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Official

[Beta Published] Blink Camera's

JasperBJasperB Member
edited December 2017 in Apps
Hi,

With this app you can control your Blink Camera's using Homey.
Please do note the app is still in beta.

Blink For Homey

Currently the following features are supported:
  • Arm/disarm the network
  • Enable/disable motion detection per camera
  • Capture a video per camera
  • Trigger when new motion has been detected
  • Trigger when the temperature of a camera has changed

Setup

After installing the app, enter your Blink credentials at the settings page.
When this is done, you can add the camera's related to your account.

Motion trigger and camera updates
  • Every 5 seconds there is a check on motion.
    The motion video needs to be created already. Just like in Blink's own app. You only get an alert if the video has been made.
  • Homey's app checks every 5 minutes if there have been any changes on the camera settings.
  • Actions work without time-delay

Screenshots






To Do

  • Add support for device settings
  • Flow action: snapshot
  • Sensor triggers
  • Optimize API calls

Change log

V0.1.1
  • Added snapshot functionality
    Please note that it uses SDK2.0 images, which are currently only supported by the Slack app.
  • The amount of API calls has been reduced.
Tagged:

Comments

  • Reserved for future post
  • Great please see if you can add the snapshot feature. I had this before in smartthings when someone rang my doorbell the camera took a snap
  • a snapshot would be great
  • @jolerius the capture a video would do that. But can make a snap as well yes. Will include that feature in the next update
  • Updated version now supports snapshots. 
    Please note that the snapshots use SDK2.0 image tokens. These are not widely supported yet by messaging apps. 
    It will take time from the community to update these apps.

  • So, how do people find the blink cameras? Had a spate of burglaries on our road so looking for some cameras to cover the house.
    I want them on only when I'm out (which homey integration will do), but am concerned by reports on the internet of recording limited to 60sec and then mandatory break before restart, battery life which apparently drains much faster than advertised and server issues which mean that sometimes things might not record.
    Is there an option for additional local storage?

    Thanks in advance!
  • @vaderag
    Recording time is indeed limited to 60 sec, restart time minimum 5 sec. So you have 5sec gaps between video's.
    With the Homey app you can set the restart time (interval) to 1 sec, although this time will change back to 5 sec if you open the camera settins in the blink smartphone app. 

    The most I can say about battery life is that I have them for about 6 months, and played a lot with recording stuff for the Homey app and the battery status is still good. Never had any server issues for recording. So don't know about that.

    Local storage: by dafault not, within the blink smartphone app you can manually download videos. I can write a script to auto download all video's once in a while if it would be needed. But you would still download it from their cloud.

    Tip: keep in mind that you need a sync module for Blink which all camera's should be able to reach (wireless). My tested max distance is 10 meters. 
  • JasperB said:
    @vaderag
    Recording time is indeed limited to 60 sec, restart time minimum 5 sec. So you have 5sec gaps between video's.
    With the Homey app you can set the restart time (interval) to 1 sec, although this time will change back to 5 sec if you open the camera settins in the blink smartphone app. 

    The most I can say about battery life is that I have them for about 6 months, and played a lot with recording stuff for the Homey app and the battery status is still good. Never had any server issues for recording. So don't know about that.

    Local storage: by dafault not, within the blink smartphone app you can manually download videos. I can write a script to auto download all video's once in a while if it would be needed. But you would still download it from their cloud.

    Tip: keep in mind that you need a sync module for Blink which all camera's should be able to reach (wireless). My tested max distance is 10 meters. 
    Thanks so much for your reply, gives me a bit more confidence. 

    10-15m (through walls) is probably my max intended distance. When you say sync module then I assume you mean the hub?

    Can I ask a couple of follow up questions...
    1) presumably, with no local storage if the internet happens to go down at the time you have an intrusion then no video recorder? Or do they have a small amount of internal storage so should this situation occur it will upload later?

    2) the 60s max time and requiring 1/5s between re-recording - presumably the re-recording only kicks in if there is still motion (or more motion recorded?) That would make sense just want to make sure I'm understanding!

    3) Script to download videos would be good! Is there also a way to periodically set the lower wait interval via a flow?

    4) Is there any way to get a snapshot sent to mobile via notification when motion is detected? This may be base functionality but if so I missed it. Can this go to multiple phones?

    Thank you!!
  • JasperBJasperB Member
    edited February 2018
    @vaderag

    The hub indeed. Ofc you can place that thing in the middle of your house if that's possible. It's quite small.

    1) Have to test that. I assume the sync module/hub has a temp storage for recordings. Will check later this week.
    2) Correct indeed, only if motion is still happening . Video duration might be shorter than set, as there is an option to stop recording when the motion stops. 
    3)  Yes, there is a flow action card to change settings (Video Length, interval time & sensitivity). This is done per camera specifically
    4) Yes and No. There is a functionality to send the a snapshot from a device via Homey.
    The homey smartphone app does not support sending images yet though, you have to use another app like telegram, or email to send them.
    This snapshot is not a snapshot of the latest motion. A way to solve this is: On motion detection -> create snapshot -> send snapshot -> create video.

    Edit: I'm stil l figuring out a way to get a snapshot from the latest video, so that is in progress

  • vaderagvaderag Member
    edited February 2018
    Great stuff, thanks again! Looks like you might have sold me on the Blink system! 
    I'll await your clarity on number 1) before I do tho!!

    And great that you're actively developing and enhancing the app!

    One other question, is it possible to use the cameras as (essentially) PIR in homey flows? So, not record (since I'm in the house/alarm isn't set), but motion is detected so turn on a light etc... Do they report anything like lux etc?
    Also, do they auto switch to night vision?
  • Just ordered the Blink Cameras as they're on offer on Amazon right now :)

    Did you ever get any clarity on number 1) above and the other quiestion

  • vaderag said:
    Just ordered the Blink Cameras as they're on offer on Amazon right now :)

    Did you ever get any clarity on number 1) above and the other quiestion


    @JasperB just wondering if there is an ETA on this being out of beta? Reluctant to install beta apps since you lose all settings when switching to normal, but would like to integrate my blink cameras as soon as I can!
  • @vaderag
    Sorry was away for a while. Will test the question today.
    Will push to stable this weekend. You can install beta apps without losing settings I thought. This is only when you go to the beta (experimental) of Homey's version.
  • JasperB said:
    @vaderag
    Sorry was away for a while. Will test the question today.
    Will push to stable this weekend. You can install beta apps without losing settings I thought. This is only when you go to the beta (experimental) of Homey's version.
    Thank you @JasperB :)

    The app store says settings would be purged on full install - if you're pushing this weekend I'll wait anyway! :)


  • Are the blink camera’s available through url access (homeyda.sh) and which models are supported by the app? 
  • @JasperB
     any news on the v1 release?
    Thanks!
  • Amazon heeft wijzigingen doorgebracht. de Blink camera's zijn niet meer te activeren via homey. alleen uit te lezen qua status. maar kan ze niet meer in flow armen/disarmen?

    meer mensen met dit probleem?
  • vaderagvaderag Member
    @JasperB this still seems to be in Beta - any news of the non-beta release?
  • Just another bump

    @JasperB any news?
  • Well gave up and decided to try the Beta. All seems to work pretty well! You should totally take this out of Beta :)
  • I think I'm talking to myself here now... @JasperB are you still around?! ;)

    I wanted to ask if there is a possibility to enable / disable the schedule via a card?
    I've found that if I arm the system and the schedule kicks in it will disarm... I'd like the schedule to work when the system is not armed, but not if it is... this could easily be done in Homey (assuming it can be done via their API i guess) but cannot be done in the Blink App
  • CookieYangCookieYang Unconfirmed, Member
    Hi! I'm new to Homey and am trying to add my Blink Camera. However, I'm stuck at the follow instructions page, it seems to be just loading. I've entered my login credentials but nothing happens when I clicked 'save changes'. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
  • Hi! I'm new to Homey and am trying to add my Blink Camera. However, I'm  stuck at the follow instructions page, it seems to be just loading. I've entered my login credentials but nothing happens when I clicked 'save changes'. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
    Did this for me first time and it was because I hadn't set up password in the settings
  • CookieYangCookieYang Unconfirmed, Member
    vaderag said:
    Hi! I'm new to Homey and am trying to add my Blink Camera. However, I'm  stuck at the follow instructions page, it seems to be just loading. I've entered my login credentials but nothing happens when I clicked 'save changes'. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
    Did this for me first time and it was because I hadn't set up password in the settings
    Hey @vaderag thanks for the prompt reply. I assume you are referring to the settings in Homey? Yes I did put in my login username and password but nothing happened. I then tried changing my password in the app then updating again in Homey. Deleted my entire account and created a new one and still the same. =/ 
  • Hmm... Not sure then, sorry :/
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