On Screen Video and WIFI

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1

When will 2GIG or someone else have onscreen video on the console as well as WIFI controlling the cameras. This is pretty standard in the industry now and seems 2GIG is falling further behind.

2

Well, I believe this is being worked on for the IQ Panel 2, but I have no knowledge of any 2GIG efforts.

I wouldn’t say they are falling behind though. This is for a few reasons:

  1. Constant traffic means more panel resources being used. Drives hardware costs up. In order to keep them down:
  2. Panel screens have lower res than the cams typically, and they aren’t large enough to act as a typical monitor. The GC2 for example has a smaller screen and lower resolution than any standard smartphone, even low end ones. It is just not designed for video streaming. Newer panel models can work as a point to point intercom for something like a video doorbell relatively well, but even then smartphones are better at it, because:
  3. Point to point video is a bit antiquated, a relic of wired cctv. It is a cool feature, but ultimately video on a panel screen is only useful if and when you are next to the panel screen. I believe the statistic I have read is that smartphones are always within 3 feet of 90% of users throughout the entire day, wherever they go, so:
  4. A smartphone will be more useful and more accessible for viewing and control in almost 99% of cases.

I will say I would never expect to see this on a GC2.

I would think it would be theoretically possible on the GC3, with built in Wifi and larger screen with better Res.

We are always happy to push requests to manufacturers. The more it is requested the more likely it will see development time.

3

I will say I do miss this feature on my old Vivint SkyPanel, before I ditched them and went to a GC3 w/ DIY plan. It was actually one of the only reasons I really liked the skypanel over the GC3 was that my alarm.com camera’s were viewable from the skypanel. Would also really like to see this feature on the GC3… I agree w/ Jason that the resolution is obviously way better on a smartphone, and almost all folks have a phone within reach - but I feel like its one downfall they went away with on the GC3 that I would still love to have.