New RCA HSDB2A 3MP Doorbell IP Camera

[KC8DKT]

Hi all,

Due to a lot of tinkering, my EZVIZ DB1 went into red blinking mode, so I tried resetting it until the confirmation voice came on. All good so far. I then used the EZVIZ app add new device, but am stuck on the wifi configuration. The app is trying to connect to the DB1's softap and is looking for the wifi name EZVIZ_XXXXX. The only problem is, I've updated the firmware to Laview's. The app is hardcoded to look for EZVIZ_XXXXX while the DB1 is publishing LaView_XXXXX.

I tried to manually connect to the LaView_XXXXX station, but don't know the password. With the original firmware, it would have been 'EZVIZ_' + 6 character verification code. Is there an equivalent Laview prefix? ('LAVIEW_' prefix doesn't work).
Do I need to revert back to EZVIZ firmware, and if so, how? This thread mentions reverting using the Batch Config tool, but that requires a valid wifi connection first.

Hope this community can give some hints.

Thank you.

Your right, what ever the AP name is will be the L/P with the SN/Verification code on the end.

Login=APName_S#
Password=APName_vercode "caps matter"

I think you may just be missing the caps. If not I would do a reset again. What reset did you do, just holding reset down or the remove power and hold reset?
Your right again, if you can not get logged into the AP you can always install the APP that goes with the Firmware you flashed, But you should not have to do this. If you do install the new app you will need to run the old app and REMOVE the device BEFORE you try to setup in the new app. The NEW app will find the device but the ADD button will NOT show up if the device is still in the old app.

 

[BobDoh]

I've just retried manually connecting. Case does matter. Access point name was Laview_XXXXX, so password is Laview_authcode. I previously tried LAVIEW_authcode, which failed.

But it is a moot point. Even though I can manually connect to the AP, the configuration app (EZVIZ or Laview ONE or GuardingVision) won't accept connecting to an AP name which is different to what it wants.
ie. Even after correctly connecting to the access point, all the mentioned apps will not proceed bcause the access point name is not the expected EZVIZ_XXXXX.

 

[KC8DKT]

Your right again but it does NOT matter.

In BC click on network then wifi and select you HOME wifi.
SAVE and exit BC.
give it about 30sec then start your app with you device your running it on connected to your same home network.
It should find your DB and skip the network setup and jump to the user settings.

 

[BobDoh]

Where is "network" in BC?
I see top panel where existing devices are listed, and bottom panel with discovered devices which is empty.
Nearly every option looks grayed out.

 

[KC8DKT]

Where is "network" in BC?
I see top panel where existing devices are listed, and bottom panel with discovered devices which is empty.
Nearly every option looks grayed out.

When BC is logged into the DBs AP it should show your DB in the bottom window. If not hit refresh till it does.
After that on the TOP click ADD and use the IP that is listed in the bottom window.
After you add click refresh again and now in the top window it should show a device. On the right side you will see 3 or 4 icons, click the gear.
After that you will see Network, after that you will see wifi.
pick your home wifi from the list and click save.
exit BC, connect your device (phone for most) your running your app on to the same home network then run the app.
App should see the DB and it should skip the network setup and jump right into the user settings.

 

[BobDoh]

Brilliant! That worked. Thank you very much!

 

[KC8DKT]

Brilliant! That worked. Thank you very much!

No problem, glad to help...
Things are much easier now because of the number of people posting info and helping in this forum.

 

[alexdelprete]

No problem, glad to help...
Things are MUCH easier now because of the number of people posting and helping in this forum.

Probably my step-by-step guide in signature could be improved because it's made for people who already know the basics (batchconfig, AP names and authcode, etc.).

If you want, you could start from my list and integrate it with all the missing steps that I thought were pretty clear, but not for everybody.

Thanks for the help you're giving to others...

 

[grampadeal]

Is anyone here having issues getting their DB1 to ring their mechanical chime? I have upgraded my transformer to this one:

Hampton Bay Wired 16VAC/30VA Doorbell Transformer, Compatible with all Video Doorbells HB-130-03 - The Home Depot

Get notifications when anyone presses your doorbell with the help of this Hampton Bay Transformer Compatible with All Video Door Bells.

www.homedepot.com

so power shouldn't be an issue.

I've also tried 2 different mechanical chimes, one on their compatibility list and the other a much older unit that was in my house when I bought it. I have deleted the doorbell from my app and readded it countless times and I have factory reset it several times to no avail.

Other than this (obviously fundamental part of a doorbell), the DB1 works fine. I get notifications and the video works great, it just won't actually ring my chime. Their tech support is a joke and just have me switching wires around and measuring voltages (which are all fine). I even got them to ship me a new power kit but that doesn't work either.

I'm about to throw this thing in the trash but figured I'd ask if anyone here has had this experience and been able to fix it. Thanks!

 

[rafale]

Is anyone here having issues getting their DB1 to ring their mechanical chime? I have upgraded my transformer to this one:

Hampton Bay Wired 16VAC/30VA Doorbell Transformer, Compatible with all Video Doorbells HB-130-03 - The Home Depot

Get notifications when anyone presses your doorbell with the help of this Hampton Bay Transformer Compatible with All Video Door Bells.

www.homedepot.com

so power shouldn't be an issue.

I've also tried 2 different mechanical chimes, one on their compatibility list and the other a much older unit that was in my house when I bought it. I have deleted the doorbell from my app and readded it countless times and I have factory reset it several times to no avail.

Other than this (obviously fundamental part of a doorbell), the DB1 works fine. I get notifications and the video works great, it just won't actually ring my chime. Their tech support is a joke and just have me switching wires around and measuring voltages (which are all fine). I even got them to ship me a new power kit but that doesn't work either.

I'm about to throw this thing in the trash but figured I'd ask if anyone here has had this experience and been able to fix it. Thanks!

Nope, I actually downgraded my chime from an electronic chime to a mechanical one (the absolutely cheapest one I could find) when I changed my doorbell just to simplify things. Can you describe your problem and what chime you are using? I suppose you also already setup the the doorbell to actuate a mechanical doorbell from the app?

 

[grampadeal]

Nope, I actually downgraded my chime from an electronic chime to a mechanical one (the absolutely cheapest one I could find) when I changed my doorbell just to simplify things. Can you describe your problem and what chime you are using? I suppose you also already setup the the doorbell to actuate a mechanical doorbell from the app?

Yeah, every time I removed the doorbell from the app or factory reset it, I selected mechanical chime on the setup page.

The issue I'm seeing is when you press the doorbell button, the doorbell itself plays the chime noise (that is enabled in the app), but the chime indoors does not ring. The hammers don't even move at all. I've seen symptoms of an underpowered transformer when I helped my dad install his. The hammers on his chime would move partway but not with enough force to contact the tone bars. My chime doesn't do this, the hammers don't even move. This behavior persisted on both my old Nutone LB12 chime (which EZVIZ claimed was incompatible) and also with my new Heath Zenith SL-2796 (which EZVIZ claims is compatible).

It seems to me that the doorbell isn't triggering the chime to actuate. I have replaced the power kit (that dumb little white box they give you) with a new one and flipped all the wiring around 100 times per their tech support requests to no avail. The doorbell just refuses to ring the chime.

 

[rafale]

And you verified that the voltage at the chime changes when you push the doorbell? I have had the same experience as you described with your dad's installation so indeed something should move or at least buzz if the power is not sufficient. It is possible that you also have a failed unit. Checking the voltage at the chime would tell you that.

 

[grampadeal]

Yeah I checked the voltage at the chime when my son pressed the doorbell button, it was 0V. I notified their tech support of this, but they refused to replace the doorbell because my chime wasn't on their compatibility list. I've since replaced it and the chime still doesn't ring. I reached back out to support to see what they say, but I believe they refused to cross-ship replacement doorbells and make the customer pay for return shipping.

Pretty ridiculous in my opinion. I've told them the doorbell is the problem from the beginning, but they insisted their product doesn't have any issues. I even told them that when I removed the doorbell from the loop entirely and shorted the doorbell wires my chimes rang loud and clear. Still they refused to accept responsibility.

 

[rafale]

If you can, return it and get another one... I suppose you can't do this anymore?

Indeed you should see a series of voltage pulses.

 

[grampadeal]

Yeah I bought it last November so I'm working with support to get it replaced as it's still under warranty. I'm going to try and get them to cross-ship a replacement at their expense, not mine. We'll see!

 

[BobDoh]

I also found this doorbell temperamental when trying to ring mechanical doorbell.
I was trying to get a relay hooked up in place of the mechanical chime. When the doorbell is pressed, it should short, causing the relay (aka mechanical chime) to react. Sometimes I got it to work, then after a while it stops working.
When it worked, voltage across the relay would be ~12V and ~0V, corresponding to doorbell's not-pressed and pressed button state.
When it doesn't work, voltage across the relay would be ~12V and ~11.5V. So either the powerkit or the doorbell is not creating a short as it is supposed to. Without the short, the mechanical chime or relay will not react.

So I opened up the doorbell and hooked up some wires to the actual physical doorbell button to detect when the button is pressed. I use a small ESP-01 chip to sense the button press and can trigger the mechanical chime if I wanted. This is testing out to be very reliable.

Positive notes:

• Very reliable. Original doorbell would sometimes NOT ring on subsequent doorbell presses.
• I can get the ESP-01 chip to relay the ring to other 433Mhz chimes throughout different parts of my home.
• I have the ESP-01 handling the gate/door unlatching too.
• I have the ESP-01 sending Pushover notifications to my devices, including email. I'm working on pulling an image from the doorbell and emailing that too on doorbell press.
• I can run the doorbell at any voltage between 5V-24V without issue. The mechanical chime can be on its own power, or if it's running on DC, I can step up the voltage to drive that chime.

Negative:

• Needs a little soldering, but is pretty simple.
• Needs a little node-red automation if you want Pushover integration, but this is optional.

I will post pics when I re-open the doorbell to tidy up.

 

[alexdelprete]

It seems to me that the doorbell isn't triggering the chime to actuate. I have replaced the power kit (that dumb little white box they give you) with a new one and flipped all the wiring around 100 times per their tech support requests to no avail. The doorbell just refuses to ring the chime.

You did read the 101 and the recent posts about the fact that sometimes the DB1 resets the chime option to disabled in its settings, right?

Unfortunately in latest ezviz mobile app you can access the options only during setup, once it's setup you can't configure (enable/disable/select chime type) the chime again. In order to solve this, just install Guarding Vision app, or if you want to do it with ezviz mobile app, delete the DB1 from the app and reconfigure it from scratch in the app, and make sure to re-enable the chime and select mechanical or electronic type.

Check the last 6-7 pages of this thread, you'll find many users with this problem. Discussed many many times.

 

[alexdelprete]

So I opened up the doorbell and hooked up some wires to the actual physical doorbell button to detect when the button is pressed. I use a small ESP-01 chip to sense the button press and can trigger the mechanical chime if I wanted. This is testing out to be very reliable.

I use the SAGE doorbell sensor (zigbee) without any "traditional" chime. It intercepts the push of the button and sends a message to my home automation system. The automation system chimes my Aeotec 6 Siren (z-wave) and announces there's someone at the external gate on all the echo devices of the house.

Recently I tried the Firefly Doorbell Sensor that does exactly the same thing as the SAGE, but on wifi through MQTT. The only problem is that in order to save battery, it goes in deep sleep mode, and when you press the button, the sensor needs 3-4 secs to wake-up, reconnect to wifi, and update MQTT, so respect to SAGE you have a delay of +4-5 secs.

Both sensors are wired to my DB1 like it was a normal chime, with the power-kit. They work perfectly, no soldering required.

 

[grampadeal]

You did read the 101 and the recent posts about the fact that sometimes the DB1 resets the chime option to disabled in its settings, right?

Unfortunately in latest ezviz mobile app you can access the options only during setup, once it's setup you can't configure (enable/disable/select chime type) the chime again. In order to solve this, just install Guarding Vision app, or if you want to do it with ezviz mobile app, delete the DB1 from the app and reconfigure it from scratch in the app, and make sure to re-enable the chime and select mechanical or electronic type.

Check the last 6-7 pages of this thread, you'll find many users with this problem. Discussed many many times.

Sorry, I should've been more clear - I have the Guarding Vision app installed and verified that the chime type is set to mechanical. Despite this, the chime still doesn't ring. I really think there's an issue with my doorbell since if I disconnect the DB1 and short the doorbell wires, the chime rings right away.

 

[alexdelprete]

Sorry, I should've been more clear - I have the Guarding Vision app installed and verified that the chime type is set to mechanical. Despite this, the chime still doesn't ring. I really think there's an issue with my doorbell since if I disconnect the DB1 and short the doorbell wires, the chime rings right away.

second question: did you factory reset it and reconfigured it from scratch?