SkyBell HD

Posted on
Fri Jul 08, 2016 3:10 pm
akimball offline
Posts: 559
Joined: Aug 07, 2013
Location: Sandy, Utah

SkyBell HD

Hi,

Have been looking for a video doorbell solution for quite some time... I like Ring but it's a closed system. SkyBell HD has had great reviews and maybe closed... maybe not.

Has anyone using Indigo set up a SkyBell doorbell yet? I know I can use the 3rd party app. But I'd like it to work with Indigo too. Not just the camera, but the doorbell button and the motion sensor.... Anyone know if this can be done for any part of this system? I guess the good things I like about this SkyBell HD device is the quality and it seems to have everything. Even the cloud storage is free.

Comments before I buy very welcome. :)

-Al

Posted on
Sat Jul 09, 2016 12:34 am
rhanson offline
Posts: 192
Joined: Apr 30, 2013

Re: SkyBell HD

SkyBell has an partner API called SkyBell Connect. I don't know if it's local or cloud-based. I assume that it's cloud-based. Honeywell and a bunch of others are making noise about their ability to use the SkyBell as a way to trigger their own events, and also to communicate from their system to the SkyBell. So the connectivity seems to be there, in vapor form at least.

Posted on
Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:48 pm
akimball offline
Posts: 559
Joined: Aug 07, 2013
Location: Sandy, Utah

Re: SkyBell HD

Thanks for this information... you prompted me to research skybell connect and I came up with a page of like 94 tech notes. It appears that the skybell product will integrate with my insteon/indigo needs much more readily than ring. I'm so impressed by this skybell product on paper.

I ordered one for the front door and it's on it's way. I'll definitely post any useful findings here over the next few weeks.

-Al

Posted on
Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:25 pm
Different Computers offline
User avatar
Posts: 2533
Joined: Jan 02, 2016
Location: East Coast

Re: SkyBell HD

I'm interested in how you plan to integrate this when there's currently no desktop computer support, which I assume means no way to access the video stream outside of the sky bell app.

Or is it the button/motion detection that you're integrating?

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:40 pm
akimball offline
Posts: 559
Joined: Aug 07, 2013
Location: Sandy, Utah

Re: SkyBell HD

According to sky bell website the desktop support is coming soon. Also the list of third party developers which support skybell includes nest and alarm.com which I currently run. I've also run a search on hacking skybell and there are a few ideas there as well.

I'll admit it's not optimal but it's a few steps better than what ring.com is offering.

I do have another insteon camera and motion detector out there already along with a blue strobe light and siren. I guess the complete answer will depend on the gamble I'm taking by taking the plunge. Will have to see what's possible. One of their research notes also states that they are investigating the possibility of full stream connections but have not decided. Not holding my breath.

As an electrical engineer I'm not afraid to crack the case and do a bit of probing on the button and sensor.

-Al

Posted on
Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:26 am
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: SkyBell HD

Has anyone done a thorough comparison of SkyBell vs. DoorBird? In my case I currently have a wired camera/gate control system at our gate. It its unreliable and I would like to replace it with something that has remote capabilities. Indigo integration would be nice, but is not really a requirement.

Posted on
Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:50 pm
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: SkyBell HD

berkinet wrote:
Has anyone done a thorough comparison of SkyBell vs. DoorBird? In my case I currently have a wired camera/gate control system at our gate. It its unreliable and I would like to replace it with something that has remote capabilities. Indigo integration would be nice, but is not really a requirement.
Well, I did some research on my own and decided on DoorBird. More money, but IMHO a much greater chance of success. In general, reviews were higher on Amazon and other sites for the DoorBird with particular emphasis being placed on notification speed and build quality -- there seem to have been a fair number of SkyBell returns.

I was also impressed at the flexibility of the DoorBird... it can control two arbitrary external devices: nominally a doorbell and a electric latch/gate control. The ability to use a wired ethernet connection is also a plus. Finally, the ability to integrate with external services is already usable. See: https://www.reddit.com/r/homeautomation ... ve_review/

Posted on
Sat Jul 23, 2016 1:07 pm
akimball offline
Posts: 559
Joined: Aug 07, 2013
Location: Sandy, Utah

Re: SkyBell HD

I think you may be right. I saw doorbird the day my skybell arrived or I may have picked that. No issues with skybell except separate app so far. It also integrates with nest, a plus for me. The best thing is picture quality. Amazing day and night. 1080p and the brightness and colors at night are stunning. Doorbird may have better connection and integration for now at least.

-Al

Posted on
Sat Jul 23, 2016 1:37 pm
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: SkyBell HD

akimball wrote:
I think you may be right.

Well, my application had a lot to do with my choice. I will be mounting the unit outside the gate to our property and really wanted something solid - I chose the stainless-steel model. If I were using this at a front door, especially with a porch, the SkyBell might have been more attractive. The other issue, for me, was integration with the existing infrastructure. I have an electric gate and the ability to go directly from the DoorBird to the gate control, without having to run a new wire out to the gate was very important. The SkyBell seems to use the "cloud" to send events back to the home. I also appreciated the ability to use a wired LAN, since the gate is a bit far from the house and I generally prefer wired connections for key functionality -- less to break.

BTW, I didn't mention this is the 4th attempt to get this right. Hopefully this one will stick. Also, I am planning on buying a used iPad mini and mounting that as the inside control panel (not everyone in my family carries "her" mobile phone with her all the time ;-)

I will certainly share my experiences as I get into this more.

Posted on
Sat Jul 23, 2016 5:29 pm
akimball offline
Posts: 559
Joined: Aug 07, 2013
Location: Sandy, Utah

Re: SkyBell HD

Will be interesting on the iPad mini. With tons of insteon in the home one unanticipated fight has been the pitch black is now gone, not a huge issue in common areas but I suppose in the bedrooms. Ive avoided the desire to do a backlit touch panel in the master bedroom for just that reason. I've woke up from sleep and tried to look at an iPad before. Lol. On the inside of an exterior door might be okay but for us that's not the place where we'd be standing if the door bell rang.

Still have two more exterior doors to do and these without power or existing doorbell. The skybell requires 24VAC from a doorbell button series wired with a 10-ohm load....usually a chime, but if not a resistor capable of passing some current. Don't have those on the rear porch or digout entrances unfortunately.

I prefer wired LAN any time I can get it.

-Al

Posted on
Sun Jul 24, 2016 12:42 am
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: SkyBell HD

kimball wrote:
...unanticipated fight has been the pitch black is now gone, not a huge issue in common areas but I suppose in the bedrooms. Ive avoided the desire to do a backlit touch panel in the master bedroom for just that reason. I've woke up from sleep and tried to look at an iPad before. Lol. ...

... Which is why I will mount the control pad in the kitchen! :wink:

Posted on
Fri Jul 29, 2016 2:15 pm
berkinet offline
User avatar
Posts: 3290
Joined: Nov 18, 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA, USA & Mougins, France

Re: SkyBell HD

I finished my DoorBird install today and have posted a review on the General Home Automation forum.

Posted on
Sun Jun 03, 2018 6:32 pm
flyinbirdone offline
Posts: 1
Joined: May 22, 2018

Re: SkyBell HD

Anyone looked into an integration plugin yet with Skybell? Looks like their API is officially still limited to official connect partners but does have integrations with IFTTT and others. Found a homebridge plugin for it (https://www.npmjs.com/package/homebridge-skybell) that is using the undocumented connect API (https://github.com/thoukydides/homebrid ... ocol-HTTPS). Seems like could likely get integrated via a plugin. Has anyone played with it yet?

Page 1 of 1

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

cron