Looking at the KODAK Video Monitor CFH-V10 Pet Cam
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Over the holidays, while travel time away from home was at its max, we had the opportunity to review the new Kodak Video Monitor for pets. I was very impressed!
This is a great device that allows those of us whose lives center around our pets live a life outside of our pets. It’s not only reassuring to be able to slip out for a movie or dinner without having to worry about what’s happening at home.
The KODAK Video Monitor CFH-V10 has instant HD color streaming video and a clean two-way audio hook up that works on multiple devices (IOS or Android). It works on your home’s own wi-fi network, so there’s no security concerns you should worry about and since it’s fast, you don’t have to worry about draining your phone’s battery.
So, why would you need a reason to see your pet while you’re away from home? There are dozens of reasons, but I’ll give you ours…
[heading style=”1″ color=”#c96a26″ style_color=”#c96a26″]Why I Love Pet Monitors[/heading]Senior Pets
Cheiss is our old dog and he’s suffering from CCD. This means many things, one of which includes insecurity if he wakes up and can’t find us. He goes into a panic mode unless he can hear us or see us. Since he’s almost blind, and partially deaf, it’s important we can reassure him we’re nearby but often difficult to do so. So, we used the camera. The two-way talk lets us know if he’s truly upset (howling or yelping) or just curious about where we are (whining). We just touch the microphone, let him know we’re there, and he quiets down and goes back to sleep.
“Difficult” Pets
The two-way microphone not only alerts you to any problems (barking, fighting, pacing, doorbells), but it allows you to verbally correct behavior while you’re away. The dogs will be a bit confused, but it gets the job done.
Security
I have no fears of anyone breaking into our home while we’re away. If the dogs don’t get them on the way in, the cats will get them on the way out. I do, however, have fears about what could happen while I’m gone. The cats are notorious troublemakers, especially when we’re gone. This is where the temperature monitor and visual reassurances come into play. I’m notified immediately of any problems in the home in regards to fire or carbon monoxide concerns by our RemoteLync detector. But I also want to know of extreme temperature changes (like the air conditioning going off and the house suddenly reaching 100+ degrees in summer). I also want to know if the cats are knocking the tree over, jumping on my computers, or wreaking havoc on my dogs. This allows me to check in and let the cats know that such behavior won’t be tolerated even in my absence.
[note style=”5″ icon=”yes” class=”template-style”]Disclosure: We received product for review. This has not influenced our review – the opinions expressed above are our own. We use affiliate links where possible. Thank you for using these to help us keep our site free from cluttering ads![/note]To Calm Myself
Having the ability to check in on my pets makes me feel a lot better about my life. Having an infrared device on the camera helps me see the dogs even when the skies change to night and the house is pitch black inside. Because we’re almost always home, so it’s hard to leave our dogs, who are accustomed to us being home with them. Our senior dog tends to destroy anything within reach (Holiday casualties included: 10 rolls of toilet paper, 4 rolls of paper towels, and two boxes – after we observed him doing this, we learned to provide him with something he could safely destroy, like an empty box. We also learned to keep the storage room closed.
[heading style=”1″ color=”#c96a26″ style_color=”#c96a26″]Features of KODAK Video Monitor CFH-V10 Pet Cam[/heading]
If This, Then That and iSecurity+ Channel
The availability of the IFTTT (If This Then That) iSecurity+ Channel allows users to connect their CFH-V10 WiFi camera with other devices or apps for added automation. For example, I can configure automatic actions (triggers) to do certain things like “If it gets dark, then aim camera in new direction” or “If you sense motion, automatically enable motion detection”. There are more than two dozen iSecurity+ ‘IF’ and ‘DO’ “Recipes” that let consumers configure automatic triggers or actions.
The iSecurity+ Channel supports the entire line of Kodak V-Series Video Monitors. This not only adds an extra level of security to your camera, it stores photos, video and other events according to your service plan. 
Notifications
Smart Detection ($2.99/mo.) uniquely integrates computer vision technology to intelligently filter alerts either by “Activity” (reports moving objects ranging from a rolling ball, vehicle in the driveway, or family dog) or “People” (reports only human movement) to reduce false alarms by up to 98%. 14-Day ($9.99/mo.) or 30-Day Cloud Storage plans ($19.99/mo.) include Smart Detection, 1000 favorites and the ability to view motion-triggered video clips for a longer period of time. Motion-triggered notifications are automatically sent to your mobile device for real-time alerts.
Video Quality
I loved having a clear view of what’s happening. The camera features automatic night vision via the free iSecurity+ app (iOS, Android) for your smartphone or tablet device. The state-of-the-art low lux CMOS imaging sensor with cutting edge IR filters offers exceptional daylight images with vibrant colors and powerful night vision performance.
Speed of camera
A built-in Wi-Fi extender also expands your existing wireless home network coverage to boost your connection – this helps the system load quickly and allows easy checkins without wearing down your phone battery. Tere is also a separate wi-fi extender that can plug into your wall to help boost coverage, but we didn’t need this. We used the camera on both sides of the house while we were away and experienced no connectivity problems in over 15 days of use.
Recording and Storage
All Kodak V-Series Video Monitors include Lifetime 1-Day Cloud Storage (free). With Lifetime 1-Day Cloud Storage, recorded motion-triggered video clips from the past 24 hours are stored in the cloud so you can rest assured that you’ll never miss a moment. For unprecedented insight, Smart Detection ($2.99/mo.), 14-Day ($9.99/mo.) and 30-Day ($19.99/mo.) Cloud Storage plans are also available for purchase.
Ease of Setup
On a scale of 1-5 (1 being so easy my dog could do it and 5 being so difficult, I have to outsource to a programming specialist), I rate this a 2. It’s super easy to hook up, connect to your wi-fi and run it without a problem.
Specs
KODAK Video Monitor is a great low-cost solution for pet owners who would like to keep their eye on their pet when they are away from their home.
