Recommendations for a video doorbell?

Reolink
- Just be careful you don't get their "smarthome" line, at least for cameras. It doesn't require Internet to operate, but it requires Internet for configuration and management.
  I'm not sure if that's the same with their doorbells, but it was true of their wifi cameras.
- I can recommend this too. I got the WiFi version. Integrates beautifully with home assistant including motion/person detection.
- Only downside is Reolink encodes in hvec. Frigate handles it fine, but be aware that viewing may be an issue. I’d still buy more Reolink cameras though.
- Second this
- I went with this but PoE. Happy so far.
  Have not used Frigate
  
  When using reolink in a self-hosted setting:
  how do you get notifications of someone at the door?
  can you use the android app still?
  how do you securely store video on your server? They say they support ftps, but I have no idea how hard that is to set up. Shame they don't support sftp.
  Thanks
- Does their doorbell camera at least give you a preview thumbnail in the notification? Because their other cameras don't (I've got like dozen of them).
  
  I can't recall, I don't actually own one yet 😅 but I remember watching some videos with preview thumbnails. Though that may have been Frigate.
- I found this but its "Smart". https://www.amazon.com.au/REOLINK-Doorbell-WiFi-Camera-Subscription/dp/B0B7S3JSG7
  
  As far as I know they only do two versions, WiFi and PoE. Both can work without connecting to any of their services: https://m.reolink.com/product/reolink-video-doorbell-wifi/
  
  Did you expect a doorbell with a camera built into it to not be "smart"?
- Can the Reolink doorbell leverage your existing chime? Or do you need to use the plug-in chime that it comes with?
  
  I believe it's their plug-in or your via a relay like home assistant or your phone

Not eufy

unifi has nice (a) doorbell(s). you need a server to record and run the controller though, but that can be a raspberry pi
- Don't the Ubiquity doorbells require a 'dream machine' storage appliance for recording video? I didn't think there was a way to use your own storage anymore which has been my main hesitation in getting one.
  
  Cloud key Gen 2 Plus is about $200 and comes with a 2.5 inch 1TB hard drive so it is not that bad if you will have multiple cameras, but maybe not worth it just for one.
  
  oh, i didn't know that, as i'm already in to deep in unifi appliances 😬
  i think i remember that it was not required, but i would not be surprised if that has changed.
  consodering that you would need a subscription for a ring doorbell (if i remember correctly) the 200€ for the storage device and the ~180€ for the doorbell would still be cheaper. i'd be surprised to see another alternative with the same features for less money or without a aubscription.

I use an Amcrest AD410
- Just watched a review. Looks pretty good, they specifically mention Home Assistant as well which is very cool.
  
  I also use HA. I’ve been using the Dahua integration in HACS since the Amcrest integration was lacking for the doorbell. Specifically, there was no way to trigger automations when the doorbell is pressed. However, in looking at the documentation I now see a way to monitor via the Amcrest integration. I may give that a go.

Reolink.

I have the Aqara G4 doorbell and supposedly it works with WiFi and Frigate (via go2rtc), but I haven't set up Frigate and I haven't verified that it fully functions with the internet turned off. It uses Homekit but supposedly will receive Matter via a software update.

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:
Fewer Letters More Letters

HA Home Assistant automation software
~ High Availability
IP Internet Protocol
NAS Network-Attached Storage
NVR Network Video Recorder (generally for CCTV)
PoE Power over Ethernet
[Thread #628 for this sub, first seen 26th Mar 2024, 11:55] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]

Fewer Letters	More Letters
HA	Home Assistant automation software
~	High Availability
IP	Internet Protocol
NAS	Network-Attached Storage
NVR	Network Video Recorder (generally for CCTV)
PoE	Power over Ethernet

I like Zoneminder personally, but I'm curious about Frigate. Have you tried both by chance?

Reolink doorbell is great. Comes in a WiFi or PoE configuration. Can be used with their app with a local NVR, or used as an IP cam into your own NVR.

In my experience pretty much all IP cameras phone home in some way at some point, so yeah, you are best off putting them on a separate VLAN and routing appropriately.
The only brand I've had a good experience with is Reolink. I don't think the quality is appreciably different than a brand like Hikvision and the firmware and support is vastly superior.
Edit: Some good info on using Reolink cameras with Frigate. I use Blue Iris but would vastly prefer OSS.

2N Verso.
Works totally offline/Cloud free if required.
Can be integrated into any NVR&SIP environment
Can easily be used with plausible deniability. "Yeah, officer,I am just using it when someone rings the bell, no recording,the bell system never records,no!"
Very sturdy and reliable hardware
Offers indoor viewing stations (for the less technically adept household members)
PoE based, can be used with LTE in some versions.
Good documentation
With the automation licence (Costs a bit extra,but is "buy once" at least) basically everything one can imagine automation wise can be achieved, including API calls,etc.
Can be extended with RFID, Fingerprint, Bluetooth,Induction loops,etc.
If you want to use their cloud service you have to pay a small fee,but that's purely optional and you can easily use your own SIP solution to avoid this. Or simply don't answer your door from somewhere else.
The big downside? It's ridiculously expensive. But I mean...how often does one buy a new doorbell?

Hikvision if you don't mind sponsoring chinese govt for the hardware and blocking it from the internet.

Don’t. They consumer surveillanceware cops will try to access if they get the chance.
- Well, the goal would be that its not accessible externally. And I'm OK with providing footage should they request it - that's just something you have to accept when owning a security system.
  
  They can’t request it if you don’t build it. That’s the point. We’ve never needed this security theater before. You don’t need a video camera pointed out towards the public 24/7. Don’t build it and they won’t come.