Would buying a smart hub keep me from having to pay a monthly fee?

[maginnis0803]

I have the Pro 4. Would buying a smart hub keep me from having to pay a monthly fee?

[StephenB]

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@maginnis0803 wrote:

I have the Pro 4. Would buying a smart hub keep me from having to pay a monthly fee?

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It depends.  If you need activity zones, then you either need to connect the camera to AC power or you need a subscription.  Smart notifications are also a subscription feature.

Some folks here do use the "direct access to local storage" feature instead of a subscription.  IMO it's not a great user experience.  Limitations include:

• Recordings only available in the app (not the browser).
• Recordings only available from the primary account (not "friend" accounts).
• No ability to save snapshots or take manual recordings.
• Videos need to be downloaded to the phone to view.
• No thumbnails
• Remote access requires router setting changes that some find difficult (and which won't work with some internet service providers).