Answer Your Door From Anywhere!
According to a recent FBI Crime Statistics report, there were an estimated 2.6 million robberies committed last year, with more than 75 percent of them residential. Not surprisingly, the majority of these crimes occurred during daylight hours, with access gained through a door or window. One easy way to safeguard against property theft, home invasion, porch pirates, and even unwanted solicitors is to identify who is at your doorstep before opening your door.
Enter the video doorbell, a first line of defense for homeowners that not only lets you see and speak with whoever is outside, but will also record footage of visitors that approach your door while you're away or unable to answer.
These smart devices typically use WiFi to stream live video to your phone and offer a variety of features, including cloud video storage, motion detection, interoperability with Z-Wave locks, sirens, and other smart devices.
Wired or Wireless
When choosing a smart doorbell you have to decide if you want a wireless device that runs on batteries or one that gets its power from existing low-voltage doorbell wiring. Naturally, a wireless doorbell is the easiest type to install, as it draws power from batteries rather than from your home's electric and doesn't require that you turn off power or mess with any wiring whatsoever. The downside to wireless doorbells is that their batteries tend to deplete batteries quickly depending on usage, lasting anywhere from six months to a year. If you live in an area where the winters are cold however you can expect to recharge or replace your batteries every couple of months, and run the risk of your doorbell shutting down at the wrong time.
Wired doorbells are not quite as easy to install as their wireless counterparts, but they are far from difficult and you don't have to worry about losing power unless your whole house loses power. Since most homes already have doorbell wiring, installing a video doorbell is as easy as removing your old doorbell, disconnecting the two wires, connecting your new doorbell to the wires, and attaching it to the outside of your house. In most cases you can connect the doorbell to an existing chime box as well.
Wired doorbells draw power from two wires that are connected to a transformer that steps down your household power to between 16 to 24 volts. If your home is not equipped with doorbell wiring you can wire it always wire it yourself using a plug-in transformer from Home Depot. Some drilling will be required to run wires from the inside of your home to an exterior location which is the hardest part.
Design and Features
Any video doorbell worth its salt is equipped with a video camera that sends an alert to your phone along with a live video stream when the doorbell button is pressed. Video is accessed via a mobile app that is also used to install the device, configure wireless settings, and set up alerts. Our offerings offer HD, motion detection, two-way audio that lets you speak with whoever is out there, and on-demand video streaming. To avoid false alerts from passing cars, high winds, and any animals you may have roaming around your property, our products feature customizable motion zones.