HomeCam for HomeKit 4+

Fills in the gaps that Apple’s Home app lacks

Just as the title says, HomeCam completes the HomeKit camera experience with the quality and completeness that the Apple experience usually provides.

I would rate this five stars except that I believe there’s been a bug in the Apple TV app for some time — audio simply doesn’t work, even when you select an individual camera. It seems to have broken with an update several months ago, but I haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly when. I do recall that it did work at one time on ATV, and the other platform versions of this app continue to work fine.

I could not find an email address or contact form to directly reach out to the developer to inquire about this audio issue. Outside of that, this is a five-star app.

Developer Response ,

Thanks for the review. The iOS app has a support link in the settings that will reach out to me.

Apple TV does not support audio streaming, this is a limitation by Apple. Only iOS and watchOS can stream audio. I have a ticket open with Apple regarding htis limitation but there has been no movement on this recently.

Very Limited!

All this does is allow you to view your cameras in one spot, rather than having to scroll through them on the Home app on Apple TV (via HomeKit). However, it’s named “HomeCam for HomeKit.” That sounds great when you’ve just ordered four deterrence cameras through Apple Store. However, what you need to know, but the app developer doesn’t tell you, is that HomeKit does not allow two-way audio. This is why you BRIEFLY see the microphone button before it disappears on ANY IOS device you’re using. HomeKit also doesn’t allow you to turn on the camera’s floodlight. All you can do is view and listen to all of your cameras in one spot (well, five cameras because that’s Apple’s limit), rather than scrolling through them on Apple TV or opening them individually in the Home app. This limitation by Apple isn’t the app developer’s fault, except that the app developer calls it, “HomeCam for HomeKit” and doesn’t tell you when you purchase the $4.99 app that the money you poured into the deterrence cameras you purchased will turn them into surveillance cameras only. If you want to use the deterrence features on your cameras, do not buy this app or use HomeKit - just use the app that the camera manufacturer provides.

Developer Response ,

Hi,

HomeCam does in fact support two way audio if your cameras support it in HomeKit. I would think your cameras may not support said feature.

HomeCam supports dozens of cameras. The limit you mention is that of HomeKit secure video not any apps.

Camera spotlights are also supported if the cameras offer them within HomeKit as controllable lights, cameras such as Arlo do not do this.

None of the issues you’ve noted are limitations of HomeKit or HomeCam but of specific camera manufacturers not implementing the features as they should.

Feel free to reach out to me via the in app support and I’ll be happy to discuss it further.

Great addition to HomeKit!

I use this app 24/7! It is indispensable to us. All of my HomeKit AND HomeBridge Cameras in one place. As far as I can tell if my camera supports audio or 2 way audio then HomeCam supports it along with showing lights in those locations as well! This is my whole Home monitor in one and with an iPad or Apple TV I can see everywhere all at once in a single display! Thank you SO much dev, as I have seen great strides with the development of this App and I understand it is kind of just a hobby for you. Thank you for putting your time into this!

I have one request that could make it much better. Hope it’s simple. Make the touch targets a little larger for the volume in the all cameras view. I have a hard time turning the volume on/off without it going into that camera specifically. Thanks!!!