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jpm
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 4:59 pm
by jpm » Mon Feb 11, 2019 5:16 pm
I'd just like to offer my difference of opinion...
While the world is currently enamored with "simply works" cloud-based solutions, that while yes some may be easier to setup, actually decrease your security, and privacy - Sighthound Video is still GREAT in that you can create your own OFFLINE, NON-INTERNET dependent DVR solution.
I see for example the Android and IOS app reviews are plagued by wanna-be-sysadmins or your average consumer who is "upset" things "don't simply work" because they don't understand LAN vs. WAN IPs, or can't be bothered to setup port forwarding or a dynamic DNS name (like DuckDNS), or pay for a static IP and do it right.
Sighthound is still awesome because it's NOT like every other crappy DVR in a box solution (Lorex, Bolide, or whatever China-made thing; built ontop of an old unpatched version of open source Linux crapware where who knows what you're getting, or what back-door is built-in)
...sure, those other things automatically port forward, or use UPNP, or have some outside "relay server" to make outside connection possible without any end-user thought or setup - but that also means the company can potentially access your DVR and cameras, or turn the box into some kind of botnet. What you WANT is choosing your own port, making your own firewall rules to access that port, and choosing your own authentication (username/password) option that is NOT tied to any big company database just waiting to be compromized.
What you WANT in a DVR/security solution is a tested, well-thought-out, software that you update when you so choose. I don't want weekly/monthly updates - I want the manufacture to build and test and release a quality product - that's something else that's lost in today's norm of "Windows 10 cloud OS nonsense" and "always connected/always updating" crapware - where the consumer becomes the beta tester for the software and there is essentially no QA department.
That said, I LOVE my Sighthound instances (of which there are many) but the only things that cause me any negative opinion towards Sighthound are...
- The mobile apps don't allow for saving of multiple credentials for those of us who have multiple Sighthound systems across different properties.
- The authentication doesn't allow for multiple levels (for example Tom can live view only, while his manager Jake can live view and see recordings, and me the sysadmin can live view, see recordings, and delete recordings, and add/remove cameras)
- The "facial" recognition that is available in the "Sighthound Recognize" app is not also built into Sighthound video (for example, so that I can create rules in Sighthound when it sees my face at the front door camera, run a script, that will unlock the front door)
- The license plate or UPS truck recognition that is hinted to in other areas of the Sighthound site are not built into Sighthound video (for example when my car pulls into the parking garage, run a script, that will open the garage door, or when the UPS truck is seen, open the garage door so he/she can put the package inside, email me about it, and then close it again when it sees the truck leave)
...that would be the only "innovations" I'm waiting for. Not more cloud-connected/dependent nonsense.
It's anyone guess at this point if I'm going to be impressed with the latest Sighthound video software update that I can't wait to purchase, or if this has turned into another cloud obsessed company I will abandon in a heartbeat.
I would say to the Sighthound team, if anyone is still reading this, don't be discouraged by every "end-user" or "wanna-be-sysadmin" who wants "easy" rather that secure, your work on an autonomous and tested software is still appreciated by some!