The In-Depth Guide to Doorbell Cameras

Jan 14, 2021 |

The In-Depth Guide to Doorbell Cameras

Have you ever had your doorbell band when you're also busy to respond it? Or had a package mysteriously disappear from your forepart porch? In situations like that, it would be overnice to know who came to your door.

With a doorbell camera, you can.

Half security camera, one-half doorbell, a doorbell camera lets you answer the door no matter where you are while keeping a recorded log of anyone who comes to your door.

Whether you're in the market for a doorbell camera or you just want to learn more about them, this guide volition give you an in-depth await at everything you need to know.

vivint doorbell camera pro
Have questions near doorbell cameras? Keep reading this in-depth guide to learn more.

What is a doorbell camera?

A doorbell photographic camera (likewise called a video doorbell or photographic camera doorbell) is a type of security camera that attaches to your front door, often replacing an existing doorbell, and allows you to see and communicate with people who come to your door. Doorbell cameras send notifications to your telephone, assuasive you to answer your door via an app on your smartphone.

How do doorbell cameras piece of work?

While all doorbell cameras differ somewhat based on make and features, they all serve the same purpose and work in a like way. The camera, which is either hard-wired or battery-powered, is mounted near your front door and typically replaces a current doorbell. Unlike a regular doorbell, information technology connects to the home's WiFi. It has a move sensor that detects movement, and and so (depending on your settings) notifies you lot on your smartphone whenever someone comes to your door.

Footage from the doorbell camera can either be viewed live via your device, or can exist recorded and stored in the cloud so you tin view information technology on-demand at a afterward time.

Doorbell camera benefits

An estimated 20 million people in the U.S. have doorbell cameras, making them one of the most popular smart home devices in the country. And it's easy to meet why. Take a await at some of the benefits a doorbell camera provides.

  • Convenience. Whether you're getting prepare to sit down down to dinner or you just want to relax, answering the door for an unexpected visitor isn't always convenient. With a doorbell photographic camera, answering the door is as simple every bit picking upwards your phone and seeing who's there.
  • Communicate with visitors. Many doorbell cameras characteristic ii-way talk, allowing you to speak to the person on the other side of the door. This is convenient if yous want to give instructions to a delivery person or tell a visitor to come by later.
  • Prophylactic. If you take kids, yous've probably made information technology clear that they shouldn't reply the front door when they're home alone. A doorbell camera adds an actress measure of safety, allowing yous to answer the door and tell whoever is there to come back later—without them knowing yous're not fifty-fifty there.
  • Deter package theft. If you lot've ever ordered anything online, there's a expert take chances you lot've experienced package theft. Nearly forty% of people have reported having a package stolen from their porch or doorstep. Potential thieves tend to think twice earlier swiping a packet if they know they're being recorded.
  • See who's coming or going. Considering your doorbell camera gives you a look at your forepart door whenever you want, you'll always know who's coming or going. This tin put your mind at ease if you're waiting to run into if your kids got home from school safely or your petsitter arrived to feed your canis familiaris on fourth dimension.
  • Get notified when someone comes to your door. Doorbell cameras besides send notifications to your smartphone whenever someone comes to the door. From there, you can view your photographic camera in existent-time and speak to your visitor, fifty-fifty if they don't ring the bell.

These are just a few of the many benefits a doorbell camera offers.

vivint doorbell camera pro
Convenience, security, and peace of mind are just a few of the many benefits of a doorbell camera.

What to look for in doorbell cameras

If you lot want to get the about out of your doorbell camera, there are basic functions your photographic camera should have. Things to keep in mind as y'all store include:

  • Resolution. A doorbell camera that provides fuzzy, low-quality resolution won't do you much good. Resolution can range from 480p all the way up to 1080p, and the college the resolution, the clearer the image. 1080p HDR (high dynamic range) is the golden standard and volition provide a superb, clear picture show. If resolution is high on your priority list, wait for a camera that provides 1080p HDR for the best picture quality.
  • Night vision. Night vision is another must. With night vision, your camera will let you see what's going on in the nighttime, even if your porch light is off. Virtually doorbell cameras offering infrared night vision, which provides dark footage in black and white. At that place are also colour night vision cameras, which come with a college price tag attached.
  • Field of view. When it comes to your camera's field of view, the bigger and wider (without distorting the image) the improve. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, for example, offers a 180-degree field of vision both vertically and horizontally, allowing you to run across your unabridged front porch surface area.
  • Motility detection. Doorbell cameras are oft equipped with movement detection, which allows them to notify yous and begin recording footage when someone comes to your door, even if they don't ring the bong. Your doorbell camera should be advanced enough to pick up motility from the sidewalk or street and include settings that volition only notify you if motion is detected at your door.
  • Power source. Doorbell cameras can be either hard-wired into your existing doorbell or battery-powered. Bombardment-powered doorbells are skillful for renters or exteriors that don't already accept a doorbell installed. A battery-powered doorbell is easy to install simply does require the added expense of periodically changing batteries. Hardwired cameras, on the other hand, tend to be more than reliable since your connection is never lost.
  • Weather resistance. Considering the doorbell photographic camera lives on the exterior of your home, it will be exposed to elements like pelting or snow also as temperature fluctuations. With that in heed, make certain the doorbell camera you choose is durable enough to withstand your climate. The camera'south specifications should have a range of temperatures it can tolerate.

This is a basic overview of things to consider equally you store for your doorbell photographic camera. There are also a wide range of additional features available for those who desire a more avant-garde camera.

Important doorbell camera features

While all doorbell cameras provide the same basic function, the features typically vary with toll. A doorbell camera on the lower terminate of the toll spectrum may offering bare-bones functionality, while a higher-end camera will likely include more features and sleeker designs.

Some of the nearly popular features in doorbell cameras include the following.

Bundle theft deterrent

The number of people who store online has increased dramatically; in the past yr alone, the number of online sales shot up past 18%. With that, however, comes a major increase in package theft—i US city saw packet theft increase by over 70% in just one year.

With that in listen, doorbell cameras that offering parcel theft deterrent, like the Vivint Doorbell Photographic camera Pro, are a hot commodity. This feature not only alerts yous when a bundle has been delivered, but also helps deter theft by playing a alert tone when a potential porch pirate comes into view, letting them know they've been spotted.

vivint doorbell camera pro package thief
One of the most pop reasons to get a doorbell camera? Protecting your package deliveries.

Motion picture capabilities

Like all security cameras, a doorbell camera is only every bit skilful every bit the picture it provides. Doorbell camera picture quality ranges from lower resolution or black and white picture to Hd-quality, color video that allows y'all to easily identify features. Night vision is as well an important component to a doorbell photographic camera.

Motion sensing technology

All doorbell cameras worth ownership are equipped with motility sensors to permit you know when someone comes to your door. But depending on your settings and the sensitivity of your photographic camera, you might get notifications with each passing car, cat, or fifty-fifty tree branch.

Cameras that characteristic face recognition technology to differentiate between objects and people are a feature you'll definitely desire to look for.

Recording

Doorbell cameras provide a alive feed view of your front door, and nearly also offering the ability to record footage that yous can view after. For well-nigh people, recording is an of import feature considering it allows y'all to save footage to review when it's convenient. It's also necessary if you lot want to replay footage or share it.

When it comes to recording, there are several different means footage is recorded. Your camera might offer continuous recording, meaning it saves all doorbell camera footage, or it may simply start recording when it picks up motion. This depends on your camera'south settings and available deject storage for footage.

Cloud storage

Video doorbells do not store recorded video. Instead, the recorded footage is saved in the cloud for you to access within a specified period of fourth dimension. You'll have to pay a nominal fee each month for this storage (similar to the fee you'd pay to increment the storage size on your telephone or email account's cloud provider).

2-way audio

This is a must-have feature for many people, as information technology allows you to really answer your door remotely. With two-way audio, you can speak to the person at your door (via the photographic camera'southward app or your smart home's hub) and they can respond.

vivint doorbell camera pro mailman
Speak with front end door visitors no matter where you are with the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro.

Up-to-date application

All doorbell photographic camera footage is accessed via an app, and so this is an of import feature. Yous'll want to find a photographic camera that offers an app that has a user-friendly interface, regular updates for bug fixes and app improvements, and security features.

Your doorbell camera app should also characteristic mobile alerts and notifications. This feature will let you know whenever someone approaches your door, so information technology'southward important to observe a camera that offers reliable mobile notifications that can also exist customized. For case, yous may just want to be notified if your camera senses a person at the door. Or, you may desire notifications whenever whatsoever motion is detected.

Doorbell sound

Some doorbell cameras have the ability to customize the doorbell chime, so you tin alter upwardly the sound that plays when someone rings your doorbell. Depending on the camera, you can download new doorbell sounds online or change them correct from the camera'south app.

Doorbell camera installation

One of the first questions people have when looking for the perfect video doorbell is, "Is it like shooting fish in a barrel to install a doorbell camera?" The answer to that is, "It depends."

DIY vs. professional installation

Information technology'due south true that ane of the reasons doorbell cameras are so pop is because most of them are fairly elementary to install. Notwithstanding, at that place are a few things that could complicate the matter, making professional person installation a better option than DIY.

At that place are a number of things you lot'll need to accept into consideration as y'all determine whether to do it yourself or whether to have the photographic camera professionally installed, including:

  • Homeownership. If you own your dwelling house, your options are limitless. If you rent, withal, yous'll need to check your charter and brand sure it's OK to install a doorbell photographic camera. Even doorbell cameras can be considered a modification, and many lease agreements don't permit such modifications without permission from the landlord. In this instance, a wireless doorbell that you tin remove when you lot get out is your best choice.
  • Blazon of doorbell. You don't necessarily demand to know how to install a doorbell camera in gild to do it yourself. Bombardment-powered doorbells are among the easiest to install since there is no hard-wiring to contend with, making them adequately simple for about people. A hard-wired photographic camera doorbell, on the other hand, requires specific tools and cognition of wiring in order to safely and properly install a doorbell.
  • Smart home integration. If you desire your doorbell camera to be part of a comprehensive smart home, you lot'll need to know how to connect the camera to the various smart dwelling house devices within your network. In this case, professional installation is the best bet to ensure your camera doorbell works properly.
vivint doorbell camera pro installation
Make sure your doorbell camera works perfectly with professional installation from Vivint.

Home automation & home security integration

Most people get a doorbell photographic camera for security purposes—they desire to be able to come across who comes to their front door, even if they're not home.

With that in heed, it just makes sense to integrate a doorbell camera with a smart home security organisation.

Doorbell cameras and home automation

If you have a smart habitation system or are considering installing smart devices to your home in the future, you'll want to brand sure your doorbell camera is compatible with any existing devices y'all have or would like to add.

Doorbell cameras are well-suited to home automation and integrate with various components around your home. For instance, if a delivery driver comes to your door and you're not domicile, you could unlock the smart lock on your front door via your smart home app, and so apply your doorbell camera'due south two-style talk feature to enquire them to place your package within.

Doorbell cameras and home security

Considering 34% of burglars enter through the forepart door, doorbell cameras are an essential part of a abode security organisation. While outdoor surveillance cameras may miss an intruder, a doorbell camera provides an up-close look at a package thief or intruder'southward face, providing important evidence for law enforcement.

What'south more than, doorbell cameras also act equally deterrents to would-be intruders or thieves looking to make a quick getaway with your bundle. Vivint'due south Doorbell Photographic camera Pro in particular is an effective deterrent thanks to its Smart Deter feature which lets lurkers on your porch know they've been spotted and are being recorded.

Doorbell cameras: the bottom line

Whether yous want to increase the security effectually your front door or you only want increased visibility into who's coming and going, a doorbell photographic camera is ane of the smartest choices you can brand.

Find out how a doorbell photographic camera tin brand your dwelling house safer and more convenient with a gratuitous consultation with a Vivint Pro. Give us a call at 800.646.1469 today.