Because I live in a two-story house and spend a lot of time on the upper floor, it’s sometimes inconvenient to come all the way downstairs to see who’s ringing the doorbell.
And of course, there are some people who I don’t want to see. If I know in advance who’s at the door, I may choose to simply wait until they go away.
The MailboxCam Wireless Remote Camera gives you the option of taking an electronic peek at who’s knocking before you answer the door. It also can be used to look in on a sleeping baby or to keep an eye on a shed that’s prone to burglary.
As the name implies, the MailboxCam was originally marketed as a way of checking a faraway mailbox to see if the mail has arrived. But the Minnesota-based Wireless Imaging LLC says its camera has proved useful anywhere distant eyes and ears are needed.
The company says the features that set the camera apart from others are its range and battery life. If there are no obstacles between the camera and its receiver, the system can send video and audio signals as far as 300 feet. And the camera operates up to 10 hours on three AA batteries. If the camera is turned on only for infrequent, quick glimpses, the batteries should last for months.
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In testing, though, the MailboxCam was a bit disappointing. Sketchy, poorly written instructions made the product tricky to set up and use, and the video and audio signal the camera displayed on a television were not very impressive.
Though Wireless Imaging says the MailboxCam can send its signal 300 feet in ideal conditions, the instructions suggest that the camera be placed no more than 150 feet from the receiver.
In testing, the signal strength was only marginal with the camera placed outside on a porch about 60 feet from the receiver.
It was possible to recognize anything that passed through the camera’s field of view from the porch, but the colors were off and the audio stream had lots of static. The system worked best if the camera was placed in a well-lit indoor room within about 40 feet of the receiver.
For more information on MailboxCam, see www.wirelessimaging.com or call 800-676-3402. The product can be purchased through the Web site or by phone for $199.95.