Fregata.app: A port of Frigate to macOS

modplan said:
Let me know if you need any help, I've been testing so many builds of both the server and the app and talking with the dev team so much I almost feel like an expert in Fregata now.
Click to expand...
yea, step one.. i need to update my OS on my Mac Mini.

then I would hope its smooth sailing from there there.

very basic IP cam system.

just want a few line crossing events, human events. nothing crazy.

oh yea, also having it record audio.. and a better timeline to scrub events.

right now, Sighthound breaks these up in 96mb events.
 
Last edited:
modplan said:
I found one bug and they fixed it same day. Some others found some other bugs.

It honestly doesn't feel like a beta at all. I'm finally considering turning off my HA notifications for Fregata.

They've got the basics very well covered with this app, excited to see all the stuff they add to it over time like being able to have more control over your server via iOS Shortcuts, I'm a big shortcuts user for other things.
Click to expand...
never used an IOS shortcut...

what do you personally use them for?
 
modplan said:
Let me know if you need any help, I've been testing so many builds of both the server and the app and talking with the dev team so much I almost feel like an expert in Fregata now.
Click to expand...
are you on Golden Gate by chance?
 
flynreelow said:
hows the iOS app working? u happy with notifications, scrubbing, etc?
Click to expand...
Very happy so far! A a new beta build (or two) drops every single day with fixes and new features. Totally turned off my HA notifications.

I did have a problem with iCloud syncing credentials overwriting my phone's settings when I added the app on an iPad, but I reported that and they're working on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flynreelow
modplan said:
Very happy so far! A a new beta build (or two) drops every single day with fixes and new features. Totally turned off my HA notifications.

I did have a problem with iCloud syncing credentials overwriting my phone's settings when I added the app on an iPad, but I reported that and they're working on it.
Click to expand...
wow, nice to hear ur got rid of HA for notifactions.

thats huge
 
I'm giving it a try. I've never used frigate or any of the other VMSs. How do I delete cameras that I have added? I don't see a control for this. Am I supposed to do this in the config.yaml file?
 
Looksee said:
I'm giving it a try. I've never used frigate or any of the other VMSs. How do I delete cameras that I have added? I don't see a control for this. Am I supposed to do this in the config.yaml file?
Click to expand...
In the Frigate Web UI: Settings > Global Configuration > Camera Management > Delete Camera button

You can also do it in the config.yaml file, most of us that have been using Frigate/Fregata for a while "grew up" doing everything there. They only added almost all settings in the Web UI in the latest release v0.18
 
  • Like
Reactions: Looksee and flynreelow
modplan said:
In the Frigate Web UI: Settings > Global Configuration > Camera Management > Delete Camera button

You can also do it in the config.yaml file, most of us that have been using Frigate/Fregata for a while "grew up" doing everything there. They only added almost all settings in the Web UI in the latest release v0.18
Click to expand...
I looked for Global Configuration earlier without success. Now that you have confirmed these steps I know this is the way and will find it. Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: modplan
Fregata intrigues me.

A couple of meta-questions if I may:
  • It looks like Fregata can run only in the context of a logged-on user; there's no equivalent to e.g. running Blue Iris as a Windows service. Is there any issue running a Mac headless with auto-logon for a single user, so this works without intervention at each reboot?
  • Is there any reliability issue with storage enclosures connected via USB to a Mac, in general? Are there ordering issues upon reboot such that the drives might not yet be visible when Fregata wants to start using them?

Basically I'm wondering how reliable and appliance-like a Fregata setup can be made. An $899 M5 Mac Mini with 16GB RAM would seem to be a great option if my current (7yo) Blue Iris Windows rig falls over. I have 15 cameras, at 4K and continuous recording to a 26TB storage array.
 
tai4de2 said:
Fregata intrigues me.

A couple of meta-questions if I may:
  • It looks like Fregata can run only in the context of a logged-on user; there's no equivalent to e.g. running Blue Iris as a Windows service. Is there any issue running a Mac headless with auto-logon for a single user, so this works without intervention at each reboot?
  • Is there any reliability issue with storage enclosures connected via USB to a Mac, in general? Are there ordering issues upon reboot such that the drives might not yet be visible when Fregata wants to start using them?

Basically I'm wondering how reliable and appliance-like a Fregata setup can be made. An $899 M5 Mac Mini with 16GB RAM would seem to be a great option if my current (7yo) Blue Iris Windows rig falls over. I have 15 cameras, at 4K and continuous recording to a 26TB storage array.
Click to expand...

I run mine on a headless Mac Mini exactly as you describe, I just have auto-login on for that user. It starts immediately after reboots. You can set the Mac Mini to auto-boot on power being connected too, in case of power outages if you don't have a UPS.

I haven't used a USB drive, but I do use a NAS mounted drive, which takes longer to mount and is probably less reliable and slower than direct attach USB. Fregata won't start until your media drive exists, it will say "waiting on media directory to be available" or something like that if it starts but the drive hasn't mounted yet. As soon as it exists, Fregata starts immediately.

I had way more reliability problems with Blue Iris than I've ever had with Fregata, even when I was testing the betas.
 
tai4de2 said:
Basically I'm wondering how reliable and appliance-like a Fregata setup can be made. An $899 M5 Mac Mini with 16GB RAM would seem to be a great option if my current (7yo) Blue Iris Windows rig falls over. I have 15 cameras, at 4K and continuous recording to a 26TB storage array.
Click to expand...
Why not a $500 lunar lake mini and then run open source? Lunar lake is still overkill unless running large models with sensitive detection.

Buying a Mac for a home server means you’re going to have to deploy some fregata style hack or work around for most services you want to deploy. Buying an Intel mini and installing Debian means 5 lines of docker compose and you’re off to the races with almost any service imaginable.
 
OD1 said:
Why not a $500 lunar lake mini and then run open source? Lunar lake is still overkill unless running large models with sensitive detection.

Buying a Mac for a home server means you’re going to have to deploy some fregata style hack or work around for most services you want to deploy. Buying an Intel mini and installing Debian means 5 lines of docker compose and you’re off to the races with almost any service imaginable.
Click to expand...
The Mac will blow anything from intel out of the water with its ANE and GPU while using less electricity to do so.

I moved from an intel mini PC and it was like a Ferrari vs a golf cart.

Is that really “needed” though for a few cameras and good enough object detection today? Probably not, the intel mini PC will “work” today.

Is it good to have headroom for future models and things that are getting more complex to run every day? Absolutely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom