Reolink 4+

After reading a bunch of the negative reviews I felt compelled to leave one of my own. I have had the app (and 5 cameras - 2 4MP bullet cams, 2 4MP domes, 1 C1 WiFi) installed for the last month. This app has met my expectations ever since install. It was very easy to connect my cameras to the app and I find it much easier to control their settings through the app then through the NVR. The video and audio quality is amazing but that is going to differ depending on your personal internet speeds. Video playback within the app is ok but could be better. Controlling the playback is the hardest part. If you want to specifically see a certain time it can be difficult fine tuning the playback to where you want because you have to use a finicky slider to get to the time you are looking for.
The only reason I gave it 4, instead of 5, stars is because of the motion sensing capability. This really is more of a Reolink issue though and not the apps fault. As other users have stated, if you turn motion notification on you will be getting messages all the time. Even when the sensitivity levels are decreased and you adjust the field of sensitivity. Overall though, I use this as a nice back up to my Abode alarm system and it gives me the ability to remotely check on any unexpected status changes or alarm activations. Love the system and plan on getting another C1 camera, in the future, to be used as a nursery camera.

The new version of the app that filters playback motion by type has made this so much less usable. First, now I have to check boxes and then hit OK in order to filter, whereas I could simply tap the icons and it automatically filtered in the old version. Two steps note when it used to be one. Then the worst part is that in the old version when I had filtered to just people or vehicles I could quickly find an event, but then while reviewing just the short clip of the event could unfiltere while watching the video and it would take me to the larger 30 min clip. The motion detection isn’t perfect and so often it would cut an event off before it actually completed and I will need to see a bit before or after the motion capture event. And again, this new version makes that much more difficult. As now. I need to completely remove the filter and then go find the event again by time.

This is a great example of a programmer or designer not actually using the app that they’re developing and reducing usability in favor of a change that perhaps looks nicer, but is way less functional.

Please revert to the old filtering method or revise the new filtering method to allow to get back to the long 30 minute clip when unfiltered automatically.

Quick tip: Spray around your cameras with insecticide. I kept getting spider webs around my cameras because of the night vision LEDs attracting bugs. You may have to spray once every 6 months or so, but it has worked very well for me to maintain visibility

I love my Reolink cameras! I have ran CAT6 through my walls (took an entire day of walking up and down 3 flights of stairs, but worth it!) from my NVR to my 4 cameras. I am thrilled to have a camera system that will not stop recording if my router or modem decide to stop working. I’ve used other apps for security systems out there. I’m in IT and have helped businesses set up their security systems. I can say without a doubt that this app outdoes those by a long shot. The only app I’ve used that is better is Arlo’s app. The motion detection is terrible, however, so I’m considering moving to use Blue Iris to manage my recordings (AI detection of people/cars/animals). If Reolink could add full AI detection instead of the current pixel-based detection, I would be thrilled and would happily keep using their NVR and app.