Qouya Mini USB Charger Camera Review

Qouya Mini USB Charger Camera Review

Buy it at Amazon: Qouya Mini USB Charger Camera [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Compact, discrete, easy-to-setup; clear video with sound capture.

You'll receive the charger camera, a microSD card reader, a reset pin tool, and an instruction manual. The camera is small and compact and measures 1" square by 1.5" long. On the back you'll find a standard US two prong plug and the microSD card slot. On the bottom is the unit code and QR code for setting it up in the app. On the side you'll find the status LED and reset pin hole. Then on front is the USB charging port and tiny camera lens. The card reader is for accessing the video files on your computer, but note that the unit does not come with a microSD card. The USB port actually works, and can power or charge devices that require up to 1A current.

The camera accepts a microSD card up to 32 GB in capacity. Insert the card with the gold contacts facing down and press into the slot until it clicks. To remove the card press in on the edge and it should eject itself. A card must be installed to record video in the camera. Then all you have to do is plug it in and it will power on automatically, as indicated by the status light. If you need to reset the camera press the reset tool into the pin hole on the right while the unit is plugged in.

In the quick start guide you'll find the QR code to download the mobile app for setup, called MUCam. In the app, tap the plus in the upper right hand corner to add the camera, then scan the QR code located on the bottom of the camera. The default password is ‘0000'. Once connected it'll prompt you to change the password. In the app you can change a number of the camera's settings as well as add it to your home network for remote access from anywhere with an internet connection. You can set loop recording length from 1 - 60 minutes, toggle on/off sound recording as the camera has a built-in microphone, and set schedules for when you want the camera to record or trigger via motion sensing etc. The motion sensor can also send push alerts to your phone when triggered. If you want the camera to be more discrete, you can turn off the power LED while it is operating. You'll also need to tap on the camera to access its live feed, tap the image to bring up the on-screen controls, and tap the bulb icon at the top to completely disable all recording LED lights.

When viewing the live feed from your mobile device through the app, the 480p video can be used to minimize data usage, but the image is not real clear. When you set it to 1080p, the quality is actually quite good. The only issue I sometimes have is with glare in the background if there is very bright light contrasted with the foreground, like from a sunny window. Another neat thing about the camera is that it has an infrared (IR) light for recording in pitch dark conditions. The video is black and white and clear but not super detailed. Contrast may be an issue, especially if there's other bright light present when the infrared setting is on.

Every 15 minutes of video footage takes up 50-80 MB, so on a 32 GB card you can record about 4 and a half days of footage. After that the camera will loop to overwrite the oldest video file. On my 4 GB card I was able to capture just over 12 hours of footage before the camera started to delete the oldest files. Since I connected the camera to my home WiFi, I'm also able to view the live feed from the camera from anywhere with an internet connection. This was great for when we were on vacation so we could keep an eye on the house and make sure everything was ok. I can also record video and take photos directly to my phone by using the in app soft keys. Just note that when you take a still photo of the live feed there's no feedback to indicate that the photo was taken, so if you end up tapping the photo button multiple times expecting something to happen, you'll end up with a bunch of photos!

Overall, this charger camera works very well. The video recorded by its tiny lens is clear and HD and it was super easy to set up. The unit is compact, discrete, and look and functions like any other USB charger. The WiFi setup makes it easy to monitor your home from anywhere for extra security and peace of mind.

Buy it at Amazon: Qouya Mini USB Charger Camera [Affiliate Link]