I have 18 Ring cameras. Now I’m getting an HEVC error message and no recorded video. I see many are having this problem. If it is not resolved I’ll be returning my 18 cameras and dropping my yearly subscription.
Hi neighbors. Legacy Video is used to allow older mobile devices to play your recordings. It also allows web browsers that do not support HEVC to play your recordings. If you do not have an older mobile device or a web browser that does not support HEVC, this is not needed. I have reached out to my team and have confirmed that the Legacy Video toggle is no longer available in the Ring app because our system has been updated so that this is changed automatically if need be. If you have any issues with not being able to view your videos due to HEVC or Legacy Video Mode, please give our support team a call for further assistance.
Based on the post by Justin_Ring, I thought I’d dig up my old iPhone 6s with an old version of the Ring app in hopes that MAYBE I’d have the elusive switch for Legacy Video Mode. No Luck!
For those of us who use Homebridge to integrate Ring with Apple’s HomeKit, you may have come across Scrypted. I’m going to try adding it to my setup. I’ve also found a couple of how-to videos that seem easy to follow. I hope Scypted is the fix to this legacy video mode problem. I’ll share my results and please share yours too.
youtu.be/DE30dt-t-bs and youtu.be/WAUgmiIB0Hk
Add one more link about using Scrypted to those who would like to read up on the subject.
So far so good. Adding Scrypted at least got my live stream to work through a web browser. Now to figure out what settings I need to make it work through HomeKit as well.
Just to follow up with the post marked as the solution by @Justin_Ring - I called the US support number and wasted 40 minutes trying to ask for Legacy Video Mode. The support tech told me that I need to call my laptop manufacturer and have them enable Legacy Video Mode… which is crazy, seeing as the video sent from Ring is the issue, what the heck is Acer going to do with that sort of support request.
After being told several times that I need to purchase a new laptop because my device is too old, I asked flat out if they could enable Legacy Video Mode and was told no, they can’t do that for me. Even if I had asked a manager they couldn’t do it for me either.
Am I ever going to get this working again? Please let me know in no uncertain terms - can we get Legacy Video Mode ever again, or should I start shopping for a new doorbell?
I was wondering why some of my cameras stopped working with Homekit. This is unacceptable. This is either fixed I will be dumping every Ring camera I have and cancelling my subscription.
Ok, I managed to get all of my cameras to work except 1.
In the Homebridge Ring plugin settings, unbridge the cameras (under optional configuration). You will need to remove and readd them all again manually. This worked for my Doorbell 2, and my Indoor cams. My stick-up solar is the only one not working with this, which I am going to accept for now since my main goal was having my doorbell cam on my AppleTV. The rest I use the ring app for. Either way, it’s pretty crappy for Ring to remove the one function that allowed this to work for Apple peeps. We are moving in a few years and I think I’ll junk this stuff and move to a new ecosystem at that time.
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Did you use Scrypted at all? I did not try unbridging and re-adding before I installed Scrypted. I’m still unable to view live stream through the Apple’s Home app both on the iPhone and Mac.
Haven’t tried it, and it looks like I won’t if it doesn’t work with the home app. I saw that the dev of the ring plugin for Homebridge is aware of the issue and has volunteers willing to assist with fixing so maybe it will work again in the future.
So I gave Scrypted a try. Also tried a bunch of different options and none are working. This one stick up cam is useless in homekit/homebridge/scrypted.
The cam works INSIDE scrypted, but it won’t work in the Home app on the iphone.
Removing a feature that improves compatibility? Why?
The Ring app actually does a great job with video streaming, and viewing what’s recorded.
I mainly use Homebridge to patch Ring with Apple’s Homekit architecture so I can quickly turn on/off the alarm as I leave/arrive through Control Center without having to use the Ring app.
After digging and poking around with Scrypted, HomeAssistant, Docker, Portainer, etc. my only success is becoming more of an expert in these things but I still haven’t solved the HEVC/Legacy Video issue. At best, I could only view live stream from a web browser. What’s the point when there’s the Ring app installed on my phone? Even the developer of the plugin concurs. → Camera Troubleshooting · dgreif/ring Wiki · GitHub
Just when I was willing to accept using the Ring app for any kind of video, the good folks supporting the development of the Homebridge-Ring plugin came through with an update that allows streaming on HVEC when legacy mode is not an option.
Here’s the release note for the plugin update:
After updating, you should be able to live stream straight in the Home app on your phone!
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