The Ring Video Doorbell Makes Living Simple Futuristic
The Ring Video Doorbell adds simplicity to life. As a Living Simple Minimalist, I am constantly on the lookout for that. Just imagine knowing who is ringing your doorbell from anywhere in the world. You can be at work or in the backyard poolside, see and speak to anyone ringing your doorbell.
You can even be on a remote beach somewhere in the world and speak to the person at your home standing at your front door from your smartphone. Ring Video Doorbell makes this possible.
Pros:
- All installation materials are included with the purchase.
- Night Vision HD Video Camera.
- Cloud Recording.
- Motion Sensor Notifications to your Smart Phone.
Cons:
- It can be pricey for some.
- Short battery life if not connected to powered doorbell wiring.
- No Video On Demand or security monitoring.
- So So Audio.
Ring Video Doorbell Design
The Ring Video Doorbell is well made. Measuring 4.9 by 2.4 by 0.8 inches it does not look like a doorbell. I wonder if because it looks like a security device it would be damaged or stolen?
The top half of the device is made of black plastic and houses the Night Vision HD camera within a 180-degree field of view and holds a motion sensor.
The lower section is metallic (available in Satin Nickel, Antique Brass, Polished Brass, and Venetian Bronze) for stability because it contains an LED-back-lit Ring button that glows blue when you press it and sounds a loud chime that can be heard from the speaker at the bottom of the device and from speakers connected to mobile devices.
The doorbell comes with a 4.9-by-2.4-inch mounting plate that matches its footprint and can be mounted on any flat surface. The Ring Video Doorbell comes with a small toolkit containing everything you’ll need to mount the device.
Including a level, a screwdriver, a masonry drill bit, weather sealant, and mounting hardware.
The Ring Video Doorbell is certified for outdoor use and has an operating range of -5 to +120 degrees Fahrenheit. It connects to your home Wi-Fi network and supports 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity on the 2.4GHz band.
The Ring Video Doorbell has an internal rechargeable battery. To recharge it remove the doorbell from the mounting plate and connect it to a USB charger using the included cable and the mini USB port on the back of the device.
It takes about 10 hours to charge, which is supposed to give you a year of battery life.
Ring Video Doorbell Performance
The Ring Video Doorbell works with iOS and Android mobile devices but does not have PC Web browser support. The app is minimalist basic and easy to use. When the Ring button is pressed, your smartphone will ring and notify you that someone is at the door.
Tapping the notification opens a live feed that allows you to see who is there and gives you the option of accepting or denying the call. If you accept the call you can use the microphone icon to have a two-way conversation with the visitor. Denying the call ends it.
You monitor more than one location. The main page of the app displays a list of installed doorbells and their locations. There is also a section for viewing and changing your account settings.
Tapping the My Devices icon allows you to view a page with a map that shows the doorbell’s location and links to Device and Motion Settings, Recent Activity, and Shared Users pages.
The Recent Activity page lists the date and time of all accepted and missed calls as well as motion-triggered events.
Tapping the arrow to the right of an event launches a video and audio clip of the event. Recorded video is stored in the cloud, but you’ll have to pay a yearly $30 subscription fee to use this feature.
You can play video and audio back using the app and download it to your smartphone.
The Device Settings page is where you go to turn on call and motion alerts, check the battery level, and change your location. The Motion Setting page contains a video tutorial on how to set motion sensitivity using the Zones and Range settings.
It also has three Smart Alert sensitivity settings that identify repeated or continuous motion to avoid too many (or too few) notifications.
The Shared User setting lets you invite additional users, such as family members so that they can receive call and motion alerts. Missing is an on-demand video feature that lets you use the Ring’s camera to take a peek outside without waiting for a call, but there are plans to add this feature at a later date.
Download the app and create an account with your name, email address, and password. Give the doorbell a name and confirm an address and location. Follow the instructions on the app and press the button on the back of the device.
Go to your smartphone’s Wi-Fi settings, and connected to the Ring’s SSID. Then reconnect to your home Wi-Fi and enter a password, and the Ring will be connected. That is easy enough and you are ready to go.
The Ring Video Doorbell never failed to emit a loud chime or send a notification to my smartphone when the button was pressed. Daytime live video quality was crystal clear with sharp. The black-and-white night vision video was equally as sharp.
The Ring’s two-way audio worked reasonably well.
The rechargeable batteries seem to only average around 2.5 months before requiring a charge. Ring claim of 12 months falls short. The batter may have been defective, I suggest checking the battery level in the app to avoid being left high and dry.
You don’t want to be on a beach out of the country and the battery fails.
Conclusions
With the Ring Video Doorbell, you can see who is at your door from the safety and comfort of anywhere in the world. It allows you to accept or deny visitor calls. It uses motion detection to alert you of activity on your doorstep even when the bell hasn’t been rung.
I think this is a great feature because criminals case the house before committing the crime. The 720p camera delivers sharp video with good color, but the audio quality is hit or miss.
Where The Ring Video Doorbell falls short is offering video-on-demand monitoring. It would be great to monitor the area whenever you like without the doorbell having to be rung.
You don’t get the on-demand video as you do with the SkyBell Wi-Fi Video Doorbell, but it does automatically record events and stores video of them in the cloud, which this device does not offer.
If you have a powered existing doorbell wire I suggest you use it to avoid battery issues.
The Ring Video Doorbell is a great idea. I think the first addition is a great device and I look forward to future upgrades. There are other devices that perform similar functions but the Ring is a great all-in-one package.
