"Wireless is handy for quick checks, sure, but until battery tech and signal reliability step up their game, wired stays my go-to."
Yeah, I hear you on that. Last week we had a wireless cam drop signal halfway through checking a tricky bend... ended up fishing it out manually. Wired definitely feels safer for now, at least for those tougher jobs.
Same experience here. Wireless is convenient, but I've noticed the video quality can get choppy, especially deeper into longer pipes or around tight corners. Wired cams just seem more consistent—no worrying about battery life or sudden signal drops. Maybe wireless will catch up eventually, but for now, wired feels like the safer bet for anything beyond a quick peek.
I've actually had pretty solid luck with wireless lately. Yeah, I get the concerns about battery and signal drops, especially deep in tricky pipes, but honestly, newer models have stepped up their game big-time. Last week, I used a wireless cam on a tight bend job—thought it'd glitch out for sure—but surprisingly, it held steady and gave me clear footage. Wired is still reliable, no doubt, but wireless is getting there faster than we might think...might be worth another look if you haven't tried one recently.
Interesting to hear your experience with wireless lately. I've been a wired cam guy for years, mostly because I had a pretty rough go with wireless about five or six years back. I remember one particular job—a rental property I own had this stubborn blockage deep down a pipe with a nasty bend. Thought I'd give wireless a shot since it was the new thing at the time. Well, halfway through, the signal dropped completely, and I ended up fishing around blind for way longer than I'd like to admit. After that, I swore off wireless for good.
But your post has me reconsidering things a bit. Maybe the tech really has improved that much? I mean, battery life alone has come leaps and bounds in other tools I use around my properties, so it makes sense that drain cams would follow suit. Plus, not having to wrestle with cables every time sounds pretty appealing, especially when you're dealing with tight crawl spaces or awkward basement setups.
Still, I wonder how these newer wireless models handle interference. I've got a couple of older buildings with thick concrete walls and metal piping everywhere—seems like a recipe for signal trouble. Have you tried your wireless cam in any older buildings or places with lots of metalwork? Curious if the improvements hold up in those tougher scenarios too.
Might just have to borrow or rent one of these newer wireless cams and give it another shot. Who knows, maybe I'll finally retire my trusty old wired setup...
"Plus, not having to wrestle with cables every time sounds pretty appealing, especially when you're dealing with tight crawl spaces or awkward basement setups."
Totally agree with you there. I'm a first-time homeowner and just recently had to deal with my first major plumbing headache—clogged main line in an older home. Borrowed my neighbor's wired cam setup, and man, dragging that cable around corners and through tight spots was a nightmare. I kept thinking how much easier it'd be without the cable getting snagged every five feet.
I haven't personally tried wireless yet, but a buddy of mine swears by his newer model. He mentioned that interference isn't nearly as bad as it used to be, even in his old brick house with metal pipes everywhere. Apparently, these newer cams use stronger signals or something... not sure of the exact tech behind it, but he hasn't had any drops or glitches yet.
Still, like you said, renting one first might be the smart move before fully committing. I'm definitely leaning toward giving wireless a shot next time around though—anything to avoid another wrestling match with cables!
