HikVision HD-DB1 Video Doorbell

It has become apparent that I'll need to run both Blue Iris and the Hik-connect app to get  all of the functionality that I want. BI will give me unlimited recording time and incorporate the DB with my other cams and the Hik-connect app will give me the DB button notifications when away from home. Both are capable of delivering motion detection notifications to my phone.
 
I think that the idea of adding an elk zone switch to the doorbell ringer magnet is interesting but I do not want to pull a cable there and the elk-930 is just more hardware to maintain. I can use a wireless switch but then I have another battery to maintain. I also suspect that the lag time when sending doorbell ring notifications to my phone when away from home will be too long to be useful.
 
My plan B is to run only Blue Iris and just live without the doorbell ring notification. I will still get a motion notification from BI and can look at and listen to who's at the door but I won't be able to talk to them.
 
At this point I'm undecided which way I'll go.
 
Mike.

EDIT - I forgot to mention two-way audio. It does not work in BI yet but I haven't given up trying to get it to work.
 
Yeah here the whole doorbell thing became a little project in the days before (over 10 years ago) the video doorbell using multiple IP cameras facing the door and being triggered by externally wired PIR sensors and the doorbell itself (with the Elk 960/930 circuit boards - note that the Elk 960 is just a debounce board). These are built to last forever.
 
Here too have conduit going from the basement next to the doorbell transformer up to the wall doorbell chime which made it very easy to add a wire.
 
Well too mostly keep my cell phone off these days unless I am using it.
 
Whatever works for you is the best way.  
 
I have easy access to the doorbell wiring which runs up into the attic and when I installed the Nutone master station (25 years ago?) I pulled in extra wiring, something I pretty much always do when I'm working on a project.  Made this project (and many others) easy to do.  To elaborate on my camera system a bit, I have a Hikvision 7200 series POC DVR which will also accepts IP cameras.  I picked it so that I could use some of the RG60 and 59 cabling I installed many years ago and add IP cameras.  That DVR records continuously, has multiple settings (motion detection, area exclusion, scheduling, everything which you would expect).  The doorbell cam is on one of the  channels as is another camera at the entry that looks out into the driveway to record those approaching the entry.  The Hikvision app connects directly with the doorbell and also with the DVR and can playback video from any source.  Like Pete, I use Monocle to get video to my Echo devices (Show, Spot, some Android tablets).  I am also experimenting with VPN access on my EdgeMax router to have a another, secure access method.
 
My general approach is to get a system up and running in it's standard configuration and then to experiment with various permutations.  This avoids some frustration for me but more importantly, frustration for my spouse who understandably just wants things to work.  All of this is highly specific to my situation and Pete's final comment is right on.
 
keepersg
 
Are you comfortable running the Hik-connect app on your LAN? No security worries? I may be paranoid but I don't much like opening up the firewall to another app.
 
Mike.
 
Mike,  Always some worries but it's a P2P connection with Hikvision servers and doesn't involve any port forwarding which I view as a higher risk.  Of course on the server side, things could go awry but VPN is not entirely secure either.  To me, the convenience seems worth the minimal risk balanced against the risks of other methods but I wouldn't argue with others' who would evaluate things differently.  My work and activities are not related to any governmentalor technical advances or companies that might be or interest to the Chinesegovernment.  If they were, I'd probably avoid any method that would potentially allow surveillance or entry into my network. George
 
Something just occurred to me.
 
I did not put an SD card in the doorbell but it is storing video clips when it detects motion. I also did not register with Hikvision and am using the doorbell as a visitor. Am I correct assuming that they are storing these videos on their web server or is the some storage on the device?
 
Mike.
 
Yes here the Hik-Connect app that I use on my phone allows for cloud or local connectivity.  I use IPSec VPN / local connectivity here to access my home network.
 
Relating to Zoneminder I do the same using a phone app written for Zoneminder and access my ZM server via VPN.
 
You could do the same with your Blue Iris mobile app if you wanted to.
 
Pete
 
Yes I already am using BI to store video locally on a computer drive but I did not think that the Hik-connect app allowed me to store video locally other than the SD card in the doorbell. Are you saying that the Hik-connect is capable of reading and writing to a computer on the LAN?
 
Mike.
 
mikefamig said:
Something just occurred to me.
 
I did not put an SD card in the doorbell but it is storing video clips when it detects motion. I also did not register with Hikvision and am using the doorbell as a visitor. Am I correct assuming that they are storing these videos on their web server or is the some storage on the device?
 
Mike.
 
Good question.  I don't know the answer.  I did put an SD card in mine and when I cut power to it, the video clips are not available, suggesting that they are stored locally rather than on the servers.
 
mikefamig said:
I am accessing the doorbell with Blue Iris but I'm not getting any notifications from it on motion detection. It records a short clip but no notification yet. I'll have to look into setting that up. Can you tell me which menu screen allows sending screen-shots?
 
I personally would like to get the two-way audio working, what version of BI are you using? I have 4.something and I'm hoping that upgrading to ver 5.x will maybe fix the problem. I'm thinking that it may include a driver for the doorbell.
 
How did you mute the sounds at the doorbell when it detects motion? The only way that I have found to silence it so far is to disable motion detection altogether through the HIK-connect app or batch configuration program. My end goal is to use BI and lose the Hik app altogether as you have done.
 
Mike.
 
As far as getting text messages, I'm recalling this from memory, but it is part of the "trigger" set up in BI.  So I have my regular triggers to start recording, etc, etc, etc, but I added an additional trigger that only sends out a text message.  Part of those settings includes attaching a screenshot frame in the text message.  It works pretty well.
 
I know two-way recording does NOT work on the mobile app.  I don't think it works in the web browsers either.  I think the only place it works is in the BI app, so it isn't that useful unless someone is actively monitoring the system.
 
The doorbell mute was a setting in the OEM app.  I'm not sure if it is firmware dependent or not.  I know turning off the ringer at the doorbell is firmware dependent - which is what I set.  But I also think there is a motion detection mute setting as well.  I run the EZ-Wiz firmware because that is the brand of the unit I bought.  However you can install it on other brands.
 
Yes here the Hik-Connect app that I use on my phone allows for cloud or local connectivity. 
 
Taking back what I wrote.  The newer version did not work locally (or via VPN) so switched to an older version 4.X.
 
The Hik-Connect app that I am using is V4.X which is version right before next version which connected to the cloud.
 
It's very simple and it connects locally to the Doorbell CAM. 
 
Such that you can see Live views and recorded events on the SD card via a time line thing on the bottom of the screen.
 
PIR motion and a doorbell ring are recorded to the SD card.
 
Here hear sound testing with VLC on a live view locally.
 
It's hit or miss relating to doorbell ringers / package deliveries.   Some delivery folks always ring the doorbell and some do not.  I get an email alert / text whatever happens.
 
I never changed the doorbell mute feature and my doorbell chime rings when someone rings the doorbell.  This feature as mentioned above is in the smartphone app.  
 
sic0048 said:
As far as getting text messages, I'm recalling this from memory, but it is part of the "trigger" set up in BI.  So I have my regular triggers to start recording, etc, etc, etc, but I added an additional trigger that only sends out a text message.  Part of those settings includes attaching a screenshot frame in the text message.  It works pretty well.
I have not tried to send an sms text when triggered in BI. I was trying to send a push notification and did finally get it to work by upgrading BI to version 5.
 
sic0048 said:
I know two-way recording does NOT work on the mobile app.  I don't think it works in the web browsers either.  I think the only place it works is in the BI app, so it isn't that useful unless someone is actively monitoring the system.
I have found just the opposite to be true. Two way audio works in the OEM HIK-connect app but not in BI even with the version 5 upgrade.
 
sic0048 said:
The doorbell mute was a setting in the OEM app.  I'm not sure if it is firmware dependent or not.  I know turning off the ringer at the doorbell is firmware dependent - which is what I set.  But I also think there is a motion detection mute setting as well.  I run the EZ-Wiz firmware because that is the brand of the unit I bought.  However you can install it on other brands.
I have managed to mute the push notification sound which works for me. I still get the notification but no noise. I am using the Hikvision firmware.
 
I now have two troubles that I'm working on:
 
1 -  two way audio does not work with BI
 
2 - I can not mask out areas of the image for motion detection. I have tried with both the Hik-connect app and the batch configurator and not matter what I try the entire image is always seeing motion. The camera looks out on a street and sees cars going by. I want to mask out the street so that it doesn't see cars but it does see when someone walks up on the porch. So far I haven't been able to achieve this. It works with BI but not with Hil-connect.
 
Mike.
 
Pete
 
If you are away from home and someone rings your doorbell how long does it take for the notification to reach you?
 
Mike.
 
keepersg
 
I see now that I misunderstood what you said about "two way recording" as "two way audio"  so ignore my response to that.
 
I expect that you were talking about having the doorbell record to a computer storage device. I am doing this with BI but not the Hik-connect app. I do not even have an SD card in the doorbell yet but I am mysteriously able to see recorded video in the HK app. I'm guessing that it is using Hikvision cloud.
 
Mike.
 
Back
Top