How to Fix a Doorbird With No Video Feed
When your Doorbird Video Intercom stops showing video and displays only a black or blank screen, it loses its most important feature. This "no video" issue can be frustrating, but it's often caused by a handful of identifiable problems related to power, network, or the camera's physical components.
This guide will walk you through the troubleshooting steps to diagnose the cause of the video loss and restore the picture on your Doorbird device.
Common Causes for a Lost Video Signal
Understanding why the video feed might fail is the first step to fixing it. The problem is rarely with the app itself, but rather with the hardware or its connection.
- Insufficient Power: This is a leading cause. The camera module is one of the most power-hungry components of the Doorbird. If the power supply from the transformer or PoE source dips, the device might stay connected to the network, but the camera will fail to activate, resulting in a black screen.
- Network Instability: While the device may show as "online," high packet loss or low bandwidth on your network can prevent the large amount of data required for a video stream from reaching your phone or tablet, even if simpler commands (like the doorbell push notification) work.
- Stuck IR Cut Filter: The camera has a physical filter that moves over the lens to switch between day and night mode. If this small mechanical part gets stuck, it can block the image sensor entirely, leading to a black picture. This is often accompanied by a "clicking" sound when the unit reboots.
- Faulty Camera Module: In some cases, the camera hardware itself can fail. This is less common than power or network issues but can happen over time due to environmental factors or electronic failure.
- Incorrect App or User Permissions: It's possible that video has been disabled for a specific user within the Doorbird's administration settings.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide
Follow these steps in order to isolate and resolve the video problem.
- Check the Network Connection:
- First, confirm that the Doorbird is online in your app. If it is offline, you must resolve the network connection issue first.
- If it is online, go to the location of the Doorbird with your smartphone. Run a network speed test. You need a stable upload speed of at least 2 Mbps at the location for reliable video. If the speed is low, the video data may not be getting through.
- Verify the Power Supply:
- Re-check the power requirements for your specific Doorbird model in its manual.
- Ensure the transformer or PoE switch/injector you are using meets these specifications exactly. An underpowered supply is a very common point of failure.
- A simple reboot can often temporarily fix power-related glitches. Disconnect the Doorbird from its power source for 60 seconds (either via the circuit breaker or by unplugging the PoE cable), then reconnect it. Listen for any startup sounds and see if the video returns.
- Attempt to Un-stick the IR Filter:
- If you suspect a stuck IR filter (especially if you heard a clicking noise before the video failed), you can try to manually move it.
- Take a small, relatively strong magnet (like a fridge magnet) and carefully move it around the area of the camera lens for a few seconds. The magnetic field can sometimes be enough to jolt the filter back into its correct position. Reboot the device after trying this.
- Review Administration Settings:
- Open the Doorbird App and navigate to
Settings > Administration. You will need your administrator credentials to log in. - Go to the 'Users' section and select the user who is having the problem. Ensure there is a checkmark next to 'Video'.
- Go to the 'Video' section and check that the settings are correct. As a test, you can try lowering the video resolution to see if a picture appears.
- Open the Doorbird App and navigate to
- Contact Technical Support:
- If you have completed all the above steps and still have no video feed, you have likely ruled out the common issues. At this point, it is possible there is a hardware fault with the camera module.
- Contact Doorbird's official support team. Provide them with a summary of the steps you have already taken, as this will help them diagnose the problem much faster.
By methodically checking these key areas, you can identify the reason for the video failure and get your Doorbird working correctly again.