Review-Dahua/EmpireTech new doorbell cam Db6l 5mp

sina55555

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yeah.. 2301 has poe.. found it also a few days ago. also discussed in another thread here.

All old VTO can be used as standalone, no need for display. You can register the app directly.

Only problem is, that you cannot add a chime to it. Dahua dont want to link the relay in the firmware to the button press.. always the chinese favour of a half perfect device. They are obsessed with it for some reason.
when a video intercom connects to a calling system there is no need to get a chime relay or button for bell because in sip protocol you can get more of this.
but in standalone access controllers like ASI1212D i saw a bell wire and a button for it.
 

sina55555

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Too bad the vto models are lower resolution than the doorbell version. As you said, no perfect product.
I will say, if this is anything like the amcrest version, you might as well figure it as not having a chime relay either. Seems if you hook it up to a chime, there's a high probability of frying it.

Even if I go with this camera, I'll have to build a relay to trigger the chime, because I already lost two ad410 doorbells by hooking them up to my existing chime, I won't do that again. So might as well use VTO, at least you get Ethernet for stability. Of course you also have a bulkier device on your doorframe, and lower resolution, so there's no winning.

I just desperately need to get rid of those awful Skybell HDs I have now!
as you said this is a VTO. it means Video Intercom Outdoor, Not Camera! you can't get it instead of Doorbell camera or IP camera and on fisheye lens of doorbell cameras & video intercoms implicates that in this situations not require high resolution camera. just angel of sight is important not details of picture...
 

sina55555

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For exactly the same reasons I stated the first time, with higher resolution you can identify more people at further distances. Given your argument, you might as well save bandwidth by having a two pixel by two pixel sensor. You won't be able to see anything, but apparently that's not important.
There's no reason a good doorbell camera cannot double as a security camera for that area. Not all of us want our houses to look like some drug den with thousands of cameras everywhere. In the week that my ad410 work properly, I found the camera to be very good at being able to identify people anywhere on my property. The higher megapixel count was the reason for that, the lower megapixel count of the skybell in comparison was unable to identify people at those distances. The fisheye lens is actually crucial in a doorbell camera, because it's the only way of getting enough field to view in that small area. So for the door stations to be missing those, causes problems in that I'm unlikely to be able to see people's faces. This is only made worse by the wide short aspect ratio, that makes it more likely that heads be cut off.

Basically, they put a better camera sensor in the smaller doorbell, than in the huge bulky VTO, your size comparison is the reverse of reality.keep in mind, that smartphone cameras these days are 10 megapixel, and although the optics will never beat a DSLR, a generate amazing pictures. And smartphones are no bigger than an acceptable doorbell.
if you can get a high resolution picture with more details, there is no good reason to buy doorbell or video intercom. a high 5MP or 8MP dome camera or high resolution pin hole cameras can give you better picture and maybe it has microphone or audio in/out....
 

green1

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I always love the "you're using it wrong" argument that tries to pretend that a whole market segment shouldn't exist. A market segment that many companies think there's a lot of demand for.
 

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Great review by @looney2ns here. For those interested, I just did a night test comparison video of this doorbell cam (Dahua DB6I/ EmpireTec DB5X) to the Unifi G4 doorbell and Dahua 5442T turret HERE for anyone looking to see how it compares.
 

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Getting back to the topic, I thought I would add this info for anyone who is wanting to use this doorbell in BlueIris. I am using the white model I bought from Andy.

My settings so far that I use work in BlueIris as well as DMSS app. Like Looney states you MUST use SmartPSS to setup your encoder settings in the doorbell. Here is what I use, but you can select what you prefer, but get these set first.

Screenshot 2022-02-14 105140.jpg

In order to make the I-frame match your FPS you must apply these 2 codes using your browser, note I set mine up for 10 FPS.

http://camera.ip.address/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.GOP=10
http://camera.ip.address/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].ExtraFormat[0].Video.GOP=10

Once you run these 2 commands you can double check your settings took by using this command line:


You will be prompted to enter your doorbell login credentials and you should see all your settings. Look for these entries to make sure you got it right.

table.Encode[0].ExtraFormat[0].Video.FPS=10
table.Encode[0].ExtraFormat[0].Video.GOP=10


table.Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.FPS=10
table.Encode[0].MainFormat[0].Video.GOP=10



Then check your doorbell status in BI and it should reflect your settings:

Screenshot 2022-02-14 105146.jpg

Also, here are some other findings:

The only mode setting I could get to work in SmartPss was the “Wide Dynamic” and to enable it set it to 1 (nothing more will work at this time). Hopefully a future firmware will address these issues. As far as the DMSS app working as a doorbell app, it works fine, just need the ability to do ALL the settings in it.
Setting the sharpness to "0" will eliminate the night noise.

Here is a night example in B/W:


And here is one in color. Since I have a 7 watt door light on all night and motion floods, I run mine in color.

 

GaryOkie

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Tinman, What API call (or software) did you use to set the sharpness to 0, and was it for day and night, or night only ? If using the API, can you confirm if this command is all that's needed:
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0

I've learned that using SmartPSS or a Dahua NVR to make video changes like this, additional settings get changed or added that are unexpected - and sometimes undesirable.

So what I have been doing lately is to capture the doorbell's current config, and then comparing it to the settings after a change via the NVR or SmartPSS. For example, I used the NVR UI to select the Night profile and change sharpness=0, and nothing else - but found that all this got changed...

VideoInDenoise[0][0].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=0 (was 50)
VideoInDenoise[0][1].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=0 (was 50)
VideoInDenoise[0][2].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=0 (was 50)
VideoInMode[0].Config[0]=1 (was 0)
VideoInOptions[0].NightOptions.SwitchMode=3 (was 0)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.TridimDenoise=true (was false)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.EEMode=0 (was 50)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.TridimDenoise=true (was false)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NormalOptions.TridimDenoise=1 (was 0)
VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0 (was 50)

And all of these got ADDED that weren't present in the config before:


VideoInOptions[0].SwitchMode=0
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.Gain=0
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.SwitchMode=3
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.bSwitchMode=5
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.Gain=0
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.SwitchMode=3
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NormalOptions.SwitchMode=3

Many of these settings listed above weren't described in the CGI API manual, but I did find Switchmode settings...

NightOptions.SwitchMode
0: NoSwitch, always use day options.
1: Switch depends on brightness.
2: Switch depends on time, switch to NightOptions when time is after sunset time and before sunrise.
3: NoSwitch, always use NightOptions.
4: No switch, always use NormalOptions

P.S. I discovered the same oddity with the WDR setting as well... It doesn't support a "range" value at all, but only 0 or 1. Any other value is the same as turning WDR off.
 
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Tinman

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Tinman, What API call (or software) did you use to set the sharpness to 0, and was it for day and night, or night only ? If using the API, can you confirm if this command is all that's needed:
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0

I've learned that using SmartPSS or a Dahua NVR to make video changes like this, additional settings get changed or added that are unexpected - and sometimes undesirable.

So what I have been doing lately is to capture the doorbell's current config, and then comparing it to the settings after a change via the NVR or SmartPSS. For example, I used the NVR UI to select the Night profile and change sharpness=0, and nothing else - but found that all this got changed...

VideoInDenoise[0][0].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=0 (was 50)
VideoInDenoise[0][1].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=0 (was 50)
VideoInDenoise[0][2].3DAutoType.AutoLevel=0 (was 50)
VideoInMode[0].Config[0]=1 (was 0)
VideoInOptions[0].NightOptions.SwitchMode=3 (was 0)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.TridimDenoise=true (was false)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.EEMode=0 (was 50)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.TridimDenoise=true (was false)
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NormalOptions.TridimDenoise=1 (was 0)
VideoInSharpness[0][1].Sharpness=0 (was 50)

And all of these got ADDED that weren't present in the config before:


VideoInOptions[0].SwitchMode=0
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.Gain=0
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.SwitchMode=3
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].DayOptions.bSwitchMode=5
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.Gain=0
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NightOptions.SwitchMode=3
VideoInPreviewOptions[0].NormalOptions.SwitchMode=3

Many of these settings listed above weren't described in the CGI API manual, but I did find Switchmode settings...

NightOptions.SwitchMode
0: NoSwitch, always use day options.
1: Switch depends on brightness.
2: Switch depends on time, switch to NightOptions when time is after sunset time and before sunrise.
3: NoSwitch, always use NightOptions.
4: No switch, always use NormalOptions

P.S. I discovered the same oddity with the WDR setting as well... It doesn't support a "range" value at all, but only 0 or 1. Any other value is the same as turning WDR off.
I did only use the SmartPss program to set the sharpness. BTW it was after reading many of your posts I figured out the WDR setting...thanks for that. My intention here was to make some sort of instructions for us BlueIris users. I also just Blueiris to change from day mode to night mode.
 

GaryOkie

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Ok, thanks for clarifying how the sharpness was changed. I don't know yet if using SmartPSS is as "generous" in making additional changes as the NVR, just that in the past, I've had to factory reset to get the video back to normal on occasions. I always knew there were some mysterious additional changes going on, but now I have complete evidence of what a simple change via the NVR can cause.

Bottom line for me, it is actually safer and cleaner to make specific changes like this via the API. SmartPSS/NVR is not entirely in lock step with reading existing doorbell configurations and preserving them. So be aware.
 
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GaryOkie

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Can anyone that has the Dahua DH-DB6I confirm if the snapshot resolution is the full 2K (2560x1920) please? On the AD410 snapshots are oddly created at 720x576 and I was wondering if the Dahua firmware was configured the same.

Also, could you try using SmartPSS to see if it works to change the snapshot resolution please? When I try using SmartPSS or Amcrest ViewPro both apps crash immediately when selecting the encode/snapshot tab! If you are able to duplicate the crash, then it's definitely a bug, and yet more evidence that these apps don't handle the doorbell firmware all that well.

(snapshots can be created/downloaded via the DMSS app or via API - <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/snapshot.cgi and then saved as jpg from the browser)
 

Tinman

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Can anyone that has the Dahua DH-DB6I confirm if the snapshot resolution is the full 2K (2560x1920) please? On the AD410 snapshots are oddly created at 720x576 and I was wondering if the Dahua firmware was configured the same.

Also, could you try using SmartPSS to see if it works to change the snapshot resolution please? When I try using SmartPSS or Amcrest ViewPro both apps crash immediately when selecting the encode/snapshot tab! If you are able to duplicate the crash, then it's definitely a bug, and yet more evidence that these apps don't handle the doorbell firmware all that well.

(snapshots can be created/downloaded via the DMSS app or via API - <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/snapshot.cgi and then saved as jpg from the browser)
Yes my SmartPss crashes as well and I sent snapshot via email using DMSS and it was 720 x 576 as well. I can grab a snapshot of the main stream in BI that is 2560 x 1920.
 

Tinman

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Just found in the DMSS app if you have HD stream selected and take snapshot it will produce a full 2560 x 1920 image.

IMG_4299.JPG
 

GaryOkie

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Hey Tinman, thanks for the confirmations! Well, this is interesting - I too found that a snapshot created in SmartHome (DMSS equivalent) app that is emailed is also 2560x1920 res.
But when using the API call - <ip_addr>/cgi-bin/snapshot.cgi - the image is 720x576 no matter what resolution mode the doorbell is in. I suspect the same would be true for the Dahua.

Where this matters is in apps like Home Assistant where service calls to the doorbell to capture a snapshot are made via the API. It's possible to use ffmpeg to grab a still frame from the HD RTSP stream like BI may be doing, but that's a hassle.

I will try to use the API to change the snapshot resolution encoding since SmartPSS can't do it. But if the API call for snapshots is only set up to capture from the substream, then it's a problem.
 
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GaryOkie

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I was able to change the doorbell snapshot resolution using the API. Home Assistant snapshot service now capturing 2K doorbell images as will any app using the Dahua snapshot.cgi API.

@hawkeye217 - you wanted to know if this was possible, so here's how to change snapshot resolution from 720x576 to 2K HD...

<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].SnapFormat[0].Video.resolution=2560x1920
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].SnapFormat[0].Video.Width=2560
<ip_addr>/cgi-bin/configManager.cgi?action=setConfig&Encode[0].SnapFormat[0].Video.Height=1920
 

XrayDoc88

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Dahua DH-DB6I is a fairly new release, approximately end of 2021. Do you think this doorbell is actually made by Dahua? A very similar looking Lorex 2K QHD doorbell has been released for over a year.
 

XrayDoc88

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That makes sense. It just seems like the reverse for the OEM brand to be released way in advance of the manufacturer's model.

I've read in the posts about this doorbell that you can only change the doorbell encoding by using SmartPSS. Is that still the case? I've never used this program. I found the download site for SmartPSS. Can I have that installed alongside Blue Iris without causing problems? Or should I adjust the doorbell with SmartPSS and then uninstall it?
 

green1

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That makes sense. It just seems like the reverse for the OEM brand to be released way in advance of the manufacturer's model.

I've read in the posts about this doorbell that you can only change the doorbell encoding by using SmartPSS. Is that still the case? I've never used this program. I found the download site for SmartPSS. Can I have that installed alongside Blue Iris without causing problems? Or should I adjust the doorbell with SmartPSS and then uninstall it?
SmartPSS is only for changing settings, it won't interfere with other applications, and doesn't need to stay installed.

As for why dahua choose to release to a bunch of OEMs before themselves, no idea their rationale, but seems pretty clear looking at all the ones that are known to just rebrand dahua who released it.
 

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