‎Does the Simplisafe camera have the option for continuous recording? | SimpliSafe Support Home
Skip to main content
 

jnunezusmc1

1 Message

Does the Simplisafe camera have the option for continuous recording?

Or does it only have the option to record once you initiate it (with the plan) or once it detects motion?

Post

 • 

Updated 

9.9K

13

This conversation is no longer open for comments or replies and is no longer visible to community members.

Official Solution

davey_d

Former Community Admin

 • 

5.7K Messages

@zen4pamela ,

Our Cameras are designed as an addition and enhancement of the SimpliSafe security system. So they're set up to respond to specific events. Unfortunately, at least right now, or cameras are not capable of more surveillance-type functions.

But as always, I'm happy to pass on your feedback to our development team.

4

Mnserving

1 Message

@davey_d​ the cameras should have a surveillance or reactive surveillance capability

amsilva912

1 Message

0

keithovercash

1 Message

@davey_d​ please do. I’m returning $2000 of your products for this very reason and putting my Goggle Nest back up. I love everything about your system EXCEPT not being able to go back and watch what happened when there was no movement detected. 

mikejani

4 Messages

@amsilva912​ I am also very disappointed that the outdoor cameras do not record continuously. I bought 4 cameras and the cables to connect them to a power source, thinking that it's the battery that won't record all the time. It took a couple of thousand dollars to realize that I was wrong. These cameras take time to "wake up" when there's motion. If I quickly walk across my backyard, these sluggish cameras don't record anything. My previous house had NEST cameras and in my quest to save some money I ended up with this piece of useless hardware.   

Accepted Solution

undeleted

1.2K Messages

Motion yes, all the time, no.

2

0

zen4pamela

2 Messages

I would appreciate your mentioning this to your R&D people. It appears I am not the only one and I do know many people who actually won’t even try Simplisafe because of this issue. 

(edited)

ryan6eb437

3 Messages

When I purchased the system I was made to believe I could replace my other monitoring system cameras as a one and done. This isn’t the case and quite frankly I’m pretty irritated by it and am thinking of pulling all the Simplisafe stuff out and just going with ADT or similar. What a joke. 

FrancisS

2 Messages

I think that, with the recent price hike, new features such as this one should be implemented. This would be extremely beneficial and set SimpliSafe apart from their competitors

0

mmbeggs

5 Messages

I support longer recording times that can be set per camera and when manually recording

0

TDillman

4 Messages

I also want to see this happen. I've been considering switching to the more expensive nest cameras because simplisafe doesn't support the continuous recording feature which is important to me for the outdoor cameras.

3

FrancisS

2 Messages

@TDillman​ I wasn't aware that Next offered continuous recording. Looks like I'm switching! 

0

worthing

774 Messages

Wyze Cam v3 does as well, with the service if I recall? It also records continuously to local storage which I find to be fantastic since you can stick a 64GB card in and get a week or more of solid recording. It's great for going back to a specific date/time to look for something that may not have triggered a motion alert.

0

zen4pamela

2 Messages

I too am thinking about switching because there’s no option for continuous recording. I have 2 security systems. Simplisafe and Night Owl. The Night Owl system continuously records (and shows it on my TV and my phone where I can put it on a flash drive). 

0

edwardorton

1 Message

Now that I've received the cameras and discovered they can not record continuously I may well return them.

1

0

jacque664u

1 Message

@edwardorton​ us too

0

willytglow

1 Message

Well this saddens me to find out. The fact that the website states 24/7 whole home protection is misleading. I require 24/7 continuous coverage. I bought a whole new system with lots of very expensive cameras to meet my needs. I just spent money and 3 days removing my Lorex System to put in a all in one system with cameras panic buttons and so much more to meet my requirements. Tomorrow is my inspection and i am just now learning i have NO continuous recording options. Worse yet they stop recording after a couple minutes  when sitting in a room. Im beyond disappointed. This has been a financial disaster as it will possibly set me back and lose my place for a very important one of a kind license. If im not approved tomorrow i will be returning this equipment and seeking to get some of my losses and damages back. I am unbelievably upset i was gonna be 4th in the country and simplisafe has possibly completely ruined that. Even if it was a premium tier pricing for continuous coverage would work. I can not believe this im in shock. 

6

emily_s

Community Admin

 • 

3.4K Messages

@willytglow​ I'm sorry to hear this. When coupled with a monitoring plan, the SimpliSafe system protects your home with our 24/7 monitoring service and dispatch. If you are not completely satisfied, you can return your system for a full refund.

0

stephengabrielahenry

1 Message

This also has doffed me.

Unfortunately due to death of my brother and perhaps foolishly jumping on a bandwagon based on hype, I jumped on buying a Simplisafe system thinking I would have 24/7 capability.

Because I bought it and had it sitting idle 6 months I doubt I can get it refunded. I just hope I can get a better system and use some of the components.

Will give Simpli a chance to respond before I give a full downvote, but very disappointed what I see so far:

- No long term recording options local or otherwise

- Motion sensors appear not to even trigger unless you set home or away (should be customizable per camera anx per sensor)

- No review of events easily accessible

- Doesn't work on my LG V20 phone (this isnt even that old, I end up logging in with a laptop)

- When I bought this a year ago on a 'Deal' a year ago for $700 with basestation and four cams + four sensors I was lead to believe this was $14.99 / month. For features expected looks likely it will actually be $29.99 ($30, lets stop with the BS 99 sh*t)

Very soon competitors with better equipment begin to look like better deals.

Not happy.

0

jmriddle66

11 Messages

Well that bites. I was under the impression with SimpliSafe now offering multiple camera views on their website, that I could constantly see and monitor my exterior cameras. But it times out after five minutes or so, and I have to go over and hit the “live” button again? Makes no sense. It should at least start a livestream when motion is activated. Feel really mislead. Love my system, but this is ridiculous. 

0

ryan6eb437

3 Messages

Same here. Finally had time to remove my other cameras that actually recorded to learn that these trash cameras don’t. Such a joke. 

0

mikejani

4 Messages

@willytglow​ I also got fooled by the 24/7 marketing lie

0

macandsonja

2 Messages

How can I make my cameras record for a longer period? 

0

macandsonja

2 Messages

How do I make my simplisafe camera record for a longer period 

1

emily_s

Community Admin

 • 

3.4K Messages

@macandsonja​ User-initiated recordings can record for up to 60 seconds. Currently, there isn't a setting to film longer than that without starting a new recording. We have submitted a suggestion to our dev team to manually set the camera's recording time. When we hear more from them, an update will be provided in this thread.

0

grandmasterchief23

1 Message

I just installed my system and everything is great EXCEPT I EXPECTED TO HAVE CONTINUOUS RECORDING BUT I DONT!

2

worthing

774 Messages

@grandmasterchief23​ 

Why did you expect to have continuous recording? There's nothing in the SS marketing material that makes this claim that I'm aware of. Did you read a review that claimed it recorded continuously?

0

mikejani

4 Messages

Do you expect us to read the fine print? Common, be real. We all go by what's implied. 

0

ryan6eb437

3 Messages

It states “24/7 monitoring with our HD cameras and security”. And the agent I spoke with made me believe it was continuous recording also. 

4

0

emily_s

Community Admin

 • 

3.4K Messages

@ryan6eb437​ I’m sorry for this confusion. The Outdoor Camera was designed to record and respond to motion, it was not designed to record continuously. When coupled with a monitoring plan, the SimpliSafe system protects your home with our 24/7 monitoring service and dispatch.

0

rocks169

2 Messages

The problem is that if people don’t trigger the motion you can’t record them trespassing or anything that they are doing wrong 

0

mikejani

4 Messages

Exactly! I had 2 instances of someone jumping into my backyard and these sloth camera didn't wake up. I even tried by walking myself across my backyard. It won't wake up. Waste of money. Feels like 18th century tech 

0

simplisafe_admin

Community Admin

 • 

1.8K Messages

@mikejani to wake up and begin recording, the Outdoor Camera relies on both its connection to the Base Station and WiFi network. It can help to move the Base Station closer to the camera and troubleshoot the camera's WiFi connection. 

 

The SimpliSafe mobile app has a Connection Check tool that will run a scan on the camera's WiFi connection, and provide tips to strengthen its connection based on the results. Our How to Troubleshoot Your Camera's Connection article in the Help Center will take you through the steps of using the tool, and provide further insight into what your results mean. 

 

We also recommend looking at the physical placement of the Outdoor Camera. The camera should be mounted 6-8 feet high, angled down slightly at 30°. Its motion sensor is also most sensitive to lateral movement, so it should look at the side of the area you want to monitor. That way, people will walk across its field of view opposed to straight on.

0

rocks169

2 Messages

I too am quite disappointed in the features of this system. It’s almost counter productive in what we need from a camera standpoint. I will be switching back to Vivint because they offer a hard drive that you can continuously record up to 4 cameras and keeps data for 30 days. Also nearly zero lag in notifications.

0

New to the Community? Get started by reading our Welcome Article and please be sure to review our Community Guidelines before posting.

Related Conversations

  • 1

    0

  • Official Solution

     • US

    4

    0

  •  • US

    2

    0

  • Official Solution

     • US

    2

    0

  • 1

    1

Was this post helpful?