A wifi enabled doorbell that allows for two way video and audio between itself and a smart phone. Now this could be cool.
This is an initial
review of my experience with the Ring.com doorbell that has two-way video and
audio capability between the doorbell and your smart phone (iOS or Android).
This is a brand new product and not yet available. Ring has had a similar
product on the market with varying degrees of success and this design is new
and improved. Read the company's web site and watch the 2 minute video. www.ring.com. The device is listed at $249.00 but had an initial pre-order price of $199.00. The doorbell comes in a variety of finishes to satisfy many tastes.
First, I discovered
Ring.com (www.ring.com) as I was researching
exterior security cameras for my home. What intrigued me most was that I could
answer my door using my smart phone. I could see and speak to the person(s) at
the door to discover their intentions. In fact, I didn't have to be at home to
do so!
Ordering
I preordered the
Ring.com device in November of 2014 with a promise deliveries would take place
by Christmas.
Shipment
I got an email around
Christmas saying they were experiencing delays and the product would ship by
Jan 12. The item shipped at that time and arrived Jan 21.
Arrival
On Jan 20 I got
another email just before arrival and Ring announced two upcoming firmware
updates. First, cloud recording capability of the videos from the doorbell will
arrive Jan 30. Second, motion detection will come out in "beta" form
the second week of February. Frankly, this disturbed me some as these were two
of the primary reasons for purchasing the Ring.com doorbell and these
capabilities are not available yet. On another note, updates to the Ring.com
doorbell will come automatically over the home wifi directly to the doorbell.
This is quite cool.
Opening the package
The packaging is quite
good and there is quite a bit in the package.
 |
| Nice Packaging |
 |
| Shows Mounting Bracket, Tool Kit and Instruction Booklet |
 |
Remove The Labels
Remove Level After Marking Holes |
 |
| Kit Includes Drill Bit, Screw Driver with Special Bit, Screws and Charging Cable |
 |
| Easy to Follow Instruction Booklet |
Along with the
doorbell and mounting bracket, there is a little tool kit with all required
hardware and a very nicely written booklet of instructions. Nice job Ring.
Setup
The setup didn't go as
smooth as I would have liked but it was finally successful. Getting the device
to connect to my wifi took about 15 tries. I don't know what I did differently
that allowed it to work but it finally did. I did a test ring and sure enough
the Ring app rang on my phone too. I answered and video and voice worked as
expected.
Installation
Installation at my
front porch to replace my existing doorbell was straight forward. The doorbell
can be mounted to wood, cement or stucco. I have stucco. A drill bit is
included and I followed the instructions to mark the holes properly leveled.
Unfortunately, drilling into rough stucco can be difficult to get the holds in
the precise spot. I used a fine point felt pen to mark the spots and a nail to
start the holes. I did miss one hole and did a quick patch with Stucco Patch
and all was well. Be careful to not drill holes too deep.
 |
| Simply Pull Out Existing Doorbell |
 |
| 4 Screws Secure the Bracket to the Wall |
 |
| Loosen the Security Screws to Allow the Device to Properly Fit onto the Mounting Bracket |
Mounting screws must
be "flush" to allow the device to properly mount to it and be secured
(see photos).
Included is a rubbery
substance in strips that can be stretched and put around the outside between
the bracket and stucco to seal it from moister and provided a more polished
look.
NOTE: The Ring
doorbell is not required to be connected to the existing doorbell wires. The
Ring device has an internal and re-chargeable battery that reportedly last 12
months between charges. A charging cable is included too.
 |
| A Rotating Blue Light Appears When the Button is Pressed |
Operating the Doorbell
The Ring doorbell
rings my house doorbell as well as sounding it's own bell. The Ring bell sound
is the same the emits from my smart phone. There is about a 10 second delay
before my smart phone rings. I don't know the exact reason for this but I think
I can deal with it.
 |
| Ring App Screen Showing Calls from Doorbell |
What's Next?
I will continue this
review when the Cloud Storage and Motion Detection features become available. I
am looking forward to the motion detection for sure and wonder at what distance
the doorbell activates. I also want to know the cost of the cloud storage. If
cloud storage is too expensive I will likely install a security camera with my
own DVR (digital video recorder) for it.
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