Logitech circle cameras?

OU812

Anyone using the new Logitech circle cameras?

I know they’re HomeKit integrated, and reasonable cost. Am considering them for two outdoor locations (they’d mostly be protected from the elements under eaves.

are you happy with them & would you recommend them?

bk

I have two x Logitech Circle 2 and 1 x Logitech Circle 1, I don't have the latest one, also I don't use HomeKit secure video, though I'm tempted to try it.

I'm happy with mine and I use them as my primary cameras (I also have a bunch of cheap Yi cameras).

I don't pay the subscription though, so features are somewhat limited.

OU812

Thanks BK. What's the subscription? I was under the impression with HKSV the video is stored in your iCloud account.

bk

With the Circle 1 & 2 cameras they work with Logitechs own app and cloud service by default. The Logitech cloud service gives you 24 hours of recorded clips for free, but more advanced features require a subscription to their circle safe service.

The Circle 2 cameras can be changed to instead use Homekit Secure Video, by changing its firmware. I think you are looking at the new Circle View camera which uses HKSV by default if I'm not mistaken.

In order to record with HKSV, you need to subscribe to an Apples iCloud Storage plan. €1 for one camera (50GB plan), €3 for up to 5 (200GB plan) (note these are the upcoming pricing, it is currently more expensive). Not bad value when you consider that it doesn't actually eat into the storage plans data and you can use that data to back up your apple devices, photos, etc. So two birds with one stone and much better value then the circle safe plan.

At the moment I'm still on the old circle safe service and haven't decided to upgrade to HKSV or not yet.

BTW You know you need a Homekit hub too to sign up to HKSV? Either Apple TV, Apple HomePod or an iPad you can leave at home all the time.

OU812

Cool. Thanks.

currently have 2TB iCloud so should be good. We’re all apple so have the ATV too

bk

Sounds like you are all set for it so. If you do try it out, let us know how it goes and if you recommend it.

OU812

I got it this morning, hooked it up really quickly, great quality image. Notifications & detections seem really fast.. My only issue with it is that the cable is only 3m. A much longer cable would be great as it's going outside under a soffit.

bk

Looks like just a USB A power cable. A usb a extension cable should sort that out, they are pretty cheap on Amazon.

I’d be interested to hear after a couple of weeks of usage how features like person detection and if you get many false alarm notifications.

I think this is the big difference between good IP camera systems and cheap ones, how well they handle notifications. Some cheap ones can be way to over sensitive sending you lots of notifications from simply leaves moving in the wind or simple light changes/moving shadows. it is the big issue with outdoor cameras IME.

I’d hope HKSV could handle this sort of thing well.

Rew

My circle 2 died, it came on and the lights behaved as they should but it never came back to homekit and there was no way to reset it to get it back in the logitech app. I binned it and got some Unifi cameras.

Comparing the two its night and day better to have proper cameras, the logitech one recorded on movement/smart detections but it ended up missing loads of small stuff over time. Scrubbing back in time was very hit and miss. Loads of good potential in homekit compatible cameras but it felt like a fun tech experiment not a reliable security device. It got unplugged accidentally lots as well (its just random USB cable into an adapter).

bk

If you need to reset it back to the Logitech App from HKSV, you need to contact logitech support and they can do it.

I've three and the oldest is well more then 5 years old and zero problems. Works very well for me, never missed anything as far as I can tell. I think you just need to make sure you have decent wifi. And I like that it is simple USB plug, adds flexibility, easy to add extension cables, etc.

Unifi cameras are great of course, but I'd argue a totally different type of system. They are power over ethernet which mightn't suit everyone, they use a network video recorder (which isn't much good to you if someone breaks in and steals it). Plus WAY more expensive over €1000 for a NVR and 2 or 3 cameras. More like a traditional CCTV system, then a cloud IP camera system. Of course pros and cons to both.

Rew

Wifi wasn't the issue I just never found it to be that good a camera for my needs. The recording only on detection basically was good but not perfect so it missed things. Mine covered the front so further from the camera the less reliable things were. Scrubbing back over a day or 2 with Homekit was tough going. The unplugging issue, I have kids camera was forever getting knocked off. I can run ether net cables my self so PoE wasn't an issue and I feel now I have actual security cameras as opposed to something I could maybe check in on.

For Unifi started with the CloudKey 2 (€200) as an NVR and then added G4 Bullet (€170), G3 Flex (€70) and G3 Instant (€30) so it really wasn't terrible money but I also went wifi, switch and router to have the full suite. I do know somone who have a few Circle 2's and pays the sub and they have worked well. If I had revived the one I had I wouldn't have out it back to Homekit despite being all in on homekit.

Shred

I bought one of the Circle View cameras and installed it last week to replace a Nest Outdoor IQ, I've been pretty happy with it. The coverage is phenomenal at 180 degrees wide vs 130 for the Nest and the picture quality, while not as good as the Nest, is still very good (the biggest difference being night mode where the Nest cam is clearly superior, but the Circle View is still good enough I think). It was very easy to setup and boy is it so much quieter than the Nest cam regarding notifications; I'd often get notifications for events occurring in zones I'd disabled all notifications for - the Circle View literally just notifies me for the events I've selected in my driveway and absolutely nothing else despite it being able to see so much more. Further to this, I moved the Nest it replaced to the back of the house and started getting 'person' alerts for the cover on my garden furniture blowing in the wind 😆. I might now consider allowing notifications through DND at night time, something I simply would never have done with the Nest.

While it was handy being able to rewind back every second on the Nest cam I find I'm not missing it and I'll very likely further replace the Nest with another one of these. Being able to view it on Apple TV is a nice feature too (that feature was disabled on the Nest Apple TV app a long time ago; roughly around the time Google did away with Nest and many of the home automation integrations I'd partially bought their kit for 🙄). Lastly the fact it uses fully encrypted video is great and @ €180 (including delivery from the Apple Store in <48 hours) it's pretty good value too I think.