D-Link Omna 180 HD, a surveillance camera for HomeKit

With a growing number of HomeKit-compatible accessories, the surveillance camera category isn't exactly one of the most prolific in Apple's ecosystem. That's why when D-Link's Omna 180 HD camera was announced at CES it immediately caught the attention of all of us who are interested in Apple's home automation system. A surveillance camera that allows you to view live from anywhere, which also acts as a motion sensor and integrates seamlessly with any HomeKit-compatible accessory, and without having to pay for any cloud services. Interesting? Well, we will analyze it below.

Camera and motion sensor in one device

One of the main characteristics of the Omna 180 HD camera is, as its name suggests, its 180º angle of view that allows you to capture everything that happens in a room from a small strategic corner of it. Few cameras on the market today have this angle of view, and in addition Get a high resolution image (1080p) in both adequate and low light conditions, thanks to its night vision mode. Of course, if you are looking for a camera that enjoys zoom, this model is not yours, at least for now. Nor if you need a battery, since it needs to be connected to a socket for its operation.

But in addition to being able to use it as a surveillance camera and capture audio thanks to its integrated microphones, Omna 180 HD se can be used as a motion sensor that you can use with the Home app to launch any event, be it turning on the living room light or raising the blinds at home. Integration with HomeKit is complete, and the camera setup options even let you choose which areas of the camera's entire viewing angle are sensitive to motion detection.

Access live video from anywhere

With the D-Link Omna 180 HD you will not have to pay for any cloud service, there will be no subscriptions, or anything like that. With the security that HomeKit offers you, you can access what the camera captures live from anywhere from your iPhone, iPad and even from the Apple Watch. With live sound and with the possibility of not only listening to what the camera captures but also being able to speak yourself and be heard by those on the other side. Obviously the camera will have to connect to your WiFi network to be able to access it, but the configuration is as simple as always: scan the sticker that comes with the iPhone camera and that's it.

What if I want to record what the camera captures? There will be no problem thanks to its micro SD slot that you can find at the base of the camera. You can record a video whenever the camera detects a movement, even receive a notification on your mobile.

One app for all accessories

The manufacturer offers us an application with which we can control various accessories, including the Omna 180 HD camera. It does not have a huge amount of options, but its full integration with HomeKit makes them unnecessary, so the manufacturer seems to have dispensed with what we can do with the iOS Home app and left only those specific things, such as the area configuration motion detection or viewing the contents of the camera's SD card.

Configuration options for the sensitivity of the motion sensor or set a latency time for it, camera firmware updates, configuration of the recording options on the microSD card and other advanced settings we can set them from your application, but the utility it will be basically during the first setup. From there all the automation options, rule creation or live viewing will be done from the iOS Home application. In my opinion it is the smartest position, although it is not the one taken by most manufacturers who choose to duplicate functions.

Editor's opinion

It is one of the first HomeKit-compatible cameras to hit the market, and its features make it a very interesting accessory for those who want a surveillance camera for their home or work. Its excellent 180-degree viewing angle, night vision that allows you to capture live video in complete darkness thanks to the infrared LEDs, and the possibility of live access to the video you capture without having to hire any additional service make its price not as high as it may seem. You have it available in the Apple Store online for €229,95.