[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

Summary

Here is our review of the ALLie Home camera, 360 surveillance camera intended for the general public for those who want to monitor their home.



[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

Buy the Allie Home camera at the best price:

ALLie Home - What is it?

Virtual reality and 360 video took advantage of 2016 to take off remarkably. It is no surprise that manufacturers are deploying more and more devices in order to appropriate the market. We have already mentioned several 360 cameras such as the Samsung Gear 360, the Giroptic or the 360fly..

The 360 ​​cameras on the market try by all means to stand out from the competition, whether by image quality, functionality or even the conditions of use (sports, underwater, etc.). The ALLie Home plays on this last factor to make a difference. Indeed, the ALLie Home is a real surveillance camera intended for the general public. It therefore does not compete with other cameras. We tested it and here is what we thought about it.

The features of the Allie Home

• 2 360 ° lenses
• Resolution 2048 x 2048 (20fps) 8 megapixels
• Integrated microphone and speakers
• Bluetooth BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 ac / b / g / n
• USB
• Dimensions 3″x3″x3.5″
• Weight 10 oz (about 280g)



Unpacking the ALLie Home

The packaging of the camera is simple and clean. Indeed, on the front face only the camera appears on a white background, surrounded by an illustration meaning that we are in the presence of a 360 camera. On the other faces, you find the camera in profile (we therefore understand that the camera has two lenses) and the usual specifics of the device. To be able to enjoy the ALLie Home, you will have to disassemble it. What might turn out to be rather funny happens to be rather long. We would have preferred a simplified opening so that the excitement does not have time to go down. But this is only a detail.

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

The first thing you will find when you open the box will obviously be the camera. You will have to lift the receptacle again to find its accessories which are as follows :
- The ALLie Home power supply in American format. You will therefore need to use an adapter to power the machine.
- A USB cable to connect it to your computer
- Accessories to fix your new camera
- A user manual in English

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

The fixing accessories, three in number, are essential given the use prescribed for the ALLie Home. We regret, however, the aspect "by Americans for Americans" from food and the fact that the manual is not translated into other languages.

Design and Ergonomics of the ALLie Home

Regarding its shape, we must admit that this 360 camera is not very original. It is based on the standard spherical shape that most other cameras on the market take. White in color with a hint of gray, it must still be recognized that it is visually pleasing to the eye. It is quite heavy, but this is not a problem, because it is not intended to be nomadic. The brand logo is found on the upper side. The two lenses turn their backs to provide a 360 image. On one of the lenses, an indicator light towards will light up and flash to let you know your camera is ready for use.



[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

Below the camera, you will be faced with a space used for connection. So you can plug in your micro USB cable to make the ALLie Home interact with your computer. A port used for power is naturally present, an opening having been cut in the receptacle in order to pass the cable without damaging it. By unscrewing said receptacle, you can assemble the fixing tools of your surveillance camera and thus screw it to a tripod, to the wall or even to the ceiling.

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

Note also that invisible microphones and speakers are integrated into the device to facilitate sound capture, but also to be able to communicate with people in the presence of the camera. This can be useful if you want to use your camera in a professional setting, or berate your children, home alone and unwise, in real time. However, you will not find any button on the camera. Its use will only be done through the application or from your computer. We find the obligation to have to use a damaging external interface.

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

L’application ALLie Home

Obviously, not having planned for manual use of the camera, the brand had to offer a quality application. The bet is successful. You will first need to create an account before you can use your camera. The interface has a 360-degree video as a background. Good idea, because we directly understand what type of device it is. Account creation happens to be quite quick compared to other cameras like the Panono. Indeed, you just need to provide your email address and choose a password. Open the confirmation email you will receive (Warning: ours ended up in the junk mail). Your camera is ready for use. You can also connect with your computer, but we still recommend that you do so through your smartphone.



[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

You will need to activate your phone's Bluetooth and Wifi functions to be able to control the camera. It's a great pity if you imagined preserving the autonomy of your phone. So consider plugging in your phone to avoid unpleasant surprises. Once your camera and phone have been paired, go to the MyALLies tab to activate image capture. However, we were frustrated by the slow connection. Even though the first use was relatively quick, we experienced some connection issues. Therefore, it took us several times to unplug the camera and relaunch the app.

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

Now let's talk about image capture. This one is very simple. You only need to press a button to start capturing 360 degree photos or videos. At the top right, you can activate the VR option to use a virtual reality headset. The experience is very pleasant, so much so that we have the impression of teleporting ourselves into the room where the camera is. The preferences tab is easy to access, well supplied and will allow you to choose the optimal definition which is not activated by default. The other tabs are as follows:
– Gallery : You will be able to consult the images that you have previously captured
– Account : Your account information
- Demos: You will be able to find 360 videos if you are looking for inspiration
– About : Brand information

The image quality of ALLie Home

The image quality is very satisfactory. Since traditional surveillance cameras do not offer high definition, we found the ALLie Home quite surprising in terms of resolution. Of course, you can adjust the parameters of the image capture to get the best out of it and quite easily. The resolution is 2048 x 2048 for each of the two lenses, or around 8 mega pixels, which is quite decent for this type of camera.

What would a surveillance camera be without the ability to see in the dark? Infrared LEDs arranged around the lenses will allow you to shoot at night, providing you with fairly good black and white images too. However, the lack of storage media means that you will have to pay a certain amount to be able to save your achievements. So in addition to the already pretty steep price of the camera, you'll have to pay $ 6,95 per month for 24 hours of storage and $ 12,95 for 72 hours. It is therefore not a camera that you can buy on a whim, without having a precise idea of ​​the use you want to make of it.

ALLie Home in the face of competition

It is difficult to take a position on this question in that the ALLie Home is a unique product of its kind. Indeed, some cameras have chosen to orient themselves towards sports use, for example the 360fly. Others for nomadic use like the Giroptic and its solid protective shell. As for the ALLie Home, we are faced with a surveillance camera. She is therefore sedentary in essence. From the point of view of image quality, it is inferior to other models, for example, the current leader which is the Samsung Gear 360. On the other hand, the images are much better than most conventional surveillance cameras. It is still difficult here to really position this product against the competition. Those who wish to be able to watch their children, their adulterous wife or even participate in remote professional meetings will find their account there. For those who want a nomadic model that can be used outdoors, they will have to look to other products.

[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera[Test] ALLie Home - The 360 ​​surveillance camera

Our opinion on the ALLie Home camera

The weight of the device already gave us some clues: The ALLie Home is a quality surveillance camera. The images provided by the product are good compared to traditional surveillance cameras and the promise of live streaming is fulfilled. Whether using your phone or a virtual reality headset, seeing the world through your camera is rather enjoyable. On the other hand, if we compare it to other 360 cameras, the latter does not make the weight in terms of image resolution, because most offer to capture images in HD or 4K. But having high definition images is not what you ask of a security camera. What we ask of it is to display images in real time and to be able to have an optimal field of vision of the room that we want to monitor.

Some complaints, however. The application is sometimes hazardous, which can be quite daunting, but why not. The real problem is that its use is sometimes cumbersome. Indeed, you will already need to get an adapter to use your camera. This one having no battery, it should be constantly plugged in. Having a thread hanging down from the ceiling is not very pleasant, we will agree. Moreover, the subscription required to store your data makes the financial investment, already substantial, because the camera costs 599 €, even greater. Those who do not wish to carry their camera and who have a precise idea of ​​the use they want to make of it will find their happiness in this 360 camera. The others will have to move towards lighter solutions, at the practical and financial level.

Good points

  • Solid
  • Good image resolution
  • Simple application
  • Many parameters
  • A solution for the general public
  • Real-time broadcast

Negative points

  • His price
  • His sedentary lifestyle
  • No storage, no battery

6.8

Installation: Unboxing is a bit long, but you can quickly use it.


Design and ergonomics: A simple design, but no manual use.


features: You will be able to record images, view live images, communicate with people around the camera, watch other productions. In short, many features.


Performance: A good image resolution for a surveillance camera.


Value for money: If you need a surveillance camera, the price is justified for the quality of the device. However, having to pay to store your files can turn some off.

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