Much online rage has been spilled this weekend over UniFi Protect not being made available for self-installation. If you’ve not been paying attention, UniFi Protect is a new NVR platform from Ubiquiti. Presently Ubiquiti says that UniFi Video will continue to be developed and supported… but nobody expects this to continue for very long. Protect is the new hotness, and since Ubiquiti doesn’t charge for their software, it is unimaginable that they will continue putting resources towards two separate products that do the same thing.
Today, the only way to get Protect is on the UCK-G2-PLUS — which has just launched for $199 with an 8-core ARM SoC w/ 3GB RAM and an easily upgradeable 1TB 2.5″ hard drive. Support for the UAS-XG — an attractive but otherwise bog standard 1U server with a $1,999 MSRP — is coming soon.
People are miffed for a variety of reasons. The G2+ offers very limited storage options. The UAS-XG is a fair value compared to buying an equivalent server from an Enterprise vendor, but it’s incredibly expensive relative to DIY or other thrifty options. There’s presently no middle ground.
And with the UAS-XG being a standard Intel server running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, there’s no technical reason that Protect can’t be offered for self-installs. Using Docker — as they’ve done with UNMS, and had alluded to providing for Protect during the Beta cycle — would greatly reduce the support challenges of providing self-installable software for Linux.
I’m not sure how I feel about this. I have 5 UVC-G3-Flex cameras that I have been planning to deploy on the G2+ w/ Protect, with the expectation that if I was happy with the platform over time I would replace 6 Ring Spotlights, 4 Amazon CloudCams, and probably add a couple more.
That’s all within the advertised capabilities of the G2+, but with its limitation of a single 2.5″ drive it won’t be able to meet my continuous recording retention targets. I happen to have a 2nd G2+ already so maybe this isn’t a total deal-breaker for me, if it turns out that I really love Protect, but right now I’m questioning if Ubiquiti’s camera platforms are worth the lock-in and premium pricing.
I already have an NVR server that is substantially more powerful than the UAS-XG, an unlimited camera license for Sighthound, and a bunch of Reolink cameras from my old house which are comparable in quality to the G3 Flex.