Hey everyone! I wanted to share my journey of integrating Zmodo cameras into Home Assistant. It was quite a process, but I managed to get everything working smoothly. Here’s how I did it:
First, I had to log into Zmodo’s web frontend and obtain a token. This token is crucial for all subsequent API calls. I found that the token refreshes every 5 minutes, so I created a simple bash script using cron to keep it active. This was a bit tricky, but it worked perfectly once I got the hang of it.
Next, I needed to retrieve a list of my devices. This involved making a GET request to Zmodo’s API and extracting the necessary information like physical_id and aes_key. I also explored the API endpoints for messages and alerts, which was a bit overwhelming at first, but I managed to parse the data effectively.
For streaming video, I discovered that the cameras support both LD and HD modes. I constructed the live stream URL using the extracted parameters and tested it in VLC, though I found that it worked better within Home Assistant. I manually added the cameras to my configuration.yaml file, which was a bit tedious, but it got the job done.
I also set up MQTT sensors to handle motion detection and alerts. This required another bash script to periodically fetch messages from Zmodo and publish them to MQTT topics. While this part was a bit complex, it allowed me to create useful automations, like sending notifications to my phone when motion is detected.
One thing I’m still working on is dynamically adding devices through MQTT without manual configuration. I also noticed that video playback from alerts isn’t perfect yet, but I’m hopeful that future updates will resolve this.
Overall, I’m really happy with how everything turned out. The Zmodo cameras are performing well, and having them integrated into Home Assistant has added a great layer of security to my home. If anyone has questions or needs help with their setup, feel free to reach out! I’m happy to share more details or troubleshoot together.
Cheers,
[Your Name]