Ring Doorbell Home Assistant Live View -

Last updated on November 27th, 2023 at 12:25 am

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Are you wondering if you can stream Ring Doorbell Home Assistant Live View? Yes, it is possible to stream Ring Doorbell Home Assistant Live View.

A few months ago, I heard some strange noises outside but my Ring alert hadn’t gone off.

I pulled up the live view on my small phone screen but couldn’t see anything clearly in the dark.

I wanted to view the camera feed on my big TV so I could get a better look outside.

After some googling, I discovered that I need to include using the Ring-MQTT add-on, which supports live view and configurable snapshot intervals.

It is one of the coolest things you can do is integrate your Ring doorbell with Home Assistant to view a live stream right on your dashboard.

In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make it happen. We’ll cover:

What is Home Assistant and why integrate your Ring doorbell with it
Benefits of viewing your Ring live stream in Home Assistant
Example automations you can create
Prerequisites to get started
How to install the needed add-ons
Configuring Home Assistant and the add-ons
Setting up handy automations
Troubleshooting tips

And lots more! By the end, you’ll have awesome live view of your Ring doorbell in Home Assistant.

Let’s get started!

Key Takeaways for Ring Doorbell Home Assistant Live View

Just to recap some of the key points we covered:

Home Assistant is an awesome open source home automation platform that can integrate with tons of devices like Ring.
Viewing your Ring live stream in Home Assistant lets you monitor your home remotely, see who’s at the door, create automations, and enhances security/privacy.
You need to install an add-on like RTSP, MQTT or Ring Live View to connect Home Assistant to your Ring device.
Important to configure Home Assistant and the add-on with your Ring account details to enable the integration.
Cool automations you can set up include getting notified on Ring press, lighting your porch on motion, unlocking your door, and more!
Troubleshooting tips include checking your Ring device, network connectivity, Home Assistant config, and other IoT devices that could cause issues.

And that’s a wrap! You now have all the knowledge to get your Ring doorbell streaming live inside Home Assistant.

What is Home Assistant?

For those new to the smart home world, Home Assistant is an incredible open source home automation platform.

It lets you integrate and control tons of different devices and systems in your home, from lights and locks to cameras and thermostats.

Some of the things that make Home Assistant so great:

It’s compatible with a huge range of devices and brands – it works with WiFi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth and more. So you can bring together all your gadgets under one system.
It offers local control and processing – this means your data stays in your home and doesn’t rely on a cloud connection. Makes it faster, more secure and private.
It’s highly customizable – you can build all kinds of automations and dashboards tailored to your home. Great for advanced users.
And best of all, it’s 100% free and open source! Developed by a fantastic community.

So in a nutshell, Home Assistant is an awesome way to control and automate your smart home.

Why Integrate Your Ring Doorbell with Home Assistant?

Adding your Ring doorbell into Home Assistant unlocks some really cool benefits:

Live Stream Your Ring Video

The #1 reason is you can view a live stream from your Ring camera directly in Home Assistant.

This gives you easy access to monitor your front door without opening the Ring app.

You can watch the stream on wall mounted tablets, or pull it up on any device with the Home Assistant app. It’s super handy to quickly check who’s at the door!

More Automation Power

Another big benefit is it unlocks more automation capabilities between your Ring and other devices.

For example, you could set it up so that when your Ring detects motion at night, it automatically turns on your porch lights! Or have it send you a notification when someone rings the bell.

Since Home Assistant integrates with tons of devices, the automation combos are endless.

Enhanced Privacy & Security

Finally, hosting your Ring stream in Home Assistant gives you more control over privacy.

With the cloud services, your video feed is in Ring’s hands. But with Home Assistant, the stream stays local to your network. So you don’t have to worry about your video being accessed by others.

Pretty cool right? Now let’s look at some specific benefits of streaming in Home Assistant.

Benefits of Viewing Your Ring Live Stream in Home Assistant

Here are some of the biggest perks and use cases of watching your Ring doorbell in Home Assistant:

Monitor Your Home from Anywhere

One of the best parts is you can check your front door area from anywhere in the world.

Whether you’re at work, on vacation – as long as you have internet, you can pull up the live view on your phone and see what’s happening.

It’s great for keeping an eye on pets or checking for packages while you’re out. Complete peace of mind!

See Who’s at the Door Without Answering

Another great benefit is convenience. With the live stream, you can see who’s at the door without having to go answer it.

You can quickly check if it’s an expected visitor or surprise solicitor. And then decide whether to go open the door or not.

Automate Actions Based on Ring Events

As mentioned before, Home Assistant opens up all kinds of cool automation abilities with your Ring doorbell.

You can create rules like:

Turn on porch lights when Ring detects motion at night
Unlock your August smart lock when Ring is pressed
Start recording with another camera when someone rings the door

The options are endless! We’ll cover some examples later on.

Enhanced Security & Privacy

Hosting the stream locally on Home Assistant also brings security benefits.

You don’t have to rely on the cloud or give companies access to your video feed. It stays safe and private on your own network.

Plus you can combine it with other sensors and cameras to make your home more secure.

So in summary, some great reasons to view your Ring in Home Assistant:

Monitor your home from anywhere
See who’s at door conveniently
Automate other devices based on Ring events
Enhanced security and privacy

Next up, let’s look at some specific automation ideas to try out!

Example Ring Automations with Home Assistant

Here are just a few cool automation ideas you can implement with Home Assistant and your Ring camera:

Get Notified on Ring Press

When the Ring button is pressed, send yourself a notification to your phone.

Light Up the Porch at Night

When motion is detected on the Ring at night, turn on your smart porch lights.

Record with Other Cameras

When someone rings the doorbell, tell your security camera in the living room to start recording.

Unlock Door for Family

Automatically unlock your smart lock when the Ring detects one of your family members.

Chime Plays Inside on Ring Press

Have your smart speakers or media players throughout the house play a doorbell chime when someone presses the Ring.

The options are endless! Once you have Home Assistant connected to your Ring, you can build whatever automations are useful to you.

Now that you’ve got a Home Assistant overview and some Ring integration ideas, let’s look at how to get set up.

Prerequisites to View Your Ring in Home Assistant

To integrate your Ring doorbell with Home Assistant, you’ll need:

A Ring Doorbell

First, you’ll need an actual Ring Doorbell – one of their hardwired or battery-powered models. The most popular are:

Ring Video Doorbell Pro
Ring Video Doorbell Elite
Ring Video Doorbell 3 / 3 Plus
Ring Video Doorbell (2nd gen)

I recommend getting one of the newer 1080p HD models if possible for the best video quality. But overall any Ring doorbell should work!

Home Assistant Installed

Next, you’ll need Home Assistant set up and running. You can install it on a Raspberry Pi, local server, or in Docker.

I suggest reading Home Assistant’s installation docs if you need guidance getting it going initially. Their community forum is also super helpful if you hit any snags.

Ring Integration for Home Assistant

Finally, you’ll need a way to integrate your Ring with Home Assistant. There are a few different methods, with pros and cons to each:

RTSP – Simple to set up but limited features. Streams video only.
MQTT – More configurable but complex. Can enable features like motion events.
Ring Live View – Most feature-rich integration but involved to install.

I’ll go over how to set up each option later on. My recommendation is starting with RTSP for the easiest initial integration.

And that covers the prerequisites! As long as you have those core pieces – Ring doorbell, Home Assistant, and a way to connect them – you’re ready to get set up.

Now let’s dive into the installation process.

Installing the Home Assistant Add-ons for Ring

To enable streaming your Ring camera in Home Assistant, you’ll need to install one of the add-ons:

RTSP Simple Server
Ring MQTT
Ring Live View

I’ll cover how to install each below.

Installing RTSP Simple Server Add-on

For basic video streaming, the RTSP Simple Server add-on is the easiest to set up. Just follow these steps:

In your Home Assistant frontend, go to Supervisor > Add-on Store
Search for “RTSP Simple Server”
Click Install
Wait for the installation to complete
Click on the “Configure” button
Enter the following:
- Port: 8554
- Stream path: /rtsp
Save the configuration
Start the add-on

And that’s it, you’ve installed the RTSP add-on! Next let’s look at the Ring MQTT add-on.

Installing the Ring MQTT Add-on

For more advanced features like motion events, you can use the Ring MQTT add-on. Here’s how to install it:

In Home Assistant, go to Supervisor > Add-on Store
Search for “Ring MQTT”
Click Install
Wait for the installation to finish
Click on “Configure”
Enter your MQTT broker info:
- MQTT broker URL
- MQTT username
- MQTT password
Add your Ring refresh token
Save the configuration
Start the add-on

Installing the Ring Live View Add-on

For the most robust integration, the unofficial Ring Live View add-on has the most features. But it’s more complex to set up:

In Home Assistant, go to Supervisor > Add-on Store
Click the menu and select “Repositories”
Add https://github.com/HomeAssistant/LiveView.git as the repository URL
Return to the main Add-on Store
Search for “Ring Live View”
Click Install
Wait for the installation to complete
Click “Configure”
Enter your Ring refresh token
Save changes and start the add-on

And that covers installing the main add-ons for streaming your Ring camera in Home Assistant.

Configuring Home Assistant and the Ring Add-ons

Once you have the add-on installed, you’ll need to configure Home Assistant to integrate with it.

I’ll cover the steps for each add-on:

Configuring the RTSP Simple Server Add-on

Not much to configure with the RTSP add-on! Just make sure these settings are correct in the add-on configuration:

Port: 8554
Stream path: /rtsp

Double check it’s running, and that’s it.

Configuring the Ring MQTT Add-on

For the MQTT add-on, make sure you set:

MQTT broker URL
MQTT username
MQTT password
Ring refresh token

The refresh token connects your Ring account to Home Assistant.

You can get your token by logging into the Ring website and going to Account > Linked Devices.

Configuring the Ring Live View Add-on

The main thing to configure with the Live View add-on is your Ring refresh token, similar to MQTT above.

Just paste your token into the add-on configuration to connect your account.

Configuring Home Assistant for Ring Camera Stream

The last part is setting up the camera in Home Assistant itself. Here’s how:

Go to Configuration > Integrations > Click + and search for “RTSP”
Select RTSP and fill in your stream details:
- Name: Ring Doorbell
- Stream URL: rtsp://localhost:8554/rtsp
Restart Home Assistant
Go to Configuration > Devices & Services > Cameras
You should now see your “Ring Doorbell” camera!

Now we just need to add it to the Home Assistant dashboard:

Go to the main Overview tab
Click “Add card” and select “Picture Entity”
Choose your Ring camera
Click ‘Add to Dashboard’

And you’re all set! Your live Ring stream should now appear.

Let’s move on to setting up some handy automations next.

Automating Your Ring Doorbell with Home Assistant

Now for the really fun part – setting up automations in Home Assistant based on your Ring doorbell events!

Home Assistant makes it super easy to create rules and triggers to automatically perform actions when your Ring detects motion, someone presses the doorbell, etc.

Here are a few examples to try:

Send Yourself a Notification on Ring Press

To get notified when someone presses your Ring, create a new automation with:

Trigger: Ring doorbell pressed

Action: Send a notification

Whenever someone hits your Ring now, you’ll get a message on your phone!

Turn on Lights When Ring Detects Motion

To turn on smart lights when the Ring sees motion at night, set up an automation with:

Trigger: Ring detects motion at night

Condition: Sun is below horizon

Action: Turn on porch lights

Now your porch will light up any time the Ring catches movement in the dark.

Record to Another Camera on Ring Press

To start recording on an indoor camera when someone rings the doorbell, create an automation with:

Trigger: Ring doorbell pressed

Action: Start recording on Camera 2

You can even specify to only record for a set duration before stopping. Perfect for seeing who rang your bell!

The options are really endless – get creative with the kinds of automations that would be most useful to you!

Now that you’ve got your Ring integrated and automated, let’s talk about troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting Ring Integration Issues

Sometimes you might run into problems getting your Ring streaming properly in Home Assistant. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

Ring Doorbell Troubleshooting

First make sure the issue isn’t with your Ring device itself. Things to check:

Ring has power (wired or battery charged)
Ring doorbell can connect and stream in the official Ring app
Ring device firmware is updated
Ring account subscription is active (if applicable)

Also try rebooting your Ring doorbell. Often a quick power cycle can fix any streaming glitches.

Network Connectivity Issues

Streaming problems are also commonly due to network problems. Try these steps:

Make sure your Home Assistant host and Ring are on the same network
Reboot your Home Assistant host and/or router
Switch to a wired connection if on WiFi
Move Home Assistant and Ring closer to your router

Usually network issues are the culprit if you see lagging, buffering, or connection errors.

Home Assistant Configuration

Double check that your Home Assistant integration is set up properly:

Correct add-on is installed and running
Add-on is configured with your Ring refresh token
RTSP / MQTT settings are entered correctly
Home Assistant camera integration is enabled and working

Refer to the Home Assistant logs for any errors – this can help narrow down the problem.

Other Home Automation Factors

Consider other devices on your network that could be causing interference:

Smart bulbs, switches, or other IoT devices overwhelming your network
Neighbors WiFi networks creating congestion and collisions
Too many streams or recordings happening simultaneously

Try turning off other devices as a test. Overloaded networks can manifest as streaming issues.

And don’t hesitate to ask the awesome Home Assistant community forums if you’re stuck!

FAQ

Why Won’t Ring Give Me A Live View?

There are a few reasons why you may not be getting a live view from your Ring doorbell:

Connectivity issues – If your Ring is having trouble connecting to your WiFi network, it won’t be able to stream video. Try rebooting your router and Ring device. Also make sure your Ring has strong WiFi signal by installing it closer to your router if possible.
Outdated firmware – An outdated Ring firmware version can cause live view problems. Open the Ring app and make sure your doorbell is updated to the latest firmware.
Ring subscription expired – Some Ring models require an active subscription for live view features. Check that your account subscription is current if applicable.
Too many streams at once – Ring doorbells can only handle a certain number of simultaneous video streams. If you have live view open in multiple places it may fail. Try closing other live views.
Incorrect app settings – Ensure that live view is enabled in the Ring app settings. There is an option to turn off live streaming which will prevent it.

So in summary, issues are commonly due to WiFi connectivity problems, outdated firmware, expired subscriptions, too many streams, or incorrect app settings. Carefully checking each of these factors can help restore your live view.

Is Ring Live View Free?

The basic Ring live view streaming feature is free and does not require a Ring subscription.

You can access live view of your Ring doorbell for free through the Ring app and through integrations with other services like Home Assistant.

However, Ring does offer an optional subscription called Ring Protect that provides additional features and functionality, including:

Cloud video recording storage
Advanced motion detection settings
Shared user accounts
Lifetime warranty

But the core live video streaming ability is free. The subscriptions add other extra capabilities for a monthly fee.

So if you just want basic live view access of your Ring doorbell through the app or Home Assistant integration, you can get this without needing to pay anything. The subscriptions are optional upgrades.

Which Doorbell Camera Has Live View?

The most popular smart doorbell cameras that offer live view streaming include:

Ring Video Doorbells
Nest Hello Doorbell
Arlo Video Doorbell
Eufy Security Video Doorbells
August View Video Doorbell
Vivint Doorbell Camera
RemoBell S Video Doorbell

Essentially any WiFi connected smart doorbell camera will provide a live video feed that you can access through its accompanying mobile app.

Features like motion activated streaming, night vision, and two-way talk are also commonly available. So when choosing a video doorbell, look for the features that are most important to you.

But having live view is a standard capability that should be offered across all modern connected doorbell cameras from major brands. Just double check before purchasing.

Does Ring Doorbell 2 Have Live View?

Yes, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 does have live view capability. You can access a live video stream from the Ring Doorbell 2 through the Ring app for Android and iOS.

The live view will stream in 1080p HD resolution and includes two-way talk so you can speak to visitors. Night vision is also available on the Ring Doorbell 2 live view for when it’s dark out.

In addition to the mobile app, you can enable live view on the Ring Doorbell 2 through integrations with smart displays like an Amazon Echo Show.

This lets you monitor your front door directly from the Echo Show screen.

You can also integrate the live stream from a Ring Doorbell 2 into home automation platforms like Home Assistant.

This allows you to view the feed on any device and build automations.

So the Ring Doorbell 2 has robust options for accessing the live video stream, giving you flexibility.

The live view access is also completely free and doesn’t require a Ring subscription.

Does Ring Work With Google Home Assistant?

Yes, Ring doorbells and cameras can be integrated directly with Google Home Assistant. This allows you to view live streams from your Ring devices on displays like a Google Nest Hub.

To connect your Ring account with Google Home / Assistant, you need to enable the Ring skill in your Google Home app.

After linking accounts, you can ask your Google Assistant to show your Ring live view on your smart display.

In addition to live streaming, the Ring integration with Google Home Assistant supports other features like:

Motion announcements
Person, vehicle, and package detection announcements
Two-way talk through your Assistant
Face imagery announcements (with Ring Protect plan)

The integration uses your existing Ring application so no additional hardware or configuration is needed. Just link your accounts and you’re ready to go!

Google Home Assistant also has deep integrations with Ring alarm systems. You can use voice commands to arm, disarm, or check the status of your Ring Alarm security system.

Overall, Ring has robust support for Google Home Assistant, enabling lots of handy integrations.

Can You Use Ring Doorbell Without App?

While the Ring app is required for initial setup, you can use Ring doorbells without the app after getting them configured. Here are some ways:

Smart home hubs – Ring works with hubs like Samsung SmartThings and Wink. Once linked, you can view your Ring live feed through their app instead.
Home automation platforms – Systems like Home Assistant allow you to view and control Ring doorbells locally after linking accounts.
Smart displays – You can view your Ring live stream on smart displays like Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub if you enable the skill integration.
Web browser – Ring has a web portal that allows live streaming and controls. Just go to ring.com and login.
Chime accessories – Hardwired Ring Chimes will ding when your doorbell is rung without needing the app.

So while the Ring app is required for getting your device set up initially, there are alternatives for regular use afterward if desired.

Just keep in mind you’ll need to re-link your Ring account if you make any major configuration changes.

Does Ring Have Live Monitoring?

Ring does offer optional professional monitoring services called Ring Protect Plus. This includes 24/7 live monitoring of the cameras and alarm systems by actual human personnel.

With Ring Protect Plus monitoring, when your alarm goes off or your cameras detect activity, the service will review the live footage in real-time.

An agent can then take action including:

Calling emergency responders on verified incidents
Warning intruders over the speaker
Checking in on you via two-way talk

Subscribers can set monitoring preferences and request emergency dispatch if needed. Agents can also confirm events and notify contacts you designate.

This provides an extra layer of security beyond just getting notifications on your own devices. Having live personnel actively monitoring events can be reassuring.

Ring live monitoring does require the Protect Plus plan subscription after a 30 day free trial of the service. So it is an optional paid add-on, but provides professional live oversight and rapid response.

Can I View My Ring Doorbell On A Monitor?

Yes, there are a few options for viewing your Ring doorbell live stream on an external monitor or TV:

Use an Amazon Fire TV Stick – Install the Ring app to view on your TV
Use a Roku streaming device – Add the Ring channel to your Roku
Use an Amazon Echo Show – Link your Ring account and enable video
Use Home Assistant – Display the Home Assistant dashboard on a wall tablet
Connect your phone to a TV – Use screen mirroring or an HDMI cable

The easiest options are using a plug-in streaming device like Fire TV or Roku that have the Ring app available.

Smart displays like Echo Show also make it simple with native integration. Or you can go the home automation route with Home Assistant for advanced functionality.

So whether you just want a quick view on your TV, or something more robust, there are definitely options for viewing your Ring doorbell live feed on a larger dedicated monitor or screen.

Conclusion

I hope this guide gave you a good overview of how to integrate your Ring camera live stream into Home Assistant. Once it’s set up, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

It’s amazing having that convenience of checking your front door anywhere and anytime.

Plus being able to build cool automations based on Ring events takes things to another level.

If you run into any snags or have questions along the way, don’t hesitate to drop me a comment below! I’m always happy to help out.

Let me know once you get your live view set up! I’d love to hear what kinds of automations you end up creating.

And if you found this guide helpful, please share it on social media or with other Home Assistant enthusiasts

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