I have recently got the Samsung SmartCam HD Pro, and will write up my thoughts about it in a later post. This post is about 2 new models in the SmartCam line-up which I just spotted.

First is the SNH-E6440BN model, or Samsung SmartCam HD Outdoor. The Outdoor seems to house the exact same camera optics as the HD Pro, with  128° wide-angle lens and infrared LEDs for night recording. The obvious difference is that the Outdoor version comes in 2 parts. The camera unit is IP66-rated, meaning it is dust-proof and water-proof up to anything except complete immersion. The camera unit is connected (and powered) by an Ethernet cable connected to the indoor unit.

Separating the camera and indoor unit serves a few purposes. First, it makes the dust- and water-proofing much simpler. It also allows the camera unit to work outside where WiFi signal could not reach. Security is also better, because the micro SD card is installed on the indoor unit and so cannot be taken as easily by intruders.

The Outdoor model has not begin shipping yet. (B&H list it as available on 10 November 2014) From spec list, almost everything that is true with the HD Pro model applies to the Outdoor model, except two. The Outdoor only supports single band WiFi (2.4GHz) while HD Pro supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. And the Outdoor model does not have built-in microphone & speaker at the camera unit. There are audio IN and OUT port at the indoor unit, but I don’t why they are even there because you will be recording the moving picture and sound from different areas.

I am a little bit confused with the second new model, the SNH-E6411BN. The SmartCam website list it as new alongside the above Outdoor model, and the model number suggests it comes after the HD Pro (E6411BN vs. P6410BN). But many stores list the E6411BN as available and already shipping. I think this might be a slightly lower-end model of the HD Pro that Samsung originally sells in some markets and is now making available everywhere. Some store calls it SmartCam HD (without the Pro moniker).

The differences between the HD and HD Pro is even smaller.

• The HD model does not have Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) option which cuts down back light.
• The HD model supports only 2.4GHz Wifi, similar to the Outdoor model.
• The HD model does not come with an audio out port. (which I don’t think this a big loss)
• The HD model only comes in white, while the HD Pro also has Silver option.

That’s it. This is very much a younger sibling of the HD Pro that will sell for 15%-20% less. If it is available when I bought the HD Pro, I would have bought the HD instead because the differences are not significant enough, at least on paper. It could still be possible that the HD Pro has a better processor inside, otherwise I really can’t imagine why it is more than twice has heavy as the HD model.