Have you heard the buzz about this new Homekit Secure Video technology? Well, let me break it down for you. It’s a security camera setup that has all the bells and whistles.
From motion detection to facial recognition, it’s got you covered. But who needs a setup like this? Anyone who wants to keep an extra eye on their home or property. You never know when that pesky neighborhood cat might be stealing your plants again.
But let’s say you catch that sneaky cat in the act. How do you review the footage? Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. You can watch your recordings on iCloud and have all the evidence you need to confront that feline bandit. Trust me, your plants (and peace of mind) will thank you for it.
Here's what we cover:
- What Is Homekit Secure Video?
- How Does Homekit Secure Video Work?
- What Do You Need To Set It Up?
- Configuring It To Your Own Needs
- Advantages Of Homekit Secure Video Over A Traditional Setup
- Disadvantages To Take Note Of
- How To View Homekit Secure Video
- Who Needs A Security Camera Set Up Like This?
- My Favorite Homekit Enabled Camera
- Other Cameras That Are Homekit Compatible With Secure Video
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
What Is Homekit Secure Video?
This bad boy allows you to record and save your home security footage straight to iCloud. So, whether at work or on vacation, you can keep an eye on your crib and all its goodies.
Plus, it’s a new way to watch your home in real-time, so you’ll never miss a beat. This feature was first introduced in 2019, so you know it’s fresh and up-to-date.
How Does Homekit Secure Video Work?
A typical home security camera that works with iCloud is set up so that it sends footage to the cloud. From there, it is analyzed to determine whether the motion is captured from a person, animal, or just something blowing in the wind.
With Homekit Secure Video, recording starts when motion is detected, and anyone with access to the app receives a notification and can review the video clip. Instead, this footage is analyzed on the device connected to your Homekit Hub in your home. Then, after that analysis, that video footage is encrypted and sent to iCloud on the account you set up for this.
The video footage is:
- Kept on iCloud for up to 10 days.
- Not counted towards your iCloud storage limit.
- Uses end-to-end encryption.
Also, depending on your iCloud account, you can have a single camera with the 200GB plan or up to 5 cameras with the 2TB plan.
What Do You Need To Set It Up?
There are just a few things that you need:
- A camera that supports it.
- A Homekit Hub.
- An iCloud plan.
Configuring It To Your Own Needs
This type of setup has a lot of different settings that allow you to configure it to your needs. For example:
- Automation options include when a camera detects motion, turning on an exterior light, and starting recording.
- Notification options – there are many ways that you can configure how you get notifications, what is included in the notification, etc. This feature is also supported on the Apple Watch.
- Recording options – this gives you the ability to determine when and how something triggers a video recording. It can even differentiate between seeing a person, pet/animal, or vehicle.
- Facial recognition options – you can set it up to recognize familiar faces using your photo library.
- Activity zones – you can define specific areas in the camera’s field of vision to be the “activity zones” or places where movement will trigger the recording.
Advantages Of Homekit Secure Video Over A Traditional Setup
- Very secure – since the video footage sent to the cloud is encrypted, it is kept private.
- Integrates with your current Apple devices – If you already have Apple devices, you are already good to go once you get your camera.
- Part of your iCloud plan – if you already have iCloud storage, there is no other plan you need to buy for this.
- Image processing is done on your local network – this means it will already be encrypted because it is sent to your iCloud over the web for better privacy.
- Facial recognition – it can use your iCloud’s photo library to match faces with any faces it may detect on the security camera. If it finds a facial match from your photo library, the notification will tell you that it is someone you would recognize and probably not a burglar.
- Private – no one, not even Apple, can see your recordings.
Disadvantages To Take Note Of
- No package detection – no way to get notified if a package is dropped off at your door like you would with a Ring system.
- Continuous video recording is not available.
- Limited to 1080p resolution.
- Only a 10-day recording history. However, you can manually save those clicks to your photo gallery if there are any that you want to keep.
- There is no way to temporarily mute the notifications.
How To View Homekit Secure Video
Reviewing Your iCloud Recorded Footage On Apple TV, iPhone, or Ipad app
Wanna know the easiest way to check out your security footage like a boss? All you gotta do is fire up your app on your Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad.
Once you’re in, you can use the calendar at the top of the screen to pick the exact day and time of the footage you wanna peep. And if you wanna get real close and personal, you can pinch and zoom like a pro!
But wait, there’s more! Once you’ve found that golden clip, you can even share it with your friends and fam by tapping the share icon. You can choose how you wanna share it and with who. It’s that simple. So go ahead, be the neighborhood snoop you were always meant to be!
Who Needs A Security Camera Set Up Like This?
Are you all about that security life? If so, this setup is totally for you. It’s like having your own bouncer at the front door, except way cooler ’cause you get to see who’s knockin’ before you even open the door.
Plus, it’s pretty dope to have a recording of anyone who comes snoopin’ around your property. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good angle?
But seriously, if you value privacy, you’ll love this setup too. It’s like having an extra layer of protection against any potential burglars. So, what do you say? Wanna beef up your security game?
My Favorite Homekit Enabled Camera
Logitech Circle 2
If I were to recommend one camera for this setup, it would be the Logitech Circle 2. It is ready to do everything mentioned above and more! Look at these features:
- Easy to set up.
- Advanced motion filtering.
- Smart time-lapse day briefing.
- Allows for two-way communications so you can talk to someone at your door.
- Night vision and full HD quality.
This camera comes with the camera itself, camera mount, all the cables you need, mounting hardware, and a power brick adapter. Everything you need to install it and get it up and running quickly.
There are also several accessories that you can get optionally, such as a window mount, wall outlet mount, etc.
Other Cameras That Are Homekit Compatible With Secure Video
There are several other cameras that you could choose as well:
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Arlo Work With Homekit Secure Video?
As of Jan 2022, Arlo does not work with Homekit Secure Video.
How Much Does Homekit Secure Video Cost?
The cost of this will depend on the camera(s) you select and the iCloud plan you will use. However, if you go with the recommended setup I mentioned above, it would be less than $200 for the camera and then $1 to $3 per month for iCloud.
Conclusion
This info helped you decide whether a smart security camera is something you want to rock. If you’re struggling to set it up, I will do my best to help out and answer any other questions you might have.
