Presence Video Security Camera Reviews

by EZ Duzzit

a recording countdown timer, meaning, if motion is detected, it won't begin recording for the time you set, with a hard coded minimum of 5 seconds. why? a MB-saving feature? nobody ever said it needs to record at 60fps in 1080. not only that, but there was no time delay to allow me to set my ipad into position and leave the area. literally defeating the purpose of a surveillance camera--i don't need to watch myself fumble to hurriedly place my pad into position. finally, why do i need a minimum of 5 seconds between captures?

constantly requiring access to an outside server seems to suggest to me that PresenceVideoSecurityCamera developer is more concerned with themselves than providing even a decent product, no matter that it's offered for "free".

PresenceVideoSecurityCamera was an instant turn off; i would recommend you look elsewhere and/or consider purchasing a decent, logical, GOOD surveillance app.

by OlgaDeOlga

Was a superb app at first. And it might still be superb if I could get support to help me fix it. Instead support just copy & pastes out of their online instructions. Gee I wish I had thought to read those myself. Oh wait I did. And mind you I am paying for this monthly. I may as well have stayed with the free presence app considering this is the kind of assistance I received from “support”. USELESS. If I’m going to pay monthly for an app I expect to receive support when I need it. Going to another app. Also as I’m trying to give a bad review coming up with a bunch of nonsense every time I try to enter my review. Claiming every single nickname I opt for is already taken. Etc etc Too bad presence doesn’t put as much effort into their customer & tech support as they apparently do in preventing bad reviews. Really? Someone used my 3x great grandma’s maiden and surnames as a nickname for rating the presence app? Really ? Wow. Lol SMH

by Thatonejen

I’ve been using PresenceVideoSecurityCamera for a while now but in the last month I’ve had issues/glitches with the 2 iphone cameras I set up. When I try to watch the live streaming, it says it can’t connect because of a port error of some sort. Or PresenceVideoSecurityCamera stops working all together and suddenly it shows me recordings for the day before but the time stamp is as if it just happened (so there will be 3-4 recordings with the same time stamp). Now the cameras aren’t showing up as active on my “remote control” iphone but still recording when motion activated. Plus, one of them keeps counting down to starting to record and then starts the countdown again, meanwhile with a bunch of green squares showing up on the screen as if it’s trying to focus. I have restarted, deleted & redownloaded...I’ve tried everything. I’m gonna look elsewhere—I can’t afford to not have PresenceVideoSecurityCamera work!

by Mediocre Products Review

I have to say I was quite impressed when this product first rolled out. And the price could not be beat.

However as I have continued to use this product it seems that it will constantly grind away with the notification saying “connecting to the server” and PresenceVideoSecurityCamera seems to freeze and attempt to crash after only a few minutes of use. What is even more frustrating is that you will set PresenceVideoSecurityCamera up and the cameras up before you leave for the day because you have a specific event that you were trying to capture a catch and only to have PresenceVideoSecurityCamera say connecting server when you get to work. The question then becomes what’s the point of using the product if it doesn’t work? This has resulted in me not even using PresenceVideoSecurityCamera anymore.
You really do get what you pay for when you get something that is free. The sad part about it is that if the service had continued to be good I might be persuaded to upgrade to the professional version or purchase other products and services. However I am not going to.

It is sad to see such a great idea becomes so buggy, glitchy and irritating to use.

by Iaminak

I applaud the developers of PresenceVideoSecurityCamera and would like to use it and take advantage of their other security devices but there is one major shortfall preventing me from that. It appears that even with Pro, it isn't possible to set the wait time for recording following motion detection to less than 5 seconds (even though 1, 2, 3, and 4 are on the selector, it keeps springing back to 5). My driveway is 75' long, but both the UPS guy (walking from the road) and the lazy cat from next door get almost to my porch before the recording starts. I back down my driveway from the road, all of which is in the camera's sights, but only see the hood of my truck as it disappears beside my house. All I ever see in these recordings is the tail end of what just happened. This is all with detecting "normal-sized" movements. It would benefit from shorter wait times on motion detection (at least in the paid version, although a competitor offers this for free) and also a detection grid to limit triggering by things that will never be significant like wind-blown tree limbs (also offered by a competitor).

by NickAttempt4

I was seeking a method to see a tow vehicle and wide view of traffic behind me so that I could pass safely (with a “toad” without clipping other cars). There were many expensive options but I am going to try using an old iphone’s camera taped to my RV’s back window and streaming to my newer iphone set up on my dashboard.
I loaded the Presence app onto both phones. Using one as camera and the other as watcher; it seems to work. However, I have yet to use it while driving and so far, I see room for improvement. The first improvement to PresenceVideoSecurityCamera would be to allow a larger view, or zoom. It seems to only broadcast a small window leaving a lot of unused black space around the window. I’d love to be able to increase the margins to fit my full phone screen.

by 02Dynaman

Had another app for using old phones for cameras, but it was very limited. After trying your app I won’t go back to the other. While it lacks some features that I would like , I see that one can request, and vote one other suggested features, and that developers are listening and are/have added some of the requested features. One that I personally would appreciate is having more control over recording time, starting and length of rec. after motion is detected this lack is problematic in that event can be over by the time recording starts, and you can only capture a small window of an event rather that the entire event. At least 5-10 minuets would be very helpful. I also would like add some devices but all your kits seem to remain sold out and individual prices are pricey. I really appreciate PresenceVideoSecurityCamera and that it’s getting better. Keep up the good work!

by Duh It's Me

I use PresenceVideoSecurityCamera on an old iPhone to catch nosy roommates taking things from my room. I’ve also used it during breaks to keep my room monitored and safe. It does a good job at what it does, but does have some shortcomings. These are personal and may not represent how the software acts on all devices.

1. The feature which automatically turns on and off motion detection sometimes doesn’t turn off, so I end up having to go in and manually turn it off. I also have to delete videos it took of me because it didn’t turn off when I got home.

2. It is inconvenient you can’t make the GPS circle smaller. Sometimes when I leave my apartment, it turns off, then turns on again when I enter the highway because it’s relatively close.

3. Sometimes it seems like the settings are changed and I have to go back and change them...this could just be a bug or me being superstitious.

Overall, it has caught my roommate’s redhanded and it’s funny because I still haven’t told them it’s there and they still sometimes lie about taking things... classic roommates.

by Ggail0869

We used this on our old iPhones and it worked great. Got immediate notifications when the camera detected movement. We have NO internet where we live and so-so cell services with ATT and Verizon. PresenceVideoSecurityCamera worked as stated & we had video evidence of UPS or Fed-Ex, other people walking around house outside. Our phones gave out & we now are using our iPads. For people who don’t have internet & can’t get the wi-fi security cameras that are out there it’s a perfect solution. You would think that in today’s technology world there would be more of this type of service but we the people who don’t have high speed internet are left out in the cold to figure all this out. There are many services that claim they can monitor over cell service but all that we have found aren’t available in our area. It is the perfect app for all of us who choose to live out away from town in our own paradise without internet. Amen to Prescence!!

by Halfbakedmom

My Daughter is a student at a university. On Sunday night while she was sleeping a male tried to get in her bedroom window. Lucky for her we had put a broom handle in the window so it only would only open 4 inches. She frightened him away by slamming the window. He had cut the screen on her roommates window trying to get in. We live 3 hours away and wanted something that would help her feel safe. I am SO Thankful I found PresenceVideoSecurityCamera!!! She set it up and it works great. The best part is notifications of movement outside her window, this time it was the campus police checking the area. Wonderful app, highly recommend it.

by Tim90234

I have had PresenceVideoSecurityCamera for four years and back then I decided to try it out in the hotel while I was gone all day. Room service came in and went through my stuff, and took some of my money. PresenceVideoSecurityCamera recorded everything while though the room service were messing with my phone and were trying to turn it off. It paid itself off!

For today this is a still fully functional application but has not been updated for a while, and I wish I could select the quality of the video or a camera with a wide-angle lens.

by RPutt33

I had two 4S iPhones that I couldn’t give away. Then suddenly I read an article about PresenceVideoSecurityCamera and decided to try it. It’s awesome!!
I have three Ring cameras around the exterior of our home and was considering buying two more for my garage and shop. The 4s phones deliver video quality on par with the Ring cameras, and the motion detection software is flawless. So, now I have a camera in my shop and garage that I can lol at anytime. With all that said, the user interface isn’t as elegant as the Ring software, but that will improve over time. Highly Recommended!

by Guitars

We use with our old iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4s. Motion notifications work great even without paid Pro plan and 24/7 live streaming for free. However have to wait 5 minutes between motion notifications/recordings without the paid Pro version. I do the paid plan when leaving home for a few days to get back to back recordings of motion detection. Really easy to set up, just download app on all the phones, set up each phone as remote or camera. Easy peasy!

Since September 2018 update, the apps keep crashing on camera iPhone 4 and 4s. Canceling my subscription till they get it fixed.

by Rhill2

I am very happy with PresenceVideoSecurityCamera. It provides an effective alternative to buying security cameras using spare iPhones (or iPads for that matter). Video can be triggered by motion, and it is saved to the program. It will also send an alert and an email that contains the video for convenient viewing from the email app wherever you are.

Be aware that you need some ancillary pieces. The cameras MUST be plugged in, because PresenceVideoSecurityCamera has a heavy power draw. Some sort of mount (e.g. the ones for cars) makes it easier to get the right field of observation. Also realize that there is a learning curve for discovering the features, so set aside a little time to explore.

by Bkelizabeth

I really like PresenceVideoSecurityCamera so far! It was easy to set up on both phones, and works really well. I love love love all of the different features, options, and rules. Whoever made PresenceVideoSecurityCamera put a lot of thought into it. The locations of all the different settings/options sometimes feels a little unfriendly to the user, but maybe I just need to keep using it to memorize it. The live stream video quality looks like it’s filmed with a potato, but the recordings are super clear and have much better quality. I really really really like PresenceVideoSecurityCamera!!!! Definitely try it out. I am thinking about adding more cameras and setting up more rules. Thanks for PresenceVideoSecurityCamera! It’s great. :)

by Bklyn_PTA_mom

PresenceVideoSecurityCamera is awesome! The developers have made a fantastic product that works surprisingly well on older systems. I had an old 2nd Gen iPad that was basically useless (couldn’t update iOS beyond 9.1, and headphones had broken in the audio jack) until I set up the Presence app. Now I have a great webcam for my lake house — I can set it to motion sensor if I want to monitor comings and goings of wildlife and other visitors via alerts, or I can turn off alerts and just check in on the video feed whenever I want to see the weather, or reverse the camera to monitor the inside of the house. Regardless of what kind of security system you have, this lets you set up and control an extra camera wherever you like.

by LegzBandy

Had a suspicion that my roommate was stealing from me. Bought a couple wifi cameras, but I turned off the night vision light because they made an audible click inside the device when night vision activated. They are great for specific purposes, but luckily I had my old cell with newly downloaded Presence app (literally worked out to catch perp the next day). It was the only camera that actually turned on and caught the act. Was able to retrieve some items before having the roommate pack up and get the heck out of the house. Definitely gives life to old cell phones and they can be used in so many places that you may not otherwise place a camera.

by Sjruwgemdi

I have had PresenceVideoSecurityCamera for years now, and I’m very happy with how it has turned out. Obviously a full paid security camera system is better, but for preventing people from taking your stuff in your room, great solution.

The dedicated camera mode is probably my favorite part about PresenceVideoSecurityCamera. So even if they find it they can’t exit out of it :). Although there is a bit of delay with the motion detection, you can’t get too picky since it’s a free app and old devices. Same thing with the quality of live viewing cameras, but knowing the motion detection records it with good quality I’m not to concerned about that.

This is a wonderful app, and I highly recommend you use it!

by 1krispy85

For something that is free and give’s back some purpose to your older and/or unused devices , PresenceVideoSecurityCamera doesn’t seem like it could be true! I love it and appreciate that there’s a free version for people (like myself) that can’t afford a monthly fee or only use it for specific occasions and not on a daily basis. It also doesn’t require you to buy things from their company , (like installing cameras or motion detectors etc), to let PresenceVideoSecurityCamera work! Just two of ur devices that both connected to the internet! This is one of my favorite Apps. I’d suggest it for everyone, and if you can afford it the pro version is even better! With PresenceVideoSecurityCamera there is nothing you can lose and EVERYTHING you can GAIN!!👍🏻🙏🤗

by Karen Ida

Went to a wedding in Maine brought the dog and stayed at a hotel. The morning of the wedding my husband and I went down to breakfast at the hotel as we left the room the dog started scratching and whining at the door. I was horrified thinking how are we going to spend 5 to 6 hours at the wedding while the dog scratches the door in the hotel room. Then I remembered friend at work showed me videos on her phone of her cat walking around at her house that were being taken while she was at work. I downloaded PresenceVideoSecurityCamera on my iPad and phone and was able to videotape the dogs actions while we were out of the room. Thank God because we were able to see that the dog just lay down and slept while we were gone. If not for PresenceVideoSecurityCamera I would not of been going to the wedding thinking the dog was going to wine and scratch the whole time we were gone so needless to say" I love 💜 PresenceVideoSecurityCamera" and we had a great time at the wedding. And honestly the possibilities are endless.

by ActionMan6

The program is free, pretty nicely laid out it mostly easy to navigate, but Starting up the software on my phone being used as a camera or connecting to a phone being used as a camera to view live can take 15 seconds or more and it can take equally as long to view a new video. If you have more than one new video, it can take a little longer.
I’ve just gotten in the habit of clicking on any of those options and then setting my phone down so I can do something else while it does it’s thing.
The motion sensing Isn’t consistent either. It will record a change in sunlight on a partly cloudy day or someone walking down the sidewalk, across the street from my house but then not get a car pulling up into the driveway or one of my neighbors walking across the street and right up to my door.
I would be apprehensive about paying for the pro version based on what I’ve seen.
For free software though, you can’t beat it.