TP-Link’s New Tapo Cam Lineup Matter With The HomeBase H500

TP-Link is beefing up its Tapo smart home lineup with a raft of new security cameras, headlined by solar-powered 4K cameras, a clever dual-lens HybridCam, and a much anticipated smart hub that adds facial recognition and Matter support to the mix.

The new Tapo Smart HomeBase H500, which was first teased 18 months ago at CES 2024, is finally here.

More than just a local storage box and bridge with software smarts – as per companion hubs from the likes of Arlo and Reolink – the H500 is able to act as a Matter controller for third party devices too, so presumably you’ll be able to create automations across the Tapo ecosystem and devices from other manufacturers.

This being Matter though, there is a slight caveat in that it can’t control all device types. The CSA gives brands the tools to support a huge range of categories and gadgets now but it’s up to individual brands and platforms to implement those tools.

In the case of the H500 it’s limited to just lighting, sensors, switches, plugs, and door locks for now. We’d hope that more categories will be added down the line and, of course, you’d expect it to be all set for when security cameras do finally come to the Matter party.

Aside from the Matter action, the H500 also boasts AI smarts, face tagging, and support for up to 16 Tapo cameras and 64 sensors.

It comes with 16GB of onboard storage and room to expand to a whopping 16TB via SATA, giving you the option to keep recordings completely local, with no subscription required.

It connects via Ethernet or over dual-band Wi-Fi, and the H500 processes AI detection locally, so it can spot faces, vehicles, pets, and even track strangers across multiple cameras, without sending anything to the cloud.

Cameras still aren’t part of the Matter spec, as mentioned, so the Tapo cams only work with Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings for now, but that’s true of everyone else, too.

On the camera front, the new Tapo MagCam 4K Solar (C460 KIT) and Tapo VistaCam 360 Solar (C660 KIT) are the standouts from a bumper launch.

Both feature 8MP image quality, color night vision via a starlight sensor and F1.65 lens, and built-in solar panels so you don’t have to mess with recharging every few weeks.

TP-Link tells us they can run for up to 55 days on a full battery, and only need around 45 minutes of sunlight per day to stay topped up.

The VistaCam model adds 360-degree pan/tilt control, while both support 24/7 recording to the H500 or a microSD card.

If you’re looking for something indoors, the Tapo RoomCam 360 (C260) brings the same 4K chops to an outlet-powered pan/tilt cam. It’s got AI detection for people, pets, and vehicles, a physical privacy shutter, and can even listen out for specific sounds like crying babies or breaking glass.

Tapo’s new HybridCam Series is also pretty interesting, especially the $69.99 Tapo HybridCam Duo (C246D).

It combines a fixed 125-degree wide-angle lens with a separate 6mm telephoto pan/tilt lens, so you can keep tabs on wide spaces and zoom in on details without needing two separate cameras. Smart tracking is built in, so if one lens spots movement, the other can automatically follow it.

There are more affordable options in the lineup, too, with 1080p, 2K, and 3K pan/tilt versions starting at just $29.99. All support on-device AI detection, multi-mounting, and IP-rated weatherproofing.

The wired VistaCam C560WS fills out the range at $99.99, offering facial recognition and 24/7 recording at 25fps, with night vision and pan/tilt control.

All of these new Tapo cams can record locally, either via microSD cards or to the HomeBase, and include free AI-powered alerts for people, pets, and vehicles. No cloud subscription is required, although TP-Link still offers its optional Tapo Care service if you want offsite backups.

With the HomeBase in place, you also get a bunch of extras like facial recognition across all Tapo cameras (even older non-AI ones), smart event categorization.

There’s also a dock for a tablet and TV integration is possible from its HDMI port for multi-camera live views.

There’s a built-in mic and speaker too, so the hub can double as an intercom for your cameras or video doorbells and it also has a 110dB alarm siren on board too.

It’s a big ecosystem push from TP-Link, especially with Matter support now baked into the H500. While the platform still doesn’t cover cameras, that’s on the roadmap so TP-Link is nicely placed to benefit.

All the new cameras, along with the HomeBase H500, are available now on Amazon or direct from TP-Link.