Stem IZON IOS WRM-WA0-00 Remote Room Monitor

I have seen several negative reviews about setting up these things but i am happy to report i had no issues at all. I ended up buying two of them. They both shipped with version 1.0 of the software, but I followed the directions and updated first to software version 1.3. Then to 2.0 using the "stem connect" app. All went smoothly. There are two apps "stem connect" which I used to update to 2.0 and "stem izon" which works with 2.0 as the viewing/ setup interface. As I write this iOS6 has been released only a few days ago and "stem izon" says it has an update in the works for the new OS but apart from a rare crash from the app it works as advertised. They no longer support youtube uploading but now have a free upload service that can record up to 25 30 second "events" in a day. If you dont save them then they get wiped out at midnight and you start fresh the next day. Once you have used up your allotment of 25 recordings, you still can get notifications that a sound or motion event happened, it just wont be automatically be recorded. Then you can always log in and look live remotely to see what might have caused the event. For my purposes it is ideal at an excellent price point. Also I have an extended network (two airports, one in bridge mode) and I have had no issues there. The cameras were also a lot smaller than i thought they would be, which was nice.

Have had several of these cameras for 2+ years, and as I have invested my time & $ here (begun to "wall down their road" despite erratic performance) I dont yet want to try another system that may or may not be better. i find my other wifi cameras have issues too. this one isnt perfect, but it is usually good enough.So...now have about 6 of these cameras. Some new, some refurbished & some "new ones" with night vision. UPSIDE: only 1 app/ interfaces to sort through when I am trying to go thru a days' events. (I also have a couple of D-Link caneras. the D- links are too hard for me to setup to capture data. The iZon is better for saving pictures of "motion events" when i am away,)Reliability is the real issue:The inconsistencies with the Stem/ iZon cameras' reliability mean, if you depend on them for consistent data reporting, you do need to unplug/ plug back in periodically to be sure they're still "listening" to the parameters you set for triggering a need to record data.Customer support is sort of "average" to "below average" but once you become a "super-user" and can put a paper lip in the little hole to reset your camera without calling them, it saves some time. AND, the customer service becomes obsolete for you anyway.They do not seem to want to move the product out of "hobby" mode. There are people like me, who despite mediocre performance at times, think OT is "good enough" to have spent about $1000 of the product over time.What could they do better? Attend to little nuances that make these cameras more efficient to use as "alarm systems" or as real "security cameras."An alarm system would let you group cameras & make blanket settings for the group (like: doorways, or one house v. Another house).Security camera would let you buy more recordings, or longer clips, or more than 100 saved videos "per account." (Despite # of cameras you own, on,y 100 videos can be saved.)Adequate live feed:Sometimes it just won't connect over Internet, but most often will connect ok. It is adequate for checking on bais data like: - did the cleaning people come on time? What room are they working in niw? When did they leave? - are the children doing their homework? - are the children asleep?No, the color & resolution are not archive quality, but the mission of acting as "a room monitor" = ok.Not dependable as a real "security camera" :once setup, these cameras are way better than they were when i 1st got them. they now automaticallyupgrade their firmate (I think).BUT, for recording, or really "checking up" on what your kids / pets / caretakers are doing while you're absent for long periods... they are not going to do the trick. (a) You just don't really know when the cameras are needing to be reset to become "sensitive" to the recording criteria you setup, and (b) when they are or are not picking up motion/and as you specify. Sometimes there is "network congestion" in my house (yhe cameras tell me) and so, if thT happens during a busy time if day (say dinnertime)'the cameras dnt seem to record anything at all. For example, I stepped out and wanted to be sure the babysitter gave medication to my child. I forgot tomask her as she left, it got late & I did not want to call her to ask. I decided to go through the day's activity based on what the izon cameras picked up. (I have one in several rooms).1. So, 1st of all, it only sorts your data by time. you cannot ask it to just show you the information it has for a single camera. you have to scroll through anf look for "kid's room" items yourself.2. Then, the "reliability" can be erratic. This particular day 2 of the iZon cameras decided not to record any still images or live video for the day. So, anything they might have shown me from "kitchen" or "office" was not documented at all.3. The camera in my child's bedroom maxed out its 25 daily uploads & the 30 second recordings weren't long enough for me to develop a "narrative" of what was really happening during his day.4. There was no way to see larger than thumbnail size, the content of the still shots. I could not determine what was going on in the teeny weeny pictures.

I've read other reviews of this Stem iZon remote room monitor and have to say that it worked immediately after going through the update to the newer version of software. I had been in the Apple store earlier and saw the newer model but after reading reviews it seems the only difference from the original was the software/firmware, which immediately updates on installation. I paid half price for the older version on Amazon and essentially got two new models for the price of one after the updates, which are free.I like the functionality using my iPhone as well as the fact that it is not streaming unless you activate it remotely, which is the only thing I wanted it for which is to be able to see my home and lake retreat to be sure all is well when no one is home. Other cameras seemed to eat my bandwidth for my satellite internet at our cabin while we were away and with this iZon camera I can simply log on when I want, take a look and then shut it down.I'll probably order a couple more for outside use too.