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What I Learned from Switching to a Video Doorbell

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What I Learned from Switching to a Video Doorbell

As a tech writer who covers B2B enterprise software, I’m often surprised by my own lack of knowledge when it comes to using consumer products. However, when I was given the opportunity to write about my experiences with a video doorbell, I jumped at it.

Setup was easier than expected

Configuring the Ring doorbell to Wi-Fi and figuring out the settings turned out to be surprisingly intuitive. The only minor issue was mounting the device, which was easily resolved.

Notifications and Camera Features

The chime volume is pretty low, so we configured our Alexa speaker in the kitchen to notify us when someone is at the door. I also set up my Apple Watch to receive notifications. I found the video camera to be especially useful on a recent day when I was at the dentist and received a notification that my cleaning people were at the front door.

What the Camera Picks Up

I was surprised by what the camera picked up, including my husband changing out the flowers in planters on both sides of our front door. I also received notifications after going outside to get the mail and caught on camera the weeds I pulled from a flowerbed on my way back.

A Video Doorbell can see Further than Your Stoop

We configured Ring to have a wide field of view, which results in our ability to see into our neighbors’ front yards. This proved to be a double-edged sword, not because we saw anything unusual, but because our grass is mowed weekly and we received multiple notifications when the mower was moving back and forth through the front yard.

Conclusion

Overall, I’ve become more hyper-aware of things going on outside now that I have a better view. I’ve discovered I’m more of a surveillance junkie than I was before, and now we want to install cameras over the garages on the side of the house, where packages are more frequently delivered, and in our backyard.

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