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Started By
Message
Are those front door camera peephole/doorbells any good?
Posted on 5/24/16 at 10:43 pm
Posted on 5/24/16 at 10:43 pm
I keep seeing ads for ring.com but they don't really have good ratings on Amazon for $200. I like the concept. Was wondering if anybody here had one they recommend.
6
Posted on 5/25/16 at 7:24 am to tigerpimpbot
A buddy got one a few weeks ago. The quality of the camera was really good. However, the catch is that there is an annual fee and it's per camera. Also customer service is horrible in his experience.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 7:30 am to tigerpimpbot
No. Go hang out on r/homeautomation and you'll see all of the current generation products have problems.
I'd wait another year before jumping in.
I'd wait another year before jumping in.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 8:41 am to tigerpimpbot
quote:So do the burglers.
I keep seeing ads for ring.com
Posted on 5/25/16 at 8:53 am to tigerpimpbot
I just installed a Ring Pro on Sunday. I got it on ebay for $177. I'm still playing with the motion settings, but the first night it got set off a lot from changes in light. The picture is great. I'm not sure if I'm going to pay for the cloud storage after my 30 day trial is up. It's only $30 per year, so I probably will. My main complaint so far is that it doesn't pre-record a few seconds before motion is sensed. My doorbell faces sideways instead of facing towards the street. It doesn't capture people as they are walking up to the door, so the recording doesn't start until they are already at the door. I had some A/C people out yesterday, and there are recording that start where they are almost inside before it cuts on. The door was unlocked and they were walking in and out, so it's not typical of something you would watch to "catch a criminal", but if it had a 2 or 3 second pre-record, then it would be better.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:09 am to CubsFanBudMan
That's the biggest complaint I've read about... Only getting video of the person's back, not their face as they approach.
That should be a very easy issue to address.. Much like dashcams are always recording and only save the recording from when an action is triggered.. Or x seconds prior to an action.. In this case that would be either the motion sensor going of or the doorbell being pressed.
This isn't particularly difficult to do.
That should be a very easy issue to address.. Much like dashcams are always recording and only save the recording from when an action is triggered.. Or x seconds prior to an action.. In this case that would be either the motion sensor going of or the doorbell being pressed.
This isn't particularly difficult to do.
This post was edited on 5/25/16 at 9:11 am
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:45 am to CAD703X
quote:Always recording is very power intensive, and it would probably drain the battery in a day or so. And according to ring.com, if you hardwire to your existing doorbell wiring, it's only a trickle charge and it may not stay charged indefinitely even when only recording on motion. The battery might last a week hardwired if it were recording all the time.
That should be a very easy issue to address.. Much like dashcams are always recording and only save the recording from when an action is triggered.. Or x seconds prior to an action.. In this case that would be either the motion sensor going of or the doorbell being pressed.
This isn't particularly difficult to do.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:47 am to tigerpimpbot
The Ring is a great product for what it is. The pro model has a few step up features but they had a firmware issue that as been addressed. The regular model will run off battery power where the pro requires existing doorbell power. They also have just a cam, Stick Up Cam, without the doorbell and a solar power option. $3 a month or $30 a year for cloud storage.
Ive have less experience with the Skybell but now that it integrates with other products I deal with on a daily basis I'm getting more feedback on it.
Right now I still prefer the Ring for a stand alone solution. But keep in mind these products are only as good as the wifi at the door.
Ive have less experience with the Skybell but now that it integrates with other products I deal with on a daily basis I'm getting more feedback on it.
Right now I still prefer the Ring for a stand alone solution. But keep in mind these products are only as good as the wifi at the door.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 9:59 am to CAD703X
quote:
That should be a very easy issue to address.. Much like dashcams are always recording and only save the recording from when an action is triggered.. Or x seconds prior to an action.. In this case that would be either the motion sensor going of or the doorbell being pressed
People aren't setting up the motion sensor correctly if they are getting backs.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 10:17 am to Korkstand
quote:
Always recording is very power intensive, and it would probably drain the battery in a day or so. And according to ring.com, if you hardwire to your existing doorbell wiring, it's only a trickle charge and it may not stay charged indefinitely even when only recording on motion. The battery might last a week hardwired if it were recording all the time.
The Pro model doesn't have a battery, only direct hardwire to existing doorbell wiring.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 10:33 am to CubsFanBudMan
quote:I understand that. It also requires a higher voltage doorbell circuit than if you were to hardwire the battery powered version.
The Pro model doesn't have a battery, only direct hardwire to existing doorbell wiring.
There is actually a "live view" feature for hardwired ones, but it times out after 10 minutes. It doesn't say what the technical limitation is for that.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 10:34 am to tigerpimpbot
I just installed the ring pro a couple of weeks ago and really like it. The motion detection is a little sensitive but I haven't spent much time adjusting it.
My phone rings with a pop up notification almost instantly when the button is pushed. I love the ability to view who's there and actually talk to them through my phone.
The other day I ordered groceries through instacart and they delivered earlier than expected and I wasn't home yet. I was able to see the guy and ask him to just leave the bags at the front door. Pretty cool.
My phone rings with a pop up notification almost instantly when the button is pushed. I love the ability to view who's there and actually talk to them through my phone.
The other day I ordered groceries through instacart and they delivered earlier than expected and I wasn't home yet. I was able to see the guy and ask him to just leave the bags at the front door. Pretty cool.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 10:56 am to Korkstand
quote:
also requires a higher voltage doorbell circuit than if you were to hardwire the battery powered version.
Not a real issue. Power supply is small and just taps into the existing wiring
quote:
There is actually a "live view" feature for hardwired ones, but it times out after 10 minutes
The original version had an firmware update to do live view but it has to be on battery power.
This post was edited on 5/25/16 at 10:57 am
Posted on 5/25/16 at 12:06 pm to Korkstand
quote:
I understand that. It also requires a higher voltage doorbell circuit than if you were to hardwire the battery powered version.
There is actually a "live view" feature for hardwired ones, but it times out after 10 minutes. It doesn't say what the technical limitation is for that.
they're all v1.0 right now. this product concept is still in its infancy.
i'd wait.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 1:46 pm to CAD703X
quote:Oh no doubt, I'm sure eventually we'll have small low power cameras constantly recording everywhere. I was just saying it's difficult to make a battery powered camera do what you're asking right now for very long, and even one supplied with a doorbell circuit needs a high enough voltage. But as TigerWise pointed out, the solution is simple -- more juice.
they're all v1.0 right now. this product concept is still in its infancy.
i'd wait.
But anyway, this whole side track is just a minor issue, and most people seem happy with their video doorbells.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 2:39 pm to CAD703X
quote:
they're all v1.0 right now. this product concept is still in its infancy
So are most smart things out there. It's probably more refined than Wink, who is one of their integration partners, since they most likely have sold hundreds more. The Ring is already on its second version and I can tell you I've seen hundreds of the original version go out into the wild with very little failure.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 3:01 pm to TigerWise
quote:
The Ring is already on its second version and I can tell you I've seen hundreds of the original version go out into the wild with very little failure.
You're missing the point. Just because there is a pro version of a product doesn't constitute v2 in the sense I'm talking. You understand that you just want to split hairs.
As to your definition of "very little failure" I didn't argue the product is buggy.
Neither is a pet rock.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 3:11 pm to CAD703X
quote:
You're missing the point. Just because there is a pro version of a product doesn't constitute v2 in the sense I'm talking
I guess I don't understand in the sense you are talking.
quote:
You understand that you just want to split hairs.
I'm just giving the OP information on his topic
Posted on 5/25/16 at 3:24 pm to TigerWise
quote:He means all of the IoT/automation/smarthome devices are still squarely in the first generation of products.
I guess I don't understand in the sense you are talking.
Posted on 5/25/16 at 3:26 pm to TigerWise
quote:
I guess I don't understand in the sense you are talking.
- expensive for what you get, cheap quality cameras, crappy video, lag before recording starts, big and ugly (ring pro is definitely better in this regard), all-require-cloud-subscription nonsense, questionable business practices (in the case of ring) making it difficult to 'opt out' of subscription service (which is a shitty way for a company to market a product in 2016 and leaves a bad taste in my mouth), terrible customer service, etc.
all the current manufacturers seem to have followed the same 'here's how to build a smart doorbell' mold and i wouldn't support any of them right now.
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