Cloud Based CCTV - Motion Based - Blink.com & Guests

There are two product ranges , the newer XT2 and the older Indoor only White cameras.

• I have about 5 of these setup in Porch and then inside in all common areas such as Kitchen, hallway, landing upstairs.
   
• For Outdoors you can use the black XT2 cameras to cover garage, back yard, back kitchen door, or even a garden path.
   
• These essentially only record when motion triggered, which can be customised.
   
• Can be wired with lithium battery backup or battery only.

Amazon owns Blink and have various sales and bundle offers.

• https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=blink+camera&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
• https://blinkforhome.co.uk/

Like the ring.com devices there are plenty of clever 3rd party accessories, such as the gutter mounting clip to have it hang from the house rain water gutter from a height.

Lessons Learned

• High Foot Traffic Areas 
  
  - Use a Wired solution such as a f3rd party power cord and plug.
   
• Low Traffic Area
  
  - The Lithium Batteries are usually fine, but can be expensive in small packs, so buy the 20+ packs instead.
   
• Amazon Echo - Alexa
  
  -All  echo show devices can be used as 'Alexa show Porch'.
  
  However if you have other devices with porch in the name introduced into this eco system,
  you can no longer say 'Show porch',
  
  You now have to have unique name such as Porch Camera and then say, 'Show Porch Camera'
  
  I discovered this when I renamed my Yale Keyless  lock to Porch Lock.
  You would think using the word Show should tell itto be smart enough to know you mean the only camera in that area.
   
•  Install Anywhere
  
  -Like Ring.com devices, you are virtually unlimited to install these any where. Just remember to consider the amount of traffic in that area/zone as to which power method may be needed.
  
   
• Storage
  
  - There is no subscription, only a storage size limit shown as a % percentage., So based on individual area/zone triggers can fill and then start over writing within a 24 hour period.
  
  You have the option to tap and download the clips, and then have your smart phone cloud storage sync to your Google Drive, Amazon Photos, Microsoft OneDrive etc.
   
• Smart Phone App 
  
  - Get motion based triggered notifications. Audio is built in one way on indoor, and two way on XT2 series.
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 Guests Recorded based on motion detection.

- So why would these be useful? Essentially even when starting out you can learn a lot from the Guests from various regions and cultures how they live

-Use kitchen and services, cookers, washing machines etc.

- Do not kow about electric showers need to have a power circuit switch outside the bathroom
- Do not see this switch on the wall outside the bathroom

- Do not see where the light switch is - * its on your other left*, and then walk into a dark bathroom to use the toilet.... yep that actually happened and left the door open too.

- Kitchen Cooker mis-use of cookware and potential accidents;
 -- lazy inconsiderate carelessness nearly resulting in causing a kitchen fire due to putting something plastic based into an oven top grill area, and not thinking it through. 

Using these lessons, I then developed  Signs, posters and stickers and for different languages,
symbols on them to make them universal, since you cant have every language on every sign or poster; the house would be plastered with them.

I have under the facilities listing that the property is Monitored and also its in my auto message template for new bookings.

Reviewing the clips can show you quickly what things you need to improve in terms of signage, and message templates to remind them of what they should and should not do.

Some may not like it but at end of the day it is no different than most hotels who have cameras everywhere. Its both a Security and Health & Safety policy.

Stay Safe & Secure