Kuna and Continuous Recording: What You Need to Know
A common question from new Kuna users is whether their security camera can record video continuously, 24/7. The short answer is no, Kuna cameras do not support continuous video recording (CVR). This guide will explain why Kuna uses an event-based system and what your recording options are.
Understanding Kuna's Event-Based Recording Model
Kuna cameras are designed to be smart, efficient, and easy to use. Instead of capturing endless hours of footage where nothing happens, they operate on an event-based recording model. This means the camera only starts recording when something important occurs.
An "event" is triggered by one of two things:
- Motion Detection: When the camera's sensor detects movement within its field of view.
- Live View Activation: When you open the Kuna app on your smartphone to view the live video stream.
Once an event is triggered, the camera records a video clip and sends an alert to your phone. These clips are then saved to the cloud for you to review later.
Why Doesn't Kuna Record 24/7?
This design choice is intentional and offers several key benefits, aligning with the typical needs of a homeowner.
- Focus on Important Moments: Event-based recording cuts out the noise. When you check your timeline, you see a list of actual events, not hours of an empty driveway. This makes finding a specific incident much faster.
- Bandwidth Efficiency: Continuously streaming high-definition video to the cloud uses a massive amount of internet upload bandwidth. This can slow down your entire home network and may even exceed data caps imposed by your internet service provider.
- Energy Savings: For battery-powered or energy-conscious smart lights, constantly recording and processing video would drain the power source very quickly.
- Cloud Storage Costs: Storing 24/7 footage for thousands of users is incredibly expensive. An event-based model keeps cloud storage costs down, which helps to make subscription plans more affordable.
Maximising Your Recording Coverage
While you cannot enable true continuous recording, you can adjust settings to capture more footage.
1. Adjust Motion Sensitivity
If you feel your camera is missing events, you can increase its sensitivity.
- Open the Kuna App and select the camera you wish to configure.
- Go to the camera's settings.
- Find the 'Motion Sensitivity' slider.
- Increase the sensitivity level. Be aware that setting it too high may lead to an increase in false alerts from minor movements like swaying branches or passing cars.
2. Understand Your Kuna Premium Plan
The standard free plan includes a limited look-back period. Subscribing to a Kuna Premium plan offers significant benefits that enhance your recording capabilities.
- Longer Video History: Premium plans store your recorded events in the cloud for much longer (e.g., 7, 14, or 30 days), so you have more time to review and download important clips.
- Longer Recording Clips: Subscriptions often allow for longer video clips to be recorded for each event, ensuring you capture the full context of what happened.
In summary, while Kuna does not offer the 24/7 recording found on some traditional CCTV systems, its smart, event-based approach is designed to be more efficient and user-friendly for everyday home security, ensuring you are alerted to the moments that truly matter.