Can SimpliSafe Record Continuously?
When considering a home security system, one important factor is the ability to record and store video footage. Many homeowners wonder if SimpliSafe cameras can record continuously, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring of their property. While SimpliSafe offers a range of camera options, the system’s recording capabilities depend largely on the type of monitoring plan you select. In this article, we will explore the details of SimpliSafe’s recording features and whether continuous video recording is available.
Understanding SimpliSafe’s Camera Capabilities
SimpliSafe offers several camera models designed to enhance your home security, including indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, and video doorbells. Each of these devices comes with motion-activated recording, meaning that they begin recording when they detect movement within their field of view. While this feature provides an effective way to capture activity, it does not allow for continuous video recording unless paired with a specific monitoring plan.
1. Motion-Activated Recording as the Default
By default, SimpliSafe cameras are configured to record only when motion is detected. This ensures that you are notified of any potential security events and helps conserve battery life and storage space. The system will send you an alert to your smartphone through the SimpliSafe app when motion is detected, allowing you to view the live footage or access the stored clips. However, this motion-activated recording is limited to short bursts of video and does not offer the same comprehensive coverage as continuous recording.
2. Continuous Recording with the Interactive Monitoring Plan
For homeowners who require continuous video recording, SimpliSafe offers this option through its Interactive Monitoring Plan. This plan allows for 24/7 camera recording with cloud storage capabilities. With the interactive plan, you can enjoy round-the-clock surveillance of your property, as the cameras record continuously, ensuring that no event is missed, whether day or night.
This plan also includes several additional features, such as remote viewing via the SimpliSafe app, giving you the ability to monitor your home in real-time and access previously recorded videos from any location.
Benefits of Continuous Recording
1. Comprehensive Security Coverage
One of the main advantages of continuous recording is that it provides comprehensive coverage of your property. Unlike motion-activated recording, which may miss certain events that don’t trigger motion detection, continuous recording ensures that every second is captured, giving you a complete record of what happens in and around your home.
This can be especially important in situations where motion detection may fail to capture suspicious behavior, such as someone moving just outside the camera’s detection range or a potential intruder avoiding triggering the motion sensor.
2. Peace of Mind for Homeowners
Continuous video recording provides peace of mind for homeowners who want to ensure their home is always under surveillance. Whether you’re away on vacation or just want to keep a close eye on things while you’re at work, the ability to review footage from any point in time offers a sense of security and confidence. With the interactive monitoring plan, you have the reassurance of knowing that your cameras are always recording, providing a reliable backup should you need to review any incidents.
3. Easy Access to Recorded Footage
Another key benefit of continuous recording is the easy access to recorded footage. With the interactive monitoring plan, all of your footage is stored securely in the cloud, allowing you to access it at any time through the SimpliSafe app. This means you can go back and review recordings from earlier in the day, the previous week, or even longer, depending on your storage plan.
The ability to easily retrieve and review footage is invaluable in situations where you need evidence for law enforcement or insurance claims following a security breach.
Limitations of SimpliSafe’s Continuous Recording
While SimpliSafe’s continuous recording feature offers many advantages, it’s important to be aware of a few potential limitations.
1. Requires the Interactive Monitoring Plan
One of the primary limitations of continuous recording with SimpliSafe is that it is only available with the Interactive Monitoring Plan. This plan comes at an additional monthly cost, which may not be ideal for homeowners looking to keep expenses low. Without this plan, SimpliSafe cameras will revert to motion-activated recording, limiting your ability to record and store continuous footage.
2. Cloud Storage Limitations
SimpliSafe’s continuous recording relies on cloud storage, and while the interactive monitoring plan offers cloud access, the amount of storage is limited based on the plan you choose. If you have multiple cameras recording continuously, it’s possible that your storage limit could be reached quickly, requiring you to manage your video clips or upgrade your storage capacity. Continuous recording can generate a large amount of data, so it’s important to monitor your storage usage and ensure that critical footage is not automatically overwritten.
3. Internet Bandwidth Usage
Since SimpliSafe’s continuous recording uploads footage to the cloud in real-time, it can consume a significant amount of internet bandwidth. If you have a slower internet connection or data limits, this constant data stream could impact your internet performance or lead to additional charges from your internet service provider. It’s important to ensure that your home network can support the bandwidth requirements of continuous video recording, particularly if you have multiple cameras installed.
Who Should Consider Continuous Recording with SimpliSafe?
Continuous recording with SimpliSafe’s Interactive Monitoring Plan is ideal for certain homeowners who need constant surveillance and a higher level of security coverage. Here are a few scenarios where continuous recording might be the best choice:
- Homes in High-Crime Areas: If you live in an area with a higher crime rate, continuous recording provides added security by ensuring that every moment is captured, even if it doesn’t trigger the motion sensors.
- Business Owners or Remote Property Owners: For those managing commercial properties or remote vacation homes, continuous recording allows you to keep an eye on the premises at all times, ensuring that you can review any activity that occurs in your absence.
- Families with Vulnerable Members: If you have elderly family members, children, or individuals with special needs at home, continuous recording provides peace of mind by allowing you to monitor their well-being and ensure they are safe.
Conclusion
SimpliSafe can indeed record continuously, but only with the Interactive Monitoring Plan. This plan provides homeowners with round-the-clock video recording and access to cloud storage, ensuring that their home is always under surveillance. While continuous recording offers comprehensive security coverage and peace of mind, it also comes with some limitations, including the need for cloud storage management and increased internet bandwidth usage.
If you’re looking for enhanced security and don’t mind the additional cost of the Interactive Monitoring Plan, SimpliSafe’s continuous recording capabilities are a valuable feature. For those who prefer more budget-conscious solutions, the standard motion-activated recording may still offer sufficient protection.