Non-Ring Cameras to be able to Access Ring App

Ring, a smart home security firm, is increasing the capabilities of its Ring App by adding ONVIF-compatible cameras. The Open Network Video Interface Forum is an open standard that allows devices from different manufacturers to connect with one another. ONVIF-compliant cameras are often IP-based and powered over ethernet; a common form factor is dome-shaped with pan and tilt capabilities, but there are hundreds of possibilities.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to add your Nest or Arlo cameras to the Ring App because most ONVIF-compatible cameras aren’t made by well-known smart home brands. Manufacturers such as Reolink, Amcrest, Panasonic, Bosch, Axis, HikVision, and Arecont Vision produce commercial or large-scale residential camera surveillance systems.

Users will need a Ring Protect Pro membership plan ($20 per month or $200 per year) and a Ring Alarm Pro ($250) to use the connection, which will be available in April. The Pro is the company’s most recent security hub, and it comes with an Eero mesh router, LTE, an external battery backup, and local storage. This is a suitable option for a small to medium-sized business that already has an ONVIF surveillance system in place and needs an alarm system.

It’s a similar approach to Ring’s 2019 Retrofit Alarm Kit, which allows you to integrate an existing home alarm system into a new Ring Alarm configuration. The ONVIF cameras will have access to Ring features such as live video, smart notifications (with the option for a People Only mode), and the Ring App event history and timeline capabilities, which allow you to examine recorded motion events, once they are in the app.