Why You Need a Doorbell Camera With a Monitor

Video camera doorbells, also known as smart doorbells, are one of the most popular smart home devices available today — not only are they convenient, but they help protect your home and make it a safer place overall.

One of the best things about video doorbells is the ability to monitor them remotely, keeping you connected to your home at all times.

Read on to learn more about doorbell cameras, how you can monitor them from home or away, and why they make a great addition to your smart home.

Doorbell camera basics

Smart doorbell cameras, or video doorbells, replace existing doorbells and peepholes. They can be either hardwired or battery-powered and function as both a security camera and a doorbell.

How a video doorbell works is pretty simple. When a visitor rings the doorbell, the device records a video of them and sends an alert to the homeowner's smartphone, tablet, or smart home panel via a mobile app. The homeowner can then view the video footage in real-time and communicate with the visitor through the app without needing to physically answer the door.

Doorbell cameras have one-way video feeds, so only the homeowner can view video — the person at the door does not see the homeowner. Doorbell cameras do include two-way talk, so both visitor and homeowner are able to speak to each other.

How to monitor your Wi-Fi video doorbell

Perhaps the main advantage of a doorbell camera is the ability to monitor it in different ways. Depending on the type of smart home security system you have, there are two main ways to monitor a doorbell system:

1. Remotely via a smartphone app

If you have a Wi-Fi video doorbell, the Wi-Fi connection allows you to answer the door remotely via an iOS or Android app while you’re away. Through the app, you can see the person at your door, speak to them, or just view the camera’s feed at any point to see what’s going on at your doorstep. The person at your door won’t even know if you’re answering the door from inside the house or somewhere away from home.

What if no one rings the bell? Another benefit of your smart video doorbell is the ability to get notified on your smartphone if someone comes to your door. Most outdoor cameras and wireless video doorbells feature motion detection and will send a notification to your phone if someone is at the doorstep.

2. At home via a panel or hub

If you have a monitored security system, you can also monitor your doorbell camera at home via your panel. Most security systems include some type of LCD or HDTV panel for you to manage and monitor your system. If you have a Vivint system, this is your Smart Hub. The Smart Hub has a 4K HDTV screen that allows you to see who’s at the door. As a video intercom doorbell, Vivint’s Doorbell Camera Pro lets you speak to the person at the door as well through your hub.

How a video doorbell camera and monitor work together

Before doorbell cameras, the only way homeowners could monitor who was at the door was by physically opening it or by looking through a peephole. Not only does this present a security risk, but it’s impossible to know anyone is at your home unless 1) you are home to answer the door and 2) the visitor actually rings the doorbell.

Video cameras eliminate the need to be home or even open the door to know when someone is at your home. Thanks to the Wi-Fi connection, the video footage can be sent to whatever device you are using to monitor your front door, while the two-way audio lets you and your visitor speak to each other.

If you’re unable to answer the door via your phone or your panel, you can also monitor previously recorded footage. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, for example, has a local storage option. You can view recorded clips from cloud storage on your phone or your Smart Hub and save them for later reference if needed.

Benefits of a smart doorbell camera with monitoring

Video doorbells on the market today have a wide range of features. The best video doorbells allow both remote and indoor monitoring and also include features that provide you with excellent video quality and help enhance the security of your home, including:

• Wide angle field of view, so you can see your entire entryway
• HD video that allows you to clearly identify who is at your door
• Night vision, so you can see both day and night
• Storage, whether cloud storage or an SD card, so you can record footage and view later

Doorbell cameras provide a number of benefits that make them an excellent smart home device for any home, including:

• Convenience. Thanks to the video features and intercom system, you can answer your doorbell from anywhere, so you never have to miss a visit or delivery. You can also monitor your front porch area at any time, even if you didn’t miss a ring, through your Vivint app or Smart Hub.
• Safety. Burglars often test the doorbell to see if anyone is home. By being able to answer your door remotely, they won’t know even if you’re not home. It’s also safer for kids who spend time home alone — parents can answer the door while they’re at work or away, so anyone who comes to the door won’t know that your children are home alone.

A look at the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro

In addition to the features listed above and the ability to monitor your front door from anywhere, the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro provides even more benefits. In fact, it’s the only doorbell camera on the market that proactively protects your packages from theft. It notifies you whenever you receive a package so you can quickly put it inside. It also features Smart Deter™ technology, which identifies lurkers on your doorstep and activates a bright LED ring and 90 dB speaker, letting the potential thief know they’ve been caught on camera.

The Doorbell Camera Pro also rounds out your security camera system, complementing your outdoor cameras by providing clear footage of your front door. And because it’s part of your Vivint system, you don’t have to worry about installing a wired video doorbell or syncing it to your home’s Wi-Fi — all Vivint systems include professional installation, so you know it will be up and running properly.

The Doorbell Camera Pro also integrates seamlessly with your existing smart home system, including Google Home, the Outdoor Camera Pro, and your home security system.

If you’re ready to start monitoring your home with the Doorbell Camera Pro, contact our Smart Home Pros at 855.822.1220 today to learn more.