Best Approach for Amcrest Cameras

[ts1234]

I need to get back to this project...Let me open up with I'd so like this to be plug and play (ha)...

I have several Amcrest cameras that I'd like to add to HS4. When I glance through the comments on the various plugins it looks like most (maybe all) are no longer being updated. Auto discovery in HS4 works seamlessly when they are hardwired and never when I convert to wireless. I'm guessing I could eventually figure out why, but even when wired the record button in HS4 is useless and thinking it's probably only meant to write to SD cards in the cameras(?). If that's the case then it's not what I need.

So, my real question is integrating the cameras with HS4 really even the right approach and can it be made to record locally or to a network drive. While I have never looked into all the URL syntax, if I just add them manually will anything be any different/better?

I guess the real question is integrating them into HS4 that useful and if so...how...and what is my best value add approach for getting this all set up to trigger events and record at least motion events for 1-7 days?

THANKS!

[dcorsus]

When you have your cameras connected wireless, are they in a different subnet compared to your HS PC, which would explain why they can't be discovered.
Have you looked into Blue Iris?

[ts1234]

dcorsus - THANKS! Good q but yes. I have one flat interval network. I have looked at Blue Iris. In fact, I loaded the trial version, but something came up (and had the wireless connectivity issue) and couldn't get back to it fast enough. The trial expired. That does seem to be the one that comes up most and I have seen some posts that said there are ways without plugins to interface with it when/if they did become obsolete.

[sleeve]

I'd only integrate the cameras via plugin if you want to respond to motion by triggering events in HS4 realm. You can get recording via all sorts of methods. I use a service on a Synology NAS.

[ts1234]

sleeve - When you say a service on the NAS....Could you clarify as I've only run storage on NAS. Do you mean an app somewhere else sends data to the drive, or the whole ball of wax runs on the NAS? Please keep in mind I'm not a UNIX/Linux guy (which I always think is funny to say since I spent 7 years taking care of Sun Microsystems data network) when you reply. Thanks!

[sleeve]

In the case of Synology and its peers, the device isn't just a path from SATA to Ethernet - it has RAM and a processor. So in my case, I run Synology Surveillance Station on a DS716 II+ device that, yeah, happens to have a couple of WD Reds in it as well. That's where I store a self-rotating 100gb per camera of continuous recording. There's even an HS plugin for SSS.