Doorbell Video Camera
Imagine this scenario: it’s the middle of the night, you’re home alone, and you bolt upright in bed because you’ve just been woken up by the doorbell. What do you do?
In days gone by, most of us would flip on the outside light and open the door to see who was there. Naturally, we would assume that someone needed help. But now, with home invasions, property theft, and violent crime on the rise, most of us hear our doorbell and hide in a corner with our cell phone ready to call 911 if that doorbell rings again!
One sure-fire way to protect yourself and your family in this crazy new world we live in is to install a video doorbell.
Are you looking for a doorbell? Connect your smart home with video doorbells.
Benefits of Having a Video Doorbell
There's nothing more important in this world than the health and safety of your family. One of the best things you can do to protect your family, your pets, and your home is to invest in a video doorbell to act as a security camera.
A video doorbell camera can help protect against:
- property theft
- property damage
- home invasion
- unwanted solicitors
- porch pirates wanting to snatch delivered packages.
Additionally, a doorbell camera will allow you to:
- decide if you want to answer the door or not
- know when a package has been delivered
- speak to visitors if you can't get to the door (if your doorbell is equipped with two-way audio)
- see your entire front step area due to advanced video quality (unlike the limited view from a peephole)
- see who is at the door in the dark (many smart cameras come with night vision)
- connect the doorbell to other smart home devices.
View live video from the doorbell camera on your phone!
You have the additional bonus of having peace of mind away from home as video doorbells have the ability to record footage of people that approach your door while you're away or if you can't get to the door in time. You can watch video clips in real-time, or at a later time from the recorded video. You can even watch it in HD video depending on your camera quality!
How Do Video Doorbell Cameras Work?
Although the technology of a video doorbell is quite advanced, the installation is quite simple, and the device itself is easy to use.
Here is how they work:
- Video doorbells connect to your home's existing doorbell wiring (wireless is also an option) and also your Wifi.
- When the doorbell is pressed, most doorbell cameras start recording automatically, using motion-detecting technology.
- Smart doorbell cameras allow you to receive a notification on your smartphone or computer, alerting you that someone is at your door.
- If you open up the doorbell camera app on your phone, you can watch a live video feed of the action on your front doorstep.
- Some doorbells will start recording video as soon as motion is detected, and some start recording once the doorbell is pressed.
- If your smart video doorbell has a speaker, you will be able to use the app to speak through the doorbell camera to the person at your doorstep. If your smart doorbell camera includes two-way talk functionality, you'll be able to have a conversation with your visitor.
Wired or Wireless? Which is Better?
When deciding on whether to install a wired or wireless video doorbell, there are a few things to consider.
Wireless
Wireless doorbells are easier to install as they run on batteries and you don't have to worry about shutting off the power or reconfiguring wiring during installation. A few negative aspects of wireless video doorbells is that the batteries drain quite quickly, and if you live somewhere with a cold winter climate you run the risk of your doorbell shutting down when the temperature drops significantly.
Wired
If you already have an existing wired doorbell, installing your new video doorbell will be easy. Simply remove your old doorbell, disconnect the two existing doorbell wires, connect them to your new doorbell and attach it to your home. Most smart doorbells allow you to continue to use your existing chime box if you desire.
If your home is not equipped with doorbell wiring and you'd like to have a low voltage doorbell wiring set-up, you should have an electrician come hook things up for you unless you have advanced electrical know-how.
Types of Video Doorbell Cameras
The type of doorbell camera you buy will likely depend on whether you're looking for a few features or a more advanced security setup. Some of the best video doorbells are of course smart video doorbells. With the number of families using multiple smart devices, it makes sense to purchase a video doorbell that can work seamlessly with them.
When it comes to home security, the Ring Video Doorbell, the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, SimpliSafe Video Doorbell, the Arlo Video Doorbell and the Nest Hello, are currently the best doorbell cameras on the market.
Here are some questions to ask before deciding on a specific video doorbell for your home security:
- When it comes to video storage, does it offer cloud video storage or just local storage? Do they offer free video storage or will I have to pay? How much cloud storage would I need?
- Does it offer motion detection?
- What is the video quality like? Do I need the best video quality out there?
- Does the doorbell camera have two-way audio?
- Does it work with Google Assistant? (For example, both Ring Video Doorbell and Arlo work with Google Assistant)
- Do I need a mobile app in order to use the doorbell?
- Can the doorbell work with my existing security systems?
- Do I want a wireless, battery-powered doorbell?
- Does this wireless doorbell require a subscription? (Ex. Nest Aware subscription for Nest Hello)
- Do I want this doorbell to be compatible with other things like a smart lock, other security cameras or other smart devices?
- Does the camera offer package detection, person detection, facial recognition or customizable motion zones?
- Does it respond to Amazon Alexa voice commands?
The options are almost endless when it comes to doorbell cameras. Let's be honest, "extras" are always nice, however, when it comes to video doorbells, remember that it's about the safety and security of your family first. Everything else is secondary.
Contact Us