Review-Dahua/EmpireTech new doorbell cam Db6l 5mp

[tng5737]

Thanks for the further instructions - I'll try to use this method in the future.
I have an update on my perp(s) - I posted the surveillance vids and pix up on our neighborhood FB page as I mentioned before. Tonight my cams showed a mom and her son arriving at my door. She didn't look too happy and he definitely looked like he did NOT want to be there. We weren't home at the time but I got great pictures the the two and their car. Too bad I didn't have the new 5442 setup I could ALMOST read the license plate on their car. I showed the picture of the boy to my neighbor who confirmed that THAT was the kid he chased down the street in an incident about a week prior to our first occurrence. I suspect that they will return tomorrow but at any rate I have better pictures for the police. I wish we had been home so I could have asked him WHY our house! What do you guys think IF I asked this guy to rat out his fellow perps to the cops just for the record. I don't want to press charges since no real damage except loss of sleep was done. What would you do?

 

[gadutchman]

I was very enthused about the DB6I but hearing that human detentions will not trigger a recording in Blue Iris is very bad news for how I planned on using it. Is this still true or has someone developed a work around for this? Is this also true of all the other Dahua based versions like the AD410, B451A, etc?
(thanks all for the wealth of information in these threads and the in depth reviews!!!)

 

[wittaj]

I was very enthused about the DB6I but hearing that human detentions will not trigger a recording in Blue Iris is very bad news for how I planned on using it. Is this still true or has someone developed a work around for this? Is this also true of all the other Dahua based versions like the AD410, B451A, etc?
(thanks all for the wealth of information in these threads and the in depth reviews!!!)

Use DeepStack with Blue Iris for human detection.

 

[Robert G.]

How are you supposed to configure this little bugger?

Install it, boots up, it enables its own WIFI network.

Install DMSS on your phone

You are forced to create an account in the DMSS software

Then what? Join the camera's WIFI network I assume, since that would be the only way to access it.

Run DMSS, attempt to add device (it finds it no problem) and every time you attempt to add you get 'Connection Failed'

I'm stuck at that point. :-(

 

[shred86]

Any updates on this doorbell camera? Firmware updates? Has anyone done a comparison to the Amcrest AD410? I realize they're likely the same doorbell camera but just wasn't sure if one is more configurable than the other. It seems like both will accept URL commands to change settings which is good. I recently got an Amcrest DB410 but there's an issue with the IR lights that cause both the left and right side of the video in night mode to be washed out, so I'm considering the EmpireTech DB6I, although I really want it in a dark color.

 

[green1]

Any updates on this doorbell camera? Firmware updates? Has anyone done a comparison to the Amcrest AD410? I realize they're likely the same doorbell camera but just wasn't sure if one is more configurable than the other. It seems like both will accept URL commands to change settings which is good. I recently got an Amcrest DB410 but there's an issue with the IR lights that cause both the left and right side of the video in night mode to be washed out, so I'm considering the EmpireTech DB6I, although I really want it in a dark color.

The update is that if you do a firmware update, you lose the ability to do URL commands completely. You end up locked into using only the DMSS app, and lose any ability to integrate with any other form of automation or system.
It's also only a matter of time before newer cameras come with newer firmware, so they may be broken right out of the box. I can no longer recommend this camera.

 

[truglo]

@EMPIRETECANDY can you verify if your current usa amazon based stock of db6i cameras comes with firmware that works properly with HTTP API commands? (currently I see 9 in stock)

@green1, hopefully I can snag one of the good ones while they're still available. Otherwise, running cat6 to my bell spot will be quite the mission. I refuse to add a camera to my system that does not work with http api commands.

Also in general... is voice out still DMSS only, or has someone figured out how to use BI instead?

Further... is it not possible to downgrade firmware to get API working if you for whatever reason have a db6i that is on the latest version.

 

[green1]

Further... is it not possible to downgrade firmware to get API working if you for whatever reason have a db6i that is on the latest version.

I was successful in downgrading mine, however there is no guarantee that you will have the same success, nor is it guaranteed that a future firmware update will not break that ability. I would certainly be very reluctant to buy hardware counting on that ability.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

if your current usa amazon based stock of db6i cameras comes with firmware that works properly with HTTP API commands? ------ I will check with the engineer if can work.

 

[truglo]

if your current usa amazon based stock of db6i cameras comes with firmware that works properly with HTTP API commands? ------ I will check with the engineer if can work.

Yes exactly… thanks I look forward to the answer. Also, if the answer is no, then is it possible to load older firmware to enable http api commands?

 

[waterside]

Yes exactly… thanks I look forward to the answer. Also, if the answer is no, then is it possible to load older firmware to enable http api commands?

I just received a DB6I (EmpireTech) from Amazon and it has firmware Eng_N_V1.000.0000003.0.R.20220224. This version does still support the CGI API (no I do not plan on updating from that version)

You should be able to find previous versions of firmware if you need to downgrade using the location in a previous post: DH-DB6I Doorbell warning, DO NOT UPGRADE FIRMWARE! You may be able to use either ConfigTool or SmartPSS to update the firmware.

With reference to the image quality noted in a few previous posts, I had found that 3D Noise Reduction was disabled for all profiles. With such a small sensor if anything more than minimal gain is required you'll find that you likely need this. I used SmartPSS to enable 3D NR but it had minimal impact. Using the API I found that the amount of noise reduction was set to the minimum, and bumping this up made a huge difference. The API is required for this since neither SmartPSS nor the DMSS app have the ability to change this.

For the Day profile I initially used:
curl --digest --user admin http://cam-db6i/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInDenoise[0][0].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=50
For the Night profile I initially used:
curl --digest --user admin http://cam-db6i/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInDenoise[0][1].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=50

cam-db6i would be the name/ip of your DB camera. The value of 50 is a standard default and should be adjusted to fit your needs (it was 0 out-of-the-box). Ideally you want to reduce this as low as possible while still maintaining a good image.
I found that the above settings also did change a few other values apparently also related to 3D Noise Reduction, which is probably not unexpected.

 

[truglo]

Excellent, thanks for verifying waterside. I'm going to go ahead and order one to go along with my older dome cam. Also thanks for sharing how you use the commands, and the notes about access to 3dnr. The way I've been doing it is first tuning day and night profiles in each camera, and just using VideoInMode like this (night mode on in this example), /cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInMode[0].Config[0]=1. I use blueiris to send the commands with it's custom http ptz section. The same setup also controls daily reboots, as well as rezoom/refocus after switching to day/night mode for the varifocals. It has been 100% reliable for years, and more importantly cloud free. Adding cloud in the mix is puts a capital L on top of security and privacy, IMHO.

 

[truglo]

...edited:

I realized the chime kit shown in the manual appears to be only for electronic chimes, not mechanical.

 

[GaryOkie]

I just realized that "chime kit" can mean two very different things between Amcrest and Dahua!

For Dahua, the chime kit is an indoor standalone WiFi Chime that is compatible with the DB6I and DB11 doorbells!

For Amcrest, the chime kit is a matchbook-size electronic relay that is installed within an existing mechanical or electric chime to cut power to the doorbell when the doorbell is pressed. Installing an AD410 without the chime kit installed along with existing chimes can blow an internal surface-mounted fuse killing it (unless it is USB powered).

In this Dahua DB6I/Lorex 2K quick start guide, there is no mention of anything else needing to be installed inside an existing chime, nor any mention or caution about wiring with an existing chime.

However, in this separate Lorex BJ451AJ installation guide, it references a chime kit, same as Amcrest!

So @truglo - what chime kit are you referring to? If you are referring to the gizmo that is installed inside an existing chime, it applies to mechanical chimes too, not just electronic.

 

[Tinman]

I just realized that "chime kit" can mean two very different things between Amcrest and Dahua!

For Dahua, the chime kit is an indoor standalone WiFi Chime that is compatible with the DB6I and DB11 doorbells!

For Amcrest, the chime kit is a matchbook-size electronic relay that is installed within an existing mechanical or electric chime to cut power to the doorbell when the doorbell is pressed. Installing an AD410 without the chime kit installed along with existing chimes can blow an internal surface-mounted fuse killing it (unless it is USB powered).

In this Dahua DB6I/Lorex 2K quick start guide, there is no mention of anything else needing to be installed inside an existing chime, nor any mention or caution about wiring with an existing chime.

However, in this separate Lorex BJ451AJ installation guide, it references a chime kit, same as Amcrest!

So @truglo - what chime kit are you referring to? If you are referring to the gizmo that is installed inside an existing chime, it applies to mechanical chimes too, not just electronic.

The Dahua DB61 I bought from Andy did come with the chime kit.

 

[GaryOkie]

Thanks for confirming. I figured it must have come with one since in all other respects (besides case/color) they appear to be identical hardware. Strange though the quick start guide didn't mention anything about a chime kit, but at least the instructions you have shown did.

My concern here was truglo posting that he read in the manual the chime kit was not needed for mechanical chimes. I'm pretty sure that can't be correct - unless it was referring to the wifi standalone chime kit.

 

[waterside]

I realized the chime kit shown in the manual appears to be only for electronic chimes, not mechanical.

If you are referring to the DB6I then the included chime kit is for both mechanical and electronic chimes. I am using it with a mechanical chime myself.
I almost missed that this was included - it was underneath the top layer in the box along with the screws and pigtails. My QSG did show a chime kit listed under package contents, and had an entire section (step 4) for installing this. There is no mention of electronic vs mechanical - just that it must be used with third party chimes.

You do need to select which type of external chime is used via DMSS. By default there is no external chime enabled (at least in my case)

 

[truglo]

Thanks a bunch for verifying waterside! I figured something was going to be necessary for this to work with my old mechanical chime. Without any additional circuitry, I figured the db6i would have to short it's own power supply to ring the bell otherwise. It could be a simple circuit, but guessing from the fact that you have to select between mechanical and electrical chime in the app it is more sophisticated. The chime kit likely contains an IC that communicates with the db6i over the bell wires, so it can internally work it's magic at feeding both the bell and the db6i with current.

Here is the install manual I was referring to in my above post in case anyone was curious where that info came from:

DahuaWiki

dahuawiki.com

I can't find where I read that the chime kit was optional... brain fart. I think that may have been from when I was reading about that wifi add on, or even add on chimes for other cam/bells.

On a side note... mine's supposed to arrive tomorrow. Hopefully there's enough time to get in going before the holiday WAF for doing such projects draws to a brief close.

[Edit: Well, my package arrived bright and early this morning, and I already have it connected to my isolated LAN and working with blue iris. Mine also came shipped with Eng_N_V1.000.0000003.0.R.20220224 , and I verified that API commands still work. Incidentally I noticed I could not "downgrade" to the 2021 firmware, but it doesn't seem to matter. Now I hope Dahua gets their act together and opens up 2-way over RTSP. The DMSS bell alerts and 2-wway voice seem to work well, but it also means trusting your day to day privacy with overseas cloud servers (not my cup of joe). For now, my doorbell alerts are handled by homeassistant (using a hall sensor and arduino nano with serial sensor). Still... would be nice to have the 2-way talk.

I have to comment as well... the packaging was impressive compared to what I'm used to... heavy duty well fit box with detailed compartmentalization... reminded me of apple packaging lol.]

 

[truglo]

Unfortunately the unmodified DB6i chime kit was too thick to fit under the low profile cover of my mechanical chime. So I removed the chime kit plastic enclosure with my hands and thumbnails, took a photo, and retried fitting it under the cover. I still couldn't shoehorn it in. So I took it to my soldering iron, carefully removed the large green screw terminal block, then soldered some wires in it's place. I used some VHT tape to stick it in the only place where it would fit. It was still about 1/8" too thick to slap on the front of the chime like I wanted.



Anyhow, the background story probably doesn't matter unless you have a similarly compact chime housing that makes it hard to fit a chime kit. OTOH, what may be more of interest to some is the PCB. The choice and connection of the shunts is interesting (prolly cheaper for the 50-50-10 ohm in parallel, vs having a more expensive part on the BOM). The bottom of the PCB is not interesting. It has through holes for the screw terminals (no traces to them), and a large ground plane that connects to all of the vias. You can see what appears to be a replaceable fuse near the green block marked as F1 (T1 perhaps is 1A rating). The larger 6-pin DIP (LCB710) seems to be a 1A 60V 1-pole relay (I haven't seem many silicone relays TBH). The 8-pin package is a 2-channel differential comparator. The 4-pin package in the middle looks like diodes or an opto-isolator to me. So anyways, it looks like an overall robust analog circuit, that should be easy to repair if something comes up.



It works perfect with my chime, even without an internet connection. I did have to use DMSS to configure the chime link, but it's isolated now.

 

[GaryOkie]

Nice work getting it to fit inside!

I took the easy way out and just placed mine on top of the chime housing, wires routed through where they didn't impede the sound. It's 7.5' high so good enough to be unseen.

And speaking of repair possibilities - a guy over in the amcrest forum fixed a Lorex 2K DB that would not power up via AC transformer - only 5v USB. He found he just needed to replace a 3A SMT slow blow fuse.