Stop Wasting Storage: Why Detection-Based Recordings Are the Future (and Present) of IP Camera Systems
If you’ve ever managed a security system with 24/7 video recording, then you already know the headache it can become. Sure, constant recording sounds like the safest bet—but it often creates more problems than it solves.
Let’s break it down:
Video storage becomes a monster. You need a massive hard drive (or multiple drives) to handle the endless footage.
You end up sacrificing quality. To save space, you may have to reduce resolution or turn off key features like infrared (IR) night vision and enhanced audio.
Finding what you’re looking for is a nightmare. Unless you know the exact time something happened, you're stuck scrubbing through hours—or days—of uneventful video.
And that’s where Detection-Based Recordings come in to save the day.
What Is Detection-Based Recording?
Detection-based recording means your security system only records when something actually happens. Rather than capturing every second of nothingness, it homes in on real events—motion, sound, or AI-classified detections—and stores only that.
At Interstate Telecommunications, we often recommend UniFi Protect for our IP camera system installations. Today we won’t dive into specific NVR models or camera specs. Instead, we’re focusing solely on the power of detection-based recording and why it’s a game-changer.
Save Storage. Keep Quality. Capture Only What Matters.
Let’s revisit those three pain points we mentioned earlier and show how detection-based systems like UniFi Protect solve each one:
🗃️ Problem 1: Massive Video Storage Requirements
By only recording when an event is detected, you eliminate 90%+ of the video that would otherwise be wasted on empty rooms, quiet sidewalks, or idle parking lots. This means:
Smaller NVRs can go further.
Storage costs drop.
Retention times can be extended with no extra hardware.
📉 Problem 2: Sacrificing Quality for Space
When you’re recording less, you can afford to boost video and audio quality. Turn on high-res settings. Enable smart IR night vision. Capture clear audio. There’s no need to cut corners when every frame counts.
🔍 Problem 3: Difficult Footage Retrieval
Here’s where detection-based recording really shines. With powerful filtering tools and smart tagging, you can find the event you’re looking for fast—without playing detective for hours.
How Detection Works: Motion, Sound, and Artificial Intellegence
Let’s talk about the tech behind the magic. UniFi Protect offers three types of event detection: Motion, Sound, and AI-based smart detection. Each can be tailored to fit your environment, goals, and security needs.
🕵️♂️ Motion Detection
Motion detection works by analyzing changes in pixels from one frame to the next. But this isn’t just an on/off switch—here’s what you can fine-tune:
Motion Zones: Define exactly where motion should trigger a recording. For example, ignore a swaying tree but monitor a door.
Sensitivity Settings: Decide how much motion is needed to count as an event.
Trigger Delay & Duration: Specify how long motion must be detected before it triggers a recording—and how much footage to capture before and after.
Line-Crossing Detection: Set up virtual boundaries—get notified and record only when something crosses a specific, imaginary line you’ve drawn in the camera’s view (perfect for driveways, entrances, or restricted zones)
🔊 Sound Detection
Got an area that’s more about hearing than seeing? These cameras can listen for:
Human Voices
Alarms or sirens
Glass breaking
Babies Crying
Barking
Car Alarms/Horns
Glass Breakage
Even if the source of the sound is off-camera, the system still catches the moment—and starts recording.
🤖 AI Detection (The Game-Changer)
Here’s where it gets wild. The UniFi Protect system can detect and classify:
People
Faces
Vehicles
License Plates
Animals
You can even teach the AI what to look for. Name a face once, and every future detection of that person gets filed under their name. Do the same with license plates to track specific vehicles.
And yes, you can filter detections by vehicle color, style, or even alert preferences. Want a notification only if a person enters your pool area after 10 PM? Done.
Bonus: Customize Your Alerts
Tired of getting notified every time the wind blows? Customize your detection alerts to only trigger under specific conditions:
✅ Human detection
✅ Certain times of day
✅ Specific zones
✅ Named individuals or vehicles
It's security tailored to you.
Why Detection-Based Recording Is the Future
Detection-based recording with systems like UniFi Protect offers:
Efficient NVR storage management
Higher video and audio quality
Smarter, faster access to events
AI learning for face and vehicle recognition
Customizable notifications and automation
Plus, UniFi is constantly rolling out new features, so the system gets better over time—no new hardware required.
Ready to Upgrade Your Surveillance Game?
If you’re still using an old-school 24/7 recording system, now’s the time to rethink your setup. Detection-based recordings are smarter, more efficient, and more secure.
📸 We’ll even help you set up your UniFi Protect system the right way from Day 1.
👉 Let’s talk about getting the right IP camera system for your property. Contact Interstate Telecommunications today to schedule your security assessment.
P.S. Stay tuned—soon we’ll be covering the best NVR options for detection-based recordings. And don’t forget to check out our image gallery for real-world examples from our installations!