Eufy admit the 2C/Homebase system is faulty

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Eufy admit the 2C/Homebase system is faulty - where to now?

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#282619 2-Mar-2021 07:44

Hi all.

After weeks of emails back and forth with Eufy they have finally admitted there are known problems with the 2C cameras. This includes suddenly stopping recording anything (requires reset), the trigger zones not working at all, and it's a gamble if it detects anything or not (admitted known issues with detection). They have kindly offered me a pathetic discount on any future Eufy purchase as compensation, but as it's only 6 months old it will be going back to the shop for a refund. The problem is where to now?

I have little faith in Eufy products after this so am reluctant to try another newer model. Arlo are the obvious equivalent but I do not want any ongoing costs and if I read correctly you must subscribe to Arlo for recordings. Are they any better though?

I think I would prefer a continuous recording system, but the main one around seems to be Swann, which based on looking on GZ would be a mistake.

What 2-3 camera system should I be looking at?

-Local recordings

-no ongoing costs

-App alerts/on-line review of events

Thanks

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Handle9

11386 posts

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#2666601 2-Mar-2021 08:48

Wired or wireless?

chevrolux

4962 posts

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Inactive user

#2666603 2-Mar-2021 08:53

HiLook is pretty great.

Same hardware as HikVision, just last generation. Still more than enough for a home situation.

Zorg2000

73 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#2666647 2-Mar-2021 10:24

I don't feel like wireless is at the same level of reliability of wired yet so my recommendation is a POE Reolink NVR system. I have used a couple (one at home and installed one for a friend) and have found them pretty good. The motion sensitivity has been the hardest thing to figure out (lots of false alerts with bugs and shadows at night), but it's always on recording with a good quality picture and notifications come through to the app quickly and can be quickly and easily viewed. PBTech sell them or you can order from their website or Aliexpress if you don't mind waiting for delivery.

dt

1152 posts

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Inactive user

#2666673 2-Mar-2021 11:06

do you have any desire to build your own NVR? if you do blue iris is a good option with POE camera's that meet your requirements.

would recommend cameras that have the ability to have a main and sub stream built into their firmware as you can have the main stream recording at full res when motion is detected and the sub stream recording 24/7 at a lower res to save on space.

There's also the ability the setup AI smarts within blue iris using deepstack for things like facial recognition so you're only notified when it detects humans / cars / animals to cut down on false positives like a tree blowing in the wind etc.

requires a good chunk of a Saturday afternoon to setup but works a treat after that.

Reolink mentioned above is a good option for plug and play.

There are some amazing cameras out now with LED spotlights built into them that give you amazing colour night time recordings, another option to look into if you think its useful.

Im using hikvisions colorvu cameras, they are releasing v2.0 that have a 4k/8mp option!

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2666675 2-Mar-2021 11:10

Handle9: Wired or wireless?

Wireless for ease of installation, but can wire in if need be. Furthermost camera would be 25-30 meters from where I could have the base set.

One disappointing part of the wireless (possibly just Eufy?) cameras is that by the time they trigger and start recording, you often miss the first half of an event.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2666677 2-Mar-2021 11:12

Zorg2000:

I don't feel like wireless is at the same level of reliability of wired yet so my recommendation is a POE Reolink NVR system. I have used a couple (one at home and installed one for a friend) and have found them pretty good. The motion sensitivity has been the hardest thing to figure out (lots of false alerts with bugs and shadows at night), but it's always on recording with a good quality picture and notifications come through to the app quickly and can be quickly and easily viewed. PBTech sell them or you can order from their website or Aliexpress if you don't mind waiting for delivery.

Thanks. Never heard of Reolink, will check them out.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2666680 2-Mar-2021 11:15

dt:

do you have any desire to build your own NVR? if you do blue iris is a good option with POE camera's that meet your requirements.

would recommend cameras that have the ability to have a main and sub stream built into their firmware as you can have the main stream recording at full res when motion is detected and the sub stream recording 24/7 at a lower res to save on space.

There's also the ability the setup AI smarts within blue iris using deepstack for things like facial recognition so you're only notified when it detects humans / cars / animals to cut down on false positives like a tree blowing in the wind etc.

requires a good chunk of a Saturday afternoon to setup but works a treat after that.

Reolink mentioned above is a good option for plug and play.

There are some amazing cameras out now with LED spotlights built into them that give you amazing colour night time recordings, another option to look into if you think its useful.

Im using hikvisions colorvu cameras, they are releasing v2.0 that have a 4k/8mp option!

Would rather an off-the-shelf solution. Will check out Reolink.

Looking at posts on GZ Hikvision owns Swann? . Confused as to how one gets recommended but not the other.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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richms

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#2666765 2-Mar-2021 13:04

scuwp:

One disappointing part of the wireless (possibly just Eufy?) cameras is that by the time they trigger and start recording, you often miss the first half of an event.

Thats generally just battery powered ones that have that problem.

Richard rich.ms

rp1790

738 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#2666779 2-Mar-2021 13:51

To the OP, I was fully committed to the Arlo system from original Arlo's all the way up to the Ultra's. Battery life was ok, the delay in starting recording was quite bad. I now have 6 Eufy's (5 2C's and one 2 Pro). They all have way better battery life and very little delay from detecting motion to starting recording.

As with all these cameras they best detect motion moving across the lens, not coming towards the camera. Activity zones work for me, but Eufy disregard these at night, it auto switch's to ignore all zones and to detect everything.

I've spent 3-4 years with Hikvision and then Dahua cameras running BlueIris and spent MANY MANY hours trying to tune it. BlueIris is not the answer, it's way too hard. Just my opinion.

rugrat

3106 posts

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#2666820 2-Mar-2021 16:06

I’m using Swann but thinking looking at different brand, so will follow thread with interest.

Problem I’ve had with Swann is the changing modes for motion detection, didn’t work at all on second camera, wouldn’t update settings in Applic, they kept going back to what they were before hitting save.

Made phone screen video and took back to shop for refund, no problems there.
A firmware update and now first camera wouldn’t update settings. It just came right now, but I’ll be shaking every firmware update.

Also from when motion detected 8 second lag, both when phone on mobile and same home network as camera.

Good thing no monthly charges. It’s working at moment, but I’m iffy about getting same brand.