by 395 reviews.
Blink Whole Home Bundle Review: A Cost-Effective Security Solution
The Blink Whole Home Bundle presents an attractive security solution for homeowners looking to monitor their spaces both indoors and out. The package includes the Blink Outdoor 4 cameras, Mini 2 cameras, and a sleek black Video Doorbell equipped with 1080p HD video, motion detection, two-way audio, and some significant integration capabilities with Alexa.
What catches the eye is the potential of a two-year battery life using standard AA lithium batteries, a detail that promises less frequent worry over power loss, particularly for those with outdoor mounting. Coupled with the customizable motion detection alerts, this bundle offers robust features catering to a wide variety of homeowner needs, from those in single-family houses to apartment dwellers.
Pros and Cons: Quality and Reliability
Quality Craftsmanship
One of the points that continuously surface among users is the satisfactory build quality of the Blink system. “The units seem reliable and solidly made,” a reviewer remarked, appreciating the feeling of robustness in the camera units despite their light-weight design. This sentiment echoes through multiple reviews as users generally find the components well-polished and surprisingly durable given the competitive pricing in which they are offered.
Cost-Effective Solution
An attractive feature of the Blink Whole Home system is undoubtedly its cost-efficiency. Several reviewers compared it to other more expensive security systems like Ring and Nest but found Blink to be a more budget-friendly option that does not compromise on essential functionality. “For the PRICE, it is perfect,” one user summarizes, stating that while it may not be a perfect system, it is still a highly functional one when balanced against the cost.
Usability
Setup and Performance
Ease of setup is another highlighted advantage among users. Whether opting for battery operation or integrating with existing home wiring for the doorbell, the whole setup process is user-friendly and straightforward. One customer shared, “Setup was relatively easy, and I was able to integrate the doorbell chime with my original wired unit.” Another user praised the system as being quick and straightforward in its installation process, allowing them to have their security array functioning promptly.
However, usability transcends ease of setup, and several users did note the performance quirks experienced. The system's motion-detection works successfully, although it requires some initial adjustments. Once done, it excels in detecting movements accurately. However, the live-to-video delay is a common frustration noted that somewhat dampens real-time usability: “If you get a motion alert, by the time you get the camera to come up to a live feed, you're pretty well guaranteed to not see anything.” While recording playback is unfaltering, the delay might be bothersome to those expecting instantaneous visuals.
Features and Software Limitations
Video and Audio Performance
Customers have generally been pleased with the clarity of the video and smoothness of the audio. "Video is clear and smooth," reviews have emphasized, which satisfies the vital requirement for any surveillance equipment. Furthermore, the crisp two-way audio capability provides an added level of interactivity, allowing users to communicate directly through the cameras, whether to warn off an intruder or receive a delivery.
Software and App Support
Despite the robust hardware features, the software side does present some limitations. A frequently raised concern is the absence of a desktop application or web portal to view footage or manage settings—functions many modern users expect in their gadget ecosystem. As one user noted, although there are workarounds such as using an Android emulator, these are cumbersome and seemingly unnecessary steps to rectify a basic need.
Another software consideration is the battery conservation mechanics, particularly for outdoor units. Cameras cannot be kept on a continuous video stream without prompting warnings on excessive video generation—seemingly trivial but impactful when it comes to monitoring activities constantly.
However, the local storage option is a valued feature among users who might prefer not to rely on cloud services. With a free 30-day cloud subscription trial, homeowners get to sample the premium feature while maintaining the local backup convenience via Sync Module 2 and a USB drive option.
Conclusion
The Blink Whole Home Bundle is an intriguing and enticing package that can offer substantial peace of mind without heavily taxing the wallet. It shines brightly in areas of cost-efficiency, ease of installation, and performance consistency in visual and audio clarity. The user feedback suggests a strongly positive experience overall, especially when moderated against the reasonable pricing.
Nevertheless, areas like the software interface experience could see improvement, especially the introduction of a desktop option alongside app functionality to accommodate broader user preferences. Additionally, the ongoing lag in live video streaming, while bearable, might be critical for those demanding real-time surveillance.
Final verdict: The Blink system earns a warm recommendation for budget-conscious buyers seeking a reliable and easy-to-use security surveillance solution. Its value-for-money offers, coupled with an intuitive installation process and robust hardware, make it a worthy contender in the competitive market for home security solutions.
Specification Blink Whole Home Bundle – Outdoor 4 camera, Mini 2 camera (white), Video Doorbell system (black) | HD video, motion detection, Works with Alexa:
Comments from Amazon:
I liked the price, the setup was easy and the first 30 days using the plan is free with no requirement to continue after.
This is a great little system. I've been looking and analyzing various brands of video doorbell cameras for over a year. Was leaning towards a Nest but couldn't resist due to the recent Amazon Deal Days bundle price. Not only did I get a new video doorbell but an indoor AND outdoor camera with the Sync2 module (brain) that controls everything for less money!!! Setup was relatively easy and I was able to integrate the doorbell chime with my original wired unit so both work simultaneously. Also happy that it will work without a subscription by inserting a thumb drive to save recordings.
Out of all the security systems I've looked at purchasing or my friends and family have had the blink security system has been by far the best and most reliable. The alerts sent to your phone or computer are always on point and on time. 5 stars! Definitely worth purchasing
Added three cameras to my security system. Each adds its own functionality.
Buying it in the bundle saves more money.
Save your box because you will be returning this purchase. I purchased the bundle. The doorbell isn't bad. The outdoor camera wouldn't work despite following the trouble shooting steps of taking the batteries out and putting them back in. I also mover the sync module so close to it that only a single wall and about 5 ft were separating the two. Everything looks and feels very cheaply made as well. Its very frustrating to have something brand new not work especially after taking the time and effort to set it all up. I'm going back to my Ring Doorbell.
I have 4 of the outdoor cameras, 2 of the indoor ones and the doorbell. I've been running the system for a few months now. They are cheaper than ring, and are probably not as nice. However they are well polished and are easy to set up. Very easy, well thought out and a powerful system. The motion detection system does work. It takes some tweaking but, once you do, it works nicely. The units seem reliable and solidly made. They are not expensive at all. Video is clear and smooth. Packaging is impressively done. Blink obviously gave it some effort! I do not have the cloud subscription, I am using local storage. That works fine too. I may do cloud, but for now I don't see a need for my use case. Negatives - As other reviews have said, it is not fast. If you get a motion alert, by the time you get the camera to come up to a live feed, you're pretty well guaranteed to not see anything. The recording will show what happened, but bringing up a camera feed is slow. Right on the edge of being annoying, but not. There is no desktop app. You can install an android emulator "blue stacks" or whatever, and it works well enough, but come ON, why no web portal or desktop app? Since the outdoor units are battery powered, things are geared towards power conservation. Thus, you basically can't turn on a video feed and let it play. After seconds it will ask to quit. Play a camera too much and you'll get a nag that a camera has been "generating a lot of video" or some such, alerting you that you're eating into your battery. Fair enough. But the indoor non-battery cameras also will not work as a continuous feed either. Those have more features and are actually quite impressive for the size and cost. The doorbell unit appears to allow being powered from the doorbell wiring itself, if so equipped. That might be nice if it works how I think it does. So, I give the Blink system 5 stars, not because it is perfect but because for the PRICE it is perfect. They do work, and for a quick and cheap and (as far as I can tell) reliable system, I recommend it.