Ubiquiti AI Cameras

[joesxm3]

Having gotten the juices flowing by spending all the money on the LiFeP04 battery backup project I took a stab and told Grok that I would like to by an AI-powered cat-like robot to stalk the premises and detect intruders. It seems that the tech is not quite there but Grok suggested that I could extend the Ubiquiti network that I installed last year to add a camera system.

It seems that cameras are now light years beyond the ones I bought from BJ's in 2010. Apparently, if I am willing to BTD, there are AI cameras that can differentiate between humans and animals and even be trained on facial recognition to recognize family members or friends, Apparently it can turn on or off depending on if your phone is in the house or switch to outside only in that case.

Time for an intervention ?

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Ring cameras are entering that functionality space. My multiple Ring cameras started sending more detailed notifications earlier this month. When I opened the app, I was notified that I was currently in a 30-day free trial of the new "AI Pro" functionality.

My notifications used to say something like "A person is detected" or "An animal is detected." Now they say something like "A man with a rake is in your driveway" and "A man with a white dog is at the door".

Their documentation says they have facial recognition of "familiar faces" available in a beta form.

I'm sure there will be more functionality added over time. I don't think it's functionality that I need to pay extra for. It would double my $9.99/mo plan to $19.99/mo (or an added $100/year).

 

[KMPC]

I just installed Eufy cameras around the house to replace my old system. Cameras can be either wired or solar powered. Has facial recognition that usually recognizes my wife and sometimes me. Discerns pet from other movement. Follows movement with camera and hands off to other cameras to show a complete clip. Does not have to be monitored. Sends alerts to phone if set up. And can geofence based on phone location.

 

[Pointby2]

We just got pretty much that same offer on our Blink cameras. AI enabled for free test for 30 days. Cool feature I can live without.

 

[Koolau]

It sounds like near pure (extra) profit for the company supplying the services.

 

[GoBirds]

I just installed Eufy cameras around the house to replace my old system. Cameras can be either wired or solar powered. Has facial recognition that usually recognizes my wife and sometimes me. Discerns pet from other movement. Follows movement with camera and hands off to other cameras to show a complete clip. Does not have to be monitored. Sends alerts to phone if set up. And can geofence based on phone location.

Which model(s)?

Easy install?

 

[folivier]

Waiting on Wyze to update their cameras.
Waiting.....waiting....waiting....

 

[flyoverstate]

I just installed Eufy cameras around the house to replace my old system. Cameras can be either wired or solar powered. Has facial recognition that usually recognizes my wife and sometimes me. Discerns pet from other movement. Follows movement with camera and hands off to other cameras to show a complete clip. Does not have to be monitored. Sends alerts to phone if set up. And can geofence based on phone location.

And, Eufy cameras don't send your videos to the cloud unless you subscribe to cloud storage.

Eufy by default uses Local card storage. When you access them, they contact the camera and unencrypt the video for display. Sure, they pass through the Eufy servers, but they swear on a stack of religious texts that they don't save the video unless you subscribe to cloud storage. The downside is that if someone steals the camera or the memory card out of the camera, the video is lost.

We bought them because their solar cameras are solid, we didn't want to be swapping batteries constantly like our other wireless cameras. They aren't perfect, but they do work pretty well, and there is no monthly subscription fee.

 

[Sojourner]

It seems that the tech is not quite there but Grok suggested that I could extend the Ubiquiti network that I installed last year to add a camera system.

Not exactly what you asked, but I thought I'd mention that the latest version of Claude (Sonnet 4.6) is considered to be the leading AI chat model right now. It's scoring higher than ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok on various benchmarks, and by pretty significant margins. If you haven't used Claude—or haven't tried it recently—give it a whirl. I typically bounce between Claude, Chat, and Gemini when asking something complex or deep, just as a kind of cross-check or sanity check.

 

[Sojourner]

And, Eufy cameras don't send your videos to the cloud unless you subscribe to cloud storage.

Eufy by default uses Local card storage. When you access them, they contact the camera and unencrypt the video for display. Sure, they pass through the Eufy servers, but they swear on a stack of religious texts that they don't save the video unless you subscribe to cloud storage. The downside is that if someone steals the camera or the memory card out of the camera, the video is lost.

We bought them because their solar cameras are solid, we didn't want to be swapping batteries constantly like our other wireless cameras. They aren't perfect, but they do work pretty well, and there is no monthly subscription fee.

TP-Link (Tapo) cameras work that way, too. I don't subscribe to any of their cloud services and have 64GB memory cards in each camera. Small solar panels can be hooked up to power any of them, for cheap (~$15). Same goes for Kasa cams, which are part of the TP-Link ecosystem now.

 

[Sunset]

TP-Link (Tapo) cameras work that way, too. I don't subscribe to any of their cloud services and have 64GB memory cards in each camera. Small solar panels can be hooked up to power any of them, for cheap (~$15). Same goes for Kasa cams, which are part of the TP-Link ecosystem now.

When you hook up a solar panel, does the solar panel have a battery built in, or are you doing this simply for daytime viewing ?

 

[joesxm3]

Not exactly what you asked, but I thought I'd mention that the latest version of Claude (Sonnet 4.6) is considered to be the leading AI chat model right now. It's scoring higher than ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok on various benchmarks, and by pretty significant margins. If you haven't used Claude—or haven't tried it recently—give it a whirl. I typically bounce between Claude, Chat, and Gemini when asking something complex or deep, just as a kind of cross-check or sanity check.

I bought a $9/month blue checkmark on X and it gives me (maybe) a little better Grok service plan. That is why I use Grok.

I am aware of Claude and would like to give it a try. My friend has used it for some vibe coding to help him at his computer security job, I imagine if I tried Claude I would get the $30/month version since I have seen people say that the paid-for versions are better than the crippled free versions. I would probably upgrade to Grok heavy as well. Another BTD opportunity, but, at 70, I need to keep my career skills up to date in case I end up applying for bagger jobs at the supermarket

I had been putting this off until after taxes. I probably should have had AI turbo charging my tax work, but at least I use Turbo Tax.

 

[sengsational]

I want an AI camera that only alerts when it "sees" a squirrel. I also want a very accurate pellet rifle with a nice scope.

 

[KMPC]

Which model(s)?

Easy install?

4) Solocam e30 and 4) Solocam e42 with Homebase2 and Homebase3. Easy install. If you want continuous recording, you will need homebase 3 with added hard drive. I've not added the hard drive yet and may not. Installed on 2/27 and still have only used about half of existing internal memory using 5 cameras hooked to regular AC power for house. The other three cameras are all using only solar power and cover my shop and driveway. System is wireless to the homebases and wireless to my home network. This allows it to notify me and view from anywhere on my phone or tablet. Bought through Amazon so that I could return if I didn't like. Not returning.

 

[KMPC]

And, Eufy cameras don't send your videos to the cloud unless you subscribe to cloud storage.

Eufy by default uses Local card storage. When you access them, they contact the camera and unencrypt the video for display. Sure, they pass through the Eufy servers, but they swear on a stack of religious texts that they don't save the video unless you subscribe to cloud storage. The downside is that if someone steals the camera or the memory card out of the camera, the video is lost.

We bought them because their solar cameras are solid, we didn't want to be swapping batteries constantly like our other wireless cameras. They aren't perfect, but they do work pretty well, and there is no monthly subscription fee.

Unless you get a Eufy Homebase 2 or 3. These allow local storage and backup. Homebase 3 also allow continuous recording with added hard drive. They are also supposed to connect to a NVR, but I haven't explored that much yet.

 

[OldShooter]

... I also want a very accurate pellet rifle with a nice scope.

I have one of Tim McMurry's custom Mac1 .22s as a woodchuck gun. (Mac1 Owner Manual, Mac1 Airgun Steroid Benjamins & Streaks) It will easily put a pellet through a 3/4" pine board and leave splinters coming out of the other side. He seems to be out of business but I'm sure you can find other airgun smiths that will build you a gun that meets your needs. IMO a .22 is overkill for squirrels. I would go with something lighter.

 

[Sojourner]

I am aware of Claude and would like to give it a try. My friend has used it for some vibe coding to help him at his computer security job, I imagine if I tried Claude I would get the $30/month version since I have seen people say that the paid-for versions are better than the crippled free versions.

I believe you can get the "pro" version of Claude for about $17/month (if you pay upfront for an annual subscription). Definitely worth doing to get the full power of Claude, since it includes access to Claude Code and Claude Cowork, which are getting tremendous buzz right now in the AI world.

 

[Sojourner]

When you hook up a solar panel, does the solar panel have a battery built in, or are you doing this simply for daytime viewing ?

The solar panel charges the battery housed inside the Tapo cam. Without a solar panel, you have to periodically (say, every few months) take the camera down and plug it into an electrical outlet to charge it. With the panel, it stays charged at 100% pretty much all the time.

 

[sengsational]

I'm surprised how infrequently I need to charge the Eufy cameras. Like 6 months or so. I have a really long USB cable and just charge them without moving them at all, so no re-aiming or anything.