Only slightly smart doorbell

Hardware
1

So, like much of the planet, I’m working from home most of the time. I work in an upstairs room, often wearing noise-cancelling headphones. I’d like to be alerted when the doorbell rings, but I do not need super fancy features like a camera or whatever. I just want to be able to flash the (smart) lights in my office if the doorbell rings. I’m using a docker container for Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi and do almost all of my automation through Node Red (docker-composed with it on the same Pi).

What would people recommend?

2

Here is good alternative with Zigbee that I use my self.

3

I’ve been using this for a while now, works a treat

4

What sort of doorbell do you currently have? Battery/mains/intercom?

5

I currently have one of those cheap wireless ones. The doorbell has a battery. The speaker is plugged in to the mains in the hallway and the doorbell is affixed to the door frame with a screw. No wires connect them, but it isn’t a wifi thing. I was thinking maybe a sound sensor, set to very insensitive, attached to the speaker.

6

Oo, this looks interesting…

(edit: Sorry, that didn’t quote: I meant the esp wifi bell. I’ve been meaning to looking into the ESP stuff.)

7

I think this would be the right fit if I were using a wired doorbell. I should have specified.

8

I previously connected my doorbell to raspberry pi GPIO.

I now use Frigate object detection and camera,already covering entry, and notify when object(person) enters area. I have approx 5+people pass per minute but am only notified of person at entry. 1 or 2 false alarm per day. I send notification to phone with action to open if desired.

Camera and physical button both worked equally well for me

9

KY-038 is a sound detector you can connect to an ESP with ESPhome with no physical connection to the speaker(false positives and false negatives), or if you are prepared to wire something directly to your speaker INA219 DC Current Sensor. This depends how much space you have in the speaker case.

10

You could also use a sonoff rf or esp with rf receiver to capture the RF from the doorbell button

11

You could also use a sonoff rf or esp with rf receiver to capture the RF from the doorbell button

I’m intrigued by this option, though it is probably way over my head. I’m using a cheap, Home Base 433MHz doorbell (battery-powered button, mains chimes). I’m thinking a receiver like this might be able to solve this and I’ll still be able to replace the doorbell now and then when the cheap things die.

Given an ESP32 developer board and a RF 433MHz receiver of some kind, will I be able to tune into the doorbell? Just looking at various models (like this one), they talk about needing to share encryption keys, which gives me pause.

Can I just respond (send some signal in HA) when I get a burst above a certain threshold (indicating it’s my own door with some degree of accuracy, and not my neighbours similar doorbell).

Or is there any easier way? Can USB stick software radios receivers do this?

12

I use a sonoff RF Bridge flashed with ESPHOME and this can capture and re-transmit RF signals (not for my doorbell as have a wired one). Of course, it might not be compatible with your doorbell. They are reasonably cheap and easy to flash so not the end of the world if it doesn’t work. This is assuming your doorbell uses 433MHz

Like you say, an ESP board and a pair of RF receiver and transmitters like this is only a few pounds.

13

Thank you very much! I’m going to start with the RF Bridge (less than £20 on Amazon), which is cheap enough for me. I don’t have a lot of time lately for tinkering with the raw pieces, so I’ll give the easier route a shot first.