New Amcrest AD410 doorbell Cam Review

GaryOkie said:
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.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I got the speaker volume slider to work finally. Not sure why it's so difficult to move on my phone.

I used the API to remove the Amcrest logo.

I cannot find a way to move the time stamp overlay. I looked in Surveillance Pro and I can move the channel name, but not the time stamp. Trying to find something in the API documentation but there are so many versions floating around I don't know which one might have it. Found an older version with a "GUI" command that doesn't seem to work.
 
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mooch91 said:
I cannot find a way to move the time stamp overlay.
Click to expand...
My ASP Windows app has this feature. (Version 2.003.x1 2020-11-30). Is yours the latest?
The API can also be used to move it, once you figure out the coordinates to use. The example below moves the time to the bottom left...

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[0]=125& VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[1]=7272& VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[2]=1454& VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[3]=7570

Range is [0-8191].
Rect[0]: top left corner x coordinate (left)
Rect[1]: top left corner y coordinate (top)
Rect[2]: bottom right x coordinate (right)
Rect[3]: bottom right y coordinate (bottom)
 
GaryOkie said:
My ASP Windows app has this feature. (Version 2.003.x1 2020-11-30). Is yours the latest?
The API can also be used to move it, once you figure out the coordinates to use. The example below moves the time to the bottom left...

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[0]=125& VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[1]=7272& VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[2]=1454& VideoWidget[0].TimeTitle.Rect[3]=7570

Range is [0-8191].
Rect[0]: top left corner x coordinate (left)
Rect[1]: top left corner y coordinate (top)
Rect[2]: bottom right x coordinate (right)
Rect[3]: bottom right y coordinate (bottom)
Click to expand...

Yes, same version. I can check it to add/remove it (though that doesn't even seem to work), but I can't move it.
 
ASP: Doorbell>Camera>Encode>Overlay
This menu shows the time surrounded in a yellow box with red corners to expand the size. Clicking on the yellow box lets me drag it anywhere. If this doesn't work for you, I can't explain it. Use the API instead.

ASP-Time.png
 
That's really weird - sorry, just wanted to be sure we were on the same page. Yes, AD410.

I wonder if the fact I had moved my timestamp via the API before discovering that ASP (or NVR UI) could do it somehow enables it to be recognized by ASP as a movable object? That seems very unlikely, but any other explanation escapes me.
 
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GaryOkie said:
That's really weird - sorry, just wanted to be sure we were on the same page. Yes, AD410.

I wonder if the fact I had moved my timestamp via the API before discovering that ASP (or NVR UI) could do it somehow enables it to be recognized by ASP as a movable object? That seems very unlikely, but any other explanation escapes me.
Click to expand...

I just tried it with the API (I'm a novice here) and I can't seem to move it with that either...
 
GaryOkie said:
Whoa! Mystery solved. Glad we uncovered this oddity and you got your time warped to where you wanted it.
Click to expand...

This is quirky as anything... making those changes reset my motion detection settings as well as the time format. Need to be careful making changes on this device!
 
It must have been ASP that did that, as notice you see the crossregiondetection blue lines shown in ASP. So when ASP (and other s/w) writes back changes to the AD410 config, it does so in a "package" as if it were a normal Amcrest camera. This is where the problem lies - ASP, et.al, hasn't been fully baked to sync the original settings in SmartHome devices fully. Many things will work fine, but others... hello factory reset.
 
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GaryOkie said:
It must have been ASP that did that, as notice you see the crossregiondetection blue lines shown in ASP. So when ASP (and other s/w) writes back changes to the AD410 config, it does so in a "package" as if it were a normal Amcrest camera. This is where the problem lies - ASP, et.al, hasn't been fully baked to sync the original settings in SmartHome devices fully. Many things will work fine, but others... hello factory reset.
Click to expand...

That's what happened to me last night when I adjusted Sharpness (per recommendation earlier in this thread that it helped night vision) - the camera feed started pulsing as if it had a hearbeat and no additional changes could get it back. Did a factory reset and all was good.
 
"Tutorial"? Nope. Just individual snippets of CGI commands found here and there of what works, along with the full Amcrest HTTP API Guide. Here's the latest version Amcrest has provided:
Keep in mind that this API guide is for "normal" Amcrest/Dahua cameras and VTO's. (The Dahua API is the same). This guide has absolutely no references to SmartHome devices and their unique firmware/CGI tweaks. These we have discovered on our own. And some remain a mystery, such as how to play custom sounds on the AD410.

However, SmartHome firmware inherits a majority of the Amcrest/Dahua CGI implementation, so you will find a lot of useful API commands that will work on the AD410.

EDIT: I recommend starting your journey with this command:
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=getConfig&name=All

This will dump all the current configurations to your browser which you can save in a file. Any time you make a change with the SmartHome app or ASP, you can create another dump to discover exactly what config got changed. (Notepad++ Compare plugin is good for this)
 
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GaryOkie said:
"Tutorial"? Nope. Just individual snippets of CGI commands found here and there of what works, along with the full Amcrest HTTP API Guide. Here's the latest version Amcrest has provided:
Keep in mind that this API guide is for "normal" Amcrest/Dahua cameras and VTO's. (The Dahua API is the same). This guide has absolutely no references to SmartHome devices and their unique firmware/CGI tweaks. These we have discovered on our own. And some remain a mystery, such as how to play custom sounds on the AD410.

However, SmartHome firmware inherits a majority of the Amcrest/Dahua CGI implementation, so you will find a lot of useful API commands that will work on the AD410.

EDIT: I recommend starting your journey with this command:
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=getConfig&name=All

This will dump all the current configurations to your browser which you can save in a file. Any time you make a change with the SmartHome app or ASP, you can create another dump to discover exactly what config got changed. (Notepad++ Compare plugin is good for this)
Click to expand...

Thank you.

With this being the current config for sharpness within the API, can you suggest the puts to adjust to a different value?

Thanks again!

table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][0].Level=50
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][0].Mode=1
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][0].Sharpness=50
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][1].Level=50
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][1].Mode=1
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=50
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][2].Level=50
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][2].Mode=1
table.All.VideoInSharpness[0][2].Sharpness=50
 
mooch91 said:
With this being the current config for sharpness within the API, can you suggest the puts to adjust to a different value?
Click to expand...
Please refer to this fairly recent post on this subject... Review-Dahua/EmpireTech new doorbell cam Db6l 5mp

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0 may be all that's needed, but I noticed that when sharpness is changed by the NVR along with choosing the nighttime profile, another setting went from 50 to 0 (along with a plethora of other changes). What mode (day/night/auto) gets used depends on the SwitchMode options.

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&NightOptions.EEMode=0 There is an equivalent setting for DayOptions that I've left at 50.

I can't positively confirm exactly what is needed for the optimal image due to all these variables. It would be helpful if you are willing to experiment a little bit with optimizing your video quality with these settings and report back to us!
 
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GaryOkie said:
Please refer to this fairly recent post on this subject... Review-Dahua/EmpireTech new doorbell cam Db6l 5mp

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0 may be all that's needed, but I noticed that when sharpness is changed by the NVR along with choosing the nighttime profile, another setting went from 50 to 0 (along with a plethora of other changes). What mode (day/night/auto) gets used depends on the SwitchMode options.

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&NightOptions.EEMode=0 There is an equivalent setting for DayOptions that I've left at 50.

I can't positively confirm exactly what is needed for the optimal image due to all these variables. It would be helpful if you are willing to experiment a little bit with optimizing your video quality with these settings and report back to us!
Click to expand...

Perfect, will review. After reading through the Dahua thread, I am finding myself wishing there was another app for receiving and answering the doorbell calls than the one Amcrest provides. It too is sloppy in functionality IMHO (iOS).
 
mooch91 said:
wishing there was another app for receiving and answering the doorbell calls
Click to expand...

You may find the information in this post from the Home Assistant forum useful as a SmartHome app alternative (Android or iOS)...
community.home-assistant.io

Amcrest video doorbell AD110 initial impressions

Just a note for people that want to go fully offline regarding the two-way audio feature, I suggest looking into Amcrests View Pro app for android and Amcrest View Lite for apple devices. It uses ONVIF to connect to the doorbell and supports the two-way audio. I have two devices: an old Nook...
community.home-assistant.io community.home-assistant.io
 
GaryOkie said:
Please refer to this fairly recent post on this subject... Review-Dahua/EmpireTech new doorbell cam Db6l 5mp

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0 may be all that's needed, but I noticed that when sharpness is changed by the NVR along with choosing the nighttime profile, another setting went from 50 to 0 (along with a plethora of other changes). What mode (day/night/auto) gets used depends on the SwitchMode options.

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&NightOptions.EEMode=0 There is an equivalent setting for DayOptions that I've left at 50.

I can't positively confirm exactly what is needed for the optimal image due to all these variables. It would be helpful if you are willing to experiment a little bit with optimizing your video quality with these settings and report back to us!
Click to expand...

I made this change for [0][0], [0][1], and [0][2]. It looks too soft for daytime pictures for sure.
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0

I also made this change for the same. I don't know if it added anything.
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Level=0
 
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