Though they have their differences, all three share some benefits and pitfalls. Overall, if you want a decent, affordable camera, these are definitely worth checking out. Best of all, while the all-around $200 price is a bit expensive for an indoor camera, it’s right on target for most outdoor or doorbell cameras. So these aren’t going to break the bank. You’ll use the app to set up the cameras, look at the video feeds, and respond to notifications from your devices. Unfortunately, based on customer experience and our own product tests, the facial recognition doesn’t really work. And while that’s sadly true of most facial recognition systems, we were surprised at how poorly ADT Self Setup’s facial recognition performed even compared to other erratic recognition software. The facial recognition also has a strange design that only allows it to recognize account users, even when it works. So if you have dreams of getting your camera to recognize every neighbor or distant relative who might pass by, that’s not happening. And if you want the facial recognition to keep an eye out for a stalker or angry ex, this setup won’t work for that purpose. That said, when the facial recognition operated properly, we liked it. It was nice knowing when a stranger passed by our cameras. When you do go for cloud storage, you’ll get 60 days’ worth, which is, well, a lot. Surprisingly, ADT monitoring doesn’t charge an arm and a leg for this service. It’s one of the prettier indoor cameras we’ve tried, which was a plus for putting it in our test living room. It also listens for your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to let you know when they go off. ADT Self Setup indoor camera features: That’s a surprising number of features for indoor cameras, which sometimes come up a little lacking compared to their outdoor counterparts. This indoor camera comes equipped with a listening device that’ll send you a notification when your alarm goes off. So you’ll know about these hazards right away without spending extra cash to smarten up your detectors. The outdoor camera also has this feature, but it makes a lot more sense for an indoor security camera, which is more likely to be within range of the alarms. Then you’ll plug your indoor camera in, select Devices, and let the app walk you through the (quick and easy) installation process. When we tried it, it didn’t take long at all. ADT Self Setup outdoor camera features: You’ll notice that the indoor and outdoor cameras are very similar. The main difference, to our knowledge, is that the outdoor camera has been weatherproofed for outdoor use. While the motion zones didn’t let us get as specific as we wanted in designing the target areas, we enjoyed playing with the motion-sensitivity level. There were even options to exclude non-person movement by turning on the “People” setting. You’ll then go to the Devices page and follow the app’s instructions to connect to the camera and finish installation. If the camera is connecting correctly to your Wi-Fi and phone, it shouldn’t take too long. But if it’s struggling, setup time is anyone’s guess. For a more thorough look at this camera, read our ADT Self Setup Outdoor Camera Review. ADT Self Setup doorbell camera features: This doorbell is the only ADT Self Setup camera that doesn’t include local storage. You’ll be reliant on cloud storage for this one. As usual, you need to have the app and a ADT Self Setup account to get started. You’ll then select Devices and follow the app’s instructions. Of the cameras, the one that seems to be easiest to use is the indoor camera, followed by the doorbell. While we’re not completely ruling out the outdoor option, we’d typically recommend other outdoor cameras first. ADT Self Setup Indoor Camera: This camera is a smidge pricey but comes with facial recognition and an early warning system for fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. It’ll also look really nice with your home decor. ADT Self Setup Outdoor Camera: You can customize the motion settings on this camera in several different ways: perfect for outdoor use. Just know it may not always stay connected to your network. ADT Self Setup Doorbell Camera: The video doorbell has an extended field of view, but it doesn’t have color night vision, and you have to do some wiring work to install it. If you’re not crazy about ADT Self Setup cameras, check out our overview of SimpliSafe and Arlo cameras as potential alternatives. The equipment isn’t compatible between the two systems, so you can’t use ADT Self Setup equipment with ADT Command (previously ADT Pulse) or SafeStreets, an authorized ADT provider stuff with the ADT Self Setup app. There can be a lot of nuance with camera types, so sometimes it’s tricky to know what you’re getting. But to our understanding, the ADT Self Setup security cameras are not IP or VoIP. Check out our top tricks and tips to learn more about more features, third-party integration, and customization options for ADT Self Setup.
