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Video door bells

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hi2u_uk

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Ive decided i want a video doorbell as i cant be bothered going to the door every time there is a knock etc .
I am trying to decide between Ring 4 door bell and Eufy 2k doorbell. I dont want them hard wired ie the bells need to be battery powered. Both seem to be the same price at Currys.
Does anyone have one , if so what has the experience been like ?
The other issue is that i need multiple people to be able to have the doorbell app on their phones to see who is at the door ie not just me. I assume that both these doorbells allow this function

Thanks
 
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Jimini

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The Ring 4 certainly does. You can have multiple accounts on the app, and the battery lasts around 4-6 weeks generally. Takes about two hours to charge back up. Nice and easy to dismount / reattach. It's connected to the two Alexas in the house (one in the kitchen; one in the office upstairs), so you easily know when someone's at the door. Really impressive quality video as well. One of my best purchases of the year so far, IMO!
 

Mojo

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I have a Eufy doorbell and I also have two of their cameras. All cameras/doorbell are wireless and run off battery. The doorbell I charge every 3 months as I have it on an extra sensitive mode and also to record at all times. The cameras I have had since Aug 2020 and have only had to charge once, after about 12 months.

Would thoroughly recommend Eufy over Ring for the following reasons:

- With Ring, if you want to make & watch recordings then you have to pay a subscription (£2.50 a month / £24.99 a year if you only have the doorbell, but it's £8 a month / £80 a year for multiple devices). If you don't have the subscription all you get is motion detection alerts and live videos. With Eufy it's all recorded locally on the Homebase so all you have to pay for is the device as a one-off and recordings are always accessible. Ring also only saves videos for 30 days, Eufy will keep storing them as long as you have the space.

- Eufy stores all recordings locally on the Homebase, meaning if your Wifi or other internet connection goes down, it will still make and store recordings, which you can view when your internet connection is back up. Ring stores recordings on the cloud which means if it loses connection it won't make any recordings whilst its offline.

- If you want a door chime inside the house as opposed to just on your phone, with Ring you would have to buy one separately, whereas with Eufy you can programme the Homebase to act as a chime (Eufy also sell separate plug-in chimes if you wish, or you can connect it to an existing chime by wire if its compatible)

If you're interested in Eufy, I have a £40 off referral code which is valid on orders over £200, if you would perhaps like to try a camera or one of their more expensive doorbells.
 

computerSaysNo

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The doorbell I charge every 3 months as I have it on an extra sensitive mode and also to record at all times.
I've always been curious about this: if you're recording out towards the street are you legally supposed to put up a notice informing people of the fact that they're being recorded and who the owner/data controller is? As I know commercial premises have to do that.
 

Jimini

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I've always been curious about this: if you're recording out towards the street are you legally supposed to put up a notice informing people of the fact that they're being recorded and who the owner/data controller is? As I know commercial premises have to do that.

Aye, they come with stickers to that effect (Ring do anyway -- in six different languages).
 

hi2u_uk

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Im actually leaning towards eufy as im one of these rare people who never uses amazon but these perspectives are very interesting

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The Ring 4 certainly does. You can have multiple accounts on the app, and the battery lasts around 4-6 weeks generally. Takes about two hours to charge back up. Nice and easy to dismount / reattach. It's connected to the two Alexas in the house (one in the kitchen; one in the office upstairs), so you easily know when someone's at the door. Really impressive quality video as well. One of my best purchases of the year so far, IMO!
Thanks very interesting, the ones i have seen locally are mainly the ring doorbells

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

I have a Eufy doorbell and I also have two of their cameras. All cameras/doorbell are wireless and run off battery. The doorbell I charge every 3 months as I have it on an extra sensitive mode and also to record at all times. The cameras I have had since Aug 2020 and have only had to charge once, after about 12 months.

Would thoroughly recommend Eufy over Ring for the following reasons:

- With Ring, if you want to make & watch recordings then you have to pay a subscription (£2.50 a month / £24.99 a year if you only have the doorbell, but it's £8 a month / £80 a year for multiple devices). If you don't have the subscription all you get is motion detection alerts and live videos. With Eufy it's all recorded locally on the Homebase so all you have to pay for is the device as a one-off and recordings are always accessible. Ring also only saves videos for 30 days, Eufy will keep storing them as long as you have the space.

- Eufy stores all recordings locally on the Homebase, meaning if your Wifi or other internet connection goes down, it will still make and store recordings, which you can view when your internet connection is back up. Ring stores recordings on the cloud which means if it loses connection it won't make any recordings whilst its offline.

- If you want a door chime inside the house as opposed to just on your phone, with Ring you would have to buy one separately, whereas with Eufy you can programme the Homebase to act as a chime (Eufy also sell separate plug-in chimes if you wish, or you can connect it to an existing chime by wire if its compatible)

If you're interested in Eufy, I have a £40 off referral code which is valid on orders over £200, if you would perhaps like to try a camera or one of their more expensive doorbells.
Thanks for the offer i was looking for just the doorbell at the moment with homebase although maybe later i will be something camera wise for the back garden. At the moment currys are doing it for around £150 for eufy 2000 so i guess your code wont be valid. Is eufy 2000 the latest version
In terms of battery life im reading it lasts nowhere near the advertised length of time as its constantly recording movement. 3 months seems very reasonable for me for frequency of charging . Do you live in a low traffic area. I think theres probably a moderate amount of people walking past my house.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Aye, they come with stickers to that effect (Ring do anyway -- in six different languages).
wasnt there a legal case last year about video doorbells breaching privacy laws or something. Im happy to put a sticker but im not clear what the law is. Im sure they arent illegal as a fair few houses locally have them
 
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Mojo

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Thanks for the offer i was looking for just the doorbell at the moment with homebase although maybe later i will be something camera wise for the back garden. At the moment currys are doing it for around £150 for eufy 2000 so i guess your code wont be valid. Is eufy 2000 the latest version
In terms of battery life im reading it lasts nowhere near the advertised length of time as its constantly recording movement. 3 months seems very reasonable for me for frequency of charging . Do you live in a low traffic area. I think theres probably a moderate amount of people walking past my house.
The latest Eufy doorbell is the 2K Dual, which has two cameras, one pointing outwards like a normal one, and the second camera pointing at the floor. This is aimed at people who have packages dropped off on their doormat (I understand this is commonplace in the USA).

The 2K is the latest one with just one camera, which is what I have.

You can set an activity area so that it’ll only record and notify you for instance in your front garden rather than the street, this will increase battery life. You can also reduce the sensitivity, shorten the recording time, disable recordings when you’re home, and similar to all improve battery life.

The official 180 day life I believe is set based upon 10 activations and 20 second recordings. I tend to get about 35 a day and have allowed up to 60 seconds, although of course many may be shorter if it’s just a car driving past. I don’t have an activity area set up and I also haven’t set it to filter based upon humans or not, so do get passing cars (I live on a dead end so there isn’t much traffic).
wasnt there a legal case last year about video doorbells breaching privacy laws or something. Im happy to put a sticker but im not clear what the law is. Im sure they arent illegal as a fair few houses locally have them
I got an email from the local police about this, it was in October last year. It was taken out of context by much of the media, the issue at hand in the case was the camera was deliberately set up to film into someone else’s garden and capture conversations.
 

birchesgreen

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I installed a Ring doorbell last week, very troublefree. No one ever comes to my house though so the only alerts i seem to get is when i leave/return to the house!
 

dk1

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I installed a Ring doorbell last week, very troublefree. No one ever comes to my house though so the only alerts i seem to get is when i leave/return to the house!
Same here (even though I’ve not got one) as I never encourage anyone bar the postman/woman. Never ever buy or are interested in anyone selling at my door & don’t they know it if they try. The notice is there for a reason.
 

hi2u_uk

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I eventually got the eufy one, its ok but i need to say it doesnt detect 100% of human movement. There have been times people have come into or out of my house and the video doorbell hasnt been triggered. On the one hand this is good as it prevents unnecessary alerts but i did expect it to notify me of 100% of humans standing in front of the bell
 

Lewlew

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I eventually got the eufy one, its ok but i need to say it doesnt detect 100% of human movement. There have been times people have come into or out of my house and the video doorbell hasnt been triggered. On the one hand this is good as it prevents unnecessary alerts but i did expect it to notify me of 100% of humans standing in front of the bell
If it's anything like the Ring doorbell then it'll go into a sleep mode. So if there's been a long gap between movements then there will be a delay when it detects the next one as it reconnects to the WiFi again.

I've had to bump up the sensitivity of mine, which means it uses more battery but I'm happy enough changing it every 2 months instead of the claimed 6.
 

Mojo

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Glad you went with Eufy, it mystifies me why anyone buys Ring given the fact you’re tied into a lifetime subscription if you want to use it to its full potential. I suppose it’s a bit like theTrainline in that effect, with powerful marketing, early to market, and the fact it’s quite common, makes it popular.

Can’t say I’ve had a problem with it ignoring people, it always picks up my Milkman who typically comes about 01.50 despite the camera having not been activated since perhaps 22.00. Similarly I have someone down the street who works night shifts and he often drives past maybe 04.30 and again picks his car up driving past without much of a delay.
 

Annetts key

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I was thinking about getting a video door bell. But none of the delivery companies use my existing (conventional) door bell any more. They just leave the item next to the door (it does not face directly on to the street) and the company either send a text message or an email or both.

So now I’m wondering if it’s worth it.
 

Lewlew

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Glad you went with Eufy, it mystifies me why anyone buys Ring given the fact you’re tied into a lifetime subscription if you want to use it to its full potential. I suppose it’s a bit like theTrainline in that effect, with powerful marketing, early to market, and the fact it’s quite common, makes it popular.

Can’t say I’ve had a problem with it ignoring people, it always picks up my Milkman who typically comes about 01.50 despite the camera having not been activated since perhaps 22.00. Similarly I have someone down the street who works night shifts and he often drives past maybe 04.30 and again picks his car up driving past without much of a delay.
I don't pay a subscription for Ring and it does everything that I need it to do.
 

westcoaster

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I eventually got the eufy one, its ok but i need to say it doesnt detect 100% of human movement. There have been times people have come into or out of my house and the video doorbell hasnt been triggered. On the one hand this is good as it prevents unnecessary alerts but i did expect it to notify me of 100% of humans standing in front of the bell
Have you got a cool down feature active, I know on my ring you can make it not detect people for a set time after the last alert.
 

Mojo

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I don't pay a subscription for Ring and it does everything that I need it to do.
I suppose if you don’t want to view recordings then it’s fine but I’d have thought many people would.
 

Annetts key

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The government advice on CCTV (like video door bells) is here (www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property)
Guidance
Guidance on the use of domestic CCTV
Updated 1 August 2019

This advice will help you to understand what you need to do if you are considering installing, or have already installed, a CCTV system (or similar technology, such as video-equipped doorbell devices) on your home. A CCTV system includes the camera, storage, recording and all associated equipment.

1. Information Commissioner’s Office
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) regulates and enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

If your CCTV system captures images of people outside the boundary of your private domestic property – for example, from neighbours’ homes or gardens, shared spaces, or from public areas – then the GDPR and the DPA will apply to you. You will need to ensure your use of CCTV complies with these laws. If you do not comply with your data protection obligations you may be subject to appropriate regulatory action by the ICO, as well as potential legal action by affected individuals.

The ICO has published guidance on the use of domestic CCTV and a CCTV checklist, which will help you to better understand and meet your obligations under data protection law. It is important that you read this guidance as well as the checklist, as this is a fuller explanation of your obligations to data protection law. The ICO has also published guidance for people being filmed by domestic CCTV.

If you have any questions about the use of domestic CCTV, you can contact the ICO or call 0303 123 1113. If you are unhappy about the use of a domestic CCTV system, use the ICO’s online tool to determine the best course of action in your situation.

2. Surveillance Camera Commissioner
The role of Surveillance Camera Commissioner (SCC) was created under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (PoFA). The SCC was appointed by the Home Secretary and is independent of government.

The SCC does not regulate domestic CCTV systems. The SCC’s statutory functions are to encourage compliance with the Home Secretary’s Surveillance Camera Code of Practice (the SC Code) and its 12 guiding principles, which if followed will ensure that surveillance camera systems are only operated proportionately, transparently and effectively.

The SC Code applies to the overt use of surveillance camera systems that are operated by relevant authorities only (police forces, local authorities and parish councils) in public places in England and Wales, regardless of whether or not there is any live viewing or recording of images or information or associated data.

Under the provisions of PoFA, relevant authorities must pay due regard to the SC Code. However, the SCC also encourages other organisations operating CCTV systems, and those operating domestic CCTV systems, to adopt the SC Code on a voluntary basis.

3. Operating your domestic CCTV system responsibly
You may be considering using a CCTV system as a necessary means to protect your property from acts of crime and anti-social behaviour. A domestic CCTV system needs to be operated in a responsible way that respects the privacy of others.

The ICO receives many complaints from neighbours and other members of the public who are concerned that CCTV systems are being used to spy on them.

Below is a list of general considerations to help you reduce the risk of your CCTV system intruding on the privacy of others.

3.1 Reasons for considering a CCTV system
Think about:

why do I need CCTV?
could I use another means to protect my home, such as improved lighting?
what do I want my CCTV system to view and record (this could be the front door, a parking space, the back yard, a shed, and so on)?
does it need to record all the time?
does it need to record audio?
3.2 How your CCTV system affects others
It is important to consider the privacy of others. Ask yourself:

where will I position the CCTV to minimise intrusion into my neighbours’ and other people’s privacy?
will the range of the cameras include my neighbours’ property, gardens, pavements or other areas? If so, you could consider systems that can reduce intrusion, such as those which have privacy filters
how will my neighbours feel about my CCTV?
3.3 Letting people know about your CCTV system
Ensure that you are transparent to those around you when installing your CCTV system. You can do this by:

informing your neighbour(s) about your system
putting up a notice informing people that recording is taking place
3.4 Taking responsibility for your CCTV system
If you are thinking of installing a CCTV system on your property, and it records images beyond your private domestic property, you must be aware of your responsibilities:

it is your responsibility to make sure that the CCTV system is installed correctly
you are also responsible for all the information that is recorded by your system
you must make sure that the information is not used for any other purpose than protecting your property
make sure you read the manual, and if necessary, ask your installer to show you how to operate it and how to export footage if required
you will need to be aware of individuals’ data protection rights and make sure you take steps to allow the people you record to exercise these rights effectively (for example, you will need to respond appropriately to any subject access requests you receive from the people you record)
3.5 Storing the recorded information
Ensure you bear the following in mind when storing the information you record on your CCTV system:

you should make sure that the date and time on your system are accurate
it is important to check that you have enough recording space
you should not store any information or images for longer than is necessary to protect your property which means you should delete the information once it is no longer required
you should make sure that the information recorded is used only for the purpose for which your system was installed (for example it will not be appropriate to share any recordings on social media sites)
you must keep the recordings secure and keep access to them to a minimum (remember that you are responsible for what happens with the information)
in certain circumstances, the information you record may be used as evidence by the police in an investigation (therefore, if you are not sure, it is important to check with your installer or local police authority that the information you record can be used for this purpose when required)
3.6 Maintenance
Once you have installed your CCTV system, you should regularly check that:

you are complying with the GDPR and the DPA if your CCTV system captures images outside the boundaries of your home
you regularly delete the recordings and do not keep them for longer than is necessary for the protection of your property
your CCTV system is still needed
it is important that you check your system regularly to make sure that it is working properly (this may include cleaning any debris affecting the CCTV device and wiping it down after bad weather)
you should also check the position of your CCTV device from time to time to make sure it still captures the right images and privacy intrusion is minimised.
Always check the live website link given above, as the above quoted text may have become out of date if you are reading this at a date after it was posted.
 
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Lewlew

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I suppose if you don’t want to view recordings then it’s fine but I’d have thought many people would.
I can view recordings.

I've just checked and it turns out that I do actually have a subscription! £25 a year, which I completely forgot about. My apologies.
 

hi2u_uk

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If it's anything like the Ring doorbell then it'll go into a sleep mode. So if there's been a long gap between movements then there will be a delay when it detects the next one as it reconnects to the WiFi again.

I've had to bump up the sensitivity of mine, which means it uses more battery but I'm happy enough changing it every 2 months instead of the claimed 6.
hmm this is an interesting reason as to why the issue is occuring . Its understandable but not what i expected.
 

Flying Snail

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The government advice on CCTV (like video door bells) is here (www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property)

Always check the live website link given above, as the above quoted text may have become out of date if you are reading this at a date after it was posted.

The best thing to do with that data protection wank is to completely ignore it.

The joke about all that guff is that when a serious crime occurs one of the first things the police do is go on a hunt for any local properties with cameras in the hope they captured some movements of interest on the street. Numerous very bad individuals have been detected due to people with their data-protection breeching security systems.

Their will be an odd exception with creeps using systems to spy on others or idiots using it as a weapon in feuds with neighbours but for the most part domestic cameras with some overview of the street or neighbouring properties are on balance a good thing.
 

najaB

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The best thing to do with that data protection wank is to completely ignore it.
Well, not completely ignore it but yes it is probably a non-issue for the majority of people.
Their will be an odd exception with creeps using systems to spy on others or idiots using it as a weapon in feuds with neighbours...
Which is why the advice exists. If you make sure that you have taken 'reasonable efforts' to avoid recording your neighbours then you can be pretty confident that the ICO won't be knocking on your door.
 
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