Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

General chat topics, anything and everything you want or need to discuss
User avatar
Trinity765
Posts: 2812
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2020 2:27 pm
Location: Brighton
Has thanked: 3120 times
Been thanked: 3177 times

Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Trinity765 »

Does anyone have any experience of doorbell camera, security devices?

I'd like one without a monthly subscription unless it's a must. There's loads of cheap ones available but I've no idea if they are any good.

I'd like one that has a motion detector as well as activated by the doorbell, good quality images night and day, battery powered, wifi enabled and storage.

I had a Blink indoor camera keeping an eye on my Mum which worked fine - I could check in on her from anywhere and there were no subscription fees. The Blink doorbell camera comes with "30-day trial of the Blink Subscription Plan or locally with the Sync Module 2 and USB drive". What is that and do I need it?

Is a Ring camera worth the investment/subscription?
Buckaroo
Posts: 1644
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 7:00 pm
Location: East of West
Has thanked: 1047 times
Been thanked: 1105 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Buckaroo »

Trinity765 wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 9:39 am Does anyone have any experience of doorbell camera, security devices?

I'd like one without a monthly subscription unless it's a must. There's loads of cheap ones available but I've no idea if they are any good.

I'd like one that has a motion detector as well as activated by the doorbell, good quality images night and day, battery powered, wifi enabled and storage.

I had a Blink indoor camera keeping an eye on my Mum which worked fine - I could check in on her from anywhere and there were no subscription fees. The Blink doorbell camera comes with "30-day trial of the Blink Subscription Plan or locally with the Sync Module 2 and USB drive". What is that and do I need it?

Is a Ring camera worth the investment/subscription?
Ring doorbell are good and we pay the annual subscription. It's been trouble free. Once the boundaries are set, plus parcel detection, you're good to go. Downside is when you are not at home and have a poor signal. Countless times we've been shouting at the delivery driver to leave the package, but they're already in the van driving off by the time we've connected. Positives are the history video and audio. Solved a good few mysteries!
User avatar
Felix
Posts: 5220
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 12:34 am
Has thanked: 711 times
Been thanked: 2014 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Felix »

Eufy seems good (Friends have them) but there can be a delay from detection and recording. If your front door faces up the garden path then great but if the path is side of the door then not so great. Recording is free and stores locally (Free) or a cloud (Not so free)
Last edited by Felix on Mon Jan 13, 2025 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Ditchfinder
Posts: 1487
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2020 8:55 am
Has thanked: 859 times
Been thanked: 1066 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Ditchfinder »

So if you buy a blink doorbell, a sync module and plug a usb into the sync module you don't have to pay for cloud storage subscription. Make sure you put a new USB stick in though as old one's have much slower read/write speeds. You should be able to watch live and interact without the USB but it won't store clips so unless you can respond immediately on a good connection you need whoever rings the bell to hang around for a minute or so.
'94 Sprint 900 and the scabbiest Himalayan in the country
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 19283
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 20806 times
Been thanked: 13610 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Taipan »

We also use the Ring doorbell. I think its about £8 a month, but I'm more than happy with that, as I also run 4 addtional (Ring) cameras all in conjunction with their alarm system and it works very well for us.
NC750X mpg Image
User avatar
Trinity765
Posts: 2812
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2020 2:27 pm
Location: Brighton
Has thanked: 3120 times
Been thanked: 3177 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Trinity765 »

Ring yearly subscription is £50. I begrudge paying anything (at all, ever) :lol:
v8-powered
Posts: 3047
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:37 pm
Location: Colchester
Has thanked: 2839 times
Been thanked: 1599 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by v8-powered »

Have a Eufy one, along with 4 of their other cameras. Gets about 6 or 8 weeks on a charge, works well with good clear images day or night.
Mr. Dazzle
Posts: 16347
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:57 pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Has thanked: 2417 times
Been thanked: 6369 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

We have Ring cameras. All they ever seem to do is answer idle questions about whether or not the cats are in.

The one time they would have been useful - when someone drove in to Mrs. D's parked car and wrote it off - the footage was no use :lol: They generally can't read number plates at night IME 'cause said plates just light up bright white.
Couchy
Posts: 2492
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:56 pm
Has thanked: 360 times
Been thanked: 2246 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Couchy »

I use blink with a sync module and usb so no subscription works no problem 👍
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 19283
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 20806 times
Been thanked: 13610 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Taipan »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 12:45 pm We have Ring cameras. All they ever seem to do is answer idle questions about whether or not the cats are in.

The one time they would have been useful - when someone drove in to Mrs. D's parked car and wrote it off - the footage was no use :lol: They generally can't read number plates at night IME 'cause said plates just light up bright white.
I agree they are (shite :? ) a long way off of being a pro spec high def video cam, but out of interest did you have colour night vision on?
NC750X mpg Image
Mr. Dazzle
Posts: 16347
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:57 pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Has thanked: 2417 times
Been thanked: 6369 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

No, greyscale.

Still not as bad as my parents ones though. They kept getting "somone is outside your garage" notifications in the night. It was the moon :D
User avatar
KungFooBob
Posts: 17482
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:04 pm
Location: The content of this post is not AI generated.
Has thanked: 627 times
Been thanked: 9450 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by KungFooBob »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 2:27 pm No, greyscale.

Still not as bad as my parents ones though. They kept getting "somone is outside your garage" notifications in the night. It was the moon :D
Image
Mr. Dazzle
Posts: 16347
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:57 pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Has thanked: 2417 times
Been thanked: 6369 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

How did you get the footage from their camera?
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 19283
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 20806 times
Been thanked: 13610 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Taipan »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 3:13 pm How did you get the footage from their camera?
KFB is an international man of mystery and sometimes he even leaves boxes of milk tray with his calling card on ladies pillows!
NC750X mpg Image
User avatar
KungFooBob
Posts: 17482
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:04 pm
Location: The content of this post is not AI generated.
Has thanked: 627 times
Been thanked: 9450 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by KungFooBob »

L33t h4x0r, innit.
Sadlonelygit
Posts: 1095
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:10 pm
Has thanked: 94 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Sadlonelygit »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 3:13 pm How did you get the footage from their camera?
£500 + expenses innit
User avatar
the_priest
Posts: 2257
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:18 pm
Location: Kingdom of God
Has thanked: 2095 times
Been thanked: 2552 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by the_priest »

Eufy here with HDD storage with the Homebase 3 unit. Adding two more camera's as well.
Proverbs 17:9
One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
User avatar
Felix
Posts: 5220
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 12:34 am
Has thanked: 711 times
Been thanked: 2014 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Felix »

Is the lead of the church roof really that expensive?
Nordboy
Posts: 1139
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:04 pm
Location: S. Wales
Has thanked: 577 times
Been thanked: 821 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by Nordboy »

Taipan wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 11:39 am We also use the Ring doorbell. I think its about £8 a month, but I'm more than happy with that, as I also run 4 additional (Ring) cameras all in conjunction with their alarm system and it works very well for us.
Also use Ring and pay the £8 a month. I have five outdoor and one inside garage camera so pretty much 360 degree coverage of the house. Our house is quite long so have to play around with the positioning so I can keep a reasonable signal. All my outside cameras are battery only as well. The front doorbell and the front drive cameras go through two batteries every 8-10 weeks or so but the other outdoor camera batteries seem to last 3-4 months. I've bought spare batteries over the years I've had them so now have two for each outdoor cameras (one for doorbell) and two spare to make it easy to change over with no dropout.
User avatar
ChrisW
Posts: 3492
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2022 8:46 pm
Has thanked: 3714 times
Been thanked: 3027 times

Re: Recommend me a wireless, camera doorbell

Post by ChrisW »

You don't need a subscription for the Ring doorbell - you still get alerts & can see a live view but footage isn't saved.

I've got one and bunch of the indoor / outdoor ones, mains and battery. Battery life is surprisingly good.
Post Reply