Everything I Learned Trying to Setup Smart Home Security Cameras
Security cameras are one of those things that I knew I wanted but was confusing to me for a long time. So I’m here to help you out with what I learned on my own recent security camera journey so that you can make the best decision for yourself and avoid some of the mistakes I made. Let’s start.
Affiliate Links to Some Cameras I mentioned:
Tapo Wireless Outdoor Camera: https://amzn.to/3BdtbLr
Wyze Cam V4: https://amzn.to/3XUgDS8
Wyze Cam Pan V3: https://amzn.to/4gAOBlY
Aqara Camera Hub G3: https://amzn.to/47BkzKL
Ubiquiti G5 Bullet: https://go.magik.ly/ml/25dk4/
Ubiquiti AI Pro: https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/all-cameras-nvrs/products/uvc-ai-pro
Ubiquiti G5 Pro: https://go.magik.ly/ml/25dk7/
Ubiquiti Dream Machine SE: https://go.magik.ly/ml/25dks/
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:42 Monitored vs Unmonitored Systems
1:46 Wired vs Wireless
3:36 Local vs Cloud Storage
5:04 Camera Ecosystems
6:50 Camera Features
9:05 Camera Placement
10:35 What am I Using?
13:33 What if I was Starting From Scratch?
Naming your camera AI pro is a very very bold move in today’s technology world 😬😬
This came out at the PERFECT time for me, I’m moving in about a month and was planning on getting a security camera. Thank you for putting this together!
Since you mentioned UniFi is a bit pricey, you should have added that in the next UniFi Protect update (currently in beta) they will add ONVIF support, which will allow you to add 3rd party cameras to Protect.
hi
2 Rivians 😮Can you do a video on them?
Perfect timing! This is my job for next weekend
So what your saying is after doing all this research the best choice for you was ubiquity products because you got them for free and you already have ubiquity infrastructure – so your advice is get whatever you can get as cheap as possible, thanks great video got it.
I have used a lot of different camera systems over the year and have gone with Ubiquiti cameras and doorbell for outside and I am currently using Aqara cameras for the inside. I will eventually switch out the inside cameras to Ubiquiti cameras.
One thing you did not mention is that Ubiquiti cameras, even though it appears they are more expensive up front, do not charge licensing fees for their cameras and you get lifetime firmware updates with their systems. Ubiquiti is constantly coming out with new features, almost weekly. They have also gone from a walled garden system (think Apple) to supporting cameras that have ONVIF capabilities. This is still in Early Access (think Beta) and we do not know fully what ONVIF features Ubiquiti will support going forward. But at least we now know that we can get non-Ubiquiti cameras and as long as they have ONVIF capabilities, they can be "adopted" into the Protect system.
Also, Ubiquiti has recently come out with a less expensive line of cameras called "Ultra" that can complete very favorably with most PoE cameras on the market today. Plus with the no subscription fees and all of the updates that Ubiquiti is constantly making to their firmware for both the Protect application and the firmware for the cameras to add features and improve the video quality of the recordings, for me it is a no brainer on which system I will be investing in.
One final thought is how well does a company support their hardware. Currently, Ubiquiti has a 2-year warranty on all of their gear if you either but it from them or from an authorized reseller like B&H Photo. On a lot of their gear, they now offer UI Care which extends that warranty to 5-years and gives you expedited RMA’s which includes a shipping label that allows you to return any defective equipment for free. They will send you the replacement unit for free BEFORE you return the defective gear which is part of the "expedited" return process. I have not seen anything like this anywhere else in this industry. So that would be a further consideration for those people that require little to no down time for their equipment.
So half my life savings have also gone to Ubiquiti
Just closed on my first house and we’re shopping around for solutions!
You made me feel old when you brought up graduating then getting a big boy job and buying a house. I choose not to believe I graduated in 2020 and have a 9-5 type job.
Nice video! I love my UniFi Protect setup, I have a mixture of G5 Bullets, AI Bullets and a G4 Doorbell Pro all connected to a UDM-SE in a server rack in my basement. The initial installation was a pain in the ass but it’s far more reliable than my previous Eufy and Nest cameras and I no longer pay a subscription. I also got a sweet network upgrade at the same time since I’m able to take advantage of UniFi Network and now have PoE WAPs. Another pro for wired cameras that was missed is security – PoE cameras are not susceptible to WiFi jammer attacks, which are becoming increasingly popular these days.