Blink Wired Floodlight Camera - Smart security camera, 2600 lumens, HD live view, enhanced motion detection, built-in siren, Works with Alexa – 1 camera (Black)

Easy install. Great lighting! Clear video! A+

Maybe it will be obvious to some, but I definitely overlooked a key component to the overall operation of the wired floodlight camera. It is simple and it makes sense...after the fact...but the fact is, I overlooked it. When you flip the light switch, that presumably used to operate your lights, to the off position it turns the power off to the camera. I don't know what I thought, maybe the camera had a battery? I guess I wasn't thinking. I figured it out pretty quickly. I installed the floodlight camera, (SIDE NOTE: The instructions are fantastic with one exception. You have to have the camera fully installed and power back on before you can proceed though the final sync steps. The only problem is the QR code is on the backside of the light fixture which is now installed and inaccessible. But, that's o.k. they have included a second QR Code on the little blue instruction manual. I just wish they would have made that more obvious. They said, the instructions are great and easy to follow. Setup goes really smooth) I turned the lights on from the Blink app. Then I flipped the lights off from the wall switch. Camera turned off. Uh oh. I am the only person in the house with the app. What now?!?! I conducted a few test to confirm my finding. Yup light switch, power off, bad. Then suddenly I had an epiphany! Alexa!!! In desperation I called out, "Alexa, turn patio light on." Light turned on (I should note the light switch was in the "on" position). Yes! Problem one resolved. Now for concern #2. How will the light turn on when we let the dog out...again I am the only one with the app. It occurs to me, maybe when the camera is triggered the light comes on. So that night I go out into the darkness to conduct my test. Yes!!! Concern #2 abated. The lights came on, camera was rolling, all is right in the world. EXCEPT!!! I have drilled into my family...turn the lights off when you are done. Now every night after they let the dogs out, and back in for their nightly business...you guessed it they flip the light switch to "off" position, camera off. So if you are going to buy this light / camera (which I do recommend) you might want to buy this... https://a.co/d/12bFB9f or something similar.

Below is my original review. After leaving the review, Blink reached out to me and wanted to to make things right by sending me a replacement camera. I was extremely impressed and happy they contacted me! I received the new camera and have had zero issues so far, it has stayed connected like my other Blink cameras. I am hoping it will last this time. Customer service has been awesome! I changed my rating from one star to five stars because of the quick and courteous customer service!Old Review from first spotlight camera:I bought the camera last September and it worked well for a month or two but then it was constant connectivity issues and the irritating task of having to climb up on a ladder and take a picture of the QR code on the back to re-add it to my Blink system. I have five other Blink cameras all over my house and yard and have zero issues with their connectivity. In October it died completely, there is no power. I have an electrician in the family, he said there are no issues with the power supply, the fault is with the camera. Highly disappointed in the fact it lasted only a year and was a headache pretty much the whole time it did work. Would not recommend.

***updateSo recently I have notice the setup challenge that me and my father had been experiencing seems to have gone away. The cameras seem to setup with out a hitch now. I am wondering if blink did some sort of firmware upgrade I do not know.However I still can not give 5 stars. We ran into a problem on one of the flood light cameras that he has purchased. Normally this be no big deal but blink stone walled him on getting a replacement camera. Even though the camera was only a few weeks old and he is paying subscriber. They spent hours upon hours on troubleshooting a issue that was an obvious hardware failure. In fact it took me to drive a hour to his place and get on the phone with blink and him and for me to argue with the rep to get them to replace the camera. Even then they sent him what appeared to be a open box or refurbish camera that had issues right out of the box, which he spent hours arguing with Blink on the phone. Once again I had to drive a hour up to his place and argue IT lingo on the phone to get the rep to replace the defective replacement. Even then he had to get amazon involved. Once the amazon rep made the call to blink things seem to change quickly. What gives blink if a camera does not work and its under warranty and you have a customer paying for subscription you should be a little more respectful of the situation.Come one blink help get to where I can give you 5 stars!!! I want to believe you are a cost effective security solution. Me and my father are talking about using these in one of his physical store fronts in his business. That is a purchase of 25 cameras solid. Make us life long customer by getting your customer service together!***original Review:I purchased this flood light camera for my father. He's been looking to get a security system that can easily send him updates over his phone. Instead of a system that just simply records on site.The camera and flood light is good. The floodlight is very bright and lights up a large area around where it's stalled. I would say it lights up about at least 50 ft, if not more from where it has been installed. It records very well, it has made it through several rain storms since he's installed it, and it gives him some a sigh relief knowing when he's at work everything is good at home.My Only complaint and the reason why I can only give this camera four stars, is it's glitchy app that sets up blink cameras. It's very difficult to get any blink device to easily communicate with a home Wi-Fi signal. I have a blink camera installed on my home, and my father has purchased several different types of blink cameras, since I provided him with this one. Everyone of them is a challenge to setup. It has nothing to do with understanding the setup. The instructions are simplistic, and the ideal behind setting them up is simplistic. But when it comes to your camera tying in to your local Wi-Fi the challenge begins.No matter what you do it seems it will take up to 15 to 20 if not more failed attempts before a camera can enjoy your local WiFi network. For someone you like me that has an IT background it can be easily overcome. For some one like my father who does not it this is a real frustration and makes him feel like the devices are not good quality. I have to reassure him several times, the cameras and the service is great, there's just some challenges with the app communicating with your local Wi-Fi. This is the reason I can only give four stars for these cameras.If there was the way to ensure they were able to communicate with your local network easier during setup, five stars would be guaranteed for the system. I hope blink continues to work on this.