Ubiquti Cameras Vs Blue Iris System

[Pascone10]

Hey guys, I want to start off by saying thank you for the help you all share to us noobs. THis has proven to be a great resource for me and I appreciate your help.

In the last year or so I have installed a Blue Iris server on a windows desktop and installed 4 Dahua Cameras from Andy!. I really enjoy the system and the feature set.

Now my brother wants and cameras system installed at his home ( yupp, getting sucked in). He is not one to tinker like I am so I was wondering if the UBNT stuff was worth putting in. I install their networking gear and enjoy it.

is anyone out there using the Ubiquiti NVR and cameras? Can you please explain pros and cons?

Thank you all in advance.

 

[pal251]

Run away from the ubiquiti. Only thing they have going for them is ease of use and you can do that with Blue Iris.

We have over 50 installed here at work of the unifi cameras and they suck.

 

[aristobrat]

If you haven’t already found them, UBNT has some active Video forums on their community. I check them about once a week or so and it’s been a good way to learn more about their products.

IMO, the only UniFi camera that does “Starlight” well in low light is their $299 G3-Pro... which looks like their version of Dahau’s 5231 varifocal Starlight turret (that Andy sells for $180).

If I were building a system for someone who didn’t like to tinker, I’d get them Dahua Starlights with a Dahua NVR. I love UniFi’s networking gear (I have a closet full of it at home), but I personally can’t find anything about their Video system that is worth the extra price.

UniFi doers offer US-based warranty and tech support, and I know part of that goes into the price of their cameras. But if I build a system for a friend or family, I’m doing it knowing that I’m going to be their tech support, and I can’t see making them spend an extra $120 per camera for something they’ll not get out of it.

Also, if you brother does grow into being a tinkerer and wants to switch to Blue Iris, since UniFi cameras don’t support ONVIF (only RTSP), their functionality is limited on third-party recording devices.

 

[Pascone10]

That is what I needed guys. Thank you!

The 5231 is what I have at home as well. Great camera. But I don’t have anything to compare them too LOL.

 

[td0g]

The only problem with ubiquity is that they are an expensive proprietary system and have a very limited set of hardware to buy. There's no PTZ currently, and if there was it would probably be horrendously expensive. There's only one outdoor camera form factor available (bullet/globe with a flimsy ball mount that doesn't take aftermarket lenses) and the IP67 rated one is $300 for a 1080p camera. They have already once orphaned an entire generation of cameras they sold when they broke backward compatibility on their NVR software, which is something I never even heard of happening in the IP camera world until they did it.

I would say they are the best of the "big box store" type all in one setups because their NVR is small, relatively inexpensive and has a really good web interface that does not require IE. Image quality is really good, as is their low light sensitivity. Their IR mode is not great, they sell an extra accessory IR light for some of the cameras. Best of all, a monkey could get the cameras adopted and recording on motion. It's the type of system I'd buy my parents if I couldn't be there to support it, but you could build a system much cheaper with greater flexibility from china sources if you do even a tiny amount of research.

 

[bp2008]

Yeah, I was a fan of their first-generation cameras (which didn't even have IR!) only because they were 720p for a price everyone else wanted for 640x480 cams. By the time their second gen came out (also 720p, but with IR and without RTSP streaming) I was already rocking Hikvision 3MP cams all over, which simply made the UBNTs look like children's toys. They have gotten better since then but never caught up with Dahua and Hikvision.