Scrypted Amcrest ASH21 PTZ Plugin

Full PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) control for Amcrest ASH21-B-V2 cameras in Scrypted using the DVRIP protocol.

Features

• Full PTZ control (pan, tilt, zoom)
• Works with Frigate NVR via built-in ONVIF server
• Video streaming via Scrypted Rebroadcast
• HomeKit compatible

Installation

Method 1: Scrypted UI (if working)

1. Go to Scrypted web interface
2. Click "Install Plugin"
3. Search for scrypted-amcrest-ash21
4. Click Install

Method 2: Manual Installation

If the UI install fails, use manual installation:

# SSH into your Scrypted server
ssh user@your-server

# Download and install the plugin
docker exec -it scrypted sh -c "
  cd /tmp && \
  npm pack scrypted-amcrest-ash21 && \
  mkdir -p /server/volume/plugins/scrypted-amcrest-ash21 && \
  tar -xzf scrypted-amcrest-ash21-*.tgz && \
  cp -r package/* /server/volume/plugins/scrypted-amcrest-ash21/ && \
  rm -rf package scrypted-amcrest-ash21-*.tgz
"

# Restart Scrypted
docker restart scrypted

Camera Setup

Important: The ASH21-B-V2 does not have a web interface. Initial setup requires the Amcrest Cloud app, then you can switch to local-only control.

Step 1: Initial Cloud Setup

1. Connect the camera via ethernet or follow the camera's WiFi setup mode
2. Download the Amcrest Cloud app (iOS/Android) - this is required for initial setup
3. Create an account and add the camera through the cloud app
4. Set local credentials - In the camera settings, set a username and password for local access (e.g., username: admin, password: your choice)
5. Remove the camera from the Amcrest Cloud app (optional - for privacy/local-only control)

Step 2: Local App Setup

Once local credentials are configured, add the camera to a local app:

• iOS/Android: Amcrest View Pro
• Mac: Amcrest Surveillance Pro

Add the camera using:

• IP Address: Find this from your router's DHCP list
• Username/Password: The local credentials you set in Step 1
• Port: 37777 (DVRIP)

Camera Settings (Optional)

Fine-tune these settings in the app for optimal performance:

• Video Settings:
  • Main Stream: H.264, 1080P, 30fps
  • Sub Stream: H.264, VGA (640x480), 30fps (for detection)
• I-Frame Interval: 1 second (30 frames) for lower latency

Plugin Configuration

1. After installation, go to the plugin in Scrypted
2. Add a camera by entering its IP address
3. Configure the camera settings:
   • IP Address: Your camera's IP
   • Username: Local username you set during camera setup
   • Password: Local password you set during camera setup
   • RTSP Port: 554 (default)
   • DVRIP Port: 37777 (default, used for PTZ)
   • Enable ONVIF Server: Enable for Frigate PTZ integration
   • ONVIF Server Port: Unique port for each camera (e.g., 8483, 8484)
   • ONVIF Server IP: Your Scrypted server's IP address

Note: If adding multiple cameras, each must have a unique ONVIF port.

Frigate Integration

This plugin includes a built-in ONVIF server for PTZ control from Frigate.

Frigate Configuration

# frigate config.yml
cameras:
  amcrest_ash21:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://SCRYPTED_IP:REBROADCAST_PORT/YOUR_STREAM_ID
          roles: [record]
        - path: rtsp://SCRYPTED_IP:REBROADCAST_PORT/YOUR_SUBSTREAM_ID
          roles: [detect]
    onvif:
      host: SCRYPTED_IP
      port: 8483
      user: admin
      password: ""

Get the RTSP URLs from the Scrypted Rebroadcast plugin for your camera.

Low Latency Live View (Optional)

For lower latency live view in Frigate, point go2rtc directly to the camera:

go2rtc:
  streams:
    amcrest_ash21:
      - rtsp://username:password@CAMERA_IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
      - rtsp://username:password@CAMERA_IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

Supported Cameras

• Amcrest ASH21-B-V2
• May work with other Amcrest/Dahua cameras using DVRIP protocol

License

MIT

Author

Joshua Blasbalg