Addition: If you use a cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, live view is only available when someone rings the doorbell. A Sync module 2 is required for pulling up live view at will. Let me know if you have any questions about the blink monthly plan or using local storage through the sync module. Thanks for watching! Please consider subscribing if you like this video 🙂
Is it possible to use the USB (instead of subscription) and move the recordings from the USB to any cloud storage? Won't this then provide the thumbnail preview which can then be accessed from your phone?
@@zeem.8656 Hey Zee, if you buy the Sync Module 2 and connect a USB drive, then you can cancel the Cloud Storage plan and recordings will be saved on the USB drive. When it comes to moving the recordings from the USB drive, you'll have to manually unplug it from the Sync module, copy it over to a desktop or laptop, then upload it to a cloud storage service if you want a backup of it in the cloud. I don't remember seeing an option to specify another cloud provider, but that would have been a great option for people who use Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive, Dropbox, Etc. Not sure if I answered your question correctly, so let me know if I missed anything.
I have back door cam on sync mod. But new front door blink cam wouldn't sync up to mod. My trial ended for the backdoor. I have amazon synced to blink but Can't find how to pay a monthly payment.
@@brian-pu3yy Hey Brian, if the front door blink cam won't sync to the mod, which version of the Sync module do you have? The original version or the Sync Module 2? I think the new Cameras only work with the Sync Module 2 if I remember correctly. About payment, if you go into the App, then click on the icon of a person at the bottom left to go to your profile, then scroll down until you see the options for Blink Plus. I don't pay for the monthly plan, so I'm not 100% sure either, but you can check on the Blink official support forums here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/subscriptions/purchasing-multiple-basic-subscription-plans
A lot of videos here and there don't answer the real questions we had about the Blink suscription and the sync module 2. This one was way better than 5 other videos altogether. Thanks for the good video!
I think you're probably right Ron. The sync module 2 is supposed to offload some of the processing that the Blink doorbell camera does to preserve battery life, so I don't know why they couldn't let the sync module 2 also handle recording of live view.
@@DemCrumblies I don't know if anyone has said this yet, but if you have an iPhone you can go to your Blink camera's live view, then use your screen recording on your phone to basically record using the Blink app. Obviously you won't have any sound from the live view recorded, but it's better than nothing if you don't want to pay for a subscription. Which we don't. We have the sync module 2 with a sd card. The most irritating thing is having to delete videos one at a time, but we just make a point to clear them throughout the day.
@@jewelryart2428 Hey your mom, some people have pointed out using the phone's built in screen recorder as a work-around, but no sound is a limitation as you mentioned. For the Sync module 2, it accepts up to 128 GB of storage. If you insert a large capacity USB drive, you won't have to delete videos so frequently. How much capacity does the SD card you are using have?
@@DemCrumblies Im not sure, but I think it's a 64. I was wondering if it's possible to just put the sd card in the lap top and format it. Our desktop doesnt have an sd slot, but I saw someone mention plugging a flash drive into the side of the sync modile. Idk if ours has that option. I havent checked yet.
@@jewelryart2428 So the Sync Module wants to format the storage device in its own preferred format, so it's best to plug the SD card into the Sync Module 2, then format the card through the Blink App. If you have an SD card or Micro SD card, you'll have to use the USB adapter that came with it, or buy a USB adapter to insert it into, then plug the USB into the Sync Module 2. Something like this: i5.walmartimages.com/asr/520a8cb5-e7d8-4f0c-bdd6-2a27ccf49341.fa7fe5bc6a7ac3524643bd5b3187d2ad.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=ffffff
As a new home owner, as well as a new blink owner, I found this video extremely helpful. Not only did it answer questions I had, but also other questions I didn't even know I needed answered until I saw this video. Thank you
Glad it was helpful Jimmy! One thing I learned later after this video is that if you only get the monthly plan (without the Sync module 2), while you can record video when someone rings the Doorbell, you won't be able to pull up live view any time you like. The Sync Module 2 let's you pull up live view at any time, but doesn't record video if you answer the ringer. So Blink wants us to pay for both to have maximum functionality.
Well done. I have had Blink for over 3 yrs now. All but one of my original cameras are still using their original batteries. Their cameras have been more reliable and trouble free than my Alarm company cameras costing twice as much.
As a BLINK System owner of 3 years, I have NEVER been able to get more than 4-5 months from those blasted batteries. And that is with taking the time to focus the activity zones to the point where it's virtually worthless. I've already begun to replace BLINK with EUFY 3 PRO and I couldn't be more pleased with the results. More expensive, but you get what you pay for; usually.
My two Blink cameras came with a sync module. When the free trial expired, I plugged in a USB drive to the sync module. I really don't miss the features that a paid subscription provides.
Yea, the only real drawback is that you can't simultaneously watch live view and have the system record when you move off the Cloud plan. Some people start the screen recording feature on their phone first before they pull up live view as a work-around.
@@DemCrumblies So if i do not have a subscription plan but i have Sync Module 2 with USB Drive plugged in and want to perform "live view", i have to start the screen recording feature on my phone in order to save the video to my phone, then click on the notification. Is that correct? But if i don't choose to do phone recording and don't click on then notification, then the video will get recorded to the USB Drive. Is that correct?
@@TheFlareMind Yes that's correct. The workaround is to start recording your phone screen before you tap on the live view notification if you don't want to pay for the monthly plan.
I have the Blink cameras for over 2 years now and have not replaced the batteries, and I’ve heard a lot of reviews about batteries not lasting as promised and this video finally gave me that answer why I have not replaced the batteries. I have the module 2 and is helping with the battery life of my cameras. Thank you.. and now I’ll try the subscription plus local storage combo..
Hey @balticblues8130, yep the Sync Module 2 is doing some of the lifting too. With the subscription plan, you'll gain the ability to record live view video and see thumbnail previews of clips before you tap to review them. Thanks for watching 🙂
One other thing about just using USB storage. You cannot delete the old recorded clips easily. Ther is no bulk dump, you can't swipe left it delete a video. All you can do is load each clip and the delete it. That is very time consuming if you have 20 or more clips. The only other thing you can do is "safely remove" the USB drive , plug it into your computer and delete it from there. I have the system working now ( no instructions) but if I could do it again I would not choose the Blink system. They designed the app software to be so crappy that you are almost forced to go with the monthly plan.
Good point gimmeagig, I have no clue why they would not let the user bulk delete or format the drive again to wipe it since the system can obviously handle the task.
I found with my iphone that if is a video I don't need to watch all the way thru, I just touch the screen and it stops the play back and gives me the option to delete it or share it. So no need to sit thru the whole video play back if you don't want to.
@@timothyfender1222 Thanks for sharing Timothy. Looks like the iPhone gives more options. I just tried to repeat the steps you mentioned on Android, but no dice. Hopefully your tip helps other iPhone users though.
Glad it helped! Keep in mind that you cannot pull up live view any time you want if you just have the cloud plan. You will also need the Sync Module 2 to pull up live view at time you desire. @millermuniz11
I just purchased a Blink Doorbell and Sync module and this video was VERY helpful in what features are available with and without the subscription. Thanks so much!
Glad the hear the video was helpful : ) One thing I didn't mention in this video that I found out later is that if you use a cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, live view is only available when someone rings the doorbell. A Sync module 2 is required for pulling up live view at will.
Attaching the doorbell to the mount is a little difficult but once it locks into place it seems extremely sturdy. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxxHZwMa8CsRjYhf9s4W8w0Dwm47uytWOp I replaced my regular doorbell with this and hard wired it in, using my existing wires and mechanical chime. It works perfect so far and integrates perfectly with my blink camera system. It also works seamlessly with Alexa
Glad to hear the video was helpful @huantrahuongson! One thing I learned later after making this video is that if you have the Cloud Plan, you can only open or pull up the live view when someone rings the doorbell. If you want to pull up or open the live view anything you feel like it, you need to have the Sync Module 2 (cloud plan not needed). The cloud plan is only needed if you want to record visitor video when they ring the doorbell and you answer it. Hope that makes sense, but if it doesn't, let me know. Thanks for watching 🙂
I don't normally like video when people teach me about a product I'm unsure of. But your video was amazing and well sound and information was perfect. You covered everything with this video I don't need to call blink. If I can suggest you making a video on how to make a video would be even better. Thanks so much I absolutely appreciate the time it took to make such a perfect informative video. ❤
You did an excellent job showing and explaining everything Ivwas curious about these. All the what is does..., how's... and advantages as well as disadvantages. Thank You. Keep up the good work
Thank you EK P-G! I'm glad you found the video useful. There is one other thing that I learned after this video, which is that if you just have the cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, the camera is put into "Event Response" mode, meaning that you can only see video when someone presses the doorbell button. You cannot pull up live view any time you like, which is a pretty big disadvantage as well.
I have two blink outdoor cameras, and a blink doorbell camera, I have the Blink plus cloud plan. I like it, one of my biggest Things that I do not like with the non-subscription's is if you have a ton of clips, it won't let you select all of them at once and delete, you have to go one by one and delete them, whereas if you have the subscription, you can click edit, select all, delete
Great review of the blink module 2. I watched 3 other videos that didn’t really explain anything about how the system actually worked with and without the subscription in terms of what could be accessed.
Great video. Very informative. Thank you. It’s surprising to me that there a lot of comments about having to pay a subscription fee. It’s worth it to me just for the thumbnails and not have to bother with a flash drive.
Hey @robertroberts721, glad the video was helpful. One thing I learned after making this video is that if you just pay for the monthly plan and you do not have the Sync Module 2 also, you will be able to record video interactions when someone rings the doorbell. However, you cannot pull up live view video whenever you like. You can only pull up live view video with the Sync Module 2, so the most full featured option is to have both.
This video was two years ago, but it’s very helpful. I recently purchased the Sync module 2 , and I didn’t know it doesn’t record live clips as I’m looking at it. It’s very helpful to know. Now the thing is do I want to pay for a subscription plan or just go as is 🤔 🤔🤔🤔? Thanks for this video very helpful !
Thanks for watching : ) One thing to note is that if you get the cloud plan, it will always be subject to price increases in the future. That's why I moved to doorbells from other brands now that have no monthly fees.
Yes I like the way you explain yourself with the video and the process of the blink camera. Smooth talker makes a lot of sense and I hope some other people see the video and give you some up. You should run your own business. I think you will you will strike God-bless. Keeps up the good work🙏💯😇🥳
Hey Jr Ortiz, I'm glad the video was helpful. One thing I learned since I made this video is that if you have a Cloud plan, it only shows live view when someone rings the doorbell. If you want to see live view any time you like, then you have to also buy the Sync Module 2 with your Cloud Plan, or you can just use the Sync Module by itself without a Cloud Plan. Thank you for watching my video and for the well wishes 😊
Glad the video helped. Please read my pinned comment because I found out additional information about how live view is handled after I made this video. Thank you for watching 🙂
Thank You, there was a break in, in my front neighbors house, and that made me want to install cameras, I prefer to spend a couple hundred dollars than lose everything, thank you for your video that is very informative.
Hey @danigil8050, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Since I made this video, I have reviewed many other security cameras that are far better than the Blink system and do not include any monthly fees. I can recommend other camera systems to you if you like, just let me know. Good luck : )
@@Akhil2481 Hey Akhil, this video covered most of the limitations when you don't have a subscription. The subscription also allows you to view the live view / streaming of certain Blink cameras for up to 90 minutes without the Blink app continuously bugging you every minute to ask if you want to continue streaming.
Thanks for the informative video. I think I'll get the cloud plan in case for instance my house burns down or a burglar decides to grab the Sync Module on the way out, heh. Also recording while looking at things live is a pretty big deal.
Yep recording live view is very important, so important that I think they shouldn't charge for that functionality. Btw, one thing I learned after making this video is that even if you pay for the monthly plan, you cannot open live view at will, it will only open when someone presses the ringer button. To be able to record live view and open it at will, you will still need the Sync Module 2 and the cloud plan together. Let me know if that makes sense and thanks for watching : )
Very odd that the files saved in the module take so long to playback, local storage should be almost instantaneous but these video cameras are seldom as good as the advertising suggests, in most cases the person ringing your doorbell is walking away by the time the servers are connected and phone app tells you bell been activated. I have a blink doorbell, novelty rather than an essential security device.
I guess the app isn't well optimized since it has to pull the data from the USB drive then stream it to the app. The speed of the USB drive could also come into play and I'm not sure if the Sync module 2 supports USB 3.0 speeds, or just USB 2.0 speeds. They may use lower end tech to keep costs low I think. I agree with you about the time to pull up video when someone rings the doorbell. I think since the Blink Doorbell has such a long battery life, they really make sacrifices like a higher polling time perhaps to keep battery life extended. The Blink app in the background on the phone's polling rate and power settings could also be at play. I actually switched to a different brand for my front door, which has faster times, but requires charging every 3 months or so. I prefer to charge it more often for a more responsive system. I think Blink should allow us to have a setting to allow more responsive times at the expense of battery life.
If something happens and this thing recorded it and it showed you what happened when you weren't there, how is that a novelty? It served its purpose...
Yep, unless you start a manual screen recording on your phone before you open up the live feed. I tend to forget to do that though, so I ended up going with other brands that don't have those limitations and do not charge a monthly fee. If you ever decide to try another brand, let me know and I can make some recommendations : )
Thanks for watching @freetorunfree. Yes it's a significant limitation to this system. I have reviewed many other video doorbells after making this video which offer full functionality without any monthly fees. I can recommend some if you like.
Really well done video. A very good breakdown of the differences. I bought 3 blink outdoor camera’s with the sync 2 module I think in 2020. It records with thumbnails and I can delete all the videos with one click. It works without a subscription because I was grandfathered in under the old plan. I read somewhere that the Blink doorbell would connect just like the blink cameras if you were under the old plan. Meaning no subscription and not memory stick inserted into the module. I have been trying to figure it out but after watching this it will not work as I had hoped.
Hey John, thanks for watching! That's great they grandfathered you in. There is one thing I forgot to mention in this video, which I put as pinned comment after. If you have the monthly plan, but no Sync Module 2, you cannot pull up live view at will. It requires either the Sync Module 2 or the Sync Module 2 and monthly plan. I'm wondering if you inserted a USB Drive into the Sync Module 2 and used the Blink doorbell, if it would work with your old plan. I believe footage will still be saved online, but you'll have a local copy as well. There is more information here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/using-your-camera/blink-storage-options and you could potentially reach out to Blink support anonymously to ask if you'd still retain all the grandfathered in benefits even if you added the video doorbell.
Hello Adrian... I don't really get the part of which one won't have access to review what would've the cam recorded (by minute 5:00). If the cam is suppose to be recording "constantly"... even though one would've have instant access... How can one have no access to whatever is suppose be recording (?). Completely odd!!! I got one as a gift... but after reading your info., definitely is not worth then even installing it... BTW... THE HATE CLOUDS!!! LOL... THANKS FOR THIS VALID INFORMATION!!!
Hey @NoelLezcano-hy4gt, I can clear it up. So when you just have the Sync Module 2 and no monthly plan, if someone rings the doorbell and you answer it on the Blink App, no video or accompanying audio will be recorded during that time because the Sync Module 2 is not powerful enough to handle it. So to be able to record video when you answer the doorbell via the Blink App, you need to have the monthly plan. One unofficial workaround to this issue if you only have the Sync Module 2 and no monthly plan, is to use your phone's built-in screen recording feature, but it isn't ideal because you may forget to activate and it also adds a few seconds of delay before you can answer the doorbell in the Blink App. However, there are more situations to consider now. If you just have the monthly plan and no Sync Module 2, you will be able to record when someone rings the doorbell, BUT you cannot just open live view any time you want to just take a random look at what's going on outside your house. To open live view at will, you need to have the Sync Module 2. Basically, to have full functionality, you need both the Sync Module 2 and the monthly plan. In all honesty, it's a very dated camera system and I don't agree with the pricing methods. I've reviewed a bunch more video doorbells that offer full functionality with no monthly fees that also record 24/7 continuously, so I don't really recommend Blink cameras to most viewers unless they already own other Blink cameras and they want to just use one security app.
Very informative and helpful. I just got the blink doorbell and indoor mini. The sync is harder to find in store, but I will get that instead of the subscription. That works better for my purposes. Thank you! 😊
Glad it was helpful K M. on Amazon.ca (Canada site), the Sync Module 2 is in stock. I sometimes order stuff from Amazon.com to be delivered to Canada. I wonder if you're able to order from Amazon Canada and ship to wherever you are. Good luck!
@@DemCrumblies One follow up question. My free plan is now over but when I go to look at the recorded videos on my backup flash drive nothing is recorded. Does it only record if the camera senses motion?
@@douglasnoble1004 Hi Douglas, yep, it will only record whenever the system is armed and it detects motion. Most of these battery powered cameras only record with motion to preserve battery life.
Wow... so if someone is trying to break into your home, and you get a notification, and you tell the person to go away, the Blink pretty much stops recording the illegal activity for no reason, and you can't present evidence to the police. It pretty much kills the purpose of having the camera. What a disappointment. I guess I have to look for another option... :( These ring-camera companies are pretty shady. They won't tell you what you get, you buy the product, then you realize that you get extorted if you want to use the product you purchased... :-/ Why can't they just make it work right and make you pay 25 bucks more? They could, but they just won't do that...
Hey thatmaninblack, yep that's if you're only running the Sync Module 2. If you have the Cloud plan, then it will record. Some people have been starting their screen record on their phone before they pull up the notification, but it isn't ideal since every second counts especially if you want to catch someone in the act. They really handicapped this system in the name of preserving battery life imo. You can't just pay for a more powerful version, they want you to pay every month for additional features. Seems many companies are doing the monthly subscription thing, it sucks.
I set up a camera that records with a micro phone two way talk so the blink camera alerts someone is at my door the cheap solar camera records. No way was I doing a subscription plan. The cheap Amazon solar camera was cheaper
I really liked the facts you put out . appreciate it as many videos are not that knowledgeable and simple to understand....What happens when you have a sync storage and how would you save videos from your Out door camera 4 on to the USB, would appreciate if you could advise...
If you have Sync Storage only with a USB drive, when you open the Blink App, you can still access the video clips there and download them to your phone to share them if you like. You won't have to remove the USB drive and plug it into a phone or computer to review videos and download them. However, without the subscription plan, it will take a little longer to retrieve and download the clips and the video clips will not have a thumbnail preview so you won't know what the video content is until the video plays. Let me know if that makes sense.
Wow, I wish I would have found this video before getting myself one of this cameras, because I do not like them based on the information you provided here. Thank you so much for such an incredible video.
Yea, I hate the subscription model and the fact that they lock certain features behind it that other cameras brands offer with ZERO monthly fees. If you ever want better camera recommendations, let me know because I review many better cameras than the Blink system.
I agree. Another think I do not like about this camera is the fact that you can only use one device at a time to see who is at the front door. Vivint for example, has cameras that allow you to see the camera image in several devices at the same time. No problem. Something that is very helpful is you are away from from and you need to see the live feed at the moment together with somebody else. The only thing I like so far is the image quality and the sensitivity. Also that you can connect my chime to it no problem.@@DemCrumblies
So they have intentionally crippled the local storage features. Unacceptable business practices. If anything, the local storage should be faster than downloading from a server halfway across the country. It's a scam.
Exactly. Blink exists to penalize their loyal customers by forcing a paid plan for basic functionality that other camera brands offer for free with lifetime plans. Since I've reviewed the Blink doorbell, I've reviewed tons more products from other companies and Blink is at the bottom of the list. On your home network should always be faster than downloading from the cloud as you stated. @OC3707
@@kenshindoman9757 It depends on if you're looking for a hard-wired or wireless doorbell, but you can check my comparison video here: th-cam.com/video/7-L1ebB3tVg/w-d-xo.html I also reviewed some doorbells after I made the comparison video, which are also great. If you want 24/7 recording also, which many doorbells do not offer, than Reolink's doorbells are worth looking into.
Glad the video helped @mkohanek! I forgot one piece of information when I made this video, which is if you use a cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, live view is only available when someone rings the doorbell. A Sync module 2 is required for pulling up live view at will.
Great video! Everything is spot-on and consistent with my findings/observations with my setup, which I've been using for the last couple weeks now. I'm sure a lot of people are here because of the recent pre-Prime Day bundles! Do you know if there's a way to ensure the doorbell is always armed (motion detection always enabled) while the other cameras are only armed on a schedule? I'm guessing I'd need a separate Sync Module 2, and to put the doorbell onto that (different "System" in Blink's terminology... or what I would consider a "zone"). I'm trying to conserve battery on the wireless cameras, since they keep triggering when my kids run around the driveway/yard!
Hey Ben, I only have the single doorbell camera, so I'm not actually sure how the system functions when more than one camera is present. For my camera, if I go into the camera settings, I can see there's an option to enable Motion Detection, this should always be on. You can set the Retrigger time where your kids play so that it takes 60 seconds from the last time motion was detected to trigger a second recording. You can also set the sensitivity to low. However, I don't see a way to set a schedule though. You can also set activity zones in the settings if there are certain areas where your kids play so that those zones do not trigger recordings. However, after hours when you want security video, this approach wouldn't be ideal because it would not record motion outside of the activity zones you set. Unfortunately, it looks like you'll have to manually enable or disable motion detection each time they are playing outside if you want to conserve battery life.
Hey John, while I don't have his particular camera setup, which I made clear to him at the start, there are certain settings which can be set to preserve battery life, which was one of his concerns. He also stated that the system would trigger often when his kids play, so I suggested that he modify the retrigger time. He had more than one question/concern, so I tried to address what I could without providing misleading information by stating that I do not have his exact setup.
I just gotbthe blink cameras and I'm really on the fence about the subscription. I didn't want it at 1st but now I'm thinking...if someone breaks in they can take my USB drive but they ain't taking the Amazon cloud so I'd still have all my videos
Yea that's always an important consideration. I have my Sync Module 2 in another room in a small corner, so I think even if someone broke into my house, they might not realize that the Sync Module 2 is housing recorded video, unless they are familiar with the Blink system. It's also quite small and probably easy to hide away in a corner or behind a shelf or something while still having good signal. You will keep recordings during live video with the Cloud plan though, so it definitely offers more features and protection if you choose to go with Cloud.
I have 5 blink cameras but $100 a year seems to much for the little features I get/need I wouldn’t mind paying like $50 just for the convenience of loading the videos instantly instead of having to wait for each video to load, it will increase the time I have to sit there and watch videos just to delete them🤣 I appreciate the fact that they aren’t forcing you to actually get the subscription by removing huge features it’s just their cloud feature which is understandable but a little overpriced imo
Yea it's definitely higher than it should be. Some companies even give a 7 day cloud plan, which overwrites videos every 7 days. I think they should give one week at least.
@@viperomen914 True. Even 24 hours would be helpful. They should at least give 24 hours if you have an Amazon Prime subscription. I'd trade my Amazon Music benefit for 24 hours cloud.
@@Psil0 Hey Simon, LongPlus offers free 7 day rolling cloud storage. I've heard of other companies offering some free cloud storage, but I've only personally used LongPlus.
Hey Enrique, glad you found it helpful. I have good news and bad news. Good news is that you have a wonderful 2TB 3.0 USB drive to use on any device except the Sync Module 2. Bad news is that Amazon states "USB drives larger than 256 GB or smaller than 1 GB are not recognized." More info here if you are interested: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/sync-module-2/sync-module-2-faqs
@@gohangan Lol, well at least you have a 2TB USB 3.0 drive now, or maybe you can return it. The video clips are super big, so a 128 or 256 GB will last for many months, maybe even half a year depending on your file size settings and motion sensitivity. Good luck!
Yes but it can't record anything you guys say back and forth to each other. Because the microphone can only be used by one app at a time So while you can see what's going on you can't hear any interaction between both of you. It's just disgusting that Amazon does this.. multi-billion dollar company trying to legally steal from people.. So disingenuous and gross. It's one thing I did notice. There is a button that does say when you go into the storage button!! ( SAVE LIVE VIEW ) But I don't know if this disappears when you do local storage only. The guy didn't mention it.. Here's what it says in the app. ------------- Save all Live Views. When enabled, Live Views on compatible cameras will be saved to the video list automatically. When disabled, each Live View can be saved while in progress.
Thanks for the review. I think another point to keep the subscription, what if someone breaks in and steals the module with the flash drive? Some people might not pick up their phone and look at each notification. Agree with most comments, shouldn't be a need for subscription. I would be happy to keep copy of video on cloud for free for example for 10 days. If anyone wants more than that they will have to pay
Yes, you're correct that is another benefit of having a cloud plan if someone breaks in and steals the flash drive. Amazon has amazing cloud services, so they really should allow users 7 days minimum of rolling cloud storage. If they want to compete with other security camera systems, that would be such a great advantage to have.
ANOTHER TIP. Everybody says you can't delete the local storage unless you have a computer. All you need is a USB-C to standard USB thumb drive to plug into the bottom of your Android phone My Samsung phones always came with one. You plug that little adapter in Then you plug in The thumb drive or flash drive. Now you could access your files and delete them right on your phone You don't need a computer.. I've been using that feature for at least 4 years for my Samsung Galaxy Note 9.. It's been around even longer..
Yea, it just sucks that they don't give us a thumbnail preview when viewing clips on local storage. They also won't record live view when using live view, but I still use local storage because I'm against paying monthly if I don't have to pay.
@@garysinghnagra Yep you absolutely can, but there's a chance you may forget to start screen recording or by the time you start it, then answer the call on the Blink app, you may miss some action, but screen recording is a workaround that some people use for sure.
Thank you Ropl, I'm happy the video was helpful! Btw, please check my pinned comment because there is one piece of information I forgot to include in this video that I learned later. Thank you for watching 🙂
Just got my kit (Outdoor+Indoor+Sync Module for 70€) and planned to use it with a USB key after seeing the reviews and it works fine. One thing I was looking forward to try was the hourly photo for a timelapse video and found out that it's only available with a subscription. Too bad I canceled the trial ! I guess I could get an extra outdoor camera to restart a trial !
Hey @Peakabike, I'm getting ready to review their new Outdoor 4 camera, but honestly, I'm a bit jaded when it comes to Blink's system. The extended battery life is great, but I feel like they try to ding their users any chance they get compared to other systems I've used that have zero monthly fees and you get way more functionality. I've even annoyed with the hourly photo feature because on the new Outdoor 4 camera system, they state the resolution is 640 x 360 HD which is pretty low res. Why couldn't they take a screengrab from the 1080P camera? Just strange to me. I hope you enjoy the system if it works for your needs, but if you get jaded like me at some point, I can recommend other cameras I've reviewed. Btw, great to have a viewer from the EU!
@@DemCrumblies looking forward to your v4 review, but 640x360 is far from being HD! Is it the same on v3? While I find the lack of hourly photo capture and even more so the lack of multiple delete from the app for USB storage I find the whole system pretty sleek and better than anything else I've used over the years and good value for the money (2 cams+Sync for 70€). I still have a bunch of Foscam cameras that work but are pretty basic and other than getting alerts and a few pics by email that's it. I also have several types of Xiaomi cameras and can't say I'm impressed especially since they killed the free 9" clips a few months ago for most cameras...and also removed the time-lapse feature that was there originally. I'll go look for your past reviews but any quick pointers on systems you like?
@@Peakabike I couldn't find the photo resolution for the V3, but I'm assuming it'd be the same as the V4. From this page, it looks like all their cameras do it in a lower resolution to save battery: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/outdoor-and-indoor-camera-faq/photo-capture-faq This is one of my biggest gripes. They should let the user decide to expend more battery life if we like in exchange for better performance (better resolution images, longer live view durations, clip length, etc.) Two of the best camera systems I've used so far are from Reolink & eufy. I'd say Reolink excels in the full featured capability of their app and hardware. They also have desktop software, which is handy to pull up on a large screen. I just did a review of their video doorbell and previously, their 180 degree FOV camera, but both require hard wiring, which is nothing something everyone is comfortable with. eufy also makes very capable cameras and has a great app and camera ecosystem too. They have hard-wired cameras, battery powered and solar cameras. Both of these brands cost more than Blink upfront for sure, but the functionality is in another league in terms of video resolution, features and customization. They also have zero monthly fees. You can check out these videos to start: th-cam.com/video/T7spRyiPj8U/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/ElLrj6leKUM/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/1ufl2zkpaD8/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/NWiuoAIgKqY/w-d-xo.html I have a few more security camera videos lined up to do for eufy in the next 1 or 2 months, which would be past your return date for the Blink system. If you check out my other reviews, but you don't feel like you're missing much, or you are ok with the Blink trade-offs in exchange for increased battery life, there's no problem with sticking to Blink. I'd say that most people use Blink without issue and are happy with it, but since I've reviewed so many other cameras, I'm way more tough on them now that I know what else is being offered with zero monthly fees.
Not recording while you are watching a cam seems like a fatal flaw to me 😳 what were they thinking that makes it useless as a security camera. I was considering them untill that.
Completely agree, their hardware is so weak. I even reviewed their newest Outdoor camera recently last year, and they're still offering 1080P while pretty much everyone else is offering 2K at a minimum.
Or you can have two cameras next to each other. While one live view and other record of motion and save on the sync module. If don’t want to pay for subscription 😊
Great video and information! I have a need to place several cameras at different locations throughout a 20 mile area. Would the blink system work if I have the sync module at my home and have 10 cameras at different stores? They would all be connected to WIFI along with my Home WIFI connected to the sync module. Thanks for you help with this.
Hey there, I believe these need to be connected to the exact same WiFi network. So if the cameras will be placed miles apart, that probably would not work. But you can contact Blink Support there to confirm 100%: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/f-a-q I'm thinking they'll want you to have a Sync Module 2 for each business or location.
Thanks so much for your excellent informative video! My free subscription recently ran out. Like many on this thread, I was unaware that I'd need to purchase a subscription to access these same features going forward. My question: If I decide to purchase the subscription and then cancel at a later date, would I still have to USB option available?
Hey Elena, glad to hear the video helped! If you buy the subscription plan, then later cancel it, you will still be able to use the Sync Module 2 with a USB drive attached to it for clip recordings. However, without the subscription paired with the Sync Module 2 and a USB drive, this is what you will lose: - You won't be able to record live view videos, meaning if you open up live view, or if someone rings your doorbell and you open up live view to see them or talk to them, it will not be recorded with the USB drive unless you have a cloud subscription plan. One workaround is to start screen recording on your phone before you open live view (if you do not have a cloud plan). - You will not see thumbnail preview of video clips when you choose to review videos without a cloud plan. You will only see grey unboxes, so you'll have to hunt a bit more to find the right video file sometimes. - It will take slightly longer to pull up video files from the USB drive vs. from the cloud. Hope that helps! @user-es3pp7pg7l
Great video! Is it possible to use the cloud subscription only for a month , say when I am traveling in that month and then i can discontinue it or does it have to be an annual subscription.
Yep you can pay monthly instead of yearly. Here is the Blink US link to learn more: www.amazon.com/dp/B08JHCVHTY?ie=UTF8&adgwdg=vicc_subscriptions_display_on_website&tenantId=DEVICE_SUBS&ASIN=B08JHCVHTY&ref_=blnkspt_subsfaq_blnksubs_nodl&nodl=12
Very good video. One question is when I remove the usb drive and place it in my usb port on my desktop win10 will I be able to see what is recorded from the blink 4 one camera system on my computer? What for mat is the recorded MP format or….?
Very useful information. Far more useful than most about Blink and its subscriptions. However, what was missing for me was .. If the USB storage is removed from the module and placed into a laptop or computer .. What video format is it? .. And, are there any desktop based applications to view these things on a decent sized screen or is it all limited to squinting at a smartphone?
Hey Keith, thanks for watching. The USB drive can be removed from the Sync Module and plugged into a computer to review video files. I forgot the exact video file type since I mostly watch on the phone, but I remember that it was playing using VLC player. It wasn't an exotic file that that would require conversion to another format to play on a computer. There is no desktop software or web-based portal for monitoring the system though. You'd have to review on a smartphone, or download the video file to your phone, then share it to a Google drive or Onedrive, etc., then pull it up on a larger screen or you can unplug the USB drive, plug it into your computer and review the files there. All cumbersome options tbh if you don't use the phone. Btw, one thing I learned after this video is that if you only buy the video doorbell and use the cloud plan without the sync module, the doorbell is put in something called event response mode, which means that you can only see live view when someone rings the doorbell, which is pretty silly. If you want to pull up live view at any time, you need the Sync Module 2. Now, if you want to use the Sync Module 2 with local storage and no cloud plan, you can still pull up live view at any time, but whenever someone rings the doorbell, as soon as you pull up live view to chat with them, recording stops, again silly. Some people just enable screen record on their phone, then pull up live view when they are using local storage, but you may forget to do this all the time, and it lengthens the entire process of chatting with someone who just rang your doorbell.
Thanks for the very helpful information. I just have one question. Some of the clips go by within two or three seconds and stop way too soon for me to see who's it is. While other clips are longer. Is there a way that I can extend the video so that I can see exactly who's coming to my door?
Hi Jane, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Please try to go into the Settings for your video doorbell in the Blink App, and try the following: - increase the sensitivity to a higher number. We are hoping that the camera will pick up slight movements earlier and begin recordings sooner as well - change the clip length to something higher like 10 to 20 seconds - Set the retrigger time to 10 seconds - Disable the option "End Clip early if motion stops" Let me know how it goes 🙂
If you want to know how many clips you have and want to be able to batch delete clips from the app, you'll need the plan. Ridiculous restrictions when using local storage on the Synch module.
Yes, it's a limitation that doesn't need to be there. Blink basically punishes customers who already gave them money because they want more money. Since I made this video, I actually reviewed other systems that I use now that have zero monthly fees.
Hi, I have watched your video, it answered to many questions i had. I am looking for camera system to install on my semi truck. Blink camera feels right for me. question i have is about sync module, should i get sync module 2 in order to have access live video and record same time?
My free trial ran out a few days ago. I get notifications but no recorded clips ever show up. The back up recordings are on the usb drive from before the free subscription ran out but nothing since. So I have no value in the cameras now. Sucks!
Hey Jim, there has to be some kind of setting change to make because if you have recordings on the USB drive from before, then the system knows the USB is present to record to. You could try to format the USB drive again from the Blink app while it's plugged in to see if that prompts the system to record locally again. You can also try the following: Reboot the Sync Module: unplug and plug-in the power cable. Safely eject the USB storage drive, and insert it again into the Sync Module 2. Delete the sync Module 2 from your system, and add it again. More information here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/local-storage-issues/local-storage-troubleshooting
Hey Mohammed, you can definitely do that if you will remember to start screen recording each time before you click the Blink app notification. Thanks for watching 🙂
Blink support is very slow, it takes several days for them to respond despite paying for a 24/7 contract. The agent asked if it would I be OK to share this information with his colleges - that was yes. I replaced the sync unit and was up and running before the support agent respond to my contact report to them.
Yea, most companies are now relying to you using their FAQ pages that their chatbots recommend vs. having an actual person resolve your issue on the first chat I find.
One thing that nobody seems to answer in these review videos is whether you can access local storage outside of your LAN. Say you're on vacation (no cloud subscription) and want to see an alert, can you get to them or do you have to wait till you get home? I have the Arlo Essential without cloud or their smart hub and you can't view them outside of the local network unless you set up your router to port forward and possibly something else. I can see live video at anytime which is good and I get notified when somebody rings the bell and can answer if I choose to do that. Mine is using the wiring from the old bell so it's powered all the time which is maybe why the Blink can't? Seems like those are just on battery so maybe it's a battery saver, not really sure.
You can access the camera's live view and get app alerts while you are away on vacation connected to WiFi or using your mobile data. This is possible without the cloud plan. I have reviewed probably at least 20 security cameras from various brands and none have this cloud limitation. I was able to check cameras while in China with my eufy, Reolink, EZVIZ, Blink cameras, etc. If Arlo makes you jump through those hoops, I'm glad I haven't looked at their products yet.
@@DemCrumblies thanks for replying but my question was on whether you can access local storage outside of your LAN. (without jumping through hoops like with the Arlo which says you'd have to set up port forwarding)
Hey @@Cruiser-nr3pl sorry for the late reply, I can confirm that you can access clips saved to local storage at any time from any connection (mobile data, hotel WiFi, etc.).
Great video, can I still get live videos and alert on phone or Alexa when someone rings the bell and have a 2 way conversation with him? Will that video be saved to sync module when I am talking to someone ?
Hey Rohit, you will still get alerts on your phone when someone presses the doorbell button or when motion is detected, then you can tap on it to go into live view (which will not be recorded if you do not not have a Blink Subscription plan). I haven't used it with any Alexa devices, but if the system still sends phone notifications, I don't think you will have issues with the Alexa notifications as well. So to sum up, if you have a Blink cloud plan, you will be able to both access live view and have a recording of the live view saved to your Blink cloud storage and Sync module 2 (if you buy a Sync Module 2). If you only buy the video doorbell and a Sync module without a Blink Cloud plan, then you cannot record live view videos when you pull it up to talk to someone. What some people have done to get around this limitation is to start recording their phone screen first, then they tap on live view and the phone screen will record everything. It isn't an ideal solution though, because you may sometimes forget to start the screen record and you will lose a couple of seconds turning on screen recording before you tap on the live view notification.
@@DemCrumblies Thank you for detailed explanation. It really helps. It sounds like having a cloud plan is beneficial but if I am taking a cloud plan then I would go for Ring. If you were to choose Ring vs blink for subscription plan for one camera then which one would you choose?
@@rohitagl Hey Rohit, I haven't used the Ring system yet, but I know that it offers more features, such as more smart device support and AI features, so it seems like a more full-featured system.
I have three Blink indoor/outdoor cameras. Won't own another. Won't connect to my phone most of the time. I have a Reolink which replaces the Blink and it is better but not by much.
Hey @dudeleboski2692, yep, if you have the Sync Module 2 and a monthly cloud plan, the system will prioritize uploading to the cloud, then saving a backup locally to the USB drive. You can find more details here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/faq-sm/sync-module-2-faqs but it says "Local Storage automatically begins saving clips to the USB drive unless you are on a Blink Subscription Plan. On a subscription or trial, your clips save to cloud storage, and a once-daily clip backup from eligible cameras saves to the USB drive."
hello Dem . Great video. I am wondering that if I hard wire the Blink doorbell camera will I get live view with only the sync module 2 but no subscription ?
Hey @phyllisnaccarato5313 even if you hard wired the Blink Doorbell, it continues to operate the same way in terms of features, but it will now trigger your existing chime unit. If you have the Sync Module 2 with no subscription, you can still open live view any time you like, however, you will not be able to record live view unless you have a subscription. One work around people use is to start screen recording on their phone first, then open up live view so they can record their phone screen directly. It isn't an ideal solution because you may sometimes forget to start screen recording. Btw, this is what Blink says on their site "When wired, the Blink Video Doorbell is able to extend battery life and rings your existing chime. Even when wired, the doorbell is always powered by size AA, 1.5 volt, lithium non-rechargeable batteries. " More info here if you're interested: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/faq-doorbell/blink-video-doorbell-faq
Just wondering if video clips stored in USB drive can be viewed from the apt? Also, is the app capable of deleting video clips stored on the USB drive also, reformatting the USB drive allows deleting the video clips. After I viewed you TH-cam video I concluded that I prefer using USB drive for video clips storage, Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
Yes you can view the clips on the USB drive on the app, but will you not see thumbnail previews before you click on a video. I forgot if you can delete individual clips, but you can definitely format the USB Drive in the app.
I was planning on ordering a Blink camera. However, your evaluation reminded me of why I didn’t make the leap previously.. If for legal purposes I would need access for longer than 30 days. The “hands of Justice” move rather slowly. Too many obstacles.
I believe they now offer up to 60 days of video playback history with the paid plans, but I usually do not recommend Blink to anyone who asks for my recommendation. There are so many other camera brands out there with a more robust app experience, zero monthly fees, and more features.
Great video! I have a question. Without the subscription you cannot record if you live view but what if you have a secondary camera looking in the same direction. Will the 2nd camera continue to record?
Hey @richardhernandez4301, that's a great question and something I don't know the answer to off hand. Let me find that out sometime next week and get back to you.
Awesomeness!!! Thanks for sharing the info and going out of your way to find the answer. Definitely helps on making up my mind on whether I should purchase a subscription or not.
@@richardhernandez4301 You're welcome! Btw, another thing to keep in mind is that if you don't own the Sync Module, even if you have a cloud plan, you cannot pull up live view any time you want. You can only pull it up when there's someone at the door. At least that's how it was 2 years ago, not sure if anything has changed now since I only have the Sync Module 2 and no cloud plan.
Great video well explained especially the live view. Didn't realise sync module wouldn't be recording it. Any suggestions for making it more waterproof (rain)? I've put magnets on the back of the doorbell unit and placed it on my campervan. If someone walks past the side that no one should be walking then Akexa announces it throughout my house (dots dotted around). It's a little exposed so ideas for rain proof welcome.
Hey Skippy, yea, unfortunately the Sync Module won't record, but some people start screen recording on their phone first before answering the door. It's easy to forget to do that though. I haven't used any of the rain covers, but you can check these links (affiliate): amzn.to/3nQ7ASB or amzn.to/3nItsit You may have to use strong adhesive instead of magnets for these to work though if magnets aren't strong enough.
Very Educational. A question: can the recording, stored locally on USB, be played from anywhere on the cell phone or does the cell phone need to be in the same wireless router/network? Thank you in advance.
Hi Prakash, you can view the video clips from anywhere and from any network if you are away from home without any issue. Thank you for watching my video 🙂
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Addition: If you use a cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, live view is only available when someone rings the doorbell. A Sync module 2 is required for pulling up live view at will.
Let me know if you have any questions about the blink monthly plan or using local storage through the sync module. Thanks for watching! Please consider subscribing if you like this video 🙂
Is it possible to use the USB (instead of subscription) and move the recordings from the USB to any cloud storage? Won't this then provide the thumbnail preview which can then be accessed from your phone?
@@zeem.8656 Hey Zee, if you buy the Sync Module 2 and connect a USB drive, then you can cancel the Cloud Storage plan and recordings will be saved on the USB drive.
When it comes to moving the recordings from the USB drive, you'll have to manually unplug it from the Sync module, copy it over to a desktop or laptop, then upload it to a cloud storage service if you want a backup of it in the cloud. I don't remember seeing an option to specify another cloud provider, but that would have been a great option for people who use Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive, Dropbox, Etc.
Not sure if I answered your question correctly, so let me know if I missed anything.
I have back door cam on sync mod. But new front door blink cam wouldn't sync up to mod. My trial ended for the backdoor. I have amazon synced to blink but Can't find how to pay a monthly payment.
@@brian-pu3yy Hey Brian, if the front door blink cam won't sync to the mod, which version of the Sync module do you have? The original version or the Sync Module 2? I think the new Cameras only work with the Sync Module 2 if I remember correctly. About payment, if you go into the App, then click on the icon of a person at the bottom left to go to your profile, then scroll down until you see the options for Blink Plus. I don't pay for the monthly plan, so I'm not 100% sure either, but you can check on the Blink official support forums here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/subscriptions/purchasing-multiple-basic-subscription-plans
Do you need the module 2 to be able to have access to the app or will having a cloud subscription do that as well?
A lot of videos here and there don't answer the real questions we had about the Blink suscription and the sync module 2. This one was way better than 5 other videos altogether. Thanks for the good video!
Thanks for the kind words and for watching Luis : ) @lpeinado
There is no reason that these features should be disabled for local USB storage, it is simply Amazon fleecing us for monthly subscriptions.
I think you're probably right Ron. The sync module 2 is supposed to offload some of the processing that the Blink doorbell camera does to preserve battery life, so I don't know why they couldn't let the sync module 2 also handle recording of live view.
@@DemCrumblies I don't know if anyone has said this yet, but if you have an iPhone you can go to your Blink camera's live view, then use your screen recording on your phone to basically record using the Blink app. Obviously you won't have any sound from the live view recorded, but it's better than nothing if you don't want to pay for a subscription. Which we don't. We have the sync module 2 with a sd card. The most irritating thing is having to delete videos one at a time, but we just make a point to clear them throughout the day.
@@jewelryart2428 Hey your mom, some people have pointed out using the phone's built in screen recorder as a work-around, but no sound is a limitation as you mentioned. For the Sync module 2, it accepts up to 128 GB of storage. If you insert a large capacity USB drive, you won't have to delete videos so frequently. How much capacity does the SD card you are using have?
@@DemCrumblies Im not sure, but I think it's a 64. I was wondering if it's possible to just put the sd card in the lap top and format it. Our desktop doesnt have an sd slot, but I saw someone mention plugging a flash drive into the side of the sync modile. Idk if ours has that option. I havent checked yet.
@@jewelryart2428 So the Sync Module wants to format the storage device in its own preferred format, so it's best to plug the SD card into the Sync Module 2, then format the card through the Blink App.
If you have an SD card or Micro SD card, you'll have to use the USB adapter that came with it, or buy a USB adapter to insert it into, then plug the USB into the Sync Module 2. Something like this: i5.walmartimages.com/asr/520a8cb5-e7d8-4f0c-bdd6-2a27ccf49341.fa7fe5bc6a7ac3524643bd5b3187d2ad.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=ffffff
As a new home owner, as well as a new blink owner, I found this video extremely helpful. Not only did it answer questions I had, but also other questions I didn't even know I needed answered until I saw this video. Thank you
Thank you for that Grassland, I'm happy the video was helpful. Any other questions, just let me know.
Me too!! Very wonderful and thorough video!
❤
I have searched 5 videos, and this one has gave me the best information and saved me money! Thank you very much!
Glad to hear it helped! Thanks for watching : )
This is the exact video I needed. Answered all my questions. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful Jimmy! One thing I learned later after this video is that if you only get the monthly plan (without the Sync module 2), while you can record video when someone rings the Doorbell, you won't be able to pull up live view any time you like. The Sync Module 2 let's you pull up live view at any time, but doesn't record video if you answer the ringer. So Blink wants us to pay for both to have maximum functionality.
Well done. I have had Blink for over 3 yrs now. All but one of my original cameras are still using their original batteries. Their cameras have been more reliable and trouble free than my Alarm company cameras costing twice as much.
I'm happy to hear that your Blink system has served you well the last 3 years. That is really impressive battery life.
As a BLINK System owner of 3 years, I have NEVER been able to get more than 4-5 months from those blasted batteries. And that is with taking the time to focus the activity zones to the point where it's virtually worthless. I've already begun to replace BLINK with EUFY 3 PRO and I couldn't be more pleased with the results. More expensive, but you get what you pay for; usually.
@@DemCrumblies I am on the second battery change on the front entrance camera in two years but we have heavy traffic in that area.
My two Blink cameras came with a sync module. When the free trial expired, I plugged in a USB drive to the sync module. I really don't miss the features that a paid subscription provides.
Yea, the only real drawback is that you can't simultaneously watch live view and have the system record when you move off the Cloud plan. Some people start the screen recording feature on their phone first before they pull up live view as a work-around.
@@DemCrumblies great comment, thanks
@@DemCrumblies So if i do not have a subscription plan but i have Sync Module 2 with USB Drive plugged in and want to perform "live view", i have to start the screen recording feature on my phone in order to save the video to my phone, then click on the notification. Is that correct?
But if i don't choose to do phone recording and don't click on then notification, then the video will get recorded to the USB Drive. Is that correct?
@@TheFlareMind Yes that's correct. The workaround is to start recording your phone screen before you tap on the live view notification if you don't want to pay for the monthly plan.
I have the Blink cameras for over 2 years now and have not replaced the batteries, and I’ve heard a lot of reviews about batteries not lasting as promised and this video finally gave me that answer why I have not replaced the batteries. I have the module 2 and is helping with the battery life of my cameras. Thank you.. and now I’ll try the subscription plus local storage combo..
Hey @balticblues8130, yep the Sync Module 2 is doing some of the lifting too. With the subscription plan, you'll gain the ability to record live view video and see thumbnail previews of clips before you tap to review them. Thanks for watching 🙂
One other thing about just using USB storage. You cannot delete the old recorded clips easily. Ther is no bulk dump, you can't swipe left it delete a video. All you can do is load each clip and the delete it. That is very time consuming if you have 20 or more clips. The only other thing you can do is "safely remove" the USB drive , plug it into your computer and delete it from there. I have the system working now ( no instructions) but if I could do it again I would not choose the Blink system. They designed the app software to be so crappy that you are almost forced to go with the monthly plan.
Good point gimmeagig, I have no clue why they would not let the user bulk delete or format the drive again to wipe it since the system can obviously handle the task.
I found with my iphone that if is a video I don't need to watch all the way thru, I just touch the screen and it stops the play back and gives me the option to delete it or share it. So no need to sit thru the whole video play back if you don't want to.
@@timothyfender1222 Thanks for sharing Timothy. Looks like the iPhone gives more options. I just tried to repeat the steps you mentioned on Android, but no dice. Hopefully your tip helps other iPhone users though.
You answered a lot of questions for me about using local storage. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful 🙂
This is EXACTLY what I needed! Thank you!
Glad it helped! Keep in mind that you cannot pull up live view any time you want if you just have the cloud plan. You will also need the Sync Module 2 to pull up live view at time you desire. @millermuniz11
I just purchased a Blink Doorbell and Sync module and this video was VERY helpful in what features are available with and without the subscription. Thanks so much!
Glad the hear the video was helpful : ) One thing I didn't mention in this video that I found out later is that if you use a cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, live view is only available when someone rings the doorbell. A Sync module 2 is required for pulling up live view at will.
Attaching the doorbell to the mount is a little difficult but once it locks into place it seems extremely sturdy. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxxHZwMa8CsRjYhf9s4W8w0Dwm47uytWOp I replaced my regular doorbell with this and hard wired it in, using my existing wires and mechanical chime. It works perfect so far and integrates perfectly with my blink camera system. It also works seamlessly with Alexa
Glad to hear the video was helpful @huantrahuongson! One thing I learned later after making this video is that if you have the Cloud Plan, you can only open or pull up the live view when someone rings the doorbell. If you want to pull up or open the live view anything you feel like it, you need to have the Sync Module 2 (cloud plan not needed). The cloud plan is only needed if you want to record visitor video when they ring the doorbell and you answer it. Hope that makes sense, but if it doesn't, let me know. Thanks for watching 🙂
Where to buy the sync module 2
I don't normally like video when people teach me about a product I'm unsure of. But your video was amazing and well sound and information was perfect. You covered everything with this video I don't need to call blink. If I can suggest you making a video on how to make a video would be even better. Thanks so much I absolutely appreciate the time it took to make such a perfect informative video. ❤
Thank you so much for watching, I'm glad to video answered all of your questions : )
You did an excellent job showing and explaining everything Ivwas curious about these. All the what is does..., how's... and advantages as well as disadvantages. Thank You. Keep up the good work
Thank you EK P-G! I'm glad you found the video useful. There is one other thing that I learned after this video, which is that if you just have the cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, the camera is put into "Event Response" mode, meaning that you can only see video when someone presses the doorbell button. You cannot pull up live view any time you like, which is a pretty big disadvantage as well.
I have two blink outdoor cameras, and a blink doorbell camera, I have the Blink plus cloud plan. I like it, one of my biggest Things that I do not like with the non-subscription's is if you have a ton of clips, it won't let you select all of them at once and delete, you have to go one by one and delete them, whereas if you have the subscription, you can click edit, select all, delete
I think even to see video clip thumbnails, you also need the monthly plan, it's crazy that basic things like that are restricted unless you pay.
Great review of the blink module 2. I watched 3 other videos that didn’t really explain anything about how the system actually worked with and without the subscription in terms of what could be accessed.
I'm glad it was helpful lopez6295 🙂
This. Well done.
@@MikeD525 Thank you Michael!
This is a superb video answering most of the questions I had before i purchase the product. Cheers !
Thank you for watching!
Great video. Very informative. Thank you. It’s surprising to me that there a lot of comments about having to pay a subscription fee. It’s worth it to me just for the thumbnails and not have to bother with a flash drive.
Hey @robertroberts721, glad the video was helpful. One thing I learned after making this video is that if you just pay for the monthly plan and you do not have the Sync Module 2 also, you will be able to record video interactions when someone rings the doorbell. However, you cannot pull up live view video whenever you like. You can only pull up live view video with the Sync Module 2, so the most full featured option is to have both.
Do they charge you $100 a year for 5 to 10 cameras ?
This video was two years ago, but it’s very helpful. I recently purchased the Sync module 2 , and I didn’t know it doesn’t record live clips as I’m looking at it. It’s very helpful to know. Now the thing is do I want to pay for a subscription plan or just go as is 🤔 🤔🤔🤔? Thanks for this video very helpful !
Thanks for watching : ) One thing to note is that if you get the cloud plan, it will always be subject to price increases in the future. That's why I moved to doorbells from other brands now that have no monthly fees.
Yes I like the way you explain yourself with the video and the process of the blink camera. Smooth talker makes a lot of sense and I hope some other people see the video and give you some up. You should run your own business. I think you will you will strike God-bless. Keeps up the good work🙏💯😇🥳
Hey Jr Ortiz, I'm glad the video was helpful. One thing I learned since I made this video is that if you have a Cloud plan, it only shows live view when someone rings the doorbell. If you want to see live view any time you like, then you have to also buy the Sync Module 2 with your Cloud Plan, or you can just use the Sync Module by itself without a Cloud Plan. Thank you for watching my video and for the well wishes 😊
I have watched 10 other videos that didn't answer my main question. Thank you sir for providing us with exactly what we needed to know.
Thanks for watching @Taylormayd02, glad the video helped : )
Thank you. You are greatly appreciated for this thorough information.
Glad the video helped. Please read my pinned comment because I found out additional information about how live view is handled after I made this video. Thank you for watching 🙂
Thank You, there was a break in, in my front neighbors house, and that made me want to install cameras, I prefer to spend a couple hundred dollars than lose everything, thank you for your video that is very informative.
Hey @danigil8050, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Since I made this video, I have reviewed many other security cameras that are far better than the Blink system and do not include any monthly fees. I can recommend other camera systems to you if you like, just let me know. Good luck : )
@@DemCrumbliespls share links to other reviews were a subscription isnt needed. This was a great video
@@Akhil2481 Hey Akhil, this video covered most of the limitations when you don't have a subscription. The subscription also allows you to view the live view / streaming of certain Blink cameras for up to 90 minutes without the Blink app continuously bugging you every minute to ask if you want to continue streaming.
Thanks for the informative video. I think I'll get the cloud plan in case for instance my house burns down or a burglar decides to grab the Sync Module on the way out, heh. Also recording while looking at things live is a pretty big deal.
Yep recording live view is very important, so important that I think they shouldn't charge for that functionality. Btw, one thing I learned after making this video is that even if you pay for the monthly plan, you cannot open live view at will, it will only open when someone presses the ringer button. To be able to record live view and open it at will, you will still need the Sync Module 2 and the cloud plan together. Let me know if that makes sense and thanks for watching : )
Very odd that the files saved in the module take so long to playback, local storage should be almost instantaneous but these video cameras are seldom as good as the advertising suggests, in most cases the person ringing your doorbell is walking away by the time the servers are connected and phone app tells you bell been activated. I have a blink doorbell, novelty rather than an essential security device.
I guess the app isn't well optimized since it has to pull the data from the USB drive then stream it to the app. The speed of the USB drive could also come into play and I'm not sure if the Sync module 2 supports USB 3.0 speeds, or just USB 2.0 speeds. They may use lower end tech to keep costs low I think. I agree with you about the time to pull up video when someone rings the doorbell. I think since the Blink Doorbell has such a long battery life, they really make sacrifices like a higher polling time perhaps to keep battery life extended. The Blink app in the background on the phone's polling rate and power settings could also be at play. I actually switched to a different brand for my front door, which has faster times, but requires charging every 3 months or so. I prefer to charge it more often for a more responsive system. I think Blink should allow us to have a setting to allow more responsive times at the expense of battery life.
If something happens and this thing recorded it and it showed you what happened when you weren't there, how is that a novelty? It served its purpose...
Thankful I watched your vid before buying it. Good to know that I can't record the vid while watching the feed.
Yep, unless you start a manual screen recording on your phone before you open up the live feed. I tend to forget to do that though, so I ended up going with other brands that don't have those limitations and do not charge a monthly fee. If you ever decide to try another brand, let me know and I can make some recommendations : )
Felt very comprehensive. Super helpful. Thank you.
Thank you Eric, glad the video was helpful 🙂
Thank you for sharing. Very important info, that it can't record on usb when viewing live feed.
Thanks for watching @freetorunfree. Yes it's a significant limitation to this system. I have reviewed many other video doorbells after making this video which offer full functionality without any monthly fees. I can recommend some if you like.
What a great video. He explained everything very clear. This video cleared all my questions in my mind. Thank you so much 👍
Thank you Shakeel. I'm glad it was helpful ☺️
Thanks for the heads up! very informative vid.
Thanks for watching : ) Glad it helped.
Really well done video. A very good breakdown of the differences. I bought 3 blink outdoor camera’s with the sync 2 module I think in 2020. It records with thumbnails and I can delete all the videos with one click. It works without a subscription because I was grandfathered in under the old plan. I read somewhere that the Blink doorbell would connect just like the blink cameras if you were under the old plan. Meaning no subscription and not memory stick inserted into the module. I have been trying to figure it out but after watching this it will not work as I had hoped.
Hey John, thanks for watching! That's great they grandfathered you in. There is one thing I forgot to mention in this video, which I put as pinned comment after. If you have the monthly plan, but no Sync Module 2, you cannot pull up live view at will. It requires either the Sync Module 2 or the Sync Module 2 and monthly plan. I'm wondering if you inserted a USB Drive into the Sync Module 2 and used the Blink doorbell, if it would work with your old plan. I believe footage will still be saved online, but you'll have a local copy as well.
There is more information here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/using-your-camera/blink-storage-options and you could potentially reach out to Blink support anonymously to ask if you'd still retain all the grandfathered in benefits even if you added the video doorbell.
Hello Adrian... I don't really get the part of which one won't have access to review what would've the cam recorded (by minute 5:00). If the cam is suppose to be recording "constantly"... even though one would've have instant access... How can one have no access to whatever is suppose be recording (?). Completely odd!!! I got one as a gift... but after reading your info., definitely is not worth then even installing it... BTW... THE HATE CLOUDS!!! LOL... THANKS FOR THIS VALID INFORMATION!!!
Hey @NoelLezcano-hy4gt, I can clear it up. So when you just have the Sync Module 2 and no monthly plan, if someone rings the doorbell and you answer it on the Blink App, no video or accompanying audio will be recorded during that time because the Sync Module 2 is not powerful enough to handle it. So to be able to record video when you answer the doorbell via the Blink App, you need to have the monthly plan. One unofficial workaround to this issue if you only have the Sync Module 2 and no monthly plan, is to use your phone's built-in screen recording feature, but it isn't ideal because you may forget to activate and it also adds a few seconds of delay before you can answer the doorbell in the Blink App.
However, there are more situations to consider now. If you just have the monthly plan and no Sync Module 2, you will be able to record when someone rings the doorbell, BUT you cannot just open live view any time you want to just take a random look at what's going on outside your house. To open live view at will, you need to have the Sync Module 2. Basically, to have full functionality, you need both the Sync Module 2 and the monthly plan. In all honesty, it's a very dated camera system and I don't agree with the pricing methods. I've reviewed a bunch more video doorbells that offer full functionality with no monthly fees that also record 24/7 continuously, so I don't really recommend Blink cameras to most viewers unless they already own other Blink cameras and they want to just use one security app.
Thanks for the great video. Answers all the questions I had!
You're welcome Julius. I'm glad it was helpful 😀
Excellent video. have both Ring and Blink. I like Blink better for configurability, sync module, and local storage.
Thanks for watching : )
Thank you! Great video and very clear instructions.
Glad it was helpful Aida! Good luck 😀
You can use a do a video capture on your phone when you switch to live to retain the that footage.
Yep decent workaround if you can remember each time.
Very informative and helpful. I just got the blink doorbell and indoor mini. The sync is harder to find in store, but I will get that instead of the subscription. That works better for my purposes. Thank you! 😊
Glad it was helpful K M. on Amazon.ca (Canada site), the Sync Module 2 is in stock. I sometimes order stuff from Amazon.com to be delivered to Canada. I wonder if you're able to order from Amazon Canada and ship to wherever you are. Good luck!
Such a good video THANK YOU.
Glad you found it helpful Lazerline! Thank you for watching 🙂
Very good explanation of all the options available. Thanks again.
I'm happy it was helpful Douglas. Good luck 🙂
@@DemCrumblies One follow up question. My free plan is now over but when I go to look at the recorded videos on my backup flash drive nothing is recorded. Does it only record if the camera senses motion?
@@douglasnoble1004 Hi Douglas, yep, it will only record whenever the system is armed and it detects motion. Most of these battery powered cameras only record with motion to preserve battery life.
Wow... so if someone is trying to break into your home, and you get a notification, and you tell the person to go away, the Blink pretty much stops recording the illegal activity for no reason, and you can't present evidence to the police. It pretty much kills the purpose of having the camera. What a disappointment. I guess I have to look for another option... :( These ring-camera companies are pretty shady. They won't tell you what you get, you buy the product, then you realize that you get extorted if you want to use the product you purchased... :-/ Why can't they just make it work right and make you pay 25 bucks more? They could, but they just won't do that...
Hey thatmaninblack, yep that's if you're only running the Sync Module 2. If you have the Cloud plan, then it will record. Some people have been starting their screen record on their phone before they pull up the notification, but it isn't ideal since every second counts especially if you want to catch someone in the act. They really handicapped this system in the name of preserving battery life imo. You can't just pay for a more powerful version, they want you to pay every month for additional features. Seems many companies are doing the monthly subscription thing, it sucks.
because they want your subscription.
I set up a camera that records with a micro phone two way talk so the blink camera alerts someone is at my door the cheap solar camera records. No way was I doing a subscription plan. The cheap Amazon solar camera was cheaper
Not a bad idea of you have the space and yea solar cameras can work out cheaper in the long run than paying monthly for sure.
I really liked the facts you put out . appreciate it as many videos are not that knowledgeable and simple to understand....What happens when you have a sync storage and how would you save videos from your Out door camera 4 on to the USB, would appreciate if you could advise...
If you have Sync Storage only with a USB drive, when you open the Blink App, you can still access the video clips there and download them to your phone to share them if you like. You won't have to remove the USB drive and plug it into a phone or computer to review videos and download them. However, without the subscription plan, it will take a little longer to retrieve and download the clips and the video clips will not have a thumbnail preview so you won't know what the video content is until the video plays. Let me know if that makes sense.
Wow, I wish I would have found this video before getting myself one of this cameras, because I do not like them based on the information you provided here. Thank you so much for such an incredible video.
Yea, I hate the subscription model and the fact that they lock certain features behind it that other cameras brands offer with ZERO monthly fees. If you ever want better camera recommendations, let me know because I review many better cameras than the Blink system.
I agree. Another think I do not like about this camera is the fact that you can only use one device at a time to see who is at the front door. Vivint for example, has cameras that allow you to see the camera image in several devices at the same time. No problem. Something that is very helpful is you are away from from and you need to see the live feed at the moment together with somebody else. The only thing I like so far is the image quality and the sensitivity. Also that you can connect my chime to it no problem.@@DemCrumblies
So they have intentionally crippled the local storage features. Unacceptable business practices. If anything, the local storage should be faster than downloading from a server halfway across the country. It's a scam.
Exactly. Blink exists to penalize their loyal customers by forcing a paid plan for basic functionality that other camera brands offer for free with lifetime plans. Since I've reviewed the Blink doorbell, I've reviewed tons more products from other companies and Blink is at the bottom of the list. On your home network should always be faster than downloading from the cloud as you stated. @OC3707
@@DemCrumblies What would you say is the best non-subscription doorbell camera?
@@kenshindoman9757 It depends on if you're looking for a hard-wired or wireless doorbell, but you can check my comparison video here: th-cam.com/video/7-L1ebB3tVg/w-d-xo.html I also reviewed some doorbells after I made the comparison video, which are also great. If you want 24/7 recording also, which many doorbells do not offer, than Reolink's doorbells are worth looking into.
I found your video very helpful, you answer a lot of questions for me
Thank you Bruce. I'm glad it was useful 🙂
very helpful thank you
Glad to hear the video helped. Thank you for watching @maha77 🙂
Very informative! Thanks for clearly iterating the pros and cons, you helped me make a decision on whether to pay for a sub
Glad the video helped @mkohanek! I forgot one piece of information when I made this video, which is if you use a cloud plan without the Sync Module 2, live view is only available when someone rings the doorbell. A Sync module 2 is required for pulling up live view at will.
@DemCrumblies you did mention that in this video , but thanks for the follow up. That is actually what made me decide to go with the cloud storage
Oh great! Thanks again for watching 🙂
Great video! Everything is spot-on and consistent with my findings/observations with my setup, which I've been using for the last couple weeks now. I'm sure a lot of people are here because of the recent pre-Prime Day bundles! Do you know if there's a way to ensure the doorbell is always armed (motion detection always enabled) while the other cameras are only armed on a schedule? I'm guessing I'd need a separate Sync Module 2, and to put the doorbell onto that (different "System" in Blink's terminology... or what I would consider a "zone"). I'm trying to conserve battery on the wireless cameras, since they keep triggering when my kids run around the driveway/yard!
Hey Ben, I only have the single doorbell camera, so I'm not actually sure how the system functions when more than one camera is present. For my camera, if I go into the camera settings, I can see there's an option to enable Motion Detection, this should always be on. You can set the Retrigger time where your kids play so that it takes 60 seconds from the last time motion was detected to trigger a second recording. You can also set the sensitivity to low. However, I don't see a way to set a schedule though. You can also set activity zones in the settings if there are certain areas where your kids play so that those zones do not trigger recordings. However, after hours when you want security video, this approach wouldn't be ideal because it would not record motion outside of the activity zones you set.
Unfortunately, it looks like you'll have to manually enable or disable motion detection each time they are playing outside if you want to conserve battery life.
@@DemCrumblies Why would you reply to this particular question if you only have one camera and don't know the answer to the question that was asked?
Hey John, while I don't have his particular camera setup, which I made clear to him at the start, there are certain settings which can be set to preserve battery life, which was one of his concerns. He also stated that the system would trigger often when his kids play, so I suggested that he modify the retrigger time. He had more than one question/concern, so I tried to address what I could without providing misleading information by stating that I do not have his exact setup.
Hi sir, a quick question: may I ask how many cameras that can be paired with one module?
Hi Chao Shi, up to 10 Blink cameras can be paired with the Sync Module 2.
I just gotbthe blink cameras and I'm really on the fence about the subscription. I didn't want it at 1st but now I'm thinking...if someone breaks in they can take my USB drive but they ain't taking the Amazon cloud so I'd still have all my videos
Yea that's always an important consideration. I have my Sync Module 2 in another room in a small corner, so I think even if someone broke into my house, they might not realize that the Sync Module 2 is housing recorded video, unless they are familiar with the Blink system. It's also quite small and probably easy to hide away in a corner or behind a shelf or something while still having good signal. You will keep recordings during live video with the Cloud plan though, so it definitely offers more features and protection if you choose to go with Cloud.
I have 5 blink cameras but $100 a year seems to much for the little features I get/need I wouldn’t mind paying like $50 just for the convenience of loading the videos instantly instead of having to wait for each video to load, it will increase the time I have to sit there and watch videos just to delete them🤣 I appreciate the fact that they aren’t forcing you to actually get the subscription by removing huge features it’s just their cloud feature which is understandable but a little overpriced imo
Yea it's definitely higher than it should be. Some companies even give a 7 day cloud plan, which overwrites videos every 7 days. I think they should give one week at least.
@@DemCrumblies that should be standard I’ll even take 24hrs🤣 it’s better then nothing
@@viperomen914 True. Even 24 hours would be helpful. They should at least give 24 hours if you have an Amazon Prime subscription. I'd trade my Amazon Music benefit for 24 hours cloud.
@@DemCrumblies Which companies offer that?
@@Psil0 Hey Simon, LongPlus offers free 7 day rolling cloud storage. I've heard of other companies offering some free cloud storage, but I've only personally used LongPlus.
Great video! I just bought a 2TB 3.0 USB drive, hopefully it loads videos up quickly
Hey Enrique, glad you found it helpful. I have good news and bad news. Good news is that you have a wonderful 2TB 3.0 USB drive to use on any device except the Sync Module 2. Bad news is that Amazon states "USB drives larger than 256 GB or smaller than 1 GB are not recognized."
More info here if you are interested: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/sync-module-2/sync-module-2-faqs
@@DemCrumblies nooooooooo, I should’ve looked further into this systems external storage! Well, time to get the right one 😂 thank you again
@@gohangan Lol, well at least you have a 2TB USB 3.0 drive now, or maybe you can return it. The video clips are super big, so a 128 or 256 GB will last for many months, maybe even half a year depending on your file size settings and motion sensitivity. Good luck!
Yes just screen record and done deal.
Agreed and great work-around. I have screen record pinned on my phone's dropdown menu now for this.
Yes but it can't record anything you guys say back and forth to each other. Because the microphone can only be used by one app at a time
So while you can see what's going on you can't hear any interaction between both of you.
It's just disgusting that Amazon does this.. multi-billion dollar company trying to legally steal from people..
So disingenuous and gross.
It's one thing I did notice.
There is a button that does say when you go into the storage button!!
( SAVE LIVE VIEW )
But I don't know if this disappears when you do local storage only.
The guy didn't mention it..
Here's what it says in the app.
-------------
Save all Live Views.
When enabled, Live Views on compatible cameras will be saved to the video list automatically. When disabled, each Live View can be saved while in progress.
@@muzikmon2267 and that is why they are multi-billion dollar company
Thanks for the review. I think another point to keep the subscription, what if someone breaks in and steals the module with the flash drive? Some people might not pick up their phone and look at each notification. Agree with most comments, shouldn't be a need for subscription. I would be happy to keep copy of video on cloud for free for example for 10 days. If anyone wants more than that they will have to pay
Yes, you're correct that is another benefit of having a cloud plan if someone breaks in and steals the flash drive. Amazon has amazing cloud services, so they really should allow users 7 days minimum of rolling cloud storage. If they want to compete with other security camera systems, that would be such a great advantage to have.
ANOTHER TIP.
Everybody says you can't delete the local storage unless you have a computer.
All you need is a USB-C to standard USB thumb drive to plug into the bottom of your Android phone My Samsung phones always came with one.
You plug that little adapter in Then you plug in The thumb drive or flash drive. Now you could access your files and delete them right on your phone You don't need a computer..
I've been using that feature for at least 4 years for my Samsung Galaxy Note 9.. It's been around even longer..
Local storage. I can’t see paying that when I can access local storage from anywhere via the app.
Yea, it just sucks that they don't give us a thumbnail preview when viewing clips on local storage. They also won't record live view when using live view, but I still use local storage because I'm against paying monthly if I don't have to pay.
@@DemCrumblies we can screen record the live view from phone though. Isn’t it?
@@garysinghnagra Yep you absolutely can, but there's a chance you may forget to start screen recording or by the time you start it, then answer the call on the Blink app, you may miss some action, but screen recording is a workaround that some people use for sure.
Very well explained! I’ll be a blink owner soon. God bless and Thanks
Glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching 🙂 @bobeo2653
Very clear and informative thanks. Will try the flash drive option now knowing all of this once the free trial expires.
Glad it was helpful Grant. Good luck 🙂
I've had a blink camera for over a year. I have the sync module and it works great.
Glad to hear it's been working well for you with the Sync module : )
@@DemCrumblies as I was saying this I broke the back plate trying to replace the batteries to this thing. Clearly not the best designed device.
@@bb55555555 I broke my back plate clip about 3 months ago too : |
This was helpful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful @nalluutube! Thank you for watching 🙂
I have close to 21 cameras I believe (can’t remember exactly right now) but the plan is definitely worth it for me now😂
Wow that's a lot of cameras lol. I thought I had a lot, but you have me beat.
Well done Adrian explains in simple, detailed and well understood way on techie things. Instant subscribed!
Thank you Ropl, I'm happy the video was helpful! Btw, please check my pinned comment because there is one piece of information I forgot to include in this video that I learned later. Thank you for watching 🙂
Just got my kit (Outdoor+Indoor+Sync Module for 70€) and planned to use it with a USB key after seeing the reviews and it works fine. One thing I was looking forward to try was the hourly photo for a timelapse video and found out that it's only available with a subscription. Too bad I canceled the trial ! I guess I could get an extra outdoor camera to restart a trial !
Hey @Peakabike, I'm getting ready to review their new Outdoor 4 camera, but honestly, I'm a bit jaded when it comes to Blink's system. The extended battery life is great, but I feel like they try to ding their users any chance they get compared to other systems I've used that have zero monthly fees and you get way more functionality. I've even annoyed with the hourly photo feature because on the new Outdoor 4 camera system, they state the resolution is 640 x 360 HD which is pretty low res. Why couldn't they take a screengrab from the 1080P camera? Just strange to me. I hope you enjoy the system if it works for your needs, but if you get jaded like me at some point, I can recommend other cameras I've reviewed. Btw, great to have a viewer from the EU!
@@DemCrumblies looking forward to your v4 review, but 640x360 is far from being HD! Is it the same on v3?
While I find the lack of hourly photo capture and even more so the lack of multiple delete from the app for USB storage I find the whole system pretty sleek and better than anything else I've used over the years and good value for the money (2 cams+Sync for 70€). I still have a bunch of Foscam cameras that work but are pretty basic and other than getting alerts and a few pics by email that's it.
I also have several types of Xiaomi cameras and can't say I'm impressed especially since they killed the free 9" clips a few months ago for most cameras...and also removed the time-lapse feature that was there originally.
I'll go look for your past reviews but any quick pointers on systems you like?
@@Peakabike I couldn't find the photo resolution for the V3, but I'm assuming it'd be the same as the V4. From this page, it looks like all their cameras do it in a lower resolution to save battery: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/outdoor-and-indoor-camera-faq/photo-capture-faq This is one of my biggest gripes. They should let the user decide to expend more battery life if we like in exchange for better performance (better resolution images, longer live view durations, clip length, etc.)
Two of the best camera systems I've used so far are from Reolink & eufy. I'd say Reolink excels in the full featured capability of their app and hardware. They also have desktop software, which is handy to pull up on a large screen. I just did a review of their video doorbell and previously, their 180 degree FOV camera, but both require hard wiring, which is nothing something everyone is comfortable with.
eufy also makes very capable cameras and has a great app and camera ecosystem too. They have hard-wired cameras, battery powered and solar cameras. Both of these brands cost more than Blink upfront for sure, but the functionality is in another league in terms of video resolution, features and customization. They also have zero monthly fees.
You can check out these videos to start:
th-cam.com/video/T7spRyiPj8U/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/ElLrj6leKUM/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/1ufl2zkpaD8/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/NWiuoAIgKqY/w-d-xo.html
I have a few more security camera videos lined up to do for eufy in the next 1 or 2 months, which would be past your return date for the Blink system. If you check out my other reviews, but you don't feel like you're missing much, or you are ok with the Blink trade-offs in exchange for increased battery life, there's no problem with sticking to Blink. I'd say that most people use Blink without issue and are happy with it, but since I've reviewed so many other cameras, I'm way more tough on them now that I know what else is being offered with zero monthly fees.
@@DemCrumblies Thanks, will check these reviews out.
Not recording while you are watching a cam seems like a fatal flaw to me 😳 what were they thinking that makes it useless as a security camera. I was considering them untill that.
Completely agree, their hardware is so weak. I even reviewed their newest Outdoor camera recently last year, and they're still offering 1080P while pretty much everyone else is offering 2K at a minimum.
Very informative video and helpful answers in comments sections. Thank you!
Thanks Lukasz, glad it was helpful 🙂
Or you can have two cameras next to each other. While one live view and other record of motion and save on the sync module. If don’t want to pay for subscription 😊
That's a great workaround, never thought of it, smart!
Great video and information!
I have a need to place several cameras at different locations throughout a 20 mile area. Would the blink system work if I have the sync module at my home and have 10 cameras at different stores? They would all be connected to WIFI along with my Home WIFI connected to the sync module.
Thanks for you help with this.
Hey there, I believe these need to be connected to the exact same WiFi network. So if the cameras will be placed miles apart, that probably would not work. But you can contact Blink Support there to confirm 100%: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/f-a-q I'm thinking they'll want you to have a Sync Module 2 for each business or location.
Thanks so much for your excellent informative video! My free subscription recently ran out. Like many on this thread, I was unaware that I'd need to purchase a subscription to access these same features going forward. My question: If I decide to purchase the subscription and then cancel at a later date, would I still have to USB option available?
Hey Elena, glad to hear the video helped! If you buy the subscription plan, then later cancel it, you will still be able to use the Sync Module 2 with a USB drive attached to it for clip recordings. However, without the subscription paired with the Sync Module 2 and a USB drive, this is what you will lose:
- You won't be able to record live view videos, meaning if you open up live view, or if someone rings your doorbell and you open up live view to see them or talk to them, it will not be recorded with the USB drive unless you have a cloud subscription plan. One workaround is to start screen recording on your phone before you open live view (if you do not have a cloud plan).
- You will not see thumbnail preview of video clips when you choose to review videos without a cloud plan. You will only see grey unboxes, so you'll have to hunt a bit more to find the right video file sometimes.
- It will take slightly longer to pull up video files from the USB drive vs. from the cloud.
Hope that helps! @user-es3pp7pg7l
Great video! Is it possible to use the cloud subscription only for a month , say when I am traveling in that month and then i can discontinue it or does it have to be an annual subscription.
Yep you can pay monthly instead of yearly. Here is the Blink US link to learn more: www.amazon.com/dp/B08JHCVHTY?ie=UTF8&adgwdg=vicc_subscriptions_display_on_website&tenantId=DEVICE_SUBS&ASIN=B08JHCVHTY&ref_=blnkspt_subsfaq_blnksubs_nodl&nodl=12
Very good video. One question is when I remove the usb drive and place it in my usb port on my desktop win10 will I be able to see what is recorded from the blink 4 one camera system on my computer? What for mat is the recorded MP format or….?
Yep, you will be able to see the recordings that way too. They're saved in mp4 format if I remember correctly.
Great video and explanation. Thank you!
Glad the video was helpful AA. Thank you for watching 🙂
Very useful information. Far more useful than most about Blink and its subscriptions. However, what was missing for me was .. If the USB storage is removed from the module and placed into a laptop or computer .. What video format is it? .. And, are there any desktop based applications to view these things on a decent sized screen or is it all limited to squinting at a smartphone?
Hey Keith, thanks for watching. The USB drive can be removed from the Sync Module and plugged into a computer to review video files. I forgot the exact video file type since I mostly watch on the phone, but I remember that it was playing using VLC player. It wasn't an exotic file that that would require conversion to another format to play on a computer. There is no desktop software or web-based portal for monitoring the system though. You'd have to review on a smartphone, or download the video file to your phone, then share it to a Google drive or Onedrive, etc., then pull it up on a larger screen or you can unplug the USB drive, plug it into your computer and review the files there. All cumbersome options tbh if you don't use the phone.
Btw, one thing I learned after this video is that if you only buy the video doorbell and use the cloud plan without the sync module, the doorbell is put in something called event response mode, which means that you can only see live view when someone rings the doorbell, which is pretty silly. If you want to pull up live view at any time, you need the Sync Module 2. Now, if you want to use the Sync Module 2 with local storage and no cloud plan, you can still pull up live view at any time, but whenever someone rings the doorbell, as soon as you pull up live view to chat with them, recording stops, again silly. Some people just enable screen record on their phone, then pull up live view when they are using local storage, but you may forget to do this all the time, and it lengthens the entire process of chatting with someone who just rang your doorbell.
And remember!, if you remove the usb, you are no longer recording with the doorbell or cameras! via the sync box.
The videos are mp4 files and so are very readily viewable.
Excellent video !!
Thanks for watching John! @johnmccullough1401
Thanks for the very helpful information. I just have one question. Some of the clips go by within two or three seconds and stop way too soon for me to see who's it is. While other clips are longer. Is there a way that I can extend the video so that I can see exactly who's coming to my door?
Hi Jane, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Please try to go into the Settings for your video doorbell in the Blink App, and try the following:
- increase the sensitivity to a higher number. We are hoping that the camera will pick up slight movements earlier and begin recordings sooner as well
- change the clip length to something higher like 10 to 20 seconds
- Set the retrigger time to 10 seconds
- Disable the option "End Clip early if motion stops"
Let me know how it goes 🙂
Great video 🎉 I appreciate the explanation.
Glad it was helpful Victor. Thanks for watching 🙂
If you want to know how many clips you have and want to be able to batch delete clips from the app, you'll need the plan. Ridiculous restrictions when using local storage on the Synch module.
Yes, it's a limitation that doesn't need to be there. Blink basically punishes customers who already gave them money because they want more money. Since I made this video, I actually reviewed other systems that I use now that have zero monthly fees.
Very helpful! Thank you!
Thank you for watching Beth : )
Hi, I have watched your video, it answered to many questions i had. I am looking for camera system to install on my semi truck. Blink camera feels right for me. question i have is about sync module, should i get sync module 2 in order to have access live video and record same time?
I prefer to have the sync module 2 also for live view access at will. On your semi truck, does it have a continuous internet connection?
Great level of details in the video. Thanks for sharing
Glad it was helpful Ashish 🙂
@@DemCrumblies one other question I have is how long does the flood lights battery last? Good to know that it uses D batteries
@@aharuray1 Hi Ashish, unfortunately, I do not own the flood light to test this, sorry.
Thank you, your presentation was very helpful.
Thank you for watching 🙂
My free trial ran out a few days ago. I get notifications but no recorded clips ever show up. The back up recordings are on the usb drive from before the free subscription ran out but nothing since. So I have no value in the cameras now. Sucks!
Hey Jim, there has to be some kind of setting change to make because if you have recordings on the USB drive from before, then the system knows the USB is present to record to. You could try to format the USB drive again from the Blink app while it's plugged in to see if that prompts the system to record locally again.
You can also try the following:
Reboot the Sync Module: unplug and plug-in the power cable.
Safely eject the USB storage drive, and insert it again into the Sync Module 2.
Delete the sync Module 2 from your system, and add it again.
More information here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/local-storage-issues/local-storage-troubleshooting
3:39 is that a realtor at your door asking you if you are planning to sell your house?
Yep, happens at least a couple times a month.
THanks so much for this very detailed video i was wondering exactly on. Ill just pay the $6 since i only have 2. Thanks again
I'm glad it was helpful dj.excess! I think pulling up video might be slightly quicker with the cloud plan too.
If you need to record whilst on live view, can you not just press screen record from the iPhone control centre?
Hey Mohammed, you can definitely do that if you will remember to start screen recording each time before you click the Blink app notification. Thanks for watching 🙂
Blink support is very slow, it takes several days for them to respond despite paying for a 24/7 contract. The agent asked if it would I be OK to share this information with his colleges - that was yes. I replaced the sync unit and was up and running before the support agent respond to my contact report to them.
Yea, most companies are now relying to you using their FAQ pages that their chatbots recommend vs. having an actual person resolve your issue on the first chat I find.
One thing that nobody seems to answer in these review videos is whether you can access local storage outside of your LAN. Say you're on vacation (no cloud subscription) and want to see an alert, can you get to them or do you have to wait till you get home? I have the Arlo Essential without cloud or their smart hub and you can't view them outside of the local network unless you set up your router to port forward and possibly something else. I can see live video at anytime which is good and I get notified when somebody rings the bell and can answer if I choose to do that. Mine is using the wiring from the old bell so it's powered all the time which is maybe why the Blink can't? Seems like those are just on battery so maybe it's a battery saver, not really sure.
You can access the camera's live view and get app alerts while you are away on vacation connected to WiFi or using your mobile data. This is possible without the cloud plan. I have reviewed probably at least 20 security cameras from various brands and none have this cloud limitation. I was able to check cameras while in China with my eufy, Reolink, EZVIZ, Blink cameras, etc. If Arlo makes you jump through those hoops, I'm glad I haven't looked at their products yet.
@@DemCrumblies thanks for replying but my question was on whether you can access local storage outside of your LAN. (without jumping through hoops like with the Arlo which says you'd have to set up port forwarding)
Hey @@Cruiser-nr3pl sorry for the late reply, I can confirm that you can access clips saved to local storage at any time from any connection (mobile data, hotel WiFi, etc.).
@@DemCrumblies OK, good to know. Thanks
Great video, can I still get live videos and alert on phone or Alexa when someone rings the bell and have a 2 way conversation with him? Will that video be saved to sync module when I am talking to someone ?
Hey Rohit, you will still get alerts on your phone when someone presses the doorbell button or when motion is detected, then you can tap on it to go into live view (which will not be recorded if you do not not have a Blink Subscription plan). I haven't used it with any Alexa devices, but if the system still sends phone notifications, I don't think you will have issues with the Alexa notifications as well. So to sum up, if you have a Blink cloud plan, you will be able to both access live view and have a recording of the live view saved to your Blink cloud storage and Sync module 2 (if you buy a Sync Module 2). If you only buy the video doorbell and a Sync module without a Blink Cloud plan, then you cannot record live view videos when you pull it up to talk to someone. What some people have done to get around this limitation is to start recording their phone screen first, then they tap on live view and the phone screen will record everything. It isn't an ideal solution though, because you may sometimes forget to start the screen record and you will lose a couple of seconds turning on screen recording before you tap on the live view notification.
@@DemCrumblies Thank you for detailed explanation. It really helps. It sounds like having a cloud plan is beneficial but if I am taking a cloud plan then I would go for Ring. If you were to choose Ring vs blink for subscription plan for one camera then which one would you choose?
@@rohitagl Hey Rohit, I haven't used the Ring system yet, but I know that it offers more features, such as more smart device support and AI features, so it seems like a more full-featured system.
@@DemCrumblies Thank you so much. Cheers!
@@rohitagl You're welcome. Good luck!
I have three Blink indoor/outdoor cameras. Won't own another. Won't connect to my phone most of the time. I have a Reolink which replaces the Blink and it is better but not by much.
Which Reolink camera do you have? It sounds like possibly your Wifi network signal may be a bit weak.
Thanks…appreciate the info…. ✌🏼
You're welcome Riley!
@7:24 so the clips are stored to the USB drive right? So, can i plug the USB into my PC and watch the clips from there without the wait?
Yep you can.
@@DemCrumblies Good deal, thank you!
Sure thing. Just note that it won't have anything to record to until you plug it back in.@@beegekhaos3171
@@DemCrumblies Understood. I appreciate your quick response!
You did a video for Amazon.
Yea, you're right. They should have made this video by themselves. Thanks for watching 🙂
Can you Record as well as upload to the Cloud? Best of both worlds
Hey @dudeleboski2692, yep, if you have the Sync Module 2 and a monthly cloud plan, the system will prioritize uploading to the cloud, then saving a backup locally to the USB drive. You can find more details here: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/faq-sm/sync-module-2-faqs but it says "Local Storage automatically begins saving clips to the USB drive unless you are on a Blink Subscription Plan. On a subscription or trial, your clips save to cloud storage, and a once-daily clip backup from eligible cameras saves to the USB drive."
hello Dem . Great video.
I am wondering that if I hard wire the Blink doorbell camera will I get live view with only the sync module 2 but no subscription ?
Hey @phyllisnaccarato5313 even if you hard wired the Blink Doorbell, it continues to operate the same way in terms of features, but it will now trigger your existing chime unit. If you have the Sync Module 2 with no subscription, you can still open live view any time you like, however, you will not be able to record live view unless you have a subscription. One work around people use is to start screen recording on their phone first, then open up live view so they can record their phone screen directly. It isn't an ideal solution because you may sometimes forget to start screen recording.
Btw, this is what Blink says on their site "When wired, the Blink Video Doorbell is able to extend battery life and rings your existing chime. Even when wired, the doorbell is always powered by size AA, 1.5 volt, lithium non-rechargeable batteries. " More info here if you're interested: support.blinkforhome.com/en_US/faq-doorbell/blink-video-doorbell-faq
Just wondering if video clips stored in USB drive can be viewed from the apt? Also, is the app capable of deleting video clips stored on the USB drive also, reformatting the USB drive allows deleting the video clips. After I viewed you TH-cam video I concluded that I prefer using USB drive for video clips storage, Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
Yes you can view the clips on the USB drive on the app, but will you not see thumbnail previews before you click on a video. I forgot if you can delete individual clips, but you can definitely format the USB Drive in the app.
I was planning on ordering a Blink camera. However, your evaluation reminded me of why I didn’t make the leap previously.. If for legal purposes I would need access for longer than 30 days. The “hands of Justice” move rather slowly. Too many obstacles.
I believe they now offer up to 60 days of video playback history with the paid plans, but I usually do not recommend Blink to anyone who asks for my recommendation. There are so many other camera brands out there with a more robust app experience, zero monthly fees, and more features.
Great video!
I have a question.
Without the subscription you cannot record if you live view but what if you have a secondary camera looking in the same direction. Will the 2nd camera continue to record?
Hey @richardhernandez4301, that's a great question and something I don't know the answer to off hand. Let me find that out sometime next week and get back to you.
Just heard back from Blink support, they said you should be able to see recordings from the 2nd camera : )
Awesomeness!!!
Thanks for sharing the info and going out of your way to find the answer.
Definitely helps on making up my mind on whether I should purchase a subscription or not.
@@richardhernandez4301 You're welcome! Btw, another thing to keep in mind is that if you don't own the Sync Module, even if you have a cloud plan, you cannot pull up live view any time you want. You can only pull it up when there's someone at the door. At least that's how it was 2 years ago, not sure if anything has changed now since I only have the Sync Module 2 and no cloud plan.
Great video well explained especially the live view. Didn't realise sync module wouldn't be recording it. Any suggestions for making it more waterproof (rain)? I've put magnets on the back of the doorbell unit and placed it on my campervan. If someone walks past the side that no one should be walking then Akexa announces it throughout my house (dots dotted around). It's a little exposed so ideas for rain proof welcome.
Hey Skippy, yea, unfortunately the Sync Module won't record, but some people start screen recording on their phone first before answering the door. It's easy to forget to do that though. I haven't used any of the rain covers, but you can check these links (affiliate): amzn.to/3nQ7ASB or amzn.to/3nItsit You may have to use strong adhesive instead of magnets for these to work though if magnets aren't strong enough.
30 dollars not bad can you also use the sink modular as a back up in case the WFI or power goes dead
Very Educational. A question: can the recording, stored locally on USB, be played from anywhere on the cell phone or does the cell phone need to be in the same wireless router/network? Thank you in advance.
Hi Prakash, you can view the video clips from anywhere and from any network if you are away from home without any issue. Thank you for watching my video 🙂
Good information thank you👍🏽
I'm glad it was useful Jack. Good luck!