- Picture yes, sound no. Every wired Reolink (E1, E1 Pro, E1 Zoom, RLC, Lumus) streams H.264 video over RTSP, but Reolink says all its cameras send AAC sound and it can't be changed. A baby monitor app needs G.711 to hear crying.
- The fix: go2rtc (in Home Assistant or Frigate) converts the sound to G.711 with one line, and the Reolink becomes a full monitor with night vision and, on the E1 models, pan and tilt.
- Battery Reolinks (Argus, Go) have no stream an app can watch all night.
- No home server? Keep the Reolink for the picture and let an old phone listen, or pick a camera that works out of the box, like a Tapo C200.
Camera checker:
- Reolink E1 Pro, Reolink E1, Reolink E1 Zoom, Reolink E1 Outdoor, Reolink RLC-410, Reolink RLC-510A, Reolink RLC-520A, Reolink RLC-810A, Reolink RLC-820A, Reolink Lumus: Picture only. Mamoon can't hear a Reolink's sound.
- Reolink Argus (battery), Reolink Go (battery, 4G): Won't work. Battery cameras have no local stream.
- Other models: Wired Reolink models give a picture; battery ones don't.
Reolink models side by side
| Model | Picture in Mamoon | Hears crying in Mamoon | Night vision (infrared) | Pan & tilt from Mamoon | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reolink E1 Pro | yes | after the fix | yes | yes | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink E1 | yes | after the fix | yes | yes | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink E1 Zoom | yes | after the fix | yes | yes | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink E1 Outdoor | yes | after the fix | yes | yes | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink RLC-410 | yes | after the fix | yes | fixed camera | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink RLC-510A | yes | after the fix | yes | fixed camera | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink RLC-520A | yes | after the fix | yes | fixed camera | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink RLC-810A | yes | after the fix | yes | fixed camera | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink RLC-820A | yes | after the fix | yes | fixed camera | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink Lumus | yes | after the fix | yes | fixed camera | ≈1 hour, needs Home Assistant or Frigate |
| Reolink Argus (battery) | no | no | yes | — | no fix on this camera |
| Reolink Go (battery, 4G) | no | no | yes | — | no fix on this camera |
"After the fix" means with go2rtc converting the sound. The 8 MP models (RLC-810A, RLC-820A) record in H.265; their H.264 sub-stream is plenty for a crib.
What the Reolink app already does for a baby
The Reolink app gives you live view with night vision, pan and tilt on the E1 models, two-way talk where the camera has a speaker, and recordings. It's a security app, though: it's built around motion events and clips, not around listening to a sleeping baby all night. And because the AAC sound can't leave Reolink's own app in a usable form, you can't hand the listening to an app that is.
Setting it up with a baby monitor app
With a home server running go2rtc, this gives you full sound in about an hour:
- Turn on RTSP: Reolink app › camera › ⚙ › Network › Advanced › Port Settings → RTSP on (and ONVIF, for pan and tilt).
- Convert the sound with go2rtc. Every Reolink sends AAC sound and it can't be changed, so a home server has to convert it. In go2rtc (part of Home Assistant and Frigate) add this stream:
nursery: ffmpeg:rtsp://USER:PASS@CAMERA-IP:554/h264Preview_01_sub#video=copy#audio=pcma - In Mamoon choose “go2rtc server” and enter
rtsp://SERVER-IP:8554/nursery. Step by step in the Home Assistant guide.
Without go2rtc, Mamoon shows the picture and, after about 20 seconds without usable sound, says Offline instead of pretending to listen.
Battery cameras sleep between events to save power and don't offer a stream another app can watch all night.
Without a home server
Let an old phone by the crib do the listening in Mamoon, and keep the Reolink's sharp infrared picture in the Reolink app. Mamoon watches one source at a time, so it watches the phone.
Good to know
- RLC-810A, RLC-820A: If the main stream is H.265, use the H.264 sub-stream; it's plenty for a dark room.
Night vision, placement, pan and tilt
Every Reolink in the table has infrared. The E1, E1 Pro and E1 Zoom pan and tilt from Mamoon once ONVIF is on; the RLC bullets are outdoor cameras, fixed and bigger than a nursery needs. Put the camera 3–6 feet from the crib, above the mattress, with the cord at least 3 feet away. More in where to put the camera.
Where Mamoon fits: Mamoon shows the picture but won't pretend to listen: after about 20 seconds it says Offline. With go2rtc converting the sound, it's a full monitor. No home server? An old phone by the crib does the listening tonight, and your Reolink E1 Pro keeps watching the rest of the house.
Two-way talk and recordings stay in the maker's app either way, and go2rtc means a computer that stays on all night.
How Mamoon works → $29.99 once, for life, or $3.99 a month with 14 days free · on Google Play now, App Store soon
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a Reolink E1 Pro as a baby monitor?
In the Reolink app, yes, for watching. With a baby monitor app, you get the picture but not the sound, because Reolink sends AAC audio and doesn't let you change it. With go2rtc converting the sound to G.711, it works as a full monitor, including pan and tilt.
Why can't a baby monitor app hear my Reolink?
Reolink states that all its cameras use AAC audio over RTSP and the format can't be changed. Cry detection in a monitor app needs G.711. Mamoon shows the video and says Offline after about 20 seconds rather than pretending to listen.
Does the Reolink Argus work as a baby monitor?
Not with another app. The Argus and Go are battery cameras that sleep between events, so there's no stream to watch all night.
What do I need for go2rtc?
A computer that's always on at home: Home Assistant (go2rtc is built in), Frigate, or go2rtc on its own. The Home Assistant guide walks through it.
Sources
- Reolink: AAC audio on all cameras, cannot be changed; H.265 main stream on 8 MP models
- Reolink: RTSP/ONVIF must be enabled on the camera; VLC live view
- go2rtc: ffmpeg source, #video= and #audio= transcoding options (pcma, pcmu)
- CPSC OnSafety: baby monitor cords at least 3 feet from the crib
Spotted a mistake or an outdated figure? Write to [email protected].