Very Disappointed with Wyze Video Doorbells

[SlabSlayer]

@jdwarner94 and @aetoronto, you are not alone. There are MANY topics discussing the problems with the doorbell.

I do have the VDBv1 so I am familiar with it’s capabilities, features, and problems.

You are correct, the VDBv1 does not support motion tagging.

As for detection zones: One of the problems that was introduced on the VDB when they upgraded the firmware to coincide with the integration of the VDB video into the HMS Monitoring tab Security Cam Video, was ‘aspect ratio rotation’ so that it would be resized and oriented correctly within the HMS viewer. As we all know, the VDB video is not the same aspect ratio as the V3. When they did this, they caused a momentary rotation of the VDB live feed video. You may have experienced this when you load the doorbell. It will load, flip sideways, then flip back. Additionally, it also introduced the problem with the live view not loading and locking at 3 of 3.

It has been suggested by several users and tested, but not completely confirmed, that the ‘image rotation’ update caused a rotation of the image, but not the detection zone to coincide. Therefore, some have reported the detection zone to be ‘off’ by 90° from the image. Some have suggested that if you redraw the zone rotated 90°, it may work.

Video Doorbell Ignoring Detection Zone

It appears that the detection zone is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise to what you set. It has something to do with the rotation issue they “fixed” for the Wyze Home Monitoring. On mine, when viewing the live image from the doorbell, it first connects with a low-resolution image, then rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise, then shows the high-resolution image correctly. It seems that somewhere in that rotational process, the capture zone is getting rotated differently from the image.

This is why the detection zones for the VDB are absolutely useless. It is also why Smart AI PD will not activate unless the zones are off.

@jdwarner94

Person detection works in CPL for all my Wyze Cams but is apparently not yet supported for the Video Doorbells. They do not show up in the list of cameras I can add to CPL.

I have all my cams on CP, but I pulled a V3 and the VDB from CP to test assignment to CPL.

You are correct, the V3 does show as available for assignment to CPL but the VDB does not. This may be a bug that needs fixed as I was not aware that it isn’t compatible. @WyzeJasonJ: can you shed any light on this?

@jdwarner94

The video response time has improved but is still not fast enough to see if someone is at the door before actually going to look.

I have not received any reliable push notifications since the FW messed up the VDB. Worse, the VOIP on button push takes so long to connect that the person ringing usually walks away.

@jdwarner94

The cameras cannot be included in a group so are “orphans.”

Sadly, yes.

@jdwarner94

It appears as if this product was purchased by Wyze from a 3rd party and has not been integrated with their other cameras

All Wyze IoT is third-party manufactured gear licensed and rebadged for the US market.

I am waiting for the FW RC Beta to test out. Once we get reports back from that, we may see some progress to return our doorbells to working order.