Right, so I decided I needed cameras that could actually pick up sound. The video part is usually fine these days, but hearing what’s going on, that felt important for what I wanted.
Getting Started
First thing, I started looking around. Went online, checked out a few stores. It’s crazy how many options there are. You got big names, small names, indoor ones, outdoor ones. And they all say they have audio.
The tricky part was figuring out which ones weren’t just adding a cheap microphone as an afterthought. Some reviews mentioned terrible sound quality, like it was recorded inside a tin can underwater. I didn’t want that. I needed something clear enough to understand speech, at least close by.
Picking and Trying
I ended up picking a couple of mid-range ones. Didn’t go for the cheapest, didn’t go for the most expensive either. Just something that seemed to have decent reviews specifically mentioning the audio part.
Got them home, unboxed them. The setup for the video was pretty standard – connect to Wi-Fi, use an app, the usual dance. That part went smooth enough.
Then came the audio test. The first camera I set up, honestly, the sound was crap. Really muffled and picked up a lot of background noise, like the air conditioner humming from the next room. Not great.
Figuring it Out
So, I started messing with the settings in the app. Some had options to adjust microphone sensitivity, which helped a bit. Turned it down slightly to reduce the annoying background hum.
Placement turned out to be a big deal too. Putting the camera right next to something noisy, obviously, that’s bad. I moved one camera away from a fan, and suddenly the audio was much clearer. Common sense, maybe, but you gotta try it to see the difference.
I also found out that outdoor cameras sometimes have better wind noise reduction, which makes sense. My indoor ones needed more careful placement away from vents or windows where drafts could mess with the mic.
How It Is Now
After fiddling around, moving things, and tweaking settings, the audio is usable now. It’s not like studio quality or anything, let’s be real. But you can hear conversations happening near the camera pretty clearly. If someone shouts, you definitely hear it.
- Placement is key: Keep it away from constant noise sources.
- Check settings: See if you can adjust microphone sensitivity.
- Manage expectations: Don’t expect miracles from tiny built-in mics, but they can be good enough.
So yeah, getting cameras with decent audio took a bit more effort than just plugging them in. Had to experiment. But it works for what I need now, which is the main thing.