The motion detection uses "infrared", which is nicely blocked by glass. So the only way to effectively use the indoor camera to see outdoors is to put it outdoors in an environment it is not designed for. You can compensate somewhat by using one of their "outdoor kits", but it's still not as good as a camera which is designed for outdoors. Which they don't have, even years after saying they would have it.
If you want outdoor cameras now, check into other companies. Since SS camera infrastructure is focused on viewing upon an alarm event, there is no particular benefit to using the SS cameras outdoors, since by the time they are triggered by the system, the crooks are already behind them.
The cameras work just fine outdoors,
if they are protected from direct weather. Mount them under a porch roof, under an eave, or in an open-front enclosure and they'll work great.
I've had one mounted over my front door for two years now. It's under the porch roof, so not exposed directly to the rain. Temperatures here have ranged from single-digits to 100 F with no hiccups. Captures all the activity on my porch and front yard
before any alarm event. (Better than a "doorbell" camera would, IMHO.) And I never have to worry about charging/changing any batteries.
That's not forgiving Simplisafe for over-promising and under-delivering on a "true" outdoor camera. I think most people asking for that also want it to be wireless (battery-powered). The realities of balancing cost, performance, and battery life will probably make it disappointing, if SS does goes that way. It's hard to get it right, which is likely why they haven't delivered one yet.
Since it's under the porch roof, I do not have the outdoor kit.
If I was mounting a camera where it had much less protection, like under an eave, I might use the outdoor kit. But I would never mount the camera where it would get direct exposure to rain/weather.
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sevensiamesecats
Advocate
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2.2K Messages
2 years ago
If you want outdoor cameras now, check into other companies. Since SS camera infrastructure is focused on viewing upon an alarm event, there is no particular benefit to using the SS cameras outdoors, since by the time they are triggered by the system, the crooks are already behind them.
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simplistuckon
225 Messages
2 years ago
I've had one mounted over my front door for two years now. It's under the porch roof, so not exposed directly to the rain. Temperatures here have ranged from single-digits to 100 F with no hiccups. Captures all the activity on my porch and front yard before any alarm event. (Better than a "doorbell" camera would, IMHO.) And I never have to worry about charging/changing any batteries.
That's not forgiving Simplisafe for over-promising and under-delivering on a "true" outdoor camera. I think most people asking for that also want it to be wireless (battery-powered). The realities of balancing cost, performance, and battery life will probably make it disappointing, if SS does goes that way. It's hard to get it right, which is likely why they haven't delivered one yet.
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captain11
Captain
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5.1K Messages
2 years ago
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simplistuckon
225 Messages
2 years ago
If I was mounting a camera where it had much less protection, like under an eave, I might use the outdoor kit. But I would never mount the camera where it would get direct exposure to rain/weather.
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