Hey all I’m looking for recommendations for a video doorbell that doesn’t need an internet connection.
Preferably something that is WiFi and would work with Frigate?
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Not eufy
Why not?
Questionable privacy/security practices: https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/30/23486753/anker-eufy-security-camera-cloud-private-encryption-authentication-storage
Ahh got it. My search history says I read the follow up, but not the initial article.
https://www.theverge.com/23573362/anker-eufy-security-camera-answers-encryption
That’s ridiculous and unsettling, especially that they claimed it wasn’t possible initially. I wonder if they were not aware that it was possible or whether they were lying. I’m not sure which one is worse.
I have a eufy doorbell cam, and I’m genuinely very happy with it. Since it’s not actually looking into my home I’m less concerned about this particular security issue. I hope they do better moving forward.
wonder if they were not aware that it was possible or whether they were lying. I’m not sure which one is worse.
They knew it was possible,.although it obviously wasn’t intentional.
The only way this can happen is if they hold copies of the keys used to encrypt/protrect your traffic, and can give them to anyone at any time. Or if there’s no keys at all, and someone simply needs an ID to pull the right stream. Something like your password isn’t required to make the key useful (or they’re storing/using it in a reversible way). And anyone that compromises them can access whatever they want.
Unfortunately I dont know if anyone that does “cloud” camera stuff, including Reolink (and pretty much all of the other consumer camera makers) are any better here. I’m not sure that they’re as bad, but I bet most are. Clearly providers like Ring are.
Doesn’t work offline anyway
I use an Amcrest AD410
Just watched a review. Looks pretty good, they specifically mention Home Assistant as well which is very cool.
I also use HA. I’ve been using the Dahua integration in HACS since the Amcrest integration was lacking for the doorbell. Specifically, there was no way to trigger automations when the doorbell is pressed. However, in looking at the documentation I now see a way to monitor via the Amcrest integration. I may give that a go.
I have the Aqara G4 doorbell and supposedly it works with WiFi and Frigate (via go2rtc), but I haven’t set up Frigate and I haven’t verified that it fully functions with the internet turned off. It uses Homekit but supposedly will receive Matter via a software update.
In my experience pretty much all IP cameras phone home in some way at some point, so yeah, you are best off putting them on a separate VLAN and routing appropriately.
The only brand I’ve had a good experience with is Reolink. I don’t think the quality is appreciably different than a brand like Hikvision and the firmware and support is vastly superior.
Edit: Some good info on using Reolink cameras with Frigate. I use Blue Iris but would vastly prefer OSS.
Hikvision if you don’t mind sponsoring chinese govt for the hardware and blocking it from the internet.
Don’t. They consumer surveillanceware cops will try to access if they get the chance.
Well, the goal would be that its not accessible externally. And I’m OK with providing footage should they request it - that’s just something you have to accept when owning a security system.
They can’t request it if you don’t build it. That’s the point. We’ve never needed this security theater before. You don’t need a video camera pointed out towards the public 24/7. Don’t build it and they won’t come.
You don’t need a video camera pointed out towards the public 24/7.
Depends on where you live. Being notified of packages at your door is handy before they get stolen.
And being able to see who knocks on your door is also handy without exposing your eye to the tiny (and glass) peephole.
As well as being able to see who approaches when you’re not even there.
“security theater” my guy it’s not x-ray scanning them, it’s so the Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t try and convert me, so when I am taking a shit I can see it’s just the delivery guy and not someone I need to run out with my pants around my ankles, it’s so I can communicate with the neighbors that lock themselves out again asking when I’ll be back from errands.
Picking a camera vendor that doesn’t give out data like a 2-bit trick isn’t terribly difficult. Not every company is Amazon. Calm down, you’ve been watching way too many cop dramas.
