@narra Rajani with Reolink's NVR it has a HDMI port on the back. You can plug that straight into a TV. You can also use the Windows or Mac application as well.
I'm a low voltage project manager so this is my daily life explaining this stuff. This video is increble man! You hit all the important point without making it sound too techy. Great work
IBEW low voltage technician here. Wired is the best way to go. You don't want loading or any latency on wireless. Also Reed, just from a commercial installer point of view, your cameras are at risk of being vandalized because of the faceplate. I'm sure it's probably 10ft off the ground but people are crazy...😬 Good video!
If you want cameras for security then wired is the only option Wireless cameras delay the initial recording as they need to wake up after detecting motion but more importantly they have a security flaw It's been known of for a long time, but check that warning CBS raised earlier in the year about a ring doorbell losing its video feed After key fobs become popular for cars, we started to see more cars being stolen because it was easy to relay the signal Signal jammers are cheap, so as cameras become more popular, expect to see more video blackouts because thieves don't want to be identified The problem is that a WiFi signal can be jammed, so spend the extra money now and choose wired cameras But try to factor in smart home compatibility so for instance lights will be turned on if a person is detected using object recognition and you get notified Recording is all well and good but a deterrent is what we want Throw in a fake dog barking and a verbal warning and the thief will likely run away Otherwise they may think they've jammed the camera signal and commit the crime anyway
You actually need at least three definitions here: 1. Wired cameras using Ethernet for data, and possibly also power (PoE) 2. Wireless cameras using Wi-Fi for data, but also plugged into an external power source, usually via micro-USB 3. Wire-free cameras that connect via Wi-Fi for data and are battery-powered Then there’s the issue of whether it’s a camera that records primarily to the cloud, or if it is used to record to a local Network Video Recorder (NVR). Many modern wireless and wireless-free cameras record to the cloud, and there is no local NVR. Wired cameras typically don’t record to the cloud, but to a local NVR or other device. Some wireless and wire-free cameras would also record to a local NVR or other device. It’s also possible to have small solar panels that are used to charge wire-free cameras without removing them from their mountings, but functionally they are the same.
The thing to remember is that most modern wired cameras use POE which means an ethernet connection so you should set up a DMZ network so people can't access your internal WiFi devices. Unfortunately, most of these camera systems expect the subnet to be the same as your internal devices such as your Alexa Echo's or Google Home's instead of routing through a firewall so you have to set up an old fashion "screen" (that's what the public domain software to do it was called) to firewall off the external wired connections. I haven't seen a screen install since the early 90's from before firewalls routers became everywhere. Note, wired installs are easy though uncomfortable to do if your attic is still undeveloped, and you could always just run conduits on the outside of your house (cable, satellite tv, roof tv antennas, phone lines and even those split air conditioner coolant lines are often just run externally when a house is retrofitted, they just get covered when the house is resided)
In your recent poll - you asked which video type we most enjoy. I’m not sure which “type” this video would fall under :-) but this is one of my favorite video types that you do: what are the pros/cons of different approaches to product types or automations. Thank you for all you do for the home automation community!
@SmartHomeSolver hi im going through slomins and their charging me 1300 for 1 ring doorbell camera and 3 inside cameras and 2 outside cameras..ring doorbell their giving me for free ..its wifi wired ..2 way talking through. 54 dollars a month monitoring..but also still keep my alarm system monitoring as well.is this a RIP OFF ? Please let me asap because I can only cancel this in 2 more days because I signed a contract with no taxes or financing. I can pay it off any time..let me know thank you
I have to say that wired security is more reliable and durable if installed properly. On the other hand, battery powered wireless security camera is easy to install and easy to troubleshoot (you just have to take it down for services.) But you might have to deal with it often such as replacing battery.
Especially if the cameras are up high. Get a ladder, unmount the camera, charge it, mount back, point where it suppose to be looking, fall from ladder. Repeat 8 times.
I have two Reolink Argus2 wireless cameras with the solar panels at my lake place. Mounted them to a board then screwed them to trees. I live in Minnesota and the winters can be cold. They have been up for two years and running great. When spring comes they are 100% charge. Caught lots of deer eating my flowers. Now we make Wanted Posters with the screen shots!😂😂🦌🦌💐💐
I got 5 Wyze cams, went into my attic and wired up the outlets for each, connected the transformers and USB, used extensions from the outlet to whatever part of the home, and taped them down to the outlet. It's been a couple of months and it's been working great, not conventional but it works 👌
I personally think wired cameras are the way to go for me as I own my home, If I lived in an apartment or condo I may consider wifi. The 24/7 footage did it for me. I like the idea of having a monitor set up to quickly see what's going on. I just purchased the Reolink 8ch 5mp 4k camera/NVR kit. I also like the way your home was cabled with a low voltage box up high on the outside of the home. I think I will go that route as well for wiring. Great video, thank you.
I was looking for an outdoor camera to keep an eye on my dogs in the yard when I'm not home. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxOXxsTZ3ptV_Pk0fFl8bNZvVqeoqBQFwe Tried a different one that was absolutely terrible, so I got these instead. They work perfectly! With 3 of these cameras I can see every corner of the yard, and they were very easy to set up. The best part is I only get the footage I want to see, not hours of videos of the bird feeder swaying in the breeze.
Since gadgets can be and often are abandoned by the companies that manufactured them, with support dropped as the devices get left behind, I oped for the "roll your own" style setup with a mix of writing to SD cards, streaming to remote web servers and local storage, along with other non-security home IoT stuff. Unlike my two dozen original (and very expensive in 2014) TCP "smart bulbs", and the "Smart Things" Wifi/Zigbee/Zwave hub that I used back then to tie everything together, I don't have to worry about any of my IoT and security gadgets getting dropped from the manufacturer's support, potentially becoming more useful as door stops. One way or another I can fix whatever happens. Doing it DIY can require a lot of patience and maintenance to keep it going long term. Any changes to parts where you don't completely control the software/firmware, or any API changes to web services you rely on can completely kill parts of your system. Sometimes the debugging effort to get it working 100% again really sucks - the creative work is so much more fun than fixing random crap that happens down the road. It's still rewarding, though! Open Source solutions often have very helpful communities. Try to keep all control local as much as possible - use web to supplement but not as primary. Nothing sucks like not being able to turn your lights on because the internet is out, or the lighting brand's own server is down. If you aren't already, you really gotta be willing to become a serious tinkering hobbiest or engineering type to go that route, but I love the ability to build or customize the system to my imagination's content! You can make your system generally more reliable and redundant than commercial products in many ways, however, because DIY setups are inherently experimental, moment-by-moment they're unlikely to ever be as trustworthy or easy to use as a solidly developed and supported commercial security/cam system can be.
Based on this review, the wired systems are far superior, the UniFi system the better of the two. But wired systems require running Ethernet cables and that cannot be done in apartments or rented homes. Of the wireless systems the Eufy seems far superior, and with local storage instead of a monthly fee, much less expensive. Certainly the best choice in a apartment, and for our rental home, really the only choice-I can’t go making holes or running wires in someone else’s property, and even if I were allowed, I would not want the liability issues if the homeowner felt I had damaged something. Not to mention that when I move I would lose the investment. Wireless systems are portable enough that they would seem to make a great choice for serious RV traveling, too, if the metal exteriors on some RV did not cause too much of a problem.
Welcome to the world of hardwired! I'm sure you'll love it here! The 24 runs in our current house turned out to be nowhere near enough. I'm going more than a little overkill and running enough cat6 to fill 6x 24 patch panels, and picked up 3x 48 port gig/PoE switches. Cameras, access points, and 2 or 3 wall plates with 4 jacks in every room. Also, reolink and other wired cameras work well with 3rd party NVR software like BlueIris, which has a fairly good mobile experience.
@@JohnVanderbeck I know I'm going overboard, but I've always run out of jacks in every installation I've done. My advice is to run two or three times as much as you think you'll ever need. Run at least 4 or 6 to each place you could have a TV or a computer/workstation. Run drops for anywhere you would put a wireless access poiny or security camera. Plan for wall mount TVs if you want them. I'm also running a bundle of spare runs from the rack to the attic, so if I decide I need to add another wallpaper somewhere down the line I can just drill/drop from the attic and not have to worry about the rest of the pull. Wifi is great, but with 10 gig internet coming, hardwired is the way to go. Run at least cat6 (for 10 gig capability) and terminate into a patch panel. Label everything well 👍
@@PoisonWaffle3 Thanks for your insight. My plan was at least 1 cat6 to every single room (including closets and bathrooms) and 2 or 3 to the Office, Great Room, and Home Theater, as well as 1 to every corner or wherever I might want a cam. Now I'm thinking I need to up those :) Thanks!
@@JohnVanderbeck I agree with Scotts comments, but if you can afford it, I recommend going with Cat 6a (at least for locations you might consider using 10 gbps). I think Cat 6 is fine for IP cameras & Wifi access points since I doubt you need 10 gbps for either. Also consider Cat 6 for IP phones. If you are going to set up a media closet for your NVR, NAS, Cable modem, Switches, etc, Consider that you likely will need some cooling installed so that the room does not get hot. This might just mean adding a HVAC duct to your media closet. Also consider running at least 2 jacks to any wall mount TV locations since you probably want to connect your Smart TV as well as an external digital media box (ie Ruku, Amazon Fire, etc). For my home, I prewired a bunch of Cat 6 for IP cameras that are under the roof eaves so they are protected from weather. Overtime camera lens will get dirty. but having the protected by the eaves helps. I also recommend bringing all of your low voltage wiring to a central area including HVAC Thermastats, Smoke detectors, burglar alarm, so if you wish to apply smart home control it likely to be easier. Often HVAC controls (Thermastats) are wired directly to the Air Handler (Attic) instead of a wiring closet for easy access. Also consider installing wiring for your smoke detectors so you don't have deal with changing the batteries that always seem to go low at 2AM. For wall mounted TVs I recommend install Arlington Industries recessed outlets, which you can run power & signal wiring. They make 2 & 3 gang outlets. Also recommend install a surge suppressor electrical receptacle for these so your TV is protected. Also install a Surge supp. receptacle for some appliances like a refrigerator. For Patch panels & switches I used the navepoint 22U wall mounted rack. This has enough room to install a lot of patch panels and switches, and it will protect them from dust since its fully enclosed. You can install Filter foam (Duck brand) in the enclosures vents. The Wall mounted rack has 120VAC fans at the top. You can also run some conduit to from your wiring closet to your attic\basement\crawl space so you can add additional wiring if needed. Also consider adding a drop for an exterior Wifi access point if you are spending time outdoors or having friends over for BBQ or other events. If your planning to go solar or have a home UPS system, I recommend installing a separate electrical panel so you can seperate your critical loads\low power circuits from your circuits that you cannot put on an inverter (ie electric stove, AC, Dryer, etc). Even if you don't plan install a inverter, having it pre-wired will save you a lot of trouble when you do install one.
Dahua cameras and NVR's are the best route. I worked for a large alarm company and they installed the OEM versions (no branding) of these. They are PoE and are amazing quality for the pricing. I have 4k Dahua cameras all around my house and they are amazing, even in low light.
@@Smurf19750330 I've used the Dahua NVR's in the past... with them I always suggest buying the model with 4 to 6 more inputs than you need... you'll always find places you want cameras later on and that will future proof it. As for myself, I have a whole Synology network setup in my house and I use a dedicated Synology 4 disk array NVR on a dedicated subnet (lowers packet traffic on main network) for my rig, and use Dahua cameras with it. As for the Dahua cams, stay away from the HDCVI, it’s for older camera networks wired with coax. 4k is technically 8.3megapixel... so go with the 8mp Dahua cameras.... their 12mp are nice.. but man, they use up a lot of hard drive space if you push them out that high... so stick with 8mp cameras. I personally use domes (N85CL5Z), as I've seen footage of thieves using canes and crowbars to pull bullet cameras so they face the ground.
@@koiphish Thanks that's good info. It says it's 15fps at 8mp. Isn't that low? I'm a little confused as to why it's a dome camera but the camera is fixed. I thought dome cameras usually were PTZ.
Unifi is really making a big impact in the industry...completely redesigned the app, and web portal. Their wifi cameras are great, and they have cheap G3 Flex cameras that are POE as well. Their g4 doorbell is impressive and no monthly fees.
@@SuperMerlotit's an American company and the software is developed in the US too, therefore it's more expensive than purely Chinese brands like Reolink. If the hardware was also US made, the price would have been even higher.
That is pretty good but a camera that notifies you would allow you to prepare beforehand vs you waking up to someone already in your house or outside stealing
For someone like me who doesn’t know anything about security cameras and is wanting to purchase one. Great video. You spoke very clear. I had no idea that wired cameras need to be connected to that box you mention. I thought you wore it to an existing outlet and that it.
Yes I agree. REOLINK failed me when I needed to provide video to police. I purchased REOLINK because of the resolution and great audio but takes some effort to email the few minutes needed for proof. Just finding the few minutes of needed activity, saving and transferring, emailing in a workable format is very awkward and doesn't always work. Great point.
Installing cameras... It's so easy for you guys. The houses you have are made of wood and you can drill right through them. We (Europe mostly) have solid concrete walls that are 30cm thick. Good luck getting a drill through there...
I think the real question is if you should use wired power or wireless power. WiFi and sd cards are good enough nowadays (Wyze v3 seems like a really good option!). But there are so many downsides with battery cameras
WOW, Your unifi camera night vision looks great , range is beautiful, much better then the ADC night vision cameras I seen. The best way is to have a DVR and run Cat 5 or 6 wires . Nothing better . BIG issues with WiFi gadget cams are, no power your sunk, no wifi your sunk, at least you can have backup power with dvr and your never down . Im working with all the wireless gadgets , I still only want hard wired in my home .
These prices are ridiculous. I got a Swann wired system with 4 channel DVR 1TB and 4 cameras all with 1080 HD night vision for under 300 bucks. Liked it so much I bought a 2nd.
Got my new house set up with ethernet cords to do POE and went with Reolink. For the price and quality it's great. Only issue I have is my alexa hub won't display the feed via voice command but my fire stick remote does... 😂
In 2010 the FBI gave a report showing violent crime was on the rise again especially in inner-city areas and here we are in 2021 and crime is at record numbers not seen since the 1980s. What does this mean, where is all this headed toward? I can tell you this, it doesn’t look good for humanity. Be aware, stay vigilant and stay safe.
A couple of things to know when installing cameras in regards to night vision. Avoid having any of the following to close gutter down pipe, external lights, etc as they will make the nigh vision blow out the image. Same applies for plants, they reflect the IR light so will blow out you image. If you have this issue, but can move camera, turn off night vision and install IR lamps in area instead.
Security needs to be discussed here... ANYONE with basic IT skills can do a WIFI deauth attack WITHOUT knowing the password using prebuilt boards (look it up). Takes less than a minute and can stop any wifi device from connecting to the network. Yes something like Wyze V3 with SD card will still record but no alerts...
Of course I had completely forgotten about this. Wired is definitely safer. Also there is probably a bandwidth issue as well I mean 4 or 5 x 4K Cameras on a local network could really put a number on the system right?
Regarding the unifi you can get the G4 Bullet for 200€ or the g3 flex for 80€ or even the wireless g3 instant for 30€, with a 10€ poe injector for the first two, no need for the poe switch. And the udm pro is also a router and firewall. Don't know about the image quality difference to the 4k reolink...
Great video as always! In regards to Eufy though, “security mishap” is an understatement. Hackers had full access to everyone’s accounts and base stations. That means they could see footage from all Eufy cameras, whether they were indoors or outdoors. Combine this with their other security leak about 4 months ago where footage was being sent to the wrong users, and we see a pretty clear unfortunate pattern from them. The real issue in this isn’t just the lack of security, but it reveals that Eufy probably isn’t properly encrypting their footage like they claim to do. I used to be a big proponent of them, but now I strongly recommend anyone to sell off whatever Eufy cams they have. There isn’t a great alternative for now in that price range, but that kind of lax security is completely unacceptable.
Thanks! I was referring to Eufy footage being sent to the wrong users who was a small amount of people when I mentioned "security mishap". I will need to look into the hackers having full access to accounts and base station. Thanks for the heads up!
@@SmartHomeSolver Sorry if I phrased that poorly. I’m not blaming you at all, I just feel like Eufy hasn’t made it clear enough to people how bad this has been. These links describe the issues that happened: 9to5mac.com/2021/05/17/huge-eufy-privacy-breach/ reddit.com/r/EufyCam/comments/neayuo/access_to_random_cameras_in_another_country/ reddit.com/r/EufyCam/comments/kmh93p/megathread_eufycams_have_been_randomly_showing/
Your videos keep getting better and better! Your REOLINK pros and cons are spot on! And thanks for introducing an alternative (UNIFY) (though more expensive) as I don't care for the REOLINK interface at all. Have experienced within the 2 years many issues with their upgrades, NVR and lost some valuable video to show police. Great customer service though, great resolution, great audio for their cameras.
You need to do a complete camera video install. From where to buy, what to buy, NVR vs cloud storage, costs, how to hook up to NVR and wi-fi routers. I want to install a camera system but am finding it difficult to get basic info. This video was great but need more. If you have such a video already I couldn't find it.
I used Night Owl cameras with their NVR at my old house, but they're not very reliable. I replaced 3 of my 4 cameras multiple times in the 5 years I lived there. So far Reolink looks to be my next product with my new house.
I am doing research on security cameras but will probably go wireless. I need good quality though as I had my catalytic converter stolen so looking at making sure that does not happen again. I do appreciate this video.
Another great vid reed, I think you under sold Eufy though, I've had a smart door bell by them for over a year now and it works great, they've just released a new line up of wireless cameras now as well that have built in solar panels so the batteries last longer between charges
Thanks Jack! You’re right I probably did under sell Eufy. I really like their doorbell and they are great wireless cameras. I was just trying to focus on the main differences between them without making the video too long. There’s definitely a lot to say about Eufy cameras though.
Just installed the Lorex 4k 8 camera NVR system bought from Costco for $699. Running wires was a 3-4 hr hassle but after that it's a no brainer. Have tried wireless cameras in the past and let me tell you they are a no go. The quality and reliability of a wired camera cannot be matched by a wireless camera.
I've installed Lorex systems and they're pretty good so far. Ive had one at my home and no problems yet. Just be aware your 1tb footage will be used up in a few days and it will overwrite it automatically.
@@MarkS6789 I have noticed that too Mark, Getting the Seagate Skyhawk 4TB surveillance HDD. Been reading good reviews on Amazon and costs less that $100.
The biggest driver for my decision was powering the cameras and storage. I'm in a residential neighborhood so realistically a few WiFi cameras would work fine. However the idea of changing batteries out constantly gives me a headache and if I'm going to run power through my attic I may as well just run the Ethernet and use PoE. Second, I don't want my footage running through another server to get to my phone or computer. I'd much rather have everything stored locally.
How can you POE if you’re not pre wired? Is there an easy way to run CAT with out cutting into drywall and into ceilings? But I need to view cameras at work while away from home on my phone. Can POE stream to networks 70+ miles away?
One problem with wireless cameras is that they often require a base station and that base station can change between models/years meaning that a camera + base station you bought 2 or 3 years ago will not work with cameras available this year from the same vendor. I am running Arlo Q Plus cameras in my house. The up side is that they are wired and will work on POE or USB, but the downside is there is not an outdoor version of this camera.
Good point. I have experienced upgrades that have affected my NVR and access to my cameras, disconnects. A new NVR definitely was updated and made for an easier interface.
can you also do a review on the best wired and wireless security systems? i would really like to know as we are moving and would like to put a security system in our new home 🙂
Excellent video Reed! Very clearly explained. I've had Eufy Cameras for about a year and I'm very happy with them. As an Apple user, I like they can be Homekit integrated. As for the security breach, they have already addressed it. After watching the video made by The Hook Up I got it even clearer. I'm staying with Eufy. At least for the time being. I may upgrade my kit to the new Eufy Cam 3 in a future, once it gets HomeKit integration. if it ever does.
Ubiquiti is aimed at more business rated hardware but its quite a bit more cost effective then take Cisco Meraki equipment. So Ubiquiti does a great job at reaching both audiences.
My blue by ADT is better. 1- budget friendly under $700 for the equipment for an average large home that is 1,200sq. If you bought the equipment you have the option to pay for professional monitoring for as low as $15 per month for 3 year contract or $20 month to month. 2- their camera capture up to 1080p motion activated. 3- have key fob for arms and disarm and comfortable with Google, alexa, iftt. I have my set up when I leave my house I can arm the alarm with the key fob and it will close my garage door and lock all doors to the house. When I disarmed it, the garage door would open and all the other doors would remain locked. I also had gotten it to change my thermostat when I left and armed the house to away. They also offer solar panels for the camera and also offer a wired by USB A power supply. The alarm system is also a smart hub so you can also integrate your smart lights, motion sensor, and add animation to your house if you want to. You can have 8 outdoor camera, 8 indoor with 30 days of cloud storage for free. The camera you can buy on eBay for half then buying it directly. If you are in an existing contract already you can transfer the remaining contract to a new owner.
I see some comments on needing to run ethernet cable to have a wired camera, actually you do not. A friend of mine had a PC computer with a USB wireless WiFi adapter (the cable modem/ router was located on the other side of the house). They kept calling me because their internet signal would go down. So I researched options, and I got them a powerline ethernet adapter (it just uses the electric outlet /electrical wiring in the house, instead of needing a dedicated ethernet cable). This was over 10 years ago I installed it, and they haven't had any issues since I installed it.
I have completely switched from Nest to Unifi cameras except for doorbell. Having the door image show up on a Nest Home right away too good of a feature to lose. I do have a Unifi camera on the porch though in case power goes out. Which is by far the best feature for local POE cameras... my network rack has battery backup and all my gear (modem, router, switches, cameras etc) all stay up and recording while power is out. I always assume if someone is going to break in they will cut the power first. Maybe I am wrong?
As much as I complain about Unifi: Video was better than protect, protect lost features compared to video, protect is always buffering the view with 7 cameras. And the fact that it's all local yet I still have to log in with 2FA drives me f'ing nuts. But, compared to the competition, I still think Unifi is pretty good. Wiring isnt hard: just find a closet for the NVR, run cables thru the attic, it's pretty simple.
Have both wired and wireless reolink camera's. I prefer the wired actually. Only downside to reolink is that the models I have don't have smart person detection. Works with Google assistant if you use voice to pull video up.
The UniFi app and cameras seem pretty good... maybe I should've been patient instead of getting the Lorex 4K wired cameras I'm still procrastinating on installing
I use a Synology NAS for my cams. Easy to setup and POE. I would not like to have to pull SD cards to see what the camera captured. Of course, I can also view the cams and recordings remotely. Great 4k cameras can be purchased for around $200 or less. I use Amcrest.
Currently i`m using dvr wired cameras in my business and wyze cameras as well.Wyze cameras are so convenient and easy to operate and use than the wired .I don`t have time and energy to run the wires through my attic which is a pain in the ass. At home i have both ring and wyze and they work pretty well .
In the end i would choose a wired camera system. Just in case the Internet goes down you can still go back and see the recording with the physical hard drive that the dvr has especially if you have your own house... wireless cameras can be more useful for apartments where you cant drill holes for cables...
I think wired is better. I've have two different wifi security camera setups and it's nerve wracking when you're on vacation or wherever and want to check in/around your house and somp1e or all the cameras have magically disconnected themselves and you start freaking out. Manually reconnecting from your app only sometimes works. If you're lucky they'll reconnect whenever they choose to be it 1hr~24hrs. So if you're up to it go wired.👍
Unfortunately, of the numerous thieving tweakers I've either known casually or once as friends at some point in my life, many of them now reside in the San Tan Valley area. None of them even originated from QC, Flourance or Cooledge. Every single one has drifted over from AJ, Mesa or Gilbert - usually following and living with their siblings or aging parents. Buying a new house in a new neighborhood around there, it's a great location. You probably won't have any issues, but heck yeah, get some cams and other security up to be safe. You're doing it right. This was a good video with some solid advice on the fundamentals! Subbed!
Wired cameras are worth the extra work to install. But the biggest problem I have found is that most systems wired or wireless are only self monitoring or the cloud. What use is a security system if there isn't a company monitoring it for you.
I'm glad you admitted that Reolink provided the equipment. This is just a commercial for them. Really? $400 to wire the cameras? Nobody else has a prewired house! You completely glossed over the high barrier of entry to these.
I went with Arlo wireless and use their small solar panels for power. I have the recordings go to a 1 GB hard drive that sits right beside the inside modem...or whatever that thing is...thus not requiring the cloud storage cost. My only dislikes are the cams lens will require cleaning from time to time and that means dragging out the ladder since my cams are exposed to the elements. Also, it seems one cam pointed to the front takes precedence over another cam i have similarly pointed and only one of the two will pick up some movement instead of giving me a different angle. I also think they would work better if I had a better internet service. I rurally and depend on an old DSL link for internet. All in all there are probably better systems but this works for me and I have way too much invested in it to switch now.
I think its worth noting that Reolink is just as easy as Unifi if you want to integrate with Home Assistant and Google. And all cameras with rtsp including Reolink can be viewed on Apple TV via apple tv apps. And the Reolink NVR even has HDMI if you prefer that.
Hikvision all the way baby!! Their mobile app is decent, desktop app is brilliant, the NVR is decent. I'm using knockoff HV 4k cams though as I'm getting a good enough picture from the knockoffs. All domes and all have the best night vision I've seen yet. All saves locally in a non obvious/disclosed location and then have a display computer at my desk (monitor 1 is weather radar monitor 2 is CCTV and there is radio decoding stuff in the background). Already have a 48port PoE+ switch so the cams, WiFi base and more are all set. I was unaware of that POE splitter to USB rather only have multi voltage coaxial barrel connector editions here .. I have a BRILLIANT use for one (Raspberry Pi mini running as a 2way radio repeater via Wifi), already have a spare port beside the dome/ceiling wifi!! I've been looking for a way to power it remotely.
just wanna say my experience with eufy cam. I bought the 2c with the home base for outdoor use (in canada, so ya, it's cold). 6 months later, one of the cam failed. they replaced it with (I think) a refurbished one because there was a little scratch on it, but it worked so not a big deal. 6 months later though, both camera failed, I contacted support and I was outside of the warranty period of just a month so they could do anything. a couple days later, the homebase also failed. so overall, they full kit at about 400$ lasted 1 year. 400$ a year is 2000$ for 5 years which is higher than most of the other options.
I had a similar issue with an Eufy robo vacuum that died within 8 months and was replaced but the replacement also failed within 5 months. When I contacted Eufy support they told me there was nothing they could do as it was outside the one year warranty. It was the last thing I bought from them.
I can’t understand why they can’t make wireless cameras that can connect directly to the base station. Either through a frequency (prefer way) or the WiFi network without having to load things up to a cloud. Dzees have a memory card slot and save the videos locally. Not bad because you can watch the video in your phone later even if you don’t subscribe, unlike Ring. And you can save it for as long as you have space in the card. With Ring if you don’t subscribe you can only see live footage.
Lorex NVR wired solutions is the best comercial grade that you can use in home applications. The only downside, they are expensive and their PTZ dome cameras are easily over $200 a piece.
Are wired cameras worth the extra hassle? What do you guys think?
Hi sir can you tell me how to show the video of the cam on tv
wired cameras are the ONLY way to go. everything else has too many issues.
@narra Rajani with Reolink's NVR it has a HDMI port on the back. You can plug that straight into a TV. You can also use the Windows or Mac application as well.
@@SmartHomeSolver thanks
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I'm a low voltage project manager so this is my daily life explaining this stuff. This video is increble man! You hit all the important point without making it sound too techy. Great work
IBEW low voltage technician here. Wired is the best way to go. You don't want loading or any latency on wireless. Also Reed, just from a commercial installer point of view, your cameras are at risk of being vandalized because of the faceplate. I'm sure it's probably 10ft off the ground but people are crazy...😬
Good video!
How would you recommend installing wired cameras on the outside of the house? I'm pretty sure everything I have to mount to is some type of wood
If you want cameras for security then wired is the only option
Wireless cameras delay the initial recording as they need to wake up after detecting motion but more importantly they have a security flaw
It's been known of for a long time, but check that warning CBS raised earlier in the year about a ring doorbell losing its video feed
After key fobs become popular for cars, we started to see more cars being stolen because it was easy to relay the signal
Signal jammers are cheap, so as cameras become more popular, expect to see more video blackouts because thieves don't want to be identified
The problem is that a WiFi signal can be jammed, so spend the extra money now and choose wired cameras
But try to factor in smart home compatibility so for instance lights will be turned on if a person is detected using object recognition and you get notified
Recording is all well and good but a deterrent is what we want
Throw in a fake dog barking and a verbal warning and the thief will likely run away
Otherwise they may think they've jammed the camera signal and commit the crime anyway
Can you talk more about Unifi Protect Cameras into the home assistant? That's what I have been looking for all my life.
You actually need at least three definitions here:
1. Wired cameras using Ethernet for data, and possibly also power (PoE)
2. Wireless cameras using Wi-Fi for data, but also plugged into an external power source, usually via micro-USB
3. Wire-free cameras that connect via Wi-Fi for data and are battery-powered
Then there’s the issue of whether it’s a camera that records primarily to the cloud, or if it is used to record to a local Network Video Recorder (NVR).
Many modern wireless and wireless-free cameras record to the cloud, and there is no local NVR. Wired cameras typically don’t record to the cloud, but to a local NVR or other device. Some wireless and wire-free cameras would also record to a local NVR or other device.
It’s also possible to have small solar panels that are used to charge wire-free cameras without removing them from their mountings, but functionally they are the same.
The thing to remember is that most modern wired cameras use POE which means an ethernet connection so you should set up a DMZ network so people can't access your internal WiFi devices. Unfortunately, most of these camera systems expect the subnet to be the same as your internal devices such as your Alexa Echo's or Google Home's instead of routing through a firewall so you have to set up an old fashion "screen" (that's what the public domain software to do it was called) to firewall off the external wired connections. I haven't seen a screen install since the early 90's from before firewalls routers became everywhere.
Note, wired installs are easy though uncomfortable to do if your attic is still undeveloped, and you could always just run conduits on the outside of your house (cable, satellite tv, roof tv antennas, phone lines and even those split air conditioner coolant lines are often just run externally when a house is retrofitted, they just get covered when the house is resided)
In your recent poll - you asked which video type we most enjoy. I’m not sure which “type” this video would fall under :-) but this is one of my favorite video types that you do: what are the pros/cons of different approaches to product types or automations. Thank you for all you do for the home automation community!
I really appreciate that! Thanks!
@SmartHomeSolver hi im going through slomins and their charging me 1300 for 1 ring doorbell camera and 3 inside cameras and 2 outside cameras..ring doorbell their giving me for free ..its wifi wired ..2 way talking through. 54 dollars a month monitoring..but also still keep my alarm system monitoring as well.is this a RIP OFF ? Please let me asap because I can only cancel this in 2 more days because I signed a contract with no taxes or financing. I can pay it off any time..let me know thank you
I have to say that wired security is more reliable and durable if installed properly.
On the other hand, battery powered wireless security camera is easy to install and easy to troubleshoot (you just have to take it down for services.) But you might have to deal with it often such as replacing battery.
Especially if the cameras are up high. Get a ladder, unmount the camera, charge it, mount back, point where it suppose to be looking, fall from ladder. Repeat 8 times.
I have two Reolink Argus2 wireless cameras with the solar panels at my lake place. Mounted them to a board then screwed them to trees. I live in Minnesota and the winters can be cold. They have been up for two years and running great. When spring comes they are 100% charge. Caught lots of deer eating my flowers. Now we make Wanted Posters with the screen shots!😂😂🦌🦌💐💐
I got 5 Wyze cams, went into my attic and wired up the outlets for each, connected the transformers and USB, used extensions from the outlet to whatever part of the home, and taped them down to the outlet. It's been a couple of months and it's been working great, not conventional but it works 👌
wyze are the best bang for the bucks.
I personally think wired cameras are the way to go for me as I own my home, If I lived in an apartment or condo I may consider wifi. The 24/7 footage did it for me. I like the idea of having a monitor set up to quickly see what's going on. I just purchased the Reolink 8ch 5mp 4k camera/NVR kit. I also like the way your home was cabled with a low voltage box up high on the outside of the home. I think I will go that route as well for wiring. Great video, thank you.
I was looking for an outdoor camera to keep an eye on my dogs in the yard when I'm not home. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxOXxsTZ3ptV_Pk0fFl8bNZvVqeoqBQFwe Tried a different one that was absolutely terrible, so I got these instead. They work perfectly! With 3 of these cameras I can see every corner of the yard, and they were very easy to set up. The best part is I only get the footage I want to see, not hours of videos of the bird feeder swaying in the breeze.
I love the endings
Yeah brother happy endings are the best 🤣🤣
Since gadgets can be and often are abandoned by the companies that manufactured them, with support dropped as the devices get left behind, I oped for the "roll your own" style setup with a mix of writing to SD cards, streaming to remote web servers and local storage, along with other non-security home IoT stuff. Unlike my two dozen original (and very expensive in 2014) TCP "smart bulbs", and the "Smart Things" Wifi/Zigbee/Zwave hub that I used back then to tie everything together, I don't have to worry about any of my IoT and security gadgets getting dropped from the manufacturer's support, potentially becoming more useful as door stops. One way or another I can fix whatever happens. Doing it DIY can require a lot of patience and maintenance to keep it going long term. Any changes to parts where you don't completely control the software/firmware, or any API changes to web services you rely on can completely kill parts of your system. Sometimes the debugging effort to get it working 100% again really sucks - the creative work is so much more fun than fixing random crap that happens down the road. It's still rewarding, though! Open Source solutions often have very helpful communities. Try to keep all control local as much as possible - use web to supplement but not as primary. Nothing sucks like not being able to turn your lights on because the internet is out, or the lighting brand's own server is down. If you aren't already, you really gotta be willing to become a serious tinkering hobbiest or engineering type to go that route, but I love the ability to build or customize the system to my imagination's content! You can make your system generally more reliable and redundant than commercial products in many ways, however, because DIY setups are inherently experimental, moment-by-moment they're unlikely to ever be as trustworthy or easy to use as a solidly developed and supported commercial security/cam system can be.
Based on this review, the wired systems are far superior, the UniFi system the better of the two. But wired systems require running Ethernet cables and that cannot be done in apartments or rented homes. Of the wireless systems the Eufy seems far superior, and with local storage instead of a monthly fee, much less expensive. Certainly the best choice in a apartment, and for our rental home, really the only choice-I can’t go making holes or running wires in someone else’s property, and even if I were allowed, I would not want the liability issues if the homeowner felt I had damaged something. Not to mention that when I move I would lose the investment. Wireless systems are portable enough that they would seem to make a great choice for serious RV traveling, too, if the metal exteriors on some RV did not cause too much of a problem.
Talk to the landlord, people are often not against such installations especially if you're a reliable renter.
I'm so glad there weren't cameras everywhere when I was a young hoodlum
Same. 🙊
Word 😎
I know, Right
I know right 😊
No kidding. I may have had to be held accountable for some those actions. Whew!
Welcome to the world of hardwired! I'm sure you'll love it here!
The 24 runs in our current house turned out to be nowhere near enough. I'm going more than a little overkill and running enough cat6 to fill 6x 24 patch panels, and picked up 3x 48 port gig/PoE switches. Cameras, access points, and 2 or 3 wall plates with 4 jacks in every room.
Also, reolink and other wired cameras work well with 3rd party NVR software like BlueIris, which has a fairly good mobile experience.
I'm building a house now and meeting with low voltage soon. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you would have done differently!
@@JohnVanderbeck I know I'm going overboard, but I've always run out of jacks in every installation I've done. My advice is to run two or three times as much as you think you'll ever need. Run at least 4 or 6 to each place you could have a TV or a computer/workstation. Run drops for anywhere you would put a wireless access poiny or security camera. Plan for wall mount TVs if you want them. I'm also running a bundle of spare runs from the rack to the attic, so if I decide I need to add another wallpaper somewhere down the line I can just drill/drop from the attic and not have to worry about the rest of the pull. Wifi is great, but with 10 gig internet coming, hardwired is the way to go. Run at least cat6 (for 10 gig capability) and terminate into a patch panel. Label everything well 👍
@@PoisonWaffle3 Thanks for your insight. My plan was at least 1 cat6 to every single room (including closets and bathrooms) and 2 or 3 to the Office, Great Room, and Home Theater, as well as 1 to every corner or wherever I might want a cam. Now I'm thinking I need to up those :) Thanks!
Definitely run more. I don't know what your needs are, but it's cheap and easy to run now and hard/expensive to run later 👍
@@JohnVanderbeck I agree with Scotts comments, but if you can afford it, I recommend going with Cat 6a (at least for locations you might consider using 10 gbps). I think Cat 6 is fine for IP cameras & Wifi access points since I doubt you need 10 gbps for either. Also consider Cat 6 for IP phones.
If you are going to set up a media closet for your NVR, NAS, Cable modem, Switches, etc, Consider that you likely will need some cooling installed so that the room does not get hot. This might just mean adding a HVAC duct to your media closet.
Also consider running at least 2 jacks to any wall mount TV locations since you probably want to connect your Smart TV as well as an external digital media box (ie Ruku, Amazon Fire, etc).
For my home, I prewired a bunch of Cat 6 for IP cameras that are under the roof eaves so they are protected from weather. Overtime camera lens will get dirty. but having the protected by the eaves helps.
I also recommend bringing all of your low voltage wiring to a central area including HVAC Thermastats, Smoke detectors, burglar alarm, so if you wish to apply smart home control it likely to be easier. Often HVAC controls (Thermastats) are wired directly to the Air Handler (Attic) instead of a wiring closet for easy access. Also consider installing wiring for your smoke detectors so you don't have deal with changing the batteries that always seem to go low at 2AM.
For wall mounted TVs I recommend install Arlington Industries recessed outlets, which you can run power & signal wiring. They make 2 & 3 gang outlets. Also recommend install a surge suppressor electrical receptacle for these so your TV is protected. Also install a Surge supp. receptacle for some appliances like a refrigerator.
For Patch panels & switches I used the navepoint 22U wall mounted rack. This has enough room to install a lot of patch panels and switches, and it will protect them from dust since its fully enclosed. You can install Filter foam (Duck brand) in the enclosures vents. The Wall mounted rack has 120VAC fans at the top.
You can also run some conduit to from your wiring closet to your attic\basement\crawl space so you can add additional wiring if needed.
Also consider adding a drop for an exterior Wifi access point if you are spending time outdoors or having friends over for BBQ or other events.
If your planning to go solar or have a home UPS system, I recommend installing a separate electrical panel so you can seperate your critical loads\low power circuits from your circuits that you cannot put on an inverter (ie electric stove, AC, Dryer, etc). Even if you don't plan install a inverter, having it pre-wired will save you a lot of trouble when you do install one.
Dahua cameras and NVR's are the best route. I worked for a large alarm company and they installed the OEM versions (no branding) of these. They are PoE and are amazing quality for the pricing. I have 4k Dahua cameras all around my house and they are amazing, even in low light.
Which system do you recommend of Dahua with NVR
Good night picture
AI and person. Detection
@@Smurf19750330 I've used the Dahua NVR's in the past... with them I always suggest buying the model with 4 to 6 more inputs than you need... you'll always find places you want cameras later on and that will future proof it. As for myself, I have a whole Synology network setup in my house and I use a dedicated Synology 4 disk array NVR on a dedicated subnet (lowers packet traffic on main network) for my rig, and use Dahua cameras with it. As for the Dahua cams, stay away from the HDCVI, it’s for older camera networks wired with coax. 4k is technically 8.3megapixel... so go with the 8mp Dahua cameras.... their 12mp are nice.. but man, they use up a lot of hard drive space if you push them out that high... so stick with 8mp cameras. I personally use domes (N85CL5Z), as I've seen footage of thieves using canes and crowbars to pull bullet cameras so they face the ground.
@@koiphish Thanks that's good info. It says it's 15fps at 8mp. Isn't that low? I'm a little confused as to why it's a dome camera but the camera is fixed. I thought dome cameras usually were PTZ.
Unifi is really making a big impact in the industry...completely redesigned the app, and web portal. Their wifi cameras are great, and they have cheap G3 Flex cameras that are POE as well. Their g4 doorbell is impressive and no monthly fees.
too expensive; cheaper brands offer similar functionality albeit without the polished interface
@@SuperMerlotit's an American company and the software is developed in the US too, therefore it's more expensive than purely Chinese brands like Reolink. If the hardware was also US made, the price would have been even higher.
Wow that Unifi looks very impressive. Clarity , color, ease of app operation, zoom . This is what I’m looking at.
Are they wired cameras?
@@asanta2023 yes
I have a Glock 17 9m, sig sauer p226 40 cal, ar15, and a Remington 870. Those are pretty good.
That is pretty good but a camera that notifies you would allow you to prepare beforehand vs you waking up to someone already in your house or outside stealing
Not everybody is a gun shootin’ tootin’ redneck. Other than that, owning guns is illegal in first world countries.
For someone like me who doesn’t know anything about security cameras and is wanting to purchase one. Great video. You spoke very clear. I had no idea that wired cameras need to be connected to that box you mention. I thought you wore it to an existing outlet and that it.
Just as a suggestion - could have rated ability to off load videos to usb to give to law enforcement if need be as a factor to consider.
Yes I agree. REOLINK failed me when I needed to provide video to police. I purchased REOLINK because of the resolution and great audio but takes some effort to email the few minutes needed for proof. Just finding the few minutes of needed activity, saving and transferring, emailing in a workable format is very awkward and doesn't always work. Great point.
Installing cameras... It's so easy for you guys. The houses you have are made of wood and you can drill right through them.
We (Europe mostly) have solid concrete walls that are 30cm thick. Good luck getting a drill through there...
I think the real question is if you should use wired power or wireless power. WiFi and sd cards are good enough nowadays (Wyze v3 seems like a really good option!). But there are so many downsides with battery cameras
WOW, Your unifi camera night vision looks great , range is beautiful, much better then the ADC night vision cameras I seen. The best way is to have a DVR and run Cat 5 or 6 wires . Nothing better . BIG issues with WiFi gadget cams are, no power your sunk, no wifi your sunk, at least you can have backup power with dvr and your never down . Im working with all the wireless gadgets , I still only want hard wired in my home .
How about Lorex? Hikvision?
I think it's worth mentioning the 2nd hand market I have built my entire smart home off ebay for 50-70% off
These prices are ridiculous. I got a Swann wired system with 4 channel DVR 1TB and 4 cameras all with 1080 HD night vision for under 300 bucks. Liked it so much I bought a 2nd.
Thanks for the info! 👍
Where did you buy this Swann setup? Thanks, Ron
Got my new house set up with ethernet cords to do POE and went with Reolink. For the price and quality it's great. Only issue I have is my alexa hub won't display the feed via voice command but my fire stick remote does... 😂
In 2010 the FBI gave a report showing violent crime was on the rise again especially in inner-city areas and here we are in 2021 and crime is at record numbers not seen since the 1980s. What does this mean, where is all this headed toward? I can tell you this, it doesn’t look good for humanity. Be aware, stay vigilant and stay safe.
A couple of things to know when installing cameras in regards to night vision.
Avoid having any of the following to close gutter down pipe, external lights, etc as they will make the nigh vision blow out the image.
Same applies for plants, they reflect the IR light so will blow out you image.
If you have this issue, but can move camera, turn off night vision and install IR lamps in area instead.
My Dad Has Wired Cams At Hope And At Work And It Works Really Well. 📷📸😄
Yet another great video. Thanks for reviewing wired and wireless across the cost spectrum.
Security needs to be discussed here... ANYONE with basic IT skills can do a WIFI deauth attack WITHOUT knowing the password using prebuilt boards (look it up). Takes less than a minute and can stop any wifi device from connecting to the network.
Yes something like Wyze V3 with SD card will still record but no alerts...
Of course I had completely forgotten about this. Wired is definitely safer. Also there is probably a bandwidth issue as well I mean 4 or 5 x 4K Cameras on a local network could really put a number on the system right?
Please do more on The security side of things in your smart home, like your ring alarm or camera system would love to see more
I can’t believe he’s talking about camera’s circle base installation rather than actually focus on the main pros & cons!
Regarding the unifi you can get the G4 Bullet for 200€ or the g3 flex for 80€ or even the wireless g3 instant for 30€, with a 10€ poe injector for the first two, no need for the poe switch. And the udm pro is also a router and firewall. Don't know about the image quality difference to the 4k reolink...
Great video as always!
In regards to Eufy though, “security mishap” is an understatement. Hackers had full access to everyone’s accounts and base stations. That means they could see footage from all Eufy cameras, whether they were indoors or outdoors. Combine this with their other security leak about 4 months ago where footage was being sent to the wrong users, and we see a pretty clear unfortunate pattern from them.
The real issue in this isn’t just the lack of security, but it reveals that Eufy probably isn’t properly encrypting their footage like they claim to do.
I used to be a big proponent of them, but now I strongly recommend anyone to sell off whatever Eufy cams they have. There isn’t a great alternative for now in that price range, but that kind of lax security is completely unacceptable.
Thanks! I was referring to Eufy footage being sent to the wrong users who was a small amount of people when I mentioned "security mishap". I will need to look into the hackers having full access to accounts and base station. Thanks for the heads up!
@@SmartHomeSolver Sorry if I phrased that poorly. I’m not blaming you at all, I just feel like Eufy hasn’t made it clear enough to people how bad this has been. These links describe the issues that happened:
9to5mac.com/2021/05/17/huge-eufy-privacy-breach/
reddit.com/r/EufyCam/comments/neayuo/access_to_random_cameras_in_another_country/
reddit.com/r/EufyCam/comments/kmh93p/megathread_eufycams_have_been_randomly_showing/
Your videos keep getting better and better! Your REOLINK pros and cons are spot on! And thanks for introducing an alternative (UNIFY) (though more expensive) as I don't care for the REOLINK interface at all. Have experienced within the 2 years many issues with their upgrades, NVR and lost some valuable video to show police. Great customer service though, great resolution, great audio for their cameras.
You need to do a complete camera video install. From where to buy, what to buy, NVR vs cloud storage, costs, how to hook up to NVR and wi-fi routers. I want to install a camera system but am finding it difficult to get basic info. This video was great but need more. If you have such a video already I couldn't find it.
I used Night Owl cameras with their NVR at my old house, but they're not very reliable. I replaced 3 of my 4 cameras multiple times in the 5 years I lived there. So far Reolink looks to be my next product with my new house.
I am doing research on security cameras but will probably go wireless. I need good quality though as I had my catalytic converter stolen so looking at making sure that does not happen again. I do appreciate this video.
That Batman light has me sold! You just earned a subscriber!
Don't you at least want foam gaskets for a wired outdoor install, to keep insects out if not weather threats?
Looks like under roof overhang
I'd love to see an updated video on wired vs wireless since costs have come down on both
Another great vid reed, I think you under sold Eufy though, I've had a smart door bell by them for over a year now and it works great, they've just released a new line up of wireless cameras now as well that have built in solar panels so the batteries last longer between charges
Thanks Jack! You’re right I probably did under sell Eufy. I really like their doorbell and they are great wireless cameras. I was just trying to focus on the main differences between them without making the video too long. There’s definitely a lot to say about Eufy cameras though.
wireless can be easily jammed with a simple device, and the feed can be hijacked and edited rendering it useless
Just installed the Lorex 4k 8 camera NVR system bought from Costco for $699.
Running wires was a 3-4 hr hassle but after that it's a no brainer.
Have tried wireless cameras in the past and let me tell you they are a no go.
The quality and reliability of a wired camera cannot be matched by a wireless camera.
I've installed Lorex systems and they're pretty good so far. Ive had one at my home and no problems yet. Just be aware your 1tb footage will be used up in a few days and it will overwrite it automatically.
@@MarkS6789 I have noticed that too Mark, Getting the Seagate Skyhawk 4TB surveillance HDD. Been reading good reviews on Amazon and costs less that $100.
Except, the the quality and reliability is most definitely matched. You probably have shitty internet service.
@@starmc26 AT&T fiber, can't get faster than that in residential.
@@henrybrar lol, ok bud.
The biggest driver for my decision was powering the cameras and storage.
I'm in a residential neighborhood so realistically a few WiFi cameras would work fine. However the idea of changing batteries out constantly gives me a headache and if I'm going to run power through my attic I may as well just run the Ethernet and use PoE.
Second, I don't want my footage running through another server to get to my phone or computer. I'd much rather have everything stored locally.
How can you POE if you’re not pre wired?
Is there an easy way to run CAT with out cutting into drywall and into ceilings? But I need to view cameras at work while away from home on my phone. Can POE stream to networks 70+ miles away?
Hey excellent tutorial. I’m looking at the Unifi setup. Buy once cry once. I’m not skimping on security
Are they wired cameras?
My husband and I are getting to old to install a wired camera ourselves. I wonder who we could contact to install the Reolink camera? Thanks so much!
One problem with wireless cameras is that they often require a base station and that base station can change between models/years meaning that a camera + base station you bought 2 or 3 years ago will not work with cameras available this year from the same vendor. I am running Arlo Q Plus cameras in my house. The up side is that they are wired and will work on POE or USB, but the downside is there is not an outdoor version of this camera.
Good point. I have experienced upgrades that have affected my NVR and access to my cameras, disconnects. A new NVR definitely was updated and made for an easier interface.
can you also do a review on the best wired and wireless security systems? i would really like to know as we are moving and would like to put a security system in our new home 🙂
I have a Lorex DVD 4K 8 camera wired system. My son and I ran the wires in the attic and drilled a hole for each camera and mounted them to the wall.
I also have a broadcaster to my surveillance. With that I am able to watch LIVE surveillance at any TV channel 9 in my house.
Excellent video Reed! Very clearly explained. I've had Eufy Cameras for about a year and I'm very happy with them. As an Apple user, I like they can be Homekit integrated. As for the security breach, they have already addressed it. After watching the video made by The Hook Up I got it even clearer. I'm staying with Eufy. At least for the time being. I may upgrade my kit to the new Eufy Cam 3 in a future, once it gets HomeKit integration. if it ever does.
Ubiquiti is aimed at more business rated hardware but its quite a bit more cost effective then take Cisco Meraki equipment. So Ubiquiti does a great job at reaching both audiences.
My blue by ADT is better. 1- budget friendly under $700 for the equipment for an average large home that is 1,200sq. If you bought the equipment you have the option to pay for professional monitoring for as low as $15 per month for 3 year contract or $20 month to month. 2- their camera capture up to 1080p motion activated. 3- have key fob for arms and disarm and comfortable with Google, alexa, iftt. I have my set up when I leave my house I can arm the alarm with the key fob and it will close my garage door and lock all doors to the house. When I disarmed it, the garage door would open and all the other doors would remain locked. I also had gotten it to change my thermostat when I left and armed the house to away. They also offer solar panels for the camera and also offer a wired by USB A power supply. The alarm system is also a smart hub so you can also integrate your smart lights, motion sensor, and add animation to your house if you want to. You can have 8 outdoor camera, 8 indoor with 30 days of cloud storage for free. The camera you can buy on eBay for half then buying it directly. If you are in an existing contract already you can transfer the remaining contract to a new owner.
Just fitted one of these to my house. Very simple indeed. Great buy.
I see some comments on needing to run ethernet cable to have a wired camera, actually you do not. A friend of mine had a PC computer with a USB wireless WiFi adapter (the cable modem/ router was located on the other side of the house). They kept calling me because their internet signal would go down. So I researched options, and I got them a powerline ethernet adapter (it just uses the electric outlet /electrical wiring in the house, instead of needing a dedicated ethernet cable). This was over 10 years ago I installed it, and they haven't had any issues since I installed it.
I have completely switched from Nest to Unifi cameras except for doorbell. Having the door image show up on a Nest Home right away too good of a feature to lose. I do have a Unifi camera on the porch though in case power goes out. Which is by far the best feature for local POE cameras... my network rack has battery backup and all my gear (modem, router, switches, cameras etc) all stay up and recording while power is out. I always assume if someone is going to break in they will cut the power first. Maybe I am wrong?
Agreed re criminals cutting the power, or something comes down during a power outage…..Murphys Law
Awesome review Sir! Those Unifi cameras look awesome.
Just use blueiris. That’s what I do. Works great
As much as I complain about Unifi: Video was better than protect, protect lost features compared to video, protect is always buffering the view with 7 cameras. And the fact that it's all local yet I still have to log in with 2FA drives me f'ing nuts. But, compared to the competition, I still think Unifi is pretty good. Wiring isnt hard: just find a closet for the NVR, run cables thru the attic, it's pretty simple.
The best review on TH-cam. Many thanks.
👌💯
Good content! The neighborhood in the first few seconds reminds of a masterplan community here in Las Vegas.
Have both wired and wireless reolink camera's. I prefer the wired actually. Only downside to reolink is that the models I have don't have smart person detection. Works with Google assistant if you use voice to pull video up.
The UniFi app and cameras seem pretty good... maybe I should've been patient instead of getting the Lorex 4K wired cameras I'm still procrastinating on installing
I use a Synology NAS for my cams. Easy to setup and POE. I would not like to have to pull SD cards to see what the camera captured. Of course, I can also view the cams and recordings remotely. Great 4k cameras can be purchased for around $200 or less. I use Amcrest.
You should do a video on if you should live in a HOA neighborhood and the pots and cons.
There are no pros to an HOA, unless your the HOA president & enjoy tormenting people.
I need this video for apartment dwellers
Currently i`m using dvr wired cameras in my business and wyze cameras as well.Wyze cameras are so convenient and easy to operate and use than the wired .I don`t have time and energy to run the wires through my attic which is a pain in the ass. At home i have both ring and wyze and they work pretty well .
In the end i would choose a wired camera system. Just in case the Internet goes down you can still go back and see the recording with the physical hard drive that the dvr has especially if you have your own house... wireless cameras can be more useful for apartments where you cant drill holes for cables...
Which wired system do you recommend?
I am going to buy exterior wire cameras, which surveillance cameras do you recommend me, Thank you !
I think wired is better. I've have two different wifi security camera setups and it's nerve wracking when you're on vacation or wherever and want to check in/around your house and somp1e or all the cameras have magically disconnected themselves and you start freaking out. Manually reconnecting from your app only sometimes works. If you're lucky they'll reconnect whenever they choose to be it 1hr~24hrs. So if you're up to it go wired.👍
I want wired. Which do you recommend?
@@asanta2023 Wired. A bit of a learning curve but still easy and more realable.
I have to commend your video, you are extremely organized and detailed. Thank you for this, excellent job!!!
Unfortunately, of the numerous thieving tweakers I've either known casually or once as friends at some point in my life, many of them now reside in the San Tan Valley area. None of them even originated from QC, Flourance or Cooledge. Every single one has drifted over from AJ, Mesa or Gilbert - usually following and living with their siblings or aging parents. Buying a new house in a new neighborhood around there, it's a great location. You probably won't have any issues, but heck yeah, get some cams and other security up to be safe. You're doing it right. This was a good video with some solid advice on the fundamentals! Subbed!
UBIQUTII is the best hands down, that's all we install now, and we've installed them all. Use them at my own house.
Wired cameras are worth the extra work to install. But the biggest problem I have found is that most systems wired or wireless are only self monitoring or the cloud. What use is a security system if there isn't a company monitoring it for you.
Can we see your UniFi Setup?
A+ editing, I learned a bunch!
When watching video on the unify app, is there a fast forward option? Does it send a notification when there's movement? Is there a monthly fee?
Yes a fast forward exists but it bends the time and space continuum
@@Sandi_shores_lands_fish you're so cool and edgy 😎
@@BritiniMartini I too am a man of taste
I'm glad you admitted that Reolink provided the equipment. This is just a commercial for them. Really? $400 to wire the cameras? Nobody else has a prewired house! You completely glossed over the high barrier of entry to these.
I went with Arlo wireless and use their small solar panels for power. I have the recordings go to a 1 GB hard drive that sits right beside the inside modem...or whatever that thing is...thus not requiring the cloud storage cost. My only dislikes are the cams lens will require cleaning from time to time and that means dragging out the ladder since my cams are exposed to the elements. Also, it seems one cam pointed to the front takes precedence over another cam i have similarly pointed and only one of the two will pick up some movement instead of giving me a different angle. I also think they would work better if I had a better internet service. I rurally and depend on an old DSL link for internet. All in all there are probably better systems but this works for me and I have way too much invested in it to switch now.
Haha oh man, I came for the camera suggestions but stayed for the trash can story 😂
I think its worth noting that Reolink is just as easy as Unifi if you want to integrate with Home Assistant and Google. And all cameras with rtsp including Reolink can be viewed on Apple TV via apple tv apps. And the Reolink NVR even has HDMI if you prefer that.
Hikvision all the way baby!!
Their mobile app is decent, desktop app is brilliant, the NVR is decent.
I'm using knockoff HV 4k cams though as I'm getting a good enough picture from the knockoffs. All domes and all have the best night vision I've seen yet.
All saves locally in a non obvious/disclosed location and then have a display computer at my desk (monitor 1 is weather radar monitor 2 is CCTV and there is radio decoding stuff in the background). Already have a 48port PoE+ switch so the cams, WiFi base and more are all set.
I was unaware of that POE splitter to USB rather only have multi voltage coaxial barrel connector editions here .. I have a BRILLIANT use for one (Raspberry Pi mini running as a 2way radio repeater via Wifi), already have a spare port beside the dome/ceiling wifi!! I've been looking for a way to power it remotely.
just wanna say my experience with eufy cam. I bought the 2c with the home base for outdoor use (in canada, so ya, it's cold). 6 months later, one of the cam failed. they replaced it with (I think) a refurbished one because there was a little scratch on it, but it worked so not a big deal.
6 months later though, both camera failed, I contacted support and I was outside of the warranty period of just a month so they could do anything. a couple days later, the homebase also failed.
so overall, they full kit at about 400$ lasted 1 year. 400$ a year is 2000$ for 5 years which is higher than most of the other options.
I had the same issue with a Eufy robo vacu
I had a similar issue with an Eufy robo vacuum that died within 8 months and was replaced but the replacement also failed within 5 months. When I contacted Eufy support they told me there was nothing they could do as it was outside the one year warranty. It was the last thing I bought from them.
Nice job, thanks for the very useful comparisons.
Super helpful and informative. Thanks 👍
My 6 Arlo Essentials and Amcrest POE are awesome . You need both, get solar chargers
I went with ZOSI POE 8 Channel for under $250 on Amazon... May have to wait for a sale. All 9 of my Wyze cams died within a year.
Is legal to surveillance past your property line ? And wouldn’t this be a violation of other’s privacy ?
Biggest Downside to wireless install.. It still requires a cable.
Hey mate, great content, Maybe i missed this in the video but can i use REOLINK with unify cameras ?
I can’t understand why they can’t make wireless cameras that can connect directly to the base station. Either through a frequency (prefer way) or the WiFi network without having to load things up to a cloud. Dzees have a memory card slot and save the videos locally. Not bad because you can watch the video in your phone later even if you don’t subscribe, unlike Ring. And you can save it for as long as you have space in the card. With Ring if you don’t subscribe you can only see live footage.
Sure you can backup to hard disc or usb for wireless too, wifi is so fast nowadays
Excellent content in your review about wired vs wirelesss security cameras. It sounds interesting upon watching this video, thanks for sharing it
Lorex NVR wired solutions is the best comercial grade that you can use in home applications. The only downside, they are expensive and their PTZ dome cameras are easily over $200 a piece.
Do you still think these are the best wired cameras?