Piper nv Review

The Piper nv is the latest release of the Piper by Icontrol Networks. It is in an upgrade from the previous version now known as Piper classic. It addresses one of the biggest issues and keeps the good stuff too.

An issue with the Classic was that it couldn’t see at night, which for home a security camera was something most people wanted or expected.

Much of the other functionality is the same. The camera has been upgraded to 3.4 Megapixels from 2.0 Megapixels and has a faster processor to give a clearer picture for the night vision.

It does cost more than the classic for this added functionality.

It is more than just a camera with a 180 degree lens (which gives the ability to see the whole room with having to pan).

As well as a night vision camera it has motion detection, sound detection, a 105 db siren, works entry sensors, cloud storage and it is a Zwave Hub that works with a number of home automation devices.

All the functionality comes included in the price and there are no monthly fees to use any of it which is a big advantage over other models.

In our review we’ll look at how you can use the system for security as well as it some of the other uses for checking on your children, pets or elderly parents.

Piper nv Installation

Getting started with the camera is quick and simple with you able to get it set up and installed within a matter of minutes. To be able to use the camera you need a 2.4 GHZ Wi-Fi with a minimum upload speed of 800 mbps. It only works with mobile devices and doesn’t work with Windows pc.

It works with the Apple devices Iphone 4S and later, Ipad 2 and later running on iOS7 as a minimum. The Android devices need to be running Android 2.3.3 or more current version.

The Piper App needs to be downloaded to set up the system and also customize the setting for your circumstances.

If you just buy the 1 unit without door/window contacts the installation is as simple as plugging the unit in and putting on a shelf or attaching it to a wall in the best location to see the room, entrance or valuables you want watched. You can add another 4 units to be controlled by the app per customer account.

If you buy window/door contacts you’ll need to install the two part contacts at the door using the double back tape or screws provided and then set it up in the app (a simple process).

It seems this is one of the simplest set ups there is for a security system although some people do have problems with it from time to time when the WiFi does not connect properly. There are troubleshooting instructions on their site and you can also contact support for help.

Contract

See Piper

Support

Cameras

The Piper nv camera has a higher resolution than the classic and a faster processor which would lead you to think it would be a clearer video. However, apart from the night vision it isn’t really that much better unfortunately.
The fish eye lens sees 180 degrees so you can see the entire room without there being any blind spots. The camera doesn’t have a physical capability to zoon, pan and tilt but you can do this virtually. You can split the view into 4 to get a better overall view and do a virtual zoom, pan and tilt on just one of the quadrants to get a better view.

The switch from day to night vision is not as quick and clear as it should be with it seeming to hang on too long to day vision when light is fading giving a poor view and it seems to pixelate the video too.

Other than the increased resolution and the night vision there has not been any further functionality added. It doesn’t have face recognition like the Simplicam (which also has night vision) nor is the quality of video up to the standard of the Dropcam Pro (but you do have fees to pay for the ability to record video).

You add up to another 4 cameras to the 1 account and control them all with the App.

Video Storage

Alarms

Notification

Remote Monitoring

Battery

Sensors/Detection

Door/Window Contacts

Panic Button/Duress Codes

Setting The Alarm

Control panel

Timers

Protection against it being switched off

Coverage

Wireless or Wired

Zones

You can’t set up each of the cameras separately if you want to control with one App. You can’t have different rules running for each camera – when you set a rule it applies to all of them. You can’t have one with the siren armed and one with it disarmed.

Dimensions

Features

Accessories

Pros

Cons

There is no auto reset once it has detected an event You have to manually do this via the App. It means if you miss the notification no further video is going to be recorded possibly missing vital recordings

Switch over to night vision is cumbersome with their being a period of time where you can get very poor video.

Piper nv Consumer Ratings

It has been better received than the Classic when you look through the customer reviews. Some of that is because of more knowledge of what they are buying and in particular knowing that the video storage is only available on the cloud has contributed to this.

Some of the reviews mention the picture quality being blurred and not being very clear but others are happy with the images as they are. The fish eye lens is going to distort the video especially at the edges but that is the compromise needed at the moment to see the who 180 degrees.

They’ve also had chance to work on improving the App to make it more user friendly and improve the connectivity.

Piper nv Price

The price is more than the Classic model. For that you get enhanced resolution (which it is hard to see the difference) and night vision which is a big plus. You can now see what is happening when you are out at night and/or check up on the kids while they are a sleep in their room.

In comparing with similar cameras it is more expensive. It does come with a lot more functionality then the Dropcam Pro, also it includes a wider range of view and cloud storage is included.  The Dropcam Pro does provide a much clearer image and there is not the same issue with it swapping to and from night vision.

Wiith  simplicam you need to pay for the recording services. It doesn’t come with the same range of view and doesn’t have the same home automation and security features such as an alarm or temperature alerts. However, it does have a better image quality that sits somewhere between the Piper and the Dropcam

Click here to see latest Amazon pricing and availability: Piper nv

Review Summary

The improvement from the Classic is good to see. It is moving in the right direction. It comes with a lot of great functionality. The App is easy to use for controlling the camera and monitoring what is going on at home. It’s great you can speak to people in your home as well as see and hear them.

The lack of ongoing fees is a plus but I do think at some stage they will introduce monthly fees for more value added services.

It would be great if they could improve the video so that it is clearer and less grainy but you get a 180 degree view so you can see everything going on in a room. Also you should be able to download video you want to keep without having to ask the supplier to do it for you.

The home automation features are ahead of a number of similar IP cameras but it does lag some of the other more specific systems such as SmartThings or iSmartAlarm with them being compatible with a wider range of devices. With
Piper you can control small appliances and lighting.

If you like the Piper and are looking to expand the number of cameras you have you are going to be happy with the NV. It also makes a good solution for adding security to those hard to monitor areas as well as giving the ability to know when there is a security event with prompt notifications and to monitor what is going on around your home.

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