So many smart cameras, so many different subscriptions

Are you looking for a new smart camera setup for your home or small business? The good news is, you are spoiled for choice. The bad news is, you’ll likely end up paying for cloud storage. You might even end up paying for things you never needed or wanted.

I’m not going after a single manufacturer here. Whether you’re going with big dogs like Amazon’s Ring systems or Google’s Nest, a well-regarded brand like Arlo, or even the cheapest models from China, each comes with several different levels of cloud storage beyond that. of the free level. And even the best wireless home security cameras usually don’t have the best option: expandable local storage.

Example: Amazon’s Ring Doorbell comes with “free” cloud storage. Or does he do it? A quick glance at the plans shows that nothing your Ring Doorbell “sees” is saved in the cloud. You get the live video stream which you can see on your phone, all doorbell functions like two-way talk are working, but once an event is over there is no more history in the cloud. For this you need to pay $ 3 per month.

Now $ 3 a month is not a lot of money, and if there weren’t any other terms (spoiler: there are) I would pay it and I wouldn’t even notice all three. missing dollars each month. But it only works if you just a Ring the camera or doorbell. Suppose you have more than one and want to have cloud storage to record video, you need to pay $ 10 per month.

Ten dollars isn’t a lot of money either. I would pay for it and not care if I only used Ring products – and that’s the catch. Unless you want to spend too much money, you’re kind of stuck using one brand for everything. It’s a pickle I’m in right now.

A few dollars here and a few dollars there add up each month.

I have an old Arlo Pro camera system at home. Nothing fancy, just three cameras and a projector. But it has what I think is the crown jewel of smart cameras: you can plug a hard drive into the hub and set everything up to store all video locally. If you have a large enough storage drive, you can also use it for 24/7 monitoring if you want. I mainly use it to scare off wildlife that wants to knock over my trash, but it’s cool to watch the video and see if it was a deer or a bear – or Bigfoot.

However, I want to get something with better night vision and I really don’t want to configure my own system with local storage. It’s not too difficult, and I’ve seen a lot of all-in-one kits available on Amazon. I’d rather buy a new Arlo setup, but I should also buy a new hub that works with the latest cameras and lights. Cha Ching.

I also think I want to try the new Nest wireless doorbell. I really want something that works with my existing setup or any other setup I might buy, but unless I buy all Nest products, I’ll pay for two subscriptions. These little fees start to add up, especially if you like to try a lot of different products.

You need to do your research before buying a smart camera.

Worse still is the confusion. More Smart cameras have an app that lets you see what is happening when you receive an alert. Some can store a small slice of video for X days if you need a copy of your footage. Of course, they all have a lot to offer if you’re willing to spend a few bucks each month. But how is someone supposed to know all of this before they buy? You will have to go to the web and do some research. And do this right before you buy, as there may be times when the subscription price changes right after the “free” period you get when you buy a camera.

This is the ultimate first world problem, and I firmly believe that you should research every product before you buy it. But in the fiercely competitive smart home market, you won’t find any convenience when it comes to “hidden” costs and extras like cloud subscriptions. The kicker is that Amazon and Google could totally make things not only consumer-friendly, but do it in a way that locks in more new customers so everyone wins.

Why on earth isn’t some sort of Nest Aware plan part of Google One? Pay nothing more, but once your Google One storage is full, it either stops recording or starts overwriting old items. Amazon also has huge data storage centers across the country, and Amazon Drive seems like a pretty darn good place to store all of my Ring or Blink cameras. Of course, either way I (and most people) would end up buying more Big Tech cloud storage, so the rich still get my money, but it would be easier for me. and make me look at the same brand that can do the same every time I buy a new camera.

It matters to me because I depend on having cameras to see my porch and driveway.

I’m a little rant here and probably sounding a bit like a loonie to some of you. But I to depend on cameras in a way that most people don’t. I can use a Ring (or Nest or whatever) doorbell to see and talk to the UPS delivery guy, or I can fold my wheelchair and try to carry it up the stairs while I slide them over my butt to answer the door. And I did. I walked up the stairs to learn more about our Lord and Savior or to tell someone I don’t want frozen Omaha steaks delivered every month. It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s life for people like me.

A camera pointed at my driveway paired with a video doorbell means I can easily see who is knocking. (Off topic: Why isn’t someone ringing the doorbell when a camera is connected? It still rings, folks!) Anyway, with my setup, I can see who is knocking straight from my chair and decide if Whether or not I want to go upstairs to greet or talk to people through the doorbell intercom – or just ignore them and hope they go away. It would also help if you’re trying to dodge a warrant. I’m just saying.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do to replace my old tech, but I do know how you are forced to take out a subscription to get the most out of a product and then sell it if you have more than one thing, and not having any of that compatible with anything else is good, stupid.

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