I am looking into updating and upgrading my home security system and integrating it into Home Assistant. I currently have amcrest cameras and amcrest NVRs and they work just dine at recording and playback. I’ve been wanting a better motion detection option that doesnt include cloud services and subscriptions. I found Frigate, the open source nvr software that seems to have really good ai capabilities that run locally!

My question is this, should I swap my equipment over to reolink? Or should I go through the effort of Frigate?

I’m not familiar with how well either one works. Amcrest has motion detection but I can’t get any push notifications to work, so I have to manually check the recording for “motion” in the recording and at night its just bugs or leaves. During the day its mostly leaves.

If i set up frigate I would only use it for the ai and use home assistant to give me push notifications, and leave the nvrs to record. All of my cameras are poe and soon im setting up separate vlans to keep all the networks separate.

Ideally using home assistant for push notifications allows me to control when I get a notification. I dont want notifications from all cameras if the alarm is off, but I do when the driveway camera sees something. And with extra automations I can tell it to ignore it when im using the driveway etc.

Now reolink is compatible with HA, but to what extent? I’ve read that it doesn’t offer as many features as I might need.

I’m just very unsure about all of this 😕

Hello everyone,

I currently run a small home/office setup based on a Unifi infrastructure (PoE switches and APs). Integration has always been my priority, but now I need to expand by adding a video surveillance system.

I’m torn between two main options and I’m looking for advice, especially from those who have experience running both systems on Unifi networks:

Option 1: Sticking with Unifi Protect

Pros: Full integration, single management interface (UDM), existing PoE wiring, no need for extra recording hardware if I use the UDM. Cons/Concerns: Unifi camera cost (tends to be higher) and less variety in models (e.g., mid-range PTZ lenses or cameras with affordable optical zoom).

Option 2: Adopting Reolink (which is the only one cam I currently use)

Pros: Cameras offer excellent value for money, a huge variety of models (PTZ, zoom, 4K), and the option to use a separate, more flexible NVR (e.g., a dedicated Reolink NVR or a NAS with third-party software like Surveillance Station). Cons/Concerns:

1. Compatibility/Integration: How “disruptive” is a Reolink system on a Unifi network? Are there any known issues with traffic, configuration, or stability?
2. Traffic Management: I’d manage the Reolink cameras’ video stream on a separate VLAN. Is there a risk of them somehow congesting the UDM or the network?
3. App Overload: Having to manage two separate apps (Unifi Network and Reolink/NVR) for my smart home devices.

My priority is reliability and functionality at a good price point. Since I already have the Unifi ecosystem, is it really worth “stepping outside” with Reolink to save money and gain more model options? Or does Protect’s integration offer superior value that justifies the extra cost?

Thanks in advance for your advice and shared experiences!

I’m looking for guidance on how to reassign the function keys on my (Vista-20p) Honeywell 6160 keypad, similar to this image.

This is a local-only installation, and the current function keys are set as follows:

A) Zone 95 – Zone Type 09 – Fire

B) Zone 99 – Zone Type 07 – Police “24-Hr Audible”

C) Zone 96 – Zone Type 00 – Date/Time

D) Zone 96 – Zone Type 00 – Date/Time

How can I assign the keys to functions like “Away” or “Stay” without first assigning them to a zone? Also, is the “Panic” button equivalent to “Zone 99 – Zone Type 07 – Police ’24-Hr Audible'”?

I have plenty of cameras, and I’m pretty confident that if someone hops the fence at night, they will get caught by a camera which will cause lights to turn on inside my home, and I will wake up

However, I’m looking for what solutions are out there to detect someone hopping over my fence without cameras? The fence is a standard wooden USA fence