FAQ: Using cameras not on the official list? (V1 hub FAQ)

Wiki FAQ
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I am shopping for a home security system and i’am hesitating between…" the Nest Cam or Canary or Smarthings Hub v2

If i choose Smarthings…which compatible cameras are the Best…?

Tks

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No cameras work with SmartThings for streaming or recording video.

Only image capture works.

With that said, a wide variety of cameras “work” with Smartthings. I am not sure if Canary or Nest Cam currently have integrations, but Dropcam works well (I have 3).

D-links and panasonics also work ( I have 5)

Many more cameras that support jpg image display work just fine.

However, the support for these cameras is unofficial, community devicetypes (I wrote one) that ST has a habit of breaking (broke 4 times in the last year)

Sooo… I wouldn’t rely on ST for video cameras. However, if you just need a triggered photo you can see (but not email or access outside of ST) then it does “work”.

Stay tuned, Someday soon* ST will launch hub v2 and has stated video is a goal to support.

*soon means sometime in the future, not tomorrow or the next day, but it will launch in the future, maybe…

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Nest camera does not have integration with ST.

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Hey @smart Ron I thought the Nest cam was just a renamed newer version of Drop cam. Doesn’t it use the same cloud and API? Just curious I love my Drop cam and have been thinking about ordering a Nest Cam.

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I don’t think so. I looked at the dropcam connect app and it connects to Dropcam site, it’s api and the name dropcam is hard coded all over the place. We need a nest can connect app if they have exposed api’s.

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Ahh I see. I wouldn’t be surprised if its just a URL change or two in the code. I think I will get one on order and see what the story is. I also wonder what they are going to do with my existing dropcam web site will I have to go to two different web sites to view my cameras now???

Thanks

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Nest iOS App is the official app where you can see both your dropcams as well as Nest cameras. DropCam iOS app will be gone gradually.

https://home.nest.com/login - From your laptop

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SmartTiles (via @625alex) will allow you to setup a browser based dashboard of your ‘SmartThings’ and add in a streaming cameras. Not true integration with ST like I would like but at least gives some functionality you may be looking for.

Many community members have tablets setup at home, wall mounted, running SmartTiles with live Camera feeds. I personally have my Mobotix Q25 camera set to stream and works flawlessly, leave it up and running at work all day.

906×407 133 KB

Very easy to install via www.SmartTiles.click
You can read about others experience connecting cameras/ streaming here:

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Thanks for the overview.

Just curious, what is “true integration”?

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LOL, what is native integration is a better answer…

SmartTiles has true integration / native integration of streaming video, but SmartThings does not have native or true integration.

Using SmartTiles for streaming video is frankly no different then any other 3rd party browser based solution, except you get ST buttons and info… Might as well just pull up the webpage for the camera, same exact thing as SmartTiles, except it is already there for you.

Oh well.

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Think you all…

So i guess my best choice would be to buy the Soon. …Smartthings hub 2… .

And buy a camera of my choice to monitor on another app…

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@steve3d If I am understanding correctly, ST announced that the V2 hub will handle video streaming. What exactly this includes is a little TBD but it does sound like they are addressing at least the basic needs here.

If anyone else read that thread and thinks I am misinterpreting it, please let me know.

-JD

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Official V2 Camera FAQ:

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/205380804-Video-integration-with-Hub-v2-FAQ

And the unofficial device type handler for streaming video: