We test these cameras based on how you’d use them at home. Our test scenario takes into account each camera’s performance in normal and low-light conditions, as well as the all-important ease of installation and use.

In this article:

• Our expert testers
• Scoring
• Our rating system

Our expert testers

All the tests and procedures described in this article are carried out by our professional in-house computer testing experts, who take into account not just the technical performance of the wireless security camera but also how easy it is to set up and use.

Scoring

Our 糖心Vlog Expert Rating takes into account camera performance (60%) and ease of use (40%).

笔别谤蹿辞谤尘补苍肠别听(60% of the total score)

We test how the cameras perform in daylight and low-light conditions to assess how well they show clarity and contrast at close range (2m) and across the room (4m) and how well they show a person, objects and graphics/text.聽

The clearer the quality, the better the score and images scored worse when the picture was highly blurred, patchy, or over-exposed.

Ease of use聽(40% of the total score)

We test the ease of use of both the set-up and the use of a camera. The ease of use score is made up of:

• An evaluated installation (30% of the ease of use score).
• A recording and motion assessment (70% of the ease of use score).

A camera scores highly for installation if the steps to connect the hardware are simple (for example, just using a mobile app over Wi-Fi), and if no user intervention is required to access the cameras remotely over the internet.

Cameras score highest on the recording and motion assessment if they send an email with a screenshot attached when they detect motion, but are also awarded points for plain alerts emails and push notifications on smartphones. We give points for manual image and video recording, cloud storage uploads, and auto-recording of images and video regardless of them being sent via email.

Our rating system

糖心Vlog applies the following interpretation to the scores achieved in our tests. When we describe a result as “excellent”, “poor” etc, it usually relates directly to a numerical score in that range.

• 0鈥�24: Very poor
• 25鈥�45: Poor
• 46鈥�54: Borderline
• 55鈥�69: OK
• 70鈥�79: Good
• 80鈥�89: Very good
• 90鈥�100: Excellent

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On this page:

• How we choose what we test
• Scoring
• How we test smart locks
• General data

How we choose what we test

Our priority is to test what you’ll find in stores and online retailers. This includes a combination of big brands with strong name recognition, and smaller manufacturers from specialty outlets. We also look for smart locks made by brands that sell other home security devices, such as security cameras and smart doorbells.

Scoring

The 糖心Vlog Expert Rating for smart locks is an overall score that’s based on the following criteria:

• ease of use (50%)
• unlocking (30%)
• unlock range (Bluetooth) (10%)
• app privacy and security (10%).

Range testing isn’t conducted for units without Bluetooth. For these, the 糖心Vlog Expert Rating is based on:

• ease of use (50%)
• unlocking (40%)
• app privacy and security (10%).

How we test smart locks

All locks are mounted on temporary blocks, following the vendor guidelines for hole dimensions and setback. Once we’re satisfied that the mechanics of the lock are working smoothly, we install the batteries and then set up each lock using its preferred method: either using app, or its onboard menu system (accessed via a keypad).

Ease of use

We look at the physical installation instructions, steps involved and whether they were clear and easy to understand. After that, we assess the setup process for creating an admin account, additional user accounts and general navigation around the lock and app.

Then we test how easy it is to unlock and lock the mechanism using the primary method (app, biometrics, pin code etc). Finally, we look at how easy it is to access the backup system to gain entry when the lock loses power.

Unlocking

This is a straightforward test that looks at the speed of the primary method of entry, followed by the speed of a secondary method of entry. We also consider any issues using the app if one is available, such as poor performance or complicated navigation.

Unlock range

We attempt to open the lock at three distance intervals 鈥� 20, 30 and 40 metres.

App privacy and security

To assess this, we consider five things.

• Can the lock be set up without an app?
• Is an online account needed for the app?
• What personal details are requested for the online account?
• What are the online account password rules?
• What app security is available when launching the app?

Note: We don’t attempt to break into or hack the locks in any way.

General data

We gather important specifications for each smart lock so you can easily compare functions and features without having to visit every manufacturer’s website. These include:

• mount type (key turner, deadbolt, mortice and barrel only)
• standard keyhole access.
• access options (keypad, biometrics, smartphone app, remote access etc.)
• security and monitoring features
• networking requirements (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi).

We also note which models can be used offline, including those that require Bluetooth or Wi-Fi during setup.

Tester comments

Our expert tester summarises their experience of using each lock. This is to highlight any notable features, benefits or shortcomings they encountered, which don’t quite fit into our comparison table. It provides some real world context as to what each lock is like day to day to help you make an informed purchase.

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On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose what we test
• Scoring
• How we test

Our review of smart doorbells help you navigate these factors and much more so you can make the right choice. Here’s how we test them.

Our expert testers

Our testers have years of expertise in testing internet and smart devices. Their focus is looking at and assessing the device to ensure that it not only performs as claimed, but is also easy to use and set up.

In this test, we find out which smart doorbells have the best audio and video quality, and the best security and privacy features. We also consider ease of use during installation and when using the associated app.

How we choose what we test

We looked at the most readily available smart doorbells in Australia, both online and in local retailers.

Scoring

We give every smart doorbell that we test a 糖心Vlog Expert Rating, so you can see at a glance which are the best and worst performers.

This 糖心Vlog Expert Rating is an overall score that’s based on the following criteria:

• Video (30%)
• Sound (20%)
• Application (20%)
• Installation (10%)
• Recharging (10%)
• Privacy and security (10%)

How we test

Video score score

We assess the video quality in daylight, and indoors at night with a porch light on and with a porch light off. The indoor test simulates an outdoor environment. This covers all typical lighting conditions.

Sound score

We test the quality of sound from the doorbell speaker and in the app (from the doorbell microphone).

App score

This covers the intuitiveness and ease of use of the app to see if the steps and features are well explained. We also look for troubleshooting assistance and whether it offers clear steps to resolve any issues.

Installation score

We assess how easy it is to install the app and create an account, and how easy it is to mount the doorbell. This involves wall-mounting the doorbell, registering it with the app and setting up automatic software updates (if available).

Recharging score

An ease of use test that looks at accessing and charging the device. If the device is permanently powered, it scores 100%.

Privacy & security score

We look for a privacy policy and transparent information about data storage. This includes whether the videos go to offshore servers for processing or storage and if they specify the server location. We also see how easy it is to run software updates and change your password.

The post How we test smart doorbells appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

The Google Nest Cam and Doorbell聽are intended to detect and issue alerts for movement nearby, such as people, animals and vehicles, and the Google Nest Doorbell can also detect when packages have been left for you. Google says this recognition processing is done on the device, which should be faster and more secure than sending information off to a Google server for processing.

Both devices are battery powered, which makes it easier to deploy them wherever you like or move them around, but you can also wire them in if you choose. However, there isn’t an option for a portable solar panel, which you can get with some other security cameras.聽

Google Nest Doorbell: what you need to know

The kit for the Google Nest Doorbell includes all you need for installation, including a metal mount, angled base and and all anchors and screws required. You need to use the latest version of the Google Home app on a smartphone to install it.

Doorbell installation

The Google Home app runs you through the hardware installation, including how to drill holes and mount the base, and how high the doorbell needs to be so that it can detect packages. This is set at just 1.2m off the ground, whereas a typical doorbell might sit higher up.

To set up the doorbell, in the Google Home app select the product, scan the QR code on the doorbell itself, opt in or out of sending back crash and stats data, and then plug it into a power source via its USB-C connection.聽The app then connects to the device automatically, and you specify which network to join (2.4GHz only).聽

Enter the password, tell it the doorbell’s location (e.g. front door), it will auto-update then take you through the hardware installation (including tools needed, optimal location, and checking the Wi-Fi signal). The way the doorbell mounts to the base is a little bit tricky and seems like it would be flimsy, but it’s not.

How the Google Nest Doorbell works

Once installed, the doorbell button’s LED surround lights up when someone approaches. If pressed, it sends an alert to your phone and, if enabled in the settings, the Google Assistant will tell you someone is at the door on all linked devices (e.g. Google Home speaker and a linked TV).聽

However, you need to use the phone app to talk to the person at the door and view doorbell footage. You can’t talk to the doorbell via a Google Home smart speaker, and the doorbell’s video isn’t shown on a linked TV (though it may be able to stream to a device with a built-in screen, such as a Nest Hub Max, but we didn’t test this).聽

There can also be a few seconds’ delay from doorbell button-press to notification on your phone, especially if your internet connection is in heavy use, as the data is relayed to and from Google servers. Friends might stick around long enough for you to answer, but you can expect most postal workers and couriers to be gone before you can get to the door.聽

There are some pre-set recordings you can use to answer with, such as “we’ll be right with you”, “we can’t answer the door”, and “you can just leave it”. We found the way this works to be a bit quirky. If you don’t look at the alert on your phone and the person presses the bell again, Google Home doesn’t announce it a second time.

But even if somebody doesn’t press the doorbell, you’ll get an alert. If motion is detected, the device will tell you. By default, it will give alerts for people and packages (this worked in our tests when we carried a box to the door). It can also be set to give alerts for other types of motion (like cars and animals, but these were not tested).聽

If you enable “familiar face detection”, then the doorbell will use any familiar faces you have tagged in your account to compare them against its footage. You can add names to faces to personalise the experience. For example, when your friend Elias presses the doorbell, Google Assistant will announce (and the alert will say) “Elias is at the door”. Otherwise, the Assistant will just say “someone” (or “some people”) is at the door.

Viewing the recording timeline in the Google Home app is easy, and you can download any recorded videos that you wish to keep.聽

Doorbell camera image quality

In our test setup in a suburban home we found image quality to be a mixed bag. When installed in a doorway, backlighting was a problem with a porch light in the background. Night-time footage was better as the night vision (infrared LEDs) kicked in and we could clearly see the face of the person at the door. Night vision turned off when the doorbell was placed closer to the light source and the person was better illuminated.聽

The aspect ratio of the footage is taller than it is wide, which makes it a better fit for a phone screen. The field of view is adequate, as we could see either side of the doorway easily, and depending on the position, we could see the width of the front yard.

Battery life will vary depending on the amount of use the doorbell gets, and the supplied tool (or a small flat-head screwdriver) is needed to remove the doorbell from its mount to charge it.聽

Recording costs

You can use the doorbell without paying for a Nest Aware subscription, but the catch is that you only get three hours to view recorded footage before it disappears. A Nest Aware subscription costs either $9 per month or $90 per year and will retain footage for 30 days.

Google Nest Cam: what you need to know

As with the doorbell, the indoor/outdoor Google Nest Cam comes with built-in battery, infrared lights for night-time viewing, and installation hardware 鈥� wall anchors, screws, and a rounded base which lets the magnetically-attached camera be positioned for best viewpoint.聽

It has a wide field of view without much distortion. There are only two image settings: high and max. It’s set on max by default and we found the image quality clear and well defined in our testing. We rate its image quality as very good for both day and night viewing.聽

The cam captured motion and sent notifications to our smartphone. It records motion events to the Cloud only, but also has some local storage that allows it to keep recordings if the internet drops out (Google says it’s an hour’s worth). We tested this and found it did indeed record events while the Wi-Fi network wasn’t available.聽

As with the doorbell, you get only three hours of recordings unless you have a Google Nest Aware subscription.

Zone and face alerts

You can set up zones to monitor just a particular area, such as a section of your yard, and you can customise what types of events will alert you if they occur in the set zone. For example, you can create a zone and tell it to only alert you if it detects people.

As with the doorbell, you can set the identity of any friendly faces that are seen in recorded footage. We found this also worked at night, but not all the time. In only one out of three tests did the alert say who the person was, but this is only to be expected, as night vision is always a less accurate proposition than daylight viewing.

Unlike the doorbell, however, we couldn’t get the Nest Cam to stream to our Chromecast-enabled TV via the Google Assistant. Telling Google to show the “Garage” on the “Living room TV” produced a response saying the camera doesn’t support the sending of video to “remote screens”. It seems as though you can only view video on a screen if you have a Google Assistant with a built-in screen, such as Google’s Nest Hub Max.

Camera image quality

All up, the camera provides very good image quality compared to others we’ve seen. You can’t do any manual recordings or screenshots within the app, so you have to rely on the footage that’s recorded after motion has been detected.聽

The build is good and the installation is very straightforward 鈥� just follow the detailed steps in the app. But be sure to have the latest version of the Google Home app installed before you start. If you have automatic updates specified on your phone this shouldn’t be an issue.

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Workers are increasingly being drawn back into the office as COVID restrictions ease. With homes left unsupervised again during the workday, it might be a good time to think about installing a security camera or two. We tried out the DCS-8300LHV2 courtesy of D-Link to see what difference AI makes.

Person detection

We carried out several tests and found the camera could indeed tell the difference between a person and a moving object. We didn’t have a dog or cat to try it with, but it worked successfully in alerting to a human being moving but not to a bird, whether in a cage or flying around inside the home. If you prefer, you can set it to pick up all motion (not just people) and we found this also worked well.

The motion sensitivity was set to 70% by default and you can adjust it via a slider in the settings. However, you can’t adjust the default duration of recording events. You need to use the mydlink app to install the camera, which we found quite easy, but it requires an online D-Link Cloud account in order to be installed.

The app lets you set up customised “scenes”, so for example you could set a scene that tells the camera not to record when you’re home (privacy mode) and to instead record when you’re away.

Setting up

The camera has a built-in stand and can sit on a flat surface, or can be mounted on a wall or ceiling (there’s an option to invert the image if you need to mount it upside down). It works better if secured in place as the camera is quite light and if sitting on a flat surface the relatively heavy cable made it difficult to place the camera in the exact position we wanted.

Plugs and screws are provided for wall or surface mounting, but wherever and however it’s mounted, it needs to be near a power outlet as it’s not a battery-powered camera. It runs off a USB adapter with a 145cm USB cable supplied. An extension cord may be required for some installations.

It’s best to set up the camera first before mounting it permanently, so you can try it out to make sure there’s a good Wi-Fi signal (2.4GHz band only). It supports the latest WPA3 wireless security protocol and works with Google Assistant and Alexa.

Recordings

The camera also supports the ONVIF standard, which allows non-battery powered IP cameras to work with different software, mainly for network video recording such as recording to a NAS (network-attached storage) device on your local network.

It can be set to only record when detecting motion, or to record continuously to a NAS device if you want 24/7 coverage, but this might not advisable on a wireless connection as it could be quite demanding of bandwidth.

Note that if you set up ONVIF, then mydlink will inform you that another system has taken over the camera, and that you will no longer be able to use the mydlink software to access it. This will be inconvenient as it will stop notifications and potentially require more work to set up remote viewing of the camera.

To get recordings off the camera, you must download them through the app. You can’t just remove the microSD card and transfer footage over to a computer, because the footage is a series of TS files (one recording event is spread over many TS files), rather than MP4 files that contain a single recording event each.

We found we couldn’t download events from the web interface, which would be more convenient than having to use a phone, as you then have the extra step of getting the footage off the phone. The web interface showed no option to download clips from the camera’s microSD card.

Image quality

Recordings are in full HD but the quality doesn’t appear very clear unless the lighting is good and the subject isn’t moving. We found motion recordings to be a bit blurred, and the overall image quality was soft and at times a bit “blocky”.聽

For night recordings, the image was also soft and motion left a trail. If a person moved too close to the camera, a lot of facial detail was lost.聽The camera’s AI proved to be useful in our tests, and its image quality will be passable if the lighting is good, but nighttime might not give you the results you’d hoped for.

Ongoing costs

The camera can record to the cloud, but there’s also a microSD card slot. We found there’s no free cloud account when you look at the plans on offer, only a free 14-day trial of the premium plan, which then costs US$4.99 per month. A basic plan costs US$24.99 per year or US$2.49 per month.聽

However, there’s a free one-year plan that retains up to one day’s worth of recordings, for up to three cameras. This plan shows up when you tap on “cloud” as the storage option within the settings. There’s no option to use both cloud and SD card, so you have to choose one or the other.

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Doorbells that let you talk to and see your visitors are rapidly becoming a must-have feature of any DIY smart home. Arlo has come to the party with a doorbell and chime that work via smartphone app and also tie in with its wire-free cameras.

We tried out a Doorbell and Chime courtesy of Arlo with an existing wire-free camera.

Plug and play

Everything ties into the free Arlo smartphone app. If you have a camera in place, as we did, adding Arlo’s smart doorbell ($129) and chime ($99) is as easy as plugging them in and using the app to identify and connect them all together. We found it only took around 15 minutes to set up, including replacing the existing battery doorbell.聽

As long as you have your smartphone with you, you can answer the door (at least by voice). It doesn’t matter if you’re in another room, upstairs, in the backyard, out shopping, at the office or even away on holidays.聽

If you’re at home, the chime has good volume (80+ decibels), loud enough to easily be heard in a typical three- or four-bedroom home. A nice feature is that you can enable silent mode to disable sounds and alerts if required, such as when you want to take a nap.

The doorbell is powered by two AA-size batteries and attaches easily to a wall or door with a couple of screws and no wires needed. Arlo says the batteries should last up to a year.聽

The chime unit plugs into a wall socket inside the home. Both are then paired using the smartphone app, which can optionally add an Arlo camera as well.聽

Versatility

The modular design allows you to place the Doorbell, Chime and camera independently of each other, anywhere you like.聽

Volume control and options for melodies can be adjusted via the free Arlo app. You can also wire up the Arlo Audio Doorbell to mechanical or electronic doorbells, if they operate on AC current at 8-24 volts.

You can talk to a visitor live via the doorbell or reply with a pre-recorded message if it’s not not convenient for you to talk.

Motion detection

Arlo also has a new smart detection system called Arlo Smart, which can detect people and even packages left for you at your door. The subscription-based service is per-camera starting at $3.99 per month, or via annual subscription which can work out cheaper over time for multiple cameras.

Brand loyalty

As with most DIY home security setups, you’ll get more out of the system if you stick with the one brand. If you haven’t yet started your home monitoring kit, it’s a good idea to look ahead at the range of options you can get with a particular system and the cost to maintain and expand it. If you already have an investment in Arlo cameras, the Doorbell and Chime are easy-to-use additions.

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