Best Hidden Cameras for Home Security: Server, Cloud, or SD Card Storage?

Hello.
I have a strictly technical question and maybe someone has a ready solution, and I could not find the answer....
I would like to install cameras in my house, of course only in sensitive areas for the safety of my family and the objects in it.
I have found quite a few WiFi webcams on Chinese e-tailers, but I am bothered by the question / observation that in the wi-fi network of the house by logging in I will be able to watch what is happening - but this is not what the webcams are supposed to do.
I mean that, for example, after a break-in, usually the same day (I think 24 hours would be ok) I could reverse the recording, to check the video and possibly pass the recording to the thieves. The situation is quite evolving, because burglaries are often heard in the neighbourhood, and I don't want to say goodbye to my valuables, but I also don't want to arouse suspicion in my friends at the evening poker game when they see indoor and outdoor cameras.... I have an idea to hide these cameras in places not visible at first sight, but with permanent power supply + memory card.....but the problem is that I would have a live view + the ability to go back a minimum of these 24 hours.
Please give me some hints or send me a link with the relevant knowledge on how to figure it out - I should add that the cameras are as if on a thin cable to a "box" with a battery and card slot + charging.... and they are in ridiculous money because about 100 zł per piece so I would very much like to mount something like this e.g. in a fire detector 🙂 .

From these small hidden cameras you will have the image quality like from a phone from 2008 with a 2 Mpix sensor.
From the "small" cameras with good image quality you have only the GoPRO, and it is not a monitoring solution, especially due to the lack of infrared.
From the cameras of strictly security type you have at least 20x20x20 cm in size, we are talking about the BCS dome camera with a mounting box. The cost is of course relatively higher, comparable to GoPRO.
For a very amateur installation - stream on YouTube, and as cameras old phones, such a samsung S6 you can even get for 200 zł. But then you need to set the stream to private/not public with a link, and you still don't have infrared. On YouTube you have access to the stream recording, also the 'rewind' problem solved. With I guess there is a limit to the length of the stream for which there is a record, here you would have to find out, as I have no idea what it currently looks like.

OPservator wrote:

From these small hidden cameras you will have image quality like from a phone from 2008 with a 2 Mpix sensor. From "small" cameras with good image quality you have only the GoPRO, and it is no monitoring solution, especially due to the lack of infrared.

I have in my basket a camera like this - IP camera module Mini nanny Motion P2P battery video camera DVR home security mini camera remote control hidden TF
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwyVVhv
This is admittedly a "supposedly 4k" camera, but in the comments people compare them to ordinary HD. Not crazy, but the quality is "slick". - do you think it transmits like a regular VGA 2mpix?
I have no experience with this, hence I prefer to ask.


The old phone does not wall to the sensor for example - even dismantling the old phone, the wires on which these cameras are located are mega short and will be a problem with such a conversion - and the idea of streaming e.g. on YT probably in total good. I need to read more about recording times and how to loop the recording so that after e.g. 2h (let's assume such a limitation will be imposed by YT) the recording continues and the previous one is in a separate file on YT. Thank you for this suggestion, I will read it.

What about the camera - maybe someone has something like this, a similar installation, and would like to comment 😉🙂

marcinzakrzewski440 wrote:

mount in a fire detector, for example

Bad idea, because we have detectors on the ceiling and you won't recognise anyone from above. I have a camera in a visible place, mounted at head height. The camera from Netatmo with facial and other event recognition, works flawlessly, notifications to the app, preview, saving on the card and in the cloud everything is free and no problems with the app, which in Chinese not a problem. If I wanted to hide it I put it in some decorative trinket and set it on a shelf. I auctioned one like the one in the link for less money and it's been working for 4 years now https://allegro.pl/oferta/kamera-ip-netatmo-nsc01-130-wlan-wifi-13531102604