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I have always been worried about the safety of my new neighborhood since I moved in a couple of months ago, until I tried the best smart doorbell. Well at first I thought this was just another gadget that promises quality service to a homeowner then fails the next day. But that’s not the case with this ring doorbell. I can now walk my dog and still get notifications when someone is at my door while am away. That’s not all, I can also get to see and talk with the guest in real-time. It’s just incredible what technology can do. Well here is my ring doorbell review and why you should get one.ring-doorbell

How it works

This security gadget lets me answer the door from anywhere using my smartphone. It has a HD camera with night vision. So I get to see who is at my doorstep clearly all day and night. So when someone rings my doorbell, my phone blurts and buzzes. With a tap, I can initiate a video chat with my visitor before I open the door. The bell works from anywhere, so you can be notified whether in the kitchen or at the office. They get to hear you but they can’t see you. If it is delivery, I enjoy the fact that I can just give the guy permission to leave a package and instructions on where to stash it.

It offers a more refined and comprehensive approach than the traditional doorbells. There is a motion sensor that alerts my phone when someone walks onto my porch or approaches my yard. It can also record audio and video of each event then stores it in the cloud for future reference.

It works with the companion app which is free and so is the user account that allows you to have access to the features of the ring. The fee for cloud storage is also negligible considering the quality of service you get from the device.

Features

By just looking at it, you won’t believe that this is actually a doorbell. This ring camera measures 4.9 by 2.4 by 0.8 inches. The upper part is made of black plastic and it’s where the 1,280-by-720-pixel camera is located. The 180-degree field view makes this camera outstanding. There is a motion sensor attached to it and contains an LED-backlit ring button that glows blue when a visitor presses it. The loud chime can be heard from the speaker located at the bottom and your phone speakers.

Attaching it to a wood, brick, stucco, vinyl or cement surface has been made easier with its 4.9-by-2.4-inch mounting plate. A supplier of this bell will give you a small toolkit that contains everything you need to mount the device. Enjoy an operating range of -5 to +120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the best gadget that connects to your home Wi-Fi network to support 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity on the 2.4GHz band. Other incredible features include:

  • Weather-resistant
  • Lifetime Purchase Protection
  • Rechargeable battery
  • Operates under temperatures of -5 ºF to 120 ºF
  • Comes with micro USB charging cable

Installation

The installation bit was a walk in the park. I didn’t ask for any assistance because everything was self-explanatory. I first downloaded the app then created an account with my name, email address and password. I confirmed my location and address before I gave the doorbell a name.

You only have to follow the instructions on the app, press the button on the back of your device then go to your smartphone’s Wi-Fi settings. Connect to its SSID then reconnect it to the home Wi-Fi and enter the password. You will be live and good to go.

Mounting is also not as hard as you think. You will be provided with screws to secure the doorbell in place. I was advised to use the existing wiring of my old doorbell. The wiring powered my bell and used my existing chime. If you want to test how powerful the doorbell’s internal battery is then you can bypass this step. It only took me around 10 minutes to finish the entire setup and installation process.

Video quality

The daytime live video is crystal clear. What else would you expect from a HD camera other than sharp and well-defined colors? The 1,280-by-720-pixel camera also makes the black and white night vision video quality stand out. It is as sharp out to around 20 feet. This is why the recorded night video looked every bit as better as the live video.

Audio quality

I must say the audio quality of my doorbell is purely high. Its two-way talk with noise cancellation works reasonably good day and night. You will also get what the visitor is saying even when the weather seems to be unfriendly.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • You can see and speak to anyone who presses your doorbell at any time regardless of where you are.
  • The wide-angle video that has a night vision makes this gadget stand out among all security apparatus in the market.
  • The motion-detection feature beefs up security better than your CCTV camera. It sends video alerts when anyone steps to your door.
  • It is easy to install

Cons

  • You may experience bad lag times between the doorbell presses and smartphone alerts.
  • The app performance is slow
  • No video-on-demand
  • The battery life is shorter than normal
  • Audio could be better

Conclusion

There are many security products in the market but the ring video doorbell stands out. I love the fact that I can see who is at my door from the comfort and safety of my couch. I don’t have to go and confirm. I can also accept or deny visitor calls when I want.

I get alerted of any activity going on on my doorstep with the effective motion detection even when the bell hasn’t been touched. That’s not all, the 720p camera gives me sharp videos with good color. Although the audio quality is a hit or miss, you at least get events recorded and stored automatically in the cloud. This is a key feature currently lacking in most security devices. The battery life could be better. However, this was not an issue when I bought my doorbell since I use the existing wire. And if you are looking for newer model and better then definitely chek Ring Pro Review.

 

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Ring Doorbell Review
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