Outdoor Home Surveillance Cameras

[tb-av]

My only issue with Arlo I read the battery life doesn't last in below freezing temperatures. Per their website.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

Yeah, some sort of solar rechargeable mod would be good. Still not sure that would save a battery from low temp.

[3ACR_Scout]

I've been wanting to invest in a security camera setup, and the Arlo system looks good, but it seems counterintuitive (in this subforum especially) to depend on an offsite cloud for data storage. Does the hub store video data as well? If so, a generator, UPS, or battery backup could potentially be used to run it for a period of time if the lights went out.

When you said it uses its own secure wifi network, I'm guessing the cameras use their own network, but the hub is connected to your home internet and transmits to the cloud that way? Or is it a completely independent network through the cell network?

It's definitely on my list now as a system to look at in the future.

Dave

[tb-av]

Requirements

High-speed Internet connection – minimum 1Mbps upstream recommended. Available port on your router.

It's the "no-wires" setup that requires a wire to power the hub and one to connect Ethernet to hub.

[3ACR_Scout]

Thanks, I must have missed that somewhere in the lengthy description on Amazon.

I'm ok with the gun needing power, but I'd like to know if the video feed goes through the Internet to the cloud, and then back through the Internet to reach the ap on my phone, or if I can have a direct (wifi) connection to the hub. If the system has to have an external internet connection to function, that's a show stopper for me.

Dave

[themonk]

Thanks, I must have missed that somewhere in the lengthy description on Amazon.

I'm ok with the gun needing power, but I'd like to know if the video feed goes through the Internet to the cloud, and then back through the Internet to reach the ap on my phone, or if I can have a direct (wifi) connection to the hub. If the system has to have an external internet connection to function, that's a show stopper for me.

Dave

The system needs to have an external internet connection to function. The Hub does not store video.

[tb-av]

Some of those things work both ways.

If the video is on the cloud, then you need ISP access. But, that doesn't mean the local access is unavailable. IOW, if you hub is powered up, you should be able to see the cameras locally.... IF, they were actually operating full time. The Arlo, if I am correct only records. It is not active broadcast so nothing to view. So no internet, no images.

My lights though, have scenarios that can run off the cloud, but they operate full time off their hub and I can control them locally via that hub. So it's a dual control. The Arlo as far as I know, is a one way deal. It sees motion and streams to the cloud and after about 30 seconds will stream it back to you.

But most ISPs rarely go down and a UPS on your hub and router can last a long time.

[lazerblazer]

So this is a top that I have been really interested in as of late. I am moving to busy suburb at the beginning of the year and want to install cameras as I have more access points.

Point being the most secure and accessible way to do this through ip cameras fed in to your choice of recoding mothod. The recording medium can be standalone NVR, a box with hard drive and operating system mouse input and hdmi or vga output. Also a NAS a large contained hard drive that is attached to your network. Lastly a windows computer with video software. The cameras are powered and run video/audio via 1 ethernet cable (cat5, cat6...) up to 100 m I believe without repeaters, each having their own ip address.

The cameras have the ability to motion detect, send alerts via or text or push notifications, plus many other features. You can set your recorder up on a UPS to overcome a power outage/cut to the system, witch keeps cameras rolling. Plus all of this is contained on virtual private network for the tin foil hat crowd, it's the bee's knees!


TLDR;

"IP POE NVR video surveillance", is what will lead you down the rabbits hole of video surveillance excellence!

[Ice_Pick]

You really need to decide what the REAL purpose for the camera is. Are you really going to be watching it live regularly, and be able to do something about what you see? Or are you looking to be able to provide evidence to the police after the fact?

Having the system send you an email when it senses motion sounds like a great idea.... Until your phone dings for the 35th time during your business meeting, just because the gardener is mowing the lawn, or the neighbor kid keeps sending his frisbee into your front yard.

I only sell systems that incorporate on-site storage, and then we set them up for remote access. I know that the motion sensing algorithms have gotten much better in recent years, but I still wouldn't let them blow up my phone. (Doorbell cams may be an exception, because you're guaranteed to be interested in someone pushing the button at the door)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Spin Drift]

You really need to decide what the REAL purpose for the camera is. Are you really going to be watching it live regularly, and be able to do something about what you see? Or are you looking to be able to provide evidence to the police after the fact?

Having the system send you an email when it senses motion sounds like a great idea.... Until your phone dings for the 35th time during your business meeting, just because the gardener is mowing the lawn, or the neighbor kid keeps sending his frisbee into your front yard.

I only sell systems that incorporate on-site storage, and then we set them up for remote access. I know that the motion sensing algorithms have gotten much better in recent years, but I still wouldn't let them blow up my phone. (Doorbell cams may be an exception, because you're guaranteed to be interested in someone pushing the button at the door)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Good info, as I'm challenged with regards to latest/greatest.

Thanks.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Yeah, some sort of solar rechargeable mod would be good. Still not sure that would save a battery from low temp.

They are just coming out with a solar panel, but it is sold out already. We'll have to see how well they work.

The system needs to have an external internet connection to function. The Hub does not store video.

You can put a USB stick on your 'hub' and it will store video.

I have the four camera system. I get about 2 months out of the batteries with 5-15 hits a day. Better time management with programs would probably improve that. All mine are pretty easy to get to, except for the one in the backyard that I put into a faux birdhouse.

The motion detection is OK, the issue is all in the connectivity. When I get an alert that something is detected at the front door, I can't get the app opened, connected and streaming fast enough to talk to people like UPS.

So Arlo really isn't up to real time, but it does a good job with monitoring things. It really needs to be locally based, with back-up to the cloud for offsite access, instead of pretty much the other way around.