Family just got one of these dumb things and I need a quick replacement option to order and return this crap. What is there that works offline and I can set up to work with fruit phones? (Not a fruit phone/fruit salad user)
Reolink or Amcrest
Reolink has had some concerns over privacy, and transparency. You’re required to use their app, even if you’re linked into HomeAssisstant/Frigate. Most of their cameras also don’t offer continuous recording, which has made me really regretting my Reolink E1 Outdoor.
Yeah. FOSS or fuck 'em. I am on Graphene and will never install anything from google. Android means the app is on F-Droid. If it is on the google proprietary framework, it is not Android.
This is by no means a quick replacement but it is private. I went with wyze cams, wz_mini_hacks firmware, put them on a vlan with no access outside of it including the internet. I have Frigate pulling the video from them and doing detection with a Coral USB accelerator and homeassistant for alerts. Amcrest doorbells seem good but honestly I stuck a ZigBee motion sensor by the door and between that and the two cameras watching the front I know who’s there and if I don’t want to answer I just ignore them. The only way it will be private is if the data never leaves your network so it’s unfortunately a bit of work but a fun project if you’re into that kind of stuff!
Not worrying about bait&switch with a company removing device features and forcing a subscription is why I did it after those stupid Canary cameras burned me.
Unifi has good equipment, works very well with a small self hosed cloud key or dream machine.
I agree, but it is definitely on the spendy side
Can’t argue with that. It’s not cheap, but it’s fully self hosted and works offline and that’s hard to beat.
What I ended up doing was just keeping a traditional doorbell, but mounted an old smartphone running IP Cam and a Solar Power Bank with it. I have a few “proper” cameras, but they’re far less reliable than my janky-ass cellphone rig.
A normal goddamn doorbell
This really isn’t a helpful answer. People don’t get a Ring for the doorbell, they get it for the camera. This post is requesting a good private security camera that can also record and maybe allow you to talk to whoever is at your door. Your answer is the equivalent of:
Q: Gasoline-powered car - what are the easiest hybrid alternatives?
A: A normal goddamn bicycle
I unironically agree with your equivalent, too. Car bad bike good.
Putting a camera on the front of your house is stupid just answer the door asshole.
I know. I hate this stalkerware garbage.
