I apologize if this question has been reviewed before. I'm very new to Amcrest devices and I'm interested in installing an AD110 doorbell camera outside our small business. Here's the scoop:
We do not currently have a doorbell on our front door of our small business.
Our secretary's office is upstairs (we are in a two story building) and during this time of Covid we've had to lock the door. Our plan is to have a doorbell camera at the front door so our secretary can be alerted to someone's arrival. She can see them and have a two way conversation with the person at the door.
We do not want to install any apps on our secretaries personal phone. But the owners would like to have the app installed on their phones. Our plan is to have our secretary use a small tablet which the company will own and install this at her desk. The tablet will allow her to view the camera and have two conversations with whomever is at the door.
From my research I believe we need to use Blue Iris in order to serve up the video feed from the AD110 doorbell camera. Can someone recommend if we could stream this feed from Blue Iris to a tablet which will be situated at the secretary's desk? And can this tablet be used to see a video feed from the doorbell and have a two way conversation with the person at the door?
If a tablet can be used what software would I need to install on it?
Thank you in advance for any help you can provide me.
To be honest there is no need for Blue Iris and to keep this as easy as it gets.. I would personally use the Doorbell, Powered by the Amcrest Power supply they sell seeing you said there is no doorbell wiring now.. Then buy a 32gb or even 16gb MSD card...
Owner sets up Amcrest Smart Home app on Tablet, this tablet is for the Secretary's desk. Then they setup another Smart Home App on their own phone...
When someone comes into view of the camera it alerts the person at the desk of Motion. IF they press it then it will Call that tablet, They press the answer and they can have 2 way with them
Only reason for Blue Iris is for Constant Recording on a computer that would need to be on full time.. However for just needing something to answer a call at the door this isn't really needed...
Things needed for Simple setup
Doorbell Camera,
Amcrest Power Supply
Smart Home App (Phone and Tablet free for DL)
Tools needed
Drill and drill bits
screwdriver
Electrical Tape
I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my post. You've made some excellent points here with regards to my setup! I think this is the best way for us to go!
- Is there a version of Android that you would recommend we purchase for this setup?
- I also see a Windows app called Amcrest Surveillance Pro. Would this allow someone to at least see all cameras from a Windows computer as well?
- Lastly, does the Amcrest software on the tablet or phone allow for user/admin use? In our case we want our secretary to have access to the doorbell camera but not be an administrator on our Amcrest app. I would prefer she was a user instead. Also, if we add more cameras to the Amcrest app can we limit the secretary to only see the doorbell camera and not the rest of the cameras in the building? If not what would you recommend for us as a setup to ensure the owners can see all cameras and the secretary only sees the doorbell camera.
There are many things you can do to make things go however you want... Something you might want to think about is that while the Doorbell camera can do a lot of things and can get or give access in different formats there are limits to how things can work... To be fair I would say if you wanted this Doorbell to be used as you were talking.. I wouldn't worry much about different account as there isn't much that one can do inside that app to harm the doorbell.. If I turn off my Alerts on my Android phone I still get alerts on my iOS phone that is setup.. I mean sure turning on and off the IR or color and or B/W at night and things but to be honest.. Setting a Tablet on a Desk tell the Person this is what you use this for, Answering and talking and Viewing if there is Motion leave the other options to the Owner or Asset Manager and normally they would do as expected.. No need to make things overly complex...
Personally I used to have mine connected to my NVR and have had it on my DVR's as well.. Even used on ASP personally I get better use out of it working in Smart Home app only and leave my other cameras to Record the area around the doorbell and have different camera with Mic in the area for Audio. What I was really using the doorbell camera for on the NVR anyway...
Having other systems connected Personally as I was saying.. I would keep the Doorbell on a system to it self.. Other cameras could use ASP with PC-NVR if no NVR was going to be used.. Or maybe you want to have it setup a few cameras at a time and ASP is a good way to do that without the Recorder... To be fair..
I would buy a NVR 8ch if you need 4 cameras now as you never know when you might need a different FOV in the Warehouse or maybe you have a Storage Closet that has a camera that Keeps on eye on the door from out side however things start to come up missing so a new camera is bought and installed in side to monitor what goes on when they are in there collecting products.. Maybe have flash drives, or other small items in there that have started to disappear and the camera outside the door only says who was in there not who took things were not on the pick list if you get my meaning...
For a Product to use with the Doorbell, Sadly I am not one that can answer this.. I can't find anything in the manual about specs of what would work.. Personally I would just have a Cell phone that is a Few years old just chilling somewhere not being used anymore.. Plug in it at night to charge and set on Desk at day time for use.. Nothing big needed for answering a Doorbell.. I know Android is best use for the cameras.. I have both iOS and droid for use.. the iOS device is a 6plus so it still works with old devices... My son uses an XR my other son uses his Pixel 3 and my wife and I use S9 and S9+
Thanks very much James for all your advice. I'm sold! I've ordered my doorbell camera from Amcrest and I think it will work very well for us. We have an android table that is not too old that we will test/use to as a viewer for our secretary. I think this will work very well for us.
I will keep in mind that as we grow and add more cameras I will look at large enough NVR (8 channel makes sense).
