In this Smart Home Guide:
- The Privacy Problem: Cloud vs. Local
- What is Frigate? The AI that sees "Objects" not just "Motion"
- The Hardware: Why you need a Coral TPU
- Integration: Making your cameras talk to Home Assistant
We have all been there. Your phone buzzes with a "Motion Detected" alert from your Ring doorbell. You open the app, wait 10 seconds for it to load, and see... a tree branch moving in the wind.
Traditional "Motion Detection" is dumb. It just looks for changing pixels. In 2025, we have Object Detection.
If you want a security system that only alerts you when it actually sees a Person, Car, or Dog—and you want to stop paying monthly subscription fees—you need to build a Frigate NVR.
What is Frigate?
Frigate is an open-source Network Video Recorder (NVR) software. Unlike the software that comes with cheap camera systems, Frigate uses Real-Time AI to analyze the video feed locally.
- Private: Your video never leaves your house. No cloud servers in other countries.
- Smart: It knows the difference between a shadow and a burglar.
- Fast: Alerts happen instantly via Home Assistant, not 30 seconds later via a cloud relay.
The Secret Weapon: Google Coral TPU
Analyzing video takes a lot of computing power. If you try to run Frigate on a standard CPU, it will crush your server.
The solution is a $60 device called the Google Coral USB Accelerator. This is a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) designed specifically for AI math.
Without Coral
Your CPU usage spikes to 80-100%. The fan screams. The system lags.
With Coral
Your CPU idles at 5%. The Coral handles 100+ frames per second of inference effortlessly. It is magic.
The Camera Strategy
You do not need expensive cameras for Frigate. In fact, "Dumb" cameras are better.
Look for cameras that support RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) or ONVIF. Brands like Amcrest, Reolink (specific models), and Hikvision work great. You want the camera to do nothing but send raw video to your server; let Frigate handle the smarts.
Wi-Fi vs. PoE
Wi-Fi cameras can be jammed (deauth attacks) and clog your wireless network. For a serious security system, always run Ethernet (PoE) cables if you can. It powers the camera and sends data over one wire.
The Home Assistant Link
This is where it gets fun. Because Frigate integrates with Home Assistant via MQTT, you can create incredible automations:
- "Person Detected" ? Turn on the Porch Lights (but only at night).
- "Dog Detected" in the backyard ? Pause the lawn sprinklers.
- "Car Detected" in the driveway ? Announce "Someone is home" on your smart speakers.
Conclusion: Own Your Footage
Building a Frigate NVR takes a weekend of tinkering, but the result is a professional-grade security system with zero monthly fees. You own the hardware, you own the data, and you decide who sees it.
Join the Great Meets Community
Are you setting up your first NVR? Don't do it alone. Join Great Meets today to connect with other smart home enthusiasts. You can join an existing Tech Group to discuss hardware, or create your own group to bring local users together!
Create Your Account ?