The original Deep Sentinel DS1 earned our Editors’ Choice award in 2020 for its unique live monitoring service, quick response times, and ease of use, though we lamented its costly monthly fee and lack of voice control. Aside from a new spotlight and an upgraded AI processor, little has changed with the $399 Deep Sentinel DS2. Its monitoring service is still expensive ($100 per month), and it doesn't work with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant, nor does it integrate with third-party devices. Deep Sentinel is also no longer the only game in town for professional monitoring. If you want to save money by self-monitoring your property, the Reolink Altas PT Ultra offers plentiful features, including ultra-sharp 4K video, mechanical pan and tilt, voice control, and local video storage, for $209.99, remaining our Editors' Choice for outdoor home security cameras.

Design: Familiar, But Updated

For this review, we tested the Deep Sentinel single-camera package that comes with one camera, a smart hub that processes camera footage using AI, two battery packs, a LAN cable, a yard sign, a mounting bracket, a quick start guide, a screwdriver and drill bit, and assorted mounting hardware. The kit costs $399, and the monitoring service costs $100 per month for a single camera. You can control up to six cameras with one hub, and each additional camera costs $200. Other optional accessories include a spare battery pack, a solar panel, and a plug-in Wi-Fi extender. 

The DS2 looks nearly identical to the DS1, but there are a few differences. The camera comes in white (the DS1 is black) and adds a spotlight just above the camera lens. Also new is a USB port for charging the removable battery pack via external sources like solar panels. The camera's 9,600mAh lithium-ion battery is rated to last up to three months between charges.

The camera measures 6.0 by 2.5 by 4.2 inches (HWD) and has an IP65 weatherproof rating that protects it from damage due to rain and dust. The top portion has a twist-off battery compartment, a speaker, a microphone, a mini USB port, and an LED ring that illuminates with a spinning red line when the hub detects a potential security threat. The bottom portion holds the spotlight, an image sensor that captures video at 1080p with a 130-degree field of view, a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor, an ambient light sensor, and a power LED. In addition to the spotlight, the camera has a 104dB siren that is used to ward off unwanted guests. A pairing button for setup is located on the back.

The smart hub has also been upgraded with a more powerful NXP ARM Cortex A53 CPU that provides 30fps processing for quicker threat identification. It includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of flash memory for storing recorded video locally (you also get 64GB of revolving cloud storage as part of your subscription). It uses proprietary RF technology to communicate with each camera and connects to your home network via a LAN port on the back of the device. The hub has a cylindrical shape measuring 4.4 by 5.4 inches and features a removable top that hides a built-in charging compartment for the camera battery. An LED indicator on the hub blinks green while the battery is charging, white when in pairing mode, blue during a software update, and red when there is no internet connection. A solid green light indicates that the hub is online, and a solid purple light indicates that you are in privacy mode. The rear of the hub has a LAN port, a power port, a reset button, and a USB port.

Deep Sentinel’s monitoring service hasn’t changed much since we reviewed the DS1, but it is significantly more expensive. Instead of $60 per month, it now costs $100 per month for one camera (a minimum one-year contract is required when you sign up), and you now have to pay $50 extra for each additional camera, up from $20. For comparison, SimpliSafe’s Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 costs $199.99, and live monitoring starts at $49.99 per month, but it only works when connected to a SimpliSafe Home Security System.

Live monitoring with the Deep Sentinel system works like this: When the camera detects motion, the hub’s AI will determine if the event is harmless or if there's a security threat. If the motion is deemed suspicious, the video is sent to the cloud, and an agent is assigned to view the activity in real time. If an agent decides that a security risk still exists after trying to ward off an intruder via the camera's two-way audio, they will sound the siren and enable the spotlight. If that doesn’t work, they will contact the local authorities. All this happens in a matter of seconds.

The DS2 camera and hub use the same Deep Sentinel Home Security mobile app (free for Android and iOS) as the DS1. It opens to the home screen, which has a scrolling timeline of recently verified event thumbnails (that have been reviewed by a live agent). Tap any thumbnail to view, save, or share the video, or to send it to Deep Sentinel.

Below the verified timeline are panels for the hub and each connected camera. Tap the hub panel to access settings, where you can test its connection speed, view connected devices, and delete or restart it. Tap the camera panel to view a live feed, which is automatically presented in landscape mode. Here, you’ll find buttons for muting the speaker, initiating two-way talk, enabling an AI deterrent (that plays a sound or a voice message when the camera detects activity), turning on privacy mode, sounding the siren, and defining a motion activity zone.

Tap the History button at the bottom of the home screen to see thumbnails of all recorded events, listed by date. When you tap the settings button, it opens a screen where you can see which Wi-Fi network the camera is using, test the siren and speaker, set up protection (privacy) zones, create protection schedules, enable push notifications, and view the remaining battery life.

Installation and Performance: Simple Setup, Responsive Live Monitoring

In testing, the Deep Sentinel DS2 camera was easy to install. I downloaded the app, created an account, and tapped Add a Hub. I selected the DS2 Wireless Hub, connected it to my router, and powered it up. The hub immediately connected, so I tapped Done and then Add a Camera on the next screen. I inserted a battery into the camera, pressed the pairing button on the device, and it immediately paired with the hub. I gave it a name in the app, connected it to my Wi-Fi network, and mounted it on a deck post in my backyard to complete the installation. To test my connection, I raised my arms over my head, as suggested in the quick start guide, and received a response from a live agent within seconds.

The camera provided relatively sharp 1080p video with rich colors during the day, but nighttime video appeared slightly grainy. Motion alerts arrived instantly, and recorded video was available almost immediately.

Live monitoring worked as intended. Any motion caused by pets and family members was verified and ignored by the live agents (i.e. triggered no intervention). I donned a hoodie, sunglasses, and a face mask and loitered around within camera range. Within 10 seconds, the red light began spinning, and an agent said, “This is Deep Sentinel Security. Can I help you?” When I explained that I was testing the camera, the agent asked for my name, verified that everything was alright, and wished me a good day. Each interaction with a live agent was friendly and professional, and two-way audio came through loud and clear, as did the AI deterrent response.

Below the verified timeline are panels for the hub and each connected camera. Tap the hub panel to access settings, where you can test its connection speed, view connected devices, and delete or restart it. Tap the camera panel to view a live feed, which is automatically presented in landscape mode. Here, you’ll find buttons for muting the speaker, initiating two-way talk, enabling an AI deterrent (that plays a sound or a voice message when the camera detects activity), turning on privacy mode, sounding the siren, and defining a motion activity zone.

Tap the History button at the bottom of the home screen to see thumbnails of all recorded events, listed by date. When you tap the settings button, it opens a screen where you can see which Wi-Fi network the camera is using, test the siren and speaker, set up protection (privacy) zones, create protection schedules, enable push notifications, and view the remaining battery life.

Installation and Performance: Simple Setup, Responsive Live Monitoring

In testing, the Deep Sentinel DS2 camera was easy to install. I downloaded the app, created an account, and tapped Add a Hub. I selected the DS2 Wireless Hub, connected it to my router, and powered it up. The hub immediately connected, so I tapped Done and then Add a Camera on the next screen. I inserted a battery into the camera, pressed the pairing button on the device, and it immediately paired with the hub. I gave it a name in the app, connected it to my Wi-Fi network, and mounted it on a deck post in my backyard to complete the installation. To test my connection, I raised my arms over my head, as suggested in the quick start guide, and received a response from a live agent within seconds.

The camera provided relatively sharp 1080p video with rich colors during the day, but nighttime video appeared slightly grainy. Motion alerts arrived instantly, and recorded video was available almost immediately.

Live monitoring worked as intended. Any motion caused by pets and family members was verified and ignored by the live agents (i.e. triggered no intervention). I donned a hoodie, sunglasses, and a face mask and loitered around within camera range. Within 10 seconds, the red light began spinning, and an agent said, “This is Deep Sentinel Security. Can I help you?” When I explained that I was testing the camera, the agent asked for my name, verified that everything was alright, and wished me a good day. Each interaction with a live agent was friendly and professional, and two-way audio came through loud and clear, as did the AI deterrent response.

The Bottom Line

The Deep Sentinel DS2 is a pricey outdoor security camera system that uses AI and live monitoring agents to deter would-be intruders in real time.