motion triggers simulated doorbell press for tvOS

[d2ustin]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I would like a motion event in a “zone” to trigger a simulated doorbell press so that when motion is detected it will pop up on Apple TV.

Describe the solution you'd like
Similar to homebridge-ring when motion is detected you can have a doorbell press simulated so that it will pop up on tvOS a view of the camera and a doorbell sound

Describe alternatives you've considered
No alternate available that I know of

Additional context
See homebridge-ring iOS 14 tvOS simulated doorbell press feom motion event.

[d2ustin]

Hi there just wanted to see if this might be implemented in coming versions?

[Brandawg93]

Since iOS 15 notifications are getting revamped, this may be properly fixed soon. I'd rather Apple fix HomeKit rather than me implement a hack to make it work.

[d2ustin]

Hey there - thanks for responding. I've been looking in the beta for different notifications in HomeKit, I'm not seeing anything much different other than focus, I'm installing beta 2 as we speak, so I'll check there too. I'm hoping that they implement something to make a motion trigger play on tvOS. I think what I was recommending was more along the lines of the motion itself on a cam only to trigger a door bell press. My specific reasoning for this was, the nest cam I have outside is overlooking an area that has gotten a car break-in before. Automations does not--thank I know of currently, if you know I'd love some feedback--have any way to trigger a sound, other than the typical notification [I could use an automation and upload a sound, now that I'm thinking about it. I'll play around with it, I just dont think you can force it to play globally as in on HomePod / apple tv. So I thought if the motion could trigger a door bell press it would wake us up and make us more apt to be able to take action. thanks so much for all you do and the amazing tools you've developed!

[d2ustin]

Hi there - checking on this as iOS 15 released, not sure If this can be implemented

[shereefalkady]

Home bridge camera ffmpeg allows a dummy switch to ring the doorbell. Why can't we do it here. A switch that is activated elsewhere and not by the camera. I actually have a switch on the wall - when pressed i want it to activate the dummy doorbell switch in nest cam

[d2ustin]

My original question about streaming to tvOS is now possible with the updated software (tvOS, iOS 15). Still, it will not act as a doorbell, just streaming. @shereefalkady not sure if this is what you want to do as well. There are a few caveats that are involved with the configuration... I can't speak to this plugin specifically, as I decided to get the starling bridge (I still use homebridge for all things not nest). I have the nest guard that the other Nest Plugins don't support, but I'll share my config below. Still, I'd guess it's similar to using this camera plugin.

This is my findings from testing
First, the "push notifications" that nest sends are configured in the nest app (for pre-2021 models). The 2021 models work slightly differently; quite frankly, the google home app does better at breaking down what the camera records vs. notifications shown. So, assuming you have the pre-2021 camera... Push notifications are set by the account that you're logged into. The notifications are not "global" for the assigned home; for example, if you have 1 account for your personal and another for this plugin, you'll need to log in to the nest app with the one you are using for this plugin to properly configure the notifications. Why is this important? If your account is set to only send notifications when no one is home, that's the only time it will pass an event notification to that account, rendering the tvOS streaming useless. My suggestion is to have a google account for your "homebridge" and a second for your personal, so you don't get notifications on your phone when you're home (if that's what you prefer). This is relatively easy, just set up another google account and invite it to the home, and sign in to the nest app to configure the notifications.

Using the example of: Nest Cam is outdoors, in a driveway, you want to see the live feed on your TV if it detects a person near your cars or the door into your home, the other areas in the camera's view don't matter to you to stream. Zone 1 "Cars", Zone 2 "entrance"

You'd want to configure a few things in your nest app.

1. Select the camera, then the gear at the top right, then activity zones. Set the zones for which you wish to get notifications
2. Go back, then select notifications
3. Notification type set to "push notifications" When to send set to "always."
4. Select the zone to configure notifications for, select "people."
5. Select outside of a zone, select "none."
6. Select sound, select if you'd like the camera to stream when it hears a noise

On Apple TV

1. Go to settings > Airplay and HomeKit
2. Go to Cameras & Doorbells
3. Go to the camera you're configuring
4. Change Show on this Apple TV to on
5. Change Activity notifications to on

You'd want to make sure that you sign out of the dedicated account for homebridge on the nest app and go back into your personal one if you so choose to do it that way. By doing this, the notifications have worked perfectly and stream only when it meets the "notification" criteria.