Security camera system for home

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Loismustdye

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#293143 1-Jan-2022 10:28

Looking at getting one of the smart home security camera systems for the house (ring etc) for the new year

Does anybody have any pros/cons with one particular system over another? Interested to hear peoples real life experiences with various options rather than the company webpage.

wanting mostly at this stage a floodlight camera to replace the existing rubbish security sensor lights, with a view to a doorbell cam of some sort and a couple wireless cameras around the house a bit later. Something that integrates nicely with iOS as that’s what our household is, wanting the option to view both in real time and later on, not fussed either way on whether it would be a subscription based service or in home storage.

Thanks

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#2841323 1-Jan-2022 11:30

I use Unifi Protect for home and my parents place, all cameras are recorded on my NVR here in Hamilton over a VPN, so far so good!

My 10c I would highly discourage Wireless cameras like Arlo or Efuy in the aspect of if i was a theif and i saw that it was an arlo i would make that cam disapear, I have always prefered to run cables to my cameras and hardwire them as that is how they are meant to be installed in the industry that i work in, also from what i have read you have to pay for a sub on some of them and the data is not stored locally either (pending on how you set it up and the brand) so really can it be classed as CCTV?

If i was you i would look in to a IP camera system, where you run cables, also by rnning cables you never have to worry about batteries going flat or chargin batteries and so on and the data will be stored locally on the NVR.

Edit : Spelling

cshwone

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#2841360 1-Jan-2022 13:03

sparkz25:

I use Unifi Protect for home and my parents place, all cameras are recorded on my NVR here in Hamilton over a VPN, so far so good!

My 10c I would highly discourage Wireless cameras like Arlo or Efuy in the aspect of if i was a theif and i saw that it was an arlo i would make that cam disapear, I have always prefered to run cables to my cameras and hardwire them as that is how they are meant to be installed in the industry that i work in, also from what i have read you have to pay for a sub on some of them and the data is not stored locally either (pending on how you set it up and the brand) so really can it be classed as CCTV?

If i was you i would look in to a IP camera system, where you run cables, also by rnning cables you never have to worry about batteries going flat or chargin batteries and so on and the data will be stored locally on the NVR.

Edit : Spelling

I am actually quite happy with my triple camera Eufy Wireless solution with local storage and no subscription charges.

Battery life is months and it doesn't really inconvenience me to recharge them.

i don't really get your point of making the Arlo disappear? You can do that with any camera surely whether it's wireless or hard wired.

scuwp

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#2841431 1-Jan-2022 13:55

I have Eufy, and regret it. Flaky motion detection, randomly goes offline, triggers and records all manner of random crap it shouldn't, and then misses things it should. Events are half over before it triggers and records something. Spent countless hours with Eufy support (useless) and on-line trying to resolve. These are common complaints.

Friend has Arlo and reports many of the same issues, also growing cost of subscriptions.

I can't wait to dump my system and get a proper wired one that runs 24/7. My pick looking at reviews is Reolink.

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RUKI

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#2841446 1-Jan-2022 14:18

Plenty off the shelf solutions with modern systems being 4K wireless and and wired with Power over Lan and scalable up to 16 cameras. Night view of modern ones is also not that bad.

I wonder if anyone already saw affordable systems for general public (vs expensive specialized for banks, police and transport authorities) with license plate and face recognition and/or with natural color moonlight view? I saw documentary made with moonlight cameras - it is unbelievable! With a bit of a moonlight - everything looks like it is a day...

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chevrolux

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#2841456 1-Jan-2022 14:53

Security shouldn't rely on a cloud service for recording. Wired cameras, NVR (or any sort of local server) on site. Job done.

HiLook for a an excellent system at excellent pricing.

HikVision with the new ColourVu cameras if the budget allows - essentially its colour night vision, bloody impressive.

Unifi always have, and always will, be over priced toys with buggy software. Avoid at all costs IMO.

sparkz25

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#2841460 1-Jan-2022 15:00

cshwone:

i don't really get your point of making the Arlo disappear? You can do that with any camera surely whether it's wireless or hard wired.

Arlo disapear as in physically disapear and remove it from its location never to be seen again, thrown in the bin or river. the ones that i have seen and most people install using magnetig mounts so makes life easier for getting them gone.

Hence why wehn we have a client suggest to us that they will go get a arlo we say good luck, as i have seen plenty got walk abouts.

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sparkz25

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#2841461 1-Jan-2022 15:03

chevrolux: Security shouldn't rely on a cloud service for recording. Wired cameras, NVR (or any sort of local server) on site. Job done.

HiLook for a an excellent system at excellent pricing.

HikVision with the new ColourVu cameras if the budget allows - essentially its colour night vision, bloody impressive.

Unifi always have, and always will, be over priced toys with buggy software. Avoid at all costs IMO.

This is true, Security shouldnt ever rely on a cloud based service!

Hi look is a hikvision brand, never used the NVR's as we make our own or use a off the shelf hikvision NVR.

I have yet to encounter these bugs with the unifi.

chevrolux

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#2841471 1-Jan-2022 16:12

Yep the HiLook gear is literally just the same gear as the HikVision branded stuff i.e. HiLook plug-and-play will work with HikVision NVRs. They just dont give the brand new features to HiLook until about a year later. And the HiLook NVRs are just missing the "clever" features like ALPR and those kind of specialist things.

Gordy7

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#2841478 1-Jan-2022 16:42

What is wrong with using security camera to a cloud based service?

Maybe this issue relates to a camera manufacturer's cloud service?

Surely a cloud backup of an NVR or central computer is less prone to security image loss by theft.

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sparkz25

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#2841527 1-Jan-2022 19:21

Gordy7:

What is wrong with using security camera to a cloud based service?

Maybe this issue relates to a camera manufacturer's cloud service?

Surely a cloud backup of an NVR or central computer is less prone to security image loss by theft.

Using a cloud provider is not local storage, and you have to pay a sub to obtain and retain your own data which in turn you probably no longer own, where as local storage none of this applies, the data is local and you own it, let aloe if the internet drops well then there goes your recording history fro that time period.

Yes it could be OK for those who cant be bothered to sort out their own local storage and recordings and rather pay some one else to sort it out for them but in my opinion once its in the cloud and its a paid for sub from the likes of arlo or efuy or who ever the data is no longer yours.

A cloud back up of a local NVR to a Encrypted S3 bucket would be my preferred solution, but it would not be as cost effective as local or a offsite replication of said drive to a offsite NAS

Loismustdye

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#2841733 2-Jan-2022 08:55

Thanks for the thoughts, hadn’t really considered local storage as an option because I though these all needed to be wired together and to the storage “base” unit which I really wasn’t keen on as I preferred the option of a wireless system for ease of installation.

looks like I have got a bit more reading to do on the matter haha

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cshwone

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#2841743 2-Jan-2022 09:24

Just to clarify Eufy is local storage not a cloud service

https://myeufy.co.nz/eufy-security-camera-2c/

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/p/eufy-cam-2c-3-pack-home-base/N195552.html

sbiddle

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#2841745 2-Jan-2022 09:31

To add to that "local storage" does not need to mean an NVR either. You can easily add microsd storage to most high quality cameras and footage is stored directly to that.

There are pros and cons to every solution, so it's a matter of working out what is best suited to the requirements.

scuwp

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#2841752 2-Jan-2022 09:59

cshwone:
Just to clarify Eufy is local storage not a cloud service

https://myeufy.co.nz/eufy-security-camera-2c/

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/p/eufy-cam-2c-3-pack-home-base/N195552.html

I fairly sure cloud storage was a subscription option, at least it was when I purchased mine. I am pleased I didn't use it, Eufy network goes down with surprising regularity.

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Technofreak

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#2843881 5-Jan-2022 17:42

If you already have a NAS like QNAP or Synology they have a NVR function/app which takes care of the onsite storage.

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