Review Ring Peephole Cam Video Doorbell

Ring Peephole Cam Video Doorbell Specifications

Design and features

The Peephole Cam consists of an internal component and an external component. At 3.8 by 1.8 by 0.7 inches (HWD), the exterior component is only slightly smaller than the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, but uses the same basic design and black and silver color scheme. It has an IPX5 weather rating and contains a 1080p camera with High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, three infrared LEDs for night vision, a motion sensor, a doorbell button surrounded by an LED ring, and a microphone and speaker. for two-way audio. It also has lenses that allow you to use it as a traditional magic eye.

The internal component has a white case and measures 4.4 x 2.2 x 1.1 inches. It contains a removable lithium-ion battery pack that can be popped out and recharged using the supplied USB cable, an 802.11n (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi transceiver that connects it to your home network, a collision sensor (door knock detection) and a magic eye lens with a security cover that can be opened and closed depending on your wishes.

When the doorbell is pressed, when motion is detected, or when someone knocks on the door, Peephole Cam sends a push notification to your phone and begins recording video of the event. You can also watch live video on demand.

As with other Ring devices like the Stick Up Cam and Video Doorbell Pro, you must subscribe to a Ring Protect plan to view, save, and share videos, which are stored in the cloud for 60 days. The $3/month/$30/year Basic plan includes one device, while the $10/month/$100/year Plus plan includes all your Ring devices and gives you monitoring services. Professional surveillance 24/7 if you have a Ring Alarm system.

The Peephole Cam uses the same Ring mobile app (for Android and iOS) as all other Ring devices. Once installed, it will have its own tab on the Camera screen and be identified by name with a still image of the latest activity. There are three buttons at the top of the screen for Nearby Incidents, History, and Lights (the Lights button is only visible if you have Ring Smart Lighting devices installed). Tap the Nearby Incidents button to see recent events reported by your neighbors using the Ring Neighbors app, and tap the History button to see all activity from your network of Ring devices. Tap any item to view, download, or delete the event's video.

When you tap the Peephole tab, you'll be taken to a screen where you can view a timeline of the recorded video with timestamps, or just tap the go Live button to watch the live feed. Turn your phone sideways or tap the square icon in the bottom right corner of the panel to watch the video in full screen. There are two buttons at the bottom of this screen: a microphone button that starts two-way audio so you can talk to whoever is at your door, and a speaker mute button.

To access the doorbell settings, tap the gear button in the upper right corner. In this screen, you can enable/disable ring and motion alerts, configure motion and video settings, enable push alerts, configure door knock detection settings, and link the Peephole Cam to Ring devices other. This allows Peephole to trigger recording in other Ring cameras and turn on the Ring light. Other settings let you adjust ring volume, link Peephole to Ring Chime, share access to Peephole with other users, and temporarily mute motion alerts.

Peephole Cam supports IFTTT applets that let it work with other compatible devices like third-party lighting systems, door locks, and sirens, and it supports Amazon Alexa voice commands that let you watch video from the camera on your Amazon smart display or Fire TV device. It also supports the Works With Ring initiative, which allows you to control certain smart locks, lights, and plugs from within the Ring app.

Installation and performance

Installing the Peephole Cam is very easy. Start by charging your battery, downloading the Ring app, and creating an account. Open the app and select Set Up A Device from the drop-down menu on the left, then select Doorbells from the list. Scan the QR code placed on the setup sheet and select the installation location (your home address). Name the doorbell (front door, back door, office, or custom) and tell the app whether you have the device installed. If not, follow the video and detailed on-screen text instructions to replace your current magic eye lens with a camera.

Use the included tool to remove your eye lens and install the external device into the empty eye hole. If the hole is much wider than the external device tube, you can use the included adapter for a closer fit. Make sure the data cable is inserted without bending or binding. Next, remove the cover from the device inside, slide it over the tube (again, making sure the cable is not damaged), and use a tightening nut to connect the two devices. You will have to hold the outer unit tightly while doing this and make sure both units are straight before fully tightening the nuts. Next, press the data cable into the slot and use the plastic tag on the cable to remove any looseness.

Install the batteries and when the doorbell button LED starts rotating, press OK. Authorize the doorbell to join the network, then select your home network SSID to connect to your Wi-Fi. Once connected, a voice notification will let you know, and you'll be prompted to run an internet connection test and configure motion detection and privacy settings, but you can skip these settings. Set these and configure them later if desired. Snap the inner cover into place and you're ready to go.

In testing, the Peephole Cam delivered sharp 1080p video, displaying vivid colors during the day and sharp black-and-white images at night. Motion alerts and doorbells arrive instantly, and recorded video is as sharp as a live feed.

Alexa commands to have a TV using an Amazon Fire TV Stick display video from the camera worked perfectly. Two-way audio is clear and loud, and the Knock Detection feature works as advertised, sending push notifications and recording video when someone knocks on the door.

Conclusions

Whether you live in an apartment complex, dorm room, or any other residence with a door equipped with a magic eye, the Ring Peephole Cam can easily see who's outside the door from your phone without having to have to go anywhere near the door. It installs in minutes and will work with many other smart devices via IFTTT, and you can have it trigger other Ring cameras in your home. The doorbell will send push notifications when it's pressed, when motion is detected, and when someone knocks on your door, and it will record a video of the activity, but you'll have to subscribe to a Ring Protect plan to view and Share video clips. That said, spending $3 per month for 60 days of video storage is very reasonable.