Product updates: remote camera administration, enhanced Camera Connector, and more!

At Angelcam we’re dedicated to continuously enhancing your user experience. To that end, our most recent efforts have just come to fruition and we’re bringing you a bunch of new updates and features:

Live camera overview

Users have been utilizing our smart multi-camera view on mobile devices for a while now, and we’re excited to announce that our web app will be following suit and integrating this popular feature. For those unfamiliar with it, the multi-camera view provides an instant overview of all your streams at once. You’ll be able to utilize this new functionality directly from your camera dashboard. With that, we replaced the static snapshots with a live snapshot stream (see example below).

Remote camera administration

Managing your cameras just got a lot easier because now all cameras connected to an Angelbox are manageable via a remote connection. Here’s a glimpse of what you would see from your camera’s administration panel.

Take your cameras to the next level

All cameras using Angelcam are now IFTTT-ready (if you’re unfamiliar with the magic of IFTTT, you can learn more about it on our blog). With that, it’s now possible to create an event on the timeline of your mobile app using any IFTTT-compatible device. To see if your IFTTT-compatible sensor, lock, or automation system are Angelcam-ready, have a look at this compatibility list. With IFTTT and Angelcam working in tandem, the only thing that limits your cloud-recording experience is your imagination 🙂

Navigation between IFTTT events in mobile app

Jump from one event to another to quickly go through important moments your camera recorded.

Camera Connection Assistance

We know if you say, “I need help”, that you really need help, ideally immediately. Because of that, we are now offering new Camera Connection Assistance. For a deposit of $30, you’ll be able to schedule time with one of our experienced technicians, who will help you solve any technical issues – may that be connecting your camera, embedding a stream, managing your ports, etc. If the technician is successfully able to assist you, then you’ll be provided a credit of $30 for our cloud services. If the technician is unable to assist you and get your cameras/NVR up and running at Angelcam, your deposit will be fully refunded.

Improved camera connection functionality

We have enhanced our camera connection functionality (https://my.angelcam.com/connect) to be faster, more responsive, and compatible with even more cameras. Learn more.

Join our beta testing

We are happy to announce that beta testing is finally open to all interested users. If you’re up for helping us improve our products and services, delivering an even better experience for all of our users, you can apply to the beta testing program by simply sending an email to support@angelcam.com. Please include, “Beta testing program,” in the subject line.

What’s new in the BETA? Create events from e-mail

Every camera will now have a unique email address, when upon receiving an email, an event will be created on the camera’s timeline within the mobile app, ready for you to discover. Learn more.

How has Angelcam helped you? We’d like to know! Please send us an email and share your story with us.

Thank you!

Angelcam team

Your cameras are now one click away from becoming friends with IFTTT

We are excited to announce that Angelcam is now integrated with IFTTT, which means your Angelcam-connected cameras just became IFTTT-compatible!

You asked, and we listened! Integration with IFTTT was a top user request, and now your compatible cameras, doorbells, and other video devices are all capable of integrating with other smart home/IoT devices, including sensors and plenty of other IFTTT products and services.

For those unfamiliar, IFTTT is a free service that allows you to automate interactions between your cameras and other devices and services. For example, you can have your cameras start recording automatically upon leaving your house. How do they know you’ve left? Perhaps it was your Nest Thermostat’s schedule, the usage of your Nuki door locks, or any other IFTTT-compatible device’s event that could have triggered it. Even something as simple as leaving your home Wifi network can initiate your security cameras. For those that prefer manual control over recording, you’re set as well as you can easily set up a button in the widget area of your IFTTT mobile app and enable it with that.

 

      

You can mark events on a camera’s cloud-recording timeline with any IFTTT-compatible sensor (i.e. the D-Link Motion Sensor)allowing you to track events and watch related recordings at a later time (currently only available on the mobile app).

Want to be sure your garage doors are closed after you’ve left home? Capture a snapshot each time your garage doors close, giving you peace of mind.

 

How about scheduled cloud recordings to save bandwidth or protect your privacy? Maybe a scheduled public broadcast of your camera? Or even receive a text message when your camera goes offline? With IFTTT, you can do all of these things easily through the creation of custom applets.

Ultimately, with prices of IFTTT-compatible sensors starting at $30, combining Angelcam with IFTTT is a very cost-effective way to unlock some unique and powerful possibilities for your cloud-recording solutions.

Have you used IFTTT and Angelcam? Share your experiences with us!

Camera detector update

If you’ve been using Angelcam for a while now, you already know we believe in the “always evolving” approach to our products and services. So much so that updates to many things that are “under the hood”, which are hardly noticed by our customers, go unannounced.

Take the recent update of our Camera Detector for example. While it went live largely unannounced, this update will go a long way to better helping you connect your cameras faster and in a much more convenient manner, regardless of whether you’re connecting directly, via an NVR, or through an AngelBox. More specifically, here’s what’s been updated:

  1. We have added or updated the video stream path for more than 60 camera brands, including AVTech, Hikvision, Dahua, Ubiquiti, Vivotek, Amcrest, Edimax and more.
  2. When the Camera Detector finds multiple video streams on a camera, the primary stream is now used (not the secondary, as we did in past).

If you have any questions, feel free to reach us.

Happy connecting and have a great summer!

View Your Camera Live & Check Past Recordings Anywhere with Brand New Mobile App

If you own a security camera and want to monitor your home or business, no matter where you are, then we have a brand new mobile app for you – the Angelcam mobile app

Here’s how it will help you:

  1. Utilize the real-time view and see what your cameras are capturing, recording, or streaming, anytime and anywhere you are.
    View your cameras in full-screen view, available in both landscape or portrait, or use the smart multi-camera view* (check more details Q&As below) and see all your camera feeds together on one screen.
  2. With a subscription to the Cloud Recording app, you can access your past recordings and search through them by simply swiping through the timeline or quickly jump to a specific moment in time with the help of a calendar.


With access to both your live and past recordings, Angelcam’s mobile app becomes your complete on-the-go solution for staying on top of your feeds. Best of all,
it’s FREE to use for all Angelcam users!
Download it today on
iTunes or Google Play (for iOS 10 or Android 4.4 and newer).

 

 

Once you try it, be sure to let us know what you think about the app by leaving us a comment on the app store page.

We hope you enjoy!

Ivana from Angelcam

 

BUT WAIT! There’s more! We’re currently finishing up work on some unreleased features, including an extension to the mobile app that will allow you to view events on the timeline, IFTTT integration into our platform, and soon, camera sharing. Stay tuned and be sure to let us know which features you’re most interested in seeing in the future.

 

Mobile App Q&As:

Q: Which cameras are compatible with the new mobile app?

A: The new mobile app is compatible with any camera brand that supports MJPEG & h.264 (including sound). You can view one or several cameras at once, from one or even multiple locations.

 

Q: What is Smart multi-camera view?

A: This view allows you to see multiple cameras on one screen, even with a very slow internet connection. With multi-camera view you’ll essentially be seeing snapshots, but continually refreshed automatically (frequency based on your device capabilities and internet connection).

If your device is not connected to WiFi, the refresh rate is a maximum of 10 seconds (to save your mobile data), but it could be more on slower connections. Regardless of the frequency, you will be able to see what’s happening on your cams quickly and easily, even when traveling and using your international data roaming.

On the other side, if your device is connected via WiFi, there is no hard limit on the snapshot refresh rate. (Note: if you have a powerful device and a fast WiFi connection and still experience a low refresh rate, check out this post on our FAQ).

Q: How can I find a past moment with the mobile app?

A: To be able review your past recordings, add the Cloud Recording app to your camera. Once setup, you will be able to search through recordings by swiping through the timeline (to be found below the preview window) or find a specific moment by choosing the time and date from the calendar. No need for downloading clips or waiting for assistance – searching for a specific moment from the past has never been faster or easier.

 

Q: How much mobile data is needed for watching your cameras live?

If you want to save your mobile data, we suggest that you primarily watch your cameras while you’re connected via WiFi. Snapshots are being refreshed every few seconds, which might be alright even if you’re not on WiFi, but with the real-time view of your camera stream (in camera detail), your data usage can increase very quickly, especially if you’ve set up your FUP for 300 (watching your stream in full HD uses a lot of data). So please keep your mobile data limits in mind when accessing the live stream from your camera.

 

Q: How much does the Cloud Recording app costs?

A: The Cloud Recording app, with cloud storage for your security cameras and DVRs, starts at $3.99 per month. If you wish to try it first, be sure to take advantage of our 30-Day Trial of the Starter 7 plan with 7 days retention.

 

 

 

 

Get notified anytime your camera goes offline (now available for every camera)

app-camera-status

The fact is that security cameras don’t operate continuously and this is something nearly impossible to prevent. Reasons vary from the camera restarting, lost internet connection, or no power, to the camera being damaged. But what you can do is increase your awareness about it. If anything goes wrong with your camera you should be notified immediately so you or your dealer can react in time.

That’s the reason why we’ve introduced Camera status feature.

  • We check your camera status every few minutes (5-15 minutes intervals)
  • The feature works for all cameras connected to Angelcam having Cloud Recording or Broadcasting app installed.
  • We notify you via email anytime your camera gets offline for more than 20 minutes. Once the camera is back in online status, a confirmation email will notify you again.

This feature is free of charge.

Sounds good? Please follow these steps to enable your Camera status notifications:

  • Sign in to my.angelcam.com
  • Click on a specific camera on the My cameras page
  • Click on “Disabled” next to Email notifications for camera status updates in Camera settings
  • Tick the box “Enable Camera status email notifications”
  • Fill in your email address and a second email (if you want to have eg. a security service, an installer or a dealer in copy)
  • Finish the settings by clicking on “Save settings” button

 

Tweak it:

  • Set up forwarding of emails from Angelcam to your phone number if you need to be notified on your phone. Try Zapier or Clickatell.

Please note:  
This is a beta version and we’d love to hear feedback from you. If you miss any particular function, please let us know. At this moment we’re planning SMS notifications, snooze mode, repeated reminders and failure reports. But we can add even more based on your feedback.

 

 

 

 

10 reasons for cloud backup – part II.

Do you want to know more about advantages of connecting a security camera to the cloud? Let’s continue.
(Missed the part one? Read it here.)

6. THE LOWEST TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP (TCO) 

When comparing the cost of any two options (cloud vs. NVRs), one must look at all the costs involved, even the ones that are not so apparent. Below we’ve listed all possible costs you should be aware of:

  • Hardware – The cost of the NVR
  • Maintenance – The cost for upgrades, expedited service, license renewals, training, and security audits and inspections
  • Installation – You’ll have to consider the cost of installation, wiring, power, configuration, and training
  • IT department’s time/cost to implement installation – This includes product evaluations, vendor selection, setting up network security configurations, collecting and drafting documentation, and finding rack space, power, and a network. This all combined with the loss of working hours, which could be better spent on critical tasks.
  • Scaling the business – The cost related to the operational inefficiencies and ongoing labor associated with having different systems, often found in organizations experiencing quick growth or those which have multiple branches or offices (see “Scaling and Flexibility” below).
  • Capital Cost for redundant / protected storage RAID Storage option on NVR or external storage arrays
  • Cost due to electricity consumption – The power consumption of an NVR will vary greatly and a lot depends on the number of HDDs installed. A typical 16 channel NVR will consume anywhere from 30 to 250 watts (per what?). At $0.10 per kWh, this equates to an annual cost of anywhere from $26.00 to $219.00.
  • Risk / Cost associated with theft floods and fire – What is the cost of time spent trying to recover your lost video(s)? Will this missing footage cause a loss in revenue? Will this hurt your company’s goodwill or brand?
  • Physically protecting the NVR – This may include the acquisition of a secure location, door locks, card access to storage room, lock box, etc.
  • Productivity cost associated with NVR downtime – Lost productivity associated with NVR failures, updates, license renewals and general maintenance. There may also need to be overtime paid to employees that manage these interruptions.
  • Annual NVR software upgrades – IT Department’s time for doing security due diligence, coordinating activities, upgrading software, and implementing security procedures, patches and documentation. This also includes the maintenance fees paid to the security integrator.
  • Replacement – You may need to eventually replace your NVRs when they fail or become obsolete. This includes the time needed to re-evaluate business needs, make a proper product selection, acquire RFPs, and the costs of the new NVRs themselves.
  • Acquiring capital – Cost associated with obtaining capital, including interest on a loan or leasing fees.
  • Saving video clips – Cost associated with safely securing selected video clips and sharing them, including the time needed to save & download, establish security protocols to maintain the chain of evidence, and for protected storage.

When all that is considered, using a cloud service, such as Angelcam, brings down the overall TCO.

 

7. SIMPLE PREDICTABLE BUDGET 

Sometimes it is difficult to make a TCO calculation (see above), and with evolving technology and ever-changing business needs and regulations, many simply want to lower the risk of their video surveillance investment and have a more predictable and scalable solution.

Angelcam Cloud recording is subscription based and therefore, eliminates much of the cost associated with servers, installation, maintenance and software licenses. It also does away with the cost of IT personnel constantly maintaining server security, software updates, license renewals, infrastructure, and data protection. Cloud-based recording eliminates all of these costs and therefore allows for simpler budgeting.

In addition, cloud-based recording offers the most scalable storage solution possible. With Angelcam, there is no constraint on the amount of data coming from a camera. As long as you have adequate upload speeds, you can send the highest quality streams for recording and no longer need to worry if you will exceed your storage capacity.

 

8. SCALABLE & FLEXIBLE SOLUTION FOR YOUR GROWING BUSINESS 

Growing businesses, especially those that expand to different locations, need to consider the lifetime cost of scaling. For example, if you were to purchase an NVR one year and then the following year add the same surveillance at other locations, those new cameras may not be compatible with the new locations. On the other hand, if you were to purchase different camera brands for multiple locations, those new cameras may not be compatible with each other or your previous ones.

Even if the brand you choose can accommodate these new locations, consider that NVRs are constantly being updated and discontinued. So the cost of scaling will likely include the cost associated with managing different hardware, ongoing network security, software licenses, training, and installations.

In contrast, recording to the cloud with Angelcam not only eliminates all of these costs, but also provides operational efficiencies, a single interface for all users, and, best of all, a future-proof solution that will forever evolve and improve without wasting your organization’s time.

 

9. HIGHLY SECURE

It is understandable why some people are concerned with the security of videos in the cloud, but cloud companies are aware of the dangers of the internet, and they invest heavily to insure data is not compromised and that their users are protected from viruses and malware. Angelcam utilizes Amazon’s S3 cloud, so our customers receive the security benefits of this leading cloud provider.

When one considers all aspects of cloud security they may discover that cloud recording is the safer and more cost-effective solution.

 

10. FALSE ALARM REDUCTION WITH VIDEO VERIFICATION 

Did you know that 99% of alarms are false alarms? Video Verification is a feature that aims to reduce the number of false reports, by verifying the existence of an emergency before alerting the authorities. This is accomplished by sending a video to the user and central monitoring station when an alarm is triggered. This ultimately results is a much faster response time and avoids fines associated with false alarms, which exist in some municipalities.

Traditional video verification solutions are proprietary and only work with certain cameras. Additionally, there are indirect expenses related to the integration of these alarms to the central monitoring stations. The result is generally an expensive solution, which many times does not match the needs of the user.

Launching soon in the US, Angelcam’s Video verification product will feature all the benefits of our cloud architecture, including working with most cameras and not requiring expensive integration with CMS software. This will help pave the way for a more cost-effective and flexible video verification solution.

When you consider just these 10 reasons, it’s easy to see why more and more businesses and individuals are connecting to the cloud every day and taking advantage of all the benefits that come with that. If you have any further questions, about cloud solutions or the compatibility of your camera with the cloud, please contact our support team at any time, as they’ll be happy to help you.

 

Mike Farnan
Vice President of Sales at Angelcam

Mike is an experienced industry expert, who has spent years in the Security Camera division of Philips and Bosch, where he was responsible for Product Management, Sales, and Partner Relations. He also co-founded App-Tech Corporation, a security integration company, where he spent the past 10 years before joining Angelcam. Mike is always excited to “talk shop”, so if you ever wish to discuss industry challenges or your company’s cloud future, feel free to get in touch.

 

 

10 reasons for cloud backup

Ever wondered why there is such a fuss about the cloud these days? How someone can possibly trust in something that’s intangible and send a stream from their IP camera there? Well, you might be surprised, but there is actually “something” about it. Read our expert Mike’s comparison of cloud and DVR/NVRs that are commonly used, mainly because of habit.

The advantages of the cloud in a nutshell:

1. Opens up new features and functionality for your camera, which are easily customizable and scalable 
2. Keeps your video footage safe and secure, thanks to services such as Amazon’s S3 cloud
3. It will never become obsolete, as new features can be continually added over time
In addition, there is no need to pay for extra electricity, or additional maintenance and support. Put simply, it’s a cost-effective, highly efficient service that opens up a wealth of options for you and your surveillance needs.


1. Protection against hard drive failures


NVRDVR/NVR‘s record video on hard drives
that will eventually fail and many times these failures are discovered right when you need the video.
DVRs/NVRs can provide an extra level of protection by utilizing redundant storage space but this adds significant cost. In addition, these systems require more rack space, generate more noise, heat and consume more electricity.

 

2. Long retention time


DVRs and NVRs have limited storage capacity.
Inevitably, as more cameras are added and higher resolution cameras employed, the overall retention time of the NVR is reduced. In other cases, you might simply want one, two or more years of storage from just a few cameras to protect yourself against fraudulent claims, product recalls or for any number of other reasons.
With cloud recording, you have the most flexible and scalable storage solution. Simply select the retention time needed for each camera and know that it is safely stored in the cloud.

 

3. Protection against fire & theft

burglary-2022162_960_720

The most obvious reason for cloud recording is to ensure that video evidence won’t be lost or stolen. However DVRs/NVRs can easily be stolen, fires and floods can destroy them.

 

 

 

 

4. Compliance


Some industries are regulating security
. The cannabis industry is one example. Each state that has legalized marijuana has included specifications for security and ensures compliance with state inspections. Since the loss of video evidence is not tolerated in this industry, many states have direct or indirect requirements for off-site backup storage.
With cloud recording, the video is stored in real-time at an offsite location. Therefore if there is a theft, fire or flood, the video is safe.

 

 

5. Easy access & sharing

Screen Shot 2017-02-15 at 15.32.29People today are always on the move and for them to remain productive and responsive, they need easy and immediate access to their video – no matter where they are. Once an important piece of video is discovered, it will then need to be shared with others. Traditional NVR systems can do all of this, but they require a connection back to the NVR system.
To make sure these remote connections are secure, your IT department or security vendor needs time and diligence to do things properly. This may include firewall, router and NVR configurations along with software installations, PC configurations, and training. In addition, each connection back to the NVR will consume bandwidth and rob performance from the NVR, so if you have multiple remote connections you may experience a slow and unresponsive system.

In contrast, with cloud-based storage systems, the video resides in a cloud, so many users can simultaneously access the live or recorded video stream without any performance degradation.

For instance, if you have a camera with build in Angelcam ready firmware, it’s safely connected to Angelcam cloud by using an encrypted channel. So it’s only you who can remotely view and store a video from it. The magic is in no port forwarding, no exposure a stream of your camera to the public internet. Angelcam stores videos in Amazon S3, the industry’s most-trusted service. Everything happens through HTTPS to protecting your data and privacy.

In addition, sharing video clips couldn’t be easier. Once a video clip is saved, all one needs to do is enter the email addresses of the individuals that you want to share the video with. These users will get a link (no downloads necessary) and be able to play the video from any device with any internet connection.

 

Wondering what other five reasons might be? The hint is that they are related to cost and business issues. Read about them here.

And don’t forget to visit our website www.angelcam.com to see how we can help connect your camera to the cloud.

 

Mike_BW_S
Mike Farnan
Vice President of Sales at Angelcam

Mike is an experienced industry expert, who has spent years in the Security Camera division of Philips and Bosch, where he was responsible for Product Management, Sales, and Partner Relations. He also co-founded App-Tech Corporation, a security integration company, where he spent the past 10 years before joining Angelcam. Mike is always excited to “talk shop”, so if you ever wish to discuss industry challenges or your company’s cloud future, feel free to get in touch.

 

 

 

We’ve let the genie out of the bottle

The genie’s out of the bottle and ready to fully support you as the new replacement for the Client Zone. His name is My Angelcam and he’s here to grant 3 incredible wishes:

 

  • Make managing your cameras flawless on mobile devices and easier overall → We’ve redesigned navigation to make all settings only a few clicks away. Additionally, the website is now 100% responsive, which will make checking your cameras remotely on your mobile phone or tablet a breeze.
  • Enhance your video stream for free →  A low-latency streaming feature is now available for every camera, which means the delay between reality and your video is now only 2 seconds!
  • A unified design for all apps →  The Broadcasting app now features the unified Angelcam design, making orientation within familiar and more efficient.

 

All this and more awaits you in the new My Angelcam. Give it a try today!

 

 

Dahua partners with Angelcam to provide easy and secure connection of security cameras to the cloud

Happy belated Valentine’s Day!

We’re sorry, but our recently announced relationship with Dahua still has us in a very celebratory mood 😉 

The world-leading manufacturer of video surveillance products just officially announced the integration of Angelcam with select camera models. The first available are the Eco-savvy 2.0 Network and Wi-Fi models, with others soon to follow.

The Power of the Angelcam Added Value

With the inclusion of Angelcam into a camera’s firmware, the process of connecting to the cloud is made much simpler, more secure, and more impactful. This impact comes from the rich catalog of apps that allow for cloud storage, public broadcasting, the ability to view multiple cameras remotely on a variety of devices, camera health checks, and more. On top of that, cameras are enabled to integrate with other apps and devices using an API.

Many camera owners, dealers, and integrators want to take advantage of cloud-based apps but find connecting their cameras a difficult and insecure process,” explains Peter Ocasek, CEO of Angelcam. “That’s why this partnership, through the creation of ‘Angelcam-ready’ firmware, is so special as we have saved Dahua’s customers time and made their cameras more secure, robust, and easier to use.”

If you are considering purchasing a new camera, definitely have a look at the full range of “Angelcam Ready Cameras” advantages. If you already have a security camera from Dahua, Hikvision or AV TECH, check the firmware availability for your camera model. All other camera brands and models can be connected easily and securely using an AngelBox.

Lastly, we would just like to thank everyone who helped us with this partnership and look forward to what’s coming next!

Have a great day.

Ivana

PS: Full press release is also available

 

One small step for man, one giant leap for Angelcam

We are simply over the moon to unveil the latest Angelcam upgrade, My Angelcam – a new and improved replacement for the Client Zone.

Besides the name, what’s changed? The navigation is new and more intuitive, the interface got a fresh and clean redesign, the Broadcasting app is brand new, and now everything is 100% responsive on mobile devices. To see a preview of the changes, have a look at the pictures below.

To give the new My Angelcam a try, go to my.angelcam.com and sign in as usual.

(Please note, if you sign in at www.angelcam.com, you will still see the old version of the Client Zone. The new My Angelcam will be accessible on www.angelcam.com in two weeks.)

It’s currently in an open beta and during this period we’d appreciate any and all of your comments, suggestions and bug reports, as they will go a long way to helping us make the final version even better. To send us your feedback, simply use the chat box on our website or send us an email.

Thank you in advance for giving the new My Angelcam a try!

Your Angelcam team

 

New (left) vs. Current (right) in the pictures

Angelmenu:

  • Different order
  • New, renamed or deleted items

Angelmenu

 

 

Connect camera page:

  • Arranged differently
  • Added option Through DIY Angelbox

 

Connect camera

 

Broadcasting:

  • New design
  • New nomenclature

 

Broadcasting

 

Choose plan Broadcasting