My new place has a ring doorbell camera and, for now, I can’t get rid of it. What are my options for keeping it operable but not streaming to big brother 24/7? The easier the better.
I’ve heard you can flash and self host some models but I’d be happy with something as crude as a remote privacy flap that I can cover/uncover independently.
Edit: Removing/modifying it isn’t an issue, but my household wants to use it since it’s there.
I’m not personally opposed to a camera but would need to be in full control of the feed. My main goal is keeping it simple and cheap for now, so not replacing a functional camera is very tempting. Later on I can look into real alternatives but an afternoon project will do for now.
Is this a troll post?
-OP doesn’t specify model
-if you are even considering flashing it that means you can remove and modify it
-change Wi-Fi password and don’t reconnect it
-smash it and install a normal doorbell or something else that isn’t spyware
What am I even reading here
Idk the model but can check later. Removing/modifying it isn’t an issue, but my household wants to use it since it’s there.
I’m not personally opposed to a camera but would need to be in full control of the feed. My main goal is keeping it simple and cheap for now, so not replacing a functional camera is very tempting. Later on I can look into real alternatives but an afternoon project will do for now.
There’s no reason to try and salvage a ring camera. Their business model is subscriptions and data collection; I’m not aware of any projects to flash them with custom firmware, and my guess is they’re locked down hard to prevent it because that’s their entire revenue model, you’re free to keep looking but I’d bet it’s a dead end or at the very least much more than an afternoon project.
Get a Wi-Fi reolink and connect it to an ONVIF capable NVR. You can use a paid solution like blue iris on a Windows machine or there’s plenty of free options for any OS of your choice. You can probably directly access the feed by navigating to the camera IP but I’m not sure, I don’t use mine that way. Without some kind of NVR software you won’t get a lot of the features people like such as notifications and two way talk, object/person recognition, etc.
I moved into a place with a Ring doorbell.
I bought myself a Reolink doorbell and swapped them out. Reolink doorbells can be configured to be local storage only with no callhome, and they support RTSP. You can essentially configure them to precisely the privacy model you use — I even have mine set up to black out the parts of the screen that show my neighbors’ property, so it’s not available in recordings or the streaming video.
All the benefits of a Ring without the privacy invasion.
You can definitely remove them. Or the battery. Or a small piece of electrical tape (which you should have) is free.
deleted by creator
If it’s a Ring Doorbell camera, I think they just unclip from the wall. If you don’t have the special tool, a flat bladed screwdriver will suffice. Gently press it into the slot on the bottom and gently pull up and viola! Then set it somewhere like in a closet under a pile of clothes and wait until the battery discharges.
the choice is yours, ring doorbell or privacy
Two simple options:
- don’t use a doorbell camera
- use one that is connected to local LAN only
