Understanding Protect AI Port/Key vs Synology

[xmemex]

Hello,

I am trying to figure out if I need the AI port for 3rd party cameras within Protect.

My understanding is that for 3rd party cams, Protect won’t even read common triggers like motion because of the way different devices communicate. The Unifi Port/Key protects offloads the AI functionality from the cameras despite the cameras’ ability to do it itself. I understand that Protect/UNVR do not process that information either because the Unifi cams do it themselves.

If Synology does all the processing on it’s hardware then what’s the point of using $200+ AI cams with Synology?

When you factor in the cost of the AI keys or Synology cam licenses, I’m having a hard time convincing a friend not to use Amcrest NVR with something other than it’s crap.

There’s gotta be a way to pull that data from the camera, are the vendors using their own proprietary languages??

This is frustrating. We are so close to the perfect system.

[LTS_Tom]

@xmemex

The Unifi Port/Key protects offloads the AI functionality from the cameras despite the cameras’ ability to do it itself.

Correct and I show that in this video:

UniFi Protect: Breaking Down 3rd Party Camera Support

A Synology NVR can read the motion detection’s form the cameras such as Amcrest:

Synology Surveillance Station With Amcrest AI Advanced Detection

But also Synology makes their DVA models that offer doing it in the Synology but their are limitations to how much they can do based on the model.

Synology DVA1622 Review:Face Detection, Licences Plates, People Counting and More!

[Grok]

I’ve read that some of the other NVR’s like HIK-Vision’s AI capable machine can read & adopt other camera types/brands including Unifi, it seems as though HIK’s own cameras also offload the AI functions to the DVR.
I’m curious how common this technique is.