Ring Door Bell with Camera

Terrysdelight

Hi

I am looking to add some security cameras and to link to my Android.  Looking for doorbell camera and a couple of cameras for indoors.

Have started looking at Ring Door Bells but there is a huge variation in price.  Also some of the Cameras have a wire and plug which I really don't understand - could this be because the plugs replace batteries in order to stay connected to the wifi?

Do cameras 'record sound and vision'.  Any advice on which product and also, especially something simple so that I can get it up and running without having to pay someone to come in.

Many thanks

Sandtree

In short yes, these devices can be run off of batteries or mains... the former are often easier to install but are more bulky, risk running out of battery and depending on brand may have slightly less functionality to conserve battery.

In the first instance check what your current setup is... thankfully ours was a mains powered system and the transformer in our fusebox was sufficient to power the system we wanted (the Nest Hello) so was just a case of switching the physical buttons over.

What the functionality is, if it records 24/7 or just on events etc, where the files are saved to etc all varies by brand/model... certainly the Nest product has the option of recording both visual and audio but by default its visual only. 

[Deleted User]

I've got a couple of Ring devices so can only really speak about them.

Ring Doorbells - all are Wifi wireless and have a battery but some have the option to re-charge the battery from your existing doorbell power system if it is suitable. I've got the Ring Doorbell 3 - wait for Amazon Prime day if you can and you'll see them heavily discounted if past events are anything to go by.

Note you need a subscription to store any of the footage - starts at £2.50 per month.

Doorbells record audio and video and you can talk to the caller through your phone - can be set to detect person only motion to avoid unwanted motion alerts. My battery lasts about 2 months, I have a spare that I keep charged and just swap, 2 minute job.

They are simple to set up, probably the most complex bit is physically mounting the doorbell, in my case I've just used double sided Gorilla sticky pads because it is mounted on a uPVC door frame.

Note that unless you have exist doorbell chime you will only get notifications on your phone so an additional plug in chime device is worthwhile.

I haven't got any internal cameras, don't really feel the need to invade the privacy of my own home, but I do have a ring floodlight camera on the back garden. This one is mains powered because there was already power for the old floodlight, again was simple to install and set up.

Note that they only record when they detect motion so they aren't 24/7 surveillance. If you have a battery powered one then you will get short battery life if you set it too sensitive and it picks up every cat walking past so set a sensible level.

Sandtree

[Deleted User] said:

I've got a couple of Ring devices so can only really speak about them.

Ring Doorbells - all are Wifi wireless and have a battery 

No, the Ring Pro doesnt have a battery and has to run from mains... its the only one I personally would consider as think the battery powered ones are a monstrosity and wouldnt fit most door frames

[Deleted User]

Sandtree said:

Deleted_User said:

I've got a couple of Ring devices so can only really speak about them.

Ring Doorbells - all are Wifi wireless and have a battery 

No, the Ring Pro doesnt have a battery and has to run from mains... its the only one I personally would consider as think the battery powered ones are a monstrosity and wouldnt fit most door frames

Ahh yes apologies, I ruled out the Ring Pro way back when is bought mine because it doesn't work with most existing UK doorbell power transformers but looks like they have added a plug in adaptor to make it more suitable.

Thanks for the correction, and yes much slimmer to suit narrow door frames, however in my case with a uPVC porch, the battery one is a better choice to avoid making holes in the frame.

[Deleted User]

Ring have never made me feel I could trust them indoors. Too many stories of 3rd party having access to systems for research etc.

Reason I went for one is many others needed a hub to work, I already have the Phillips hub and not enough sockets (RJ45 wasn't an issue)

Door bell we bought due to car break ins locally. Battery powered. Get a few months out of it but it depends on settings, but way below what they say I should get. First thing to check if you decide is distance to where the bell will be from the wifi hub, don't fit it until it is connected (no point drilling holes if something else will be fitted). There are extenders.

Personally if I find something better I will be dropping it but the faulty service has been flakey with a faulty bell, only recently resolved but to their credit some 11 months out of warranty a new one sent out (probably cos I was chasing it inside warranty).

I use the paid storage and find it usually just works, it is great for looking to see what has set the ding dong off or just checking when you are away.

Latest updates to software take snap shots at intervals, few other useful features, I find the last 12 months or so it has really improved with option but it still will not work with Apple HomeKit.

I see prime mentioned above, I don't have that but Argos and John Lewis seems to do plenty of deals on occasions in these (which was where I got the original one).

I also have the separate ding dong, plugs in the mains and just connect it as per app instructions. There are a few options for the audio, I have stuck with the halloween ones, spooky stuff. 

IvanOpinion

We have a Ring doorbell.  The problem I find is that the app does not respond unless it is open on your phone and, in my case, it can take a couple of minutes for a message to come through (by that time the person has normally left).  However the camera is good.

[Deleted User]

IvanOpinion said:

We have a Ring doorbell.  The problem I find is that the app does not respond unless it is open on your phone and, in my case, it can take a couple of minutes for a message to come through (by that time the person has normally left).  However the camera is good.

Depending on what your phone is you may need to enable background app refresh.

There is also a "Rapid Ring" app for people who encounter this problem, although I haven't needed to use it on my iPhone XR - I think it is probably needed on older / slower phones.

EssexExile

I have Amazon Blink cameras and I agree with Ivan above, by the time your phone tells you there is someone there (and it does tell me, whether the app is open or not) they've usually gone. Batteries last for years though.

FrankRizzo

I also find delay accessing the camera results in person leaving - especially my impatient postman

My door bell is very close to my router but i think the foil insulation in cavity results in a week signal. Real shame they don't make them PoE as would save the need for transformer/power and would also resolve signal issues.

alan_d

Usually the delay with any of these systems, is because after the camera has detected motion, and recorded a 10 second (or whatever) clip, it then has to upload that to the internet (not direct to your phone) via the slow, power efficient wifi that that the camera uses, and once received and processed by their server elsewhere in the world, then it notifies your phone app about it, and you can then view the clip. This all takes time, hence the phone notification doesn't happen until many seconds after the event that triggered it has been and gone.
Great for tracking events, not so good for telling you that someone is at the door. A chime does that job better.