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TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package: One-minute evaluation
The TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package is a feature-packed 4K out of doors safety digital camera that delivers lots of the perks often reserved for pricier fashions, together with photo voltaic charging, pan-and-tilt protection, coloration evening imaginative and prescient and native microSD storage.
That final characteristic means you received’t have to pay for a subscription for video playback and obtain, however there are nonetheless some nice (however non-essential) options within the paid Tapocare subscription, particularly for those who plan to broaden your private home’s safety with greater than a single digital camera.
The Tapo app can also be simple to make use of, and the C660 Package will slot in alongside different Tapo good dwelling gear like lights, plugs and extra to type its personal good dwelling ecosystem. Alternatively, when you have different good units within the combine and would favor a hub to manage all of them, Alexa has the strongest help, whereas Google Dwelling solely works with voice instructions and video streaming to good shows and TVs. There’s no native help for Apple HomeKit.
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Whereas it does not essentially stand out in a crowded market with its design, the white casing appears to be like glossy and classy, and the IP65 waterproof score means the C660 Package is dust-tight and may face up to low-pressure water jets from any course (aka rain, splashes or hose spray).
TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package evaluation: Value and availability
- Begins at $169.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 for a single digital camera unit
- Out there in multipacks of two, 3 and 4-camera bundles
- Non-compulsory Tapocare subscription plans begin at $3.49 / £2.99 / AU$3.99 per 30 days
The Tapo C660 Package prices $169.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 for a single digital camera unit, though multipacks of 2-, 3- and 4-camera kits can be found both as set bundles or as a part of a build-your-own package deal choice immediately from Tapo in addition to by means of third-party retailers like Amazon.
When you might not want a subscription package deal, particularly for those who use a single digital camera unit, Tapocare would possibly nicely be worthwhile for some customers. It gives cloud storage, prolonged video clip historical past for as much as 30 days and enhanced notifications, with plans beginning at $3.49 / £2.99 / AU$3.99 per 30 days for one digital camera on the Primary Tapocare tier. Costs enhance as you add extra cameras.
You may also purchase the digital camera by itself with out the photo voltaic panel beneath the TP-Hyperlink Tapo C560WS title for $99.99 / £109.99 / AU$199.
TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package evaluation: Specs
Value | $169.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 |
Megapixels | 8MP |
Decision | 4K / 3840 x 2160 pixels |
Discipline of view | 105º |
Pan/tilt | 360º horizontal rotation, 90º vertical |
Storage | microSD as much as 512GB (not included) |
Sensible dwelling | Alexa, Google Dwelling, Siri Shortcuts; no HomeKit |
Battery | 10,000mAh |
Connectivity | 2.4GHz / 5GHz Wi-Fi 4 |
IP Ranking | IP65 |
TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package evaluation: Design and set up
- Modern black and white coloration scheme
- Simple set up with easy-to-follow directions
- Beneficial mounting top is between 2.5m and 3m (8-10 toes)
The Tapo C660 Package has a glossy white plastic physique with black accents across the lens, with IP65 score for mud ingress safety and resistance to low-pressure water jets from any course. This implies water from rain, splashes or hose spray can be fantastic, nevertheless it received’t face up to immersion and strain washing.
The photo voltaic panel is simply the appropriate measurement relative to the digital camera — it isn’t small and refined by any means and it’s positively noticeable as soon as put in, nevertheless it isn’t too imposing both. As talked about above, there’s a rubber flap beneath the digital camera lens concealing the facility button, a reset button and a microSD card slot.
Putting in the Tapo C660 Package is simple due to the easy-to-follow directions included within the field. You begin by drilling holes the place you need to mount the bottom plate, then slot the digital camera in. The photo voltaic panel is screwed on high, then plugged into the digital camera’s USB-C port situated on the underside.
It’s value taking a while to consider the place you need the digital camera positioned prior to installing it, although. Whereas the Tapo C660 Package can pan and tilt the digital camera, getting the complete view of a whole area isn’t assured if it’s mounted too low because it doesn’t tilt upward. TP-Hyperlink recommends mounting it between 2.5m and 3m (8-10 toes) and in a location the place the photo voltaic panel will get essentially the most daylight all year long.
TP-Hyperlink additionally recommends that the digital camera shouldn’t level at swaying bushes and different shifting objects like autos and pedestrians to forestall an avalanche of notifications, but when it’s unavoidable, the C660 allows you to set movement detection zones by way of the app to cut back or decrease notifications of motion inside these zones.
One factor to notice in regards to the set up is that the digital camera has a handbook energy button tucked away beneath a flap beneath the lens. Not like different safety cameras that energy up robotically when plugged into an influence supply (just like the photo voltaic panel or a USB-C cable), this button must be switched on earlier than mounting (particularly when it is in a hard-to-reach top) and pairing with the Tapo app.
Pairing the digital camera to the app is fast and easy, with only some setup choices initially, like Wi-Fi connection sort (2.4GHz for longer vary or 5GHz for higher video streaming high quality, each utilizing the Wi-Fi 4 normal), assigning the digital camera’s location and even the icon you need displayed within the Tapo app dwelling display screen.
TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package evaluation: Software program and good dwelling help
- Tapo app is intuitive and simple to make use of
- Alexa has full help, whereas Google Dwelling is proscribed
- Movement detection zones transfer with the digital camera as an alternative of a set space
TP-Hyperlink’s Tapo C660 Package natively integrates with the Tapo good dwelling app, permitting the digital camera to fit into any present Tapo good dwelling ecosystem that may embrace lights, plugs, switches, robotic vacuums, door locks and extra.
If in case you have units from different manufacturers and use a wise assistant to consolidate them into one interface, the digital camera helps Amazon Alexa and Google Dwelling. Alexa helps each dwell footage playback and voice instructions, whereas Google Dwelling solely helps voice controls and video streaming on choose units. Apple HomeKit isn’t supported, however alerts and automations can nonetheless be completed by means of Siri by way of iOS shortcuts enabled by means of the Tapo app.
The app works nicely, with an intuitive interface utilizing tiles to indicate all of your Tapo units, with devoted tabs for the totally different gadget classes (like cameras, vacuums and ‘Sensible’ for automations). You’ll be able to play the dwell feed and regulate settings by tapping on the tile for the digital camera (or cameras when you have extra).
Digicam settings embrace two-way audio, a toggle for the built-in highlight and changes for panning and tilting the digital camera. There’s additionally an choice to ‘save’ a set digital camera place by way of ‘Viewpoints’ and simply entry these positions with out manually adjusting every time. These views can be utilized for automations, too.
To check out the characteristic, I set the digital camera to observe the rear of the home as an alternative of the driveway and entrance stairs for just some hours in the course of the day, and it might activate as scheduled every time. Patrol Mode additionally allows you to transfer the digital camera between these set positions, however the Tapo app warns that this mode might affect the digital camera motor’s longevity.
One annoyance I discovered with the Viewpoints characteristic was that the movement detection zone that I set additionally moved with the digital camera and there’s no choice to lock it to a selected spot. Fortunately, I didn’t have to maneuver my digital camera too usually for that to personally affect me, however I can see it being inconvenient for some customers.
Including to the movement monitoring is a setting topic detection like individual, pet or car, and it may also be set for various movement detection zones as nicely.
TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package evaluation: Efficiency
- Crisp 4K picture high quality from 8MP lens
- Constructed-in highlight gives coloration at evening
- Photo voltaic panel retains the unit working 24/7
The Tapo C660 Package captures movies by means of its 8MP lens with 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) decision, with a body price of 15 or 20 frames per second. The recorded video clips had been crisp and detailed when viewing dwell or when enjoying again beforehand recorded footage. It was clear sufficient for me to see particulars like faces, car license plates and bigger textual content from additional away, whereas the 18x digital zoom offered extra element than lower-resolution cameras.
It managed to retain element in brighter areas and the video wasn’t washed out, like when direct daylight was hitting the driveway. There’s built-in large dynamic vary to forestall overexposure in vibrant daylight or underexposure in darkish shadows.
Movement monitoring was responsive, and the C660 Package may observe me shifting after I was strolling shortly, working or biking (though I wouldn’t essentially name myself a quick runner or bike owner to try to keep away from the monitoring). I additionally favored that the digital camera robotically reverts to the unique place after detecting motion, so I didn’t have to regulate it manually as some safety cameras require you to do.
At evening, the f/1.6 aperture takes in sufficient mild to offer a transparent picture, and the built-in highlight provides extra low-light visibility. There’s additionally an infrared sensor as an alternative choice to coloration evening imaginative and prescient. Whereas I discovered each modes had been in a position to detect motion nearly immediately, the picture high quality isn’t as crisp as daytime mode, nevertheless it was nonetheless respectable sufficient to be clear and absolutely seen.
The built-in microphone produced clear audio and was loud sufficient for a dialog even after I wasn’t at dwelling.
The photo voltaic panel saved the battery topped up, with the digital camera nearly at all times working at 100% aside from some overcast days. It was solely after I switched on 24/7 Seize (which frankly most individuals received’t want) that the photo voltaic panel struggled to maintain the digital camera charged, and I finally needed to convey it indoors (it may be faraway from its base plate simply) for a top-up by way of a USB-C cable.
In a special take a look at, I attempted working the digital camera with out the photo voltaic panel plugged in, and the digital camera ran uninterrupted for simply over 2 weeks earlier than it wanted charging.
The Tapo C660 Package is not essentially the most cost effective 4K safety digital camera, however having native storage by way of a microSD card makes it an ideal worth choice in comparison with others that require a subscription to entry cloud storage for recorded footage. It helps as much as 512GB, although you may have to buy the microSD card individually because it does not include one within the field.
TP-Hyperlink says that’s sufficient for round 16 full days of recording, which is a lot for most individuals. Native storage means it’s also possible to again up these recordings to your private home pc or one other drive for redundancy. The Tapo app additionally allows you to password-protect the microSD card for an additional layer of safety.
Accessing footage from the cardboard is simple by means of the app, and notifications reliably hyperlink to recordings with nearly no delay after the digital camera detects movement. Video playback can also be very easy within the app. Should you favor cloud storage, you may go for the aforementioned Tapocare subscription and select a plan based mostly on the variety of related cameras you propose to have.
Different options in Tapocare embrace 30 days of encrypted video storage for occasions, wealthy notifications and video summaries.
Ought to I purchase the TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package?
Attribute | Notes | Rating |
Worth | You get some premium options like 4K decision and 360º views for an inexpensive worth, whereas on-device storage means you don’t must pay for a subscription. | 5/5 |
Design | It encompasses a clear, glossy white design that’s comparatively sturdy, and the photo voltaic panel that helps to increase its battery life is a proportionate match. | 5/5 |
Software program | The Tapo app is clear and intuitive, with loads of changes to fine-tune the settings. Alexa has the strongest help for good dwelling integrations, with Google Dwelling at a distant second. | 4/5 |
Efficiency | It captures crisp 4K footage nicely, and in addition performs fairly nicely in low-light conditions due to a built-in highlight. | 4/5 |
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How I examined the TP-Hyperlink Tapo C660 Package
I put in the Tapo C660 Package to a porch publish on my property for just a few months to get a way of each its recording capabilities and whether or not its photo voltaic panel would preserve the digital camera’s battery charged.
I examined all of the settings, however had the alarm and highlight largely turned off to keep away from disturbing neighbors, solely doing one-off exams to see in the event that they carry out as advertized. I might additionally test captured footage at any time when I obtained a push notification.
The good dwelling integrations had been examined with good shows (a 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub and an Amazon Echo Present 5) along with the Alexa and Google Dwelling cellular apps.
First reviewed July 2026
