This is a perfect blend of easy install and quality video response
I’ve installed a number of security cams and wireless doorbells, and the one I’m still using is from VuPoint Solutions called Toucan. It connected to my wireless router very intuitively, and works well even though it is some distance from the router. No base station or hub is required, so just simply log on to your wireless network with your password.
For the price, I’ve yet to find a pair that work better and give a better image quality than the Toucan solution. The camera (TWC200WU) has a MSRP of just $79.99 and the doorbell/chime combo (TVD200WU) is $89.99.
Both the camera and the doorbell are IP56 rated, which means they can take a steady downpour without worry.
I couldn’t believe one brand-name wireless doorbell I bought that said in the fine print, don’t install in an area with direct sunlight. Sorry, but my front door faces south, and I found out why. On sunny days when the temperature exceeded 70°, the doorbell would just randomly start ringing. Bummer. Not so with the Toucan.
As the title mentioned, installation is super easy. The camera has a magnetic base, which merely snaps to any metallic object and the camera also magnetically is attached to the base. From there you can swivel it to whatever position you want. So fast – so easy.
If you want to attach it to wood or masonry, it only takes one screw for that.
Video Quality
Having video of a security event is only good if you can actually see who is at the door, and I’ve seen many cameras whose quality is terrible. Toucan’s is excellent. It’s full HD at 1920×1080 and very crisp with just the right amount of contrast.
The camera lens offers a 131° wide angle so you get a really nice large field of view. The doorbell is even wider at 180°. That means you can see an Amazon package even if it’s dropped right against the wall under the doorbell. Note: your phone’s screen probably will show the full 180° from left to right, but not top to bottom, so you’ll need to scroll the picture to see things directly above or below the doorbell.
Being that wide, it’s conceivable that the camera might be taking in areas that you don’t want to monitor, so you can set zones or areas that you don’t want monitored by sliding imaginary shutters to block off the areas not of interest. The camera/doorbell then only notifies you of motion in the clear areas.
You can also set the sensitivity of the motion detection so blowing leaves don’t repeatedly set off your notifications.
Another option which I’ve never seen on a security camera is the ability to select night vision as either Auto, Always On, or Always Off. I can see opportunities to use this camera photographically in the future, so I wouldn’t want it to switch to black and white only in low light, and now I can determine if it will do that or not. Very thoughtful option.
Another option that is really handy is that the camera has a 1/4″x20 mounting hole in the bottom, so it could easily be mounted to a mini or full-sized tripod. I can see putting this in a tent in a Wi-Fi-enabled campground for example. That way you could be notified if a raccoon or skunk wandered into your tent.
Responsiveness
With some other security cameras, I’ve heard of notification delays of 30 to 60 seconds or more, which sort of defeats the usefulness of being able to communicate with the party who showed up at your door. Who waits more than 60 seconds to see if someone is going to answer?
I found that I got my little notification alert on my phone within 2-5 seconds of the time the cameras sensed motion. At first, there was some scratchiness to the audio, but that resolved itself within a day, and it’s been very clear ever since.
I spoke with the VuPoint about getting a full window popup when the doorbell goes off.
VuPoint is ready for it, but it seems that’s an Android control that Google needs to approve first. (C’mon Google, that would be a great improvement.)
Another pair of options, which luckily I’ve never had the need to try, let you turn on the alarm from your smartphone and/or to dial 911 or other emergency contact right from your Toucan app screen if you need help.
Ease of install
First thing to do is download the Toucan app for either Android or iPhone or iPad. (Presently, there’s no option to monitor via your laptop.) Pressing and holding a “set” button pairs the devices to your phone. Then follow the prompts to make some preference selections and add your wireless network password.
Being totally wireless, you have all the freedom to mount wherever your home or yard has a Wi-Fi signal. They do mention a 50 meter max distance from doorbell to door chime.
I permanently mounted the camera with just one screw (shown above), and the doorbell needed just two. The door chime is just sitting on our sofa table, so no installation there at all.
The doorbell unmounts quickly with just a tiny #1 Philips screw at the bottom. Kudos to the Toucan engineers, clipping the screw in place, so you don’t worry about dropping the tiny screw on the ground when you release the doorbell.
(Read more about installation here.)
If you are a real home automation fan, you can even integrate your doorbell and camera with Alexa.
Battery life and charging
Being totally wireless, I was a bit concerned about battery life, as both devices have rechargeable batteries. But, unlike “always-on” security cameras, these merely record about 20-30 seconds * of video upon detection, and then reset. So, the battery lasts much longer.
Also, wisely so, VuPoint has a battery indicator in the corner of your screen each time you monitor the video feeds, so you’ll always know how much charge you have left. I was pleasantly surprised how long they lasted. (Read more here.)
Batteries on both devices lasted about 30 days, and took from 4 to 6 hours to fully recharge using a standard micro-USB connection like your cellphone. LED’s change from red to blue when completely recharged.
The batteries on the door chime are two standard alkaline batteries, so those should last for years…unless you get a whole lot of visitors 😊.
The blue LED on the doorbell comes on when it senses motion, so it makes it nice and easy to find at night in the dark.
The camera has its micro-USB jack at the bottom, so if you want to mount in an inaccessible area, you could hardwire the charging cable.
* Free or paid plans
I mentioned earlier about the camera only recording clips about 20-30 seconds. Well, there’s a choice you can make if you want more time than that.
That’s with the free plan, where you don’t pay a monthly subscription fee. With their “Pro” or their “Elite” plans, you can set the time of recording from 30 seconds up to 90 seconds. With those plans, you also get more recorded video history. With the free plan, you get 24 hours, with the others, you get 7 to 90 days.
When you check out the website, the free plan mentions 60 seconds of recording time – which is an error. It should say 30 seconds on the free plan. But, as of this writing (3/27/21) it still hasn’t been changed.
Another consideration for the paid plans might be if you want to share the feeds with multiple people. The free plan offers one, while up to 10 people can share each camera with the paid plans. There are also some other options, so check the link above if you’re interested.
Should you buy?
When you add quality, responsiveness, performance and options, I really like the Toucan system. They appear quite sturdy and I expect them to perform well for many years.
