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HomeKit HomeKit Secure Video more then 5 cameras
- Thread starter mdurech
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That’s a good point, never thought it could be a hardware limitation From the HomePod or Apple TV.
I’m not so sure if that’s the case. If you have say two homes, each with its own Hub, isn’t the cap still five cameras for the iCloud account? Besides who is streaming so many cameras at once? You can only do one at a time on your Apple device. Maybe the analysis process at the Hub, but you’d need four cameras simultaneously picking up motion and being analyzed by one Hub at that moment. The recordings are stored in the cloud and the Logitech app has no issue analyzing and saving recordings from all 20 of my cameras.
I think it’s Apple just not wanting people to use up so much cloud storage.
I think it’s Apple just not wanting people to use up so much cloud storage.
That’s because those 20 recordings are being analyzed by something in the cloud. With HSV, it’s all local, constrained by an A8.
Yes but after it analyzes the recording, it’s then sent to your iCloud where it’s stored for 10 days, from what I read. I could see if this were like Scarface and you got multiple cameras from different locations simultaneously analyzing an infiltrating cartel... but if what you say is the case, hopefully, the new rumored HomePod will have a newer chip and allow more cameras.
Regardless of what improved chip is inside the next HomePod, I’d expect the camera limit to remain at 5 for a long time. Mostly because HSV will have to continue to support home hubs with the A8, i.e. the minimum to run HSV will have to remain OG HomePod, AppleTV 4th gen, or an iPad with an A8 or newer. Until those older devices drop iOS/tvOS support, they have to allow them to be Hubs. And considering the original HomePod will have to be supported for surely 5 more years, Apple has to let you use it as a Home Hub, even if older iPads and AppleTVs are no longer able to be Home Hubs.
Of course they could make it where >5 cameras requires a Home Hub using iOS 15 or something. Which will probably only be available to A10 chips and newer.
Assuming one of the reasons for the limit is the local hub processing, I really wish they would at least allow 5 cameras per supported home hub.
But then I wonder if the potential cumulative bandwidth usage of n cameras recording simultaneously is another issue.
But then I wonder if the potential cumulative bandwidth usage of n cameras recording simultaneously is another issue.
Seriously? You think that apple would nerf it's ability to compete on the high end because of the chance that more than 5 devices would be activated simultaneously in a house with only 1 hub that happens to be the most basic of the hubs? First, I'd be amazed if that A8 could handle 5 streams and second, if you are putting 5+ cameras at your home, the likelyhood that you have more than one hub seems high. Apple could simply warn you as you tried to add a 6th camera if you dont' have the processing power.
This is simply a case of offering what will satisfy the 95% and hopefully they will simply increase it in the future.