It looks like the QR code sticker is required to detect the position/status of the garage door and thus provide notifications. Is it possibly to ONLY use the sticker w/o the controller if I already have a V3 camera? This can help the scenario in which I don’t need to control the door but only want to know if and how long it’s been open.
Thanks.
I’d like to know this, too.
The ability to report the door status is in the GDC’s settings, so you wouldn’t be able to access that setting without the GDC.
You could still install a V3 and have it report movement. It should record every opening and closing of the door as a motion event. You can probably even turn motion sensitivity way down, as it is such a big part of the overall picture.
What if my garage has two doors side-by-side? Do I need two kits (one for each door)?
About that QR code, would it be a different one for each camera or do I run the risk of the camera of Door 1 detecting the QR code of Door 2 and therefore not see Door 1 being opened? Can the QR code be re-printed if it gets damaged?
Also, my garage doors have windows. There are times in the year where the sun is low and shining straight through. Could that interfere with reading the QR codes?
Yes, two kits for 2 doors. A V3 can control 1 controller, and the controller can control 1 opener.
In theory, the QR Code calibration process could focus on the wrong QR code if 2 are visible. I don’t know that they have a routine to ask which one to use. But a simple fix if both are visible to the camera is to cover the wrong one while you go through the QR code calibration process. It will only look at the one it saw during calibration after that.
The QR code can be reprinted. In another post I said take a picture of it, scan it with your printer, or just ask Support if you need a replacement copy. It is an early QR code format that simply says “WYZE”, so you can probably also recreate it using a QR code app.
On the last question, I doubt a camera mounted up by the garage door opener could see the sun though a window. But if it did, you might have to cover a window for part of the year.
Thanks. It does sound like as long as the GDC has power and internet, then it can send out notifications, even if it’s not directly connected or controlling the garage door opener itself.
How far back can the camera be? I actually don’t have one of those bars that’s in the video where the v3 cam can magnetically be placed on.
On the last question on windows on a door. You might be able to limit the detection zone to the door and not the windows maybe?
Thanks for the honest answers. It helps. But since I got your attention… 
Does it detect a partly-open door with the QR code still visible as an open door or closed door? In other words, is seeing the QR code enough to judge the door as closed or does it expect the QR code to be in a specific position to consider the door as closed?
Your use case is unusual in that you want to buy the GDC to get notifications you can already get with motion alerts. But yes, you should be able to buy the controller, calibrate the QR code, and get notifications on the open/closed status of the garage door without the controller actually being connected to the opener.
As far as how far back it can be, since you aren’t connected to the opener anymore you can put it wherever you like. But I wouldn’t go any further back than you have to, and I think being on a high perch by the opener has a lot of merit as a good position. You can test the accuracy of open/closed reports and adjust the view of the camera as needed. And you don’t need a steel bar to magnetically attach to – the V3 comes with a steel plate you can mount most anywhere.
I think it’s mostly a question of contrast. When you see a blinding sun in the middle of your picture it wipes out most anything near it. The detection zone doesn’t matter on the GDC. It sets it’s own expectations of where to look for the QR code during calibration, and always looks there. But if a blinding sun wipes out that area, it may not be able to resolve the code.
In that case covering the window that has the blinding sun coming thru it may be your best bet.
But again, I doubt a camera mounted up by the garage door opener could see the sun though a garage door window.
The camera expects the QR code to be in a fairly precise position. If I open my door a few inches it reports the door as open, even though the QR code is still in sight. So the calibration process gives it an expectation as to where the code should be, and no matter how you open the door it will report it as open if it exceeds a few inches. Very hard to fool. 
Yes, this use case is somewhat extreme and I’m simply forcing it to see what the limitations are. Open/Close notifications are less useful to me than knowing the door is STILL open at 10pm and has been for the past 2 hours. I don’t think the normal motion alerts tell me that or I’ll remember that I didn’t close a door.
This GDC would be extremely helpful in that manner.
Probably better just to ask specific questions rather than create a weird scenario.
The GDC can tell you if a door has remained open for up to an hour, but not 2 hours. ATM they don’t tie that notification to an absolute time, like 10 PM.
However, you can program the GDC to automatically close the door at Sunset or 10 PM if you like. Nothing will happen of the door is already closed. You will also get an alarm and flashing alert before the door starts closing.
@Vanterax I wonder if you could place the camera at a different angle to avoid the glare if detection zones are not a thing w/ the AI here.
With the camera up by the GDO, I doubt it could see the sun thru a garage door window.
I think you took my example too literally. I’m very happy to have the notification of duration of openness regardless of time.
Thanks.
Well, I could have told you there were open and closed notifications very simply without several hours of replies. 
The original question was effectively if notifications would still be sent purely by AI and not w/ the GDC. Therefore I already knew that status notifications would be sent. Your response said no, need the GDC and therefore I started asking other more specific questions on the notification process. The FAQs do not say that the open duration notification is limited to a single hour, at this time, maybe future firmware will add functionality.
I can understand the handiness (is that word) in the benefit the GDC adds to a view. But I have successful simply looked at my garage door via the V2 hanging under the Garage Door Opener. Yes, its nice to get an alert, and I have another product that does that, but I trust it about half the time. (I predict that once you too have the same setup, “something” telling you the door is closed, and a camera looking at the door, you too will still open the app to the door to check for assurance its closed.) I do. Bottom line: Boys & Girls, a camera pointing at your door(s) is fine. Better than fine. Its proof. I’ve had a V2 on mine for years, and it so much better than all the gimmicks that I have also used to get a message “the door is closed”.
Newshound is correct