API and 3rd party access for Argus 2

[mstein_150718180290688]

Hi,

it would be really great, to be able to access the Argus 2 via any API.

To get:
1) live picture jpeg (not streaming, only current image would be enough)
2) get a push notification to a defined url, when movement occurs
3) be able to download recorded videos (request to get a list of a day and be able to download them) - or automatic ftp upload

That all must only be available in the local network.

[Vincent Le Bourlot_125350336073969]

Documentation is a bit confusing on this point...

https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007011233-How-to-Capture-Live-JPEG-Image-of-Reolink-Cameras-via-Web-Browsers#article-comments

it says both "Applies to: All Reolink IP cameras ( B800, Reolink battery-powered cameras, Reolink E1, and Reolink E1 pro excluded )." including battery-powered, and later: "Note: Access via web browsers is currently not available for Reolink battery-powered cameras to save the battery life."

First, Reolink, could you please clarify the documentation so it's not ambiguous. Second, isn't it the users responsibility to manage battery life, and not yours by restricting access? For instance, my argus 2s are plugged to a solar panel and constantly at max charge during the day, it's a shame I can't access it via web browser...

[Jose_320595376935068]

Second, isn't it the users responsibility to manage battery life, and not yours by restricting access? For instance, my argus 2s are plugged to a solar panel and constantly at max charge during the day, it's a shame I can't access it via web browser...

I'm using Argus Eco and PT cameras from a few weeks only, and very strongly agree with that statement. Reolink people should be aware that we have not chosen these models by whim, but because the required position of the camera doesn't make possible a plug or a POE, but this should not imply such cutting of many basic features whose relationship with the battery is not clear, and moreover when most, if not all, of battery-power users have solar panels as well.

It looks as the battery-powered cameras were the "poor relation" with respect to the rest of Reolink devices, thus using the charging issue as an excuse to cut some features that actually could be easily implemented but we, users, need: web browser access, "common user" type, motion detection area (!!!), saving to FTP server (!!!) or privacy mask, to say the most obvious ones for me.

Escapes me what most of these have to do with battery level but, anyway, if the phone and PC applications are able to know the battery status and whether the camera is connected to a power source (solar panel or other), I don't see what problem would be to implement something as simple as:

- Define what charging threshold would each "problematic" feature require.
- If the user configures some feature requiring a given battery level and it is likely to fall below the threshold, notify the user that feature will be on hold until battery recharging.
- Moreover, there could be an overall, user-defined, threshold for battery warning, although never less than the default, factory defined, one (this would cover the case the user was a long distance away from the camera and would prefer to have some security margin to deal with the issue).

As Vincent Le Bourlot and other participants have said, it is the users responsibility to manage battery.

[Vincent Le Bourlot_125350336073969]

My bad, I read wrong... the doc is coherent...
But the lack of features of the battery powered cameras is really annoying...

[mstein_150718180290688]

Vincent Le Bourlot: I totally agree!

it is the users responsibility to manage battery

Camera could wake up on the request, send the response and go to sleep after x seconds again. That is how I think a simple web interface could be implemented.

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

Hi Vincent, sorry for the delay reply.
If you still have any concerns about this issue, please send a request to support@reolink.com. Our support team will help with it.
Thanks!

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

Hi Vincent, sorry for the confusion caused.
You can see that it states " All Reolink IP cameras ( B800, Reolink battery-powered cameras, Reolink E1, and Reolink E1 pro excluded )", which means that battery-powered camera doesn't support this function.

And also we will forward your feedback about the battery-powered cameras to our R&D department for careful consideration.

Thanks for your understanding.

[rauno huttunen_270697918746832]

Hi Cynthia,
Please forward my regards also to your R&D dep that they open up the battery camera API.

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

Hi Rauno, appreciate your feedback on the API, it is collected into our suggestion box, thank you!

[iem_241975784378581]

Yes I would really like an API for the Argus 2 as well.

I would like to be able to enable or disable PIR using an API so I can integrate it with my domotics system.

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

Hi Iem. All battery powered cameras can't be accessed via any other 3rd-party software since the third party software doesn't have battery management system and also can't detect the IP address of the camera.
But I will forward your request to our engineers. And they will review the feasibility of implementing this idea. Thanks.

[lchu_290100721098945]

Cynthia,

API will be an important feature to attract more users and open more applications markets (NOT just security) for Reolink. This request needs to be seriously evaluated since Reolink has reached the point and maybe in a better position than competitors.

I don't agree with the two points you mentioned in your previous message.

1/ Reolink can easily implement some strategies to work with the 3rd party software to manage the battery. Reolink can simply reject API calls when battery level is low and stop API calls from the 3rd party software. Reolink can notify users if the battery is used too fast or is going to be lower than a preset threshold.

2/ The 3rd party application doesn't need to detect IP address of the camera! Most routers can reserve the IP address for the camera.

Reolink will need to treat these API users differently. They will not depend on the standard parts from Reolink for their applications. They will do their own customization on both software and hardware. Then, Reolink opens new applications and markets due to these API users. You may think why Raspberry Pi and is so popular in the US, UK, Germany, etc.

I am thinking to use the battery-powered camera for traffic monitoring. My test is a success. The only missing function is the API for its integration with my application and the existing systems.

Thanks

[Jared Eitnier_129960532590838]

+1 for this ability for battery-powered cameras. I have two Argus 2 cameras. My use case would be combining feeds from ReoLink and another camera into one central location (ipcam app, browser instance, etc.). I don't see why this wouldn't be doable by your engineers.

[Craig_310072362397872]

Hi, I also would like access to the API for the battery powered cams. I currently have 2 but am contemplating purchasing around 50 for a security project. However I will go elsewhere if there is no API available, so I urge you to push your engineering team. These cameras are excellent having to be forced to use reolink software is no good for a developer like me.

Craig.

[nospamthx01_311785489424549]

I will return the 4 cameras I bought due to the lack of API. Not having the ability to even create the simplest of integration with your home automation system makes them more useless as any "dumb" camera on the market. And this is sad, the cameras are great, the build quality is solid and the features of the cameras are good! But not being able to invoce a stream from any other software then the app, get PIR sensor status and battery level thru a API is just terrible.


Netgear Arlo here i come!

[mstein_150718180290688]

Now there are 14 posts about api access... and you were able to connect these cameras via alexa and google ... so it should be possible.

So why don't you provide a simple example, how to get the current stream and battery level - i.e. via nodejs or whatever -- and tell officially, if someone is using 3rd party tools to access, reolink won't be responsible for shorter runtime.

That should not be too hard?

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

We are sincerely sorry that the battery-powered cameras don't support the API access.
Most third-party software doesn't have the battery management option that allows the camera to enter the power-saving sleep mode when no motion is detected, thus they can't work together.
Therefore, we recommend you to access Reolink battery-powered cameras via Reolink software.
But I'll forward the issue to our R&D team and they will pay close attention to it.

[support_316019688313067]

We bought a batch of Argus PT cameras for difficult areas that have no power locally so the solar power looked perfect. We were thinking we could integrate them into our security system. There is no stream access and remote management access it seems. Apart from there is of course as it can be accessed via wifi from an APP! But we need to integrate them into a security system that is managing the rest of our cameras.

Why are these devices not fully configurable by owners? We are perfectly capable of managing our own devices.

No Api access or remote stream access. No idea what these things are doing on our network currently.We can see no open ports possibly as sitting behind some kind of port triggering setup. So a security risk OOTB.

Needless to say they will be going back to Amazon. Total nonsense from what could have been a killer product!

Tony

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

We are so sorry for the trouble caused you. Have you reported the issue to the support team: support@reolink.com? Our support will help you check the issue and forward it to our R&D Team for further advice. Thanks for your time and understanding.

[webmaster_56983980097749]

I got a hold of the Argus 2 a year or so ago as a warranty replacement for my C2 (since Reolink no longer carried the C2 with the 3X zoom), not realizing that it could *only* be accessed through a smartphone, that the only supported offsite storage was on Reolink-controlled Amazon S3 servers, that it automatically communicates outside my network, and that it didn't support third-party software. I've been avoiding Reolink, and advising people to steer clear of their devices ever since.

[Cynthia_124785627824270]

I am pretty sorry for the issue caused to you.
Could you please forward your problem to our support team? We will try our best to help you solve your problem.
Our support service is FREE and you can reach us via below channels:
Submit a ticket via https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Send an Email directly to support@reolink.com
Chat with us during our operating time: https://reolink.com/