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Friday, February 22, 2019

Ring-a-Ding-Ding


Ring-a-Ding-Ding

A few weeks ago, Mrs. C suggested we get one of those Ring Doorbell things so we could see who was at the door or if there were any packages left (she buys a lot of stuff on-line.)  I saw no reason for such an extravagance.

A few days later at about 7 pm, the doorbell rang.

“WTF” I thought, who is at my door at 7 pm?  It could be a nare-do-well ready to bust in when I opened the door to his ring.  I went to the door with a ball bat prepared, just in case.  No one was there, it was just a delivery dude that rang the bell and left a package.

When Mrs. C came home from work, I told her we need one of those Ring things.

The Ring thing alerts you when someone is at the door, if they just approach the door you are alerted on you phone.  You hit the alert and you see a live camera shot of your doorway and can speak and hear through the same doorbell/camera setup.

We ordered the Ring Doorbell that night.  The other day it arrived and we set it up.  

OMG!!

There is a you-tube video I saw the other day that made fun of two teens trying to figure out how to use a rotary phone.  They looked really stupid.  After our attempt to set up our Ring, I no longer think these teens are so dumb.

I’m pretty sure a teen could have set up this door-bell thing in 15 minutes.  For us, not so much.  And Mrs. C is reasonably computer savvy.

We needed an Apple ID to set up an app.  Neither of us had any apps on our phones and we had no Apple ID.  It took about 45 frustrating minutes to get this ID and to download the app.  There must have been a zillion logons, passwords and security questions to answer.  All done on a tiny phone keyboard. 

Installation and set up was not too difficult, only took about an hour of multiple frustrations, but we finally got it done.  

Then testing.

The bell worked and the phones were alerted.  The camera worked and the speakers were fine.  Next we tested the motion sensor.

It did not pick up motion unless the storm door was opened.  That was no good, as we wanted to see if a package was left, or if someone visited without actually attempting to ring the bell, you know, like a bad person.

For an hour we kept trying to figure out this sensor thing.  Finally, after searching the internet we realized the sensor is not a visual thing, it reacts to heat.  With the unit on a door behind a storm door, the heat changes are insulated and not picked up.

Bummer.

Further research found that as our front is under a roof and our door is an insulated metal door, we really do not need a storm door which is a pain in the butt anyway.

I removed the storm door glass pane and the motion detector worked as expected.  

Eureka!!

I had to replace the glass with the screen in the storm door, as with no glass the tendency was to walk through the windowless storm door and trip on the frame.  We could not just remove the door, frame and all as it might be against the notorious Nazi-like HOA assholes…I did notice every unit in our community has an unnecessary storm front door.

Anyway.

We now have our new toy.  For $110 and a $30/year “Cloud” fee, we will know when a package is delivered, and even if we are not at home, we can tell the Jehovah Witness people to “GO AWAY!”

21 comments:

  1. I've wondered about these. A lot of people on the Next Door app have them and report suspicious activity that were caught on their Ring Doorbell. We have a security door, for what it is worth, but I've just gotten to the point of not answering the doorbell when it rings and keeping every other door here double locked. Thankfully working at home I know when a package is delivered so can grab it the moment it is delivered. It does seem like it could be a useful service though. Let us know if anything exciting is caught on it.

    betty

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  2. That sounds cool, and I am proud of you two for getting it set up without a child's help.

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  3. Did you realise the Ring thingy was an Apple product when you bought it? Having no Apple ID would make me buy a different Ring thingy, but I'm glad you eventually got it worked out. I really don't see much point in having one though. You can see when people leave a package but then you still have to get up and open the door to get that package so how is it different from answering the door to get a package? I suppose it would be handy knowing something was delivered when you weren't home and you could keep an eye on it somehow.

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    Replies
    1. It is not an Apple product, not sure why the apple ID, something to do with storing stuff on the cloud and paying the yearly fee, I just followed instructions.

      It is helpful for when we are not at home, it is an extra level of security; and there are just times when I want to know who is at the door before or if I open the door.

      There is a problem in the states of people stealing packages, and the delivery guy does not always ring when he leaves one, so this is helpful.

      Also we sleep in late, when someone is at the door, like a politician or sales person we can speak to them through the phone an not have to answer the door.

      Delete
  4. Thank you for this helpful article. I was thinking of buying this product. I guess you have to keep your computer ON all the time so that the Ring contacts your cell phone? Also, your cell phone should be ON all the time. Does it contact one, or both yours and your wife's cell phone? What is the field of vision? Is it fish-eye lens? Does it record ALL the time who is near your house or just when they approach the heat sensor? I guess it records on the cloud?

    Sorry ... too many questions. Please let us know how you get on with this product and whether you'd recommend it. Thanx.

    God bless.

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    1. I assume the router needs to be on at all times which it is as long as we have power, and of course the phone must be on. It works to multiple devices, Field of vision is adjustable, mine is about 15 feet wide, the motion activates at 10 feet and does not get set off by small animals, though a friend had a mouse crawl over the sensor and had a fun video to watch. Records on the cloud...whatever that is.

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    2. Thank you JoeH for this very useful information. Cloud is a server, (computer), on which people save their files and photos or music. In your case it would record what the camera sees - hence your annual fee of $30. I am told that cloud would record for six months and then delete your Ring videos.

      Thanx for your help. God bless you.

      Delete
  5. I think I'm computer savvy, but I'm certain I'd have trouble with this. I like the idea of it, both because I hide when the doorbell rings and because delivery people NEVER ring the doorbell. I've been upset about some of my packages being left in the snow and freezing temps. Sounds like a useful product.

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  6. I have wanted a Ring Doorbell and have been on a campaign to convince TheRetired Man to get one. However, that storm door situation might be an obstacle. The Retired Man probably would not go for that. Thanks so much for this information.

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    1. They can be installed on the side of the house not behind the storm door, it was easier where we did it, but there other options. It can be hard wired or we went for the battery which lasts several months without recharging (they say 6...we'll see).

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  7. Well done. I am impressed with your skills and am relieved you can put the ball bat away now.

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  8. We don’t have a ring thing but we have a pit bull that sits by the floor to ceiling windows by the door and he’s as good as a door bell.
    Since he come to live here, we get very few undesirables who knock on the door.
    He’s not a mean dog but looking through the glass he looks as if he could be mean.
    Feeding him probably costs way more than your doorbell:)

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  9. Many people here are getting this, and i don't blame them. Since our package delivery people are not smart enough to read the sign on the driveway door (which is actually a bedroom door) and leave packages at the front, this would be a great idea. Of course, as soon as we got one and set it up at the other door, they'd start delivering to the front door, and we'd have to get a second one.

    It's so sad we need security cameras now for our own homes.

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  10. You DO know that someone at Apple now can watch you inside your nice safe home, don't you?

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    1. I don't think so, the camera is on the outside and faces outside, but if they could see inside, they wouldn't see much, and some of what they might see would require eye bleach to un-see it.

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  11. I don't have a ring doorbell camera, but do have two cameras' inside my house. It was nice to keep an eye on things while I was visiting my children in Texas at Christmas. I have to admit I was pulling my hair out before I got them installed on my phone and tablet. I don't pay a cloud fee if you don't care to save the video you might not have to either. Yes my phone binges and lets me know when there's a movement in the house. I do wonder if someone else could see through my cameras so I only turn them on while I'm out. I've read where people that had baby monitors have heard someone talking to the baby, but not sure if it was correct

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  12. Oh this process of making the bell aplicapable is quite long and tiring!

    It's okay to not find thing as useful as you thought
    At least you tried a new thing
    Consider it an adventure with lesser fun that axpected

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  13. We find the Ring doorbell very handy. When we were both away at work I would look at the alerts as there were so many thefts around town right before the holidays. Not that I could do anything really, but at least I can post a picture, or give it to the police. Best of all, I can talk to them from work. At least that makes it look like I might be home. Make sure to join the community Ring for alerts of a**holes that are making the rounds. Lots of those too. Sadly.

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  14. We've been thinking of getting one of those door cameras, too. My co-worker just showed me a video from her aunt's house, when some weirdo approached their house, rang the doorbell (nobody was home), and then made off with the rocking chair sitting by their front door. The video was turned over to the police.

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  15. Yes i totally agree with your post. I use smart video doorbell camera and i feel relaxed after got it. It easy to install by yourself. You can monitor your home premises 24/7 even you are not at home. I suggest this video doorbell camera to everyone.

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