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I have a mi security camera already and I am using it since one year. After the lockdown, it went out of stock but soon arrived at Amazon but it's cost had increased. Even then I went ahead and tried to purchase it as I had prior confidence but just before buying Amazon showed me a feature comparison with this camera (tapo c200). So my review would be largely a comparison of the two with a breakup of the features of both security cameras.
On the feature front, this tapo camera beats mi security camera hands down. It comes with home monitoring, call/talk back feature just as mi security camera but additionally has privacy feature to switch off recording, alarm on/off on detection of movement, clean user interface, advanced self diagnosis feature, auto reboot feature and 128gb sdcard storage as against no privacy feature and 64gb in mi security camera. Also on detection of movement, mi security camera records multiple clips of max 1 min duration whereas tapo doesn't have that recording constraint. This is the biggest disadvantage of mi security camera. The setup took time as my WiFi was hidden and camera didn't recognize the hidden network even though I manually added it. But finally to overcome that, I made my WiFi network discoverable, once tapo recognized and stored it, I once again hid my WiFi and tapo didn't have any problem.
Aesthetics of tapo are however not that good as mi security camera. mi security camera feels premium when touched physically. However when you touch tapo, you get a cheap Chinese feeling which I hated when I opened the box. Moreover tapo rotates from its bottom and the rotating diameter is large. Mi security camera rotates from its middle point and the rotating diameter is consequently smaller.
Other than the rotating and aesthetics, tapo wins quite handsomely. If you want a premium feeling ( which no longer matters once the camera is setup) go for mi security camera otherwise go for tapo c200 and enjoy the rich features at a lesser price.
Will update more about its longevity in future.
Update1: After 3 months I realized that after inserting SD card, the initialisation time has increased by more than two minutes whereas in mi camera, the initialisation time hasn't noticeably changed. So mi camera wins here.
Update 2: Recording and browsing of recording in sd card in tapo is better but when tapo records any video on detection of any Movement, the green light of the camera turns to red. Also when night mode switches on, one can hear the relay sound from tapo easily. Mi camera continues to emit blue light even while recording and no relay sound comes out of Mi camera when night mode switches on. So Mi camera wins here again.
Update 3: in case of motion detection, mi camera takes an estimated 8-9 minutes to process the feed and send you a notification. That is, if a person/motion is detected at 8:00pm in front of camera, you will receive a notification only at 8:09 pm. In case of tapo, this is 4-5 minutes with a buzzer/alarm feature. Here Tapo wins down handsomely.
More updates in future
| Brand | TP-Link |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | TP-Link Technologies Co.,Ltd |
| Model | Tapo C200 |
| Model Name | Tapo |
| Product Dimensions | 8.66 x 8.5 x 11.7 cm; 118 Grams |
| Item model number | Tapo C200 |
| Memory Storage Capacity | 128 GB |
| Card Reader | MicroSD |
| Resolution | 1080p |
| Mounting Hardware | Tapo Pan/Tilt Home Security Wi-Fi Camera |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Colour Screen | No |
| Max Resolution | 1080 Pixels |
| Video Capture Resolution | 1080p |
| Voltage | 9 Volts |
| Wattage | 5.4 Watts |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Wireless Type | 802.11n |
| Connector Type | Wireless |
| Includes Rechargable Battery | No |
| Has Night Vision | Yes |
| Has Self Timer | Yes |
| Includes AC Adapter | Yes |
| Supports Bluetooth Technology | No |
| Programmable Buttons | No |
| Manufacturer | TP-Link Technologies Co.,Ltd |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Imported By | TP-LINK India Private Limited,Green Industrial Park, Dongri Pada, Poman, Kaman-Bhiwandi Road, Vasai East, Palghar, Maharashtra – 401208 |
| Item Weight | 118 g |
