A smart home can be protected by security cameras, but it can also have that technology at the door, and that’s an area security camera maker Arlo is finally joining.
You can rig your home with more net-connected security than you might realise. While an alarm system is obviously a part, security cameras these days typically have an alarm system with loud sounds built into their base station and hub, and there are other things you can do.
There’s always a floodlight with motion sensor to throw attention to someone trying to do something nefarious, not to mention the wireless lock mechanism that can use your phone as a key, with some options being useful for renters by not needing to replace the lock mechanism altogether.
You can even throw a camera into the peephole of the door, recording what you see when someone comes knocking.
However one of the more effective ways to keep watch over your homestead is with a doorbell camera. Not only is it a place not everyone expects, but a doorbell camera can also be rigged to work as a motion sensor, kicking in when someone walks on your property and recording all. When someone does eventually press the doorbell button, the camera is of course recording, but also allows you to talk to the person from where ever you are, be it at home or somewhere else.
It’s an area that Ring has been playing in for a few years, and has become one of the better options for people looking for some semblance of security at home, with a solid home security camera that doubles as two-way communication to the outside, and it’s one long-time security camera maker Arlo is finally joining locally.
Announced last year, Arlo’s Video Doorbell is finally launching in Australia, providing a 180 degree video in a square 1:1 view with more height than other doorbell cameras, and with real-time talk so you can not only check who’s at the door, but talk to them, and maybe tell them to go away or leave that package.
Like other cameras (including Arlo’s own), there’s support for motion detection and night vision, and you can use the camera to zoom in on who’s there while you talk to them through the camera, whether it’s on your phone or tablet. They won’t see you, as there’s no screen for them, but you’ll see them thanks to the camera found in the Arlo Video Doorbell.
“Arlo Video Doorbell has been engineered to have advance alert and picture quality features in order to help homeowners identify and engage with visitors even before they knock on the door,” said Bradley Little, Vice President of Sales for Australia and the Pacific.
The Arlo Video Doorbell is also designed to be weather-resistant, and can even trigger its own alarm if someone tries to remove the doorbell.
However it does come at a bit of a disadvantage compared to Ring’s own video doorbell options, requiring a wired plug from the house typically reserved for a conventional doorbell. While Ring’s options typically cater for both hardwired installations and without, Arlo has gone for hardwiring only, meaning there’s no battery in the Arlo Video Doorbell, and you’ll need to physically plug it into a wired doorbell plug.
Tough luck if you’re a renter with the Arlo Video Doorbell, making it distinct from the USB rechargeable approach of Ring’s video doorbell options.
Integration, however, seems evident for the Arlo system of cameras, which include a baby monitor and a 4K version of its wire-free Arlo Pro security cameras, though in a neat twist, Arlo is offering a pre-recorded message you can leave your guests when you’re busy, essentially a quick response like when you return a phone call with a fast pre-written text message.
Australians looking for the Arlo Video Doorbell can expect it in major electronic retailers from mid-April, arriving for a recommended retail price of $289.
