Not so long ago, securing your home or small office with video recording cameras was a not-so-pleasant experience. First, the end price of such a kit was on the high side and the complexity of the installation wasn’t that user-friendly compared to nowadays offerings. Technology always evolves and that allows a video security kit like the Tenda K4W-3TC to be fairly priced so people can use it for additional home security.

The first thing that comes to mind while looking at the bundle is how compact everything is. The four included cameras aren’t huge when it comes to size so (probably) they can fit with ease in the area where you want to place /install them. Minimalism is the key word here – you don’t need to hang long cables around the walls for connecting the cameras.

The video recorder and the cameras can be connected wirelessly which is great news for those who prefer their home or office to look as neat as possible. Speaking of video recorders, you don’t need a computer for configuring and recording with the kit – the Tenda K4W-3TC can work autonomously without the aid of a PC or a laptop.  Of course, you have to install a hard drive in the video recorder for storing the data. The videos are recorded in the efficient H.265 format which takes lesser space compared to the old H.264 standard (which is also supported).

You can check the current price of Tenda K4W-3TC here: Buy from Flipkart.com

Contents

Specs Sheet

What’s in the box?

Everything is fitted in a big and sturdy box that has a handle which is good considering the fact that the whole kit weighs 3.1 kg. The package contains all the necessary things for a proper installation – a video recorder, four cameras, a mouse, power adapters (for the cameras and for the recorder), two screw kits, waterproof kits for the cameras, and a manual.

Design and construction

As we said earlier, the cameras and compact and their design is up to date. The video recorder isn’t big in terms of dimensions and the same goes for the cameras. The whole kit comes in white color.

Installation, Features, Setup, and Testing

The four IP cameras and the main recorder can be connected wirelessly which is good news for most people. This is possible due to the fact that the main recorder has a built-in Wi-Fi module / router with a coverage of 200 meters. The signal can go through up to three walls but expectedly, this is a limiting factor when it comes to signal strength. If you prefer a LAN connection this is achievable as well because all four cameras have an Ethernet port. You can’t use “hybrid” mode, ergo, it’s not possible to use LAN and wireless connection for the cameras at the same time.

The main recorder has a LAN port and can’t be connected wirelessly to your home or office router. On the backside of the recorder, you’ll find the power plug, the already mentioned Ethernet port, HDMI, VGA port, and a USB 2.0 port. For (a local) visualization of the whole recording process, you have to connect an external monitor to one of the two available ports. The Tenda K4W-3TC comes with its own OS so all you have to do is to plug a mouse into the USB port and you can start navigating through the menus in order to configure the settings. The cameras can be connected to the main recorder automatically when they are in the recorder’s range.

You can monitor everything remotely through the Tenda TDSEE program which is available for Android и iOS. Keep in mind that the initial setup should be done locally and after that, you can start using the Tenda TDSEE. You can’t use a PC for controlling the Tenda K4W-3TC, you can do this locally or through the Tenda dedicated program. The good news is, you can keep an eye on what is going on in front of the cameras no matter where you are – you just need a phone (or a tablet as well) with an Internet connection.

The cameras are suitable for outdoor usage – they come with dust and water protection (the cameras are IP66-rated) so you don’t have to worry during stormy conditions (which include rain and snow as well) or hot weather. Of course, you can use them for indoor monitoring of your home, office, etc. The unwanted “guests” can be spotted thanks to the AI human detection and you’ll be automatically noted via the Tenda program about this. The noted presence of the intruders will be shown by a sound alarm and white flashing light (these are built-in and you can use one of the alarming options or both at the same time). The alarm is turned off by default and you have to turn this feature on if you need it.

Because of the “deep learning image identification technology” the cameras can filter non-human objects so the false alarms should be maintained as low as possible. You can also make your own alarm schedule – you can set a desired time period in which the alarm can be turned on or off and you can choose an alarm mode for every time interval (again – with sound, lights, or both).

The cameras are equipped with two spotlights and two IR sensors. During the nighttime, the videos can be recorded in three different modes. The Smart Mode captures videos in Black and White color scheme and if any alarms are triggered, the OS will switch to full-color mode. The latter looks a bit better in most cases, but if all your videos are recorded in this way, the file size will be bigger. For the night, the Smart or Black and White modes are the way to go when it comes to saving precious space on your HDD. Due to the full-duplex two-way audio, you can talk directly to visitors of your home or office and this saves time. For example, if there is a carrier in front of your home or office, you can just say “leave the package in front of the door and have a nice day ” – neat and easy. You can set up to three automated messages for greeting your guests or for alarming possible intruders.

The videos are recorded in 2304 x 1296 resolution (3MP) or you can use lower options like 1080p or 720p. The videos can be recorded in H.265 or H.264 formats – the latter can be used for better compatibility in exchange for a bit bigger file size of the clip. Under the hood of the main recorder, there is space for a regular 3.5″ HDD (up to 10TB). The best possible solution here is a 5400-5900RPM hard drive meant for surveillance needs (most HDD manufacturers are offering such drives in their portfolio).

You can use an external hard drive or a flash drive for backup via the USB port. Here is one of the few disadvantages of this Tenda gadget – the USB port uses the old 2.0 interface, so the backup will not be done quickly. The videos can also be backed up in the cloud, this is a paid option but if your cameras and recorder are vandalized, you can still view the cloud-stored footage which is a great reserve plan option if you need it.

Verdict

If you are on the hunt for a nicely-priced wireless video security kit for SOHO usage, the Tenda K4W-3TC should be on your shortlist. The device offers a big amount of features including four IP-66 cameras that can “survive” and operate in tough conditions such as snow and hot weather during the summer. This Tenda product is a standalone device – you can’t and you don’t need a PC for using it which is definitely good. The gadget has its own OS so you can use it locally after connecting a display and mouse to the recorder and you can monitor everything through the dedicated Tenda app as well.

Inside of recorder, you’ll find a spot for a big HDD and you can make backups through the USB port or you can use the paid cloud storage for additional safety of your data. The cameras can be connected wirelessly or you can use a LAN connection for them. You can make your own schedule when it comes to recording (Smart mode, Full-color mode, or Night mode) and alarms (they can be turned on or off and you can set a desirable alarm scenario). The sensors can detect motion and at the same time, they can filter non-human objects. The full-duplex two-way audio is something that probably will be used by a lot of people who are receiving packages often.

The Tenda K4W-3TC is a rich-in features product that has a pleasant price tag and it’s easy to use and maintain.

You can check the current price of Tenda K4W-3TC here: Buy from Flipkart.com

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