I’m looking to install a couple or few security cameras outdoors at home. I’ve been looking at various web sites for guidance, but I must admit that it’s all beginning to be a blur.
I believe I need decent nighttime video, good angle for coverage, and I’d prefer video being stored securely. Not sure if I want it in the cloud so it’s off-site or if I want it stored locally. Any thoughts on that issue would be helpful. I’m not wedded to the idea of it being well integrated with Apple’s HomeKit. That’d be nice, but I know some non-Apple ecosystems play better with HomeKit than others.
Thank you very much for any clarity you can bring to my fogged brain! Cheers!
If it’s truly for security, don’t forget the first thing a professional thief will do is disconnect the electricity for the house. I had a friend spend a fortune on fancy cameras that used WiFi, and then when they went on holiday, the electricity was cut. This took out all the cameras and WiFi, rendering them useless. The robbers were clever enough to evade all cameras before the power was cut (there was nothing on the cloud recordings). They were robbed and didn’t even realize - all they knew was that the power was out.
So if you want them for more than just looking at who is outside when you’re in or checking if a delivery has arrived, make sure they use batteries and have fitted storage (not networked or remote).
I use a professional security firm that contacts the police if anything is up, and the cameras are 5G-based with batteries.
I am also wading through this discovery process. EVE stands out as it uses HomeKit secure video but doesn’t offer a doorbell camera. Eufy offers local storage but requires a subscription for notifications. I really like ecobee as have their thermostats but they are also subscription. Arlo, same thing. I want to replace my Ring devices so badly but there doesn’t seem to be anything that checks all my boxes.
I like my Arlo cameras. I just put a 512 gb SD card in my base station, which is going to provide probably 6-8 months of recordings for my 2 cameras. No subscription and if you get cameras that connect to HomeKit you will get notifications. They are a great option.