New RCA HSDB2A 3MP Doorbell IP Camera

Kallb123

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Set up a guest network on my router (asus RT-AC68U) and put an old phone (not too old, the first one I tried was android 4.x and the app needed at least 5.x) on the same wifi. Got the doorbell cam connected. Loaded iVMS4200 on a laptop and connected to the same wifi. Tried to add the camera but it doesn't connect. Got the IP from the router so that should be good. Used softap_xxxxxxxxx as username and softap_xxxxxx as the password, substituting the serial number and verification code from the sticker on the front of the manual. Maybe that's not what I should be entering here?

Once I get it connected I plan to change the IP address in IVMS4200 to my main network. I don't see a way to block WAN traffic in the router until the unit is connected to the router (seems like a big oversight or maybe I just don't know how to do it) so I will disconnect the WAN cable before connecting and blocking the camera.

Is there a summary of doing this somewhere? Would really be handy to have as I stumble through this. Probably is in this thread somewhere but 300+ pages is a bit overwhelming...
The username should be admin and the password should be the verification code (6 uppercase letters)
 

pete_c

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Guessing you see your wireless AP and it is just requesting a password right now. I use my laptop wireless and laptop nIc. The doorbell AP should provide an IP. With that utilize the batch configuration program to change the DB from Ad-Hoc mode to manage mode, change the AP such that it goes to your main SSID.
 

JimLS

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Tried admin and the verification code - still no connection. Ping also fails so the problem seem to be something more basic.

I don't see the doorbell as a wireless AP. Just see the other wireless APs that are normally there - the router and wifi printer. It shows up in the router on the guest wifi but when I ping the IP (from a PC that is also on the guest network) I get "Destination host unreachable". What seems a little strange is that it reports 4 packets sent and 4 received with 0% loss. Does the guest network not allow traffic between devices also on the guest network?
 

pete_c

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Do a cold reset of the doorbell and reconfigure it from scratch. Personally here put the doorbell on the workbench and configured it using a spare transformer.

Does the guest network not allow traffic between devices also on the guest network?

No.




 

JimLS

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Do a cold reset of the doorbell and reconfigure it from scratch. Personally here put the doorbell on the workbench and configured it using a spare transformer.

Does the guest network not allow traffic between devices also on the guest network?

No.




No it doesn't allow cross network traffic or no to my negative question and it does? I can reconfigure from scratch but obviously I need to do something different next time and not sure what that would be. I used a phone on the guest network and then was trying to use the config utility on the PC. Can you give some detail on the steps you suggest?
 

JimLS

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Doing some more reading and apparently this router isolates guests from one another and there isn't a way to change that, at least not easily with the stock software. Looks like I need to use another router to set up a network isolated from my normal one that has cross device communication. I have one but it's more messing around than I didn't expect.
 

JimLS

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Somehow the laptop was on the main network not the guest network. Doh! Not sure how that happened because I did switch it before. the camera now can connect to the setup program. So apparently there is no isolation between devices on the guest network, contrary to what I read. Asus doesn't go into details on this in their docs that I know of. The intranet option in the router setup allows guest devices to see main network devices so I have that disabled.
 

pete_c

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The guest wireless traffic is isolated from the main wireless traffic. The guest traffic or lan will see the other guest traffic.
 

JimLS

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I have not used the app. The doorbell is not on a network with internet access...

Connect the device to the internet. Use the app to configure chime type, PIR stuff. Create or change admin access.

Then utilize Batch configuration to change your IP, DNS, NTP stuff. Later you can add the wireless device to a VLAN or autonomous WAP network for local use only.
Pete, Do you recommend batch config over IVMS4200? What are the basic differences? I have the camera connected to IVMS4200 on the guest network. I also noticed it found my other camera when the PC was on my main network by mistake. It shows up at the bottom of the screen in a different sub window from the doorbell cam and identified as HikVision although it was not branded with that name.
 

Daijoubu

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But voltage aside, is it able to ring a mechanical chime with DC?
Ok so I tested this myself, runs fine on 9VDC 1A, drawing about 0.4A without IR but mechanical
chime doesn't work, I think the triac much be looking for zero crossing to release, when I hit the button it pulls it down to like 5V and goes into current limiting mode (1A) and stays there.

I powered it from a 16VAC 30VA and it's all good, draws 300mA idle, 400mA with IR lights, so that's 6.4VA alone just for the doorbell itself.
10VA would be sufficient if you have no chime or an electronic one.

Also, you can easily peel off the button to mix and match the colors lol, I kinda like the B&W combos, just flex it from the back to lift the edge then pry it off, there isn't much adhesive.

 
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Kallb123

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Considering a slightly more powerful transformer to avoid the buzzing I'm currently getting (it's like we've got a neon light fitted). Anybody think this one would be appropriate: Robus Electronic Transformer 35-105VA
It seems to be 12V way more current. Its designed for light fittings but should work I guess?

Ok so I tested this myself, runs fine on 9VDC 1A, drawing about 0.4A without IR but mechanical
chime doesn't work, I think the triac much be looking for zero crossing to release, when I hit the button it pulls it down to like 5V and goes into current limiting mode (1A) and stays there.

I powered it from a 16VAC 30VA and it's all good, draws 300mA idle, 400mA with IR lights, so that's 6.4VA alone just for the doorbell itself.
10VA would be sufficient if you have no chime or an electronic one.

Also, you can easily peel off the button to mix and match the colors lol, I kinda like the B&W combos, just flex it from the back to lift the edge then pry it off, there isn't much adhesive.
I'm also wanting to swap the buttons for black and white. Do you find that the button stays in as you lift the cover vertical? You'll need the cover off to mount the doorbell and then screw the cover on. I was worried of not being able to get the button on after breaking the adhesion.
 

Daijoubu

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Considering a slightly more powerful transformer to avoid the buzzing I'm currently getting (it's like we've got a neon light fitted). Anybody think this one would be appropriate: Robus Electronic Transformer 35-105VA
It seems to be 12V way more current. Its designed for light fittings but should work I guess?



I'm also wanting to swap the buttons for black and white. Do you find that the button stays in as you lift the cover vertical? You'll need the cover off to mount the doorbell and then screw the cover on. I was worried of not being able to get the button on after breaking the adhesion.
I'm not sure if the dimmable aspect of those light transformers would play nicely with the doorbell, a regular 12V power supply would be fine, just needs to be plugged in instead of hard wired.

The adhesive is still pretty intact, I do not think it will affect adhesion, use a bit of heat to soften it, mine were just stick on the right side, there wasn't much adhesive on the left side of the button, that's half assed literally

Maybe I can make a little video on my 3rd wall plate to explain it better
 
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Kallb123

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I'm not sure if the dimmable aspect of those light transformers would play nicely with the doorbell, a regular 12V power supply would be fine, just needs to be plugged in instead of hard wired.

The adhesive is still pretty intact, I do not think it will affect adhesion, use a bit of heat to soften it, mine were just stick on the right side, there wasn't much adhesive on the left side of the button, that's half assed literally
I unfortunately don't have a socket nearby and already have a nice location for hard wiring it into the lighting circuit. There's only one bell transformer on screwfix (the one I've already tried), but there are lots of 12V lighting transformers. I'll have a read about whether any of these would work, dimmable or not.
 

Daijoubu

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Give it a try, I think it should be fine even if the output is not at a 100% duty cycle since it accepts AC, dimming DC usually involves PWM.
 

JimLS

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The guest wireless traffic is isolated from the main wireless traffic. The guest traffic or lan will see the other guest traffic.
No. That doesn't seem to be the case, at least with this router (Asus RT-AC68U). I put two laptops on the guest network. They could both get to the WAN. But I couldn't ping between them. There is an option in the guest network to allow "intranet" but that gives guests access to the regular LAN. Seems like a strange option but I suppose there may be some use for it. I will probably set up another router with the same SSID and password as the guest network so I can get the PC program to talk to the camera and allow me to bring it over to my main network without using the app.
 

pete_c

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But I couldn't ping between them.

The Windows firewall option is what is preventing the pings between them. Disable the firewall on both of them then try to ping again.

Are you planning on using the smart phone app? What is it you want to do with the doorbell camera? Isolate it from the internet or isolate it from other computers?

If not then put the doorbell camera on the main lan and block the camera's mac address from going out to the internet.
 

pete_c

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Do you recommend batch config over IVMS4200? What are the basic differences? I have the camera connected to IVMS4200 on the guest network.

Hikvision Batch Configuration is just a configuration program and Hikvision iVMS4200 is a client application that works fine in Windows, Linux or Android. I have used it on my old Windows and newer Android phone. Works great.

Using Zoneminder here for an NVR.
 
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andycots

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Does anyone know if any of the Ezviz IFTTT "alarm type" triggers relate to the actual bell push, i know the "motion detection alarm" is the pir, just would like the actual bellpush.

Also i have asked this before but cannot find info, how do i access the log in BC, got correct place but cannot access any info, whatever i ask for it just says "no log found"

Thanks
 
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Phontana

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I tried it with:
  • 12V, 1A AC (regular Din-Rail Transformer)
  • 24V, 2A AC (Transformer for Surveilance Camera Systems)
  • 8V-16V-24V, 1,5A AC (regular Din-Rail Transformer with 3 Connections for different voltages)
  • Labatory Power Supply, tried with 12V and 24V DC @ max 5A (to avoid frying something I limited it to 1A-2A with overcurrent-protection)
I tried the labaratory one to test it with DC, because this would be simple to filter spikes. And another thing: I tried to keep the devices apart and used wires only as long as necessary to avoid problems (talk-over, whatever).
I did not send the unit back yet. I will try a last try with longer cables and try to shield the components to exclude possible spikes; maybe i can check it with a 12v Battery to even exclude spikes on the power grid ;)

/edit: Nope, did not work. One thing i noticed: if i turn off the light, the IR-LEDs will become active after a few seconds - in that moment, more current is flowing through the chime (it begins vibrating, but not enough to move the core in the coil against the bell). After pressing the doorbell, the chime rings and everything is normal; its like the powerkit is not adjusting to the "new" current and is only bypassing the current it sees initially.
One thing i noticed: if i turn off the light, the IR-LEDs will become active after a few seconds - in that moment, more current is flowing through the chime

I noticed the same when I adjusted the new current sensor switch. Not the chime part rather it was triggering the new current switch.

Sounds like it your Video Doorbell is not functioning correctly. That said just return / exchange it for another one.
Again a little Status Update:

At first, now i got 2 devices laying around - thanks to amazon i have some time to send back the faulty unit.
I spend now over 2 hours to get the new Unit working - i tried it with the following options:
  • EZVIZ App (the regular way)
    Problem: After configuring WiFi, the Device connects successfully to WLAN (i can view the livestream for example), but the App says, it could not configure the device
  • Hikvision App - same Problem
  • I tried the manual way with batch Configuration Tool (like the Apps, the Network Configuration is successful) and tried to add the Device over Ezviz Web and Hik-Connect. But it isn't possible, it quits with "The device is offline. No search result is found. " after entering the Serial-Number.
Don't know, what I'm missing, but with the other unit, all this ways worked - mysterious. I also tried the latest Ezviz and hikvision FW.

The Big Problem now is, i cant test the chime, because without App it is not impossible to set the type of chime - and out of the Box it is not working, so i guess the default chime-mode is "none". Now i have to contact the Support i think.

And I took a look at the powerkit - you will not guess :D There are no missing resistors! :smash:Maybe this is the whole cause of the problem, as @fredkruger already guessed.

My todo-list now:
  1. contact Ezviz to unlock/register the S/N
    if this fails, contact amazon and take all the functional parts (old doorbell, new powerkit) and send back the other stuff
    little sidenote: The Doorbell arrived in original packaging (box with this kind of cellophane), but it was obvious, that this doorbell is not 100% new; there were fingerprints and the wires are used.
  2. test everything
  3. flash Hikvision FW
  4. test again
  5. and finally/hopefully install it
Hmm, Plug & Play is no longer what it seems to be :D
I have the same issue. I just received my third (!) doorbell kit and they all have the same issue. If I open the power kit and have a look at it, it seems 3 resistors are missing just like @moista mentioned. Is there a way to fix the power kit myself? I don't have the impression that ordering more doorbells at different stores will solve the problem. I already received 2 doorbell kits with a date on the package of May 2020, and 1 of October 2020. I'm out of ideas, can anyone point me in the right direction?

Everything else works fine, except for the additional current flowing through the circuit once the IR LEDs turn on. It is driving me mad at the moment since I really like the features of this doorbell.
 

pete_c

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What is the size of the AC doorbell transformer that you are using?

I upgraded my original transformer.
 
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