Another what CCTV
Discussion
I am currently running a number of UCam247 cameras indoors and would like to replace them.
I am after a camera that I can access using an app on my phone/tablet and also from PC. I also need it to be able to upload the motion captured footage to a CIFS share or to an FTP server. I do not want to have to purchase a DVR or open ports on my router. The current ones work over P2P.
I am looking to change them as in order to save the recordings, my current cameras use SMB1 and whenever I upgrade my NAS, the cameras stop working until I troubleshoot, which is getting tedious.
Just tried to access a recording to find there has been none since Dec24. Time to get something else.
What would you suggest?
Thanks.
I am after a camera that I can access using an app on my phone/tablet and also from PC. I also need it to be able to upload the motion captured footage to a CIFS share or to an FTP server. I do not want to have to purchase a DVR or open ports on my router. The current ones work over P2P.
I am looking to change them as in order to save the recordings, my current cameras use SMB1 and whenever I upgrade my NAS, the cameras stop working until I troubleshoot, which is getting tedious.
Just tried to access a recording to find there has been none since Dec24. Time to get something else.
What would you suggest?
Thanks.
Your requirements are conflicting.
The point of an NVR is to manage the complexity of saving/recording/playing back the images. If you try and do this in the camera, you’ve got some crappy real time OS that is trying to manage asynchronous tasks related to storage. As you are finding out, it doesn’t work very well - and the random upgrades are linked to the issue. The NVR abstracts the cameras from anything to do with storage.
The Ring type systems solve all of this by running NVR as a service, and storage, in the cloud. It’s crap for a whole load of other reasons, but it is simple.
Most of the rest of the systems have some form of NVR. The key difference is whether the NVR is tightly bound to the camera supplier, or is a generic device that can handle anything. The latter tend to be more expensive, and have subscriptions, because their development is not supported by camera sales.
I use Ubiquiti CCTV - it meets your requirements for a really good app, piss easy set up (no-need to fiddle with routers), really good remote management. It does need an NVR, and the best solution is a £200 self contained device that they sell - again, it just works. Cameras are fairly pricey, but excellent. If you use their networking, then you get even better remote management - e.g. the ability to reboot devices through the POE switch.
Other systems are available....
The point of an NVR is to manage the complexity of saving/recording/playing back the images. If you try and do this in the camera, you’ve got some crappy real time OS that is trying to manage asynchronous tasks related to storage. As you are finding out, it doesn’t work very well - and the random upgrades are linked to the issue. The NVR abstracts the cameras from anything to do with storage.
The Ring type systems solve all of this by running NVR as a service, and storage, in the cloud. It’s crap for a whole load of other reasons, but it is simple.
Most of the rest of the systems have some form of NVR. The key difference is whether the NVR is tightly bound to the camera supplier, or is a generic device that can handle anything. The latter tend to be more expensive, and have subscriptions, because their development is not supported by camera sales.
I use Ubiquiti CCTV - it meets your requirements for a really good app, piss easy set up (no-need to fiddle with routers), really good remote management. It does need an NVR, and the best solution is a £200 self contained device that they sell - again, it just works. Cameras are fairly pricey, but excellent. If you use their networking, then you get even better remote management - e.g. the ability to reboot devices through the POE switch.
Other systems are available....
Thanks for the replies.
I don’t store anything on the cameras. Motion detection gets sent at the moment (well not now as it’s broken) to my NAS via cifs and that provides all I need from it. It’s a faff trying to find something, but I only need to do that once in a blue moon.
Main thing we use it for is to check on the dogs either in the house or the conservatory. Tried to look at footage the other day for the kitchen as I got a rat problem and wanted to see what they did as I stupidly left the food bin open.
I’ll look at the ubiquiti stuff as I have their router and APs. Will see if their cameras are wireless as I will not be able to run network cable to the locations.
I don’t store anything on the cameras. Motion detection gets sent at the moment (well not now as it’s broken) to my NAS via cifs and that provides all I need from it. It’s a faff trying to find something, but I only need to do that once in a blue moon.
Main thing we use it for is to check on the dogs either in the house or the conservatory. Tried to look at footage the other day for the kitchen as I got a rat problem and wanted to see what they did as I stupidly left the food bin open.
I’ll look at the ubiquiti stuff as I have their router and APs. Will see if their cameras are wireless as I will not be able to run network cable to the locations.
Edited by smashie on Wednesday 13th January 11:25
Their G3 micro is the only wireless one - if you have a decent WiFi signal it is fine, but it is not good in places with poor coverage. Other than that, it is a good little camera. Make sure you are on up to date firmware, there were some horrible bugs 18 months ago. If you already have UniFi kit - what are you using as a controller - because the Gen 2 cloud key is an NVR as well....
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