Video doorbells

Ring has some fairly serious privacy concerns. They share data; inc but not limited to: Your IP, mobile carrier, your address, what device you use while not immediately concerning maybe, Ring won't tell you who they sell it to either. They're reasonably easily hacked, and you won't be surprised to hear that "accidentally" Ring have become one of the largest pseudo-CCTV operators in the world. So, while it's up to you to install a device that spies on you and doesn't keep your data safe, I don't think I'd be a rush to buy one personally.

I went with Eufy, have a video doorbell and a separate camera. It’s recorded to a hub at home so need no subscription service. Works pretty well.

Now wait for someone to tell me about their privacy concerns.

I use eufy cameras and they were really good. Local storage, no subscription to review stored recordings unlike ring, nest etc

They do a hard wired one as well as battery

Apparently a stipulation is that it has to be wireless as it's 'not to be a big job'

It’s not.

I have a Reolink POE cctv system which is superb but also just added the wireless doorbell - I thought I might regret it and should have put the cable in when I did the house, but actually it's fine. Great bit of kit - reccomended.

@Drac I’ve no doubt for someone who knows what they’re doing it isn’t…

Drill 2 holes and attach the bracket. That’s it for the wireless one.

I’ve got a boxed Blink doorbell that has never been opened. Happy to send it to you for STW mates rates. PM me if interested.

edit: wrong brand, I said Ring, it’s a Blink

Had a Ring, now got a Blink. IMO the Ring is better but I've got Blink cameras and a sync module so I don't need a subscription.

I have a Ring doorbell.

I initially had in wireless, the problem there is that the battery runs out, and if you've got motion detection set aggressively then it runs out fast. Then you've got to unscrew it from the door (two security screws) and be without a doorbell whilst it's charging up.

I converted it to Wired with a ten quid transformer from Amazon, a single hole through the door for the wire running to a regular plug socket. Bonus, it now lights up which it doesn't on battery.

I pay the subscription for recording, it's something trivial like £2/month. It works without, you just don't get to review past videos. I figured it was worth it as a CCTV-lite.

It's linked to Alexa so I can control where it rings throughout the house. Camera is decent. Low-light is functional.

Fun thing I discovered last week. I got a "someone at the door" alert on my phone but not on the Alexi. Turned out that the bloke hadn't rung the bell, he'd knocked. This wasn't enough to trip the Alexa routine but the Ring was smart enough to realise that someone had knocked on the door.

Apparently a stipulation is that it has to be wireless as it’s ‘not to be a big job’

Why does she care if she's not doing it? It's a bigger job to take it off the door every several weeks, trust me.

Should have said the wireless aspect of the Reolink refers to it's network connection - mine is powered by the old doorbell transformer. No battery changes required.

No cloud storage or monthly fees either, all the data is 'mine' and exists only in my domain. Great app too.

Get one with an instantaneous chime rather than one which goes via your wifi, as I found the lag meant I missed some deliveries.

Should have said the wireless aspect of the Reolink refers to it’s network connection

Oh, good point. Yeah, most video doorbells are Wi-Fi, almost no-one is running an Ethernet cable to a Ring doorbell.

Get one with an instantaneous chime rather than one which goes via your wifi, as I found the lag meant I missed some deliveries.

The phone app can lag sometimes. The Alexa ring is instant.

The fact that they often play knock-a-door-run doesn't help. I had one the other day, rang the bell, glanced at his phone, then left. He couldn't have been there more than two seconds. I sent the video footage to the courier company. 😁

Can I ask why people think they need a video doorbell? I'm genuinely interested to know what advantages it brings.

Can I ask why people think they need a video doorbell? I’m genuinely interested to know what advantages it brings.

The Chinese government asked me to get one

Can I ask why people think they need a video doorbell? I’m genuinely interested to know what advantages it brings.

for me they are a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. The cctv aspect is good but, if you want that, then get proper cctv. But, they are affordable and easy to install so a simple cctv option for lots of people. Just not for me!

I have a Ring bell by the front door, a floodlight/camera over the garage as well as a stick-up camera - we live in an area with practically zero crime. However, I get to look at the footage to see whether it was a cat/deer/hedgehog/pine marten or otter that set it off in the night. The stick-up camera is good for picking up the hedgehogs in the feeders outside or for we leave the dogs at home for any reason. If some Chinese spook wants to review my footage, they’re welcome to it.

Ring’s insistence on off site processing & storage is a big drawback. You’re tied into their storage which is irksome, they’ve been reported as mishandlers of the recordings and then the processing is often inaccurate as there appears to be no local cache. So you get weird teleportation effects like here.
https://youtube.com/shorts/UXJeHWUNjUM?si=G_eW_xYZH-rDgeid

Can I ask why people think they need a video doorbell? I’m genuinely interested to know what advantages it brings.

Security for me, mostly. Aside from anything else it faces out to where our car is usually parked.

they’ve been reported as mishandlers of the recordings

If someone wants to mishandle footage of someone walking their dog past my front door they're more than welcome TBH.

Can I ask why people think they need a video doorbell? I’m genuinely interested to know what advantages it brings

You can just ignore anyone ringing the bell that you don't recognise or if you're not expecting a delivery etc. (probably more of a benefit in urban locations)

I have a Ring. Lasts at least 2-3 months between charges. Permanent supply would be a hassle given its location so happy with a recharge about 3-4 times a year, only takes 2 mins to take off and put back. For the basic plan its £3.49 per month. Found it useful when out as you can speak to people at the door, parcels, neighbours etc but does depend on speed of internet when you are out.

Thanks @Cougar, in effect its a cheaper security camera.

Found it useful when out as you can speak to people at the door, parcels, neighbours etc but does depend on speed of internet when you are out.

Subsequent discussion with parents who have one is that there's a quite a lot of latency?

Can I ask why people think they need a video doorbell? I’m genuinely interested to know what advantages it brings

We needed a new bell and obvs could have gone for a cheap like for like replacement but thought I would give the Ring a go. All in all found it really useful and I do like the security aspect of seeing people who have called for example when we are out. Obvs 99.9% are simply the postman, milkman, neighbours or parcels etc but the view allows you just to have a quick scan of the short videos and the unit itself makes a sound as people approach I am sure that would be a deterent if anyone was scanning for a later break in etc. As I said its been useful on a couple of occasions to speak to couriers or callers or to know when things have been delivered. Couple of times I have been out and aware parcesl have been left behind the gate and asked a neighbour to get them for for me if its peeing down or they are valuable etc, specific examples I know... but all in all I like having it.

Thanks @Cougar, in effect its a cheaper security camera.

Yeah.

In honesty, it was probably a bit of an impulse buy. It was on Prime Day or Black Friday or something for like half price.

The new house didn't have a bell at all. I was in the process of rigging up the one from the old place (I have a loud an old-school bell with proper brass chimes), I'd bought a new bell-push and everything. Then this came up and the idea of hooking it into the existing Echo infrastructure appealed, and in fact that has turned out to be something of a killer app. I can have it ring in the bedroom to wake me if I'm asleep on my own in the house, or conversely disable it in the bedroom if say my OH is in bed and I'm up and about so she doesn't get disturbed. Or, sitting out in the back garden, I can relocate a Dot into the yard and listen to music, and won't miss a call if the doorbell rings.

The video aspect wasn't the main reason I bought it really, that was merely a nice-to-have.

We have a Blink camera at the door.

The standard ding-dong door bell is there to be pressed too.

Most of the time the Blink is off but it is useful if I am out and MrsSC is working in the back office - she can talk to whoever is at the door. We also have a camera covering the side and also the shed.

It's really useful for tracking the coming-and-goings of family members. If I wake up on a weekend night I can check my phone to see if wife / children are home from parties. This was also how I picked up that my youngest was going walkabout at 2am because he couldn't sleep.

We've had the system for 2 years now - and am still on the original batteries. No subscription so a lag when reviewing video clips via the sync unit but it works.

They've been used to harass me over the past couple of years. A local group whether religious or cult or other I couldn't say has been encouraging the residents of properties to install them and their kids (who think it's funny), co-ordinated via social media (privately presumably) have been setting them up to trigger well beyond the property boundary. The houses round here are close to each other so these cameras give the impression they can see right into the house opposites windows. More blinds have been going up for sure. But I was vocal on a local FB group some years back about some local issues and with these new camera going up when I would ride past properties lights (installed on some cameras) were going on, synchronicities would occur to give the impression I was being watched wherever I went. It seems to have calmed down a bit now since presumably the parents got pissed off with the motion activation but it shows that a whatsapp group of malicious people could be set up with these cameras and other cctv being used as a tool in their armoury. Could be used against children / councillors or people they wanted out of a community.

It seems people want security over freedom these days. Those that want security and are perhaps a little paranoid / voyeuristic are imposing their will upon those that simply don't want to feel they (and quite possibly are) being watched all the time.

almost no-one is running an Ethernet cable to a Ring doorbell.

I did - well, a Reolink one. No existing doorbell wiring for power, battery ones are a faff, I have PoE switches so it deals with power and a reliable connection in one. Plus no subscription needed and it’ll store on its own SD (for the app) and push to FTP as well, or a network recorder if you have one.

I didn’t particularly need a video doorbell, had a camera on the driveway already but our old wireless doorbell was getting unreliable and it’s nice to get a push to your phone rather than carrying a battery powered doorbell chime into the garden.

Yeah, Ring do a PoE outing (it's the Pro or Elite or some other such superlative). It's surely a pretty niche use case though.

Not a doorbell, but we have Ring Stick Up battery-operated cams front and back and find them pretty good. The battery life is very good – I have only recharged them twice since fitting seven months ago (currently on 42% charge so good for a month or so yet) and it's very easy to do. I like being able to see when my kids have left for school/get home etc and I can also ask delivery drivers to leave parcels if I am quick enough. I also have an over-ride set up on my phone so I will get an alert straight away even if it is set to 'do not disturb' as it is every night when we go to bed.