Security Cameras with no Fees?

[Rufuss Sewell]

I'm looking to pick up some security cameras for my recording studio.

I'm away from it for months at a time. There are a lot of options out there but I'm a bit confused as most of them have a large monthly fee that seems unnecessary to me.

Here are the features I want:

1. Cost less than $200 per camera.

2. Easy wifi monitoring from iPhone.

3. Motion detection with notifications. Over-Sensitivity is not an issue since nothing should be moving in there while I'm gone. No pets etc.

4. I would like rotation control but not necessary I suppose.

5. No monthly fees. I just want it to stream video to my iPhone and store video locally on an SD or something. Maybe the last 50 hours or just whenever there's motion detected.

Has anyone had any luck with good iOS security cameras?

 

[Newtons Apple]

It is far from free but I cover my business with DropCam. No fan of Google but when I purchased and installed my 4 cameras, Google was not the owner.

Only way to have no fees is to buy all your own equipment including the recording gear. I am a firm believer in not have your recorded files on site so you will plan for offsite recording. You will also need a pretty fast internet connection as 4 cameras will required some bandwidth.

As far as false alarms, you will get them. Just a reflection through a window will trigger mine but that happens seldom. I have my recordings saved for one week and it is not expensive compared to a,full monitored security system. Only $5 per month for each additional camera after the first.

 

[Rufuss Sewell]

I have fast enough internet. I just feel like I should have the option to record the video on site. I don't see the point in renting hard drive space. I could easily keep a hard drive locked in a closet.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Best of luck. I will take the $20 per month fee for my three cams over a security service anyway. It has worked well for me and even caught an employee with "sticky fingers".

 

[melman101]

I have a Foscam fw8610. Actually two of them. No problems. You can get a different model with SD card support. Then I use the uFoscam app on iOS. Check them out.

 

[Gav2k]

Any Swann or lorex system can do what you want without fees

 

[digitard]

I have a bunch of Netgear's ARLO camera's.

720p
IR/Nightvision built in
Can stream anytime from their website/app
No fee's unless you want to increase your cloud storage retention from the free package

A few things to note:
- Completely wireless which is nice (powered by 4 CR123A batteries in each) so you can LITERALLY mount them anywhere you want without the need to power them via the wall. It has its benefits and problems. Benefits are you can toss them anywhere, and move them without hassle. Downside is if you're using them actively you can burn through batteries. Batteries on "security only" style should last more than a few months though.
- No local storage: Both a benefit and problem. Nice because you have no problem there. If you catch someone (you can configure motion triggers) it will immediately send it to the Cloud and its safe if someone steals all your stuff. Downside is you then rely on the cloud storage limits before it overwrites content. You can save from the site, but you can't auto-save locally.

I've been using them for about 8 months now, and have only gone through 2 sets of batteries per camera. If you don't plan to have a lot of motion in your studio, and simply want these for security should ANYONE enter because nobody should, they'll work great. I get about 4-6 months out of my batteries on a rarely used unit. You just setup the recording / sensitivity configurations and you're set. I keep one in my garage, one out front over the door, one in my youngest sons room and one in the back over the back door. They handle weather solid as they're weather resistant, etc.

For me they were a great solution as I didn't have to do anything to permanently mount them. I just keep a box of Surefire CR123A batteries in the junk drawer, and if they alert (only the sons really gets changed since we pop his camera on often as he's young, and the garage since we always have that "did I shut it?" feeling) you do a quick swap and you're good.

On the ones w/ motion enabled I'll get an alert there was motion and an email. I can then check it via the web or my phone app immediately as it's auto--saved to the cloud.

I should note they do have a wired unit, too, now but I haven't tested those personally.