I went a different direction with mine.
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">I had two separate systems. One was home security and the other home automation which is where my cameras were. I could control either from a Web Browser or my phone. I got tired of having to use two separate applications depending on what I wanted to do and have some functionality in one and some in the other. And the two didn't mix.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">So I went with a home security system that includes all the home automation features I had in the other system. Now I am able to automate all kinds of things. For example, when I open the garage door I have certain lights in the house come on. If I unlock the door into the house from the garage using the keypad lock it will unlock the door, disarm the security system and turn lights on. When I lock the door with the keypad it will turn off certain lights, etc. The point is having them combined gave me much more flexibility.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">All my landscape lighting comes on at dusk and goes off at dawn and as the seasons change the system does too so I don't have to change programs at the time change, etc. As it gets darker earlier I've noticed the lights are coming on earlier too.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">So with regard to the cameras mine are set up so when I disarm the house the inside cameras go into what's called privacy mode so nothing inside is being monitored or recorded. When I arm the system at night or when I leave the house the privacy feature turns off and the cameras are back on. Mine are not recording all the time but are streaming all the time. I can look in whenever I want and see what's going on. However, they will record on motion and also have night vision. In my case I organically got the cameras because my dog has a seizure disorder and I wanted to keep an eye on her during the day. I can see when the post man delivers a package and can run home to get it if I want or at least keep an eye on it during the day while I'm out.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">I know it sounds expensive but it wasn't really at all. I have been buying bits and pieces here and there over the years and now I have a pretty extensive system. What happened in my case was I started with the Security system and the Cameras and kind of got hooked. Next thing I knew I bought a couple of door locks to add to the system. Before I know it the Thermostat was on the system, the garage door was on the system. It's really kind of fun to put it all together.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">So I guess it depends on what you want. You can start small if you want but you may want to consider a system that allows you to grow if that's something you might want to do down the road. I'd hate for you to get something now and then have to replace it later on because there is something else you might want to do. In my case, I'm a little on the geeky side so I love all this stuff others may not. But in the past few years these systems have become more affordable and easier to use for those who don't like dealing with these things. </span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Your story makes me want to add another component to mine which is a flood monitor. If I understand if correctly it is a valve that would be put on the main water line coming into the house. If it detects a flood of water it automatically closes the valve to stop the flow of water into the house. I would be able to control this within my system as well to shut off the water I think. I'll have to look into that one a little more. I have seen them on line but all the other cool stuff catches my eye before something like this that could eliminate a catastrophe. </span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Good luck with your system</span>
