Using Vera as a security system with MAC

All,

I need a little help. Ive been struggling with using the Vera as a security system because it doesn’t record video, for me. I asked in another post and got great feedback. Here is my question. I have a mac. I don’t have a PC. Im looking for the best solution to purchase to work with or alongside of my vera lite. I would like my videos to be recorded to somewhere, versa server, google drive, etc. Oh yea, I have 2 cameras and I plan on getting 2 or 3 more.

Can you guys help me with what the best options are for mac users?

Thanks
Ray

[quote=“rayw, post:1, topic:185786”]All,

I need a little help. Ive been struggling with using the Vera as a security system because it doesn’t record video, for me. I asked in another post and got great feedback. Here is my question. I have a mac. I don’t have a PC. Im looking for the best solution to purchase to work with or alongside of my vera lite. I would like my videos to be recorded to somewhere, versa server, google drive, etc. Oh yea, I have 2 cameras and I plan on getting 2 or 3 more.

Can you guys help me with what the best options are for mac users?

Thanks
Ray[/quote]

I’m not a MAC or Apple person so I can’t be much help there with software. But I hope people have already talked you out of using VERA as a reliable security system. It’s not reliable or good for security. To go along with a security system and camera’s it works.

If nothing works out with the MAC thing, you can always looking into a stand alone DVR or a cheap mini PC like like NUC or the like.

As integikewhoa said Vera should not be relied on as a security platform. Vera is more of a companion to go with a dedicated security system. Vera should also not be relied on for critical things as well.

  • Garrett

Thanks for the responses guys. As I mentioned I am looking for a solution to work with my Vera but Im looking for the best MAC solution. Can anyone provide insight?

Thanks
Ray

My suggestion is that you look at finding a solution from a different perspective:

  1. you are looking for a way to record video from two (and in future up to 4 or 5) network cameras
  2. you want to use a Mac to view those recordings

The second requirement is easy to meet, since virtually all network video recording (NVR) solutions provide a method for viewing recordings from a Mac. What you do need to consider carefully is what NVR method you want to use. In your first post you mentioned several cloud recording methods. While many cloud recording services for network video security cameras exist I am not aware of any inexpensive ones - the reason being that even one let alone four or five video cameras rapidly generates a considerable amount of data that needs to be uploaded and stored. For this reason most people set up a NVR in their own home or business. Although there are several MacOS software applications for network video recording, I doubt you would want to dedicate the Mac you use for day-to-day work to do this job. Therefore, what you should probably consider is either (a) setting up an inexpensive PC with software like Blue Iris (as was suggested to you in another discussion thread), or (b) buying an off-the-shelf NVR designed specifically for this purpose. Either of these solutions will be “Mac compatible” since you can use your Mac to locally or remotely view the video that has been recorded on these devices and/or set up these devices to send notification to your Mac if they detect motion on any of the live video they are recording.

My suggestion is that you look at finding a solution from a different perspective:

  1. you are looking for a way to record video from two (and in future up to 4 or 5) network cameras
  2. you want to use a Mac to view those recordings

The second requirement is easy to meet, since virtually all network video recording (NVR) solutions provide a method for viewing recordings from a Mac. What you do need to consider carefully is what NVR method you want to use. In your first post you mentioned several cloud recording methods. While many cloud recording services for network video security cameras exist I am not aware of any inexpensive ones - the reason being that even one let alone four or five video cameras rapidly generates a considerable amount of data that needs to be uploaded and stored. For this reason most people set up a NVR in their own home or business. Although there are several MacOS software applications for network video recording, I doubt you would want to dedicate the Mac you use for day-to-day work to do this job. Therefore, what you should probably consider is either (a) setting up an inexpensive PC with software like Blue Iris (as was suggested to you in another discussion thread), or (b) buying an off-the-shelf NVR designed specifically for this purpose. Either of these solutions will be “Mac compatible” since you can use your Mac to locally or remotely view the video that has been recorded on these devices and/or set up these devices to send notification to your Mac if they detect motion on any of the live video they are recording.[/quote]

I think you left out
#3 Incorporate the use of viewing, triggering, and motion sensing in VERA.

Problem is I haven’t see a MAC DVR program that has a plugin in VERA. I also think you loose alot of function with a stand alone device in this field also. Ip cameras can be viewed without any DVR in vera. Recording and playback is another problem. Some have build in SD cards but even then VERA plugins don’t have the ability to add calenders or time list to view certain times. Bottomline is something like Blueiris doesn’t yet exist for MAC with a plugin to VERA.

If your stuck with only a MAC you might look into just sd card storage on a camera and use their own app for past viewing and use vera for live viewing if that’s what you want. I personally just use VERA for a quick snapshot. Vera alerts sends me a picture when it detects motion where it shouldn’t be. I use the BI phone/tablet app to view live streams and past streams as its organized and well laid out with a great picture unlike vera’s jumpy stills.

Remember as soon as you “connect” your home security system to a more “vulnerable” system such as a Vera (most home automation systems) you reduce your security systems level of protection. In other words if you can disarm and arm the security system through the HA system then it’s no more secure then the HA system. (for higher tech attacks)

For reliability, a dedicated security system is the only way to go.

Very true, I guess it depends on what your protecting. My cameras have seen mail theft and taking sun glasses from an unlocked car in the driveway. More security the better but I have never been one worrying about a digital hacker getting into my z-wave system as much as kids doing something stupid walking home from school.

Even when a high-tech bank/jewelry store gets robbed and it takes alot of thought and planning to do the job. I don’t hear so much about digital hack going with it (except in the movies) as much as just putting on a ski mask to hide from the camera. Sh*t they don’t even usually try to break in when it’s closed either. Just usually walk in when the doors unlocked and alarm is off and hold someone at gunpoint.

I’ve used Evocam for a number of years on my always-on Mac server. It doesn’t interface with Vera, but I’m OK with that. Provided that your cameras can accept two simultaneous connections then both Evocam and Vera will happily coexist without any knowledge of each other.

Another option is to go with cameras that support a memory card. Hikvision has several with a nice interface built into the cameras with timeline support as well as a dvr software for the Mac. It might be better to invest in new / better cameras.

  • Garrett

[quote=“garrettwp, post:10, topic:185786”]Another option is to go with cameras that support a memory card. Hikvision has several with a nice interface built into the cameras with timeline support as well as a dvr software for the Mac. It might be better to invest in new / better cameras.

  • Garrett[/quote]I have looked into various options for the Mac as well and this is going to be the route I take once I take the plunge. Hikvision cameras with SD cards and their front end software to monitor them.

[quote=“rayw, post:1, topic:185786”]I would like my videos to be recorded to somewhere, versa server, google drive, etc. Oh yea, I have 2 cameras and I plan on getting 2 or 3 more.

Can you guys help me with what the best options are for mac users?[/quote]

Ray,

I have three cameras and a mac and use my vera as a security system. There is a built-in FTP server in OS X that you can enable [see: http://igerry.com/desktop/apple-os/enabling-ftp-server-os-x-mavericks.html], which then allows you to setup the ftp upload functions of your cameras. I currently have mine uploading an image every 20 seconds around the clock, as well as video once the motion sensing is triggered. This generates about 4000 images a day, and a few videos, depending on what’s going on.

I setup a dedicated camera user account on the mac so the camera’s stuff isn’t in my home directory. I wrote a php script that I run occasionally to move all the images that are created for each camera into a separate directory by date. I can share this if you’d like. I also have used those images to create a time-lapse video using ffmpeg occasionally - mainly for my own amusement. [example command : ffmpeg -framerate 15 -i Schedule_20150201-%*.jpg -c:v libx264 -r 20 -report 20150201.mp4]

I have foscam cameras, and there is a URL-accessible command interface that you can use to have your Vera unit tell your camera to move, start recording, etc. [http://foscam.us/forum/cgi-sdk-for-hd-camera-t6045.html#p28979] Using this, if a scene gets triggered, your vera unit can tell the camera to start sending footage via the wget function in luup to wherever you’ve defined in the camera setup. Once the footage is on the mac, you can have it upload to wherever by automatically copying it to your google drive folder, dropbox, etc. Rsync is a good tool for this.

I hope this info helps. Let me know if I can help.

-Chris

I’ve used Evocam for a number of years on my always-on Mac server. It doesn’t interface with Vera, but I’m OK with that. Provided that your cameras can accept two simultaneous connections then both Evocam and Vera will happily coexist without any knowledge of each other.[/quote]

I know nothing about EVOCAM and I like Hikvisions ( I fully support you upgrading to those even if they don’t have SD in them)… With that said either solution would end up the same in VERA really. You will be able to view a live (but crappy) stream and the only thing you’d be missing (vs. blueiris) really is a plugin that allows some other features that may or may not help you. Motion sensors in Vera, setting recording by home and away and a few other things. Some of this maybe also be avaiable via http request to the EVOCAM software I don’t know. But Hikvision internal recording software is not powerful enough to do what I want.

I would strongly recommend that you do NOT use Vera for any critical security or fire detection applications. It is simply not reliable enough at this point. The Vera Edge is very buggy and while their customer service is relatively prompt and courteous, the product is unstable (especially after the latest firmware update 1.7.1018). After this update, our unit experienced significant loss of devices and after 6 days of back and forth with their support folks, they reverted the unit to the 1.7.906 version. It’s still not working correctly and we had to exclude & re-include 26 devices. We are using the unit mainly for lighting and temperature control.

I agree that Vera at this time is not really suitable as an alarm or security system. Then again, she is keeping an eye on various PIR, door and glass break sensors for me. But I’m not using that as a true alarm system since I have a couple of GSD that make a great deterrent against most burglars. I’m using the sensors and as a backup to the GSD as well as a way to keep an eye on them. Together with the camera’s installed. More for my peace of mind and to know which of them might have gotten sick while I was at work so I know which one to medicate. I’ll be adding some zwave smoke sensors as well. So I’ll get alerted in case of smoke and I can call the FD and tell them to save my GSD first and then see if they can save the house.

I looked at a dedicated wired alarm system but it’s too much of a pain to install and most other solution require a monthly monitoring fee and contract. My homebrew solution works for me right now. I’m working on interfacing Vera with Tasker on an Android cell so in case of trouble, she can tell Tasker to call me. I’m also looking at a backup method (providing I have internet) via tropo.com. They allow placing a call with simple javascript and offer text to speech. I’m wondering if a tropo plugin for Vera is feasible.

I use a dedicated PC and Blue Iris for a camera server with the Vera BI plugin so I can monitor the camera’s via Vera.