diff --git a/homeassistant/components/amcrest/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/amcrest/__init__.py
index be2a6b78f30..3baad1ac88e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/amcrest/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/amcrest/__init__.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from homeassistant.helpers.dispatcher import async_dispatcher_send, dispatcher_s
 from homeassistant.helpers.event import track_time_interval
 from homeassistant.helpers.service import async_extract_entity_ids
 
-from .binary_sensor import BINARY_SENSORS
+from .binary_sensor import BINARY_POLLED_SENSORS, BINARY_SENSORS, check_binary_sensors
 from .camera import CAMERA_SERVICES, STREAM_SOURCE_LIST
 from .const import (
     CAMERAS,
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ AMCREST_SCHEMA = vol.Schema(
         vol.Optional(CONF_FFMPEG_ARGUMENTS, default=DEFAULT_ARGUMENTS): cv.string,
         vol.Optional(CONF_SCAN_INTERVAL, default=SCAN_INTERVAL): cv.time_period,
         vol.Optional(CONF_BINARY_SENSORS): vol.All(
-            cv.ensure_list, [vol.In(BINARY_SENSORS)], vol.Unique()
+            cv.ensure_list, [vol.In(BINARY_SENSORS)], vol.Unique(), check_binary_sensors
         ),
         vol.Optional(CONF_SENSORS): vol.All(
             cv.ensure_list, [vol.In(SENSORS)], vol.Unique()
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ def setup(hass, config):
             event_codes = [
                 BINARY_SENSORS[sensor_type][SENSOR_EVENT_CODE]
                 for sensor_type in binary_sensors
-                if BINARY_SENSORS[sensor_type][SENSOR_EVENT_CODE] is not None
+                if sensor_type not in BINARY_POLLED_SENSORS
             ]
             if event_codes:
                 _start_event_monitor(hass, name, api, event_codes)
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/amcrest/binary_sensor.py b/homeassistant/components/amcrest/binary_sensor.py
index a3057211f2a..cfb61799be8 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/amcrest/binary_sensor.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/amcrest/binary_sensor.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from datetime import timedelta
 import logging
 
 from amcrest import AmcrestError
+import voluptuous as vol
 
 from homeassistant.components.binary_sensor import (
     DEVICE_CLASS_CONNECTIVITY,
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ from homeassistant.components.binary_sensor import (
 from homeassistant.const import CONF_BINARY_SENSORS, CONF_NAME
 from homeassistant.core import callback
 from homeassistant.helpers.dispatcher import async_dispatcher_connect
+from homeassistant.util import Throttle
 
 from .const import (
     BINARY_SENSOR_SCAN_INTERVAL_SECS,
@@ -28,25 +30,42 @@ from .helpers import log_update_error, service_signal
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 SCAN_INTERVAL = timedelta(seconds=BINARY_SENSOR_SCAN_INTERVAL_SECS)
+_ONLINE_SCAN_INTERVAL = timedelta(seconds=60 - BINARY_SENSOR_SCAN_INTERVAL_SECS)
 
 BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED = "motion_detected"
+BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED_POLLED = "motion_detected_polled"
 BINARY_SENSOR_ONLINE = "online"
+BINARY_POLLED_SENSORS = [
+    BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED_POLLED,
+    BINARY_SENSOR_ONLINE,
+]
+_MOTION_DETECTED_PARAMS = ("Motion Detected", DEVICE_CLASS_MOTION, "VideoMotion")
 BINARY_SENSORS = {
-    BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED: (
-        "Motion Detected",
-        DEVICE_CLASS_MOTION,
-        "VideoMotion",
-    ),
+    BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED: _MOTION_DETECTED_PARAMS,
+    BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED_POLLED: _MOTION_DETECTED_PARAMS,
     BINARY_SENSOR_ONLINE: ("Online", DEVICE_CLASS_CONNECTIVITY, None),
 }
 BINARY_SENSORS = {
     k: dict(zip((SENSOR_NAME, SENSOR_DEVICE_CLASS, SENSOR_EVENT_CODE), v))
     for k, v in BINARY_SENSORS.items()
 }
+_EXCLUSIVE_OPTIONS = [
+    {BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED, BINARY_SENSOR_MOTION_DETECTED_POLLED},
+]
 
 _UPDATE_MSG = "Updating %s binary sensor"
 
 
+def check_binary_sensors(value):
+    """Validate binary sensor configurations."""
+    for exclusive_options in _EXCLUSIVE_OPTIONS:
+        if len(set(value) & exclusive_options) > 1:
+            raise vol.Invalid(
+                f"must contain at most one of {', '.join(exclusive_options)}."
+            )
+    return value
+
+
 async def async_setup_platform(hass, config, async_add_entities, discovery_info=None):
     """Set up a binary sensor for an Amcrest IP Camera."""
     if discovery_info is None:
@@ -80,7 +99,7 @@ class AmcrestBinarySensor(BinarySensorEntity):
     @property
     def should_poll(self):
         """Return True if entity has to be polled for state."""
-        return self._sensor_type == BINARY_SENSOR_ONLINE
+        return self._sensor_type in BINARY_POLLED_SENSORS
 
     @property
     def name(self):
@@ -109,6 +128,7 @@ class AmcrestBinarySensor(BinarySensorEntity):
         else:
             self._update_others()
 
+    @Throttle(_ONLINE_SCAN_INTERVAL)
     def _update_online(self):
         if not (self._api.available or self.is_on):
             return
@@ -137,6 +157,11 @@ class AmcrestBinarySensor(BinarySensorEntity):
 
     async def async_on_demand_update(self):
         """Update state."""
+        if self._sensor_type == BINARY_SENSOR_ONLINE:
+            _LOGGER.debug(_UPDATE_MSG, self._name)
+            self._state = self._api.available
+            self.async_write_ha_state()
+            return
         self.async_schedule_update_ha_state(True)
 
     @callback
@@ -155,7 +180,7 @@ class AmcrestBinarySensor(BinarySensorEntity):
                 self.async_on_demand_update,
             )
         )
-        if self._event_code:
+        if self._event_code and self._sensor_type not in BINARY_POLLED_SENSORS:
             self._unsub_dispatcher.append(
                 async_dispatcher_connect(
                     self.hass,
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/amcrest/const.py b/homeassistant/components/amcrest/const.py
index da7e5456786..ba7597d61af 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/amcrest/const.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/amcrest/const.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ DATA_AMCREST = DOMAIN
 CAMERAS = "cameras"
 DEVICES = "devices"
 
-BINARY_SENSOR_SCAN_INTERVAL_SECS = 60
+BINARY_SENSOR_SCAN_INTERVAL_SECS = 5
 CAMERA_WEB_SESSION_TIMEOUT = 10
 COMM_RETRIES = 1
 COMM_TIMEOUT = 6.05