Many of us have heard about doorbell cameras. Every year, these cameras are growing in popularity. Producers of doorbell cameras claim that these cameras add an extra layer of protection for homeowners. This level of protection was not available only a decade ago. But how do doorbell cameras work? In this post, we will show you the mechanism of doorbell cameras.

How they work

Doorbell cameras are also known as video doorbells. To put it simply, it is a doorbell which is equipped with a camera. But this WiFi-enabled device is more than what it sounds like. This device has recording capabilities, motions detectors, and a speaker. They enable you to speak to the person standing at the door without opening the door.

But how do doorbell cameras work, really? Here are a few points that will clarify it to you:

  • A doorbell camera is connected to the existing doorbell chimes and doorbell wiring of your home. It also uses the WiFi connection of your home.
  • When the doorbell is pushed, it chimes. You can not recognize its difference just by hearing the sound. However, motion detectors are used by some doorbell cameras. If there is someone in front of the door, the camera starts recording automatically.
  • The camera uses WiFi connection to send a notification to your smartphone. As a result, you can always know when there is a person at your front porch.
  • On your smartphone, there will be an app connected to the doorbell camera. Just open the app and you will watch a live video from the camera. How do doorbell cameras work? Maybe you are still wondering. Without the use of a smartphone app, it would not be such an amazing technology.
  • When someone presses the doorbell, the camera starts recording a video footage. You can review the footage and find out who is at your front porch. However, you need to consider using removable storage or cloud storage when you install a doorbell camera, because video clips require some storage space.
  • There are some models of doorbell cameras that use a speaker. Using the speaker, you can say something to the person on your front porch. Your device may or may not have two way talk functionality. If it has, you will be able to have a conversation with the person on your doorstep. So how do doorbell cameras work? Hopefully you have got the hang of the main idea.

Why you should use a doorbell camera

Many of us do not answer phone calls if we do not recognize the number. In the same way, many people do not want to answer if they do not know who is standing on the front porch. The main advantage of a doorbell camera is that you can see the person and talk to him or her before you open the door.

A doorbell camera lets you see the person before opening the door. If you want to improve the security of your home, a doorbell camera can be a good choice for you. Here are a few benefits of doorbell cameras:

Works as a visual deterrent

If you have a doorbell camera, a burglar will think twice before making an attempt to break into your home. They will not take a risk. If you have such a sophisticated safety measure, it is highly likely that burglars will decide to pass your house over and find an easy target.

How do doorbell cameras work? Many people ask this question and typically they receive the same answer: doorbell cameras help you see who is standing at your front porch. But the fact is, you do not often see a video footage of a burglar trying to enter your home. Burglars do not approach your door in the first place if they see that there is a doorbell camera installed. From experience, burglars know that it is a very risky endeavor.

Settles disputes regarding product deliveries

You might have had this experience. You expect a package but it never arrives. The delivery service claims that they did not find you when they came. If you have a doorbell camera, it is easy to settle such disputes.

And if packages are left at your doorstep, you can see them in a video footage on your smartphone app. You can periodically monitor your front porch when you are away from home. Besides, burglars will not make an attempt to steal the package in fear of getting caught in the video.  

You can screen your visitors

Another great advantage of using doorbell cameras is that you can screen your visitor and decide whether to respond to unsolicited visitors. It may sound selfish, but it is true that sometimes you simply do not want to be bothered by some visitors. Maybe you are busy with your homework or you are under pressure to cook your dinner within a short time.

In such cases, a doorbell camera can save your valuable time. But how do doorbell cameras work to let you know that the visitor is unsolicited? When the system detects motion, you instantly receive alerts on your smartphone. By effectively screening your visitors, you can simply ignore strangers.

Features of a doorbell camera

Modern doorbell cameras have a lot of features and it is important to know about those features to understand how these cameras work. If you are going to buy one, you should know which features suit your needs. To help you make an informed decision, we are going to discuss the common features of a doorbell camera.

High resolution

For most doorbell cameras, the range of resolution is from 480p to 1080p. You will get better quality picture if the resolution is higher. The adjustability to different light levels of your camera will depend on the quality of the camera. When choosing a camera, you should pay attention to these things.

Mobile alerts

To enable you to monitor your front porch, doorbell cameras use mobile apps that you install on your smartphone. But how do doorbell cameras work by using apps? When the system detects motion, you will receive an alert on your phone. You can enjoy real-time access via the app. As a result, you can proactively respond to that event.

Warranties

There are different types of video doorbell cameras, and they do not offer the same types of warranties. In most cases, the warranty is limited to one, two or three years. Some companies offer a replacement or customer satisfaction guarantee. But how do doorbell cameras work and why should you care about warranty? If your camera is stolen within a certain time, these companies will give you a new one. When purchasing a doorbell camera, you should check warranty.

Night vision

Another important feature of a doorbell camera is night vision. Do not think that this feature will help you see things at night. But certainly it will help you see what is going on when it is cloudy. You can also see things when there is a shade. In any circumstance, you will get a clear view if the resolution of your camera is high.

Motion detection

In a sense, motion detection is the most important feature of a doorbell camera. Everything else depends on this feature. How do doorbell cameras work by using motion detection? When motion is detected by your camera, you will receive an alert on your phone and, if you wish, you can see who is standing at the door. Then you can decide whether to respond.

Now there are doorbell cameras with advanced features that allow you to set certain zones for monitoring. The advantage of this feature is that you will not receive useless alerts. If a car passes down the sidewalk, the system will not send you any alert. You will receive alerts only when someone is at your doorstep. There are some advanced cameras that can distinguish objects, pets and people. If you have such a camera, you do not receive any alert when your pets are active.

Weather resistance

You may not think about this feature, but after purchasing your doorbell camera, you will feel the need to water resistance. Pay attention to the environment you live, and make sure that your video doorbell camera is able to cope with the environment.

But how do doorbell cameras work and why should it be weather resistant? If your camera is of high quality, it will be able to cope with high winds, ice accumulation, rain, heavy snow, and free temperatures. When purchasing a camera, make sure it is able to handle severe climate.

Live view

Another important feature that makes a doorbell camera work is video recording or live view. Almost all doorbell cameras on the market are equipped with this feature. How do doorbell cameras work and why is live view important?

When motion is detected by your doorbell camera, you receive an alert on your smartphone. Then, in real time, you can see who is standing at the door. Most models have a siren with them. If you notice a potential threat, you can hit the siren by using your smartphone app.

Picture capabilities

It is important to pay attention to the field of vision of your doorbell camera because it determines how wide an area can be monitored by the camera. How do doorbell cameras work and what do they have to do with good picture capabilities? Paying attention to this feature is important because it determines the effectiveness of your doorbell camera system.

For example, if your camera has just a 90° angle, it will not do a very good job. To avoid being detected, an intruder can target your property from a different direction. On the other hand, if your camera has a 180° vision, it will be able to monitor not only the front of the door but also the sides. So, when choosing a camera, you should make sure that its field of vision is wide enough.

Recording

There are two types of doorbell camera systems. One type records videos continuously while the other type records videos only when the system detects an activity. Now there are some doorbell cameras that can record videos over previous clips. How do doorbell cameras work? They in fact work by recording video clips that you can analyze to detect issues. Before you choose a doorbell camera, you should know how and when the camera records video clips.

It is a better idea to choose a camera that records continuously. These cameras will allow you to follow the string of events. If you know what happened from start to finish, it will be easier for you to resolve an issue.

If you are thinking of installing a doorbell camera, you may be wondering: how do doorbell cameras work? Although knowing the exact mechanism is not essential, some knowledge about doorbell cameras will enable you to choose a good camera. Hopefully this post will help you make an informed decision.