[Help needed]:

[samsamsamsamsamsam]

Your Current NRCHKB Plugin Version

1.6.1

Operating System

Victron Venus OS v3.32

How can we help?

Hello How do I connect a Reolink PoE camera to HomeKit? So that I can save the live stream 24/7 in the Apple iCloud. Can I load the RTP stream directly into the HomeKit Node or do I need ffmpeg? Is there perhaps a Node Red example? I use Victron Venus OS v3.32, the latest version, on a Victron Cerbo GX. Thank you Sam

Any more details?

Victron Venus OS v3.32, Victron Cerbo GX, Reolink PoE

Any code or functions to add?

No response

[caitken-com]

Hi @samsamsamsamsamsam, Have you looked at our documentation? https://nrchkb.github.io/wiki/service/camera-control/

As well as the built-in examples provided with the pallet/plugin. https://nrchkb.github.io/wiki/examples/demo-setup/#how-it-works

[samsamsamsamsamsam]

Hello Thank you very much for the great plugin. Yes, I've already familiarized myself with it. And my Reolink cameras can be seen live in Apple Home. Thanks for the good documentation of the functions. Is there a way to donate something? The only thing that doesn't work yet is that the livestream is saved in iCloud, but I have already managed to say in Apple Home that everything should be saved in iCloud, etc. Via the "Camera Recording Management" function. I'll keep trying today. And then post my solution here. Because with the Victron Venus OS it is a bit more complicated to install ffmpeg.

Thanks again Sam

[samsamsamsamsamsam]

(Reolink or other) RTSP livestream cameras, integrate into Apple Homekit, via Victron Venus OS (Cerbo GX or others).

Feasible, even for non-programmers, with a little patience and willingness to learn.

Here are the steps I have taken:

1. If you want to use older Apple devices, take note of this. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254934792?sortBy=best For example, I use an Apple iPad Air 2 from 2014 as an Apple Home Hub.

2. You may also need to reset your Apple Home. Use this one. http://appldnld.apple.com/iOSProfiles/HomeKitReset.mobileconfig

3. Test RTSP Livestream and set RTSP Camera IP to Static. There is a high-resolution and low-resolution stream. https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/900000630706-Introduction-to-RTSP/

4. Install Victron Venus OS Large firmware on Cerbo GX. And activate Node Red on Venus OS. https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:large

5. Log in to Node Red with the user name admin and the password for the Victron Remote console. https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/175440/login-username-and-password-for-first-use-of-node.html

7. Install and test the node-red-contrib-homekit-bridged v1.6.1. https://youtu.be/QTK2wM7vCRI?si=NeaiaGohUyiLxVfP

8. Set up root access on Venus OS. The default root password is ZZZ. And free up hard disk space using the script: /opt/victronenergy/swupdate-scripts/resize2fs.sh https://www.victronenergy.com/live/ccgx:root_access#partitions_read-only_rootfs_and_available_disk_space%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B

9. Download and install FFmpeg Static Builds, for ARMHF, directly on Venus OS. https://www.johnvansickle.com/ffmpeg/faq/

10. Set up the Apple HomeKit Node Service in Node Red. Depending on the camera. https://nrchkb.github.io/wiki/service/camera-control/#-reolink

11. Deactivate root user access to Venus OS again.

A live stream should now be available in the Apple Home.

If there are problems, it sometimes helps to restart the Venus OS completely by cutting the power supply. And switching the Apple Home app and the Apple Home Hub on and off.

Otherwise, a re-installation of the Node Red installation can also help, with rm -rf /data/home/nodered/ && svc -t /service/node-red-venus/ https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/156632/node-red-repairre-install.html And or rm -rf /data/home/root/.node-red && rm -rf /data/conf/signalk https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/issues/809

Use the “top” command in the terminal to check whether there is enough memory and processor power available.

ATTENTION: The ffmpeg installation and root access will be lost after a firmware update. This must therefore be reinstalled after a firmware update.

Saving the livestream in iCloud and motion detection do not yet work for me. This could be because the Apple iPad Air 2 is too old. Or, I still need to install other services, such as

CameraRecordingManagement Apple HomeKit status CameraRecordingManagement CameraRTPStreamManagement

I have not found any information on this. If anyone knows more, please reply.

[caitken-com]

Hey @samsamsamsamsamsam ,

1. I tried messaging the author, @Shaquu, about donating. But he’s been busy with family life so I didn’t hear back yet.
2. Would you like to put your example into a PR as a child page to here? https://nrchkb.github.io/wiki/examples/

Glad you were able to get a working solution ☺️

[samsamsamsamsamsam]

Hey caitken-com

1. I found the Donat button on GitHub. And donated something, to Shaquu.

2. Of course you can use my instructions, for the Wiki Page.

I also tried the Homebridge and CameraUI tool. See:

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/288758/homebridge-or-similar-solutions-on-cerbo-gx-for-ap.html

This also works and even with motion detection and saving the videos in the iCloud. But needs much more processor power and memory and is unreliable. The motion detection of Apple Home is also very bad and only 7 seconds of clips are saved in the iCloud. Which is impractical. That's why I would recommend this Node Red plugin from Shaquu to everyone. So far it has run without any problems and very reliably, but only with the video stream in low resolution via the internet. But that's fine for me, because I currently only use it to watch the livestream on the Apple Watch.