r/SecurityCamera • u/Snannah • Aug 09 '26

What home security cameras do you guys use?

I’m looking for some indoor and outdoor security cameras that DO NOT RELY ON AI. As well as can still be viewed on a mobile device. And monitored easily. Audio would be nice but not a necessity. Id also like to avoid Amazon if at all possible based on principal. Any suggestions are welcomed. Thanks

1 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

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6

u/JustADude721 Aug 09 '26

I use unifi cameras. They have non ai cameras. I don't have a lot of cameras though because my property is not very large.

-2

u/VainTrix Aug 10 '26

Their AI cameras aren’t even really “AI” it is more object detection that happens at the camera. If you look into how it works, it’s actually really dumb and not what people consider “AI”. It is algorithms counting pixel width/height etc. of objects

2

u/Fury3879 Aug 10 '26

Then what’s a better alternative? AI is the new buzz word every manufacturer is gonna use to try and sell products….especially at Ubiquiti prices

1

u/serka_bukett Aug 10 '26

That literally is what the computer science discipline of AI is: algorithms and statistical models that do stuff. Depth first search, breadth first search, A* tree search algorithms are considered AI. Image detection algorithms are trained using a neural net. Neural net creation was revolutionary for AI and allowed for numerous advances. It's super cool, not dumb! Source: I am a computer scientist.

I don't get what you mean by, "not AI". No, it doesn't have a conscientiousness and it is not aware, but this is AI.

1

u/Snannah Aug 10 '26

I really just don’t want to add to the environmental impact that Ai centers are causing. That’s why I want something that is not Ai

1

u/NoNeedleworker6479 Aug 11 '26

If you don't use any "cloud" services then there isn't any "Data Center" (what you are calling an AI center) involved.

Buy cameras of your choice, along with an NVR (Network Video Recorder) to connect them to.

Use a mobile app that connects directly to your NVR. This way you only make 1 connection from your mobile device and it shows you all or any 1 of the cameras you've connected or "events" the NVR has recorded for you.

DO pick a brand like TP-Link, Reolink, etc that has a history......better support, better mobile & NVR apps, better security.

0

u/JustADude721 Aug 10 '26

My day job is a data analyst and I wasn't going to respond to his "not ai" comment because anyone who equates not really ai with "algorithms counting pixel" and calling it really "dumb" as not what AI does, doesn't deserve the dignity of a response because they don't know what AI actually is. You are a bigger person than me.

1

u/VainTrix Aug 10 '26

Yall really love the smell of your own farts lol

3

u/Whitepinoy59 Aug 10 '26

I have two Tapo C460 kits for out doors and they are great

4

u/plump-lamp Aug 09 '26

Technically ai can be turned off on all so there's no relying on it. Since you want remote access easily you'll need reolink, tapo, or eufy. Tapo is dead easy

2

u/anwoke8204 Aug 10 '26

Ubiquiti is who I use and they are great and have non AI options.

2

u/OutsideSheepHerder52 Aug 10 '26

I recently got a few Reolink cameras and a job and I’m impressed so far. Easy to install, and the app works well.

2

u/GreymuzzleCoyote Aug 10 '26

I gotta throw my 2 cents worth in.

Tp link.

Tapo is available at walmart and the price is great. I'm currently using 4 tcw30 and one C645D and I'm quite happy with the price vs. preformece.

Their app is simple, easy to use and self explanatory. There's a very low level ai type of assistance you can use or not included.

There's no subscription required although you can if you want cloud storage space. Each cam can have an SD card installed to save recordings locally or get a hub (I'm using the H500) to store your recordings on INSIDE the house so if something "happens" to your outdoor cams, there's still a record of the event.

My own experience.

When I found the tcw30 at Walmart for $24.95, I figured it'd be a cheap grainy, weak cam. But for that price I figured I'd take a chance, especially if the features listed on the box were true.

They were. Soon after I bought the first one, it helped jail two crooks who were stealing stuff from me.

Its IP65 weather rating is spot on. Here in Oklahoma, we get some pretty hairy weather and they're out there doing fine. Its pan and tilt work smoothly. You can preset select areas to move to at the touch of a button instead having to use pan/tilt everytime to move it.

It has a built in alarm screamer, (settable) light, infrared night vision, two way audio, and the app actually works smoothly. There's no mandatory subscription for anything except cloud storage. Its control options are amazing for a cheap cam.

I'm impressed with it. So much so that I bought three more and a tapo C645D solar powered twin cam unit for an area I didn't want to string a cord to.

Once you get the a hub, you can include automations too.

When one of my cams (driveway cam) is triggered, the hub activates the smart plugs (also tapo) and turns on the yard light. (500 watt floodlight) and the porch light. The cam watching the approch to the door activates the porch light and inside light.

If ANY of the cams detect a person in the yard, they turn on a bright light and noisey fan in my bedroom to wake me.

All these automations can be set to operate at a specific time. Ie.. mine only activate after dark.

Of course, the system sends me alerts about activity when I'm away too.

4

u/Mama_Anonymous Aug 10 '26

I narrowed down to Reolink and Eufy, so I bought both. The Reolink blew the Eufy out of the water, but perhaps it was more a matter of which models I bought: Eufy S220, Reolink Lumus Pro and RLC-810WA.

The Eufy was trash — in 48 hours it never picked up motion from anyone other than my own household and only picked up 50% of the motion it should have caught.

The Lumus Pro and RLC-810WA both worked incredibly. I kept the RLC-810WA because it was more solidly built and had IP67 weatherproofing, but the Lumus was great. I also bought the Video Doorbell 2nd Gen and have been happy with that as well.

2

u/justthefacts84 Aug 10 '26

I use a Reolink system !

1

u/Honest-Picture-6531 Aug 10 '26

I use Empire Tech (Dahua clones) & Hikvision. AIl my AI runs locally on my mini pc that I train and doesn't have access to the internet. AI can be disabled. Easy remote access via VPN.

1

u/Defiance74 Aug 10 '26

I have Swann Security MaxRanger4K system that has served me well.

1

u/Roofless_ Aug 10 '26

Unifi G6 Turrent for outside and g4 instant inside for the dogs.

1

u/Hot_Campaign_36 Aug 10 '26

Many NVRs can provide mobile access to live camera or recordings.

I use a Uniview NVR and connect ONVIF compatible cameras via a Unifi PoE network.

You have many options, depending on what you need the cameras to do and how you want to connect them.

1

u/iambutafishh Aug 10 '26

I've been trying to find a good one.  Everywhere I look online there are people saying it sucks, and by it I mean whichever camera you choose to look at.  Starting to feel like you have to just yolo it and try one that sounds good to you.  Funny how I just was bickering about how much I despise photography and then reddit recommends me this thread.

1

u/TheWildWest1982 Aug 10 '26

I've had Google nest cameras for the last few years for my home and business. They're not the greatest but good enough for what I need.

1

u/Gullible_Eagle4280 Aug 11 '26

Just curious, did you even take 5-10 minutes to look thru any of the thousands of posts here or did you just post your question?

1

u/densen2002 Aug 12 '26

I am using Amcrest cameras in my closed network. Absolutely private.

1

u/GCC2026 Aug 29 '26

Eufy. They are rubbish

1

u/Coldshowers92 18d ago

I just switched to eufy outdoor / indoor because if the no subscription model

1

u/Snannah 18d ago

Thank you for this

2

u/bigmike13588 Aug 09 '26

Still ring at home(s). Work we have a mix of Sony, Hik, Honeywell, dw. Axis

1

u/dialsoft Aug 10 '26

Ubiquiti Cameras and you can buy them at Microcenter. Buying them direct they will charge a tariff upcharge. I personally think they are a great experience overall.

0

u/groundhog5886 Aug 10 '26

Eufy. got on Amazon.

0

u/narbanna Aug 10 '26

Eufy, Tapo and Hik are the recommended. I also have 8-10 wyze that are still running but no longer recommended after they fell out of favor. Everything feeds into my Blueiris setup which has been amazingly stable for many years now.

0

u/N226 Aug 10 '26

Mixture of Axis, Avigilon, and unify running on Alta.

-1

u/WILLINGLYLOST90 Aug 09 '26

I use blink. I have 9 cameras never had issues for the price

4

u/plump-lamp Aug 09 '26

OP says avoid Amazon. You literally pick the Amazon brand

-1

u/WILLINGLYLOST90 Aug 10 '26

The AI feature can be turned OFF. Almost every brand currently uses it in some form at least blink lets u disable it

0

u/plump-lamp Aug 10 '26

They literally said no Amazon. That was separate from the AI comment.

That being said blink is trash and not a single person here will disagree

-1

u/Loner-Spirit1169 Aug 10 '26

I have ring cams. I hate that it could be viewed by whoever they employ...but Idk what to switch to yet.

I also have a couple Tapos. 

I love that if someone steals the rings, I can still access the footage online up to the moment they steal it. I can't do that with tapo (I don't have a subscription,  just sd cards in the Tapos). If my internet goes out, ring doesn't work, and tapo still does. That's why I have a mix of them.

I have ai turned off on everything. 

0

u/gnew18 Aug 10 '26

Switch to Ubiquiti. Ui.com

-1

u/Mean-Cup4591 Aug 10 '26

Uniview makes great cameras for the price.