An estimated 94.5 million U.S. households are equipped with security devices of some sort. Among those homeowners and renters who use home security, 42% have installed video surveillance systems. That amounts to a lot of video cameras in a lot of homes.
If you have been thinking about investing in video cameras, perhaps you’ve wrestled with the question of whether or not you need a subscription service to go with them. Subscription services include real-time monitoring, alerts, and cloud storage. A subscription is a nice thing to have if you can afford it and are not concerned about privacy. But is a subscription necessary? In a word, no.
Video Cameras Without a Subscription
Interesting Engineering contributor Atharva Gosavi describes a no-subscription video camera as one that “records and stores video without an ongoing service plan.” But there is more to it than that. A no-subscription camera should also offer real-time monitoring. Here is how it works:
- Recording – The camera can be set up to record video, take still images, or both. In terms of video, you can determine how long your camera will record. You can also set the sensitivity level so that you are not recording unnecessary footage.
- Storage – Both videos and still images are stored on an internal microSD, your existing cloud server or service, or both. I have my own home cloud, so recorded data is stored there.
- Monitoring – The camera can be monitored in real time using a smartphone app. Just bring up the app and check the feed at any time of the night or day.
It is worth noting that most modern video cameras with app-based monitoring also offer real-time alerts. If the camera detects motion and starts recording, an alert is sent to the homeowner’s phone.
Video cameras without service subscriptions work just fine. I know because I have two of them. But that begs an obvious question: why go the other route? Why pay for a service plan when one is not necessary?
MicroSD Storage Is Limited
One of the first things that comes to mind is storage. The reality is that microSD storage is limited when you consider how large video files can ultimately be. How many hours of actual footage can be stored on a microSD card?
The obvious solution to limited internal storage is cloud storage. But what if a consumer does not have his own home cloud or an external service to which he can send his videos? If it is a matter of investing in hardware or third-party services, it might be better just to get a subscription for all the cameras in the house.
One final thing to think about in this regard is access. Heaven forbid you are stuck with a camera whose internally stored data cannot be retrieved wirelessly. Every time you want to see the data, you need to remove the microSD card and load it onto your computer. Cloud retrieval is a lot more convenient.
Privacy and Data Control
No-subscription veneer cameras are the right choice if you have concerns about privacy and data control. Like it or not, the reality is that subscription services expose a customer’s data to at least one third-party: the company providing the service. But the risk of unauthorized individuals gaining access to that data is very real.
From a privacy standpoint, it is hard to imagine that security providers are not somehow leveraging video camera data to drive revenue. Every piece of data in the cyber sphere is being leveraged to build unique consumer profiles that are ultimately used for advertising purposes.
A camera that never sends data to a third-party offers a lot more privacy and data control. As the consumer, you control your data because it never leaves the confines of your home. Your cameras are less likely to be hacked as well.
Subscription Services Do Have Their Perks
Fairness dictates explaining the fact that subscription services do have their perks. Subscriptions are not all bad. For example, consider the cameras that are part of a complete home security and automation package from Vivint Home Security.
Vivint security cameras will always work with the Vivint app and smart home hub. You will not ever have compatibility problems. In addition, Vivint installs everything they sell. Professional installation is a valuable proposition if your tech skills are limited.
The icing on the cake is that Vivint combines home security with smart home automation. That means your cameras can be tied together with other devices for the purposes of automating your home. No longer just surveillance devices, the cameras become integrated components in whole-home automation.
Subscription Prices Vary
Obviously, subscription prices vary from one provider to the next. If I were planning to do the subscription thing, it would make more sense to go with an entire security and automation system in one package. It is likely I would pay less for a whole-home subscription than having to subscribe to multiple services simultaneously.
Affordability becomes the primary concern with a subscription model. I am guessing most people would consider $50 or less a good deal on a monthly subscription plan that covers every device in a home security and automation system. But that kind of money for a single camera probably would scare most consumers away.
The other side of the coin is that subscription services also come with support. If you ever run into problems with your recording or storage, your provider should be able to take care of things for you. On the other hand, no-subscription cameras are pretty much DIY devices. If something goes wrong with your recording, monitoring, or storage, you need to figure it out yourself.
So there you have it. It is not absolutely necessary to sign up for a subscription service for your video cameras. Cameras without subscriptions are readily available. But no-subscription cameras require a bit of effort. If you don’t know much about setup and storage, a subscription product might be your best bet.
