Would You Choose Security CCTV System or IP Cam with Smart Hub

justwii on 20/08/2019 - 01:23

I am thinking to buy around 6 cameras to monitor different areas in and outside my house for security purpose. First thing came to my mind was those CCTV systems, wired or wireless. Good thing about them is an internal 1 to 2TB HDD to keep recording, but the let down is the horrible app to watch live feed. Also, I honestly just heard of one brand that starts with S, others are all Chinese small brands unheard of. My concern is long term support these systems can offer, e.g. apps no longer being updated and stopped working one day.

Further searching online I found out these IP cams that works either standalone or to pair with some smart hub like Google Home or Amazon Echo. Obviously some bigger brands are playing a part here like Netgear and TP-link, etc. I believe the support of their app for live feed is guaranteed? Some even offer cloud storage, which I see is a bonus (not all are free but the free-tier for about a day storage is enough for me). The biggest let down of course is the higher price tag.

Do you have any opinion that you can share?

Poll Options

  • 10
    Security CCTV System
  • 0
    IP Cam
  • 7
    IP Cam with Smart Hub
  • 1
    Other
Home & Garden IP Camera Security Camera Security System

Comments

  • websterp on 20/08/2019 - 07:11

    If you do enough research you will find that the brand starting with S is the worst of them all.

    Get IP cameras from a reputed Chinese brand such as Dahua, Hikvision or Vivotek and use a NAS from Qnap or Synology to run the NVR component and you will not have any of the App issues you have mentioned in your post

    • justwii on 20/08/2019 - 13:25

      Thanks, I did not know the S brand is that bad LOL. What about live feed app support from these Chinese brands you reckon?

      • websterp on 20/08/2019 - 14:22

        You dont use the App from the camera manufacturer. Instead you install Qnap or Synology apps which are pretty good.

  • Tee Rex Arms on 20/08/2019 - 07:59

    Crimsafe on all doors and windows. It will deter and/or prevent offenders whereas CCTV is reactive and can only assist with the proceedings process.

    • justwii on 20/08/2019 - 13:29

      Haha yes, but I think a cam is also something nice to deter burglars, second to an angry dog.

  • orangetrain on 20/08/2019 - 08:44

    Get a beware of dog with baseball bat sticker

    • HardQuiz on 20/08/2019 - 10:56

      And the smile you’re on CCTV sticker as well

  • eug on 20/08/2019 - 11:18

    If you don't mind the price, having to recharge them every few months, and have a good internet connection, Arlo cameras are good as they come with 7 days free cloud storage. They also don't require running cables, so you can save money on installation. The app is better than lots of NVRs, and also supports geofencing so the cameras can be automatically armed when you leave home, and disarmed when you get back. Geofencing isn't 100% reliable for me, but I'm satisfied with it.

    With cloud storage, if the thief manages to break in, there's no NVR for them to steal or destroy. You can also plug in a USB drive into the base station if you want a local backup.

    • justwii on 20/08/2019 - 13:34

      Great, someone who is actually using Arlo! Yes the price is a bit steep with these gadgets. Do they have to work with Google Assistant or Alexia? No cabling is a big plus here, but really you only need to recharge once a few months? I think I have seen some solar panel attachment for outdoor use, have you tried it before?

      • eug on 20/08/2019 - 16:23

        Yes the price is a bit steep with these gadgets.

        If you have to pay for an installer to run cables with the other cameras, it could work out to be the same price or cheaper.

        Do they have to work with Google Assistant or Alexia?

        Nope, they don't need Google Assistant or Alexa to work. However if you did have a Google Home Hub, you could say "hey google, show the front door" and you'll be able to view the feed on the home hub itself. You can also get it to stream onto your TV if you had a Chromecast installed. I've never tried that though.

        No cabling is a big plus here, but really you only need to recharge once a few months?

        That's what my friend says. I actually use the Arlo Q Plus which is wired. I did get an original Arlo Pro recently but I haven't run down the rechargable RCR123A batts yet. Battery life will depend on how much activity there is in front of the camera.

        I think I have seen some solar panel attachment for outdoor use, have you tried it before?

        Nope haven't tried that, but it looks like it should work fine. One benefit is that you can mount the camera in a tree and point it towards your house for an overall view of what's happening.

      • ensanguined on 20/08/2019 - 20:40

        I used original Arlo and Arlo Q for years. Hated them so much. Terrible system. Zero support. Went and got a cheap CCTV solution ($230 for 4 Jooan cameras) and never looked back. Came in handy multiple times already.

        • eug on 20/08/2019 - 20:48

          What problems did you have?

          • ensanguined on 20/08/2019 - 21:00

            @eug: Firmware updates that constantly caused more bugs than they fixed, Live View never works, epic delays between what Live View finally does show when it works versus realtime, epic battery drain no matter what I did (mostly due to conmstant false positive recordings), useless if any sunlight hits the lens, connectivity issues to the base for the original Arlos (so if you want to set it up to work remotely don't bother, as you will need to force reset it manually every second day). Criminally bad products, arrogant support. Go to Arlo support page, I think my name is the same there, and you can see me rage all the time. Should sell these paperweights.

            • eug on 20/08/2019 - 21:12

              @ensanguined: Hmm ok, no idea why you had so many issues. Maybe yours was defective.

              I bought both my Arlo Q Plus and original first-generation 2-camera Arlo used, they worked perfectly right off the bat. Live view always works, no unusual battery drain, very rare false alarms (the PIR sensors work better in some locations than others). Never had to reset it a single time. I've had the Q Plus for over a year and have had literally zero issues since I first set it up. Motion detection notifications works as expected.

              I also have some Hikvision and Axis IP cameras connected to my Windows server running Milestone XProtect. They run at a higher resolution and bitrate than the Arlos so the videos are much clearer, but I use the Arlos as my main cameras as the app makes it more usable thanks to the automated geofenced motion detection notifications.

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