Audio with Reolink E1 Zoom Camera
I know that Reolink cameras can be an issue with Security Spy but I bought the indoor E1 Zoom for its auto tracking capabilities. Everything works except the audio. Security Spy doesn't recognize the microphone. Mind you that the Reolink's app talk feature does work so I'm assuming it is a setting that I'm missing as the microphone does work. Here are the settings I'm using in Security Spy.
Here is the view from the Security Spy camera view showing the microphone missing suggesting Security Spy doesn't know the camera has a microphone.
Here are the Reolink camera network settings and server settings.
If anyone has a clue to getting the audio to work I'd appreciate your help.
And perhaps trying your patience a bit with one last issue in hopes of not having to create another discussion please see the image below. On the left is an Amcrest camera and the right is the Reolink camera. Why are there "black bars" left and right of the Reolink camera? Why doesn't the image fill the window like my other 18 cameras? The camera resolution is set to 2560 x 1920.
Thanks so much!
Comments
I'm afraid I cannot help you on audio, since I've never used it.
But I have something to offer on the black bars.
The default resolution is, as you say, 2560 x 1920 (or 5MP), which is a 4:3 aspect ratio. This comparison image (lifted from the Reolink website) shows various resolutions.
To get around the black bars, set the E1 Zoom to 2560 x 1440 (4MP), a 16:9 aspect ratio, i.e. a more rectangular shape. I suspect all your other cameras are 16:9 ratio?
In the Reolink Mac desktop app: Camera >Settings>Stream>Settings(again)>Resolution>2560*1440
That solved the problem. Thanks so much Robbie!
I've spent some additional time with the Reolink E1 Zoom via the Relolink app, the browser interface and SecuritySpy's Camera settings. I've tried different RTSP formats (see image below) in Security py and none of the options have enabled the microphone. All provided a connection to the camera except the RTSP-over-HTTP option. None enabled the microphone. I did find it odd that the HTTP, RTSP and ONVIF options were off by default on the camera. I guess the idea is to configure the camera for Reolink's software out of the box and nothing else. Note that I do have the latest firmware installed on the camera.
When SecuritySpy connects to the camera the microphone quickly appears in the grid view but then disappears. It is as if SecuritySpy connected with the camera expecting it to have a microphone and then after the exchange determined it doesn't have one.
If I can't get the microphone to work I'll likely go back to the Amcrest camera I had deployed for this position. I guess I value the microphone capability of the Amcrest over the auto tracking capability of the Reolink. :)
Hi again.
I had a play with this this morning and ... it works for me.
The thing that affects the audio volume:
In SS go Settings >Cameras>Reolink>Audio>Volume
To listen to realtime live audio, in SS on Mac, make sure the speaker icon is active in the Camera Info window:
Or on the iOS app, the speaker is selected.
I tweaked nothing on the Reolink end of things.
Recordings contained the audio just fine.
I expect you've tried these things. But I thought I'd share.
Perhaps the Camera Info window will better illustrate my issue. See Foyer (E1Zoom) camera where SecuritySpy doesn't recognize that the camera has a microphone. The first 12 cameras (Lorex) are the same way but they truly don't have a microphone or speaker where the Reolink E1 Zoom does. The other cameras in the list showing a microphone and speaker capability are Amcrest cameras.
Note the Device, Setup and Audio settings of the Reolink E1 Zoom camera. I've also tried the ONVIF protocol and all of the available Format options and no microphone is ever recognized.
Note also that the Talk feature for the camera works with the Reolink app so both microphone and speaker hardware are working.
The original idea was to replace the Amcrest cameras with cameras that do auto tracking. I've discovered that some models of the Amcrest cameras also support auto tracking and may just go in that direction.
Thanks for your help Robbie.
@arltfulp I owe you a massive apology! I completely misread your very clear request for assistance with the microphone on the reolink and focused on the speaker.
I've had another fiddle and I can't get the microphone to work either!
I also tried another no-brand (but serviceable) camera on my set up with a microphone and speaker and I couldn't get the microphone to work. 🤔
Robbie, actually it is good to hear that you're having the same microphone problem as I'm having with your Reolink camera. Good in that It provides some reassurance that I haven't misconfigured anything. :) My existing Amcrest cameras, models ASH41-B and IP4M-1051B, offer both microphone and speaker functionality within SecuritySpy. I've already ordered additional ASH41-B cameras to replace the IP4M-1051B cameras as I want the auto-track features and I can't get the Reolink E1 Zoom to completely work. I've also opened up a ticket with Reolink as they advertise support for SecuritySpy. We'll see where that takes me. If I find a solution I'm come back here to let you know.
Thanks.
I hear what you say and I hope you get some assistance from Reolink. I'm invested enough now to want to see it working now -- even though I will probably not use it. 😂
Reolink provided me this firmware E1-Zoom.4031_2409091783.IPC_566SD664M5MP.paks but unfortunately it didn't solve the problem. Still chasing it.
I received the message below from Reolink early this morning. Looks like they think the issue is with SecuritySpy.
Iris
Oct 17, 2024, 14:12 GMT+8
Dear Carl,
Thank you for waiting.
After trying to enable the two-way audio function for the same camera model on the SecuritySpy, we encountered the same problem. According to the test results, it seems that the ONVIF protocol or specifications of this software do not meet the standard requirements or are only used for specific models. According to other users, their Dahua or HIKVISION cameras met the same issue by using this software.
In this case, I'm afraid we don't have further suggestions on this issue as this issue is likely related to the third-party software, not the camera firmware. Sorry for the trouble caused.
Feel free to contact us again if there's anything else we can help with.
Best regards,
Reolink Senior Support Team-Iris
Well, if both sides of the coin blame the other, there is nothing to be done other than buy a different camera. Or different software. 🤷♂️
It's a shame though.
Apologies for my late reply on this thread - there's the situation with audio:
SecuritySpy supports audio FROM the camera for any camera that has this feature. This is indicated by the SPEAKER icon in video windows, because if you click this icon you will hear the camera's audio coming through your Mac's speaker. I can see from the above screenshots that this speaker icon is present for both the Amcrest and Reolink cameras mentioned.
Sending audio TO the camera ("two-way audio") is another matter. At this time, SecuritySpy supports this only for Amcrest, Dahua, Hikvision and Axis cameras. This is indicated by the MICROPHONE icon in video windows (because the audio comes from the Mac's microphone).
I hope this clears up the situation with audio. Reolink is currently not supported for two-way audio, but we do hope to expand the range of cameras that we can support for this. We have been working on a universal ONVIF implementation for this, but it's not ready yet.
Thanks for the response Ben. Frankly I think I misinterpreted the microphone icon as recognizing the camera's microphone as being on rather than enabling two-way audio. Got it. Thanks.