Why you shouldn't buy HomeKit Secure Video cameras right now

Using Ubiquiti Unify Protect as well, and it is just missing a proper integration to Homekit ... (knowing Some Ubiquiti leads are former Apple employees )

it's 2024. so any changes yet?

The prerecording of events buffered is essential. Most of the events need context and the latency can kill videos that are not buggered locally.

Not need to listen this guy. Because the first reason to not use the HomeKit is Hub requirement. But, no IoT home can be built without hub. At list one hub needed and normally today the simple home use several hubs. For example I have minimum 2 - Apple TV 4K and Ikea hub for Ikea devices. More - the outside control not so required in case control the home lights, external access to security videos is must. And no one security camera has today a normal secured connection to see stream. So normally all need to use automations and secured outside connection organized only with any hub in IoT home network. So? The question here who is the video author and what he really knows ? :)

Homekit is the jack of all trades and the master of none. EUFY does a fantastic job on video surveillance, and ABODE does a fantastic job on home security. Both apps, in conjunction with one another, are great! Would it be nice to have both these apps integrated with one another? Absolutely. Is is needed, not really.

This is typical Apple. Innovate. Then move on to the next new shiny thing and let what you just came up with languish, while the competition passes you by and you end up in a distant third place. And, of course, you screw over the millions of us who have been foolishly Apple-faithful for years.

Apple is sloooooow to innovate.

dont want higher resolution, i want higher bitrate

Are you aware Eufy has two cheap cams that record continuous video data locally to their SD cards?

All I want for a camera:

1. Preferably wireless. I could snake wires through walls, but obviously it’s a pain
2. Stores the footage to my NAS. I have 18 TB of storage. I don’t want to buy anyone else’s Homebase or whatever and I absolutely refuse to pay for cloud storage
3. Basic detection. I don’t need it to get fancy and use facial recognition.
4. Preferably 4K, but 2K is fine
5. A 5 pack of such cameras for $600-1,000 or so

Finding this combination has been like finding the Yeti! I also feel like I literally need to take a course on videography to understand all of the little nuances.

you can use your ipad as a hub

plus quality sucks, I have 2 cameras bought in early 2023 via apple website, located in the same room, connected to the same router, one would work the other would go to "camera not responding" mode all the time. customer support is awful. would not replace it. instead of taking responsibility, they would just ask you to waist time trouble shooting your router etc. I'd go with another brand.

PoE is entirely a market research decision; Apple has no such restriction. Unifi devices, through HomeBridge, pipe their data to HomeKit just fine over cables.

Thanks, I didn't buy :D

Eufy camera c24 can continuously record 24/7 and used the HomeKit, the HomeKit will only record motion but on the eufy app it works as normal

Don't sing the praises of the Arlo system just yet.

I am having issues for the second time that my Arlo system no longer responds to my Homekit.

I have a suspicion that again there is a key that is held ar Arlo which I need to call customer service for them to delete and reissue the key.

The customer service is terrible at best. If I didn't have so my money tied up into my Arlo system, I would switch to something else.

do you have your ubiquity camera system set up on homekit? with home bridge or something similar?

Sorry but i can‘t agree with a couple of the points, cause many (not all of) the points you listed are basically the reasons why i use HomeKit Secure Video. And Arlo for example (standing for many of their competitors with the similar functionality and methodicals) they charge you not just for a camera, they also charge you with a subscription for „premium“ features which should be included in the basic software! That is simply scam. And in addition all of the footage goes right through their systems as well adding a noticeable latency and the obvious security issues with it.

For the moment i disagree with all of that:
- the available HomeKit secure camera‘s always missing something, either they are (what you don‘t mention) often just indoor cams or they are a complete mess from the software (like the Logitech Circle) which i got refunded from amazon cause: They guy who wrote the manuals (yes, there are more than one version of the manual for the same product) and the guys who made the camera software never saw each other. Why? Well, because the camera can blink in colors, which are not mentioned in the manuals, in none of the manuals. And the Logitech support also has no clue, because they are the people that read also one of the manuals, where that color is of course also not in there…. You get the idea.
- the available Non-HomeKit cameras are a scam on their own, various versions with various issues when i comes to image and build quality, subscriptions which want to force you to pay for things that you should have. And Software of those camera‘s is often cheaply tested and implemented so security issues come along, if the vendor even makes security patches over a long time.

I‘m currently building a homeserver cluster at home with failover and load-balancing, and when I’m done with that and migrating my current projects from my raspberry pi to the cluster. I will check for the options, when it‘s not changing i begin to build my own cameras!
Then:
1. i know for sure, what’s running on them
2. I’m my own supporter which can adjust the cameras to my needs, hardware wise and software wise.
3. i don‘t need to rely on any bullshit company which promises me to add functions to the camera (like HomeKit support) which never comes or take features away and pack them behind a paywall when they are in the mood to do so.

Any new updates for the best affordable indoor homekit cam?

Reason it has to go iCloud or servers , so police can get their hands on the video thru a warrant

I’m about to buy some cameras and I’m debating apple vs google. I don’t wanna go google because of privacy. I also have had an apple HomeKit camera and it literally had an issue multiple times a week. It was awful. So I’m very hesitant to buy in. My nest doorbell I currently have has been nearly flawless for over a year.

I just wasted my money on the Logitech Circle View cause I can't invite family member without a hub. I don't want to spend more money on appleTV or anything more on that just to Logitech Circle View

Is there a bypass one can do via a 3rd party app or script to have the Cameras be set in Record Motion Mode with a particular timing schedule?

long and boring sorry

Netatmo outdoor cameras have a cost option siren. Agree local NAS storage would be neat.

My ring cameras will literally kick my out of a live stream to update. This happens several times a day. I’m going with HomeKit.

Thanks. But I still don’t know what to buy 🤷🏻‍♂️

BUT... it looks like security IS still an issue in 2023 with Eufy getting caught LYING, as they essentially didn't lock down their video AT ALL.. all of their claims of security turned out to be LIES!! Other points really good though...

I think I had enough with apple HomeKit video security camera I’m constantly getting no response. Defeats the purpose of having if it’s not reliable.

4K is not 2x HD

you are not right.

Eufy outdoor c24 has continuous recording

I thought you were President Putin for a second

Check out scrypted

If Apple can put a 48 mega pixel camera into the back an iPhone, surely making security camera systems that actually work flawlessly with their home hubs would be a walk in the park.

Apple should make cameras for this. There are so many negative reviews about home kit comparable cameras.

Thank you very informative.

Apple, listen to this guy!

For Home Security, would you go all in on Ring or Nest?

HomeKit Secure Video service… add to iCloud+ Subscription. I think they got ride of AppleTV/iPad being a hub. Why?

NEST is PURE TRASH. Worst waste of money I have ever done. Regret it every single day. This includes the Nest Thermostat, the Cameras both Gen. 1 and Gen. 2. Even the Nest WiFi Mesh system is annoyingly problematic. Go with ANY other brand other than NEST.

Really hoping we actually get more updates for base homekit, I wouldn't be surprised if the reason we haven't been getting a ton of homekit updates over the past few years(we've got a few but not a ton) is because apple was working with others on the matter standard and that's where most of their smart home team had been putting their efforts. With the release of matter support with iOS 16.2 they should now be focusing on the reasons to get a homekit specific device (or have it in homekit mode) now that there is the interoperability of matter.

I have two Eufy cameras. When the HKSV is enabled, it burns through the camera battery. There are also countless movement captures that my Eufy records that is not captured by HKSV. I’ve all but given up on Homekit for anything other than lighting. Disappointing.

Fantastic content,timely advice and deep, rich insight from Eric.
Thanks Eric for keeping us all up to speed on these fast moving 
"HomeKit" appliances and devices.
I went with "REOLINK" for cameras and surveillance on iPhone/iPad and Macs.
Easy to set up, tweek and the motion detection is pretty cool too.
Could you do a review of the 'HOOPS" Pro system some time?
It look's like it "might" solve a lot of our current problems.
P.S. Skip the face powder,you look mighty fine form over here !

Why is there no snooze? Every camera I have ever used has this feature.

True home security cameras should be dedicated ip 4K cams to a local DVR. All the HKSV video is crap. It’s just unusable. It’s not just HKSV, all “cheap” consumer grade video is junk, Eufy, Ring etc. they are all bad. Good to see what happened. Bad to actually ID anyone or vehilce tag which is really needed for the video to be useful

Could they actually be trying to store videos locally with the new Apple TV and its great storage and Ethernet port? Since they’re all about privacy (as we should push them all to be) it should be engineered in from the start. Not afterward.

Have you tried using homebridge to tie your UniFi protect into the apple secure video yet?

I actually split my camera system. The outside with Reolink NVR PoE (these work with WiFi models too] with a logitech doorbell and two other indoor cams [on when gone] on Homekit. What I want to see from Reolink is more color night vision. I tested the 8mp turret and like it very much. Especially with IR turned off it does not get a lot of webs. If fact the only issue is when a spyder sits on the motion sensor!!? Would like a wider angle version, maybe a 5mp and could reduce my carport from 4 to 3 cameras. Then redirect one out into the driveway to detect someone parking. The current one is above the logitech and the Reolink lights up when I park and walk in. The logitech is fully shaded and has a limited view because of fencing. Would be better with a slight downward tilt.


I started in limited energy in 1996 doing fiber and teledata and then HVAC and security. When doing a bathroom remodel I ran cat 6 to everywhere I thought needed for data and cameras and ran lines from the utility room in the basement to the carport attic. This became a saving grace as I needed to update my WiFi to mesh to get the logitech [brick house]. Used a TP-Link system that could be hard wired. Adding a home pod mini on the other end of the room [+20 feet] really sped up response time. Now my only issue is when the power cuts out the logitech looses its excluded area settings with extended outages resulting in notices of cars driving by when it powers up. The new Eufy base station which can hold a hard drive is interesting but wondering why the WiFi feature is not setup so you could put it anywhere without a hard line connection for setup? Supposedly a coming feature soon. Eufy did do a kit with the S300 cameras with a 1TB Hard drive at about $300 recently. The cameras have a much improved light for color night vision. Between Eufy and Reolink I expect some interesting new cameras at CES.


Thank you for you perspective it is the perfect piece to send my brother in law.

Hi Eric, thx for your insights and making some very good points. I love Homekit, but have also found the camera support and features lacking with some of the Eufy Homekit cameras I've tried. Like you, I have opted for the Unifi ecosystem but have not deployed any cameras yet. We will only start building our house in Jan '23 and I have some time to change things should I need to. Looking forward to your video on that.