Door intercom DH-VTO2000AS - combined with other Dahua IP cams & NVR - what to do best?

[catcamstar]

Hello, long time leecher, now becoming active in the ip camera space.

I'm currently investigating the DH-VTO2000AS external doorbell - it is often offered in the following kit:

- indoor monitor (VTH1550CH),
- outdoor bell station (VTO2000A),
- metal enclosure (VTOB107),
- "special" switch (VTNS1060A),
- 24V power supply.

Although this sounds like a tempting architecture, I am not eager to have yet again another "tablet" in house (although this one is fixed by wire), throwing it in a closet seems a dumb idea too So Question 1: is this monitor really required?

As this won't be the only IP camera pieces in the network (at least 4 additional bullets are required), I'm looking at the NVR5208-8P-4KS2 NVR. Brings me to Question 2: is this "special switch" (VTNS1060A) still required if I plug the bell station into the NVR? Idea is to have the NVR "motion detect" door bell ringers even before they ring the bell. Or will this setup not work at all? I doubt it will not, as the PoE+ network is "separated", so even when the smartphone is on the LAN, it will never be able to "live view" the video stream from the door bell camera - so the NVR should be the "prime" video source.

Question 3: And will the iDMSS/gDMSS still work on mobile to view who's ringing at the bell?

Or should I reconsider my NVR setup, and Question 4: opt for multiple daisy-chainable "special switches", plug the other IP cams on that one, and use an NVR without seperated PoE network.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with / advice on this doorbell and the setup I'm looking at.

 

[Al*_*]

I hear you catcamstar. I've been a long time lurker here myself and just ordered some gear myself @EMPIRETECANDY
Either great minds think alike (don't we all) or there is a very smart media strategy going on here on this board. don't know.

Q1. Yes there is (for so far I know) no other way then use this screen to work with the intercom. A nice asset is you can watch your other cams in and arround your house.
Q2. The switch is required. The system works only on PoE from the switch.
Q3. This should work (@redfive started a thread about this here). I think you shouldn't have to reconsider nvr setup.
Q4. I am not certain if I understand your question. As i've described, PoE from NVR is not gonna work on this intercom.

 

[catcamstar]

Q4. I am not certain if I understand your question. As i've described, PoE from NVR is not gonna work on this intercom.

Thanks for your great answer AI! It confirms (in other rephrasing) that the intercom needs to be in your LAN and not on a seperate network (which might be a good solution to "protect" your dedicated IP cams - bandwidth wise/security wise from your LAN). That would be, for me, the only reason to opt for an NVR with integrated PoE capabilities: your cams remain "apart". So that answers Q1-Q2-Q3, which is great!

Question 4 on the other hand opens the other part of the equation: what-if you would opt for an NVR without PoE (which has only 1 eth0 to your LAN that is), which will record streams from all your IP cams (including the intercom ip-cam, which also resides on the LAN through that "special" switch) - would that NVR be able to record from that intercom like it would from any other IP cam? By doing that, that "indoor monitor station" can be installed in the electricity closet as I would only use the app to watch NVR data. Opening the door electronically is not of high importance yet (door isn't electronic at all), but might be in the future - not sure if NVR know how to open the door...

So many questions, too bad we're all budget restricted to play around all night all day

 

[Al*_*]

would that NVR be able to record from that intercom like it would from any other IP cam? By doing that, that "indoor monitor station" can be installed in the electricity closet as I would only use the app to watch NVR data.

Yes I like to believe so.

Reading the gear some people can spend on their hobby it makes one wonder if it is only a hobby or business as well. i believe some people here run there own shops and company. it is nice to see so many different people here. Business and private, we all learn. That's what counts.

 

[riogrande75]

Regarding Q1: If you flash the SIP firmware, you can off course use other monitors like android/ios tablets with SIP softphones. All SIP and h.264 video capable devices should work with it.
Q2: You can simply wire 12-24V to the VTO, a PoE switch is not neccessary at all. Off course you can use the 4 free wires of the CAT cable (4/5+7/8) to transmit power to the device via one single cable.
Q3: If you switch to SIP fw, this apps woun't work at all. Therefor you have the full spectrum of SIP clients that could handle this.
Q4: I guess not applicable if you use your own switches.

VTO2000 and NVR in general: I record my VTO just like any other IP-cam with synology surveillance station regardless it's doorbell functionality.

 

[catcamstar]

Thanks for your answer - didn't know of the SIP firmware existence. However that would break the linkage to the gDMSS/iDMSS app, which will be tightly connected to the NVR anyhow, so I would rely on another technology platform (SIP) for the bell to function.

Thank you!

 

[comervp]

Hello,
In my planned schema (IP Intercom + IP surveillance), this is a big question: I want to record motion events occurring near the street doorbell, but I presume VTO2000A has no Motion Detection. I think you can connect an MD sensor to the VTO but I want it to be simpler and have the least elements at sight.

But if NVR were able to do this, maybe it wil take recordings (or snapshots). who could confirm it from experience? Catcamstar? @EMPIRETECANDY?

Thanks

 

[riogrande75]

Hi!
I use the doorbell together with a Synology Surveillance Station, motion detection works very fine with it. Off course, this has nothing to do with the cam itself.

 

[comervp]

Thanks Riogrande,

I know nothing at all about Synology nor NAS. Do you mean this is a PC/NAS software solution?

In my case, I think of an initially no-PC/NAS nor wifi dependant solution, but based just in NVR hardware, NVR software and Cat6 cabling. I will probably end accessing ALSO from a PC but not at present.

But ignorance may be making me wrong. Just to understand, can you develop a bit?

Thanks

 

[MacFun]

Hi!
I use the doorbell together with a Synology Surveillance Station, motion detection works very fine with it. Off course, this has nothing to do with the cam itself.

Which doorbell?

R

 

[riogrande75]

The "VTO2000A" from this thread ist not just a cam, it's a IP doorbell with a built in camera. Depending on the firmware flavour you flash, it can also be used as a SIP video phone.
Nevertheless using it as a classic ip camera works too.
Advantage of SIP fw: You do not have to use dahua's indoor monitors (VTH1xxx), you can use any sip softclient or phone (e.g. Grandstream GXV...) to interact with the visitor.

 

[catcamstar]

Hello,
In my planned schema (IP Intercom + IP surveillance), this is a big question: I want to record motion events occurring near the street doorbell, but I presume VTO2000A has no Motion Detection. I think you can connect an MD sensor to the VTO but I want it to be simpler and have the least elements at sight.

But if NVR were able to do this, maybe it wil take recordings (or snapshots). who could confirm it from experience? Catcamstar? @EMPIRETECANDY?

Hello @comervp! I even opened a ticket with Dahua support to understand the in's & out's of IVS & this particular intercom camera. As mentioned above: it is a 100% ip camera, so Synology & NVR can work with it. However, it lacks any IVS features, so no motion detection, no tripwire, no swap scenery. You are dependant on the image processing capabilities of the NVR to perform "IVS alike" tasks. An NVR in the 6xxxx range can do that on any video stream, however a 5xxxx range can't, except for "basic motion detection". Which means, like a Synology Video Survaillance Station can analyse any video stream for "motion detection".
The tip from @riogrande75 is cool to know too, and eliminates the "mandatory' VTH1xxxx indoor monitor (although it can still serve as an answering machine later on).

Hope this helps.

 

[comervp]

Thanks Catcamstar and RioGrande, all your help to newbees will be welcome and thankful, as I do. I have never been close to a surveillance system and hadn't read a word of it until a month ago, that means all that concepts are "chinese" for me (sorry Andy). I will read about all this from now, I promise.

​

There are plenty of IP phones at work from years here. In the contrary, there's neither easy nor affordable access to SIP environment at home. But no problem, I don't mind having 3 to 4 indoor monitors installed (via Cat6, I want no more wifi).

I don't think I'll afford a 6xxx. What does "basic motion detection" mean? Being limited at this point, is there a function in the Dahua NVR software to obtain a recording from the VTO? Or alternatively, will it be recorded 24/7? That could also help. Even if it's not possible, I'm decided by its other qualities and I am going to ask Andy for a price.

Many thanks again to you and the forum.

 

[catcamstar]

I don't think I'll afford a 6xxx. What does "basic motion detection" mean? Being limited at this point, is there a function in the Dahua NVR software to obtain a recording from the VTO? Or alternatively, will it be recorded 24/7? That could also help. Even if it's not possible, I'm decided by its other qualities and I am going to ask Andy for a price.

In case of the VTO2000A, it needs to stream 24/7 towards the NVR5xxx, if the NVR detects motion (eg. cat flies by, lightning strikes, ... ) it can "trigger" something, and that something can be sending an email, record snapshots/movies, or even some models (on the NVR5216-16P-4KS2 it is - do verify for your preferred NVR) have alarm outputs, which can then trigger your domotica (turn on lights) or trigger your home alarm system.
I'd suggest you ask price from Andy, he will for sure convince you with materials that fit your need!
Do not hesitate to ask questions on the forum, there are no stupid questions!

 

[comervp]

THANKS, THESE ARE GREAT NEWS !!

And it also helps in understanding the advantages of alarm outputs from the NVR, as you describe it. Very interesting.
In addition, as we have a Security Alarm Agreement against intrusion based on interior cameras and sensors, I'll ask them for further interconnection or data exchange, if available. But I don't worry too much.

I already wrote to @EMPIRETECANDY asking him a price for my "Phase 1" (VTO2000AS kit + 1 IPCam) and I'm waiting for his answer.

Thanks.

 

[adamcheng]

Hi!
I use the doorbell together with a Synology Surveillance Station, motion detection works very fine with it. Off course, this has nothing to do with the cam itself.

Does motion detection on camera works or you have to rely on Synology's motion detection?

 

[comervp]

Hi adamcheng, I’m sorry but I still have no answers for you.

Due to shipping troubles, I’m still not having my doorbell equipment, and I want to wait for it before buying any other piece for the surveillance system (I have just one camera to find best points and angles of view).

Thx.

 

[riogrande75]

Does motion detection on camera works or you have to rely on Synology's motion detection?

In fact, I never played with it due my trust in synology motion detection abilities.

 

[adamcheng]

In fact, I never played with it due my trust in synology motion detection abilities.

Which Diskstation are you using? My DS213 only has a 1GHz ppc processor, not sure if it would put too much load on it as I am hosting a bunch of other stuff on it

 

[riogrande75]

I run 7 ipcams on my DS412+ (Intel Atom D2700, 2GB RAM). Two of them are 1080p, 3x 720p, one 640x480 and the 800x480 from the VTO2000A.
I leave motion detection up to surveillance station for all cams. In addition I have some docker containers (OpenHAB2.0,Asterisk,etc.) and mediaserver stuff running, but my cpu load is less than ~40% average.
My experience tells me, that even your low power syno will not have a problem with motion detection from 1-2 low res cams like the VTO2000A.