Code with Mike Review: HEIMVISION HMD2 SMART CAMERA REVIEW

Morgan

Credit: Code with Mike

Source: https://www.codewithmike.com/heimvision-hmd2-smart-camera-review/

HeimVision got in touch with us and asked if we’d like to check out some of their smart home devices. We love checking out tech from brands we’re not too familiar with. So, let’s get into our HeimVision HMD2 Smart Camera Review and find out if it’s any good.

HeimVision HMD2 Smart Camera looks fantastic.

HeimVision HMD2 Smart Camera Review

The HeimVision HMD2 is a wireless security camera for use indoors or outside. It is powered by a rechargeable battery or you can use an outdoor solar panel for uniterupted charging of the battery. The outdoor solar panel is sold seperatley and we’ll have a seperate review of that shortly.

First Impressions

When the box arrived from the courier it was a little damaged, that’s to be expected as it has come all the way from Asia!

Upon opening the outer box I was blown away with just how good the packaging is. The packging is super high quality. Another plus point is there isn’t an overuse of plastic single use packaging, great stuff so far.

The packaging is really sturdy and the pale blue and white colours work perfectly together. It gives you the impression that a premium product is lurking inside.

Opening the box, I was correct. It looks great, really stylish and clean looking. For people concerned about a CCTV camera standing out amongst your home decor, fear not. The HeimVision HMD2 has really subtle styling, I really like it.

What’s in the Box

Inside the box you get everything you need to set-up the smart camera. The inclusion of the two sticky pads as well as screws is a nice touch and gives you a couple of mounting options.

The sticky pads aren’t the premium 3M ones but they should do just fine for mounting the camera indoors where it’s dry. Being indoors theres also the benefit of not having any exposure to the elements, so it’ll help prolong the stickyness of the pads.

The mounting screws and wall-plugs are also good quality and don’t flex when I tried to bend them.

I think the included micro-usb charging cable is also fine for the occasional charge. But only time will tell if the build quality of the cable is good enough to handle being used a few times a year. I’ve reviewed a fair few cables so experience tells me it should be fine.

Suggested Reading:

If you’re in the market for replacement charging cables check out the Quntis Fast Charger or Anker Charging Cables.

HeimVision HMD2 Review: What’s in the box?

The metal outdoor mount is easy to use and adjust. I imagine it’ll be fine, the white paint coating is quite thin so I’m not sure how long it’d last before the elements got to it and it starts to rust. You could always buy some sort of UV protection coating to prolong the life of the metal bracket.

I didn’t actually mount it outside as I already have an external camera. I did however leave it outside overnight in the rain. And it handled it fine! No issues what so ever.

The magnetic stand is simple and works well. It’s almost become a standard way of mounting these types of camera. The magnet is strong and I’m confident that the camera won’t fall off and break!

The front view of the HMD2.

Full Box Contents:

• HMD2 Camera
• USB Cable
• Adhesive Pad
• Rubber Stopper
• Reset Pin
• Quick Start Guide
• Magnetic Mount
• Metal Stand
• Screws

Image Quality

What use is a smart security camera if the image quality is terrible? It’s pretty pointless right? The first thing I did when I’d finished setting up the camera was to film a few clips to see what the image quality was like.

The box does say it’s a 1080p camera, so I’m was hoping for a clear image that allowed me to identify individuals. A smart camera needs to be able to provide clear video to the authorities should the need arise.

The video quality of this camera is quite good for the price. In my opinion it works better in an indoor environment. Filming outdoors it seemed to struggle to adjust quickly to changing daylight brightness.

In the video clip above you are clearly able to make out the car. The image is good enough to determine the make and model, which is often what the police or authorities would ask for.

It’s slightly overexposed sometimes but overall the video quality is good and I’d be happy to have these cameras in my home protecting and monitoring things.

The only way to access the live-video feed is through the HeimLife APP. You have two definition options: “HD” and “SD”.

The live-view quality is very good, digital zoom is available if you wanted to focus on a specific area. I’d have preferred the camera’s microphone to have an option to turn it off as by default it’s always on.

Build Quality & Design

It measures in at 10cm tall with a diameter of 6cm. It’s quite small, roughly the same size as a similar camera by Arlo. The 6000 mAh battery makes it feels quite heavy (228 grams). But I do like that, it feels solid.

To test the build quality I bashed it a few times on the side of my desk and on the solid tile floor.

The back view of the HMD2.

It came away unscathed, the plastic construction is really strong and if it can stand up to me trying to damage it on purpose it should hold up to the punishing conditions of the British weather.

Looking at the front of the camera there is a large lens, a motion (PIR) sensor and the microphone. On the back there is the speaker and magnetic mount. There’s also the waterproof rubber stopper hiding the USB charging port, micro SD card slot, power button and reset pin hole.

It’s all really well thought out and designed with the user experience in mind. Everything is where you’d expect it to be.

The camera has been well built, it fits together perfectly. There are no sharp edges or manufacturing faults to take note of. A strict quality control process must be in place to ensure this level of build quality. Again, I go back to my earlier comments, it doesn’t look or feel cheap.

HeimVision HMD2 Smart Camera Review

I also really like the silver styling strip around the black lens. The contrasting colours work well and look nice.

Unboxing – HeimVision HMD2 Smart Camera Review

I filmed a short video clip of the HMD2 being unboxed, you can check it out below.

How’s The Battery Life?

According to the specification, the built-in rechargeable battery will last up to 4 months. If you set the camera up outside it’ll lose power a lot quicker.

To prevent that you can use the HMS1 Solar Panel to provide un-interrupted power. It’s a 3.2W solar panel capable of keeping the camera powered on indefinitley.

How easy was it to setup?

Setting up the camera was really simple. The included quick start guide was easy to follow and is well written.

The whole setup takes a few minutes. The only thing I didn’t like about the setup was that if you entered the wrong WiFi password you need to reset the camera. There’s no option in the app for changing the settings.

Summary

Overall, the HeimVision is really good for what it is. It’s a fairly cheap but feature rich smart home security device. The camera and APP are super easy to use. The video quality isn’t perfect but it’s good enough to record and protect areas around your home in 1080p.

It’s a great camera and one I’d recommend!

Score: 8/10

The HeimVision HMD2 is available from Amazon.

You can also find out more information about the HeimVision HDM2 on the official website.