Ethan:
The race to the bottom isn't just letting qualified installers make more money or sell more cameras. It's inviting unqualified installers and other trades who are less intimidated by a $100 camera than $1000.
I'd add that $700 12 camera / recorder kits also make professional installers look far more expensive, i.e., you pay $700 for the hardware paying $2,000 to install feels a lot more costly than if you were paying $5,000 for the equipment.
It could cut both ways: Cheaper equipment means more professional install opportunities vs cheaper equipment means more people choose to DIY because they don't want to pay professional labor prices.
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