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I thought I'd post this as it might be of interest to some as a little DIY project. I've been meaning to sort out a smart doorbell for a while but didn't want to use a Hikvision or Ring doorbell or intercom for the following reasons:
1 - Route an alarm cable (4 cores needed) between the camera and bell push position.
2 - Connect 1 pair to the alarm input and 1 pair to the alarm output at the camera end. I used red/black for the input and yellow/blue for the output
3 - At the other end connect red/black to a new standard wired bell push. I got one for £3 from ScrewFix. Before fitting I noted that the one I bought had a lamp fitted and this meant that the contacts were at 60 ohms rather than open circuit due to the lamp. I removed the lamp as it wasn't going to be used and I didn't want that resistance there.
4 - My existing doorbell was wireless - a Byron model also bought from ScrewFix many years ago, though there's no reason this wouldn't be possible with any wireless push. I removed the circuit board as shown
5 - I then picked off the plate that the button depresses to sound the doorbell, leaving the contacts displayed as shown
6 - I soldered a pair of wires across two of the contact points on the circuit board and connected those to the yellow/blue pair coming from the camera alarm output. I've fitted the circuit board behind a single gang blank plate and this is inside the house behind the doorbell
With that complete - in the NVR menu (or camera menu if it's a standalone camera)
1 - Enable the alarm input, set to normally open operation and name it "Doorbell"
2 - In the Linkage Action for the alarm input set "Notify Surveillance Centre", "Trigger Alarm Output" (for the cameras output) and "Trigger Channel" (selecting the camera at the door)
3 - Name the Alarm Output "Doorbell" - nothing else needed.
And that's it. When someone presses the "dumb" doorbell.....it activates the input, which activates the output, which triggers my existing doorbell. Simultaneously I get a push notification from the HikConnect app. Touch the notification, Live View, Activate 2 Way Audio........or just answer the door!
Edit: With hindsight it would've been easier from an installation point of view to use an NVR alarm output for the linkage. That way I could've put the wireless doorbell push behind the NVR and avoided fitting a visible box behind the doorbell inside the house.
- They're a bit unsightly
- I already have a camera next to the front door
- The Hikvision doorbell can't have an indoor chime unless you use their indoor station/monitor. That monitor goes to sleep, so I prefer just to use a wall mounted tablet with all cameras available using iVMS/HikConnect
- I want to retain the existing doorbell. If I don't have the Hikvision indoor chime and rely on HikConnect it's no good if I'm home but have wandered away from my phone.
1 - Route an alarm cable (4 cores needed) between the camera and bell push position.
2 - Connect 1 pair to the alarm input and 1 pair to the alarm output at the camera end. I used red/black for the input and yellow/blue for the output
3 - At the other end connect red/black to a new standard wired bell push. I got one for £3 from ScrewFix. Before fitting I noted that the one I bought had a lamp fitted and this meant that the contacts were at 60 ohms rather than open circuit due to the lamp. I removed the lamp as it wasn't going to be used and I didn't want that resistance there.
4 - My existing doorbell was wireless - a Byron model also bought from ScrewFix many years ago, though there's no reason this wouldn't be possible with any wireless push. I removed the circuit board as shown
5 - I then picked off the plate that the button depresses to sound the doorbell, leaving the contacts displayed as shown
6 - I soldered a pair of wires across two of the contact points on the circuit board and connected those to the yellow/blue pair coming from the camera alarm output. I've fitted the circuit board behind a single gang blank plate and this is inside the house behind the doorbell
With that complete - in the NVR menu (or camera menu if it's a standalone camera)
1 - Enable the alarm input, set to normally open operation and name it "Doorbell"
2 - In the Linkage Action for the alarm input set "Notify Surveillance Centre", "Trigger Alarm Output" (for the cameras output) and "Trigger Channel" (selecting the camera at the door)
3 - Name the Alarm Output "Doorbell" - nothing else needed.
And that's it. When someone presses the "dumb" doorbell.....it activates the input, which activates the output, which triggers my existing doorbell. Simultaneously I get a push notification from the HikConnect app. Touch the notification, Live View, Activate 2 Way Audio........or just answer the door!
Edit: With hindsight it would've been easier from an installation point of view to use an NVR alarm output for the linkage. That way I could've put the wireless doorbell push behind the NVR and avoided fitting a visible box behind the doorbell inside the house.
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