I’ve begun researching IP camera options and came across a brand named Armcrest. Looking on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQXCK?psc=1), the IP camera gets solid reviews, and they are priced well (currently $90 for black or silver colors). I know they’re not supported by ST, but I was wondering if anyone has used this IP camera before.
They are Partnered with Foscam I think, I set one up for a customer of mine and it seemed to work well.
No idea of any ST integration
1 Like
I got 3 Amcrest ProHD (two recently on sale from home Depot for $70 each when I thought my first order didn’t go through) in the past month and so far I like them. Motion detection recording seems to work well, and it is nice to have the ethernet or Wifi option. I haven’t tried recording to Nas yet . I’m not using their cloud because I don’t want the cameras publicly accessible outside of my VPN.
You can set up multiple user logins and give restricted privileges for different features which is nice.
I also haven’t played around to get them integrated into SmartThings yet because from my reading, it seems the photos or video have to be sent to the cloud also before viewing in the app, when I’d prefer to somehow have it stay local when I’m connected to my VPN.
But the Amcrest iOS and Android free apps work reasonably well, and can view multiple feeds at once. I also was able to see the feed using tinycam pro on Android, but there are a lot more dropped frames for some reason that I haven’t been able to figure out.
On a Windows PC, you have to install a plug-in to view the video, and it seems to work more reliably in Internet Explorer than Chrome.
I too have bought from Amazon and waiting to deliver at my door step in few days. I do have ST Kit installed and my definite interest is to integrate with ST so event can be coordinate. My few wishlists are
- When Amcrest IP Camera detect motion then it send signal to ST to turn ON light connected with ST Power Outlet
- Integrate Amcrest IP camera’s basic notification with ST Hub so can manage events/notification at one place.
If anyone have done such thing or any integration to WiFi IP Camera then please advise or provide me jump start to look for such integration.
I am new in this ST world so is excited too.
Thanks
There are alarm in/out ports on the amcrest pro-hd, and the Monoprice open/close sensors have external wire ports… You might try wiring the camera to the open/close sensor and then the camera can send an alarm event when there is motion and you can configure ST to do something when the open/close sensor is activated.
Don’t have an extra sensor to play with yet, and I think i would rather be using the alarm-in signals to trigger to camera recording, or other functions.