VIDEO DOORBELLS

Learn the core benefits of video doorbells, the features that will benefit you and your home, plus what to consider before purchasing.

Video Doorbells

The front door is where we welcome guests, trust our packages to be safely delivered and screen unwanted visitors. The front porch can provide welcoming curb appeal, but it can also possibly be the most vulnerable place to crime at home with 34% of burglaries happening after a front door is breached¹

To increase security at the front door of your residence – and your peace of mind – a video doorbell may be the perfect addition to your home.

Core Benefits

Video doorbells provide a variety of benefits to homeowners including monitoring package deliveries, screening guests and helping to deter home intruders or package thieves. Video doorbells work with your Wi-Fi connection to send alerts to your smartphone or other connected devices, when your doorbell is rung or motion is detected.

Advantages expand with every new edition, but these core uses and features are popular in today’s video doorbells:

Monitor package deliveries – We’re all worried about home deliveries, especially packages left on the porch. From the smallest envelope to the largest boxes, now you can see when a package is dropped off at your door.

View visitors – Check out who’s at the front door with your video doorbell. Help avoid unwelcome visitors especially when the kids are home alone.
Two-way audio – This convenient feature allows you to speak with whoever is at the door. If you have specific instructions about a package, inform the delivery driver. Tell a suspicious person checking out your packages to get lost because they’re on video!
Peace of Mind – Wi-Fi connected video doorbells allow parents and caregivers to know when the kids come home from school or are playing in the front yard.
Deterrent – Whether it’s package theft, a home break-in, or property vandalism, video doorbell help provide evidence of a crime. A video doorbell helps if you have to file a report with the police or your homeowner’s insurance. Doorbell cameras have also been shown to ward off criminals from approaching a home once they see the camera. Most packages, 74%, are stolen during the day when homeowners are at work.²

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What to Look For

Here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind when deciding on your purchase.

Power Source – We’re all worried about home deliveries, especially packages left on the porch. From the smallest envelopes to the largest boxes, now you can see when a package is dropped off at your door.
Example Products – Nest^® Hello Video Doorbell (Wired), Ring^™Video Doorbell (Battery or Wired), SkyBell^™ HD Doorbell (Wired), August^® Doorbell Cam Pro (Wired)
Motion Detection – All video doorbells have motion sensors; this is what alerts you to visitors. The strength and settings of these sensors differ by product. For instance, you may want to change the settings to ignore certain areas that are heavily trafficked to avoid constant alerts.
Example Products – Nest^®Hello Video Doorbell, Ring^™ Doorbell, SkyBell^™ HD Doorbell, Vivint^® Doorbell Camera, Zmodo^® Greet Doorbell
Image and Video Resolution – 1080p is the highest resolution available; this is the sharpest image you can get. 480p would be on the lower resolution side.
Example Products – Nest^®Hello Video Doorbell(1600 x 1200), Ring^™ Doorbell (1080p), SkyBell^™ HD Doorbell (1080p), Vivint^® Doorbell Camera (720p)
Field of View – Some cameras feature a 180° viewing field while others only provide 90°. Homeowners with wide-open areas will choose 180°, but some have long narrow porches that only require 90° because of the obstructed view.
Example Products – Nest^®Hello Video Doorbell (160°), Ring^™ Doorbell (160°), SkyBell^™ HD Doorbell (180°), Zmodo^® Greet Doorbell (120°)
Night Vision – For security purposes, night vision may be very important to you. This feature allows you to see images clear as day, at night.
Example Products – Nest^®Hello Video Doorbell, Ring^™ Doorbell, SkyBell^™ HD Doorbell, August Doorbell Cam Pro, Vivint^® Doorbell Camera, SimpliSafe^® Video Doorbell Pro, Frontpoint^® Doorbell Camera, Zmodo^® Greet Doorbell, Doorbird^® Camera
Video Storage – Data storage is a feature that some video doorbells offer. This feature allows you to store footage in the cloud for a certain number of days. It is a great option if you need to provide evidence of theft or vandalism, but this feature may come at an additional cost.
Example Products – Nest^®Hello Video Doorbell, Ring^™ Doorbell, SkyBell^™ HD Doorbell, August^® Doorbell Cam Pro, Vivint^® Doorbell Camera, SimpliSafe^® Video Doorbell Pro, Frontpoint^® Doorbell Camera, Zmodo^® Greet Doorbell, Doorbird^® Camera
Compatibility – One important question is whether your video doorbell will pair with other smart devices you own. Make sure your home and smart devices are equipped to offer the functionality of the video doorbell you want. For instance, you might not want to spend more for a voice control feature if you don’t own Google Home™ or Amazon Alexa™. The following products are compatible with smart home voice assistants.
Example Products – August^® Doorbell Cam Pro, RemoBell^® S, Ring^™ Peephole Cam, Ring^™ Video Doorbell Pro, Nest^® Hello Video Doorbell, Ring^™ Video Doorbell 2, Eufy^® Video Doorbell
Traditional doorbell chime – For those that prefer the sound of a doorbell, some models allow for an optional chime device, or you can hardwire it into the existing doorbell.

In Summary

If you would like to learn more about how to increase the comfort in your home, please browse other articles in our Learning Library.

Safeatlast.co Burglars, Fires, and Break-Ins – Oh My! Retrieved from https://safeatlast.co/blog/burglary-statistics
parcelpending.com Top 5 Scary Facts about Package Theft & How to Prevent It. Retrieved from https://www.parcelpending.com/blog/top-5-scary-facts-package-theft-prevent

VIDEO DOORBELLS

Video Doorbells

Core Benefits

Shop Video Doorbell

What to Look For

In Summary

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