My goal is to buy a couple security cameras (I currently have 2 WYZE Cam OG that can still be returned), and software for Windows 10/11 to manage them and what they do without paying for a subscription.
I have been scouring for enough information to achieve my goal, and it really just doesn't seem to be available. The companies that sell cameras want my subscription business and seem to be making every effort to not be helpful if I don't want a subscription. The information (and documentation) about camera hardware is mostly non-existent, at least from the camera manufacturers themselves, and even simple info is painfully absent in pre-sales documentation of the cameras.
What I want is pretty simple and probably common: motion-triggered recording to my computer hard drive (which I can then mirror to my own storage in the cloud). The software typically does too much magically without explaining what it is doing, so I do not learn much about the technology infrastructure by trying to just using the software. I am accustomed to understanding what the hardware and software are doing for me to accomplish what I want to do. For example, I have not seen indication that there is a generic way to give my cameras visibility on my Wi-Fi (camera setup), presumably because it is only a function of that company's software. I then want software that will gladly manage what they do—the first step of which would be to either scan for the Wi-Fi cameras or to tell the software what their IP addresses are. Presumably the software needs to know the brand/model of the camera because there is no camera data over IP protocol that is generally followed. The software I've tried doesn't give much information or even imply about how elements of the system are connected together.
I'm thinking that I cannot rely on the camera manufacturers for this kind of software, because their goal is to help subscribers, not standalone camera purchasers.
Presuming I am not the first to face this situation, is there a thread that suggests cameras and software that will work together to do this—without me paying for a subscription? I see Blue Iris is popular here. Will it do what I desire?
I have been scouring for enough information to achieve my goal, and it really just doesn't seem to be available. The companies that sell cameras want my subscription business and seem to be making every effort to not be helpful if I don't want a subscription. The information (and documentation) about camera hardware is mostly non-existent, at least from the camera manufacturers themselves, and even simple info is painfully absent in pre-sales documentation of the cameras.
What I want is pretty simple and probably common: motion-triggered recording to my computer hard drive (which I can then mirror to my own storage in the cloud). The software typically does too much magically without explaining what it is doing, so I do not learn much about the technology infrastructure by trying to just using the software. I am accustomed to understanding what the hardware and software are doing for me to accomplish what I want to do. For example, I have not seen indication that there is a generic way to give my cameras visibility on my Wi-Fi (camera setup), presumably because it is only a function of that company's software. I then want software that will gladly manage what they do—the first step of which would be to either scan for the Wi-Fi cameras or to tell the software what their IP addresses are. Presumably the software needs to know the brand/model of the camera because there is no camera data over IP protocol that is generally followed. The software I've tried doesn't give much information or even imply about how elements of the system are connected together.
I'm thinking that I cannot rely on the camera manufacturers for this kind of software, because their goal is to help subscribers, not standalone camera purchasers.
Presuming I am not the first to face this situation, is there a thread that suggests cameras and software that will work together to do this—without me paying for a subscription? I see Blue Iris is popular here. Will it do what I desire?
