Home Security Cameras

It’s possible that most homes today have some sort of home security cameras set up in and around their perimeter.

In this article – we’ll briefly discuss this subject with some anecdotal observations and opinions.

Do you have home security cameras on your property?

Home surveillance has become mainstream

mainstream home security camerasIn just the past couple years, home security cameras (home surveillance) has finally become affordable – and quite frankly, a lot simpler to manage.

Just a few short years ago – it was a complicated nightmare for some reason, to have simple, high-quality video cameras around your home or apartment.

Either they were shoddy in the quality department – or severely limited (and highly complicated) in their flexibility and setup.

And seemingly overnight, the ease, simplicity, and quality of all cameras seem to have taken a step to the next level. Which is good for us consumers.

There is a humongous difference between your home security options

I want to preface this section with the opinion that we do not have faith in “cloud” based anything. While we do have a Gmail account for this site – that’s about as far as we go.  Cloud-based computing is very susceptible to hacking. And on a wide scale. Look at all the credit-reporting agencies that have been hit over the years. It appears that almost everyone in the western society is now exposed to hackers. But I digress…

 

High-quality cloud vs. okay-quality private

I’ll be honest. I am incredibly impressed by the Nest Security Cameras. They just work. High quality. Ease of use. Intuitive.  Everything you can ask for in a video surveillance product. Uh, with the exception of “cloud storage,” as well as the in-perpetuity monthly charges. Does not sit well with us. Not whatsoever. Never will, either.

NEST camera

Perhaps if you own a business or construction site you want to manage (and can write off the expense), yes. The Nest cameras are in a league of their own. But for PRIVATE home use, I will never do it. Just doesn’t feel right to us.

Instead, we chose to use Reolink products. Not in a cloud. Decent enough quality. The privacy alone is worth its weight in gold. And the price is a quarter or less of what a similar Nest product would cost. With zero monthly expense. The degradation in quality is not noticeable to the ordinary person.

What do people use or want cameras for exactly?

We use security cameras primarily for perimeter use. For most people, this is the primary purpose.

In general, nothing much to worry about (although we have many saved video clips of the black bears! Yikes!)

However, video cameras are not just for exterior use. Many families have interior cameras as well.

To watch their dogs. Kids. Nannies. Etcetera. I guess a lot of people just want the ability to “check in” if they feel the need to. Some folks, unfortunately, become obsessed with the need to check in. Perhaps a bit over the top – but I guess there’s no harm in being extra careful.

Be very prudent as to which camera you choose

Security camera intruderLike we said earlier – the cream of the crop in terms of quality, ease of use – is currently the Nest brand (Google-owned) batch of cameras.

But they come with a cost. Both privacy and ongoing expenses. It’s peculiar that the “best” of the bunch also comes with a list of significant downsides.

Such a buzz-kill.

Many of the other “Chinese” companies out there are trying hard to up their game. I’ve tinkered with a lot of them. I’m not saying the brand I suggested earlier (Reolink) is anywhere near “the best,” however, their prices are ridiculously affordable, and they have a decent support system in place. We had a camera go bad after a year and a half (hello?) and they replaced it with a brand new one (even though we had to pay to ship both ways).

Other home security cameras

As a side note, there are home security systems out there. Like a dime a dozen.

The cable company offers it. The alarm company offers it. Shoot, I’m surprised the mailman doesn’t offer it as well.

But we’re a bit wary about those other options. They’re also cloud-based. We don’t like that. Some of you may not care, because “we’re not doing anything illegal.” Sure, having sex in your own home isn’t illegal either, but do you want that in the cloud? Some people might never understand what that whole cloud quagmire means. Avoid it at all costs. No matter the level of convenience you get from it!

Quality increases by the week!

At the point of publishing this article – we only mention a few options. New ones prop up continuously. And as new competitors and companies (mostly Chinese) enter the market (mostly via Amazon), the field becomes crowded. And more difficult to navigate.

It’s a tough decision for people to make. To choose between known brands, or take risks with unknowns.

To go with what they know (i.e, Google) or try and learn other products and perhaps their known shortcomings or device deficiencies.

I’d suggest saving a few bucks and taking your chances with alternative products. Better in the long run.

About the author

NJroute22

NJroute22 (site admin) is an avid traveler along NJ Route 22 (and almost all of central New Jersey!) Family man, pet lover, and property owner who has a natural curiosity for everything around.