Frigate is an open-source AI video surveillance system that runs entirely on your own hardware. Unlike cloud AI services, Frigate processes every video frame locally — nothing is sent to any external server. It is the core of ArgosAI’s Smart AI package and can be added to any existing installation.
What Frigate Detects
- People — with person re-identification across multiple cameras
- Vehicles — cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, vans
- Animals — dogs, cats, birds near the lens
- Package delivery — detects an object left at your door
- License plate recognition — reads plates in supported configurations (additional setup required)
Frigate vs Standard Motion Detection: A Real-World Comparison
Standard motion detection responds to ANY pixel change in the camera’s field of view. Wind moving branches, a cloud shadow crossing the garden, an insect flying past the lens — all of these trigger a full alert. In a typical Greek villa with garden, this produces 200–400 false alerts per day.
Frigate uses a neural network model to analyse each frame and classify detected objects before deciding whether to alert. Depending on your zone configuration, the same villa generates 5–15 meaningful alerts per day — only when a person or vehicle actually enters your property.
How the AI Works: Local vs Cloud
Frigate runs inference using one of two methods:
- CPU inference — works on any Linux mini-PC (Intel NUC, Beelink, Raspberry Pi 5). Suitable for 2–4 cameras at 5fps detection rate.
- Google Coral TPU — a small USB accelerator (€60) that increases detection to 30fps across 8+ cameras with negligible CPU load. ArgosAI includes the Coral in the Smart AI package.
No internet connection is required for detection. If your internet goes down, Frigate keeps running, recording, and alerting via your local WireGuard network.
How ArgosAI Installs Frigate
Frigate runs as a Docker container on a dedicated mini-PC (typically an Intel NUC or Beelink SER) at your property. ArgosAI handles the full setup:
- Configure Frigate to receive RTSP streams from your IP cameras
- Define detection zones — specific areas that should trigger alerts (e.g. front gate only, not the road beyond)
- Tune sensitivity for each zone and camera angle
- Integrate with Home Assistant for advanced automations
- Connect notifications to your phone via Telegram (instant alert with a snapshot image)
- Set up WireGuard remote access so you can view live streams from anywhere
Greek Use Cases
- Villa with pool: Alert only when a person enters the pool area after 22:00 — no false alarms during the day
- Airbnb in Mykonos or Santorini: Know when guests arrive without receiving constant movement alerts. See our Airbnb camera guide.
- Business in Athens or Thessaloniki: Alert only when a person enters the premises after closing time
- Parking area: Log every vehicle that enters/exits with a timestamp and optional licence plate
- Remote villa in Crete or Corfu: Full perimeter monitoring with instant Telegram alerts, accessible from abroad via VPN
Privacy: Why Local AI Matters
Cloud AI services (Amazon Rekognition, Google Cloud Vision) process your footage on remote servers — creating a permanent record of everyone who passes your property. Local Frigate AI means the neural network runs on your own hardware, your footage never leaves your property, and there is no subscription or data-sharing agreement. This makes it fully GDPR-compliant.
Pricing
- Smart AI package (€699) — 8×4K cameras, NVR with Frigate AI, Google Coral TPU, WireGuard VPN, full installation. See full package details.
- Frigate add-on (€80) — add Frigate AI to any existing installation
- License plate recognition (+€100) — additional configuration and Coral TPU required
We install across Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Thessaloniki, and all Greek islands.