eufy Security - Smart Wi-Fi Video Doorbell 2K Battery Operated/Wired - Black

Doorbell works great, but when it is hot out 100° or more it doesnt alert right away.picture is great and recordings.

Bottom Line Upfront: The Eufy Smart Wi-Fi video doorbell brings a lot of features to your front door - literally – all at a reasonable price. The best part is that there are NOT MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION FEES – AND – you aren’t required to hard wire it into your existing doorbell. Big Highlights for me: - 16GB LOCAL STORAGE (NO SUBSCRIPTIONS – NO ONE POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT YOUR RECORDINGS) - 2K video recording resolution (Sony 2K sensor) - Choice of Battery Operation or direct hardwire to existing electrical wiring - Wi-Fi connectivity - Real time / 2-way audio capability ===================================================================================== Detailed Thoughts and Observations: ===================================================================================== I have been on the fence about acquiring one of these types of devices for what seems like years now, however due to the “hidden” costs associated with having to “subscribe” into some type of monitoring plan with many of the other similar devices out on the market.... I was not in a rush to actually pull the trigger on purchasing one. I found it odd that I would have to pay more money – on top of the money I would have spent on the device itself - to be able to get “full” functionality of it. I can happily say that is NOT THE CASE here. The Eufy Smart Wi-Fi video doorbell's 16GB of local storage is hands down the best feature in my book and puts to rest many of the concerns I had in the first place. On that note – while it is nice that system includes 16GB of local storage – it would be even nicer if you could expand it or purchase a model with even more memory inside of it. I am not a fan of potentially getting stuck running out of memory when I theoretically might need need it most. Having the the option of expanding the local storage, or offering models with larger local storage capacities – i.e 32GB, 64GB, etc - would put those conerns to rest for sure. Honestly, I do not see this a deal breaker for my usage, since I don’t have TONS of visitors or “events” that would cause the doorbell to record nonstop or fill up the memory that quickly. I imagine this would only be an issue if you have constant visitors/deliveries/or face a busy sidewalk or intersection that would trigger the doorbell to record video. Additionally, there are easily adjustable under the settings in the EufySecurity App that can help with that as well. Lastly, if it becomes that much of an issue – you can always transfer the files from the Homebase2 (where the files are actually stored) – although that is not the ideal thing to do depending on your home/office/living room setup. Packaging/Unboxing/ Aesthetics: ============================ Everything comes boxed in small relatively simple box. It seems a little understated on the outside, but everything is easy to unpack, and figure out after you lay it all out. I really like the sleek black aesthetic of the Eufy Wi-Fi video doorbell unit itself – it is just a shame you can’t choose or change the color of the HomeBase2 unit as well. I find that its odd they offer the doorbell in black – and the base in white – I would have thought they would at least match. The HomeBase2 is small and inconspicuous to be fair, but I would have preferred a darker color to better blend with my other electronics/devices/and preferences. It is nice they include all the extra mounting hardware you would need to install it both on harder surfaces such as brick and stone – in addition to the regular wooden type surface. The optional “wedge” is a nice touch if you need a little more adjustment of doorbell unit to better see approaching visitors or objects. I was a little surprised at the long “pin” type device that was included. Apparently you need to insert that at the bottom to “unlock” the device from the cradle when it comes time to recharge it during regular use. Interestingly, the paper setup guide – while useful – is pretty much identical to the video walk through / setup guide in the EufySecurity App. I suggest you just download the App first – and follow the instructions there – for an easier time setting everything up. Performance: ============ After setting everything - as per the straight forward installation instructions in the EufySecurity App – I was finally able to see all the wonderful things the video doorbell was able to offer. I was initially a little surprised when the Homebase2 started talking to me – so heads up, that kind of took me by surprise. I would have liked to set the whole system up completely via Wi-Fi – however the instructions called for plugging into your router for the initial setup process. I happen to live in a multilevel town home, so I tackle signal degradation across my 4 floors by having multiple Wi-Fi signal repeaters throughout my house. I chose to place the HomeBase2 on my second floor, facing the front of my house – 1 floor above the video doorbell unit - with my router in the basement. All that being said – The doorbell has been functioning flawlessly so far and I have had no network or performance-based issues with my recordings and the devices themselves. From what I can tell the speed, quality, location and throughput of your in-home local Wi-Fi network can really impact the performance of the video feed. I tried moving the Homebase2 to my 3rd Floor, and I did notice some minor degradation and general reduction in speed when accessing device functions and in video playback. I feel secure knowing that my recordings are being kept locally – and not in the cloud somewhere – and they are all encrypted via the AES-256 algorithm. So far, its been great to see and interact with my guests when I’m on the 3rd floor or in the basement. The Eufy Wi-Fi video doorbell has been one of those things that I never knew how much I needed or wanted until I started using. I think its worth noting that the night vision photos and video are much sharper than I anticipated. I added a photo to my review - and I can very clearly see everything going in my porch and front driver in great detail. ===================================================================================== In Summary: ===================================================================================== You will not be disappointed in the Eufy Wi-Fi Video doorbell. If you’re in the Market to upgrade/enhance your security or simply make life a little easier on yourself if you have a multilevel home (or sprawling floorplan for that matter) – you can’t go wrong. There are NO Subscription Fees – and NO cloud-based video services that can pry into your recordings. The build quality of the system is high and the company that makes it – Anker – has been around for a while making highly rated/regarded products for many years now. Overall, I would rate this at a 4.5 Star unit. If there were some way to either upgrade the local storage – or store the video files directly from the App – that would knock it out of the park. Some more color choices for the Homebase2 would hurt either – buts that’s just wishful thinking. The combination of functionality, pricing, and ease of use & installation is hard to beat. I think its only fair to round up to 5 stars considering the Eufy Wi-Fi doorbell delivers on everything it was designed to do. Remember that your local Wi-Fi network speed and quality will also significantly impact your experience if not taken into consideration while you are setting it up.

I love this doorbell!! We bought 2. Very crisp, clear vision and night vision as well. I love how I have 16 gigs of storage for free just as the box says. We just bought a second doorbell which hooked up the original video storage box so you don’t have to buy another. I would definitely recommend. The one picture is a clip from my camera showing our back porch. Very clear

There are numerous video doorbells available to select from, and Eufy is not the most familiar brand name among them. Eufy is produced by Anker, a very well-known and respected manufacturer of cell phone accessories, which has also earned a reputation for excellent customer service. When comparing the specifications and product claims for this new model of Eufy Smart Video Doorbell to the other dominant brands, it was compelling. The Eufy Smart Video Doorbell is the latest model in the expanding line of Eufy home security video products. Eufy’s 2560 x 1920, 2k at 15 fps resolution with 4:3 aspect ratio and a Sony 2k sensor is a great improvement over the 1920 x 1080, 1080p resolution typical of most of the other doorbell camera models. Another very appealing feature is that all videos are stored locally on the Eufy HomeBase2 unit which is also connected to the home Wi-Fi network, and is equipped with 16 GB of eMMC flash memory. Therefore, no cloud storage account is required with an additional, recurring fee, (optional cloud storage is available, if desired) and no arbitrary time limit for video storage is imposed. 16GB of storage will hold many videos for a long time, before overwriting older files. The Eufy package includes the doorbell camera unit with mounting plate, a 15° angled wedge (if needed), the HomeBase2 unit and all necessary cables and mounting hardware. The Eufy can be hardwired to existing 8-24 volt doorbell wiring, or it can operate solely on the internal, 6500 mAh rechargeable battery, which Eufy claims will last six months between charges. Whether or not the battery will average a full six months of operation on a single charge remains to be seen, and the life-span of the non-replaceable battery is obviously also an unknown. Initial setup of the Eufy Smart Video Doorbell is generally straightforward. The product immediately searches for firmware updates, which failed three times during the setup. Unplugging the Homebase2 power supply and reattempting setup resulted in the firmware download and installation being accomplished in just a few short minutes. The printed Quick Start Guide which accompanies the device provides sufficiently clear instructions for activating the Eufy Smart Video Doorbell. Initial setup and all device configuration and management functions require installation of the Eufy smartphone app. During the activation process, the Homebase2 unit provides audio instructions and status, as well. The phone app is very good and the step-by-step setup guidance is excellent. The glaring exception to the otherwise excellent setup instructions, is that once the Homebase2 is set up using the required (and supplied) Ethernet cable (connecting directly to the Wi-Fi router), the setup process completes without another process step or any guidance for connecting the Homebase2 to the network via Wi-Fi. The process is quite simple and straightforward, but requires the user to explore the app to find the process, which is to access “Devices” > “Homebase2” > “Connection” > “Wi-Fi Setup”. The app should automatically offer a Wi-Fi Setup step, prior to finishing the setup process, and this important step should also be documented in the Quick Start Guide. The foregoing minor issue is exacerbated by the lack of documentation for the Eufy Smart Video Doorbell. There is no User Manual / Guide (neither printed nor downloadable PDF). The Quick Start Guide furnished in the package is only intended to support the initial setup process and the physical mounting/installation of the camera. A detailed and comprehensive User Guide is needed and appropriate, and hopefully will be forthcoming (as evidenced by the currently inactive link on the Eufy website). The smartphone app is generally excellent. It is very robust and includes many features, none of which are documented, and all of which require exploration by the user. Among the important features and options which should be configured are those of motion detection, video quality, power management and more. Based on using the most advantageous camera mounting angle available at the entry, the 15° wedge was employed. It would have been even better if an additional wedge of perhaps 22.5° was also available to truly optimize this particular camera mounting situation. Motion detection sensitivity initially appeared to be insufficient, resulting in reconfiguring the motion activity zone to the maximum extents, setting the unit for the highest sensitivity and most aggressive motion detection settings. The change of settings improved motion detection, and did not result in many false activations by passing vehicular traffic (only one, isolated instance). Still, people approaching the front entry camera are typically only detected by the camera at a distance of approximately 10’ in most instances. The AI capabilities support detection and differentiation of humans from pets or other moving objects in the active detection zone. The human detection and face recognition features produced inconsistent results. Some recorded events and phone app notifications included a thumbnail of the visitors face, but many did not even though the person’s face had been presented to the camera during the recording. By design, the camera conserves battery power by “sleeping” until awakened by motion detection or manual viewing through the app or web portal. (The web portal allows for live camera viewing, even if no cloud storage subscription is established for recorded events). There is a latency interval while the camera awakens and the Homebase2 records video, and there is a few seconds of delay for the transmission of the smartphone alert. Electing to view the live camera feed upon receipt of alerts encounters an additional several seconds of delay until that live video feed is presented in the app. Additionally, there is no pre-recording buffer in this model, ostensibly to conserve battery power and extend intervals between recharges. If the camera is connected to existing doorbell power, the battery charge is maintained. If the camera is operated in battery mode, recharging the non-removable, non-replaceable internal battery requires dismounting the camera and attaching it to the Homebase2 via the supplied USB-A to Mini USB cable. If capitalizing on the higher resolution 2560x1920 video is meaningful and important, as it should be, note that although the live feed video will always be at the highest resolution (available bandwidth allowing), the recorded videos of events may not. At the default “Streaming Quality” setting of “Auto”, all of the recorded mp4 videos were only 1024x768. Changing the setting to “High” ensures that all recorded videos are 2560x1920 2k. The camera is mounted 17’ from the Homebase2 with only the door intervening. The Homebase2 is located 18’ from a Mesh network node. The Eufy app allows for testing of the Wi-Fi connectivity between the Homebase2 and the Wi-Fi router, and for the connection between the camera and the Homebase2. In this installation the Eufy app declared connectivity to be “Great”. This begs the question of why the “Auto” setting for streaming quality resulted in 1024x768 recordings. Perhaps this is intended to conserve both camera battery and Homebase2 storage capacity (with the smaller files); however that defeats one of the most significant benefits of the system in producing 2k video. The system operates by the camera transmitting data to the Homebase2 via a private 2.4 GHz connection. The Homebase2 communicates with the Eufy servers, which communicate with the smartphone app via a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection to the user’s router (or via Ethernet cable direct to the router). 5 GHz Wi-Fi is not supported. Eufy represents utilizing 256 bit AES encryption both in video transmission and storage on the Homebase2. However, it is not clear if videos being streamed or downloaded (via the app to the smartphone – which then also allows for sharing of the video via email) are decrypted on the Eufy servers or at the endpoint by the app on the phone. For true security purposes, the decryption would have to be performed on the user’s smartphone. Both short videos and still shots (captured manually from live streaming) have been averaging between 2 MB and 5 MB. A one minute, 2560x1920 2k video is approximately 12.4 MB. Based on that essentially maximum file size for a maximum length video, the 16 GB internal storage has the capacity to store 1,290 of those atypically long videos before the device will start overwriting the old files. Obviously, video length dictates file size. Most automated event video clips range from 15 seconds to a maximum of 1 minute. There has been significant variability in video length under essentially identical physical circumstances. Bidirectional audio communication is supported between the doorbell camera and the smartphone app, however it experiences a very significant level of latency / audio delay which can be frustrating and impair effective communication. (Obviously, neither party is going to signal that they are done speaking for the moment, in order to allow the other person to speak). Overall, the Eufy Smart Video Doorbell is generally excellent. It supports integration with other Eufy devices (i.e. surveillance cameras) as well as Alexa and Google Voice Assistant. Thus far, people approaching the camera have been detected rapidly enough to capture their image during their approach, rather than their retreat from the doorbell camera, which is essential to a doorbell camera actually being useful, rather than merely being ornamental. I am comfortable with recommending the Eufy Smart Doorbell Camera as it appears to be a good, solid performer, with a robust feature set including some helpful AI capabilities, and an excellent smartphone app.

So far I’m pleased with the doorbell as I’ve not had one in 4 years and use to not answering the door. My only complaint is that there is a log in the notification sent to my phone. Video quality is great and I like that the data isn’t uploaded to the cloud and stored locally.

Great product, easy to install and no monthly fee.

Purchased this as an apartment dweller. The owner was kind enough to allow me to install it. Eufy has a clear field of view (if mounted according to instructions) from the top of the door to the door seal. Images are clear even at night without the porch light off. Most importantly for me no online storage fees. The doorbell mounts make such small holes you can take the bell with you when you move.

Easy to install and use, no additional cost as the storage unit comes on the box with the doorbell camera.