Andrew O'Hara
Ecobee is now rolling out a firmware update to its SmartCamera with Voice Control that brings support for Apple's HomeKit Secure Video for storing video in iCloud.
With the latest firmware, now version 4.6.35.32, the camera will work with HomeKit Secure Video. Previously the camera supported HomeKit but was limited to just viewing the camera through the Home app and getting motion notifications.
HomeKit Secure Video allows you to record your videos directly to iCloud rather than rely on Ecobee's services. HomeKit Secure Video also allows the configuration of zones (previously possible with the Ecobee app) and facial recognition. Users can have up to five HomeKit Secure Video cameras in their home and as many standard HomeKit cameras as they please.
While this now allows the camera to work with HSV, the camera still works with Ecobee's Haven platform. Haven is Ecobee's smart home monitoring platform that combines information intelligently from Ecobee's other in-home products such as its Smart Sensors and its Smart Thermostat.
At the core of Haven is Autopilot, which automatically arms and disarms your alarm when you leave or arrive home using geolocation and Wi-Fi. The eight-core processor in the SmartCamera with Voice Control enables on-device analysis to avoid cloud-based processing.
You can pick up the Ecobee SmartCamera with Voice Control on Amazon for $177.
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2 Comments
One of the main benefits of using HomeKit Secure Video is that you don't have to register with the manufacturer to get your cloud storage working (because it's Apple's cloud.) However one camera I've read about requires that you register with the manufacturer before you can get the firmware upgrade required to use HSV. Does this camera require any sort of registration in order to get the firmware upgrade to use it with HSV? I won't buy any more cameras until I find this out in advance. Because I care about my privacy.
This product also works with Haven at the same time as it works with HSV. Is there any way I can be 100% certain that communication with Haven is disabled if I should buy this product?
I agree with July23 that one of the main advantages of HSV and in HomeKit generally is you don’t have to register with yet another site to use the device. It will be interesting to see how the 14.3 update handles HK firmware updates. It will be great if I don’t have to go through the manufacture’s site to get an update. It is one of my pet peeves that, for example, I have to register with there site to get a firmware update for my Wemo plugs. It is just another chance my info will be hacked and yes I use different passwords for different sites. Sorry for the rant but it really bothers me when you need to register to get full functionality from a device I paid for.