New RCA HSDB2A 3MP Doorbell IP Camera

I just wanted to let you know that I experienced the same issue with BI dropping when viewing the video in the RCA app but only when set to HD. Standard and Ultra HD don't seem to have this problem.

Thanks for the tip! Sure enough, if I set the app to Ultra HD instead of HD, the stream to BI continues to work when I connect via the app. Just tested via a doorbell initiated connection as well....it works!!! BI didn't drop the feed. Can't wait to test more tomorrow!! I owe you a cold beverage!!!

Edit - over my lunch hour, I further tested the doorbell. Sure enough, no dropped feeds in BI. Audio records as well in BI. Audio and Video continue to record on the SD card as well. Of course, it continues to work with the app. This is exactly what I wanted a video doorbell to do with no additional fees or costs. Very pleased with this!
 
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Does the RCA doorbell support ONVIF (to get it to record to Hikvision NVR)? They don't say anything about ONVIF on their website.
 
Anyone run into: The SD card is uninitialized. Please initialize it before recording.

I have the RCA version, and I am using the EZVID app. The SD card is the one that came with the camera. I have been getting this error a few hours every day, and then the problem goes away. There is no issue with it displaying pictures in the call log. When the message goes away on it's own, and you go into the video history, the timeline is blank for several hours, but video from before and after the blanks are still there.

I was planning on swapping out the SD card with a better one and seeing if that fixes the issue. Anyone else run into a similar problem.
 
Does the RCA doorbell support ONVIF (to get it to record to Hikvision NVR)? They don't say anything about ONVIF on their website.

No, the current RCA doorbell is RTSP only. HIK Visions iVMS-4200 software is able to see it though so maybe the NVR can as well.
 
No, the current RCA doorbell is RTSP only. HIK Visions iVMS-4200 software is able to see it though so maybe the NVR can as well.
I'm not going to chance it. I guess I'll have to find another ONVIF alternative that works as well. Thanks!
 
There are plenty of solutions to record the RCA Doorbell feed via the network even if it doesn't support ONVIF:

- BlueIris (windows, cost money)
- SecuritySpy (macOS, cost money)
- ZoneMinder (linux, free)
- Shinobi (linux, macOs, free)

I also used the iVMS-4200 software to disable recording on the SDCard.
 
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Anyone run into: The SD card is uninitialized. Please initialize it before recording.

I have the RCA version, and I am using the EZVID app. The SD card is the one that came with the camera. I have been getting this error a few hours every day, and then the problem goes away. There is no issue with it displaying pictures in the call log. When the message goes away on it's own, and you go into the video history, the timeline is blank for several hours, but video from before and after the blanks are still there.

I was planning on swapping out the SD card with a better one and seeing if that fixes the issue. Anyone else run into a similar problem.
I'm going to reply to my own post, in case any one else runs into this.

I swapped out the SD card with name brand memory card and the problem went away.
 
But I've currently got an NVR, so I'd rather not get another recorder for different cameras.

What NVR Software are you using that doesn't support RTSP standard? Almost every NVR software can record RSTP protocol, the 4 software I've listed are the most popular ones, I can list more if you want but personally, if your solution doesn't support RTSP feeds, you should consider another solution, my 2 cents.
 
What NVR Software are you using that doesn't support RTSP standard? Almost every NVR software can record RSTP protocol, the 4 software I've listed are the most popular ones, I can list more if you want but personally, if your solution doesn't support RTSP feeds, you should consider another solution, my 2 cents.

It's an NVR. Hikvision DS-7716NI-SP.
 
I've been looking for the smallest doorbell replacement cam system that doesn't require internet access.
I don't want cloud storage (nest, ring), and I'd rather it not require an account on an internet service for the app either. They can die at any time and they track usage and who knows what else.

I'd like to use iPhone and iPad apps to view the live cam and see the video stored on the SDcard (on the home wifi network).

Can this RCA cam be used like this?

I'm not sure how the camera alerts the app that the bell has been rung, but can this be done over the home network rather than relying on an internet service?

If not, is there any other simple "home network" (no internet) wifi doorbell video system?
 
I've been looking for the smallest doorbell replacement cam system that doesn't require internet access.
I don't want cloud storage (nest, ring), and I'd rather it not require an account on an internet service for the app either. They can die at any time and they track usage and who knows what else.

I'd like to use iPhone and iPad apps to view the live cam and see the video stored on the SDcard (on the home wifi network).

Can this RCA cam be used like this?

I'm not sure how the camera alerts the app that the bell has been rung, but can this be done over the home network rather than relying on an internet service?

If not, is there any other simple "home network" (no internet) wifi doorbell video system?

What you are asking for is almost what I was seeking and this RCA doorbell is the closest I have found to it. I don't especially desire to not have a phone app for notification and if you want to use the call function, you will still need the phone app but... the fact that it offers an RTSP stream enabled me to make it stream to both my NAS for storage and Home Assistant for notifications and have been able to make home assistant send me a snapshot of the camera whenever my front door sensor is tripped on pushover. All of this independent of the cloud storage and the camera's phone app.
 
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I'm going to reply to my own post, in case any one else runs into this.

I swapped out the SD card with name brand memory card and the problem went away.
The problem came back this morning. Any one else run into this issue? I wonder if I got a defective camera. When you go into the memory card on the app it shows "abnormal" I have been able to re-initialize the card.
 
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The problem came back this morning. Any one else run into this issue? I wonder if I got a defective camera. When you go into the memory card on the app it shows "abnormal" I have been able to re-initialize the card.

I occasionally have the same issue. I turn off the breaker that is powering the doorbell for about a min then turn it back on - seems to get it going again. I was thinking it was just me. The app kicks me out every couple days and forces me to log back in as well.
 
What you are asking for is almost what I was seeking and this RCA doorbell is the closest I have found to it. I don't especially desire to not have a phone app for notification and if you want to use the call function, you will still need the phone app but... the fact that it offers an RTSP stream enabled me to make it stream to both my NAS for storage and Home Assistant for notifications and have been able to make home assistant send me a snapshot of the camera whenever my front door sensor is tripped on pushover. All of this independent of the cloud storage and the camera's phone app.

The Dahua DB-11 is another similar option with better video quality (maybe), but still has some issues with app connectivity.

Door bird is not cloud-dependent, but requires PoE and is only 720p resolution.


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I occasionally have the same issue. I turn off the breaker that is powering the doorbell for about a min then turn it back on - seems to get it going again. I was thinking it was just me. The app kicks me out every couple days and forces me to log back in as well.

I wonder if it would make sense to put the transformer on a smart switch that could be scheduled by automation to turn off and on daily, therefore power cycling the doorbell.


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The Dahua DB-11 is another similar option with better video quality (maybe), but still has some issues with app connectivity.

Door bird is not cloud-dependent, but requires PoE and is only 720p resolution.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Not sure why you would think that. The fact that it is 2.4GHz only and 2MP vs 3MP makes it significantly inferior. The video will be less reliable and quality won't be as good.
 
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The problem came back this morning. Any one else run into this issue? I wonder if I got a defective camera. When you go into the memory card on the app it shows "abnormal" I have been able to re-initialize the card.

I'm having a similar issue.....except that I can't initialize the card via the app. Going to try the power cycle.