There are a few ways you can supply power to a home security camera. While hard-wired options are the most reliable, you need a sparky to install them. Battery powered models are convenient, you will need to find a way to charge them.
If you can pair them with a solar panel? Easy, unlimited power. TP-Link's latest model falls into this category, combining some pretty solid specs with a solar panel to help keep your home secure.
The Tapo C660 KIT sits at the top of TP-Link's outdoor security camera range, offering 4K Ultra HD (8MP) resolution with 18x digital zoom. That should make it easier to actually identify who's at your door or what your neighbour's cat is doing in your garden bed at 3am.
The camera can pan and tilt for 360° coverage, which is nice to see on a battery-powered unit. There's also AI-powered tracking that can follow people, pets and vehicles in real time, with customisable activity zones so you're not getting alerts every time a leaf blows past.
For night-time monitoring, TP-Link has included starlight colour night vision with an F1.6 large-aperture lens and built-in spotlights. That means you should get colour footage at night, rather than just black-and-white infrared.
TP-Link reckons just 45 minutes of direct sunlight can power a full day of operation (based on up to 100 events triggered per day), with the battery providing backup during cloudy periods.
The camera is rated IP65 for weather resistance, so it should handle Australia's varied conditions. You can mount the solar panel separately or combine it with the camera using the included 3.8-metre cable, which gives you some flexibility in placement.
Other features include dual-band Wi-Fi support (2.4GHz and 5GHz), two-way audio for chatting with delivery drivers, a sound and light alarm for deterrence, and voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Storage is handled either through microSD cards up to 512GB or TP-Link's optional cloud service.
The Tapo C660 KIT is available now via TP-Link and selected retailers for an RRP of $299.
