Question regarding the Alexa integration: Can you please let me know whether or not the Doorbell will support auto-starting the video livestream on Echo devices when someone rings the bell?

I am using two Reolink Duo 2 Cams and I'm very happy with it, but my doorbell is a Ring Wired, because so far the Ring doorbells seem to be the only ones where the video stream starts automatically upon someone's ringing on all configured Echo devices. I would be more than happy to replace it with a Reolink Doorbell, but that auto-start feature is a Must-Have for me.

Thx!

I'm done. Sending it back today. Good luck everyone!

@joseph_1979 Thanks! Will do, but will return the cams in the meantime as they are pointless for me right now. Might give them a chance later if this behaviour is ever changed.

I am coming from a Reolink Duo WiFi cam and have installed an Argus 4 Pro today. Some might ask if that change makes sense. The main reason for me was the IR-less colored nightvision of the Argus 4 Pro, which is really great.

I was very surprised to learn that unlike on the Duo (and probably most other Reolink cams), the spotlight on the Argus 4 Pro has no setting that would enable it upon motion detection. You can only choose between off and an automode that enables it depending on the environmental light. IMHO this is somewhat pointless. The Argus 4 Pro has quite a good nightvision thanks to the ColorX stuff that creates a fairly good and colored video stream at night without the spotlight. However, it would be beneficial if the spotlight would turn on upon detecting movement and recording a video of it, because despite the ColorX stuff, the video gets brighter and has better visibility with the spotlight turned on.

Of course I could choose to leave the spotlight on the whole night, but as said this renders the product somewhat pointless for me because then I could as well keep the Duo where I also have a colored nightvision with the spotlight turned on.

Am I missing something here?

@ndr_690347593457817 That's right. The Reolink skill in the Alexa skill store works without subscription. I'm using it with my two Reolink Duos, and it also works with the doorbell. The reliability of the skill is average at best. As you, I often have to say "Alexa, show me [camera name]" twice, because on the first try, I only get a "the camera is not responding" error. On the 2nd try, it works. Sometimes...

The problem with the doorbell is obviously that Reolink still has to do something on the server side in order to allow all the additional features in Alexa (and Google Home) that a doorbell device normally offers.

As said yesterday, I have returned my doorbell and have reinstalled my Ring Doorbell Wired. Works like a charm, including visitor announcement and auto-starting live streams on all configured Alexa devices. And I don't have to pay for a subscription because I don't need it for anything else than exactly these two features, and these don't require a subscription. I hoped that I could have the same functionality with the Reolink Doorbell. Since I already have the two Reolink Duos, I hoped to have all cameras in one app. But right now, Reolink's Doorbell is nothing but a bad joke compared to the Ring and various other doorbells. Their announcement one month ago made me think that they would have closed the gap to the competition, but they haven't. Not at all...

They really need to get their sh*t together...

BTW, the new app version 4.37 is available for iOS since yesterday. None of the announced Smart Home features are working though. The doorbell is still recognized as "Camera" by the Alexa app, which prevents any of the additional functions that an actual "Doorbell" device has.

I'm done. Sending it back today. Good luck everyone!

@svchnetv2_528701419749624 Indeed. Also no sign of the app update which is required for most of the announced new features. I have 5 days left before I need to return it...

The new fw has the same filesize than the one that was pulled but was still downloadable from that Github site, but has differences when doing a binary compare. So obviously no code change but just some adjustmens of some parameters.

@joseph_1979 Really???

@keith_653336186290211 Well, there is no Doorbell option at all! Neither PoE nor WiFi. That's what the whole discussion here is all about...

@joseph-chircop_497308027822318 In case of the Doorbell, there is only one firmware variant available anyways.

I also found that archieve some days ago. Wasn't sure if it's a good idea to post this here or not, so I didn't.

The FW from there (dated 04/16/23) still doesn't enable any of the announced features regarding Smart Home integration. I still cannot enable a notification, let alone an automatically starting live stream, on an Echo device. In the Alexa app, the Doorbell still shows up as a standard camera without any of the added configurable options that a real doorbell normally shows up with. Not sure if this is something that depends on the firmware, or that would also require the new app version that is not yet available.

Still some time available for me to wait until the return window closes... But to be honest, I don't really believe that this will work in time.

@joseph-chircop_497308027822318 Well, if the firmware with the new features (and not to forget the new app version which is also required) won't be available within the next 29 days, I'll return the cam, rate it accordingly, and won't try it again most likely.