New Amcrest AD410 doorbell Cam Review

Hi Victor -

1 - MicroUSB 5V power stability - I don't recall anyone mentioning this being an unstable alternative to the typical doorbell transformer power. The AD410 specs don't mention it, BUT the tech specs for the Dahua Dh-DB6I sure does. It says in a footnote: "Do not supply power to the DH-DB6I via the USB port. Use only the Power Input Ports, as detailed in the Quick Installation Guide, to supply power to the device. "

2 - No, I've never seen a glitch like that. I do have the Amcrest logo turned off though, and the timestamp relocated. In a few instances, I've have had other adverse video effects occur after making changes with software other than SmartHome. A Factory Reset has always restored it to normal.

3 - My Dahua NVR understands the AD410 2K 2560x1920 resolution just fine, as does Home Assistant and VLC. This seems to be a software issue with your NVR.

4 - The latest version of ASP for Windows is 2.003 2020-11-30 available here.
 
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@victorhooi - what amperage rating was the 5VDC USB power source you used? It should be 2A minimum.

I am trying to find out what Amcrest's take on using the USB port as a power source to see if somehow they approve it despite Dahua's caution not to.
 
Also, small tip for those playing around with the Amcrest HTTP API (listening on port 80), the httpie HTTP client worked well for me, using Digest authentication like so:

Code: 
http -A digest -a admin:password GET "IP_ADDRESS/cgi-bin/encode.cgi?action=getConfigCaps"
 
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GaryOkie said:
2 - No, I've never seen a glitch like that. I do have the Amcrest logo turned off though, and the timestamp relocated. In a few instances, I've have had other adverse video effects occur after making changes with software other than SmartHome. A Factory Reset has always restored it to normal.
Click to expand...

Ive noticed similar issues with the AD410. I cannot adjust the video quality much without it basically not working. Right now I can only keep the Door bell settings via ASP app at 1440x1080 at 512kbps on H265 on main stream and then sub stream at 720x576 H265 at 384kpbs. Anything higher on the Main stream it refuses to give me 15fps and 1.0 on key frame. I will end up with 0.05 on keyframe. But 512kbps on mainstream is too pixelated, but oh well. Cant get it to work any other way. And like you ive had to do countless factory resets to bring it back when i mess with too much of the settings via the APS or API side. Really wish it could do better on mainstream and maintain 1.0 keyframe.
 
@Dixit - the next time you have to do a factory reset, immediately after you get it back online, capture a complete configuration or just the factory video settings. Then, if you use ASP, NVR, SmartPSS, ConfigTool, etc. to make a single change - capture the video configs again to compare. I have found that there are many other changes to the config that occur that are unexpected and are surely the reason for the AD410 video getting messed up. I would instead try to use the CGI API to change specific video settings rather than rely on ASP, et.al.

Refer to the following post to see an example of this behavior...
GaryOkie said:
I've learned that using SmartPSS or a Dahua NVR to make video changes like this, additional settings get changed or added that are unexpected - and sometimes undesirable.
Click to expand...

To capture all settings: <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=getConfig&name=All

To capture just the mainstream encoding settings: <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=getConfig&name=Encode[0].MainFormat[0]
(For the substream, specify "ExtraFormat[0]" )
 
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For those on this thread that are familiar with the API calls for the AD410 (or any rebranded variant of the Dahua base model) can you tell me if there is any method exposed to turn off the wired chime? I have recently purchased this model, but haven't recieved or installed it yet, so I can't do my own testing.

My goal would be to dynamically enable and disable the mechanical chime through an automation tool like Home Assistant, while still getting notifications of the doorbell button press (either through the Amcrest SmartHome app or ideally through something like Home Assistant.) The use case, which I think is pretty obvious, would be for families like mine who don't want a loud chime announcing every delivery or person at the door, like when a baby is sleeping, but still want notifications. Or, I'd use this function to put chime notifications on a schedule and have "quiet hours" after bedtime.

I'm fairly certain from app reviews and videos that I can use the SmartHome app to change the doorbell settings and set the chime to "none" (rather than Mechanical or Electronic) and I'll achieve my goal, but that's also something I'm curious about. If you set the chime to "none" I assume you still get button press notifications, right?

And let me end my first post on this form by saying thank you all for the excellent information about this doorbell. Lots of great technical knowledge here and in this forum in general which has really helped me in my first-time "security camera" purchase (if you'll forgive my very loose categorization of this doorbell as a security camera.) @GaryOkie specifically, your posts throughout this forum on the AD410 and in the HACS Dahua Custom Integration GitHub issues have been instrumental in helping me pick the right version of this doorbell to purchase for our Home Assistant based smart home.
 
Hi @F1rby - thanks for the mention, and happy to see many posts here were helpful.

When you install the AD410 with the SmartHome app, you choose between no chime or a digital or mechanical chime. The latter 2 options require you install the chime kit first, as if you don't, you can fry your doorbell's 24VAC circuit. Once installed, the SmartHome app does NOT have an option to turn off the external chime - you can only toggle between digital or mechanical chime. I assume this is because if you could select "no external chime " it can't bypass the chime circuit if it actually exists.

There are CGI/firmware configuration settings related to the external chime:
ExternalDoorBell.Enable=true
ExternalDoorBell.Time=3 (digital time delay)
ExternalDoorBell.Type=1 (1=mechanical, 2=digital)

I went ahead and tried <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&ExternalDoorBell.Enable=false which was accepted, but the external chime still clanged its ding donger. It actually makes sense to me now why software can't control it.

Since you are using Home Assistant you should consider using voice or doorbell ring sound broadcasts to smart speakers when the doorbell is pushed based on whatever schedule you want, and just physically disconnect the external chime. This can also be accompanied by streaming video as to who is at the front door to various displays in the house.

You will still get push notifications (if enabled) regardless of the chime settings.
 
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GaryOkie said:
I assume this is because if you could select "no external chime " it can't bypass the chime circuit if it actually exists.
Click to expand...

I agree with your assessment. My understanding of the "chime kit" is that it changes the coil resistance of the solenoid in the chime kit to be low resistance when not "chiming" (allowing current to flow and power the bell,) and a higher resistance when "chiming" which is when the doorbell essentially shorts it's power terminals to replicate the momentary pushbutton it replaced. People get "humming" when the solenoid is partially activating when the transformer is too small and the voltage sags (this increases current flow to keep power constant, which is what the solenoid reacts to.)

But, all that being said, and agreeing that the doorbell must "know" if the chime kit is on it's power circuit, I wish they had a way to simply prevent actuating the chime when the button was pressed.

Despite being "all in" on home assistant for our house, I'm also pretty wary of smart speakers and the hot mics of Alexa, Siri, etc. So I'm not wild about using smart speakers. I could buy the accessory chime kit, but I guess I'm old-fashioned and can't help but want to use the chime we have. I just want to do that on my terms, not the doorbells terms.

I will add (for documentation purposes) that there is a workaround for the Home Assistant based home. It's got a little bit of redundancy with the doorbell notifications, but nothing that can't be overcome. There are a few documented use cases where enterprising users have divided the traditional doorbell circuit in half creating an isolated doorbell button circuit and a chime circuit. The doorbell circuit is on a smart sensor and the chime is on a smart relay. Something like a Shelly 1 will do both jobs with just the addition of a DC power supply (which, as luck would have it, is compatible with the AD410.) This is probably the route I'll go if I get around to it. The redundancy would be the switch notification from the Shelly 1 (should be identical to the button press notification from the doorbell.)
 
Good luck with those workarounds if you get around to it. A cheap smart speaker with the microphone turned off would do the job without any wiring. I have an old Google Audio-only dongle connected to a cheap amp that drives all the 50yr old existing NuTone wall speakers in each room. Works nicely for whole house broadcasts, and they can't listen since the intercom has long since been removed.

BTW - Dahua specs say in a footnote to NOT power their DH-DB6I with the 5DC USB power. Amcrest specs doesn't say anything about it. I have an open case with Amcrest to get an official answer but I don't think I will ever get it. We just know that the AD410 will power up with 5V just fine, but how reliably? And WHY does Dahua say not to?
 
GaryOkie said:
A cheap smart speaker with the microphone turned off would do the job without any wiring.
Click to expand...

Yea, I know. That's the smart and easy solution. But I guess I just like to do it the hard way. There's something appealing to me about making something that should be simple and "dumb," transparently "smart." Your solution of using an old intercom system is brilliant. I'd do that instead if I was in your shoes too. Our house is not new, but we're just finishing a "down to the studs" remodel and addition, so it's essentially new (certainly a new doorbell circuit.)

GaryOkie said:
Dahua specs say in a footnote to NOT power their DH-DB6I with the 5DC USB power. Amcrest specs doesn't say anything about it.
Click to expand...

I've seen that too, and to be clear, I was actually looking at this part of the specs, not the 5VDC USB power.
Screen Shot 2022-03-09 at 8.37.16 PM.png
The doorbell circuit input is actually compatible with 12-24VDC (if this spec is to be believed.) I'm fairly sure this is because their AC to DC conversion is a simple diode bridge rectifier and filter capacitor, which works just fine with DC current as well (a little inefficient, but a very cheap AC to DC solution. No need to use the USB connector at all. It's a subtle but convenient feature.

GaryOkie said:
We just know that the AD410 will power up with 5V just fine, but how reliably? And WHY does Dahua say not to?
Click to expand...

Yea, that is an interesting line. As an electrical engineer myself, I can think of a few good reasons, depending on how simple (a.k.a cheap) their internal power supply is. Probably best to follow that one.
 
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Well, hells bells - I'm thunderstruck that I forgot those power terminals were AC/DC. :headbang:

Have fun with your remodel and wiring projects!
 
Can anyone tell me if possible to switch from using h265 to h264 on the AD410 (through the API calls). I don't have this model, but the Lorex 2K, and was curious if that is even possible. I know on most "higher end" cameras, you have the option of changing this, just not sure if that is possible on this (series).
Thanks
 
Hi @teredactle - The CGI API for the AD410 supports changing any video encoding option. Now, I haven't personally tried changing it to H.265 since my normal browsers and Home Assistant don't support it, but it should work fine since the specs list it as a supported encoding.

The default configuration setting for the mainstream encoding is: Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.Compression=H.264

So to change it: <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.Compression=H.265

(Assuming you ever replace your API challenged Lorex with the Amcrest or Dahua, that is):)
 
GaryOkie said:
Hi @teredactle - The CGI API for the AD410 supports changing any video encoding option. Now, I haven't personally tried changing it to H.265 since my normal browsers and Home Assistant don't support it, but it should work fine since the specs list it as a supported encoding.

The default configuration setting for the mainstream encoding is: Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.Compression=H.264

So to change it: <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.Compression=H.265

(Assuming you ever replace your API challenged Lorex with the Amcrest or Dahua, that is):)
Click to expand...

Thanks - ok I wasn't aware the the Dahua also supports the API calls (I must have missed that in this thread). Well, it's too late now, cannot return it at this point and it's working ok for me, except the noise/static on it which is bad (although replaced with a new unit under warranty, still there - may be the transformer on my doorbell?).

The lorex 2k is preset for h265/HEVC on the stream, but I would actually like to change it to x264, but no option in the app.

Cheers!
 
Hi all,

I'm having a heck of a time setting this doorbell up, in contrast to the many cameras I've set up previously.

Can you all help me with some questions?

  • Which apps are you using to view and change settings? I can make some changes in Amcrest SmartHome (iOS), Amcrest IP Config (Windows), Dahua Config Tool (Windows), and Amcrest Surveillance Pro (Windows). I cannot see it in Amcrest ViewPro (iOS) or DMSS (iOS) for some reason. I was hoping I'd have one app that could make all the changes (I use Amcrest ViewPro to adjust all of my other cameras).
  • Can the ding-dong on the doorbell itself be disabled? In the app, there is a slider for "Speaker Volume", but I can't move it to mute (can't move it at all).
  • Can the time stamp at the top of the video be moved to the center?
  • I see many people "disconnecting the doorbell from the internet". I may end up doing this to avoid the apps once it is set up (I am using Surveillance Station). How is this done, specifically?
  • Can I pass through "Human Detection" from the doorbell to Surveillance Station and turn off general motion detection?
Thanks!
 
I typically use the CGI API to make specific changes as sometimes other software has unexpected knock on effects to video quality. But for something as simple as moving the time stamp around, you can use Amcrest Surveillance Pro (Camera/Encode/Overlay) to drag it wherever you want. It doesn't have an option to remove the Amcrest branding but you can use the API to remove it (as described here). There isn't one app that can do it all and fully understand the quirks in SmartHome devices.

I can slide the speaker volume all the way to mute in the SmartHome Android app, and it properly mutes the melody on the doorbell. Perhaps try reinstalling the SH app to fix it.

Here's a writeup of someone who detailed how he set his AD110 up with HomeAssistant and Blue Iris. > Fully Offline Video Doorbell for Home Assistant - Amcrest AD110 For what it's worth, I keep my doorbell on an isolated subnet with access to the Internet to allow the SH app 2-way talk to function from anywhere.

The SH app allows you to turn off general Motion Detection and monitor only Human detection. If Surveillance Station subscribes to IVS Amcrest events (ie. CrossRegionDetection). , then this should work for you.
 
Well I botched the doorbell already with SurveillancePro. I moved sharpness to 0, picture got funny put it back to 50, and now it flickers once per second. No idea what is going on.
 
That sucks. I've changed the doorbell sharpness to 0 using my Dahua NVR and that sort of worked - but I found it changed and added numerous other settings. As I was saying - I am find it safer to use the API to change specific settings.

You are probably going to have to do a factory reset since you don't know what else got changed.
 
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