Blink XT Home Security Camera System with Motion Detection, Wall Mount, HD Video, 2-Year Battery Life and Cloud Storage Included – 3 Camera Kit

I installed the Blink XT three camera outdoor system one month ago. The system has a lot of positive features but also lacks several things that would make it a great system. In the pro’s column I have the following: The system is reasonably priced. It is easy to set up. It is easy to install. It is totally wireless to the cameras. It has a clear quality picture. You can take a real time snapshot. You can watch a real time video. You can listen to live audio. You can arm or disarm the cameras manually or set an automatic schedule for when you want them armed or disarmed. You can arm or disarm individual cameras. There is no monthly fee for cloud storage of your recorded videos. In the con’s column I have the following: There isn’t a program for your computer that would allow you to watch the cameras live feed video on your computer. You cannot record while watching live feed video. The cameras thumbnail picture cannot be saved anywhere (I did discover that if you take a screen shot of your phone page you can send and save the picture). Also I would prefer that each cameras thumbnail picture be on its own page instead of together on one page. The audio feature is only one way you can listen while viewing live feed but you cannot respond and be heard. Extra mounting brackets are not available for purchase. If you want to move a camera temporarily to a new location you must unscrew the bracket to move it instead of just unsnapping the camera from the mount and snapping it onto the additional mount. Hopefully the tech department is working on these improvements. It will upgrade the Blink camera system from good to great!

 An excellent product with great customer service. I was somewhat concerned when others stated how bad the service was but I found that to not be true in my case. Bought this camera and had it up and running in just a few minutes. Excellent pics and video from the start, but found night vision on “high” was dark. Contacted customer service at Blink and within 12 hours had a reply stating they pushed a firmware update to my camera. Viola…it works as advertised and the night vision is now very good. Plus with re-aiming we now have zero false alerts. Would, and probably will, but this camera again.

Update on July 26: The camera amazes and delights again and again.Fast trigger time, reliable clip notification and excellent pictures day and night. Catches every motion. When setting up, I used double sided tape (not included in my package although others say it was) and moved the camera several times to get the best view, and so the slight view of our side street (we live on a corner) was blocked and the excess triggers immediately quit. Then I installed it by drilling and screwing the mount permanently.

If there is any negative to this at all is the rather flimsy mount. It works as intended but wish Blink had a security mount offered as other brands do. In summary, can’t say enough about this great camera and security device.

Update August 17: Camera is still function great. I had some instances of lack of or slow notification to my phone when the motion sensor activated and found that even though the camera to wi-fi signal was three bars, that was often too low and the delay occurred. I added a wi-fi extender and the problem is solved. 5 Bars on the sync module and 5 bars on the camera too. And Blink customer service has been top notch yet again. Fast response and willingness to help.

A final note is that some people seem to post here on the regular Blink camera instead of the Blink XT outdoor model. There is a huge difference in picture, motion sensing and night vision. If you buy but one camera, I’d suggest the Blink XT regardless of where you install it. It is just far superior to the standard indoor model.

Update August 20….check out the fast motion detection and video quality. A hummingbird no less….

Update September 18..Camera is still working flawlessly. Temperature on porch was 105 degrees several days and camera had no issues.

Some complain about slow notifications, but this may be a flaw with certain smart phones rather than the system. For example, my spouses phone will alert within seconds of the motion detection while mine sometimes lags or not at all. In investigating this issue I found that LG phones frequently have this issue and even though I have different alerts for the Blink, I also find out that sometimes I do not receive text message alerts either. On the iPads the alert is fast and reliable. Phone lag or lack of alert is certainly not the fault of the camera. Still think these cameras are excellent.

One thing to add is that some people are reviewing the standard Blink camera and not the Blink XT. In my opinion, they are totally different animals so be sure what you read is really the XT model.

Update February 1, 2018: Still works great, we have about 15-20 clips a day and still on the original set of batteries. The notifications are no longer an issue, we get notifications each and every time the camera is triggered. Fast trigger time and the the night IR remains excellent. Ordering another today for the back area.

I owned both Arlo Pro and Blink XT. Depending on your needs, I would highly recommend Blink XT
Pros
(a) Intermittent internet due to power outages. The Blink would recover and immediately syn-up with the base station rather quickly. For Arlo Pro, it would some time be a trial-and-error process requiring multiple reset to the base station or even the router/modem.
(b) Blink had almost flat in construction and has a very small foot print. That would mean you could install the Blink practically almost every wear.
(c) The Blink’s two ‘AA’ size battery life was far superior to that Arlo Pro’s rechargeable batteries. Depending on the level of trigger detection around your house, Arlo Pro rechargeable battery’s life typical ranged from short 3 weeks to slightly more than a month for outside installation. Batteries life worsen in cold weather.
(d) Blink was far more cost-effective and cheaper than Arlo Pro. Arlo Pro was just way more expensively.
(e) The support on Arlo Pro is typically via the forum online and is generally poor in my view. You can call the customer support line during your 90 warranty period. However, I’m not sure if they charge any fees after 90 days warranty period.

Cons
(a) Blink had a field of view of 110 degree whereas the Arlo Pro had a 130 degree field of degree.
(b) Depending on your sensitivity of motion trigger adjustment, Arlo Pro was able to capture more motion detection more accurately than the Blink. That being said, Blink is generally okay for general motion triggers like birds fly across and delivery man.
(c) Subjectively, I felt that the image quality on Arlo Pro was clearer than Blink. However, both were generally good.

Both Blink and Arlo Pro are very good motion-triggered surveillance products in that both were able to survive typical cold weather temperature in the snow. Both provide free cloud storage up to certain number of camera. Check their respective website for more information. In terms of cost, I would certainly recommend the Blink XT to Arlo Pro. I hope my review would be helpful to those deciding between Blink XT and Arlo Pro. On another note, I would not recommend the older series Arlo wire-free.