[SOLVED] Best way to set up HomeKit Secure outdoor security cameras

[iFly777]

Hello,
Trying to find out best way to set up a outside security cameras with HomeKit Secure. Was trying to find a camera that uses POE because I’m upgrading my home WiFi network with Ubiqity’s Prosumer mesh network and access points throughout the interior/exterior. Trying to avoid having battery operated cameras and not sure the solar powered panel add-on will pass the aesthetics for my wife? Also don’t want to add 120v outlets at camera sites.
Any suggestions?

 

[kanewolf]

Hello,
Trying to find out best way to set up a outside security cameras with HomeKit Secure. Was trying to find a camera that uses POE because I’m upgrading my home WiFi network with Ubiqity’s Prosumer mesh network and access points throughout the interior/exterior. Trying to avoid having battery operated cameras and not sure the solar powered panel add-on will pass the aesthetics for my wife? Also don’t want to add 120v outlets at camera sites.
Any suggestions?

I have amcrest cameras powered by UniFI switches.

 

[bill001g]

I have no idea what homekit is.

Getting a POE camera is the easy part there is a huge selection.

What is much more important is where the data is going. Many camera systems only work with their special appliance box. The cameras may appear cheaper but they make it up in their box. There are inexpensive software solutions you can run on a pc but you still have the costs of the actual disks to save the data.
You could try cameras that write directly to disk/nas but then the software on the camera that does motion detection is very important. If you use some form of dvr to collect the data the cameras can be more stupid since they will just feed raw video.

This is only the start. It is very important to look at how well the cameras do at night, a $20 camera will work fine in sunlight. You also have to look at the various lens options for your field of view.

This is a hugely complex topic so it is very hard to recommend any particular camera. Generally stay away from the ones sold mostly to home users there is a massive quality difference.

 

[USAFRet]

I have amcrest cameras powered by UniFI switches.

And I have Reolink cameras powered by a 5 port TP-Link PoE swithc.

 

[iFly777]

I have no idea what homekit is.

Getting a POE camera is the easy part there is a huge selection.

What is much more important is where the data is going. Many camera systems only work with their special appliance box. The cameras may appear cheaper but they make it up in their box. There are inexpensive software solutions you can run on a pc but you still have the costs of the actual disks to save the data.
You could try cameras that write directly to disk/nas but then the software on the camera that does motion detection is very important. If you use some form of dvr to collect the data the cameras can be more stupid since they will just feed raw video.

This is only the start. It is very important to look at how well the cameras do at night, a $20 camera will work fine in sunlight. You also have to look at the various lens options for your field of view.

This is a hugely complex topic so it is very hard to recommend any particular camera. Generally stay away from the ones sold mostly to home users there is a massive quality difference.

Thanks. HomeKit is Apple’s way for me to process the video to identify people (detection) I know, and storage of video, while encrypting the data. It also integrates into our iOS devices and Apple TV’s, so we can see who is at the cameras and makes it easy for my wife to work with.

 

[bill001g]

Then you are going to have to get a list of cameras that are compatible with it. If you expect this app to also control and configure the cameras it is going to limit your choice. Most cameras feed the video in a very standard way but you would then either have to have support or somehow manually configure the cameras using their own interface.

If it is apple they likely even more lock it down so they can make even more profit off their over priced equipment.