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By Fezmid · Posted
A review of Synology's BeeCamera software for the BeeStation Plus by Christopher White Synology is leaning into the BeeStation and the BeeStation Plus, and it's easy to understand why. While power users will want something more customizable, the BeeStation and its more powerful sibling, the BeeStation Plus, are great for those who want a device they can simply plug in, click a few buttons, and have it work as their own personal cloud. Until recently, the device was mostly used for the storage of files, photos, and videos, and with the Plus model, you could install and stream media through Plex. Synology recently released a new free application for the BeeStation Plus called BeeCamera, which is basically a stripped-down version of Surveillance Station. First, let's get the confusing naming out of the way. While you might initially think that BeeCamera is a physical device, perhaps a camera that Synology created specifically for the BeeStation Plus, that would be incorrect. BeeCamera is simply the name for the application that runs on the NAS and on your mobile device. I think the marketing team missed the mark here, but it does fit the other naming on the device, like BeePhotos and BeeFiles, I guess. Camera Support As of right now, only Synology-branded cameras are supported, which many will see as a callback to the drive locking the company implemented and then backtracked on. That said, while I 100% disagree on drive locking, I agree that camera locking for a device made to simply plug and play is the right decision. The whole point of the BeeStation line is simplicity. There are currently three camera model lines available, a wireless device for indoor use, and two PoE models for external use. CC400W (Wi-Fi): Plug it into power using the included power adapter, and connect it to your wireless network. This camera is rated only for indoor use and is the one I was provided to review the BeeCamera. $198.36, in line with the Unifi G6 Compact. BC510 (PoE): A bullet-style camera. Connect it to an Ethernet cable that is providing Power over Ethernet (PoE). This camera is rated for both indoor and outdoor use. $240. TC510 (PoE): A dome-style camera. Connect it to an Ethernet cable that is providing Power over Ethernet (PoE). This camera is rated for both indoor and outdoor use. $240. Although this isn't a review of the actual Synology camera, I did want to note that a positive for the Synology CC400W is that it uses a magnetic base. This means you can mount it on any magnetic surface, which is pretty handy. However, a downside to the camera is that it's powered by a built-in USB cable that's about six and a half feet (two meters) long. This means that the cable will probably be either too long or too short, but more importantly, if the cable is damaged at all, you'll likely need to buy an entirely new camera because there doesn't appear to be a way to replace it, unlike many competitors, like the Unifi G6 Instant. Hopefully, this is something Synology addresses in a future revision of the hardware. The BeeStation Plus supports up to four cameras. Setup The setup of BeeCamera is, like everything in the BeeStation family, very straightforward. Simply make sure you're on at least version 1.5 of the BeeStation OS, and BeeCamera is automatically installed on the device. BeeCamera Setup Screenshots Setting up the CC400W was just as easy. Plug it in, open up the BeeCamera app, and follow the on-screen steps to add the camera. During this process, you'll configure the camera name and how many days of retention you want to keep. The system will also automatically update the firmware for you. The whole thing took only a couple of minutes, excluding the time it took for the camera to update the firmware. Once the camera is connected to the BeeStation Plus, you can manage the various camera settings within the app, although there aren't many to choose from. You're able to configure whether the microphone will record audio (some privacy laws may preclude you from recording it), select what codec to use (H.264 or H.265), configure the color and exposure of the camera, and determine what data you want to overlay onto the video. Finally, you can set up AI detections so that BeeCamera will alert you if it sees certain things. These are all of the common detections you would expect in a camera system, such as people, pets, and vehicles. Under people and vehicles, you can also add extra monitoring for lingering and congestion detection, although pets are currently in "Lab" and therefore have no extra features yet. Recording in 4K using H.265 for 30 days will take roughly 300 GB of storage, which is very reasonable for most regular households, as the BeeStation Plus has 8TB of native storage. If you want to set up detection zones, you can. These are areas that BeeCamera will look at for the various detections, and are helpful if, for example, there's a tree in your frame and you don't want to be notified each time the wind makes the branches move around in the frame. Finally, you can also schedule when the camera should and should not be recording, which is a very useful feature. For example, you may want to record only at night when you're sleeping, but not during the day when you're up and about the house, so you can easily shut the camera off between 8 am and 10 pm. Each hour of each day can be configured to record continuously, only upon a detection event, or disabled completely. You can't fine-tune to record at a specific time, though, only hourly blocks on the hour. Daily Use The best part of BeeCamera is that it's easy and just works. If you only care about being notified when things happen, the mobile app sends those notifications and lets you click the button to bring up the video and see what's going on. For example, when I went out of town and had the camera pointed at the cat tower in our hallway, it was nice to be able to drop in and check that my furry friends were doing okay without me. Initiating the remote connection to the BeeStation Plus through the app is very responsive, but this will heavily depend on your ISP. In my case, using Xfinity, I'm able to go from starting the app to seeing live video in roughly three seconds, which is about the same amount of time it takes to connect to my Unifi UNVR system that costs much more. If you want to see footage from a specific day and time, you can do so using the calendar icon. You can also scroll through the timeline, looking for detections that are labeled in blue (vs. the normal gray when there's nothing of interest). There are buttons that let you go to the last/next detection on the timeline, which is helpful if you missed the notification on your mobile device. That's where the ease of use stops, though. While you can download clips that are flagged by detection, there's apparently no way to select generic time frames you're interested in, and the only place to download is to your phone. In addition, sharing a video shares the actual video, not just a link back to your BeeStation Plus. While that's good from a security and privacy perspective, it's a little awkward for sharing large videos. Limitations While the ease of implementation is great, there are some things that are lacking from BeeCamera. The most obvious is that there is no way to view the footage on the desktop. You can log in to the BeeStation Plus to see how much storage BeeCamera is using, but unlike BeePhotos and BeeFiles, there is no BeeCamera on the web console to manage or view footage. This means you'll be viewing all of your security footage on your mobile device, which is pretty limiting. In addition, there's no way to download the video to your PC without first using your phone as the intermediary. The one exception to this is that you can use BeeFiles to see the raw MP4 files. They're saved in 5-minute increments, and it's just raw data with no detection information or any other way to identify what any of them are. The lack of a way to interact with BeeCamera on the desktop also makes configuration of the cameras more difficult. For example, trying to set up detection zones using a tiny screen and your finger to draw boxes is more cumbersome than it needs to be. This reinforces the idea that BeeCamera is not made for power users. It's also missing some of the more advanced functionality of Surveillance Station. For example, I couldn't find a way to say, "Alert me if the thing in this zone is no longer there." Another major deficiency with BeeCamera, and a feature I suspect may come out in the future, is that while it can detect generic people, there is no specific facial recognition yet. This is an interesting omission, given the fact that other Synology tools can detect specific individuals, and competitors such as Unifi Protect also do it. This is probably a software limitation, so we will have to wait and see if this feature is added in the future. Conclusion If you need a security guard to monitor surveillance cameras to make sure your property is secure, then BeeCamera is not the solution for you. That said, you probably wouldn't be using a BeeStation Plus as the brains behind the system either. BeeCamera (and BeeStation in general) is clearly aimed at households that want to avoid sending personal data to Google and Amazon, and now want to add some cameras to keep an eye on their home and their pets while they're away. BeeCamera excels at doing this. The target market isn't interested in creating cases, tying multiple views together in a single pane of glass, or the like, and for the intended use case, the system works great. Where it starts to fall apart a bit is with more advanced features. Not being able to use a desktop app is a major compromise in my opinion, and having to do all of the configuration on a mobile device is annoying, but not impossible. If you don't want to have a full-fledged NAS device in your home, but still want control over your data (or maybe want an easy way to backup your data for World Backup Day), and want to add a couple of cameras to keep an eye on your house and your pets, this is a great, cheap, and easy way to go, and I suspect more functionality will come over time. If Synology releases a desktop app or at least a way to configure cameras and view footage on a desktop browser, this would be a near-perfect solution for a general home user. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. -
By macoman · Posted
I forgot to add on my comment that when robots will take physical jobs, it's when they become more cheaper to manufacture and sell. That will be the starting point of the end to lanscaping, trash pickup, factory jobs, etc. -
By Snake Doc · Posted
How many people can actually use a 2.5gig ethernet port? Most people do not have more than a 1gig internet connection, heck most have less than that. Most people at home do not have a switch that has multiple 2.5gig ports either. -
By Steven P. · Posted
Vantrue knocks up to 38% off two of its newest Dash Cams for Prime Day by Steven Parker Vantrue reached out to us here at Neowin saying they have a couple of dashcams with deep discounts during the Prime Day Sale. First up we have the Vantrue N4 Pro S that received a mega 36% off its normal MSRP of $419.99 (buying links below). Here are a few of its highlights: Flagship 4K 3CH Dash Cam w/ Triple STARVIS 2: Vantrue's flagship N4 Pro s Dash Camera features 4K+2.5K+1080P /30FPS 3 channel recording powered by Triple STARVIS 2 sensors. Dash cams deliver 155°+160°+165° wide-angle coverage for complete blind-spot-free protection. Whether navigating city traffic, monitoring passengers, or capturing scenic views, this professional-grade car dash camera ensures smooth, detailed footage day and night. Night Vision 4.0 & License Plate Recognition Unleash superior clarity at night with 360 dash camera for cars. Powered by PlatePix tech, dashcam combines 3 STARVIS 2 sensors (enhanced low-light sensitivity) and triple HDR (balanced exposure) for 2x higher license plate accuracy in dimly lit nights or intense backlight. Experience unmatched performance on nocturnal drives, where the system captures clear, readable license plates of vehicles traveling at speeds up to 31mph. Flexible 360° Rear Camera & Front+Rear Recording Modes: The rear dash camera features a 2.5K STARVIS 2 sensor with 360° rotation, enabling seamless traffic or trunk monitoring. Switch to Front and Rear mode (4K+2.5K) to prioritize road recording—this dual-channel mode reduces heat by 30% and saves power compared to triple recording, ensuring 4k dash cam cooler operation and 24/7 reliability even in summer. Captures clear, readable license plates at speeds up to 31mph on lit streets at night. 24/7 Protection with Buffered Parking Mode: Gain round-the-clock security for your parked vehicle with reliable dash cam 3 channel system. Buffered motion and impact detection ensure events are captured from 10 seconds before they occur. All three cameras remain active in parking mode, providing comprehensive surveillance while efficient recording maximizes storage. To activate parking modes, a hardwire kit (sold separately) is required for permanent connection to your vehicle's fuse box. 5G WiFi, Precision GPS, Voice Control: This advanced car video camera dash cam maintains a stable connection to your phone. Its 5GHz WiFi ensures lightning-fast video transfer, making downloads a breeze. The built-in high-precision GPS tracks your route, speed, and location—providing vital data for any incidents. Control settings hands-free with simple voice commands like "Take a photo," keeping you focused on the road. Loop Recording & Super Capacitor & up to 1TB Support: Dash cams revolutionize convenience with loop recording featuring 1/2/3-minute segments. When memory is full, it automatically overwrites older footage. Engineered for reliability, its robust super capacitor withstands extreme temps(-4°F to 140°F), guaranteeing uninterrupted operation even in scorching sun. Expand storage with up to 1TB microSD support, enabling 37+ hours of continuous 4K triple-camera recording (front+inside+rear). VANTRUE Memory Card Recommendation: Note: Dash cam does not include an SD card. Avoid using low-quality memory cards to prevent the camera from malfunctioning. We recommend using VANTRUE industrial-grade microSD cards, which offer longer lifespan (over 3 years) compared to consumer-grade. VANTRUE memory cards are rigorously tested specifically for dash cam recording to ensure optimal performance. Available on Amazon in 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB capacities to suit your storage needs. So marketing jargon aside, what do you actually get? What's in the box? N4 Pro S Dash Cam, Rear Camera, 20ft rear camera cable Charging Cable Installation Tool Car Mount Quick Guide Vantrue also claims it is easy to install and comes with an 18-Month Warranty, 24/7 email support, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The Dash cam is said to also receive regular firmware updates for continuous improvements. With the 20ft rear camera cable, it is versatile enough to fit most vehicles, including cars, SUVs, minivans, trucks, and buses. Vantrue N4 Pro S for $269.99 (was $379.99) 36% off its MSRP of $419.99 No code required. Discount expires on June 26. Vantrue N4S (2026) Next up, there's an even bigger discount on the new (2026 edition) N4S Dash Cam. 2026 New 3-Channel Dash Cam & 360°Coverage Equipped with triple STARVIS 2-powered sensors, the Vantrue N4S dashcam records in super HD clarity: 2.7K front + 1440P interior + 1440P rear.Its 158° front, 165° cabin, and 160°rear wide-angle lenses eliminate blind spots, while HDR and PlatePix technology deliver sharp details and license plates day or night. This dash cam for cars is perfect for rideshare drivers and daily commuters. Night Vision 4.0 & High Temperature Proof Powered by STARVIS 2 Tech, the N4S dashcam for cars enhances light sensitivity and dynamic range in extreme low light. Triple HDR balances harsh contrasts—like headlights against dark roads—while PlatePix sharpens license plates by 2X, capturing crisp, identifiable footage on dark streets, in tunnels, or garages. This New N4S dashcam's supercapacitor design withstands extreme temperatures(-4℉ to 140℉), ensuring stable operation—safer and greener. Easy to Install & 360°versatile Rear Camera Set up effortlessly with our magnetic GPS mount, static cling film, and cable clips. Everything is tool‑free for a clean, wire‑hidden installation, and the mount stays stable on any drive. The rear camera rotates 360°, letting you monitor rear traffic or pivot it inward to keep an eye on cargo, luggage, or pets inside the vehicle. Versatile coverage whenever you need it. 24/7 Smart Parking Mode for Peace of Mind With 4 proprietary parking modes, the N4S 3-channel dashcam for cars lets you customize your protection. Motion detection triggers 10 seconds pre-event recording to capture full event. Collision detection auto-locks footage on impact/collision. Low bitrate/frame rate modes extend recording by reducing file size. Whatever the hour, your vehicle is always protected. 5GHz Wi-Fi & Support up to 1TB SD Card Access and download footage instantly with high‑speed 5GHz Wi-Fi. No need to remove the memory card or wait for transfers—critical clips are ready to view or share in seconds. This dash cam front and rear supports up to 1TB microSD cards (sold separately), giving you ample space for long trips or continuous loop recording. OTA firmware updates ensure your dashcam stays current with the latest features and improvements. So, again, aside from the marketing fluff mentioned above what do you actually get? What's in the box? Vantrue N4S Front and Inside Dash Cam x 1 Rear Camera x 1, Rear Camera Cable (20ft) x 1 Transparency Program card (with digital setup guide) x 1 Car Charger(11.5ft) x 1 USB Data Cable(3.3ft) x 1 GPS Adhesive Mount x 1 Crowbar x 1 Quick User Guide x 1 Electrostatic Stickers x 2 Spare Bracket Base Cable Clips The 2026 Edition of the N4S lets you track your journey with quad-mode GPS + BeiDou positioning. Experience supposedly faster satellite acquisition and reliable logging of your speed, location, and time in any environment. For rideshare or road trips, you can also trust the N4S dash cam front rear and inside cameras as your reliable co-driver. Like the Vantrue N4 Pro S, it is also backed by 24/7 support and extended warranty for complete peace of mind. Vantrue N4S (2026) for $174.99 (was $249.99) 38% off its MSRP of $279.99 No code required. Discount expires on June 26. Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. -
By +Good Bot, Bad Bot · Posted
The concern of this article is not getting "hacked". No one is taking over my Google account and anyone that was is far away from self-hosting their passwords. It was about your big tech account of choice deciding to reduce features or getting out of the password manager business altogether. Bitwarden (or say Proton) is professional security company offering opensource solutions. They are going no where and one can easily download or export their passwords to another password manager service regardless. They again also offer self-hosted option. I doubt many people were sold on this solution based on the write up. The author had a number of warnings and caveats themselves. A local, self-managed solution is not for 99% of users.
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