I need a security camera that doesn’t require a subscription or any kind of trial plan. Ideally, I want it to send notifications to my phone for motion detection, have storage for past events (more than just a couple of days would be nice), allow me to save and delete videos, and either have decent battery life or plug-in capability for power. I’ve been searching for months, but it seems like every option eventually forces you into signing up for something, despite claiming to have no subscription. I’d appreciate any recommendations from those in the know. Thanks!
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
I’ve got these all over my farm, and they work great.
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Quick question—do you get notifications when there’s an event?
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Quick question—do you get notifications when there’s an event?
Yes, I do. Mine is WiFi, and my router has enough range to reach the camera. They also have cellular versions. My dad uses them in remote areas, and they work great. I get a notification when motion is detected, usually fast enough to check the live view.
GuardGuru said:
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Quick question—do you get notifications when there’s an event?
Yes, I do. Mine is WiFi, and my router has enough range to reach the camera. They also have cellular versions. My dad uses them in remote areas, and they work great. I get a notification when motion is detected, usually fast enough to check the live view.
How far is the camera from your router? Any issues with connectivity?
JANE123 said:
GuardGuru said:
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Quick question—do you get notifications when there’s an event?
Yes, I do. Mine is WiFi, and my router has enough range to reach the camera. They also have cellular versions. My dad uses them in remote areas, and they work great. I get a notification when motion is detected, usually fast enough to check the live view.
How far is the camera from your router? Any issues with connectivity?
It’s about 300 feet away with a direct line of sight. The only issue I’ve had is with push notifications, but I reset the app, cleared the cache, and it seems to be working again.
GuardGuru said:
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Quick question—do you get notifications when there’s an event?
Yes, I do. Mine is WiFi, and my router has enough range to reach the camera. They also have cellular versions. My dad uses them in remote areas, and they work great. I get a notification when motion is detected, usually fast enough to check the live view.
Does it keep recording as long as there’s movement, or do I need to quickly open the app? Also, does it have two-way audio?
JANE123 said:
GuardGuru said:
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Quick question—do you get notifications when there’s an event?
Yes, I do. Mine is WiFi, and my router has enough range to reach the camera. They also have cellular versions. My dad uses them in remote areas, and they work great. I get a notification when motion is detected, usually fast enough to check the live view.
Does it keep recording as long as there’s movement, or do I need to quickly open the app? Also, does it have two-way audio?
It records as long as there’s movement, and yes, it has two-way audio.
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Can you access and save recordings remotely on your phone or computer?
JANE123 said:
I use a Reolink Argus PT. There’s no subscription needed. It’s battery-powered, charges with a solar panel, and stores videos on a micro SD card inside the camera.
Can you access and save recordings remotely on your phone or computer?
Yes, you can access and save recordings remotely.
Ubiquiti UniFi cameras don’t require a subscription, but you do need their recording device, like a Cloud Key Gen2+. It’s not battery-powered but fits all your other needs, including motion detection and storage.
SafeHavenExpert3 said:
Ubiquiti UniFi cameras don’t require a subscription, but you do need their recording device, like a Cloud Key Gen2+. It’s not battery-powered but fits all your other needs, including motion detection and storage.
You can self-host the software on your own server if you want to avoid using their hardware. It’s a bit more work but doable.
I use an Amcrest WiFi camera to watch my pets. It doesn’t require a subscription, and I use the Blue Iris software to manage it.
I’ve got a Reolink PoE setup, and it’s fantastic. No subscription, just plug it into the network. It even has AI detection for people, cars, and animals. Everything is stored on the NVR, and the app is free.
Robertson said:
I’ve got a Reolink PoE setup, and it’s fantastic. No subscription, just plug it into the network. It even has AI detection for people, cars, and animals. Everything is stored on the NVR, and the app is free.
Can the Reolink NVR be connected to a desktop with an upgraded graphics card? Also, can you integrate it with other security devices like door contacts, motion detectors, etc.?
Robertson said:
I’ve got a Reolink PoE setup, and it’s fantastic. No subscription, just plug it into the network. It even has AI detection for people, cars, and animals. Everything is stored on the NVR, and the app is free.
Can the Reolink NVR be connected to a desktop with an upgraded graphics card? Also, can you integrate it with other security devices like door contacts, motion detectors, etc.?
Reolink cameras are ONVIF-compatible, so you can use any compatible NVR. As for integrating other security devices, it’s best to keep security separate from surveillance. Most systems don’t pair both without a subscription.
WiFi security isn’t the most reliable. Go for a PoE camera for better performance.
GuardGuru said:
I need a security camera that doesn’t require a subscription or any kind of trial plan. Ideally, I want it to send notifications to my phone for motion detection, have storage for past events (more than just a couple of days would be nice), allow me to save and delete videos, and either have decent battery life or plug-in capability for power. I’ve been searching for months, but it seems like every option eventually forces you into signing up for something, despite claiming to have no subscription. I’d appreciate any recommendations from those in the know. Thanks!
Reolink offers a solid system with no subscription. Use a microSD card for local storage, and you’re set. Running it with a PoE switch is ideal.
GuardGuru said:
I need a security camera that doesn’t require a subscription or any kind of trial plan. Ideally, I want it to send notifications to my phone for motion detection, have storage for past events (more than just a couple of days would be nice), allow me to save and delete videos, and either have decent battery life or plug-in capability for power. I’ve been searching for months, but it seems like every option eventually forces you into signing up for something, despite claiming to have no subscription. I’d appreciate any recommendations from those in the know. Thanks!
Avoid Blink. It’s not worth the money.