Recent technological advancements have led to a number of cost-effective video surveillance solutions. IP cameras (devices that can capture and stream video over an IP network while keeping latency low) that target home users have been around for the better part of a decade now. They started gaining more traction in the market after the user experience was simplified with the help of cloud-only products from Dropcam and other vendors. Such products have ease of use as their primary selling point. The disadvantage to consumers is their reliance on an always-active Internet connection and the holding of captured footage hostage in the cloud.

Consumers have begun to realize that there are advantages to rolling up their own surveillance system with multiple cameras and a dedicated network video recorder (NVR) or NAS to store the recorded video.