Looking for more from your security camera than a few seconds worth of footage? Do you want to know what happened immediately before or after that event at your door? Thankfully, security camera manufacturers are starting to recognize what we’re looking for and are meeting that demand.
Security Cameras Up Their Game
This has frustrated me on more than a few occasions: I check my Ring camera to see what happened after clicking a notification or going to the History tab, and the footage cuts out just as I get to that crucial point. It’s like security is taking a break. But now the trend is going the other way, with security cameras offering footage 24/7.
First, it was cameras meant for businesses getting the 24/7 continuous recording feature. That’s great that they can check what was happening around their businesses, but many of us have security cameras installed around our homes as well. Instead of protecting millions of dollars in merchandise, we’re protecting something priceless: our families.
Our families are now getting a little more protection. First, Reolink announced last month that it would begin offering 4K continuous recording on one of their cameras. It’s too bad it’s only on one device, but it’s a start. When it captures an event, it can grab the 10 seconds beforehand, the time that is always missing on your camera feed. It also has PIR trigger modes to help your battery conserve power.
Amazon followed suit, announcing that it was renaming Ring Protect, making it “Ring Home.” The new service will be offering 24/7 recording through four new features: Video Preview Alerts, Extended Live View, Continuous Live View, and Doorbell Calls (depending on plan). You’ll also be able to see what triggered the notification without opening the Ring app. The feature is starting to roll out and will be available worldwide next month.
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Why Was It Not Available Before?
It seems like such an easy thing, leading to the question of why continuous recording was never available before. This is especially true for Amazon, as Ring Home appears to be just a software update for existing cameras. Why has it taken this long for Amazon to roll out what users have been requesting for so long?
It’s possible that Amazon didn’t offer more footage, as it was having such a problem with security. It was known to not protect users by sharing the footage from cameras as they saw fit, even sharing with local police departments. Perhaps they knew they weren’t keeping information secure, so they didn’t want to subject even more footage to this.
Maybe we shouldn’t be questioning the companies and should just be thankful that we’ll soon get the feature we’ve been requesting for so long. And if Reolink and Amazon are on board, other cameras should be offering it soon as well.
I’ll be waiting for the new features to roll out to my Ring next month or earlier. I’m on the Basic plan, so I won’t have all the new features, but I will have the additional feature of Video Preview Alerts. If I pay twice as much, I’ll get Doorbell Calls and Extended Live View. I’ll have to ponder whether that’s worth it. I’m definitely not going to pay four times as much to also get Smart Video Search and 24/7 Recording. While I want that, I’m not spending $19.99 a month.
Are you bothered by subscription fees too? Check out these security cameras that don’t require a subscription.
