Today it is no secret that the Chinese brand
Xiaomi is able to make bold decisions and is not afraid to launch very unusual and interesting devices from different branches of mobile technology, as well as home appliances. Thanks to this, the company has been a
leader domestically for years, as well as reclaiming foreign markets. It is safe to say that the company has a huge potential and in the near future will be another
world famous brand.
Lately, trends in the tech world have been moving more and more towards creating a "smart home" and Xiaomi was no exception. So recently we've seen smart towel racks and smart pens, and this review will compare two smart IP cameras. Both cameras are manufactured by Xiaomi. They are
Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K and
Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K Pro.
Judging by the name, one of the "Pro" cameras should have better features and functionality, but just by looking at them we see that they differ only slightly. In the full report, we first analyze each camera individually, and then based on all the data, we
compare these cameras in terms of features as well as in terms of the video recorded on them.
Xiaomi Mi 360° Home Security Camera 2K
Mi 360º Home Security Camera 2K is made of solid quality plastic in white and black and classic design for this type of devices. It is an indoor camera as evidenced by the operating temperature range. Large F1.4 aperture, 2304x1296 lens, 3 megapixels, motion detection function and IR sensor. Its small size and weight at 269 grams, as well as reasonable price, make it an object of interest for many. It uses the H.265 codec, the viewing angle is 110", wireless connectivity in Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b / g / n / 2.4 Ghz. Compatible with android 4.4 and iOS 9.0 or later.
The product tastefully packaged in a compact neat box in which after opening you will find:
- 1 x camera
- 1 x power cable, length approx. 2 m. (USB type A and micro USB plug)
- 1 x wall mounting kit
- 1 x instruction manual (also in Polish pg. 85-94)
- 1 x information about warranty and return conditions
The camera can be mounted on a wall or ceiling with screws and bolts from the kit, remembering that the surface must be able to withstand 3 times the weight of the camera (at 269grams it is not a big problem). Additionally, the user's manual provides detailed instructions on how to mount the camera and what not to do. The camera is also perfectly fine for simply putting it on a desk, table, or shelf.
Our device will be powered via the micro USB input (5V-~2A) using the cable from the kit (unfortunately, you will not find an adapter to connect it directly to an electrical outlet. You have a choice of buying it or powering the device through other devices using the USB input or power bank. Next to the power supply you will find a relatively large reset button, it is very convenient to use and if you need to use it you should remember two things:
Firstly, to reset the camera you need to keep it pressed for about 3 seconds until the fast flashing orange LED (the meaning of the various colors of LEDs will be described below) and secondly, reset does not delete the recording from the micro SD card to do this you must delete the recording manually. The camera has also a built-in speaker and microphone.
Moving the lens (with the device turned off) you will find a micro SD card slot, supporting SD cards of up to 32 GB capacity. The card is not included in the set. When the camera is running it's no longer possible to manually move the lens, if there is a need to change its position you can move it using the application Mi Home / Xiaomi Home.
Setting up and running Mi 360° 2K
When adding the device remember that it has to be plugged in to the power supply and that adding it correctly will result in the orange flashing LED turning solid blue. To configure the device you need to plug it in and either scan the QR code from the device and download the application that you will install later or download the application from Google or AppleStore and after installing it (you need to set up an account) press the add button (+), and if you already have such an application you will be immediately redirected to the configuration page.
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During account creation and app installation, we will be asked for permissions to use the microphone, camera, bluetooth, and permission to use our location and connect to devices. We will be asked for permission for notifications and use of home data.
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After dealing with the consents, we add the camera to the application. We also need to configure it with wi-fi for full functionality.
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The camera has many features, such as real-time image tracking, real-time surveillance, adjustment of focus and angles vertically and horizontally, video recording, making phone calls with the image, and recording at night, because in low light it easily switches automatically to night vision mode, thanks to the built-in infrared module.
Thanks to the home monitoring assistant function, the camera will automatically start recording images depending on the selected preset time (around the clock, during the day or just at night, or in a selected time interval) and any movement will be reported by a push notification in the system. The sensitivity of the alarm can also be adjusted individually depending on your preferences. The recordings can be shared. The person to whom the video will be shared should download the application and log in to his account. The only drawback is lack of possibility of choosing the area which should be tracked for movement as the camera tracks its whole field of view.
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Xiaomi Mi 360° Home Security Camera 2K Pro
Mi 360° Home Security Camera 2K PRO is the older sister of Mi 360° 2K. Maintaining a similar design the device slightly differs only in shape, having identical colors and the same quality materials it does not visually differ from its younger sister. However, there are differences in accessories that affect the functionality. The camera is equipped with wi-fi technology IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual band can connect both at 2.4 GHz and 5 Ghz. Wireless connectivity can also be established via bluetooth 4.2. Compatible with Android 4.4 and iOS 9.0 or later. Aperture F1.4, 3 megapixels, 1296p resolution, viewing angle is 110", H.265 video codec, power supply 5V-2A, weight 349 grams. The motion detection function and IR sensor, combined with small size and weight, and a relatively low price - make the device worth to buy. The camera has micro USB input for power supply, next to it there is a reset button (for which you will need a suitable tool). Under the lens there is a micro SD card slot, as well as a speaker and microphone.
The camera is designed for indoor use - we can install it on a wall or ceiling (remembering that the surface has to support 3 times more than the total weight of the camera), or place it directly on a desk, table, etc. The manufacturer describes in detail how to mount the camera on a wall in the manual supplied with the device, and since the translation can be found in Polish, it will not be a problem.
The product is packed in a compact neat package in which after opening you will find:
- 1 x camera
- 1 x power cable, length approx. 3 m. (USB type A and micro USB plug) and plug for direct connection to a power outlet.
- 1 x wall mounting kit
- 1 x instruction manual (also in Polish pg. 85-94)
- 1 x information about warranty and return conditions
When installing a micro SD card, we need to turn off the camera. SD card maximum up to 32 GB with read/write speed not less than U1 class 10. Moving the lens (with the device turned off) we will find the micro SD slot.
The camera also has a camera locking mechanism. Simply tap the lock icon in the app to activate the mechanical lens lock. The camera will automatically position the lens in such a way that it will be covered by the camera cover itself, ensuring user privacy.
The device will is powered by micro USB input (5V-~2A) using a cable from the kit.
When the camera is runnig it's no longer possible to manually move the lens, if we need to change its position we move it using the Mi Home / Xiaomi Home application.
Setting up and running Mi 360° 2K Pro
When adding the device, remember that it must be connected to the power supply, and its proper addition will result in the LED flashing orange quickly into a steady blue. To configure the device you need to plug it in and either scan the QR code from the device and download an application to install it later or download the application from Google or AppStore and after installing it (you need to set up an account) press the add button (+) and if the application is already available you will be immediately redirected to the configuration page.
Meaning of the LED lights:
Blue solid: connection established / working properly
Blue blinking: network error
Orange blinking fast: waiting for a connection (the manufacturer uses the description of the yellow LED in the application interchangeably)
Orange blinking slowly: update (the manufacturer uses the description of the yellow LED in the application interchangeably)
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The application will ask us to give several consents including the use of local network, microphone, camera and even location:
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As we mentioned above, we add the device using the buttons or just by clicking add device. And then select the camera and model:
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Reset the device to factory settings by holding the reset button for 3 seconds (this is the next step in the configuration).
Next, configure a Wi-Fi network with the device so that you can connect to it wirelessly. The device must have access to our camera in order to scan the QR code in the next stage of the configuration. After scanning the code, the camera will be automatically added.
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The only thing left is to choose the room in which to place or mount the camera. At this stage we can also change the name of the device, the default is a bit long.
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The camera has many features such as real-time image tracking, real-time surveillance, adjusting focus and horizontal and vertical angles, recording, filming, and also making phone calls with the image and recording at night, because in low light it automatically switches to night vision mode thanks to the built-in infrared module.
Thanks to the home monitoring assistant function, the camera will automatically start recording images depending on the set time (24 hours a day, during the day or night, or in a selected time interval) and every movement will be reported to the system with a push notification. The sensitivity of the alarm can also be adjusted individually depending on your preferences. The recordings can be shared. The person to whom the video will be shared should download the application and log in to his account. The only drawback is lack of possibility to choose where the camera should track movent, it tracks the whole field of view of the camera.
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Comparatively
After running through the initial setup of Xiaomi devices, getting familiar with the settings and features, let's move on to the comparison. First, let's compare the specifications of Mi 360° 2K and Mi 360° 2K Pro given by the manufacturer.
As we can see, there is virtually no difference in the cameras. The first thing that strikes the eye is the lack of Bluetooth in the Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K, and it also does not support wireless networking at 5 GHz, which can affect the speed of uploading images to the cloud or online to your smartphone. You can also see the difference in the weight of the devices, the Pro version is 80 grams heavier than its competitor, which can make a difference when mounting the camera on a windowsill or on furniture without screwing it down, the heavier camera will stand much more securely and reliably.
Another point of comparison will be the image from the camera during the day, at night, and at several times zoom.
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Summary
Looking at the images obtained from the Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K and Mi 360° 2K Pro cameras, we can say that in the Pro version the photos and videos are slightly sharper, this is especially evident when zoomed in several times. In fact, in our opinion, the Xiaomi Mi 360 ° 2K Pro camera won, however, if there is no need to zoom, but only to record video to flash drives or the cloud, then the Xiaomi Mi 360 ° 2K will be enough, at a fairly good price. The cameras have almost the same features, so you need to choose between them based on your need for brightness and wireless data options.
It is also worth noting the main advantages and disadvantages in both cameras:
Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K pros and cons
Advantages of Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K:
- Design
- Good price
- Good motion detection
- Wireless operation and thus constant access to the monitored area
Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K Disadvantages:
- No adapter for direct connection to an electrical outlet
- Unable to select tracking area
- No possibility to connect to the Internet via LAN
- No USB Type A input for added functionality
- Very high compression level of the image limiting the detail, seemingly 3M and you can see less than on many 1.3M
Pros and cons of Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K Pro
Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K Pro Advantages:
- Design
- Good price
- Good image quality
- WDR support
- Relatively good sensitivity of motion detection
- Wireless operation and thus constant access to the monitored area
- Lens lock function
Xiaomi Mi 360° 2K Pro Disadvantages:
- Unable to select tracking area
- No possibility to connect to the Internet via LAN
- No USB Type A input for added functionality
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