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Logitech Alert 750 review
An easy and affordable home security
video monitoring system
Manage and monitor up to
six inside and outside (with night vision) cameras from any
computer, anywhere in the world.
Part 2 of a series about
the Logitech Alert and home security cameras in general;
please also visit
The Logitech Alert 750 system
allows you to connect up to six cameras to your home's LAN
without needing to run complicated wiring.
The cameras will trigger when
detecting motion and will record audio and video when motion is
present. The system can send you alert messages when
motion is detected.
You can even remotely manage
and monitor your system from anywhere in the world.
Priced very fairly, this is a
great solution and easily implemented, suitable for anyone
wishing to add an extra layer of protection to their home for
whenever they are leaving it unoccupied.
About Logitech and its Alert
Video Monitoring System
Logitech was founded in 1981
in Switzerland, and debuted with a range of mice, something
that, at the time, was a very new type of product, predating the
introduction of both the Mac and Windows.
Since then the company has
expanded into a broad range of computer peripherals and related
digital products. Chances are you've owned at least one or
two Logitech products yourself over the years - maybe a mouse,
maybe a webcam, maybe a keyboard, maybe a Harmony remote
control, or any one of many other devices they have made over
their almost 30 year life.
More recently, I renewed my
acquaintance with Logitech through their wonderful
Squeezebox
digital music servers and system (click the link for my
review of this product range).
At first it seemed an
unusual new business area for Logitech to offer home
security systems, but it draws on their extensive digital
imaging background; first with scanners and more latterly with
webcam devices, and related expertise with audio products too.
The Alert system is actually
their second product range released. The first - the
WiLife series - is now being superseded by this new model
series, which is sufficiently improved and enhanced as to
justify a complete new brand.
So although the Alert
product range appears new, it draws on a wealth of prior
experience.
The Logitech Alert Video
Monitoring System - Overview
You can connect up to six
cameras, either indoor or outdoor models, through your home's
wiring and computer network, and then monitor and manage the
cameras either from a computer connected to your home network or
optionally (for an annual $80 fee) from anywhere in the world.
Simple remote monitoring, on your phone, is provided for free -
the $80 product gives you full control analogous to being in
your house.
Each computer simply plugs
into any mains power outlet. They use a special technology
to then transmit their data over your home's mains power wiring,
and then via an adapter into your router and from there either
to your computer or over the internet to anywhere else in the
world.
Motion detection
capabilities in each camera cause them to automatically record
both sound and video whenever they see motion. The
recordings are both stored on a micro-SD card in the camera
and also on a computer on your LAN.
The bottom line result is
that the external cameras - if visible - may even deter many burglars
before they choose to break into your house, and will
detect and advise you realtime any time motion is detected.
Indeed, here is a dramatic video from a Logitech camera system that combines the recorded video footage of
a burglary with the homeowner's call to the police at
the time the burglary was underway.
The homeowner received an
alert at her office, so started remotely monitoring her camera
system. She saw the two burglars in her house, called the police,
and stayed on the line giving the police updated information about
where the two burglars were. Best of all, she happily got to see, at the end
of the recording, multiple armed police entering her house,
arresting the two burglars, and clearing the house of any other
potential miscreants.
A nightmare start but triumphant end
to the experience, all due to the Logitech camera system.
You can see additional clips
from real security systems detecting real burglars on
Logitech's site here.
Other non-security uses for
the system as well
There are many other uses
for a Logitech Alert system, particularly for people who are
away from their house for an extended time. You could have
a camera monitoring your basement to check for flooding.
You could have a camera monitoring any other part of your house
or property if there are issues or concerns associated with it.
You could use the system as
a 'nanny cam' setup to observe the actions not just of illegal
intruders but also of people with conditional permission to be
present in your house (make sure you don't run afoul of any
local laws restricting such monitoring).
You could use the system to
monitor wildlife in and around your property.
Some people have used their
systems to monitor their front porch to protect against people
stealing parcels delivered there, and others have monitored
vehicles parked outside to detect car prowlers.
And you could use any camera
as a way of checking to see if your home has lost power in a
storm - if you get no image, that means either you've lost your
internet connection or your power.
Logitech Alert Pricing
You choose a 'Master
System' with one camera plus the related hardware and software
to create a network, with two options being available, featuring
either one internal camera (the 750i system, listing for $300)
or one external camera (the 750e system, listing for $350).
You can then add additional
cameras as needed, either internal (700i, listing for $230 each)
or external (700e, listing for $280 each) up to a maximum of six
cameras total on one system.
You can probably find the
equipment for less than full retail, for example on
Amazon,
where a Master system is currently available for $270/$320.
Note - do not confuse the
new Logitech Alert system with their earlier Logitech WiLife
system. The two systems might look the same, but they use
incompatible systems. WiLife is being discontinued, and
the Alert product range is superior in all respects.
Visit
their website for full information on the products available
as part of the Logitech Alert system.
The Logitech Alert Video
Monitoring System - What You Get
Logitech offer two models of
their Alert video monitoring systems. One comes with an
external camera, the other comes with an internal camera.
You can then buy additional cameras to grow the system up to a
six camera maximum.
There are several
differences between the internal and the external cameras in
terms of their appearance and mounting hardware, but inside they
both have the same video camera, microphone and electronics.
The external cameras are
slightly more ruggedized for outside use in the
rain/snow/sun/etc, and also have two infra-red LEDs that you can
set to automatically switch on at night, giving the camera an
enhanced ability to see in the dark. An external camera is
shown on the top of this page.
The
internal cameras (see image at the top of the
second half of this review) are more compact and designed for friendlier
internal locations. They also do not have the infra-red
LEDs to help in the dark.
There is of course no reason
why you couldn't use external cameras inside if the night vision
feature was important to you (which it quite likely might be). But we'd recommend against
using internal cameras outside unless you could be sure they'd
be protected against the weather - our feeling is they are not
completely waterproof.
You can mount the internal
cameras either discreetly or prominently, and either in their
freestanding base or using suction cups onto a window (facing
either towards or away from the glass) or in
various other ways.
Our test unit was a Logitech Alert 750i
Master System, plus an external 700e camera. The units
both come in easily opened cardboard boxes.
Inside the Master System box is a video camera, mounting hardware, a power
supply/transmitter, a receiver, two 10' connecting cables, a 2
GB Micro-SD card with a Micro-SD to SD adapter, a CD with
software (Windows XP/Vista/7 required), and three different
manuals/leaflets (a 'System Requirements and Support Guide', a
'Getting to Know' guide and a 'Getting Started' guide).
The system comes with a one
year limited warranty.
The two power supply/network
adapter units
are much bulkier than typical 'brick' or 'blister' type power
supplies. This means they will take up more space on a
power strip - but you shouldn't use a power strip anyway.
You should plug them directly into the wall, because power
strips sometimes have filters on them that interfere with the
transmission and receiving of the data signal by the unit (if
you know your power strip has no filtering and no surge
protectors on it, then you could use one of those with no
problems).
The units are multi-voltage so should work anywhere in the world.
If you choose to add external Logitech Alert 700e Outdoor Add-on cameras, you get a
second box that contains the external camera, a mounting
bracket, a 20' connecting cable (instead of 10' with the
internal camera), a power supply/transmitter, a
2GB Micro-SD data card and Micro-SD to SD adapter, and a guide
relating to the add-on camera.
Part 2 of a four part
series on home security/video monitoring systems; please
also visit
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Originally published
19 Nov 2010, last update
21 Jul 2020
You may freely reproduce or distribute this article for noncommercial purposes as long as you give credit to me as original writer.
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where a Master system is currently available for $270/$320.
