TP-Link Tapo Pan/Tilt Baby Mon…

I empathize with other reviewers who staate “Tapo is Crappo”. This new ONVIF/RTSP camera does not compare to the quality or functionality of the older PTZ cameras which had many options and were easy to view/manage in just about any IP Camera viewer app.For starters, there is no way you can use this camera without installing the Tapo app. Why must you eat up your precious phone memory by installiing a NEW app for every piece of hardware you want to access remotely? Well folks, that seems to be the Brave New World of proprietary products and self-centered corporations manufacturing the products we need.This camera has no setup where you can browse into the camera and change all the settings.Can you assign a static IP? NOPE.Can you assign a custom camera port #? NOPECan you assign preset positions? NOPECan you use an http browser to connect to the camera, adjust settings, and view streaming video? NOPE, NOPE, and NOPEThe mounting options are cheap. In the past you were given a bracket that allowed you to adjust in the vertical and hoizontal planes. This comes with the cheapest mounting bracket that would be possible for the human brain to conceive.Is horizontal adjustment possible? NOPEIs vertical adjustment possible? NOPEYou essentially stick this on any horizonal or surface the way you want it with no possibility to fine turn where the camera is pointing, via bracket. You must “hope” that the PTZ movement of the camera is able to point it where you want to view. If not, then you’re either SOL or you must purchase a camera mounting bracket to give you the movements that should have been included as standard.Given all I say above, you might be surprised to know that my opinion this camera is that it’s not a bad camera and could be consideered better than average, considering the competition.Yes, many would consider this crappo and I’d have to include myself in that crowd, but if you consider the limitations vs. price, then this camera becomes a little less crappo because its’ limations can be managed, especially when you consider that all the newer ONVIF/RTSP cameras that I’ve investigated, many at a MUCH higher price, has the same or worse defects than this camera.So, what were considering is what is the LEAST Crappy camera available?Believe or not, folks, this is probably the Least Crappy camera out there.Your system prerequisite if you want to use a non-Tapo view app to view/operat this camera is that you need to setup Port forwardings of 2020 (internal) and 554 (internal) to the IP Address for EACH C200 camera on your network. Your router must be able to make IP Reservatons for DHCP for the IP of this camera. If not, your IP will keep changing and you’ll continually lose remote access to this camera because setting a statis IP Address in camera setup is impossible. But, if you can setup and IP Reservation on your router and can port forward for EACH camera to 2020 and 554 to each camera then you’re likely okay with this camera.Once this is done, you might be able to view this camera on 3rd party IP Camera viewer app that support ONFIV/RTSP.Because TAPO is an Alexa skill, it’s pretty easy to view this camera on any Alexa Echo SHOW device. I setup a routine (Named for my cat) that will cause Alexa echo Show to view a fixed position stream of my camera. You CANNOT move the camera using Alexa echo Show, but you can view the camera stream from where it’s positioned right now.The Tapo cloud service is worthless, but if you add a 128gb micro SD card, then you can save detected motion to know what’s happening when something moves in front of the camera to trigger recoding. This works pretty well and gives you several minutes of recording time. You cannot just click and download these clips, which is idiotic. But, if you play the clip, then click “Record” you can record the playing clip, then download this recording. It’s convoluted, but better than removing the SD card, placing into PC, and copying over the clip(s).I definitely am not in LOVE with this camera, and if a REAL camera came along that would allow me to view on Alexa echo Show, browse into configure all aspects of the camera, and use on any 3rd party remote view app, then I’d jump ship in a second and buy THAT camera.But… given that ALL these type cameras SUCK, I woudl choose THIS camera because it sucks at a LOWER price. So, if your camera sucks, it’s better to pay less for a sucky camera, if you can.Right now with the state of suck in IP Cameras, I’d recommend this camera as a BUY. I don’t like it much, but it’s better than whatever else you might be able to buy at a reasonable price.Just like when voting for political candidates, sometimes you just have to go with the one that sucks less out of a field of choices that all suck.Good Luck!!