WiFi Powerbank Spy Camera

WiFi powerbank spy camera & Night vision

Model Number – PBANKWF

Description

Pictured below is our Hidden Camera Surveillance Spy Camera PowerBank. All camera functions are controlled directly through your mobile phone App via local P2P or remote WiFi.  Live view the camera from your smart phone or PC anywhere in the world. Even receive mobile phone push alerts when motion is detected.

What makes this hidden security camera different from many others? If someone were to pick up this power bank and closely look over it (perhaps that person is a bit sus) there’s no reason to suspect it’s anything other than a genuine power-bank because it is. The pinhole camera is so small and concealed, even with a magnifying glass, it’s very difficult to find.  

To make the power bank WiFi spy camera even more realistic & discreet, connect a phone or some other device to the power bank USB interface so that it really looks the part.  Power bank devices are very common nowadays, so it won’t look out of place. It’s important from a customer’s point of view not to become paranoid about it.  You know what it is but no one else will. If taking this spy camera on an aircraft, declare it as it does have an internal lithium battery just like any other power bank charging device.

Specifications

WiFi & P2P both supported
Resolution: 1280 x 720 at 15fps
Audio, Motion detection Constant and Scheduled recording all supported
Built in lithium rechargeable battery
Operational time by day about 8 hours depending on remote access
Operational time by night (dark room) about 3 hours depending on remote access
Can be 5V powered for long term access
Video Format: AVI
Frame: 25fps Real time
Auto activate No Glow invisible IR
Audio: Yes, in sync with video
Visual Angle: 120 degrees
Motion Detection: Yes, up to about 6 meters
Rechargeable lithium battery 5000mA
Compressed Format: MJPEG
Maximum memory capacity: Micro SD Card up to 128GB
Player Software: VLCPlayer/SMPlayer, Windows Media Player etc.
Computer Operating System: Windows/Mac OS X
Mobile Phone Operating System: Android/iOS
Web browser: IE7 and above, Chrome, Firefox, Safari etc
1 year manufacturer warranty
Dimensions; 10 x 6 x 2.4cm

How does it work?

Spy security cameras are commonly used in areas where the user needs to discreetly monitor a particular zone. That could be to ensure valued goods and belongings are not stolen. It may be that you have a co-worker, cleaner or nanny suspected of stealing. Perhaps when a child is being minded, it’s peace of mind if nothing else to know that child is being well treated. 

The reasons for needing a hidden camera are endless but the point is, even if this device doesn’t suit your needs, we do have a range of other WiFi and DVR spy cameras that work in a similar fashion but look completely different. 

Hidden Camera Surveillance even has DIY Hidden Cameras that can be hidden in regular home items of your choosing.  If you feel that introducing something new into the home or office could potentially arouse suspicion, our DIY Spy Cameras could be the answer as you then hide the camera in a device of, your choice.

The power bank Wi-Fi spy camera is not only a superb live streaming hidden camera, but also a functional mobile charging power bank. It makes for an ideal HD spy camera and function for up to 8 hours nonstop on just one charge. If that time frame isn’t long enough, no problem we also offer our customers only (no extra cost) our Australian 5V USB power adapter which can both power the camera and charge the battery.

The more often an authorised user logs into the camera, the more battery Power Bank Hidden Camera will consume.  If the spy power-bank hidden camera is left recording constantly by night in a dark room, the no Glow Night Vision will use additional power so around 3 hours in that case. This is the time to consider powering the device and of course it won’t look out of place as power banks do need to be charged too.

Do we have all your needs and concerns covered yet?  But wait…. there’s more!!  All functions are App controlled so authorised users may view the camera live, remotely, or locally playback and/or save motion activated recordings, receive mobile phone push alerts when motion is detected, and it can see up to 5m in complete darkness with no IR illumination making this spy camera super smart and super discreet. 

What’s the difference between a WiFi & DVR power bank camera?

There is a fundamental difference between this Power Bank Spy Camera WiFi and a similar albeit cheaper DVR Power bank spy camera.

HCS has both hidden camera options but to briefly explain, a DVR type hidden camera is normally supplied with a mini wireless push button remote control. The remote control enables the camera to be switched on/off and stop/start recording but that’s about it as far as functions are concerned. By comparison, DVR Hidden Cameras have shorter memory recording duration, but some DVR type spy cameras may have a longer battery capacity as WiFi is not drawing upon internal battery power.  

The DVR Power bank hidden camera looks similar however, the recording capacity is usually limited to 32GB max. With DVR type spy cameras, to view or playback recordings it’s necessary to remove the SD card concealed within the power bank and replay those video clips on a PC or MAC. 

The WiFi power bank hidden spy camera on the other hand supports anywhere from 16GB to 128GB Micro SD card so not only is the recording capacity significantly higher than any DVR hidden camera, but the built-in lithium rechargeable battery can keep the camera functional for up to 8 hours if the IR doesn’t become active. The WiFi model can record at a much higher selectable quality as well.

Our WiFi hidden camera is significantly more advanced in terms of features and functions so there’s no need for a wireless remote control as such. If you don’t have WiFi but like the idea of a power bank spy camera, then yes we do have similar options. 

The spy camera power-bank with WiFi requires the authorised user to download a free App. The App supports both Iphone, Android and PC. Users may view the camera live from anywhere and/or share with others. Users also have the option to select recording resolution normally not available in DVR versions.  Recording at a lower resolution means faster remote access and faster download.

Tell me more

Our WiFi Spy Camera Power Bank has a range of recording options including Scheduled recording, Constant Recording or Motion Detection recording. It’s important to understand even if motion detection recording is active and the camera is armed or switched on, it’s still using battery power regardless of whether it’s recording or not. In this regard, switch the camera off when not in use or not recording.  Live remote viewing will also have a bearing on battery capacity.  

With live local P2P or WiFi mobile phone camera access, the user can see a live camera video feed from their linked smart phone. In other words, watch and listen to whatever the spy cam can see and hear. Depending on network speed, video and audio can at times be slow or even drop out. This is NOT a camera fault as the same applies to most anything wireless.

For that reason, if using an optional SD memory card, the camera will record audio and video in real time regardless of the network. To view an actual SD card recording in real time, sometimes it’s necessary to download the video clip locally or remotely to PC or phone and save the recording. After saving the desired recording, playback is then real time.

Record audio and video to the internal micro-SD card or if preferred, record directly to your phone. An SD card isn’t essential, but users can only view or record to mobile phone memory when that phone is in an active live viewing camera mode.  With an SD card slotted into the device, regardless of any network connection, record to internal SD card memory anytime.

Camera App functions include;

• Scheduled recording means the camera can be set to arm and record at pre-set times.
• Motion detection recording mode
• Constant recording mode
• Receive motion alerts when the camera is in WiFi mode. Motion push alerts will not function in P2P mode.
• Audio on/off
• Unique Username and password protection
• Scene switching mode from Half screen to Full screen mode
• Take Screenshots
• Switch the camera on/off
• SD memory card remote playback and download
• Auto recycle recording when SD card is full

How does motion detection record work?

The App allows for an authorised user (camera access can be shared if required) to select motion detection on or off.  If this feature is armed, then each time the camera detects motion up 6m away, it will record in real time non-stop including audio for a pre-set period, which could be just a few seconds or minutes, but your choice. This is commonly referred to as ALERT recording. It also allows for users to search recordings by time and date or by Alert. If motion continues beyond a certain time frame, the mini hidden camera will continue to record until motion ceases.

Furthermore, if desired user/s can elect to receive mobile phone push alerts. By clicking on the alert, locally or remotely playback that particular recording without the need to search.

If Constant Recording is enabled or preferred over motion detection, the device will constantly record when armed and stop recording when disarmed.  The downside to constant recording is local or remote playback.  A constant recording is a much larger data file so locally or remotely downloading that file could be difficult or take time. To view constant recording files, best to switch the camera off, remove the SD card and connect it into PC USB using an SD card reader. 

The internal camera battery can be recharged from PC USB or we will supply (no extra cost) a 5V USB Australian power supply.  Please note the power supply will charge the battery and if connected to power (mini-USB lead supplied) the spy power bank camera will function on power long term as mentioned previously.   Perhaps not wise to leave the camera constantly connected to power but ideal for medium to longer term.

What’s the difference between P2P & WiFi Modes?

This camera supports both P2P & WiFi and just to explain the basic differences, P2P (peer-to-peer) is a local transmission between a smart phone and the camera.  Similar to Bluetooth, the camera must be within a certain range of the mobile phone. The two devices connect to one another (found in the phone WiFi settings) so users will see the camera UID or identification number in the phone WiFi settings. 

To access the camera, you must first download the free App. When the two devices are handshake connected, users can view and control the camera in local P2P mode, playback recording and change settings. However, if the two devices become obscured by walls, distance or other obstacles or say move beyond 10m or so, the wireless connection may drop out or disconnect. This is referred to as local or LAN access.

The camera can of course record to internal memory even if P2P or WiFi are disconnected, provided the camera is armed.  Users have the option to both view and record directly to their mobile phone if desired but the user must be in live viewing mode.  

As mentioned, the spy camera power bank supports WiFi. Hidden Camera Surveillance (HCS) will supply its customers only with a detailed instruction manual including screen shots demonstrating how most camera functions work.  Each camera is supplied with standard instructions, but we offer a professionally drafted user manual for easier setup.   

To use the WiFi access function, the camera must be within range of a WiFi network and the authorised user must know the WiFi router password. The router must be set to 2.4Ghz frequency as cameras of this nature do NOT support the 5Ghz range. 

Often when looking at phone WiFi settings, the router may provide for both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz so select 2.4Ghz.  If not, then do ensure the wireless router is set to 2.4Ghz frequency.

The App will ask you to select your router and then your WiFi network password.  Input the password then save. The camera will then reboot which takes a minute or two so the next time the authorised users logs into the camera, it will be in WiFi mode.

In this case the camera must remain in wireless range of the router. If the camera is moved away from the wireless router range, the network will drop out.  Assuming the camera remains in close router range, the user can access the hidden spy camera from pretty much anywhere in the world. 

Login to the camera App from either another WiFi network or via a cellular 3/4G mobile network. It’s important to understand that remote login is not as fast compared to P2P so live viewing and audio can be staggered and can be affected by network speed. 

In remote recording playback mode, again with a much slower remote network, this can take time and on occasions may drop out altogether meaning logging in again.  Please note this is NOT a camera fault. It’s common using remote network access but rest assured, if using a camera SD card, the device itself has recorded in real time so nothing is lost. One can always come back to the memory card and replay on PC or MAC.

Can anyone else see the camera other than me?

It’s a question often asked and rightly so.  In short, the answer is no.  When entering a shop, home or office, often your phone will depict a range of wireless routers. Other than your personal router, all other routers are private and can’t be accessed for security reasons obviously, hence the password access.

In this regard, when the camera is switched on, after a minute or so, you will see a UID number appear in the mobile phone WiFi settings.  The UID does NOT refer to a camera or anything of that nature.  It’s simply a series of letters and numbers which doesn’t mean anything to anyone other than you.

For example, the UID would look similar to HDCAM-27593t49. To any other person who just happens to see it on their phone or PC, for all intents and purposes the UID number could belong to a neighbour’s router however, clicking on the UID won’t do anything for an unauthorised user.  First of all, the authorised user requires the correct App and password access etc so it’s not easy for any other unauthorised person and certainly won’t arouse suspicion.   

Hidden Camera Surveillance (Australia)
A Division of Forrestbridge Pty Ltd Est 1982
ABN 82 002 638 708
Tel 1300 76 32 35
sales@hiddencamera.com.au
www.hiddencamera.com.au