New RCA HSDB2A 3MP Doorbell IP Camera

[David L]

That is the same reason I originally ordered it - a bit misleading.

Hey LaView only has white. Was thinking of painting it.

 

[pete_c]

Here purchased my generic DB2 from Ebay with a best offer from some security company. White box very generic. Will post pictures of the box.

Before this one had purchased an Openbox RCA on Ebay. Only it was used and not an openbox and I returned it as it had missing hardware and had been registered to a user.

I dealt with Ebay on the return process. They were great.

 

[ymboc]

Has anyone gotten their Gen2 to work with a honeywell digital chime?

I had struggled to get the Gen1 to work with a honeywell RCW35 but eventually got it working through a combination of upgrading to a 24v transformer and bridging the Tr & DB#1 with 1N4007 diode.

I'm struggling to get Gen2 to ring the doorbell at all when using the power kit or when trying to replicate my old setup that worked on the gen1.

I've tried a number of different setups as this troublesome chime supports 3 operating modes:
i) 100% battery powered, (Won't even power a lit doorbell)
ii) battery powered chime + AC powered doorbells, (Used this in the past with gen1 for a time)
iii) 16VAC powered chime supplies regulated 8VAC to doorbells.
iii) 16VAC powered chime steps-down the supply for the attached doorbells down to 8VAC (and 24VAC down to 12VAC) [edit]

 

[Elton Noway]

Hey LaView only has white. Was thinking of painting it.

Not in regards to a HSDB2A... but similar situation. I'm in the final steps of completing the install of the YooSee SD-M5. I orderd it in black because I could get it the fastest, not because it was the color I wanted. Since I knew I was going to paint it I went to the HD big box store to check out the available colors. Ended up finding cans of spray paint specifically formulated for use on plastic. Better yet, I found it in matte beige (a very close match to the color of my house trim). I simply masked off the camera lens and plugged the mic hole. Actually painting it was the easiest part of the entire installation.

 

[David L]

Not in regards to a HSDB2A... but similar situation. I'm in the final steps of completing the install of the YooSee SD-M5. I orderd it in black because I could get it the fastest, not because it was the color I wanted. Since I knew I was going to paint it I went to the HD big box store to check out the available colors. Ended up finding cans of spray paint specifically formulated for use on plastic. Better yet, I found it in matte beige (a very close match to the color of my house trim). I simply masked off the camera lens and plugged the mic hole. Actually painting it was the easiest part of the entire installation.

Yeah, I like the plastic paint, I have painted several things with it and all has lasted. I did slighting sand most of the things I painted thinking it would adhere better, maybe it did, not sure, but probably did not need to sand it. Just wish they had smaller cans, most things only need a little paint, I have several cans left with various colors

 

[pete_c]

I am not familiar with the Honeywell RCW35.

Reading the manual I see that you can power it with a 16VAC 10VA AC Transformer removing the batteries.



Here today I am using a 16VAC 10VA transformer with my mechanical chime.

What is the actual voltage is going to the doorbell button from the chime? You mentioned a regulated 8 VAC above.



Use a VOM to measure it.






Report

 

[patrocle]

Maybe this was asked, Can u bypass the mechanical ring in the house? just if someone presses outside to show on the phone app only?
Thanks,

 

[jds580s]

Maybe this was asked, Can u bypass the mechanical ring in the house? just if someone presses outside to show on the phone app only?
Thanks,

Yes, at least in the Laview app (the only one I have installed at the moment) there is a toggle switch for the mechanical chime. You can enable or disable it whenever you like.

 

[elitef]

I bought the Negate SG-3100. Came from an Ubiquiti EdgeRouter. Really glad made the switch. Running one Ubquiti AP that does the entire house.

Decent review of it:

Is this any better than the Unifi stuff from Ubiquiti? I have the USG, 48 POE switch, 2 AP Pro's and 1 AP HD.
Seen netgate stuff online as well as pfsense but no clue in comparison.

 

[patrocle]

Yes, at least in the Laview app (the only one I have installed at the moment) there is a toggle switch for the mechanical chime. You can enable or disable it whenever you like.

I see,
I am using Hik-Connect app and i don't see that option in it, as i know other apps have option to disable it.
Now if you put a toggle switch how do u wire that so the video door bell stays powered on?

Thanks

 

[elitef]

Here purchased my generic DB2 from Ebay with a best offer from some security company. White box very generic. Will post pictures of the box.

Before this one had purchased an Openbox RCA on Ebay. Only it was used and not an openbox and I returned it as it had missing hardware and had been registered to a user.

I dealt with Ebay on the return process. They were great.

Mind sharing your experience thus far and perhaps PM me a link to the listing
I have the DB1 from Uniden and its total crap and want something better, until i go back to ring and just route a cam above the mailbox lol

 

[jds580s]

I see,
I am using Hik-Connect app and i don't see that option in it, as i know other apps have option to disable it.
Now if you put a toggle switch how do u wire that so the video door bell stays powered on?

Thanks

Thankfully you don't have to change how its wired. Disabling the interior door chime in the Laview app just stop the video doorbell from sending the signal to the indoor chime. It still pulls power from the doorbell wires like normal no matter which chime setting is selected.

 

[JoshJ]

/If this has already been definitively answered, I apologize, but I think I have done a good job searching the thread for an answer.

Has anyone found a good/reliable way to capture the doorbell-press with software? As we all know, the doorbell does not send an ONVIF event for the doorbell-press. We also know that a relay could be installed to detect the voltage change in the circuit when the doorbell is pressed (but I don't really feel like adding another piece of hardware).

I have done some packet captures between my doorbell and VMS, and nothing jumps out at me. My next step will probably be some more in-depth network traffic captures to see if I can figure out what the doorbell does to notify the mobile app.

If any of you have already figured this out, I'd gladly take some help

Thanks,
Josh

 

[elitef]

Is there a difference between the LaView, RCA, Nellys versions?

 

[jds580s]

Is there a difference between the LaView, RCA, Nellys versions?

The differences are mostly superficial

• The physical appearance including the housing shape, branding/logos, and face plate colors offered are all a little different
• The firmware they come with - though these can be changed
• The default mobile apps each have slight differences in features, but those can be swapped for the other brands apps as well

Internal hardware seems to be the same

 

[elitef]

The differences are mostly superficial

• The physical appearance including the housing shape, branding/logos, and face plate colors offered are all a little different
• The firmware they come with - though these can be changed
• The default mobile apps each have slight differences in features, but those can be swapped for the other brands apps as well

Internal hardware seems to be the same

Just what I was looking for. So I guess its the same as with the older DB1's, diff logos but initially the same thing and can be used with either of the company's apps.
Great. Thanks!

 

[ymboc]

@pete_c:

Before I get to the solution I would like to point out as mentioned in my post, I was coming from a working solution with the predecessor to this doorbell, specifically the Hikvision DS-KB6003-WIP. Needless to say I was tearing my hair out when it's successor the HSDB2A didn't just work with my setup plug & play style. I typically solve my own problems but I posted here in frustration & desperation - so thanks for taking the time to researching my model chime & trying to help.​

A little more background about the RCW35

Not explained in the excerpt from the RCW35 manual you posted is that in that configuration the doorbell takes in 16VAC from the transformer and steps it down (in half) to 8VAC for the connected doorbells. Similarly 24VAC gets to reduced (in half) to 12VAC.... this quirk made the Gen1 tricky to get working with this chime particularly with the 'power kits' being in scarcer supply back then -- really only ring had just started making them back then.​

TL;DR #1:

Digital Chimes are a pain. Honeywell models in particular.​

TL;DR #2:

The HSDB2A appears to have a slower charging battery/capacitor solution than it's Gen1 predecessor. Even wired & powered correctly it may take some time until is charged (1-2 hours was my experience) for it to start activating the attached chime (at least if its digital) when the button is pressed.​

This quirk may lead you to falsely believe (as I did) that something was wrong in the wiring configurations you try even when you've wired things correctly.

Additional Anecdote Detail, Ranting & Final Wiring below:

I had started by configuring & flashing the doorbell on the bench minus the chime and then later tried to install it in its final place. Minus the chime of course everything worked as expected.​

​

I of course had more difficulty getting it to work in practice. Now I had two different sizes of 16VAC transformers, a 24VAC transformer and 3 different power-kits on hand that I tried (The included one, honeywell's own 'skybell digital doorbell adapter' and the simple diode that did the trick for me on the Gen1 devices. With all of these component options on hand when something didn't work I never waited long enough before trying the next configuration.​

​

I had tinkered with the doorbell all week and stayed up late the night before halloween trying to get it working. After work on halloween-proper I quickly restored the doorbell/chime to a configuration that I knew would let it work as a camera so my dahua/lorex NVR could record the night's events -- We were going to leave a large bowl out for the visiting kids while were chaperoning our own and wanted to see which kids would invariably empty it when they thought nobody was watching.​

​

About an hour later after we got back home with a own kids low and behold we were surprised to hear that the doorbell had started to activate the indoor chime. At first there was a 3 second or so lag but it reduced further to somewhere under a second. Relief & Vindication!​

Final Wiring:

 

[pete_c]

Great news ymboc!!!

So do you think removing the diode and using the little power module fixed your issue? I am not sure what the power module is to be honest.

Have you considering adding more video doorbells replacing the other other two doorbell buttons?

Here started with a Ring doorbell and original mechanical chime and 10VAC / 10AC transformer. Worked fine this way with my alarm zone triggers (Elk 930/960).

The above did not work with the DB2 doorbell.

Upped the transformer to a 16VAC and removed the voltage sensor circuit board and went to putting a reed switch by the magnet in the mechanical chime. Left the debounce board in place.

Downgraded the transformer from a 24VAC / 40VA to the 16VAC / 10VA one as the camera was getting too warm.

 

[fattmatt]

I feel like i've read almost every post in here, but I'm sure I've missed something somewhere.

I received my doorbell today. RCA model
Downloaded iVMS4200 so that I could change firmware, clear logos, etc.
I'm stuck at first part. iVMS4200 sees the camera, I click on activate, and cannot get any further. Prompts for password (username is admin). The QR code is 6 digits, and iVMS4200 required 8-16. I tried ADMIN+the 6 digit code, and admin+the 6 digit code, etc. I've tried searching for password, and iVMS4200 password, and rca password, etc and cannot seem to find the answer in here. I'm sure its somewhere simple, but cannot seem to find it.

Im having having the same issue with adding my RCA HSDB2A camera to ivms4200 or the batch config, I put in a password to activate and it keeps giving "receiving data from server is timetout" error: sadp.dll [2011]

Any suggestions?

Or is there any other way to change the exposure so that it's not super dark at day on my recessed front door setup

 

[pete_c]

Here for my generic Nelly Doorbell DB2 the camera is not activated in the batch configuration program. I just added in the top window (+) and put in the IP admin name and default password 12345. Then once editable changed the password. The DB2 shows that it is not activated in the bottom batch configuration window.







The only time I have used the bar code was when installing the app and connecting it to my home WLAN. I am not currently using the app.

Once in the configuration mode in the batch configuration program you can adjust the exposure of the camera.