TP-Link has integrated a lot of modern detection technologies into the new PTZ surveillance camera (best list) Tapo C225. The model intended for indoor use distinguishes between people, pets and vehicles when detecting motion and, once detected, objects no longer lose focus thanks to pan and tilt technology. But that’s not all: Compared to the competition, the integrated noise recognition is also state of the art. It can distinguish dog barking from cat meowing and crying babies. It also detects the sound when glass breaks and offers line crossing detection. The former helps to detect burglars if they damage a pane of glass when entering the house or apartment, while line crossing informs whether detected objects cross a virtual boundary. This allows parents, for example, to virtually lock a child’s room and as soon as the offspring fledges, the Tapo C225 sends a message to the smartphone. It also offers a tamper alarm that sounds when the camera is removed from the current location.
Otherwise, the PTZ camera offers a maximum resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels and records videos at 15 fps on a microSD card, which is not included in the scope of delivery. Alternatively, a paid cloud service is available, which costs at least 33 euros annually. And thanks to Onvif compatibility, another storage option is available when integrated into a NAS such as Synology Surveillance Station (guide). Users can also integrate the Tapo C225 into Onvif-compatible smart home centers (best list) such as Home Assistant (test report) and Homey Pro (test report).
Thanks to the movable lens, the Tapo C225 captures a range of 360° horizontally and 149° vertically, which is typical for PTZ cameras. If necessary, users can communicate with people using the integrated intercom function. Our test shows how well the solution, which only costs around 50 euros (TechStage price comparison), works in practice.
Scope of delivery and other features
The scope of delivery of the Tapo C225 PTZ surveillance camera includes, in addition to a plastic mounting plate that can be mounted firmly with the included screws and dowels, a proprietary 12-watt power supply (12 volts, 1 amp). Unfortunately, the TP-Link cannot be supplied with power via a USB socket (guide), so the power supply permanently occupies a conventional socket space.
Before using the lens, you should first fill the microSD card slot below the lens with a suitable microSD card. The camera is set up using the Tapo app, which requires a user account. An installation wizard helps with set-up, which is completed after just a few minutes (see also picture gallery). If there are problems connecting to the WLAN, it is recommended, as with all surveillance cameras that are limited to 2.4 GHz WLANs like the C225, to temporarily switch off the router’s 5 GHz band before using the camera .
Practice: distinguishing between people, vehicles and pets and noise recognition
When detecting motion, the Tapo C225 differentiates between people, vehicles and pets. In the test, it worked without any problems straight away. We didn’t register any false alarms. And the sound recognition also worked when a cat meowed. However, we had to increase the sensitivity slightly. The app clearly displays detected movements in the Play & Download area with a corresponding symbol depending on the type of detection.
Like the outdoor model Tapo C420S2 (test report), the C225 also has so-called Privacy zones which are shown blacked out in the video. However, this is far less important indoors than outdoors. When aiming the camera at someone else’s property, this function is a prerequisite for GDPR-compliant operation. Nevertheless, it is of course practical if you can hide certain zones from the Tapo C225.
The manual privacy switch on the front of the approximately 11 cm high housing is very useful. If it is pressed, the camera switches off. You can also restrict motion detection via activity zones so that notifications only occur when there is movement in one of the specified activity zones.
The camera’s alarm options are diverse and, in addition to the classic push notifications on the smartphone, also include alarm tones that sound via the integrated speaker on the back of the camera. However, the volume could be a little higher. What’s great is the ability to limit notifications by activity type and time.
Control via the app is quick. It also allows adjustments to the pan and tilt function, so that users can fine-tune the camera movement according to their personal needs using the control buttons.
Bilder: TP-Link Tapo C225
Pictures
picture quality
The 1/3-inch sensor built into the camera records images at 2560 × 1440 pixels (QHD) or 720p at 15 fps. The camera does not offer an optical zoom, so you have to make do with digital magnification. Thanks to the 3.7 megapixel resolution, which is 1.7 times larger than that of Full HD surveillance cameras, the Tapo C225 still offers acceptable results even when digitally enlarged (see also image gallery). And the night vision is also impressive: the bright lens still offers colorful images for a long time as the brightness decreases. However, the PTZ surveillance camera does not have an LED for illumination, so the integrated infrared LEDs ensure clear black and white images without overexposing faces. The night mode offers two modes: In the standard configuration, the infrared LEDs are visible and in the alternative configuration they remain invisible, so that the C225, for example when used as a baby monitor, does not disturb the toddler’s sleep with glowing LEDs.
However, the Tapo C225 does not use the space-saving H.265 codec and instead records with the H.264 variant. Nevertheless, the live stream appears almost instantaneous in the app. And not just there: if necessary, it can also be seen on a smart display such as the Amazon Echo Show.
Prices
TP-Link sells the Tapo C225 at a regular price of just under 75 euros. It is currently available for just over 51 euros. The previous lowest price is around 46 euros. There is also a Homekit version, but this only seems to be available in the USA.
Conclusion
The PTZ surveillance camera TP-Link Tapo C225 impressed in the test with good image quality as well as timely and reliable notifications. The motion detection worked perfectly and differentiated between people and pets. We didn’t register any false alarms. Movement tracking is reliable and quick. The noise recognition also worked for at least one cat in the test.
We also liked the easy operation and commissioning, the quick display of the live stream in the app and on a smart display like Echo Show. And thanks to Onvif support, it is also easy to integrate into a compatible smart home center such as Homey Pro (test report) or Home Assistant (test report). If you are looking for a powerful indoor surveillance camera and want to use it as a baby monitor, the TP-Link Tapo C225 is the right choice. Hardly any other camera offers as many AI functions as the Tapo C225, which at currently 51 euros is also very affordable considering the range of features.