Keeping Existing Cameras, Adding AI Search and Replacing a Failing Recorder
Replace Your Recorder and Keep Your Cameras
A new UniFi recorder can replace an old or failing recorder, or one that is costly to license, while your existing cameras keep running on it.
UniFi Protect adopts ONVIF-compatible cameras from other brands directly, allowing you to use live view, playback, motion, PTZ and audio.
The manufacturer's own article presents this third-party adoption as a way to move over gradually, at your business's own pace.
One property owner moved a licensed camera system to several dozen UniFi cameras, kept four specialist cameras on AI Ports and did not renew the old software licence.
Adding AI Detection to Existing Cameras
The AI Port adds motion, people, vehicle, animal and speech detection, along with vehicle type and colour, face recognition and licence plate recognition to third-party cameras.
One AI Port handles one 4K, two 2K or three HD third-party cameras, or up to five older UniFi cameras.
Because of this hardware limit, one AI Port does not cover a whole site of 4K cameras.
Natural Language Search
The AI Key adds natural language search in Protect, such as typing a description of a person or vehicle, plus clothing colour.
The AI Key also adds speech-to-text transcripts and saved text queries that raise an alarm when matched.
This tool works with AI Port-enhanced third-party cameras, and AI is processed on site with no per-camera cloud fee.
System Limitations to Consider
Protect picks the third-party camera's stream itself and sometimes picks a low-quality one.
Some cameras lose their own built-in analytics once adopted, meaning detections on adopted cameras need an AI Port, and one report found alerts missing.
The manufacturer's article says the AI Key might occasionally return inaccurate results, and several owners call its value disputed.
Contact CloudCentric
CloudCentric is a managed IT provider in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, serving businesses across Charleston and the Lowcountry.
Call (844) 422-7000 to discuss your recorder and camera system.