I am looking for a doorbell camera that will record video without subscription that is NOT made in China. I need a wired installation for my current setup. I want it to be compatible with Home assistant. So far I can only find brands that REQUIRE a subscription in order to record video or it is made in China. I don’t want one made in China because of security concerns. I want a doorbell camera that will record to an sd card. Please let me know if you have found any that meet this criteria. I appreciate the help!!
You would have to build your own out of china made components or get REALLY GOOD at pcb design.
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So if and when we get into a war with China, we are all just hosed, because China WILL hack all of the stuff they have made and we use?
I’ve been very happy with my Reolink doorbell camera. Local only, has an SD card, wired (PoE) and not cloud needed.
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I appreciate the info, but it is made in China. Here is the overview… AI Overview
Reolink is a Chinese-owned security camera company based in
Shenzhen, China, with operations also in Hong Kong. Founded in 2009, the brand designs and manufactures various surveillance products, often selling them internationally, including through a registered address in Delaware, USA. It is considered a Chinese brand.
[image]Reddit +3
Key Details About Reolink’s Origin:
- Manufacturing/Headquarters: The company is based in Shenzhen, China.
- Company Name: Shenzhen Reolink Technology Co., Ltd..
- Establishment: Founded in 2009 by Colin Lau.
- International Presence:
While manufacturing is in China, they operate with a global focus, and products are shipped from various international warehouses, including in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
- Data Security: Reports have noted that the Reolink app has contained Chinese trackers.
Reolink is frequently categorized alongside other Chinese-designed consumer electronics brands in the smart home security market.
If you want local and one you personally trust you can look at a pi based setup:
I myself just install a dome camera that does not need any connection other than to the nas then it sends am image of the person at the door via notification and turns on my rack monitor with the live feed of the cameras once they press the shelly button I use as the doorbell button.
The only feature I am missing from this setup is 2 way talk but I don’t need it personally and I would need to install a mic for the camera to record audio but that is also a privacy matter in terms of the law here in australia.
My cameras have no internet access and only allow connections in. No method for external actor to access them unless they placed cellular radio and well( I’m more concerned about my car in this case)
That said
Reolink is good.
I personally recommend wiring standard doorbell so that when pressed I can use HA to notify. Esp connected button basically. Add a relay and it can work the chime and be standalone from HA.
Then add standard pie camera placed to cover door. In some ways this is better as it is at height not easily reached.
I think axis may be us brand or you can go with Japanese brands (I think Panasonic and Sony) but I have not verified. Just guesses and manufacturing may still be in China
The main point when it comes to cameras and IoT devices is that they should not be on the internal lan, just a dedicated VLAN and wifi network associated with that VLAN.
This prevents most issues and the rest is just blocking internet access on a per device level when you know it works as it should without so that you can just manually update the firmware as needed.
yes
Well, here is one that is not made in China. It is made in Vietnam and is based in West Palm Beach, Florida. 2K Wi-Fi Smart Dual-Powered Video Doorbell with Chime - Black – Night Owl SP, LLC
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I appreciate the pi based doorbell camera from Youtube, but I don’t have a 3D printer and I’d need a lot of time to make this. I just don’t have that much time! lol
Really you can place them on a physically isolated network or seperate network
Are you gonna get it?
Does it meet your needs?
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I am not sure if it will suit ALL my needs. It mostly fits, because it is not made in China and it has a wired connection to my doorbell. It also does NOT need a subscription to record video. So many companies require a monthly subscription to get recorded video. This one WILL record to an SD card without a subscription. I want it to be compatible with Home Assistant, so that is my hesitation.
look into frigate or motioneye
both of these are Network Video Recorders (NVR) that will record video feeds from RTSP and really other video sources. Reolink and Amcrest (both chinese manufacturer i believe, amcrest is dahua) offer NVR that allows local recording to HDD as well. Many POE camera allow record to SD and also RTSP out so you may record to external NVR.
I think you too stuck on country of manufacture. ultimately all the companies spy and all the companies have problem. Geo IP block is possible to block connections from contries and more local firewall block is an option. Controlling at firewall / local is best as even if you get “preferred country” manufactured camera there are still general hackers looking to exploit the device as well as the company exploiting it in ways you dont like (ring nicely letting you find your “dog” and such)
What exactly do you imagine China wants with the feed from your video doorbell?
I assume if the United States goes to war with China, them hacking your doorbell is going to be the least of your worries.
I would like to point out that the cyberwars have already been going on for many years, this is what the cyber Intelligence and IT companies are fighting when it comes to HVT’s especially.
really camera is jump off point to other things. I never felt so self important that I believe I am target for espionage. Other may be. Just trying to keep people from stealing my bank password and getting the $12 I have in savings 
The answers to this and more will be on next weeks episode of “Murica, the homeland”
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These posts always make me laugh.
ANY device you are able to run HA on was either made entirely in CHINA or contains chips and modules that are. (Some SOME RPis are assembled in the UK)
C H Y N N N N N A for all the red folks out there.
Having worked in the defense industry for the last thirty five years, I could care less about that fact.
The only time any one ever thought that the IOT would be weaponized (I mean, turned off maybe, but there will be WAY bigger issues than your doorbell) was when the writers of G-Force got together to come up with plot points and created flying blenders controlled by Bill Nyghy, as evil Elon Musk, err uh I mean Leonard Saber.
Anyway, it’s a cool movie with a huge cast, and it should make your IOT anxiety go through the roof.
Cheers!!!
By the way, I also have a Reolink Doorbell and Cameras feeding my made in China RPi5 install of HA and a Chinese manufactured Dell system running Fregate that collates all the video feeds into something usable.
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I am really not concerned about them hacking my doorbell camera what I am concerned is access to my complete network. I think I need to set up a Geo IP block, to try and protect my network first. I appreciate the information provided about Geo IP block and Frigate.
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