You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So, along with the rest of the world, yesterday I got the "thanks for your loyal custom, here's a 40% price increase to show how much we appreciate you" email from Ring for their protect plan. This is following a 50% increase the previous year.
It's caused enough of a stir to make BBC News front page.
I was that impressed by their arrogance that I've now cancelled the renewal. It's paid up until November so I've got a while to ponder this next question...
What video doorbell without subscription?
Current recommendations seem to be toward Eufy. We had a blink one before but returned within a couple of days because it was shockingly slow. Although our ring one seems to have become worse lately - my son walked through the door and was stood in the kitchen chatting to me for a while before I got a movement notification on my phone.
Is it now a King rather than a Ring?
If they supply a prince with every doorbell, that's not a bad price really.
Got to fund the New Power Generation somehow
Damn, missed the 15 minutes edit. Ah well.
I'm in the same boat, almost cancelled in a fit of pique.
Point of note though, the subscription is for recording/playback. If you don't need that feature then it's free.
Yeah, also unimpressed. I'm thinking of keeping it for the light, alarm etc and adding another one hardwired to a storage device, which would also get over the issue with the Ring that cheap WiFi jammers can nobble them. Any recommendations for that sort of thing?
Does anyone know if the £80 option is also going up?
Another one here looking to change
I’m thinking of keeping it for the light, alarm etc and adding another one hardwired to a storage device, which would also get over the issue with the Ring that cheap WiFi jammers can nobble them. Any recommendations for that sort of thing?
I'm looking at the blink full system (the doorbell plus a "sync" module that allows you to plug in a USB and store locally)
I've been looking also... my 1st thought was Google Nest....but FM its £120 a year ( they also did a big P take price rise). My subs don't run out till 20 December so I'll be looking to change if there is a good one to replace
Got Eufy about 6 months ago for exactly that reason.
Got the door bell and a couple of cameras with the local storage. Works really well.
Got a funky exterior light/camera s100 combo to go up when it stops blink-ing raining…
my 1st thought was Google Nest….but FM its £120 a year
If you want 24/7 recording yes, otherwise it's £60, but you can also include any other Nest cameras you have in that as well. For doorbell only it's expensive but if you have a full Nest setup it's fairly good value. We have the doorbell but haven't paid for the subscription so only get 3hrs history of triggered events.
Can you imagine going back in time 20 years and complaining to your younger self about the price increase on your doorbell subscription? Then telling your now obviously incredulous younger self that this has featured as a major issue on the BBC news.
Life comes at you fast, eh? 😂
Someday my Prince will come, but my Ring doorbell won't alert me until he's given up and driven off in his van.
I think I could count on my fingers the number of times my doorbell has been used in the last 12 months. Do you just have people turning up at random times your not expecting? Is your house so cavernous you can't just answer the door? I'm lost on the use case.
In theory you can answer it when you're out (on your phone), but as mentioned, I found the lag time so long that no self-respecting delivery driver would wait around for you to answer. I think half of them didn't even bother pushing it (because they know this).
Sent it back for a refund in the end. The subscription model also grated with me, didn't realise you couldn't even store your own 'clips' on your PC, but had to use their system.
Anyone who pays 50 quid for the privilege needs their head wobbled.
Does anyone know if the £80 option is also going up?
No, it's the basic subscription increasing from £3.49 to £4.99. Premium stays the same (for now).
Mine works pretty well, also use it to keep an eye on the oil tank/shed/workshops/bikes/wildlife so worth it to me.
I've got a Blink doorbell with the sync module. I had a Ring but binned it off when the sub went up last year. The Ring is definitely better than the Blink but I also have a few Blink cameras dotted around so sticking with one brand seemed sensible.
pre-covid I would've agreed with you, however we get [I]loads[/I] of deliveries these days! And not everyone gives you a time slot (or sticks to it). It's very useful for screening callers as well without having to twitch the curtains 😂 So yeah, I wouldn't be without one these days.I think I could count on my fingers the number of times my doorbell has been used in the last 12 months. Do you just have people turning up at random times your not expecting?
I have no idea what this thead is all about.
You could get a knocker instead of a ring? May be cheaper.
You could get a knocker instead of a ring? May be cheaper.
The Ring doorbell rings throughout the house, a door knocker does not.
Doesn't stop the dickheads from pressing the button and then immediately trying to stove the door in anyway, mind.
Can you imagine going back in time 20 years and complaining to your younger self about the price increase on your doorbell subscription?
or back 25 years ago to ....1999.
seems to be happening with all these subscription services: ie HP ink huge increase and Prime has added adverts.
Another who went with Eufy as I didn't want to pay a subscription. Been very happy with it and also have a couple of their cameras.
Is this not how ALL subscription services are going to go?
Cheap market entry to persuade either transfer away from traditional services/suppliers or adopt the technology. Then, once you've got a bazillion people signed up, whack up the costs hard to maximise return.
Alongside this you explore the Next Big Thing and look to bail from idea no.1, so eventually shutting down any development or support but who cares as the Next Big Thing is going well for you.
🤷♂️
the only off-the-shelf system I'd say is actually good is Unifi Protect, that is ££££ though (although there are no subscription costs).
I suppose it all depends whether you [I]actually[/I] need to store/playback the footage 🤔 Or whether live footage is good enough. (obviously Ring is crap anyway due to the lag!)
not necessarily all but yes certainly these Amazon ones, I have made this point dozens of times on various Ring threads on here over the years 😃Is this not how ALL subscription services are going to go?
It’s very useful for screening callers as well without having to twitch the curtains
I do this by just not answering the door if I don’t want to.
The Ring doorbell rings throughout the house, a door knocker does not.
Cougar is known to spend a lot of time in the east wing orangery.
In all seriousness I never knew that they came with a subscription. Subscribing to your door. Madness! 😂
didn't know Mystic Meg was an STWer 😂I do this by just not answering the door if I don’t want to.
Cougar is known to spend a lot of time in the east wing orangery.
😁 Joking aside, I work upstairs during the day. If a delivery driver is knocking on the door with a spongecake as is seemingly common, then in the unlikely event that I hear them they're halfway down the road by the time I get to the door.
In all seriousness I never knew that they came with a subscription.
It's an optional subscription, as I mentioned earlier.
Subscribing to your door. Madness! 😂
😆
I’m on UniFi protect. Expensive to set up but good. Storage is on a local box, not in cloud.
here’s a thought : if you’re an Apple household with an iCloud+ (ie including more than the basic iCloud storage allowance), they have a fairly good cloud camera storage option called HomeKit secure video. You can either buy HomeKit Secure Video compatible cameras, or like I’ve done with my UniFi system, use Homebridge running on a raspberry pi (or other computer you’re willing to have running 24/7) to sync into the Apple secure video cloud..
Another vote for "can't see the point"....if i want to know who's at the door, I just open it. Also, it's no exaggeration to say that 80% of delivery drivers knock on the door (despite no knocker) rather than ring the doorbell
Can you imagine going back in time 20 years and complaining to your younger self about the price increase on your doorbell subscription?
I know - I don't think there has ever been any dystopian future fiction written where the author imagines that some evil genius dreams up the concept of two-part pricing or door bells.
If a delivery driver is knocking on the door with a spongecake as is seemingly common, then in the unlikely event that I hear them they’re halfway down the road by the time I get to the door.
Leave the door unlocked so the delivery driver can just leave it inside?
Leave the door unlocked so the delivery driver can just leave it inside?
We were requested this in our old house. What was the postie/delivery person meant to do if we were out?
Twodogs
Full Member
Another vote for “can’t see the point”….if i want to know who’s at the door, I just open it. Also, it’s no exaggeration to say that 80% of delivery drivers knock on the door (despite no knocker) rather than ring the doorbell
I’ve spent a lot of the last 5 years working from a shed in the garden. Delivery people can knock as hard as they want (or ring a normal door bell) but I won’t be hearing them.
The subscription part is (potentially) useful as the camera covers access to the garage. Hoping never to have to test out that usefulness at any point.
Something that stores locally sounds like a good alternative
Hoping never to have to test out that usefulness at any point.
All the bike / moped thieves in Cambridge are fully masked up. We have a whole FB group dedicated to their antics, mainly full of videos of masked people...
How did the world function before the doorbell subscription 😱 parcels abandoned everywhere, delivery drivers crying, overwhelmed by all the cake that can’t be delivered (and must be eaten) and unmasked bike thieves running cycling here and there!
The Ring doorbell rings throughout the house, a door knocker does not.
I haven’t got either a knocker or a ring.
People generally open the door and shout…
The conservatives should hire Rings marketing department, landslide tory victory judging by the number of people suckered into a subscription doorbell service, that doesn't work very well 😀
I got a camera doorbell in part for security, also because I work nights and will look on the phone to see if it’s even worth answering, I may be in the garden or bath. Came in handy when an Amazon driver walked off with my parcel but claimed it was in a safe place.
Subscribing to your door. Madness! 😂
Can't see that happening in our house.
Got a Ring doorbell, security light on the garage and a stick-up camera. We have very little crime here, so it’s more of a case looking to see whether it was a cat/hedgehog/deer/otter or pine marten setting it off at 2am. The stick-up camera is used to watch the hedgehogs feeding or whether it’s a rat or weasel that’s burrowing into the garden stone wall. Will see how much the renewal is when it arrives.
We were requested this in our old house. What was the postie/delivery person meant to do if we were out?
How would having a video doorbell help if you're out?
Leave the door unlocked so the delivery driver can just leave it inside?
That might work in Royal Tonbridge Wells, less so in Burnley with three indoor cats.
How would having a video doorbell help if you’re out?
It can connect to your phone so you can advise them what to do.
I haven’t got either a knocker or a ring.
People generally open the door and shout…
Jesus Christ, seriously? I have enough problems deterring people who have a key from just wandering on in.
It can connect to your phone so you can advise them what to do.
Assuming you get a connection and the driver is hanging around for a chat.
Had 4 ring devices. They’ve all gone. The software got slower and slower to the point that some of the recordings had people teleporting around the place.
Ive replaced the doorbell with a Netatmo device. Its ok. A little flakey, but has integrated local storage and can supposedly sync to an FTP site or direct to Dropbox. no subscription and no cloud dependency is good. I think it might be iOS only though.
Assuming you get a connection and the driver is hanging around for a chat.
Honestly, it's not a feature I need. If I'm out I'd rather they left a delivery with a neighbour or came back later, and one would hope this is common sense for a delivery driver. But you could if say you were 30 seconds away and they were playing Knock-a-Door Run. There is a lag on initial connection to the phone but it's not huge, several seconds at worst.
Leave the door unlocked so the delivery driver can just leave it inside?
Are you completely out of your tiny little mind? Fair enough if you have a front entrance vestibule-type setup with the door into the house actually locked, however my front door opens directly into the hall with front rooms directly off the hall right by the front door.
Also, it’s no exaggeration to say that 80% of delivery drivers knock on the door
and then runaway if you don’t answer in less than 0.00001 seconds!
It’s funny how many ignore my doorbell button that’s exactly at eye-level, and instead thump on the door. The delivery I had this evening did actually have the driver ring my doorbell, and by the time I got up and opened the door, about ten feet away, he was the other side of the road. He knew I was in, the lights are on, and he left it on the doorstep.
I was considering getting a Ring system, but now having second thoughts.
Had 4 ring devices.
Blimey. That's some size chateau.
If I’m out I’d rather they left a delivery with a neighbour or came back later,
Exactly. Perfect excuse to maintain neighbourly relations with the neighbours.
Are you completely out of your tiny little mind? Fair enough if you have a front entrance vestibule-type setup with the door into the house actually locked, however my front door opens directly into the hall
Mine opens in to the dining room and I’m with scotroutes on this.
That’s some size chateau
A doorbell, two cameras and a combined camera light, which was supposedly PIR driven, yet somehow had to initiate communication with Amazon before it would turn the lights on. It was all shite.
In true STW tradition I haven't checked the thread to see if this link has been posted...
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2024/02/ring-doorbell-increases-price/
Subscribing to your door. Madness!
Wait till you hear they are also subscribing to their thermostat, fridge and washer.
Can't help but be amused when tech fanbois/evangelists on the spectrum hero's rip them off. The coming to terms with it and justifying the new normal is the best bit. We like nice things don't we!
Get a few dogs, no need for a doorbell ever then! no subscription but food is pricey!
I'm more interested in subscribing to a regular cake delivery.
do they do that?
It’s funny how many ignore my doorbell button that’s exactly at eye-level, and instead thump on the door.
I think they're used to a lot of people's doorbells not working so they take the safe, old-school option.
Mine is a bit unreliable TBH, sometimes needs a couple of presses before it dings.
Fortunately, I have a sizeable passage where the delivery people can put their packages if I'm not in.
I pay €4PM for my Google Nest doorbell and 5 cameras being recorded for 30 days. Mind you it's only sounds and detected movement that's record, not 24 hours a day.
You guys with the doorbells might be interested in this:
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/bmw-launches-heated-seat-and-steering-wheel-subscription-service-uk
(I honestly had to check the date as thought it was April fool)
Fortunately, I have a sizeable passage where the delivery people can put their packages
lucky delivery people! 😉
@winston thankfully the consumer beat bimmer. https://www.thedrive.com/news/bmw-is-giving-up-on-heated-seat-subscriptions-because-people-hated-them
That's the really irritating thing about Ring. The hardware is bloomin' great. The software and backend is, like anything running on AWS, flakey at best, then it's all managed by an organisation who make Nestle look like a nice bunch of guys. I was really hoping someone would have rooted at least the doorbells by now.
Also, I'm a bit late to teasing OP about the thread title, but do you only pay extra if you live on Alphabet Street?
The only thing more satisfying is seeing nerd culture corporatised and said nerds feverishly at the front of the queue with their wallets open "finally we have got the recognition we deserve" followed by the slow realisation of the cash cow they have become!
It was Flickr for me.
Parcels? If we are out the driver leaves them in the summerhouse. Low crime area though, wouldn't work everywhere.
They are useful though. Like the GP doing a house call. No reply at the door but a conversation via ring established the patient needing the doctor had sold that house 6 months before. Seems when NHS24 took the call they filled in the address field from previous calls without actually asking "do you still live at".
Luckily the new address was in the same town. not too far away.
@chestercopperpot except, nerds don't use Ring, we use pro-gear like Ubiquiti and/or our own locally hosted cobbled-together DIY systems 😂 Ring is for the clueless/techno-illiterate who buy off-the-shelf stuff in Currys!!The only thing more satisfying is seeing nerd culture corporatised
Bumping this, with the "amazon spring deals" the blink full system is now £41.99,less than the price of a year's Ring subscription. Think I might give it a whirl, especially with the 30 day money back guarantee
Does no one else use the knock app?
The visitors Applies a Knock to the door and you go to the door and open it?
Does no one else use the knock app?
We have this, it just appears that only parcels knock on the door, as when I open the door, that's all that's in sight...
"the blink full system"
We tried Blink before Ring. Sent it back the next day. Painfully slow and laggy with notifcations to both phone and Alexa. They may have improved in the 2 years since.
The visitors Applies a Knock to the door
I wish they'd ****ing stop it.
I have a Ring doorbell. It is not small, it is illuminated, and when pressed it goes "ding dong" outside in a big loud voice. It is hard to miss and impossible to think "hmm, I wonder if it's working" when rung. So why delivery drivers feel the need to immediately follow it up with BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG I cannot fathom.
One of them actually broke the door, the trim is now duct taped up. The irony is, if I'm working upstairs and they knock I won't hear it, the doorbell is linked to Alexa and rings throughout the house.