Ubiquity home CCTV views

regedit

A friend from work is just getting a Ubiquity CCTV system installed in their place so wondering what your opinion is on the following set-up:

UniFi Cloud Key Gen2 Plus x 1
UniFi G3 cameras x 4
UniFi security gateway x1
UniFi PoE switch x1
UniFi nano hd access points x 2 (upstairs and downstairs)

It is not the cheapest of systems but it seems robust, good quality and may future-proof the house for some 5 years. It's not a 4K system but I saw the quality of the 1080 camera day and night and it looks impressive. The 4K cameras are 400 dollars/or euro each...

The plan is to get some of the components in the US and the others in Europe and then find an installer
We have 4 PoE (no-name CCTV) already in place but they are old and have died so want to upgrade. No disrespect meant to any installers but is this a system they would be able to set-up? The cameras are pretty much plug and play but the other components may represent an issue for some. Even with the current (old) system, 2 installers were unable to get it to stream on my Iphone.
It was pointed out that this is more-less a 'platinum' set-up and pricey enough but want to check your opinions first

regedit

regedit wrote: »

A friend from work is just getting a Ubiquity CCTV system installed in their place so wondering what your opinion is on the following set-up:

UniFi Cloud Key Gen2 Plus x 1
UniFi G3 cameras x 4
UniFi security gateway x1
UniFi PoE switch x1
UniFi nano hd access points x 2 (upstairs and downstairs)

It is not the cheapest of systems but it seems robust, good quality and may future-proof the house for some 5 years. It's not a 4K system but I saw the quality of the 1080 camera day and night and it looks impressive. The 4K cameras are 400 dollars/or euro each...

The plan is to get some of the components in the US and the others in Europe and then find an installer
We have 4 PoE (no-name CCTV) already in place but they are old and have died so want to upgrade. No disrespect meant to any installers but is this a system they would be able to set-up? The cameras are pretty much plug and play but the other components may represent an issue for some. Even with the current (old) system, 2 installers were unable to get it to stream on my Iphone.
It was pointed out that this is more-less a 'platinum' set-up and pricey enough but want to check your opinions first

Bump: anyone?
Any experience with the Ubiquity UniFi CCTV?

paulgrogan.eu

regedit wrote: »

Bump: anyone?
Any experience with the Ubiquity UniFi CCTV?

Hey Regedit,


It's about time I helped someone else given that plenty help me on here from time to time!:cool:


Yep, I'm a Unifi Video user and have been for over a year now. I've got a full Unifi Network in my house, so that's Cloud Key, USG, 150w 8-port switch, AP x 2, and then my cameras are 2 x G3 Flex and 1 x G3 Micro. All cameras currently installed inside, looking out through the windows etc.



I have my own server so installed Unifi Video on that and it runs really well. Obviously since I did the install, Unifi Protect is out now, but this will only run on their hardware, of which the options are quite good as you can get the new Gen2 Cloud Key with Protect installed, so a really good option if you want a more hassle free install and don't have your own PC / Server to run it on. Also helps to keep your hardware count down as obviously it's one device doing more jobs.



Setup etc was pretty straight forward, but one thing I will say from the get-go here is that the G3 Micro is horrific. Full on waste of money. Regularly disconnects despite trying multiple work arounds and having a strong and stable WiFi network. I've read up online and it seems to be a known issue with them. The only reason I went for it was I originally had 1 camera beside my switch, so easy to install via POE, and 1 more in another corner of the house with no fixed network access, so the wifi option on the G3 Micro seemed like a perfect solution, but alas it was not. I've since replaced it with an AP and I'm hanging a G3 Flex off that. The AP is connected to the network via Mesh.


Access via the web / app is really solid through Unifi Cloud. Alerting via push and/or email is great as it gives you a snapshot of what triggered the motion. You can customise the motion detection areas quite easily, and you also have the option to blank out areas that you should / don't want to record, for example your neighbors garden if you were living in a housing estate.


I think that pretty much gives a good overall summary of it. Hope that helps, but feel free to ask any specific questions and I'll help if I can!


P

regedit

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

Hey Regedit,


It's about time I helped someone else given that plenty help me on here from time to time!:cool:


Yep, I'm a Unifi Video user and have been for over a year now. I've got a full Unifi Network in my house, so that's Cloud Key, USG, 150w 8-port switch, AP x 2, and then my cameras are 2 x G3 Flex and 1 x G3 Micro. All cameras currently installed inside, looking out through the windows etc.



I have my own server so installed Unifi Video on that and it runs really well. Obviously since I did the install, Unifi Protect is out now, but this will only run on their hardware, of which the options are quite good as you can get the new Gen2 Cloud Key with Protect installed, so a really good option if you want a more hassle free install and don't have your own PC / Server to run it on. Also helps to keep your hardware count down as obviously it's one device doing more jobs.



Setup etc was pretty straight forward, but one thing I will say from the get-go here is that the G3 Micro is horrific. Full on waste of money. Regularly disconnects despite trying multiple work arounds and having a strong and stable WiFi network. I've read up online and it seems to be a known issue with them. The only reason I went for it was I originally had 1 camera beside my switch, so easy to install via POE, and 1 more in another corner of the house with no fixed network access, so the wifi option on the G3 Micro seemed like a perfect solution, but alas it was not. I've since replaced it with an AP and I'm hanging a G3 Flex off that. The AP is connected to the network via Mesh.


Access via the web / app is really solid through Unifi Cloud. Alerting via push and/or email is great as it gives you a snapshot of what triggered the motion. You can customise the motion detection areas quite easily, and you also have the option to blank out areas that you should / don't want to record, for example your neighbors garden if you were living in a housing estate.


I think that pretty much gives a good overall summary of it. Hope that helps, but feel free to ask any specific questions and I'll help if I can!


P

Thanks paulgrogan.ue
That's useful. I wouldn't install it myself but get a professional installer to fit the kit once bought. We have cat 5 (or 6) already connecting 4 camera's to the recorder so the job shouldn't be hard.
Are you happy with the quality of the G3 camera's?

paulgrogan.eu

regedit wrote: »

Thanks paulgrogan.ue
That's useful. I wouldn't install it myself but get a professional installer to fit the kit once bought. We have cat 5 (or 6) already connecting 4 camera's to the recorder so the job shouldn't be hard.
Are you happy with the quality of the G3 camera's?

Hey,


No worries. Well if you've got a cable network in place already then this job should be so easy, literally anyone should then be able to install this for you. My problem is no cable infrastructure, so hence why the cameras are currently inside etc.


So following on from the point above, the camera's I have are just the G3 Flex, where as the one you've listed is the full G3. My one is small and cheap, but great and very powerful. It's cheap as chips and for me it was a great way of dipping my toe into this CCTV system to evaluate it, as all I needed was the cameras, as I was able to install the software etc myself as outlined. The G3 Flex I have however is rated as being suitable for outside, but it's not IP67 rated, so the general feedback seems to be that it would 'probably' be ok outside in a sheltered area, like under an eve etc, but I'd be a bit on the fence to be honest. If and when I go the route of running some cables, I will most likely go for the one you've listed above as from the reviews I've read, they are a great camera and most likely work like my G3 Flex, which rarely if ever give any trouble.


Just to summarise, like any system, it will take some fine tuning after the initial install. Tweaking the motion detection etc, but that's going to be the case with any system. So if possible, I'd recommend that you know your way around the system if possible, to save yourself having to get the PRO back in every time you want to adjust it.


P.

regedit

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

Hey,


No worries. Well if you've got a cable network in place already then this job should be so easy, literally anyone should then be able to install this for you. My problem is no cable infrastructure, so hence why the cameras are currently inside etc.


So following on from the point above, the camera's I have are just the G3 Flex, where as the one you've listed is the full G3. My one is small and cheap, but great and very powerful. It's cheap as chips and for me it was a great way of dipping my toe into this CCTV system to evaluate it, as all I needed was the cameras, as I was able to install the software etc myself as outlined. The G3 Flex I have however is rated as being suitable for outside, but it's not IP67 rated, so the general feedback seems to be that it would 'probably' be ok outside in a sheltered area, like under an eve etc, but I'd be a bit on the fence to be honest. If and when I go the route of running some cables, I will most likely go for the one you've listed above as from the reviews I've read, they are a great camera and most likely work like my G3 Flex, which rarely if ever give any trouble.


Just to summarise, like any system, it will take some fine tuning after the initial install. Tweaking the motion detection etc, but that's going to be the case with any system. So if possible, I'd recommend that you know your way around the system if possible, to save yourself having to get the PRO back in every time you want to adjust it.


P.

thanks a lot Paul
Would be nice to hear what CCTV installers on the forum think re this setup and how it would fair vs Hikvision CCTV. The later being cheaper

paulgrogan.eu

FYI for those who may not have seen this yet, but looks like Unifi Video is going EOL on 1-1-21.


I assume it will continue to work beyond that, just unsupported for updates etc.


Unifi Protect all the way from there on.