Reolink - Battery Video Doorbell

Don’t get the battery one. I bought it and returned it. It doesn’t have ONVIF, RTSP, or any of the things that would make integrate with HA or Scrypted, and the battery constantly goes dead even though I had it connected to my transformer. Just sucked all around for this purpose. I replaced it with the hardwired wi-fi version and it’s 100x better. I use it mostly with Scrypted and Homekit, but it is added to my HA instance as well. The difference in image quality is negligible to my eyes although the battery version did have a wider FOV.

Reolink battery version does not work with HA unless you also buy their DVR.

With 230v running through the chime and button (which sounds crazy to me) you could probably get away with using a Zigbee dry contact sensor like a Shelly for chime events. Anything else is going to require a transformer to step down to a “normal” level of 12-24 volts. The Reolink WiFi will work fine with this but won’t drive a mechanical chime. You have to use the one it came with. It also comes with a transformer, at least the US version does, (a small power brick) that you might be able to use the existing wiring in your wall for after it’s disconnected from the mains. That’s exactly what I did. My existing doorbell transformer wasn’t adequate so I just used the one that came with it instead. It came with a wireless chime that I use inside the house. The WiFi + battery version can drive a mechanical chime typical in USA applications but it sucks and doesn’t even work with HA anyway.

Thanks for asking this question as I’m looking into options. I think you’re actually asking about the battery doorbell or the wired variants (as they all have AI). As others have said the battery doorbell doesn’t have 24/7 recording, and has a wider 1:1 view. (P.s. I don’t fully understand the 24/7 recording so if someone wants to explain to me that would be great. Do we literally mean 24/7 recording, or does this enable the whole “the doorbell caught some movement so this video recording will also show 10 seconds before the event rather that showing after the event happened”?)

Great thank you! Thought as much… unfortunately we’re struggling with a few aspects that are making the battery doorbell more attractive: 1) very difficult to run wiring for PoE, I am going to try to look into a power cable at least 2) the doorbell is in a porch, and faces the sun so HDR is required and 3) a head to toe view is required. I think it looks like the battery doorbell is the best option…

Thanks for the information! Just need to look into if I can get a wire out now… I bought the battery one but the battery life is pretty poor (we’re talking days, forget months).

The battery doorbell cannot do 24/7 recording. The wired doorbells can. Both have the same AI detectors as far as I know. (But the wired black doorbell (landscape view) don't do packages detection the the white wired ones (portrait view) due to the different camera views. If you want 24/7 recording get the wired doorbells (wifi or poe), and if you want package detection get the wired white doorbell. If you don't care about 24/7 recording the battery should be fine

Were you able to integrate this into google home system to use their speakers as a chime ? I've been back and forward with Reolink support currently with this wifi battery doorbell as there doesn't seem to be any way to turn off sound notifications being sent through to the nest speakers within the house  for motion/people/packages etc unless you disable all push notifications for those items full stop which defeats the purpose of a doorbell giving you notifications when someone approaches.  The google doorbell works well by ringing when pressed and simply sending silent notifications to my phone if the postman walks to the front and just drops off a package without ringing the doorbell. This reolink doorbell however is currently just sending constant sound notifications for every motion.  I've even tried making all notifications " silent " which still doesn't help the situation. 

If I uncheck everything except visitor then when someone approaches the doorbell but doesn't press the button, the camera won't send me a push alert. Google does it well where it sends me the notification, but doesn't play a chime in the house. The only time it plays a chime is when someone actually pushed the doorbell. Reolink however is chiming on all alerts through the google hub. The only way as you mentioned is to turn off everything bar visitor in push schedule, but I want to get alerts when someone comes to the front door but doesn't press the doorbell.

Skip the ring, grab a [Reolink doorbell camera](https://amzn.to/42pUJsa) Has everything you need and zero subscriptions.   Wired (poe) is always best, but they have wifi versions as well.   Been using them for 10 years and extremely happy with Reolink.  Their other cameras blow ring out of the water, and they don't allow anyone you don't want to access your cameras, unlike ring with it's backdoor access.  

I just installed this camera. Learning a lot about the battery on here but have so many questions.  When I installed it was at 29% and maintained on a an 18v transformer, then the cold hit at -5°f and battery depleted quickly and I got a low battery alert.  I then popped the camera out, leaving the bell connected, used my Apple 35w USB charger, the bell gained zero charge in an hour.  I then disconnected the bell, brought inside, same charger and in about 10 hours it only made it to 55%.  Questions on the battery: Does disabling the mechanical chime allow the unit to pull more juice to stay fully charged? Can I leave the camera doorbell wiring on, and charge via USB-C at the same time? (Going to design a custom mount to better fit my situation, owning if I could hid a charge USB-C port in the bottom? What’s the absolute fastest way to charge this via USB-C?  Turn off, leave on, wattage, any other tips?

I created a new post to better understand the battery.  I moved the camera to my BaseUS USB-C charger and I appear to be now gaining over 10% an hour. 

I have a Reolink 2K Battery.  This does support mechanical chime.  Door bell is a battery base, but charged by your doorbell transformer. It steals enough juice to charge, but not activate the chime.  Chime works without issue. Videos sent to my NVR. I get the phone notifications. No subscriptions or fees. 

Reolink Doorbell Battery. Records to an SD card, battery lasts up to 5 months between charges, and you can wire it up later if you choose to

Reolink battery doorbell, It has apps for windows and Android. These are what I use, so I can't comment on other systems.

> RTSP one available still but the RTSP is still unstable and for the most part if you don't want frame skips you still need to use the flv stream for recording.

>Could you explain this more please The RTSP feed (at least with current firmware) loses / skips frames it isn't smooth. https://docs.frigate.video/configuration/camera_specific#reolink-cameras I record off the primary stream using the FLV stream, and only use the RTSP for TWO WAY audio support. streams: doorbell: #Reolink Doorbell - ffmpeg:http://192.168.103.6/flv?port=1935&app=bcs&stream=channel0_main.bcs&user=admin&password={FRIGATE_RTSP_PASSWORD}#video=copy#audio=copy#audio=opus doorbell_sub: #Reolink Doorbell - rtsp://admin:{FRIGATE_RTSP_PASSWORD}@192.168.103.6:554/Preview_01_sub - ffmpeg:doorbell_sub#audio=opus # transcodes audio to opus for webrtc compatibility

As a warning **there are currently 3 DIFFERENT Doorbells**, only the POE and WiFi ones can be used DIRECTLY with Home assistant. - Reolink Video Doorbell PoE - Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi - Reolink Video Doorbell (Battery) The Reolink Video Doorbell (Battery) can't DIRECTLY be used with home assistant. It does NOT have direct RTSP support. The other two can.

I'm having an issue with this thing charging. It randomly charges the battery and it doesn't do it often enough so the battery just dies. I even lowered all my setting to the lowest to reduce battery life and it's still not charging the thing fast enough. I even upgraded my doorbell transformer from 10v to 24v and it helped a little but still not enough. My next step is to redo the wiring to some better ones. If that doesn't work I'm throwing the doorbell away.