Wifi Doorbell

[RogerP]

It’s a short walk to the front door from my workshop and being semi-disabled takes me a minute or so to get there. What I want is a means of seeing who is at the door and to speak to them. I have an android tablet and a PC running Ubuntu. I’ve spent hours trying to find the right weatherproof wifi video doorbell/viewer but I’m just getting more and more confused.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Robbo3]

I see Screwfix do a couple of doorbell intercoms & Toolstation do a video door chime.

I use an IP Camera & although it has sound capability it's not really a communication device. For that I have a baby listener which allows me to hear the doorbell or phone from the shed.
The problem is that the camera has to be powered which requires it to be wired so although it may send & receive a signal via wifi it still needs a power cable.
I choose POE (Power Over Ethernet) which removes the need for a nearby power socket or a long power cable but supplies both power & signal via an ethernet cable.
I use the free Deskshare 'IP Camera viewer' on my Windows desktop & on an Android tablet in the shed.

 

[mbartlett99]

'Ring' do just the device you're looking for but its pricey.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

There's lots around that can be used with iPhone or android phone such as this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Demiawaking-Do ... a+wireless No idea what this is like but shop around as there are plenty and a great variance in price.

OWK ccasion5:

 

[RogerP]

There's lots around that can be used with iPhone or android phone such as this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Demiawaking-Do ... a+wireless No idea what this is like but shop around as there are plenty and a great variance in price.

OWK ccasion5:

Thanks but, as I've said, that's exactly what I've been doing. I was looking for recommendations from someone who has a system.

 

[RogerP]

'Ring' do just the device you're looking for but its pricey.

Thanks. They look the business but, as you say, they're expensive. Guess it's the old story of you get what you pay for.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Apologies, I should have read your post properly

OWK ccasion5:

 

[RogerP]

I see Screwfix do a couple of doorbell intercoms & Toolstation do a video door chime.

I use an IP Camera & although it has sound capability it's not really a communication device. For that I have a baby listener which allows me to hear the doorbell or phone from the shed.
The problem is that the camera has to be powered which requires it to be wired so although it may send & receive a signal via wifi it still needs a power cable.
I choose POE (Power Over Ethernet) which removes the need for a nearby power socket or a long power cable but supplies both power & signal via an ethernet cable.
I use the free Deskshare 'IP Camera viewer' on my Windows desktop & on an Android tablet in the shed.

Thanks, I'll check them out. Can't use POE as I'm also a radio amateur and those I've tried play havoc with their spurious transmissions.

 

[RogerP]

Apologies, I should have read your post properly

OWK ccasion5:

No problem.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Can't use POE as I'm also a radio amateur and those I've tried play havoc with their spurious transmissions.

That's a bit weird. Surely it's DC being injected onto the twisted pair cable (CAT 5 or 6), in which case it shouldn't emit anything (unless there is a fault somewhere).

If the CAT 5 is radiating that much, I'd expect the ethernet performance to be abysmal too, as there must be a massive impedance mismatch somewhere. CAT 6 has an overall screen, incidentally, so nothing ought to either affect it or escape from it under normal circumstances.

Are you able to characterise it, for example a centre frequency for the worst spike?

Genuinely puzzled by this.

 

[RogerP]

Not now as I no longer have any of the devices. Much to my horror I discovered near neigbour was fitting them but I've not found a problem so far. Maybe they've improved of late?

However there's still stuff on the net about the problem.

Powerline interference.

 

[flying haggis]

powerline devices and POE are two very different things

 

[petermillard]

It’s a short walk to the front door from my workshop and being semi-disabled takes me a minute or so to get there. What I want is a means of seeing who is at the door and to speak to them. I have an android tablet and a PC running Ubuntu. I’ve spent hours trying to find the right weatherproof wifi video doorbell/viewer but I’m just getting more and more confused.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[petermillard]

We have the Ring Video Doorbell (www.ring.com) it’s pretty good, though it can be a bit laggy sometimes - if the courier is ‘on a mission’ then they can be away before you can answer/get to the door.

But overall I’m glad we have it - the motion sensor is useful, if a little over-sensitive for a busy London side-street, and it’s nice to have a timeline of visitors to the door. Handy to be able to keep an eye on the house/front path when we’re away, too.

Setup is a doddle, and now the company’s owned by Amazon, prices have come down a lot since we bought ours.

HTH P

 

[ScaredyCat]

Hikvision do a wifi doorbell - Hiwatch Wi-Fi Video doorbell ... not that cheap though...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuL6OkHuCek




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