Logitech announces Alert series of high-def security cameras

The system basically consists of a camera and a pair of bulky plug adapters. Connect one to your camera, the other to your network via Ethernet, and that second one will pipe signal to the first via Home Plug power line networking. While WiFi would seem like a better choice initially, this does mean you won't have to worry about having a completely uninterrupted signal in and around your home. And, you'd need to run power to the cameras anyway. Logitech did thankfully include thin Ethernet cables which are easily tucked behind your vintage crown molding and don't look too obtrusive. The camera we received is part of the 750i Master System package, the "i" standing for "indoors." There is also a 750e Outdoor Master System package, where the "e" presumably stands for "everywhere" or "environment-ready" or something like that -- it's weather resistant, anyway, and ready to be stuck on the outside of your abode where it can film day or night thanks to an IR mode. The 750i camera, meanwhile, can only film during the day and has to go indoors, though it can be situated to point through a window. Both cameras offer 720p video, and are backed by motion-detecting software, so they're not recording all the time. You can even customize zones within their field of view to isolate exactly where movement will trigger footage and where it won't.

Each camera records to micros, starting with 2GB out of the box. But, once a desktop computer (PC only) comes online running the Logitech Alert Commander software, it will automatically download the footage and empty out the camera again. Since the camera only records when motion is detected, Logitech estimates you can get about a week of recording between downloads if you like. Monitoring that footage from your LAN-connected PC is free, as is watching live footage through a browser or Smartphone. But if you want to review recordings from anywhere you'll need to step up to the Mobile Commander tier, which is an additional $80 per year -- though you do get a free seven day trial.