I’ll be installing our new Surety/IQ2+/ADC system soon, and want to have a video doorbell fully integrated and automated. Currently using a ring doorbell, with a 16V transformer. There is a mechanical chime I could bring back to life if required, but right now I do like the ring chime that is used for announcements.
Recommendations on which doorbell? When purchasing it, I’m assuming I do that direct from Surety store?
Thanks!
We recommend the Alarm.com video doorbell found here.
Skybell HD, ADC-VDB105/106 are also compatible options.
In either case you would use the existing mechanical chime, the Ring chime would not be supported.
Thanks Jason.
A question about “video analytics” and how it integrates with the armed/disarmed status of the system. For example, when I’m home during the day and the system is disarmed, will this doorbell generate alerts when I go in and out the front door? I’d prefer to only get alerts when the doorbell is “rung” when the system is disarmed, but when armed get all activity alerts.
You can select as exceptions for your recording rule when the panel is disarmed and/or when armed stay, letting you only trigger when the panel is armed (or specifically armed away).
How does the new Alarm.com video doorbell compare to the Skybell? I feel that Skybell has sort of fallen behind over time.
Alarm.com does seem to be pushing the VDB770 over the SkyBell, although the SkyBell is supported.
The biggest difference is that the SkyBell does not work with Alarm.com’s Video Analytics recording features, so its motion detection capabilities are not as robust as the VDB770. The downside is the VDB770 requires a plan with Video Analytics to function at all.
Signal strength requirements are less stringent on the VDB770 as well, allowing for a more stable connection.
More on Video Analytics here
You can see camera specs here:
SkyBell:
VDB770
https://support.suretyhome.com/t/what-cameras-can-i-use-with-alarm-com/3123/10