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Choosing a live camera

Security cameras mounted on a pole under a cloudy sky emphasize surveillance and protection.
Photo: Johny Goh / Pexels
In shortTo choose a live camera, start with three facts about your place: is there mains power, is there wired internet, and how far away is the view you want to show? Those three answers pick the camera type for you. Resolution, zoom and brand come after.

Most people start shopping by comparing megapixels. That is the wrong end of the problem. A beautiful 4K camera is useless on a pier with no power, and a battery camera that wakes up on motion can never give you a 24/7 public stream. These guides walk you through the decision in the order that saves money: site first, then streaming, then hardware.

They are written for hotels, beach bars, ski areas, marinas, towns, farms and curious owners who want a camera the whole world can watch, and for anyone who wants their view on the LiveLocation map.

The guides in this section

How to choose a live cameraA decision tree: power, internet, distance and budget lead you to the right type. Camera for a public webcamWhat a beach, town square or hotel view needs to look good all day and night. Cameras for YouTube 24/7Which cameras and encoders can keep a stream running for months, and the upload it takes. Camera cost guideHardware, installation, internet and streaming fees, year one and every year after.

Three questions that decide almost everything

1. Power. If there is an outlet or a network switch nearby, choose a wired PoE camera. One cable carries power and data, and it runs for years. With no power at all, you are in solar territory, and the camera has to be frugal. Read powering a camera.

2. Internet. A 24/7 public stream sends data all day, every day. A 1080p stream at 4 Mbps uses about 1.3 TB a month. That is easy on a fiber line and expensive on most cellular plans. See internet for remote cameras.

3. Distance. A wide lens shows a beach beautifully but turns a distant mountain into a smudge. If the subject is far away, you need optical zoom or a narrower lens. The mounting guide has a field-of-view table that does the math for you.

Your situationUsually the best fitRead next
Power and wired internet on sitePoE IP camera, fixed or PTZPoE cameras
Power, but only cellular internetPoE camera plus a 4G/5G router, lower bitrate4G/LTE cameras
No power, no internetSolar system sized for 24/7 plus a cellular router or StarlinkOff-grid 4G solar cameras
You want one view of a big sceneFixed wide camera, 4K if the budget allowsPublic webcam guide
You want several views from one spotPTZ camera with presetsPTZ cameras
Planning a public camera? Decide early how you will keep people unrecognizable: a wide angle, a high mount and audio off. It is kinder, it is usually what the law expects, and it is what we look for before a camera appears on LiveLocation. See privacy by design.

Do these next

  1. Walk the decision tree with your site’s power, internet and distance.
  2. Price the whole system, not just the camera.
  3. Submit your camera to LiveLocation once it is streaming.

Questions people ask

What matters most when choosing a live camera?

Power, internet and the distance to your subject. They decide the camera type. Resolution and brand come after those three.

Can a battery camera run a 24/7 live stream?

Generally no. Battery cameras sleep and wake on motion to save energy. A 24/7 stream needs mains power, PoE or a solar system sized for continuous use.

How much data does a 24/7 live camera use?

About 324 GB a month for every 1 Mbps of continuous upload. A 1080p stream at 4 Mbps uses roughly 1.3 TB a month.

Sources

  1. YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions (checked 2026-10-07)
  2. IEEE P802.3bt DTE Power via MDI over 4-Pair Task Force (checked 2026-10-07)
  3. FCC National Broadband Map (checked 2026-10-07)
  4. EDPB Guidelines 3/2019 on processing of personal data through video devices (checked 2026-10-07)

Last reviewed October 7, 2026 by the LiveLocation team. General information, not legal or electrical advice.