Home security cameras provide peace of mind by allowing you to monitor your property at all times. Many homeowners choose Blink cameras for their ease of wireless installation and use.
But a common question is whether Blink cameras can record video continuously, 24/7.
Unfortunately, out-of-the-box Blink cameras cannot directly record nonstop footage due to battery life and bandwidth constraints. However, with some additional hardware and software configurations, enabling 24/7 recording with Blink cameras is possible.
Overview of Blink Camera Operations
To understand why standard Blink cameras can’t record 24/7, it helps first to understand how they work:
- Wireless and battery-powered: Blink cameras connect to your WiFi network and are powered by two AA lithium batteries. This allows flexible placement without wiring.
- Motion detection: footage is captured when the camera’s sensors detect movement within its field of view. This is to maximize battery life.
- Cloud storage: Video clips are uploaded to Blink’s cloud servers via WiFi. You get free storage of clips for up to two hours.
- Limited bandwidth: The cameras try to minimize wireless network usage due to bandwidth constraints. Streaming high-def video 24/7 would require large amounts of data.
- App connectivity: You view and manage footage using Blink’s mobile apps. Live views and alerts are pushed to your phone.
This system is designed for convenience and flexibility using battery-powered cameras. But those same design choices also create limitations for continuous 24/7 recording.
Why Blink Cameras Can’t Record Continuously?
There are a few technical reasons why consumer Blink cameras don’t support nonstop recording out of the box:
Battery Life
Recording video 24/7 would drain the camera batteries quickly, usually in less than a day. Blink cameras are optimized for longevity by only capturing motion events as needed. Continuous recording isn’t possible on batteries.
Cloud Storage Limits
Blink provides two hours of free cloud storage for video clips. Storing weeks or months of continuous footage would require massive, expensive cloud storage. Blink’s plans are intentionally limited.
Bandwidth Constraints
Streaming multiple HD video feeds 24/7 requires significant broadband bandwidth, which most homes need. Blink tries to minimize wireless data usage for stability.
Product Design Philosophy
Blink aims to provide an easy-to-use solution for casual home monitoring. Enabling continuous recording doesn’t fit their design goals. They want setup and usage to be simple.
So for all those reasons, Blink cameras are designed around motion detection and cloud storage with battery-powered convenience in mind. Out-of-the-box, 24/7 recording is only feasible for some consumers.
Workarounds and Solutions for 24/7 Recording
Despite those limitations, there are ways to achieve continuous 24/7 recording with Blink cameras through additional hardware and software configurations.
A few popular options include:
Using a Sync Module 2
Blink offers a Sync Module 2 device that connects your cameras to a wired Ethernet connection for power and viewing. Attaching a USB flash drive to the module provides local storage for continuous recording.
Using Third-Party Recording Software
Like a webcam, software like BlueIris and Xeoma works with IP cameras to record feeds continuously. This means capturing Blink camera streams on your local hard drive 24/7.
Connecting Blink to a DVR
You can continuously link Blink cameras to an ONVIF-compatible DVR to record the feeds on the DVR’s hard drive. AMcrest and Reolink make digital video recorders with ONVIF integration.
Using a Custom Raspberry Pi System
For a DIY approach, some people use a Raspberry Pi mini-computer to pull the RTSP stream from Blink cameras and save it locally 24/7. This requires technical expertise.
As you can see, with the right additional hardware and software, you can get 24/7 continuous recording from your Blink cameras. But it requires some effort beyond the basic out-of-box setup.
Tips for Setting Up Continuous Recording
If you decide to pursue one of the 24/7 recording options above, keep these tips in mind:
Use wired power when possible – For continuous recording, you’ll want your Blink cameras plugged into a power outlet to avoid draining batteries.
Adjust motion settings – Tweak motion zones and detection sensitivity so incidental motion doesn’t trigger constant recordings.
Use large hard drives – Recording 24/7 generates huge video files, so invest in large-high-quality hard drives.
Check your network bandwidth – Ensure your internet plan provides enough upstream and downstream bandwidth to support multiple camera streams.
View and manage footage regularly – Check in frequently and archive important footage to ensure sufficient hard drive space.
Consider camera placement carefully – Point cameras where they’ll capture the most important areas and give clear, useful footage.
Use wired Ethernet if you can – Wired internet provides more reliable connectivity for the Sync Module and DVR options.
Add supplemental motion lighting – Extra lighting can help provide brighter footage in low-light continuous recording.
With thoughtful setup considerations, you can successfully record from your Blink cameras 24/7. Be prepared for the additional equipment requirements and configuration compared to out-of-box usage.
FAQs About 24/7 Blink Camera Recording
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about continuous recording with Blink cameras:
How much bandwidth does continuous recording need?
This varies based on video resolution and number of cameras. For 4 HD cameras, you may need 15-25 Mbps upload speeds consistently.
How much hard drive space do I need?
At 1080p quality, each camera may use 2GB per hour recorded. So for 4 cameras recording 24/7, your storage needs are ~192GB per day.
What’s the best software for 24/7 recording?
BlueIris and Xeoma are popular choices. Both allow continuous camera recording and review. They vary in setup complexity.
Does continuous recording impact my WiFi?
Streaming multiple HD video feeds 24/7 can degrade your wireless network performance. Wired Ethernet to cameras is recommended.
Can I only record certain motion events?
Yes, with your DVR or software, you can usually set times and motion zones to restrict recordings to only certain events.
Conclusion
Standard Blink wireless security cameras are designed for simple battery-powered operation and motion-triggered recording. But with the right additional equipment and software, it can achieve 24/7 continuous recording. Options range from Blink’s Sync Module to third-party recording tools and DVRs. Just be prepared for the extra complexity, bandwidth, and storage demands. If set up properly, you can enjoy the versatility of Blink cameras with the added benefit of constant surveillance.
