Security cameras without subscription

I will be moving to a new place next month and want to set up some security cameras outside the house. I also want to add one or two cameras inside the house.

Local Internet service providers offer subscription plans with security cameras I really don’t want to go that route. Are there any recommendations for a do it yourself security set up that does not cost a fortune? Perhaps some HomeKit compatible cameras?

I can use my Snap NAS for storage.

A friend of mine has a couple Logitech Circles. They link up with HomeKit and use your iCloud storage for a reasonable price.Not sure if they still make them though, or how they’d compare to newer offerings.

1 Like

You can setup an own Surveillance Station, for Example by using the Synology System for that.

Some cameras hold local storage (SD Card), others hold storage in a central hub on your network. Both have potential drawbacks (you may have to remove the SD card to access footage, or may only be able to access footage on your local network. Plus the footage is in a single location and not backed up)

Other than that you’ll need to pay some form of subscription to store the footage.

Forgot to mention that I have Qnap NAS.

How far DIY you want to go? Rpi running MotioenEye and a few ELP cameras on USB is fairly cheap and uses no external resources.

While it might be a good reason to get rid of the QNAP, and play with something better (in my Eyes) :wink:, QNAP is offering a Surveillance function, too.
http://www.qnap.com/en-us/software/surveillance-station

That may work, but you still have a risk of losing your data (fire, theft…)

I’ve been very happy my eufy Security eufyCam 2C Pro 2K cameras. Easy to install and have the option of using HomeKit Secure Video. I know there was a bit of a debacle over eufy’s handling of the finding that snapshot thumbnails were in fact going to the cloud. But this is something that can be avoided. They are easy to install, only need charging every few months and have been very reliable.

1 Like

You are aware of this, right?

Yes I am - thanks for pointing it out though. All my cameras are external so I’m not too fussed if someone is desperate enough to watch the cars driving past my house! There is also the option of using HomeKit Secure Video (albeit with a drop in resolution from 2K to HD).