All of the footage was crystal-clear in 1080p HD, changing from black-and-white to color vision, depending on visibility, like ambient light from my TV while the room was dark. All of the videos taken during the day were in HD color. It has 360-degree pan-and-tilt (PTZ) capabilities and auto pet tracking, meaning that the AI will automatically detect, record, and upload videos with what it identifies as the pet activity in the log.
In much of the pet tech I test, the connected apps are lacking. But that’s not been the case with anything I’ve tested from Petlibro. Through the app, you can view live footage, watch clips organized by day, pet, and activity, and review 30-second highlight reels of each day. Activities are organized by pet and categorized by type: Eating, Drinking, Litter Box, Selfie, Motion, and Other (which was usually just my cats lounging on the bed). You can also easily send feedback about each pet and behavior with a click of a button, so the AI can learn to correctly label each pet and behavior.
Have No Fear, AI Is Here
Petlibro via Molly Higgins
Petlibro via Molly Higgins
Petlibro touts the camera’s intuitive AI features, but in reality, Scout is like any other pet camera unless you pay for the AI subscription, which is more expensive than other subscription services I’ve used while testing pet cameras. The AI Standard plan gets you the AI compilation highlight reels, filters videos by activity, and has seven days of video history at $120 per year or $12 per month. AI Premium is the tier above and gets you all the features in Standard plus up to 30 days of stored history and early access to new AI-powered features, at $170 per year or $17 per month. And sadly, if you buy more than one camera, you’ll need to pay that hefty AI subscription fee for each.
When I first set up the camera, I used it for about a week and a half without the paid AI subscription. Without it, it’s just a basic pet camera with limited playback and storage and no ability to differentiate pets or activities. The pricey subscription service for AI is what makes this camera stand out, but it’s basically nothing new. I’ve tested Petcube and Furbo pet cameras with their own versions of AI that label and categorize the activities they observe for much cheaper.
