DefenderPHOENIXM2 Non-WiFi Plug-in Power Security Cameras- for Home & Business Surveillance Indoor & Outdoor Bullet Cameras with 7 Inch LCD Display Monitor (2 Cameras)

Used to replace a worn out First Alert system of one camera that was protecting my garage, car park, alley, and back yard. Two cameras now cover more of that space and the resolution is fantastic (clear details, and in bright colors). Not much instructions, so first timers might want to consult the online instruction book. Nothing to do really, remove from various plastic bags, attach cables (snap in) in all three pieces, and screw in the antennas and stands on the cameras. Plug in all three parts to a suitable surge protector (I like my new Revolve w/ rotating plugs to hold all the oversized adapters). Cameras immediately come on. Fool a bit with the settings, how long to record, etc. Personal preference really. I did not consult the online instructions.Then being a lazy sort of homeowner, I merely popped them on my inside window sill, pulled up the two corners of the screen and adjusted them to the right angle and closed the storm window(there is a roof overhang so window sill does not get wet). This gives me great wide look at whole backyard in both directions. Moved monitor to the bedroom directly west of the cameras and the whole system works beautifully (there is even a window a/c in this room and no problem with interference at all. This is a second floor application so the view is fantastic.This is a well made system, ie screen has an adjustable sturdy plastic foot, cameras are solid and stands easily adjust angles. While screen isplastic, cameras appear to be all metal of heavy duty weight. They stood up on their own with a little nudge and no fastening down. Fussy homeowners can hang out the window and fasten the cameras anywhere they like.Comes with two cameras, two stands, and three cords/adapters, slightly cheap fasteners for permanently fastening to house. Get some small (2"x2") decals that tell neighbors you have security cameras (if they have good eyes to see fine print). I would suggest ordering a BIG security camera sign on Amazon (I still had trouble with neighbors until the big signs went up, and now they run past property instead of stopping to look in my car windows). Also receive a little plastic pick for resetting device that looks like a dental floss pick that I will promptly lose. Few instructions, a few small paper directions on how to pair up the cameras if you have problem. They arrive paired up, so no problem there at all. Otherwise, consult the instruction book online if you are fussy and want to know every detail before you open box. But with just experience with an old, outdated system with one camera, I had system working in 5 minutes.Very pleased with this system, very detailed, beautiful resolution and color. Well made, sturdy, and easy to set up.

I bought my first set close to 10 years ago which are still working. I utilize these cameras in my barns while lambing. I bought another set so I’d have a few more views of the barn. They are easy to setup and have worked well for me.

I did a lot of trying other cameras and research before settling on the Defender M2, then bought multiple M2 systems. We're almost perfectly happy with the systems, which we use to keep tabs on which of the special-needs animals in our facility may be vomiting or depositing less-than-optimal output in the litter boxes.I wanted a local-storage solution rather than a cloud-based solution, and have been happy with having chosen the M2 systems.Setup is about as easy and foolproof as I think you could ever hope for. The cameras and base unit connect well, even through walls and floors.My half-century background is primarily in the media industry, so I appreciate that the M2 video quality is pretty darned good, especially during the day and especially if the camera is close to the subject, but there can be a contrast issue if there's bright light and shade is cast. When the angle of the sun is just right and casts a shadow from the edge of a litter box, we can discern activity in the part of the litter that's not in the shadow, but zero in the part that is in the shadow.At night, we are not able to assess litter box deposits, or floor deposits, as well as we need to (especially solid, which is interesting). You'd think that stool on top of light-colored clumping litter would be easy to differentiate, but it's not. I'm wondering if adding another IR light would be of help in this department (EDIT: the manufacturer says no). If anyone has thoughts on this, chime in.We have had issues with brownouts causing the systems to shut down, thus we've missed out on some video that we needed. Implementing uninterruptible power supplies is recommended, as the systems don't fire back up on their own after an outage, whether short or long. It would be great if this would automatically occur.Perhaps related to the above, our systems' times have gotten out of sync with reality, thus I've had to reset the time more than once.A feature I wish the system had is a longer record time for motion-activated usage. We care for elderly, special-needs animals who tend to take forever in the litter box (or multiple boxes) and the longest recording time available in the motion-activated settings isn't long enough. We need a 5-minute and 10-minute setting in our particular case.I wish that a system could accommodate more cameras rather than our having to purchase multiple systems and try to find room for multiple base units.I wish that I could mount a camera on the wall, then have the camera be parallel to the floor, but the current mounting gizmo doesn't allow this, at least at the angles and directions we need.So, our wishlist is pretty short, really. Overall, the Defender M2 is the best solution I've found, at least for our facility's needs, and I would definitely purchase it again. I recommend it if it meets your needs.UPDATE 4-5-23: As shown on the attached photos, one of our elderly cats with a lot of health issues vomited on the light-colored carpet in our living room. The Defender Phoenix M2 system didn't show it to me under nightvision, but the emesis pile of undigested dry food is clearly visible once the sun started to come up. This is the sort of contrast issue I described above and which the manufacturer said additional IR light wouldn't help. Note that I used my iPhone 12 Pro to shoot photos of the monitor screen and the phone processed the images in such a way that the emesis pile is more visible in the nightvision photos than it was in real life when I was viewing the monitor. I'm a graphics guy and have an eye for detail and I'm telling you that the emesis pile was virtually invisible to the naked eye.