Ever wondered if you could answer your front door from the comfort of your sun bed? Well now you can! Thanks to the revolutionary technology that is, Smart Video Doorbells. Although this little gadget has been around for some time now, they are steadily growing in popularity for various reasons and we’re going to explore why.
Pros and Cons of video doorbells
Pros
- You can view your front door step from anywhere in the word
- You are able to communicate with visitors without answering your door
- You have 24/7 recordings of anything that happens outside your home
Cons
- Your video doorbell could send you false alerts if it notifies you whenever there’s motion
- Depending on your choice of video doorbell, it may have a limited night viewing distance
- Video doorbells require WIFI at all times
What are video doorbells?
Video doorbells are a smart technology that allows you to monitor your doorstep without you having to move a muscle. Video doorbells have an in-built camera and two-way microphone that allows you to communicate with whoever is outside your property. You can also receive motion alerts when a person is detected and stream live video footage of your property.
Smart video doorbells can be either hard wired or battery powered to suit your requirements or preferences.
How does a video doorbell work?
Video doorbells work in a very similar way to traditional CCTV cameras. They capture video footage via infrared LED sensors and audio is caught by an in-built microphone, depending on the video doorbell, recorded footage will either be saved onto an SD card or to a cloud server.
What are the benefits of smart video doorbells?
Improved home security
Smart video doorbells add an extra layer of security to your property and can help deter crime both when you’re at home and when you’re away. You can answer the door from any location, helping to give the impression that someone’s at home. 24/7 video access also allows you to monitor and review footage to give you peace of mind.
Convenience
We’ve all been out when a parcel is being delivered, with smart video doorbells you can simply talk to the delivery person and provide instructions on where to leave your parcel while carrying on with your day.
Reduce theft
Package theft is extremely common in the UK. According to The Penn Elcom Global Parcel Theft Report of 2022, the UK has seen the largest increase in stolen or lost parcels compared to countries like Australia, Canada, United States and the UAE.
Installing a video doorbell could be the deterrent you need to prevent criminals from taking your property as the footage could be valuable evidence.
Capture crime before it’s happened
Have you captured someone walking around your property who looks suspicious? You now have video evidence, and you can even talk to them so they know they are being watched, this can help deter crime before it even happens.
Installation
Smart video doorbells can be installed in two ways. Firstly, you can get it installed by a professional who can get the job done quickly and have you up and running in no time at all.
The second way to install a smart video doorbell is to do it yourself! This will require tools and some elbow grease but it’s always recommended you get equipment like a smart video doorbell installed by a professional to ensure it is working correctly.
What to look for in a smart video doorbell
When choosing a smart video doorbell to be installed at your home, there are many things you may want to consider:
- Resolution: The higher the resolution the clearer the image, the current highest resolution on the market is 1080p. This is important when trying to clearly identify those stood at your front door.
- Night vision: A lot can take place during the night; you will need night vision capabilities so your video doorbell can still pick up motion outside your home. This also gives you 24/7 security as you’ll know that day or night, your video doorbell has you covered.
- Two-way audio: This allows you to communicate with whoever is at your door and can be extremely useful when telling the delivery man where to leave your parcel if you’re away.
- App support and connectivity: You’ll want to make sure that your video doorbell has a mobile app which allows you to control the device and its settings, it’ll also allow you to review video and see real time footage before the person stood at your door leaves.
- Cloud storage: A cloud storage option can be useful for holding footage that you may need at a later date; typically, video doorbells hold recordings on the cloud for 30 days (this may vary) These recordings can be easily accessed for evidence and even saved to your mobile devices.
Video doorbell power options
With video doorbells, you have two power options to choose from to suit your and your homes situation.
- Wireless: Wireless video doorbells have a far simpler installation and can be simply fitted to the door/wall. However, as they are battery powered these will need to be recharged and replaced when needed, this is usually around once a month but depends on usage. A great benefit of wireless video doorbells is the simple installation and when power cuts occur, the device will continue to operate.
- Wired: Wired doorbells have a more complex installation and require hard wiring into your existing doorbell and chime set up, this also means your current doorbell will need to be removed and replaced with this video one. Whilst you’ll never need to change batteries, a disadvantage of wired doorbells is that during power cuts and blackouts your doorbell won’t work.
Who are smart video doorbells suitable for?
Homeowners: Homeowners won’t have any issues installing a new smart video doorbell and possibly replacing their existing system. Wired doorbells may be their best option, however this depends on the current doorbell set up and where they would want to position the device.
Renters: As renters don’t own their property, this would have to be consulted with the landlord on whether they can install a video doorbell. If so, the best option would be a wireless doorbell as this can be removed if needed and isn’t a permanent solution. They are also suitable for both houses and flats which makes them inclusive for all renters.
How can ISET UK get you started?
Here at ISET UK, we are proud suppliers of smart video doorbells from reputable brands. We guarantee that we’ll have something in stock to please your clients and meet their requirements.
View our range of smart video doorbells today and if you have any questions regarding our products or services, please contact our friendly team and we’ll be happy to help.
