如今，业主购买的最受欢迎的DIY 家庭安全设备之一是智能门铃。(DIY home)这正是它听起来的样子，一个安全门铃(security doorbell)，当有人在你家门口时提醒你，通常能够在感应到运动时流式传输和录制视频，至少让你能够与家门口的人交流。
与当今许多其他行业一样，家庭安全(home security)正在经历一场大规模的数字化转型(digital transformation)，将先进技术的力量交到消费者手中。
Ring、Nest 和 Arlo等公司的(Nest and Arlo)DIY 家庭(DIY home)安全产品不是与安全提供商(security provider)签订监控合同(monitoring contract)并支付安装系统的费用，而是遵循基于订阅的模式，并提供连接到您的手持设备且易于使用的智能设备自行安装和设置。
从智能门铃开始
如果您刚刚踏入DIY 家庭(DIY home) 安全领域(security space)，那么在决定是否将您的高科技安全系统(security system)扩展到包括摄像头、传感器、锁和其他智能技术之前，智能门铃是您舒适的第一步。话虽如此，您应该购买哪种智能门铃？首先(First)，让我们看看它们有什么共同点才能真正区分每种产品。
Ring、Nest 和 Arlo(Nest and Arlo)都提供了自己的智能门铃(smart doorbell)变体，Ring提供了几种价格上涨的门铃。这些并不是唯一提供智能门铃(smart doorbell)的公司，但Ring 和 Nest(Ring and Nest)无疑是最受欢迎的，Arlo值得与它们一起进行公平的评价，因为它是一种新产品，受到了一些关注，并且与典型的智能门铃(smart doorbell)略有不同。
总而言之，无论您支持哪个品牌，您都将从每家公司智能门铃的基本型号中获得一些关键功能和优势：
- 每个都可以硬连线以替换您现有的门铃
- 每个都提供与您家门口的人的双向沟通
- 每个都具有耐候性，能够应对最恶劣的天气条件
- 每个都可以连接到每个公司提供的其他设备
- 每个都提供一个免费的应用程序，您可以从中配置、监控和控制门铃
- 每个人都可以将录音存档在安全的云中(secure cloud)
这就是使这些产品中的每一个都相似的原因。让我们探索是什么让它们与众不同，这样您就可以决定哪一种最适合您的家。
环形视频门铃 - 99.99 美元
Ring Video Doorbell是Ring 在 2012 年推出Doorbot时的(Doorbot)旗舰产品(flagship product)。从那时起，该产品已经走过了漫长的道路，现在有多种型号提供比基本型号更先进的功能。
然而，后者仍然充满了高科技的DIY 家庭(DIY home)安全功能，使其成为智能门铃领域(smart doorbell space)的竞争者。最大的好处是它非常简单且价格合理。
简单
首先，Ring Video Doorbell的优点在于其简单的设置。只需几个步骤即可启动并开始监控(monitoring activity)前门外的活动：下载应用程序、扫描QR 码(QR code)、启动设备设置、连接到 wifi 并使用(device setup)智能门铃(smart doorbell)随附的工具进行安装。
说真的，就是这样。您可以使用该应用程序通过任何手持设备访问和管理门铃，使其易于控制。
负担能力
免费获得实时 180 度 720p高清视频(HD video)，当动作触发时，这些视频会实时流式传输到您的手持设备(handheld device)，其中包括夜视(night vision)功能。如果您想存档这些剪辑，您只需每月支付 3 美元，即可获得 60 天的视频存储时间。
如果您将来选择连接其他Ring摄像头、运动探测器、传感器、锁和其他设备和配件来扩展您的家庭安全系统(home security system)，您只需每月 10 美元即可获得所有Ring门铃和摄像头的存档。(Ring)
缺点
产品背面有一个橙色按钮，您可以按下并松开以启动设置。(orange button)许多人抱怨这不能正常工作，需要对产品进行硬重置。在某些情况下，硬重置仍然不能解决问题。
Ring Video Doorbell对您的(Video Doorbell)WiFi 连接(WiFi connection)非常敏感，该公司(company isn)并不羞于承认这一点。如果您在连接智能门铃(smart doorbell)时遇到问题，该公司建议您将路由器移近(router closer)它。无论是这个建议的解决方案的情境还是美学方面，对于大多数人来说，它可能都不是一个理想的解决方法。(ideal workaround)
人们提出的第三个问题是电池寿命不是(battery life isn)最好的。根据您家外的活动量，您的 Ring Video Doorbell可能会收到一堆误报，这意味着来自无害事物（汽车、动物）的动作可能会触发您的智能门铃摄像头(smart doorbell camera)，这会在一段时间后耗尽电池电量尽管。
但是这些运动传感器也是可调节的，因此通过一些调整，您可以避免或至少减少此问题的规律性。
巢你好——229美元
Nest是另一家年轻的公司，成立于 2010 年。它的旗舰产品(flagship product)是很多人都熟悉的Nest Learning Thermostat 。Nest于 2018 年推出了自己的智能门铃(smart doorbell)。
到目前为止，Nest Hello是(Nest Hello)Nest提供的唯一智能门铃(smart doorbell) ，但与该公司的其他产品一样，它具有智能功能且外观时尚。如果美学对您很重要，Nest Hello可能是您需要考虑的智能门铃。Nest Hello的最大好处是它提供了视频流(video streaming)的灵活性和高可见性。
灵活性
Nest Hello始终开启，为您提供 24/7 全天候流媒体服务。这意味着您可以扫描连续记录，而不仅仅是查看由运动或声音(motion or sound)触发的素材片段。但这需要考虑很多，这就是Nest Hello为您提供三小时快照历史记录的原因。
就归档而言，您可以通过Nest Aware获得三种不同价格的视频订阅选项：5 天、10 天和 30 天，每月分别为 5 美元、10 美元和 30 美元。
能见度
Nest Hello提供 4:3高清视频(HD video)，应该可以让你从头到脚看到一个人。夜间也没有问题；智能门铃(smart doorbell)的HDR 视频(HDR video)提供了清晰的人物和物体细节。在这一点上，Nest Hello(Nest Hello isn)不只是由动作和声音触发，它实际上可以判断一个人何时在您家门口并识别熟悉的面孔（通过Nest Aware 订阅(Nest Aware subscription)）。
如果您没有心情或无法回复门口的人，Nest Hello允许您保存预先录制的回复，您可以从手机中选择和播放。
缺点
Nest Hello提供 24/7 全天候录音这一事实意味着它需要现有的门铃接线。如果出于某种原因，您家有电池供电的门铃，Nest Hello将无法工作。如果您确定要拥有这个特殊的智能门铃(smart doorbell)，则需要运行新的接线（您可能应该有专业的解决方案）。
但最大的问题似乎是Nest Hello有时会或定期延迟通知，甚至延迟视频，这意味着您不会实时收到有人或某事(someone or something)在您家门口的警报。这在某种意义上是一种滋扰，但也存在潜在的安全风险，这与(security risk)智能门铃(smart doorbell)的全部观点相矛盾。
Arlo Audio Doorbell – 79.99 美元
当两个最受欢迎的智能门铃(smart doorbell)品牌在其产品中包含视频功能时，人们自然会认为该领域的任何新竞争对手都会效仿。来自Netgear的(Netgear)Arlo Audio Doorbell的情况并非如此，该公司在路由器等硬件领域一直很受欢迎，但它于2018 年 8 月(August 2018)推出了安全摄像头品牌(security camera brand)Arlo。
(Arlo Audio Doorbell)显然，Arlo Audio Doorbell是音频门铃(audio doorbell)而不是视频门铃(video doorbell)，这使得它比其他智能门铃更实惠。虽然它没有视频（故意的，我们会谈到），但它仍然提供了一些值得注意的好处。
沟通
Arlo 的智能门铃支持移动通知，如果有人在您家门口，您可以像接听电话一样接听。所有音频都免费存储在安全的云(secure cloud)中，每 7 天滚动一次。
如果您无法在门口回复某人，您可以选择从您在手持设备上的应用程序中选择的预先录制的回复列表中进行即时回复。如果您当时无法回答或使用快速回复，您还可以让访问者留下您可以稍后收听的消息。
理性
拥有一个纯音频智能门铃(smart doorbell)对某些人来说可能听起来很合理——如果你在其他地方有可以为你捕捉镜头的摄像头，为什么还要有一个视频门铃。(video doorbell)这似乎是 Arlo 设计门铃的意图。您可以将Arlo Audio Doorbell连接到您的Arlo 安全(Arlo security)摄像头，它会在您的安全摄像头检测到运动时发出提示音（如果您购买了Arlo Chime，如上图所示）。
这就是为什么Arlo Audio Doorbell更像是一种配件，您可以将其作为内置DIY 家庭(DIY home) 安全系统(security system)的一部分；但是，它仍然是一款功能强大的产品，如果您正在寻找价格适中但智能的产品，它本身就可以派上用场。
缺点
对于大多数人来说， Arlo Audio Doorbell(Arlo Audio Doorbell)的最大缺点很明显：它不包括摄像机(video camera)。必须单独购买Arlo 安全(Arlo security)摄像头才能获得单向视频会增加总体成本，并且最终会比像 Ring's 这样经济实惠的一体式视频门铃更贵。(video doorbell)即便如此，这个骗局是主观的。根据您的需求，Arlo 的智能门铃仅支持音频可能并不重要。
您可能还认为不利的是，您必须购买Arlo Chime（49.99 美元）才能真正听到有人按您的Arlo Audio Doorbell，除非您可以通过手机接收通知。有人会认为，由于 Arlo 的智能门铃不(doorbell doesn)提供视频(offer video)，该公司会将这两个配件放在一起。相反，您需要单独购买它们。
结论
在决定购买哪种智能门铃时，请看大局。考虑什么对你来说最重要——可负担性、知名度、合理性，还是其他？
无论(Regardless)您选择哪种门铃，您最终都会得到一个让生活更安全的DIY 家庭(DIY home) 安全设备，无论它是您购买的第一款智能(security device)安全设备(security device)，还是您决定添加的更多配件。享受！
Ring vs. Nest vs. Arlo: Which Smart Doorbell Should You Buy?
One of the more popular DIY home security deviсes property owners are purchasing these days is the smart doorbell. It’s exactly what it ѕounds like, a security doorbell that alеrts you when someone is at your door, often capable оf streaming and recording video whеn it senses motion, at the very least giving you the ability to communicate with people on your doorstep.
Like many other industries today, home security is undergoing a massive digital transformation that’s putting the power of advanced technology in the hands of consumers.
Rather than signing a monitoring contract with a security provider and paying for them to install the system, DIY home security products from companies like Ring, Nest and Arlo follow subscription-based models and provide smart devices that connect to your handheld devices and are easy to install and set up on your own.
Starting with a Smart Doorbell
If you’re just stepping into the DIY home security space, smart doorbells are a comfortable first step before deciding whether to expand your high-tech security system to include cameras, sensors, locks and other smart tech around the house. That being said, which smart doorbell should you buy? First, let’s look at what they all have in common to really differentiate between each product.
Ring, Nest and Arlo each offer their own variations of the smart doorbell, with Ring offering several doorbells that increase in price. These aren’t the only companies that offer smart doorbells, but Ring and Nest are certainly the most popular, and Arlo deserves a fair evaluation alongside them, given it’s a newer product receiving some attention and a bit different than your typical smart doorbell.
When all is said and done, regardless of which brand you side with, you’ll get a few key features and benefits from the basic model of each company’s smart doorbell:
- Each can be hardwired to replace your existing doorbell
- Each offers two-way communication with people at your doorstep
- Each is weather-resistant, capable of roughing the harshest weather conditions
- Each can be connected to other devices offered from each company
- Each offers a free app from which you can configure, monitor and control the doorbell
- Each can archive recordings in a secure cloud
That’s what makes each of these products similar. Let’s explore what makes them different so you can decide which one would work best for your home.
Ring Video Doorbell – $99.99
Ring Video Doorbell was the flagship product from Ring when the company launched as Doorbot in 2012. Since then, the product has come a long way, now available in several models that offer more advanced features than the base model.
However, the latter is still packed with high-tech DIY home security features that keep it a contender in the smart doorbell space. The biggest benefits are that it’s incredibly simple and affordable.
Simplicity
To start, what’s great about Ring Video Doorbell is its simple setup. It only takes a few steps to power it up and start monitoring activity outside your front door: download the app, scan the QR code, initiate the device setup, connect to wifi and use the tools included with your smart doorbell to install it.
Seriously, that’s it. You can access and manage the doorbell through any of your handheld devices with the app, making it easy to control.
Affordability
It’s free to get live, 180-degree, 720p HD video that streams live to your handheld device when triggered by motion, and that includes night vision. If you want to archive these clips, you only pay $3/month, giving you 60 days of video storage.
If you choose to connect other Ring cameras, motion detectors, sensors, locks and other devices and accessories in the future to expand your home security system, you can get archiving for all Ring doorbells and cameras for only $10/month.
Cons
There’s an orange button on the back of the product that you press and release to initiate the setup. Many people complain about this not working as it’s supposed to, requiring a hard reset of the product. In some cases, the hard reset still doesn’t fix the problem.
Ring Video Doorbell is pretty sensitive to your WiFi connection, and the company isn’t ashamed to admit it. If you’re having trouble connecting the smart doorbell, the company suggests moving your router closer to it. Whether the situational or aesthetic aspects of this suggested solution, it probably isn’t an ideal workaround for most people.
A third issue people bring up is the battery life isn’t the best. Depending on how much activity is going on outside your home, your Ring Video Doorbell could be picking up a bunch of false alarms, meaning motion from innocuous things–cars, animals–could be triggering your smart doorbell camera, which saps the battery after a while.
But these motion sensors are also adjustable, so with some tweaking you may be able to avoid or at least reduce the regularity of this problem.
Nest Hello – $229
Nest is another young company, founded in 2010. Its flagship product was the Nest Learning Thermostat, which many people are familiar with. Nest launched its own smart doorbell in 2018.
So far, Nest Hello is the only smart doorbell Nest offers, but like the company’s other products, it’s packed with smart features and it’s sleek. If aesthetics matter to you, Nest Hello might be the smart doorbell to consider. The biggest benefits of Nest Hello are that it provides flexibility with video streaming and high visibility.
Flexibility
Nest Hello is always on, giving you 24/7 streaming. That means you can scan through a continuous recording, rather than just viewing clips of footage triggered by motion or sound. But that’s a lot to take in, which is why Nest Hello offers you a three-hour snapshot history.
As far as archiving goes, you have three video-subscription options through Nest Aware that vary in price: five-day, 10-day and 30-day, ranging $5, $10 and $30 a month respectively.
Visibility
Nest Hello offers 4:3 HD video, which is supposed to allow you to see someone from head to toe. And nighttime is no problem; the smart doorbell’s HDR video provides clear details of people and objects. To that point, Nest Hello isn’t just triggered by motion and sounds, it can actually tell when a person is at your door and recognize familiar faces (with a Nest Aware subscription).
And if you aren’t in the mood to or can’t respond to someone at your door, Nest Hello allows you to save pre-recorded responses you can select and play from your phone.
Cons
That fact that Nest Hello offers 24/7 recording means it requires existing doorbell wiring. If, for some reason, your home has a battery-powered doorbell, Nest Hello won’t work. If you’re determined to have this particular smart doorbell, you’ll need to run new wiring (you should probably have a professional tackle this).
But the biggest issue seems to be Nest Hello will sometimes or regularly delay notifications and even delay video, which means you aren’t getting alerted in real-time that someone or something is at your door. This is in one sense a nuisance, but also potentially a security risk, which contradicts the entire point of the smart doorbell.
Arlo Audio Doorbell – $79.99
When the two most popular smart doorbell brands include video capabilities in their products, one would naturally assume any new competitor to the space would follow suit. That’s not the case with Arlo Audio Doorbell from Netgear, a company historically popular for hardware like routers but that launched the security camera brand Arlo in August 2018.
Arlo Audio Doorbell is, obviously, an audio doorbell rather than a video doorbell, which makes it a bit more affordable than other smart doorbells. While it lacks video (intentionally, and we’ll get to that), it still offers some noteworthy benefits.
Communication
Arlo’s smart doorbell enables mobile notifications you can answer like a call if someone is at your door. All audio is stored for free in a secure cloud on a rolling seven-day basis.
If you can’t respond to someone at your door, you have the option to give instant response from a list of pre-recorded responses you select in the app on your handheld device. You can also let visitors leave messages that you can listen to later if you’re unable to answer or use quick responses at the time.
Rationality
Having an audio-only smart doorbell might sound rational to some–why have a video doorbell if you have cameras elsewhere that can capture footage for you. This seems to have been Arlo’s intent with the design of their doorbell. You can connect Arlo Audio Doorbell to your Arlo security cameras, and it will chime when your security cameras detect motion (if you’ve purchased Arlo Chime, pictured above).
That’s why Arlo Audio Doorbell is more of an accessory you would include as part of a built out DIY home security system; however, it’s still a strong product that could be useful on its own if you’re looking for something affordable but smart.
Cons
The biggest downside of Arlo Audio Doorbell for most is clear: it doesn’t include a video camera. Having to purchase Arlo security cameras separately to get one-way video hikes up the overall costs and ends up pricier than an affordable all-in-one video doorbell like Ring’s. Even so, this con is subjective. Depending on what you’re looking for, it may not matter that Arlo’s smart doorbell is audio-only.
What you might also perceive as a downside is that you have to purchase Arlo Chime ($49.99) to actually hear when someone rings your Arlo Audio Doorbell, unless you’re ok with just receiving notifications via your phone. One would think, because Arlo’s smart doorbell doesn’t offer video, the company would throw these two accessories in together. Instead, you’re required to purchase them separately.
Conclusion
When it comes to making a decision about which smart doorbell you purchase, look at the big picture. Consider what matters most to you–affordability, visibility, rationality, something else?
Regardless of which doorbell you choose, you’ll end up with a DIY home security device that makes life a little safer, whether it’s the first smart security device you purchase or more of an accessory you’re deciding to add on. Enjoy!
