18 months ago, SmartHouse was the first to reveal that the highly popular Ring video door bell was set to be launched in Australia, now the US Company has launched a new improved version.
The new Ring offering has a different battery structure, improved video due to the introduction of 1080p video resolution and night vision camera improvements.
Wide 160-degree viewing angle and is fractionally larger than the original model which has been a smash hit for retailers such as JB HI Fi.
The real benefits of owning a Ring video doorbell is that once it’s set up its extremely easy to access, you can talk to someone at your door even if you are Interstate or overseas while also taking a quick peek at visitors to your home.
The device also delivers relatively affordable motion-sensing security cameras which if set up properly is a big plus especially if you are hooked up to the Companies cloud based service. I suggest that you spend some time setting up the range and locations you want the camera to scan.
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 looks a lot like the original device. However, there are a few very new additions and improvements no more so than the much-improved battery mount.
All you have to do now is simply unscrew the faceplate from beneath the doorbell, push a level/catch that holds the battery in place, and the battery slides out. I then leave it to charge overnight when I am home. I am told that the battery will last several months which is similar to model 1.0.
Another nice touch with the new version is that it comes with swappable faceplates, in the Australian version there is both a silver and matte black fascia’s cover.
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 also ships with a couple of new mounting brackets, specifically designed to install it on tricky doors, or just to angle it in a particular way.
One allows you to point the camera to the right or left at a slight angle, while the other lets you point it up or down slightly.
To mount the device all you do is drill four well-placed holes where you want the doorbell placed, then use the included wall plugs and screws to fix it in place, after making sure the battery is charged you then need to configure the app with the doorbell.
All you do is download the Ring app, then press the setup button on the front of the doorbell to get the doorbell speaking with your home Wi-Fi network.
If you are a previous Ring doorbell customer you will immediately notice the difference in video quality. Instead of 720p you get 1080p and this is very noticeable however the nigh capture is a different story it’s no different than with the 720p version which I found the black & White images to be very average.
As for the night vision camera, that’s supposedly been improved as well – although we found those gains hard to detect. It still works really well, however, just as it did in the first device – if someone comes close to the Ring Doorbell in the night, it’ll trigger the motion sensor and capture black and white footage.
Verdict
Ring V1 was a top seller at JB Hi Fi and I suspect that this device will also be popular. I initially had network problems with the V2 model, which have now been resolved with a total reset of the software. Despite being on NBN and getting over 80mbs I still got an error message that prevented me from accessing the images the device had captured. Is this the best there is out there, YES? While there are several imitation devices this is the one that is made by a Company whose prime objective is security and the delivery of new ways to protect a home.
The Ring Video Door Bell has an RRP of $329.
