Ubiquiti FrontRow Camera Tested

Author: Rob Kilpatrick, Published on Aug 24, 2017

Ubiquiti is famous for low-cost wireless network equipment, a common choice for wireless video surveillance applications. The company has expanded into more computer networking products, video surveillance ones and now to 'FrontRow' which they declare to be 'reinventing the camera'.

We bought a FrontRow camera (shown below) and tested it:

******** ** ****** *** ***-**** ******** ******* *********, ******* ****** *** ******** ***** ************ ************. *** ******* *** ******** **** **** ******** ********** ********, video ************ **** *** *** ** '********' ***** **** ******* ** ** '*********** *** ******'.

** ****** * ******** ****** (***** *****) *** ****** **:

[***************]

Key ********

**** *** *** *** ******** **** **** ****:

  • **** ***** *************:** *** *****, *** ********'* ***** ************* *** ************ ** provide ****** ***** **** **** ******* ** * ****** ****, regardless ** ******* ** **** ****. ******** ************ ********** ******* the ****** ****** ********.
  • ** ********* ******* ****:******** ******** * **** ********** ** ****** ** *** ********. Streaming ** * ***** ** ******** *** *********, *** ****** streaming ******** * ******* ** ***** ****.
  • **** *** / ****** ***** *********** ******* **** *** ***** ***********:** ******** ***** **** **** **** *** ******, ***** ** poor, **** ****** ****** ********** **** **** ****** ** ~* lux.
  • ** ***/**** *********:******** ******* **** ** ****** ****** ***** ********* (*******/*********, ********, and *******) *** ****** ** **** *** ****** ********* (*.*. to ***** - ** ***** ** **** *********).

*******

*** ******** ***** *** $*** ******, ****** **** ******************. **** ******* ** ******* ** *** ***** ***** ***** which ****** **** ** *** **** ******** (**, ***** *************, etc.) *** **** **** ******* *** *** ********* ****** ***.

Questionable *******

***** ********* ******** *********** *** ****** ****'* *****, ** * video ******, ** ** * **** ******, ********** ***** *** image ************* ****** *** ******* ******** *** '****' ** ***********.

Frontrow ********

******** ** **** ******, ***** *" ** ********, **** ******* front *** ****, ** *** *** ************. ****** *** ***** back ** *** ******** ** * ***********, **** ** ***** recording ** *********, ********* ****** ***** ********, *** ******* *****. It ******** **** *** *******, *** *** "*****" (**** ** take * ******* ** ***** ********* *****) *** * ***** button ****** **** ** **** ** ** *** ***.

** ******** *** **** ** ******* *** ******, * ******* and * ****** ****/*****. ******* ******** **** ********* **** *** operator *** ** ****** (*** ***** ************* *****). *** **** may ** **** ** * ***** ** ******* *** ****** upside ****, **** ******** ************* ******** ********** ***** ***** ****** down.

Streaming ** ****** ***** ****

******** ** ******* ** ********* ** ********, *******/*********, *** ******* Live. ** **** *********, *****, ** ***** *********** ** ***** is *********. ******* *** ******* ****** ** ********* *** ******* icon *** ******* *****.

**** **** ********* ******** ****. ** **** ******, ***** **** have ** ****** **** ******* ** ***** ** ****** ** these ********. ** ********* **** ******** ** ***** ** ******** is ********.

Streaming **. ********* ***********

***** ****** ****** *** *** ********** (*********), *** ***** ****** are **.

** *** *****, ********* ***** ******* *** ~* **/*, ********** of ****** *****. ***** ****** *** **** ******/******* ***** **** averaged (~* **/*), ***** ******** ** ***** **********/******** ** ** times.

*******, **** ********* ***** ** *** ******** ******, ******* ****** significantly, ********* ~** **/*, **** * ****** ******** ** *******, from ~** **/* ** **-**. ********** *** *** ******* ** these ******.

Poor ***** *************

********'* ***** ** ***** ************* *** ****, ****** ** ********* even **** ******* ** * ****** **** ** ** **** floor.

*** ******** ****** **** ** ******** **** ****** *** ***** difficult ** ***** ** ******* ****.

** ********** *** **** ***** *****,******** ********** ******* *** ****** ** ***** ***** ******, *** **** ********* ******** ************ *** ***** ********* ** use *** ****** ***** *******, *******, ** ********** ***** **********.

Image *******

******** *** ** ********* **** ***.*° ***** ** ****, ***** below. ******* ** ****, *** ** **** ******** ********* ***** quickly, ********* **** ~** *** ** ~**' ********, ***** *****.

********'* ***** ******* *** **** ** **** *** ******** ******, but *** ******'* ******* ***** *** ****, ******* ************ ** the **** ***** ****** *** ******** ***** ******* ** ***** sunlight ******* ** *** ***. ************, *** ***** *********** *** poor, **** ******** ******* ******** ** **** * *** *** only *** ****** ********** ***** *******.

Comments (13)

John Honovich

IPVM | 08/24/17 03:55pm

****: ** *** **** ** * ***** ****, ***** *** atypical * **** **** *** *** ******** *** *** ** our **** ******'* ******** ** ****** **** ***.

**** **** *** ******** *** ***** ** **** ** *****.

** *** ********** **** * ****** ** ******** ***** ******* from * ********* ** ***, ** **** ***, *** **** Lorex **** **** ***, ******** ********, ***., ***.

Thumbnail newheadshot

Sean Nelson

Nelly Security | In reply to John Honovich | 08/24/17 04:23pm

* **** ******** ***** **** ****. ***** *** ** *********** read.

* **** **** *** ******* ** **** ******. **** ** cool. ***** ***** *** ************* ******, ***'* ****** ****'* *** that ***** **** ** ****** *********.

Thumbnail tompic

Tom Sharples

In reply to Sean Nelson | 08/24/17 04:45pm

******** ***** **** ****** "***** **** **" ****** ********* ***** products. ** *** *** **** ****! ****'* *** * ***** deploy *** ** ***** ***** ***** ** ***** * **** has ****** *** *** **** ** *** ****** ***.

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Tom Sharples | 08/24/17 05:08pm

** *** *** **** ****! ****'* *** * ***** ****** any ** ***** ***** ***** ** ***** * **** *** passed *** *** **** ** *** ****** ***.

**** ****-****** *** ***! ;)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/24/17 04:10pm

******** ***** ****** ******* *** **** * **** ******* ** Doom...

Undisclosed End User #2

08/24/17 04:13pm

**** ***** **** ** ********, ****** ** **** ** ******** $400 ****.

Thumbnail brk1

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #2 | 08/24/17 07:58pm

** ******** ** ** ***** ******** ** ****.

Thumbnail usa shield

Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Brian Karas | 08/24/17 09:07pm

****** **** *** ******* ******** ** *** ****** ****** *** wall **** *** ****** **** **** *** ****.

Undisclosed #3

08/24/17 04:35pm

*** *** ******'* ******* ***** *** ****, ******* ************ ** the **** ***** ****** *** ******** ***** ******* ** ***** sunlight ******* ** *** ***.

*** ******** ****** ********** ***** *** **** **** **** ****-******** IPVM '***** *******' *****. **** ***** ****** *** *** *** ISO ***** ****** :)

John Robinson

08/25/17 04:32am

*'* *** ****, *** * ******* * ******* ** **** from **** ********* ****. *** ** ********* * **** *** in ** ***** ***** **** ** ****.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to John Robinson | 08/25/17 12:01pm

***********!

**** ** ** ~***% ***** ****:

Undisclosed #3

08/27/17 11:37am

** *** ********* ********* *** *** **** ***** *******:

*******:**** ****** ********. *** ******** ****** **: *******

Thumbnail 20180219 112642

Rob Kilpatrick

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | 10/06/17 09:26pm

****** -

**** ******** **.*.*** *** ********** *** *** ***** ** *** front ***. *** *** *** **** * ******** ** ********* to *** ****, ***** **** *** *** **** *** **** translated *** *** ******** **** ****** ** **** ** **** desired ********.

****, ****** ****... ******** ****.

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

Last Chance - April 2018 IP Networking Course on Apr 19, 2018
Today is the last day to register for our IP Networking course. Register now. NEW - 2 sessions per class, 'day' and 'night' to give you double...
Axis Launches ~$100 HD Camera on Apr 11, 2018
Chinese manufacturers, led by Hikvision, have come to dominate the low end of the Western market, driven by ~$100 cameras. While Axis has...
ISC West 2018 Access Control Rundown on Apr 06, 2018
For ISC West 2018, what is new and interesting in access control?  This rundown will bring you up to speed on the exhibitors, what they are...
Hanwha Mega ISC West Product Releases on Apr 05, 2018
While overall new product releases have been slowing over the past few years, Hanwha is releasing a slew of 6 new offerings for ISC West,...
VMS New Developments Spring 2018 (Avigilon, Exacqvision, Genetec, Hikvision, Milestone, Network Optix) on Apr 04, 2018
What's new with VMS software? In this report, we examine new features and releases for Spring 2018 to track different areas of potential...
The 5 Major Lock Profiles Guide - Euro, Oval, KIK, Interchangeable Core, Mortise on Apr 03, 2018
Locks are used everywhere, but they are not all the same. In fact, even the shape of the lock changes, sometimes for no other reason than...
70+ New Products Directory Spring 2018 on Apr 02, 2018
We have compiled a list of new products for Spring 2018 in the categories: Video Surveillance Access Control Fire and Intrusion Other...
Wireless Networking For Video Surveillance Guide on Mar 29, 2018
Wireless networking is a niche in video surveillance applications, but it can be a difficult one to understand with proper wireless design,...
May 2018 Camera Course on Mar 16, 2018
Our next course starts on May 8th. Register now for the Spring 2018 Camera Course This is the only independent surveillance camera course, based...
IPVM Camera Calculator User Manual / Guide on Mar 09, 2018
Learn how to use the IPVM Camera Calculator. The guide below includes instructions, images, gifs, and videos demonstrating and explaining the...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Last Chance - April 2018 IP Networking Course on Apr 19, 2018
Today is the last day to register for our IP Networking course. Register now. NEW - 2 sessions per class, 'day' and 'night' to give you double...
Rare Video Surveillance Fundraising - Verkada $15 Million on Apr 19, 2018
Fundraising in video surveillance (and the broader physical security market) has been poor recently. Highlights are few and far in between...
'Best In Show' Fails on Apr 19, 2018
ISC West's "Best In Show" has failed. For more than a decade, it has become increasingly irrelevant as the selections exhibit a cartoon level...
Security Camera Cleaning Frequency Statistics on Apr 18, 2018
150+ integrators told IPVM how often they clean cameras on customer's sites and why.  Inside we examine their answers and break down feedback...
Worst Access Control 2018 on Apr 18, 2018
Three access control providers stood out as providing the most problems for integrators. In this report, we analyze the answers to: "In the...
Axis VMD4 Analytics Tested on Apr 17, 2018
Axis is now on its 4th generation of video motion detection (VMD), which Axis calls "a free video analytics application." In this generation, Axis...
Arecont CEO And President Resign on Apr 17, 2018
This is good news for Arecont. Arecont's problems have been well known for years (e.g., most recently Worst Camera Manufacturers 2018 and starting...
Strong ISC West 2018, Says Manufacturers, GSX / ASIS Expected Weaker on Apr 17, 2018
Manufacturers say ISC West 2018 was strong, continuing the trend we have seen in 2017 results and 2016 results. However, those same 100...
Key Control For Access Control Tutorial on Apr 16, 2018
End users spend thousands on advanced systems to keep themselves secure, but regularly neglect one of the lest expensive yet most important aspects...
Best and Worst ISC West 2018 on Apr 16, 2018
ISC West 2018 had strong attendance, modest overall new products, and a surge in Artificial Intelligence marketing. First, here are 20+...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact