Understanding Doorbird's Alexa Compatibility Issues
When you invest in a premium smart doorbell like Doorbird, you expect it to integrate seamlessly with your existing smart home ecosystem. However, many users discover that Doorbird does not work with Amazon Alexa out of the box. This can be frustrating, but it's important to understand the reasons behind this and explore the effective workarounds available. This guide will walk you through why direct compatibility is missing and what you can do to connect your Doorbird device to your Alexa setup.
Doorbird has prioritised a different approach to integration, focusing on professional-grade security standards like ONVIF and SIP for connections to Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and IP phone systems. This ensures high security and reliability but means it doesn't use the typical cloud-based API methods that consumer devices like Alexa rely on for simple integration.
Common Symptoms of Incompatibility
If you've been trying to get your Doorbird and Alexa devices to communicate, you have likely encountered these issues:
- Alexa App Cannot Discover Doorbird: When you search for new devices in the Alexa app, your Doorbird doorbell does not appear.
- No Native Doorbird Skill: A search in the Alexa Skills store will not yield an official skill from Doorbird.
- "Device is Unresponsive" Errors: Even if you attempt a workaround, you might see this common error message in the Alexa app.
- Inability to View Live Feed: You cannot ask an Amazon Echo Show or Fire TV to display the live video from your Doorbird camera.
- Doorbell Announcements Not Working: A press of the Doorbird button does not trigger a chime or announcement on your Echo speakers.
How to Troubleshoot and Find a Workaround
While direct integration is not an option, you can still achieve a degree of connectivity through intermediary services. Follow these steps to explore your best options.
Step 1: Utilise IFTTT (If This Then That)
IFTTT is a free web-based service that can act as a bridge between your Doorbird and Alexa. It allows you to create "applets" that use a trigger from one service to cause an action in another.
- Create an IFTTT Account: If you don't already have one, sign up for a free account on the IFTTT website or mobile app.
- Connect Doorbird: Authorise IFTTT to access your Doorbird account. You will need your Doorbird login credentials.
- Connect Amazon Alexa: Connect your Amazon account to IFTTT and grant the necessary permissions.
- Create an Applet:
- For the "If This" (trigger), select Doorbird. You can choose triggers like "Doorbell button pressed" or "Motion detected".
- For the "Then That" (action), select Alexa. You can trigger actions like "create a notification" or "trigger a routine".
Example: You could create an applet where a Doorbird motion event triggers an Alexa routine that turns on your porch lights and makes an announcement, like "Someone is at the front door."
Important Note: IFTTT does not support live video streaming. This method is for event-based automation and notifications only.
Step 2: Explore Advanced Smart Home Hubs
For tech-savvy users, a dedicated smart home hub can offer a more powerful, albeit complex, solution.
- Home Assistant: This open-source automation platform has a dedicated Doorbird integration. By adding your Doorbird to Home Assistant, you can then use the Home Assistant Cloud (Nabu Casa) service to expose the device to Alexa. This can potentially offer more control than IFTTT.
- Hubitat Elevation: Similar to Home Assistant, Hubitat may have community-developed integrations that can bridge your Doorbird device with Alexa, giving you more robust automation possibilities.
Step 3: Check for Firmware and App Updates
While Doorbird hasn't announced plans for native Alexa support, it's always good practice to ensure your device's firmware and the Doorbird mobile app are up to date. Occasionally, updates can introduce new API functionalities that might be leveraged by third-party integration platforms.
- Check Firmware: Open the Doorbird app, go to
Settings > Administration > Firmware Update. - Update App: Visit the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) to ensure you have the latest version of the Doorbird app.
By following these steps, you can create a functional link between your Doorbird doorbell and your Alexa ecosystem, even without official native support.