I have not been successful. Tech offered to log on to my system to try to figure it out but I was not comfortable with that. No judgement of the tech. It's just not good practice. So I'll just leave it for now.Motion detection: Annke informed me that the 'Human' checkbox under the detection setup is not for limiting detection to humans, but for limiting the sending of notifications to detection of humans. Camera will pick up just about any motion - human, raindrops, flowers moving in the breeze, etc. I was able to limit detection by reducing the sensitivity setting, adjusting the detection zone and setting up privacy mask areas. The privacy mask function allows the user to block out areas in the detection zone from being seen or recorded. This camera seems to be more sensitive to motion than my older, non-PT Annke cameras. It also seems to pick up more motion at night than during the day. I'm guessing maybe pixelization in the low light is interpreted to be movement, but I have no proof of that.There are four different ways to access the system.- Directly on the DVR via mouse (provided with my DVR). I was also able to use a keyboard (not provided).- Local web access using a browser and entering the url of the DVR (192.168.x.y), like accessing your router directly.- Computer (laptop, desktop) using software that needs to be downloaded and installed. Annke said they do not recommend changing settings or setting up a recording schedule using this software, but to connect to the DVR directly as there 'are often problems with not being able to save'.- Phone using an app that can be downloadedThey each differ from the rest in form and function. I use the one that makes sense in each situation. All allow me to view both live and recorded video.Overall, I am still pleased with the camera and Annke, enough that I bought a second of these PT cameras.Update 07/26/2024:I received and installed the new equipment (DVR) to enable me to use the PT camera. Short answer - it now pans and tilts just fine.I can view cameras on both DVR's. The laptop (Windows) app lets me select and group cameras from both DVRs so I can see all on one screen. On the phone app I did not find a group function, but I don't need it as both DVRs are available to view. I just might have to scroll a bit. On the console (direct to the DVR's), I think I'll need to use an HDMI A/B switch that will let me switch between sources (DVR's) simply by pressing a physical button. I've done this for work and I see no reason it won't work here. Not a product issue.Setup and activation of the DVR was not hard. For the most part I just took the defaults. Mounting of the camera was straightforward. Install the mounting bracket with a few screws, push the camera onto it and it locks in place by means of a couple of clips. I was a little concerned a first that I would not be able to release the clips if I needed to because they are inside the bracket. Not an issue. Annke designed the bracket with slots on the sides so a screwdriver can be inserted to do this. I might swap out the screws provided for stainless steel. Running the BNC cable, as expected, took some effort. No fault of the product.I'm having a bit of an issue with the new group I created on the Windows app. The cameras get deleted from the group when I logoff from the Annke Vision app. I have a previously created group for which that does not happen.I'm also trying to work out getting the new camera to only record when motion is detected. I'm working with the Annke technical support team on both of these and expect to get them worked out.Last, but not least - Phyllis from the Customer Experience Team at Annke. After seeing my review she reached out to me to offer a solution - providing a compatible DVR. She also followed up to see if I had received the DVR and was able to install it to my satisfaction. Her emails were not canned responses.She clearly had ready my review and emails in detail and responded to my specific concerns. I have updated my rating. When we get the group and recording straightened out I will do so again. My first Annke product was purchased in 2015, about a year after Annke was established. I intend to continue to look to Annke for security equipment.Update 07/17/2024:Annke reached out to me personally via email and was truly concerned about my experience. It was not just a canned response. They are working with me to provide equipment to enable me to use the Pan/Tilt functions of the camera. They clarified that the camera has no zoom function. I had used the shorthand 'PTZ' because they are lumped together in the instruction manual and software.Also, I'd like to clarify re the different answers from two people at Annke. The first answer was via Amazon Q&A. It was not through a ticket opened with Annke. Once I opened a ticket, the answer was consistent. Looking forward to getting this up and going.PTZ did not work on my Annke DT81GB DVR. I received multiple answers to my question about this, which I appreciate.One of the answers was from Annke itself and it stated that the camera IS compatible with my DVR and that I had to enter the PTZ settings. Another said to contact Annke to get a firmware update. I have V3.4.75 build 170103. I did contact Annke. They said there was no need to enter settings as it's an Annke camera/DVR. They also supplied a link to a firmware update. They were forthright in telling me that it might not be compatible with my DVR. It wasn't - Firmware update mismatch. They also provided a link to the original firmware after I asked about reverting if the update proved faulty. I also asked about a firmware update for the camera. They did not answer that question until the third time I asked. The answer was that the camera already had the latest firmware.I'm disappointed the camera does not work. I'm also disappointed in the support. One Annke agent says it is compatible, another says it's not. And it took 3 tries to get an answer about the camera firmware. On the other hand, I got replies within 24 business hours via email, they were polite and they seemed to be trying to help.Finally, I'm curious how one Amazon customer got it to work on his DT81GB, but Annke and I could not get it to work on mine. Maybe he has DVR firmware that's different than what I have and what Annke provided as an update. It wold be nice if I could scroll through the page where Annke has the firmware versions stored and see if there's another with my DVR's model number to try.Annke support's final recommendation, barring getting a new DVR, was to return the camera to Amazon.

Maybe some people have just gotten defective ones and I got lucky? I got one at first just to try it and see how well it actually worked.It did great and I waited a few months to see if it would ever F up. Never did. The controls work exactly how they should. There is a little lag if im far away from the house and going through the cell towers etc...I then got another for another side of the house. Works exact same ! Very good with great picture at night!I now have 4 and I'm considering getting another 4 to complete the upgrade on my entire house.Again maybe I'm lucky . Or they are just good cameras.

Although this camera is listed as compatible with Annke Dvrs it is not. The rotational control is variable at best. Movement of this device is contingent on the duration of "mouse press". Regardless of length of what is expected the device will turn anywhere from 30 to 50 degrees. This variation of movement makes it impossible to aim the camera with any precision. Color and contrast change regardless of setting. I attempted diagnostics with cable replacement, setting the movement speed to slowest, replacement of power supply, etc.. I contacted Annke support and was responded to via chatgpt offering the same tests that I already performed. The camera issue could not be corrected and was returned.