The Kasa Spot Pan Tilt IP camera does not support HomeKit or RTSP, but overall the Kasa app isn't half bad.
In this article we'll unbox the camera, and then get it set up with the Kasa app.
There's not a lot to say here. The camera is accompanied by a USB power cable, wall adapter plus a detachable wall plate. The USB cable comes with a nice Velcro strap instead of a cheap twist tie, so that’s a nice perk.
If you haven't already done so, you need to install the Kasa app.
Right away, the app will prompt you for access to your local network. This is normal, but it's weird then that the setup process later requires you to connect to the wifi network of the camera -- not sure what's going on with that.
Annoyingly, you'll have to create an account before you can set up your camera. Everyone expects that these days, but it's a dumb requirement and something that Streamie absolutely avoids.
Like some other camera apps, the Kasa app wants access to your location. Better than most apps, it actually explains why, even though it isn't exactly a particularly believable reason, and it certainly doesn't belong in the first-time-setup process.
Time to add your camera.
Choose your camera. You know, since the app has local network access, why not just discover the camera automatically?
If you haven't already done so, get that camera powered on.
And wait for the camera to be ready.
This is where they lose me. If the app has local network access, it can configure the camera. There's no need to connect to the wifi network of the camera. This is old school and not cool. But it works.
After you've connected to the camera's wifi network, you have to configure the camera to connect to your wifi network. Better than some apps, the Kasa app actually shows you a list of discovered wifi networks from which you can choose.
And then you should be good-to-go.
And now you can access your camera via the Kasa app.
Unfortunately, that's the end of this tutorial because this camera does not support ONVIF or RTSP or any other standard protocol for streaming. Additionally, if you take the reasonable security precaution of preventing the camera from having internet access (because cameras in general should not have internet access), the app can no longer access the camera even if they're both in your home and connected to your wifi network.
Overall, it was a painless setup process, but the user account requirement and the internet access requirement continue to be annoyances, and the location permission thing doesn't make any sense and should be a red flag. Aside from some general trust that comes with the TP-Link brand name, I would NOT under any circumstances leave this camera plugged in with internet access in my home. And if you remove its internet access, the camera becomes disabled.
Please contact us if you have any questions. We're happy to help.
Streamie provides a best-in-class user experience on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Silicon Mac, with an intuitive user interface that makes it simple to discover, stream, record, monitor and share your HomeKit, Google Nest, Ubiquiti UniFi Protect and ONVIF-compatible IP and RTSP cameras. Streamie keeps you informed with motion event notifications and it works with most cameras using its advanced audio and video codec support. You can watch your cameras from anywhere, record 24/7 to your private NAS, remotely manage multiple locations, device permissions and seamlessly synchronize settings across your devices; configure Hubitat smart home automations, live stream to YouTube and rely on the in-app technical support system when you need help (but you can also reach us by phone). Download Streamie today. Lastly, Streamie is solar powered!