Smart security cameras target apartment dwellers at CES 2019
While wandering around the show floor at CES 2019 I noticed something new in smart home security -- cameras that replace your door's peephole, or hang over the top of your door (if you don't have a peephole).
Ring's Door View Cam
and the Brinno Duo Smart Peephole DoorCam replace your door's peephole, while the Remo+ DoorCam 2 hangs over the top of your door.
The idea, of course, is that you don't have to deal with electrical wiring or damaging your doorframe with a power tool. Anyone can buy these devices, but it makes the most sense for folks living in apartments and any other rental properties with cranky landlords who have rules about installing devices. Let's take a closer look at the Ring, Brinno and Remo+ buzzers.
Smart doorbells for smart apartments
The Door View Cam by Ring costs $199. It will hit stores "later this year," according to Ring, and they're designed to work with other Ring products. Ring also introduced its Smart Lighting products at CES.
I got to spend some time with this camera on the show floor. The doorbell is simply mounted to the peephole instead of on the doorframe. On the inside of the door you can still look through the peephole, but you can also get alerts on your phone whenever someone rings the bell or if activity is detected within range of the camera's motion sensor.
Here's a list of the Door View Cam's core features:
1080p HD resolution
Motion detection
Microphone and speaker
Rechargeable battery
Night vision
The Remo+ DoorCam 2 hangs over the door.
Angela Lang/CNET
The Brinno Duo is fairly similar to Ring's Door View Cam, but it isn't a doorbell. Because of that, it's more discreet than the Ring model. From the front, the Duo still looks sort of like a regular ol' peephole, but it's a camera keeping an eye on things.
Rather than recording a video clip when the motion detector senses activity, Brinno's camera simply takes a picture. Images are saved to an SD card so you don't have to pay for cloud storage.
Like the Brinno Duo, the Remo+ DoorCam 2 is more security camera than smart doorbell. Rather than replacing a peephole, the DoorCam 2 is designed to drape over the top of your door. It runs on three D batteries and monitors what's happening outside your front door.
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These aren't the first doorbells and cameras like this that we've seen. Ezviz, Remo+ and Yale have announced similar products in the past. I saw the Ezviz Lookout Smart Door Viewer at CES last year -- it's a front-door-mounted camera with facial recognition, but appears to have a more involved installation than the Ring, Brinno and Remo+ cameras I've seen this year.
Remo+ had a previous-gen DoorCam that looks similar to its version 2.0. And we wrote about the Yale Look door-mounted-cam back in 2016, but have yet to see it out in the world.
But this is the most I've ever seen at one tech conference and I anticipate seeing more in the future as smart home companies look to apartments, condos and other multifamily housing for security solutions with minimal installation and damage.
CES 2019: See all of CNET's coverage of the year's biggest tech show.
CES schedule
: It's six days of jam-packed events. Here's what to expect.
My Neighbor’s Door Camera Faces My Apartment. Is That Legal?
Tell your landlord about the cameras, expressing your concern for the building and the walls. With any luck, that will solve the problem. If, however, the landlord decides not to get involved, your remaining options are limited, because the presence of a camera in a common hallway is not illegal.
As a tenant, you do not have the presumption of privacy in common areas of buildings, like hallways, elevators and lobbies. That lack of privacy extends to the area inside your apartment that is visible when you open the door. So while your neighbor may not be allowed to install a camera and point it directly at your door, your landlord can. “The courts have held that the landlord has a right to put a camera in the hallway and even disguise it,” Mr. Frazer said.
If the landlord doesn’t order your neighbor to remove the camera, your only recourse would be to speak with your neighbor directly. Talk to the neighbor, if you can, and ask if they would, at the very least, reposition the camera away from your door.
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HOUSTON – A Houston man said he's feeling uneasy and feeling unsafe in his own apartment.
Military veteran Derek Gray said the trouble began in the past week after a neighbor complained about the security video doorbell outside his apartment at the Las Palmas apartments. That's near NASA Parkway and Galveston Road near the Johnson Space Center.
Gray insists management gave him permission to install the system when he moved in five months ago.
"I installed it," Gray said. "I even talked to their maintenance guys and said, 'Hey. Do you mind if I run a power supply line over here to this light?'"
But video from the doorbell system yesterday showed the management team coming to Gray's apartment with two police officers to assist him in removing the device.
"At that point, I said, 'OK. Now we have reached a whole new level. Civil discussion is over. I will comply,'" he said.
But Gray said the doorbell security is a need not a luxury.
He is a veteran of the Air Force and the Army -- performing three tours in Iraq from 2005 to 2007. He has been diagnosed with PTSD and in his recovery, Gray said the doorbell system is a form of healing and gives him peace of mind.
"My safety and my security are paramount," Gray said. "It's what allows me the ability to sleep at night and I want that back."
And although Gray acknowledges the complex has a legal right to remove the doorbell system, he is praying for a compromise.
"Let's find a reasonable concession," he said. "I'm more than happy if my neighbor has privacy concerns I'm more than happy to install a blind that blocks the view of the door."
We did speak to a manager at the apartment complex but they said they would not comment about this story.
Copyright 2019 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.
TikTok Video About Masked Prowler In Rohnert Park Not Accurate: Police
ROHNERT PARK, CA — A recent TikTok video provided the public with misinformation about the masker prowler presumably in Rohnert Park and surrounding areas, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said Wednesday.
"It is important for the community to know that no criminal activity, leads or additional sightings have been reported in nearly a month," Rohnert Park DPS said in a statement.
There were two reports of an unknown person seen on a doorbell camera wearing a white, full-faced mask with a full beard and dressed in dark clothing. The two incidents took place Monday, Sept. 19 within eight minutes of each other, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said in a news release issued Sept. 23.
Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatiwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The first incident happened at 3:01 a.m. Sept. 19 at Emerald Pointe Apartments on Camino Colegio. According to police, the masked person walked up to the front door of the residence and stood there for a brief moment, then walked away.
In the second incident, which happened at 3:09 a.m. Sept. 19 in the 1300 block of Miramonte Place, the masked person walked up to the front door of the residence and stood there for a brief moment while grasping the doorbell camera, then walked away.
Find out what's happening in Rohnert Park-Cotatiwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In both incidents, the person never attempted to enter the front doors and did not remove anything from the porch or yard, nor did they appear to be holding any tools or weapons.
Rohnert Park detectives who are looking into these incidents are also investigating an incident that happened at 1:15 a.m. Sept. 4 when an unknown man entered a home in the 1300 block of Middlebrook Way.
When one of the residents woke up and saw the man, he said, “Sorry” and walked out of the home, police said. The resident described the man as light-skinned, Hispanic, around 5 foot 6 or 5 foot 7 inches tall and wearing all black, including a black beanie-style cap, and an N95-type surgical mask.
Officers responded to the 911 call within minutes but did not find the suspect. This incident is being investigated as a crime, police said.
Based on the investigations, the suspect in the Sept. 4 incident is not believed to be the same person seen on the two doorbell cameras.
"Our investigations Unit takes the cases related to the original sightings very seriously and will follow up with any and all information provided," police said Wednesday. "It is important to our agency that the community knows that they are safe and that we will continue to update the public when new information is available."
Police said anyone wishing to report new details related to the case should contact the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety at (707) 584-2600 and refer to case number 22-3696.
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If you’re looking to enhance your home’s security system without spending a fortune, the quickest and easiest way to get started is with a video doorbell (also known as a doorbell camera). You can typically install one of these devices yourself in just a few minutes. With the best video doorbells, you can instantly detect when someone is at your door, and you’ll be able to see, hear and communicate in real-time with that person.
See and communicate with anyone who approaches your front door using a video doorbell.
Ring
Most doorbell cameras can tell the difference between a human and animal, but some can even identify people you know versus delivery people holding a package and then generate a different alert. Best of all, when a video doorbell detects someone approaching, it automatically begins recording. Thus, if it’s a potential intruder, you’ll have a video record of them trespassing—day or night. And if that annoying neighbor comes knocking on your door to borrow some milk, you’ll see them approaching and can decide to answer your door or pretend you’re indisposed.
Whether your budget is less than $100 or you don’t mind spending upwards of $400, you’ll easily find a video doorbell that nicely blends with the exterior décor of your home while providing the latest security and convenience-related features. Let’s take a look at seven of the best doorbell cameras for 2022.
Best Video Doorbell Overall
The Best Collection Of Features That Work With Any Smartphone
Google
Google Nest (Wired) Video Doorbell
Camera Resolution: 2K resolution (1600 x 1200 pixels)
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: Any homeowner who wants a hardwired video doorbell that offers advanced video and two-way communication features, along with face detection, night vision and compatibility with other Google home and security products.
Google offers a Nest video doorbell in a wired or wireless version. The wired version features a 2K resolution, 3MP camera with 8x digital zoom. You can control the zoom and live feed from your smartphone or a Google Smart Hub while automatically recording video at 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution at up to 30 frames per second. The camera offers a 160-degree field of view with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which allows you to see someone’s entire body when they approach your door or see packages that are placed on the ground by a delivery person, for example.
The doorbell itself connects to your home’s Wi-Fi, which allows it to communicate with your smartphone and store content in the cloud. One of the best features of the Nest Doorbell is that it'll recognize familiar faces compared to strangers or delivery people, and then send special alerts to your phone based on who’s approaching. The Nest Doorbell stores the past three hours of video in the cloud for free. For more advanced cloud-based storage, you’ll need to subscribe to the Nest Aware service for $6 per month.
Pros:
Affordable
Easy to install
Works with any smartphone or Google Smart Hub
Cons:
Monthly fee required for extended cloud-based recording
Camera Resolution: 2K resolution (1600 x 1200 pixels)
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: Any homeowner who wants a hardwired video doorbell that offers advanced video and two-way communication features, along with face detection, night vision and compatibility with other Google home and security products.
Google offers a Nest video doorbell in a wired or wireless version. The wired version features a 2K resolution, 3MP camera with 8x digital zoom. You can control the zoom and live feed from your smartphone or a Google Smart Hub while automatically recording video at 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution at up to 30 frames per second. The camera offers a 160-degree field of view with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which allows you to see someone’s entire body when they approach your door or see packages that are placed on the ground by a delivery person, for example.
The doorbell itself connects to your home’s Wi-Fi, which allows it to communicate with your smartphone and store content in the cloud. One of the best features of the Nest Doorbell is that it'll recognize familiar faces compared to strangers or delivery people, and then send special alerts to your phone based on who’s approaching. The Nest Doorbell stores the past three hours of video in the cloud for free. For more advanced cloud-based storage, you’ll need to subscribe to the Nest Aware service for $6 per month.
Pros:
Affordable
Easy to install
Works with any smartphone or Google Smart Hub
Cons:
Monthly fee required for extended cloud-based recording
forbes.comHome Depot Coupons | 10% Off In July 2022 | Forbes
Best Doorbell Camera
Ring’s Best Doorbell Looks Elegant While Offering Premium Features
Editor’s Pick
Ring
Ring Elite Video Doorbell
Camera Resolution: 1080p
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: A homeowner looking for a premium doorbell that combines cutting-edge features with a contemporary and more upscale appearance.
Ring is one of the pioneers in video doorbell technology for consumers. As a result, the company offers a bunch of different models, with the Ring Elite being the most expensive. This is not just because it offers the most advanced features, however. It also has the most elegant design. You can choose between a satin nickel, pearl white, Venetian or satin black faceplate finish. ‘
Optional accessories include the indoor Chime Pro (so you’ll hear the doorbell ring even when your smartphone is not handy) and a Power Over Ethernet adapter that provides both power and wired Internet connectivity to the video doorbell from your home. As for functionality, the 1080p HD resolution camera offers a 160-degree horizontal FOV. Infrared night vision is also built in. The optional Ring Protect subscription (starting at $3 per month) includes a record and capture feature, plus the ability to generate unique alerts for specific people.
Who it’s for: A homeowner looking for a premium doorbell that combines cutting-edge features with a contemporary and more upscale appearance.
Ring is one of the pioneers in video doorbell technology for consumers. As a result, the company offers a bunch of different models, with the Ring Elite being the most expensive. This is not just because it offers the most advanced features, however. It also has the most elegant design. You can choose between a satin nickel, pearl white, Venetian or satin black faceplate finish. ‘
Optional accessories include the indoor Chime Pro (so you’ll hear the doorbell ring even when your smartphone is not handy) and a Power Over Ethernet adapter that provides both power and wired Internet connectivity to the video doorbell from your home. As for functionality, the 1080p HD resolution camera offers a 160-degree horizontal FOV. Infrared night vision is also built in. The optional Ring Protect subscription (starting at $3 per month) includes a record and capture feature, plus the ability to generate unique alerts for specific people.
Pros:
Elegant design
Decent camera resolution with a wide FOV
Displays full-color night vision
Cons:
No facial recognition
Professional installation is typically required
Cloud-based storage costs extra
Best Ring Video Doorbell
Ring Offers Multiple High Quality Video Doorbells—This One Is Best
The Home Depot
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
Camera Resolution: 1536p HD
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s For: A homeowner looking for a mid-priced video doorbell that gets hardwired to a home and that offers a nice selection of security features.
While not the most expensive Ring doorbell, the Ring Pro 2 is not the company’s least expensive model either. This one comes with a separate (wireless) door chime that you place within your home, so you can hear the doorbell ring even when your smartphone isn’t handy. Thanks to the camera’s 150-degree horizontal and vertical FOV and 1536p resolution, you’ll clearly see everything outside your front door—day or night.
Using what the company refers to as 3D motion detection, the video doorbell will alert you if a person, vehicle or animal approaches from up to 30 feet away. If you don’t want to interact with whomever approaches your door, the Alexa digital assistant will provide a greeting and tell a delivery person where to leave a package, for example. The Ring mobile app allows you to see a live video feed anytime, interact with whomever approaches your front door, or review automatically recorded video footage from anywhere.
Who it’s For: A homeowner looking for a mid-priced video doorbell that gets hardwired to a home and that offers a nice selection of security features.
While not the most expensive Ring doorbell, the Ring Pro 2 is not the company’s least expensive model either. This one comes with a separate (wireless) door chime that you place within your home, so you can hear the doorbell ring even when your smartphone isn’t handy. Thanks to the camera’s 150-degree horizontal and vertical FOV and 1536p resolution, you’ll clearly see everything outside your front door—day or night.
Using what the company refers to as 3D motion detection, the video doorbell will alert you if a person, vehicle or animal approaches from up to 30 feet away. If you don’t want to interact with whomever approaches your door, the Alexa digital assistant will provide a greeting and tell a delivery person where to leave a package, for example. The Ring mobile app allows you to see a live video feed anytime, interact with whomever approaches your front door, or review automatically recorded video footage from anywhere.
Pros:
Wide field of view (horizontally and vertically)
Good video resolution
Works with Amazon Echo Show smart hubs
Cons:
May require professional installation
Subscription fee required for cloud storage
Does not identify package deliveries
Best Wireless Video Doorbell
See People Who Approach Your Door In 2K Resolution Detail
Walmart
eufy Video Doorbell
Camera Resolution: 2K
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Wireless
Who it’s for: Ideal for homes or apartments, because no hardwiring is required. This makes it super easy to install without needing to hire an electrician.
Between its 2K resolution video cameras with a 160-degree FOV for wider viewing coverage, a 180-day battery life and lack of monthly fees, the eufy Video Doorbell offers a really great value. The best feature is that it comes with a HomeBase that provides encrypted local storage for your video footage, so it doesn’t rely on the cloud.
Of course, you can interact with the video doorbell anytime and from anywhere using your smartphone or any Amazon Echo smart hub. If you want to interact live with someone who approaches your door, you can do this. Alternatively, you can tap an icon on your smartphone’s screen and have the Alexa digital assistant greet your guest with a pre-set message. It installs in about five minutes.
Who it’s for: Ideal for homes or apartments, because no hardwiring is required. This makes it super easy to install without needing to hire an electrician.
Between its 2K resolution video cameras with a 160-degree FOV for wider viewing coverage, a 180-day battery life and lack of monthly fees, the eufy Video Doorbell offers a really great value. The best feature is that it comes with a HomeBase that provides encrypted local storage for your video footage, so it doesn’t rely on the cloud.
Of course, you can interact with the video doorbell anytime and from anywhere using your smartphone or any Amazon Echo smart hub. If you want to interact live with someone who approaches your door, you can do this. Alternatively, you can tap an icon on your smartphone’s screen and have the Alexa digital assistant greet your guest with a pre-set message. It installs in about five minutes.
Pros:
Excellent camera resolution with a wide FOV
Long battery life
No monthly fees for cloud-based storage
Cons:
Best Hardwired Video Doorbell
Replace Your Existing Doorbell With Unique Features
The Home Depot
Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell
Camera Resolution: 1536 x 1536 pixels
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: A homeowner looking for a very low cost but efficient video doorbell that gets hardwired to a home.
Feature-for-feature, the Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell offers a lot. In addition to an HD video camera with a 180-degree FOV, 1536 x 1536 pixel resolution and built-in night vision, this wired doorbell is super easy to install.
One nice feature is that it has a built-in security siren that you can manually trigger to scare off unwanted intruders. Of course, you can also interact with visitors in real-time via your smartphone. For an optional monthly fee, the Secure subscription plan provides added functionality, like the ability to quickly summon police, fire or medical responders to your home and be able to archive video content for up to 30 days.
Pros:
Very affordable
Ultra-wide FOV with night vision
Connects to your home’s Wi-Fi
Cons:
Monthly subscription required to unlock many features
Who it’s for: A homeowner looking for a very low cost but efficient video doorbell that gets hardwired to a home.
Feature-for-feature, the Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell offers a lot. In addition to an HD video camera with a 180-degree FOV, 1536 x 1536 pixel resolution and built-in night vision, this wired doorbell is super easy to install.
One nice feature is that it has a built-in security siren that you can manually trigger to scare off unwanted intruders. Of course, you can also interact with visitors in real-time via your smartphone. For an optional monthly fee, the Secure subscription plan provides added functionality, like the ability to quickly summon police, fire or medical responders to your home and be able to archive video content for up to 30 days.
Pros:
Very affordable
Ultra-wide FOV with night vision
Connects to your home’s Wi-Fi
Cons:
Monthly subscription required to unlock many features
Best Video Doorbell Without A Subscription
Not All Video Doorbells Require You To Pay More
Best Features
Best Buy
Google Nest Doorbell (Battery)
Camera Resolution: 960 x 1280 pixels HD
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Wireless
Who it’s for: Anyone looking to easily install a battery-powered video doorbell to their front door and benefit from the home security features it offers.
The battery-powered Google Nest Doorbell is very similar to the wired version, but installation is much easier. You can choose the color of the doorbell (snow, linen, ivy or ash), so it nicely matches the décor of your home’s exterior. As you’d expect, using your smartphone or a Google Nest Hub (or Nest Hub Max), you can monitor what’s happening outside your door anytime—day or night. You can also freely interact with anyone who approaches.
Depending on how much traffic you receive at your front door and how much you interact with those people remotely, the Google Nest’s built in rechargeable battery will last between one and six months between charges. Since there are no wires to deal with, the included bracket gets attached to your door or doorframe (using two screws) and then the Google Nest clips onto that bracket. When you subscribe to the optional Nest Aware service, the video doorbell will identify who approaches your door and allow you to customize the alerts for people you know versus strangers or delivery people.
Who it’s for: Anyone looking to easily install a battery-powered video doorbell to their front door and benefit from the home security features it offers.
The battery-powered Google Nest Doorbell is very similar to the wired version, but installation is much easier. You can choose the color of the doorbell (snow, linen, ivy or ash), so it nicely matches the décor of your home’s exterior. As you’d expect, using your smartphone or a Google Nest Hub (or Nest Hub Max), you can monitor what’s happening outside your door anytime—day or night. You can also freely interact with anyone who approaches.
Depending on how much traffic you receive at your front door and how much you interact with those people remotely, the Google Nest’s built in rechargeable battery will last between one and six months between charges. Since there are no wires to deal with, the included bracket gets attached to your door or doorframe (using two screws) and then the Google Nest clips onto that bracket. When you subscribe to the optional Nest Aware service, the video doorbell will identify who approaches your door and allow you to customize the alerts for people you know versus strangers or delivery people.
Pros:
Easy installation (no hardwiring)
Works with a Google Nest Hub or any smartphone
Provides smart notifications
Cons:
FOV is more limited than competitors
Best Affordable Video Doorbell
Add This Video Doorbell To Your Home For Less Than $100
Good Value
Wyze
Wyze Wireless Video Doorbell Pro
Camera Resolution: 1440 x 1440 pixels HR
Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Wireless
Who it’s for: Someone looking for an easy-to-install video doorbell that’s inexpensive, simple to operate and that has a long battery life.
It’s hard to believe that for less than $100, you can install a wireless video doorbell and benefit from many of the same security features and overall convenience that much more costly options offer. This Wyze doorbell offers up to a 180-day battery life, so it requires no wiring. In fact, it mounts to your home using 3M adhesive, so you won’t even need a screwdriver to install it.
The 1440 x 1400 pixel resolution camera offers a 150-degree horizontal and vertical field of view. It’s able to generates smart notifications (based on who approaches) and allows you to remotely answer your door from anywhere via your smartphone. The doorbell’s included wireless chime—which gets placed inside your home—can generate more than 20 different chimes at eight sound levels. Use the optional Cam Plus service ($2 per month) to unlock additional features, like person, package and animal detection.
Pros:
Extremely quick and easy setup
Very low cost to purchase and maintain
Decent resolution camera with a wide FOV
Cons:
A Cam Plus subscription needed to unlock more advanced features
Who it’s for: Someone looking for an easy-to-install video doorbell that’s inexpensive, simple to operate and that has a long battery life.
It’s hard to believe that for less than $100, you can install a wireless video doorbell and benefit from many of the same security features and overall convenience that much more costly options offer. This Wyze doorbell offers up to a 180-day battery life, so it requires no wiring. In fact, it mounts to your home using 3M adhesive, so you won’t even need a screwdriver to install it.
The 1440 x 1400 pixel resolution camera offers a 150-degree horizontal and vertical field of view. It’s able to generates smart notifications (based on who approaches) and allows you to remotely answer your door from anywhere via your smartphone. The doorbell’s included wireless chime—which gets placed inside your home—can generate more than 20 different chimes at eight sound levels. Use the optional Cam Plus service ($2 per month) to unlock additional features, like person, package and animal detection.
Pros:
Extremely quick and easy setup
Very low cost to purchase and maintain
Decent resolution camera with a wide FOV
Cons:
A Cam Plus subscription needed to unlock more advanced features
What To Look For In A Video Doorbell
While all video doorbells serve the same purpose—which is to show you who approaches your front door and allow you to communicate with them from anywhere via your smartphone—how they accomplish this task varies. Plan on spending between $100 and $400 for a video doorbell.
Some video doorbells can tell the difference between a delivery person, family member or neighbor.
Ring
To ensure you choose the best device to meet your needs, select a model that offers the security, communication, compatibility and convenience features that are most important to you. Let’s take a look at the most sought after features you'll likely want in your video doorbell.
Wired Versus Wireless
Most homes, condos and apartments are equipped with a traditional doorbell that is hardwired to your home and uses the home’s power to operate. When it comes to video doorbells, some are designed to replace your traditional doorbell and also get hardwired to the home. Others are battery powered and are much easier to install. They typically only need to be recharged once every two to six months.
While a wired video doorbell never needs to be recharged, it will stop functioning if your home’s power goes out—unless it has a built-in backup battery. To cover all your bases, consider choosing a wired model that has a battery backup feature. If you live in an apartment, a wireless doorbell that attaches to the front door using 3M adhesive will be the easier to install. You also won’t need to drill any holes that your landlord might frown upon.
Resolution
All of the latest video doorbells have built in cameras that capture and record high-definition video. The higher the resolution, however, the more detail you’ll see, especially when reviewing saved content on a computer. You can’t go wrong with a 1080p or 2K resolution video doorbell.
Mobile App And Compatibility With Smart Home Hubs
Each of the video doorbells require you to download and install a proprietary mobile app onto your smartphone. The app allows you to receive alerts and interact remotely with anyone who approaches your front door. It also allows you to review recorded video footage from your mobile device.
Some video doorbells also work with a smart hub in your home, like the Google Hub ($65) or an Amazon Echo Show hub. This allows you to receive alerts and communicate with someone at your front door from the room in your home where the hub is located. If you already have a smart home hub, make sure the video doorbell you choose is compatible with it.
Human, Animal And Package Detection
The latest video doorbells can tell the difference between a human, animal or delivery person who approaches your door. It’ll also typically allow your smartphone to generate a different alert based on who approaches.
For example, if your children come home from school every day while you’re at work, you can set up some video doorbells to identify them automatically and alert you when they get home safely. However, you can also set the video doorbell to only alert you of unexpected guests or strangers who approach your door.
Night Vision
Most people have a porch light that brightens up their entranceway at night. However, if you forget to turn on the light or for whatever reason it’s not working, a video doorbell with a night vision mode will still allow you to see who approaches, even if it’s otherwise dark outside. Some more advanced video doorbells offer full-color night vision, while less expensive models typically offer infrared night vision that showcases little color and less detail.
Camera Field of View and Aspect Ratio
The camera’s field of view and aspect ratio determines how much of the area in front of the doorbell you’ll be able to see and record. A good FOV for a video doorbell is between 150 and 170-degrees (horizontally) and at least 90-degrees (vertically). You’ll be able to see plenty, assuming you install the video doorbell at the recommended height of about 48 inches above the ground.
When it comes to aspect ratio, you'll be able to see more detail across someone’s entire body (not just their head and torso) with a video doorbell that uses a 4:3 aspect ratio as opposed to a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Subscription Fees And What They Include
Most of the best video doorbells offer the ability to automatically store video content that’s recorded in the cloud. Some video doorbell manufacturers, however, charge a monthly fee for the ability to store larger amounts of video in the cloud for extended periods of time.
If you find this feature useful, consider a video doorbell that charges no more than $10 per month for this option. Keep in mind, some video doorbell manufacturers offer at least some cloud-based storage for free.
Can I Install A Video Doorbell Myself?
In most cases, you can easily install a video doorbell yourself, even if hardwiring is required.
Ring
If you plan to install a wireless (battery powered) video doorbell, just about anyone can install one of these devices in a matter of minutes. Some don’t even require any tools. When it comes to installing a video doorbell with a hardwired connection, this can be a little trickier.
That said, if you’re replacing a traditional doorbell that’s already hardwired to your home with a wired video doorbell, the installation process will likely be straightforward and can be done yourself—probably in less than 30 minutes. Installing a wired video doorbell from scratch will most likely require hiring an electrician. If you plan to do it yourself, you’ll need a larger assortment of tools and some core knowledge on how to use them. The various video doorbell manufacturers offer free how-to videos that’ll walk you through the installation and setup process.
The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety is investigating two incidents that occurred Sept 19 in which a masked man was reported seen on residential doorbell cameras.
The first incident occurred at the Emerald Pointe Apartments on Camino Colegio at 3:01 a.m.
Police said the masked man walked up to the front door of a residence, stood there for a brief moment and then walked away.
The second incident occurred eight minutes later at 3:09 a.m. in the 1300 block of Miramonte Place.
In that incident, the man walked up to the front door of a residence, stood there for a brief moment while grasping the doorbell camera and then walked away.
In both incidents, the individual did not attempt to enter the front doors, did not remove anything and did not appear to be holding any tools or weapons, police said.
The man was wearing a full-faced white mask, was dressed in dark clothing and had a full beard, police said.
Police said the individual's actions were concerning but are not criminal.
Detectives are also investigating an incident that occurred on Sept. 4 at 1:15 a.m. where a man entered a residence in the 1300 block of Middlebrook Way.
When one of the residents woke up and saw the man, the intruder said "Sorry" and walked out of the home.
The suspect in that incident was described as a Hispanic man, 5 feet 7 inches tall and was wearing all black.
Anyone with information on these incidents is asked to call the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety at (707) 584-2600.
✔️ Wired vs. wireless: Battery-powered smart video doorbells are easier to install than hardwired models, but they often don't have as many features. If you're leaning toward hardwired, make sure the device will work with your current setup by unscrewing the old doorbell from the wall and seeing if it’s attached to a pair of wires. If it is, these wires will serve as your hookup. One major advantage of hardwired video doorbells is that you won’t have to replace or recharge any batteries, and they’re always connected to power. This makes them more effective at capturing motion since they’re always on and don’t have to be woken up.
✔️ Integration: Do you want your video doorbell to communicate with other smart home products? If your video doorbell is compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa or HomeKit, you can set it up so that your smart speakers announce when someone is at the door with a chime and then enable you to communicate with whoever is at the door. Check each manufacturer’s website for a list of compatible devices. Especially with big brands, you'll find a long list of locks, light bulbs, garage door openers and more.
✔️ Subscription fees: Most smart video doorbells offer extended cloud-based video storage, 30 days typically, for around $3. But there are some models out there that use a memory-card slot for storing video clips locally, lowering costs as well as the risk of data and security breaches.
✔️ Video quality: Chief Technologist and Director of Engineering Rachel Rothman suggests getting a video doorbell with no less than 1080p (HD) resolution, but if you are able to opt for a higher resolution such as 2K or 4K, you should. The higher the resolution, the more easily you’ll be able to identify faces and see more details in your video footage.
✔️ Field of view: The larger the field of view, the more of your porch, doorstep and surroundings you’ll be able to see. Rothman suggests getting a video doorbell with as close to a 180-degree field of view as possible. Also make sure to pay attention to the doorbell’s aspect ratio to understand whether the image’s shape will be square, portrait or landscape and whether this can be adjusted to your liking.
“In some circumstances it could be illegal for owners to have video doorbells recording footage in the hallway, so drafting a board resolution to ban them is certainly an option, especially if the cameras are installed in the common areas, which are under control of the board,” says Niki Khindri, an attorney at NYC real estate law firm Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. where she focuses on real estate transactions and co-op and condo law.
In New York, you are permitted to record an audio conversation as long as one party to the conversation knows you are recording.
“That means you can record a conversation you are having with another person without their knowledge but recording others when you are not a party to the conversation and in places where there’s an expectation of privacy—such as within one’s home—could be against the law,” Khindri says.
When privacy concerns are raised about security doorbells, Khindri says the complaints are often due to an underlying problem between neighbors. The camera should not be pointing into someone else’s apartment. That said, your board should also consider that the equipment may be in place to deter harassment by another resident.
Consult the house rules and bylaws before making changes
Your first step is to see if there’s anything in your building’s governing documents addressing the use of doorbells with cameras.
“In most cases, the house rules and bylaws will be silent on this because they were written before smart technology allowed residents easy access to digital security footage as a feature of their doorbell,” Khindri says. However, since most video doorbells would be installed on the outside of the apartments in the common areas, the board would have the ultimate say in whether they stay or go.
“At that point, it becomes a question of balancing one resident’s desire for security against another’s desire for privacy,” Khindri says.
It is arguably an invasion of privacy if a video doorbell is angled in such a way that it provides footage of the interior of a neighbor’s apartment when their door is ajar, especially if the doorbell is able to pick up audio.
“Additionally, some residents don’t feel comfortable being recorded coming and going from their apartment,” Khindri says.
She says the board is within its rights to introduce and pass a resolution preventing the use of security cameras in common areas by residents.
“If the camera installed in the interior of your apartment picks up footage of the rooms inside that’s acceptable, but if it’s installed in the common areas, a board can vote to prohibit them,” Khindri says.
A resolution banning video doorbells could be passed by the board as a new house rule, in which case no shareholder approval would be necessary.
However, Khindri points out that in some cases draft resolutions drawn up to ban this equipment have been rejected by boards.
“Others have passed resolutions but restricted the ban to video cameras directly facing other apartments,” she says.
Dealing with video camera privacy complaints
One of the reasons a board might be reluctant to ban video doorbells completely is because the complaint might stem from an underlying problem between residents, owners, or shareholders. In some situations, video footage from a camera may be used as evidence where a board seeks to
remove an objectionable shareholder from a co-op, also known as a Pullman proceeding.
“There have been situations where a co-op shareholder has been harassing a neighbor—writing on their apartment door or knocking on it at all hours of the day and night—and in a Pullman case it’s important to have well-documented evidence of the kind of behavior that’s considered objectionable,” Khindri says. A camera could provide this evidence but not, of course, if such cameras have been previously banned by the board.
It’s also possible the installation of the camera is part of that objectionable behavior. Khindri says in one case, a complaint arose because a shareholder installed a camera directly facing a board member’s apartment.
A board would be advised to send a letter to the owner or shareholder notifying them of the complaint against the camera they have installed.
Another difficulty is that all shareholders and owners must be treated equally. “If the conflict arises because of a disagreement between neighbors, it would be advisable to pass a building wide resolution banning this technology rather than singling out a specific owner or tenant shareholder,” Khindri says.
Passing rules that apply to everyone would address any claims a resident may bring against the board that they are being treated unequally.
“This is also why resolutions that ban videos directly facing other apartments—but otherwise permitting them in common areas—may present some boards with a good alternative to outright bans,” Khindri says.
Real estate attorney
Niki Khindri focuses on real estate transactions, co-op and condo law, and intellectual property law at Adam Leitman Bailey P.C.. To submit a question for this column, click here. To arrange a free 15-minute telephone consultation send Niki an email.
