If you’ve ever compared 4K footage to “full HD” (i.e., 1080p) video, you’ll notice a significant difference. 4K video has multiple times the number of pixels as 1080p video, which means it has significantly more detail.
So, if you have a smart doorbell to assist secure your property from theft, doesn’t it make sense to have a smart doorbell that records in the greatest quality possible?
This is correct, but there are a few viable 4K smart doorbell possibilities (including Feels and a DIY technique), albeit you are currently pretty limited. Fortunately, a few smart doorbells have recording quality superior to ‘full HD.’
Smart Doorbells and the Problem With ‘Full HD’ Recording Quality
Smart doorbells are fantastic since they replace (or sit beside) your standard doorbell and, in addition to alerting you when someone approaches your front door, they record persons who stroll close. This might be handy for crime prevention as well as keeping a watch on your community in general.
While many aren’t full-fledged security systems (like hardwired CCTV cameras), they perform many of the same roles, which means that recording quality is critical.
Currently, many smart doorbells provide ‘full HD’ recording quality, which is 19201080 pixels. While this may appear good – especially because HD stands for High Definition – it does not always enable you to see people’s faces at night or even car plate numbers when they pass by during the day.
This can be aggravating, especially if you need to get a license plate number or view someone’s face in connection with a crime. When you can’t decipher these facts, you’ll wonder what the point of your smart doorbell is.
They are typically useful, but ones that record in higher resolution than full HD are much better.
Why 4K Smart Doorbells Would Be Awesome?
I said before that 4K captures four times the number of pixels as full HD. It’s practical twice as broad and tall (therefore 2 x 2 = four times as many pixels), but what does this mean? Paul Hibbert evaluated a 4K smart camera, demonstrating its different quality over full HD.
If you’ve been to an electronics/TV store in the recent decade, you’ve seen 4K TV screens that compare the quality to full HD – and they show a huge difference between the two video standards.
A 4K shrewd doorbell would be fabulous in light of the fact that, rather than attempting to make out vehicle plate numbers and individuals’ countenances from a good way, you would have the option to do it easily – an unmistakable benefit over full HD.
So, are there any 4K smart doorbells on the market? So, in the next two sections, I’ll go through this.
Feels: the World’s first 4K smart doorbell?!
None of the major smart doorbell manufacturers, including Ring, Nest, and Eufy, offer 4K smart doorbells. In reality, a search on Amazon for “4K smart doorbell” yields… no relevant results. Oh, no.
There are a few clarifications behind this (as I portray in the “Defects with 4K brilliant doorbells” segment underneath) yet fortunately, Feels – a relatively new player in the smart home field – has a well-funded IndieGoGo campaign that has already resulted in the production of hundreds of 4K smart doorbells.
Unfortunately, despite original targets for December 2020 delivery, the most recent reports (as of February 2020) indicated what had pushed things back for various reasons, including China production delays and the pandemic effect.
There have also been some complaints from backers that the program contains several issues. New Feels app upgrades are coming out all the time to fix these issues, but the Feels 4K doorbell is still in the works.
Nonetheless, I’m hoping that it’ll be able to overcome its manufacturing challenges since I’d want to put it through its paces. Can you ‘DIY’ it because no other ‘off the shelf’ doorbells offer 3840×2160 resolution?
A DIY 4K Smart Doorbell
Several online instructions teach you how to create a smart doorbell yourself – using a Raspberry Pi. These range in price from $40 to $150, depending on what you want to accomplish, in any case, many individuals go for a straightforward 1080p (Full HD) camera focal point.
Nonetheless, in April 2020, the Raspberry Pi blog unveiled a new 4K camera for $50. This can record at 40-60 fps relying upon settings, which is fairly momentous – especially given that Ring devices often only accomplish 15 fps.
On Amazon, you can also find a little cheaper Pi-compatible camera named Arducam. This records at a higher resolution than 4K (at 4192×3120 pixels), however, only at 12 frames per second.
So, if you’re up for a challenge, creating your Pi-powered smart doorbell may be a great idea – especially if you use Sony’s official Pi camera, which can arrive at an undeniable degree of FPS even at 4K goal.
Why FPS Matters (Both Good and Bad)
FPS stands for ‘first-person shooter,’ as most gamers are aware. In this context, it stands for ‘frames per second.’ A frame is a collection of numerous still pictures that make up a video. As a result, if a movie has 30 still pictures (frames) every second, it is referred to as a 30 fps video.
This is significant because if a video were just two frames per second (for example), you’d only get two pictures per second – resulting in an extremely jumpy film that may miss vital details like the license plate number of a passing automobile. As a result, a greater frame rate is preferable.
I am generally speaking! As the next section explains, a high FPS mixed with 4K video quality might be a drawback.
The Flaws With 4K Smart Doorbells
The concept of high FPS, high-resolution video is fantastic: you can see people’s faces and license plate numbers even if they’re sprinting (or driving) by.
However, keep in mind that smart cameras include smart functions, such as only getting motion alerts if it detects a person. Alternatively, you can get notifications if motion is detected in a certain camera zone (such as a path or walkway).
All of this requires on-device computing power to function properly. However, the more frames in a video (i.e., the higher the FPS), the more needed processing power. This is also true for pixels: the more pixels there are, the more necessary processing.
On the off chance that you had a full HD 15 fps video (say, from Ring) and compared it to a 4K 30 fps video (say, from a DIY smart doorbell), you’d need 8x the processing power to monitor the video stream effectively and send out the required messages.
Ouch. This isn’t ideal, especially because it will inevitably cost more money because more powerful gear will be required.
Second, this needs additional storage space. In the event that you store the video cuts locally, your NAS should be multiple times the size of a full HD NAS to hold a 4K video.
If you keep the recorded video in the cloud, you will still need to pay for more storage space – and you may need to update your internet connection as well because the needed upload rates will be 4x faster!
The third fault with a 4K smart doorbell consumes significantly more electricity, whether plugged in or battery-powered. This is due to the additional processing needs of 4K footage than full HD video.
Finally, 4K smart doorbells are not widely available! Yes, the Feels doorbell is interesting, but it’s currently a very low-production device that won’t be widely available for a couple of years (if it does enter mainstream production at all, that is). So what’s the other option?
Suitable Alternatives to 4K Smart Doorbells
If you want higher than full HD recording quality (which I do!), there are two popular options: the Ring Doorbell Pro 2 and the Eufy 2K doorbell.
The Eufy 2K doorbell records in a resolution of – you guessed it – 2K. Uh oh, another buzzword! This is better than full HD but poorer than 4K, with a 2560 x 1920.
The Ring Doorbell Pro 2 has a resolution of 1,536p (1536 pixels tall). However, the width is unknown at the time of writing.
Finally, the Nest Hello records at a resolution of 1600 x 1200p. While this implies a narrower vision (1600p vs. 1920p for full HD), it also means a somewhat taller perspective (1200p vs. 1080p for full HD), which helps you see more people while they’re standing by your doorbell.
Best Seller List of 4K Smart Doorbells:
- 1080p HD wired video doorbell with two-way talk, advanced motion detection, standard 2.4 GHz connectivity and customizable privacy settings.
- Get real-time notifications sent straight to your phone. To hear audio notifications in your home, pair with a Ring Chime, compatible Alexa device, or select the Video Doorbell Wired + Chime bundle. Note: the doorbell will not sound your existing chime.
- Advanced motion detection helps you know when someone’s at your front door before they ring your doorbell.
- Night vision with sharp contrast ensures you’ll never miss a detail – even in the dark.
- Hardwire Video Doorbell Wired using your existing doorbell wiring and the included tool kit for around-the-clock power and peace of mind.
- 5MP UHD, 40% Improved From 2k: Adopted 7 pieces of an advanced ultra-clear optical glass lens ensures you get sharp, detailed images even in low-light or bright conditions.
- Triple Motion Detection, No False Alerts: Advanced radar and PIR motion sensors and intelligent human detection can distinguish between near and far objects' track, and judge whether they are people or animals.
- 60 Days Loop Recording: Stored videos directly to your HomeBase with built-in 8G memory and view them anytime anywhere, no monthly fee.
- 180 Days From 1 Charge: Built-in rechargeable battery and 58% consumption reduced low-power wireless connection, ensure 180 days of flawless front door coverage from 1 charge.
- 166° Field of View: You could see a person from head to toe or a package on the ground, there are no blind spots.
- 5MP Super HD Day & Night! Incredible 5MP HD, with advanced HDR/3D DNR and distortion correction technologies, brings you sharp and detailed images even in low light conditions.
- 2.4/5GHz WiFi & Waterproof! No worry about network disconnection; its 5GHz WiFi ensures a stable and fluent network experience. No worry about harsh weather as well; it's waterproof!
- 180° Wide Viewing Angle! Find the right position for your doorbell with its 15° wedge kit and enjoy the super wide field of view. Get more extra surrounding details for better and quicker responses.
- Chime V2 Included! Plug the chime included to any electrical socket at any room and be confidently alerted when visitors "knock". You can choose 1 of its 10 tunes and adjust its volume.
- Answer the Door Faster! With its built-in mic and speaker, you can hear and talk back to the visitors even if you're not at home. You can also preset voice messages or automatic replies for times when you're occupied.
- 2K HDR Video: Zoom in with this doorbell camera to clearly see important details like eye color, license plates, and labels.
- Security in the Palm of Your Hand: Perfect for home security, receive notifications when motion is detected and watch live streaming video from your smartphone or tablet.
- More Ways to Answer: See and speak to visitors with clear 2-Way Audio, or respond with pre-recorded quick reply messages when you’re busy. Receive a video call when your video doorbell is pressed and never miss a visitor.
- Arlo Secure plan trial included: After trial, a paid plan is required to keep premium features like 30-day video cloud storage, People, Package, Vehicle Detection, 24/7 Emergency Response, and more.
- Night Vision: Improves your home security system by being able to see who’s at your door at night, even without a light.
- Pro-level features — All-new Battery Doorbell Pro, Ring’s best battery-powered doorbell camera, loaded with cutting-edge features like 1536p Head-to-Toe HD+ Video & 3D Motion Detection with Bird’s Eye Zones and Bird’s Eye View
- Head-to-Toe View — Head-to-Toe HD+ Video in 1536p gives you an expanded field of view so you can see more of who's at your front door.
- 3D Motion Detection — Configure Bird's Eye Zones up to 30' away on an overhead map of your property to pinpoint movement only where it matters.
- Low-Light Sight — Our enhanced imaging sensors deliver clarity and clear color that doesn’t quit after the sun goes down—only on Battery Doorbell Pro.
- Person + Package Alerts — Know when a package is delivered with Package Alerts, an exclusive Ring Protect subscription feature (sold separately) that notifies you when your package is detected within a specified zone.
- 【2K Resolution】See who's at your door with crystal clear 2K 3MP crisp high resolution video, capturing every detail even when you zoom in. Easily identify faces with no worries of grainy images, and enjoy a 160° diagonal field of view showing you everything you need to see outside your door.Controller Type:Android;Amazon Alexa;Google Assistant.Connectivity protocol:Wi-Fi.Power source type:Corded Electric.Controller type :Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
- 【Instant Notifications & Modular Chime】Get instant push notifications when the doorbell button is pressed or adjust the volume for select times. The modular Chime design allows you to conveniently place your chime where you want, choose from several different tones, and adjust the volume directly on the device. Never miss another delivery or wake your family with an unexpected guest.
- 【2-Way Audio】Kasa Smart home video doorbell gives you the ability to answer your door even when you're not home. Watch live from anywhere, anytime on your phone or favorite supported device, and carry on a crystal-clear 2-way conversation with a single tap on the Kasa app.
- 【Alexa & Google Assistant Compatible】Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, the KD110 can also play video on your favorite supported display with Amazon Echo Show or Google Chrome Cast. Easily get your home security footage up on a larger display such as your TV.
- 【Night or Day, Rain or Shine】With IP64 weatherproofing, the KD110 is ready for harsh particles and rain. Thanks to the built-in IR sensor, see what's there even in the dark up to 30 ft. away. Whether it's night or day, you'll clearly see the visitors, delivery personnel or possible intruders that come to your home.
- Wire Free – Our wireless, WiFi battery-operated video doorbell has a built-in battery of 6200mAh. It is perfect for situations where no wiring is available, but if you have wiring, it can be used to keep the battery doorbell continuously charged
- Motion Activated Detection - Program the Nightlight feature to turn on in the dark when motion is detected, or manually to deter unwanted guests. Utilize Person Detection and get an instant notification from the Lorex Home app when motion from a person is detected within the camera’s view
- See Every Detail - Receive optimal video image quality and an expansive wide-angle camera view with 2K Video Resolution (HDR) and 4:3 aspect ratio. Never miss a thing with Night Vision, including Color Night Vision (ambient light required) and IR Night Vision (high-quality black and white video in a dark setting)
- Respond Instantly - Full Duplex 2-Way audio with noise cancellation and 2-Way Talk allows you to hear and speak directly through the doorbell to anyone at your front door, while being able to see them through the camera. If you’re busy, have Quick Response answer for you
- Lorex Video Vault - With the pre-installed 32GB MicroSD or through Lorex Fusion, your videos stay private and secure. The Lorex Home app allows you to remotely access your devices to view live video and recorded footage. Connect all of your devices to one recorder with secure local storage for enhanced privacy and protection. No subscription fees
- 【2K+/5MP Live View】Always know what happens in front of your door through the Tapo app. With the starlight sensor and 2K 5MP resolution, check all the fine details captured even in low-light environments.
- 【Color Night Vision】With the embedded spotlight and starlight sensor, Tapo D230S1 reveals high-fidelity details and color at night.
- 【Head-to-Toe View】With the camera’s ultra-wide FOV(160° Diagonal), Tapo 4:3 live view ensures users can check visitors from head-to-toe as close as 1m, which shows more vertical details than other 16:9 doorbells'.
- 【Longer Battery Life】The rechargeable and removable battery with a low-power protocol extends your usage.
- 【Smart AI Detection and Notification】Smart AI algorithms identify people and cars, and notify users as needed.
- 🔔【2K Crystal Clear & 3:4 Aspect Ratio】The 2K video doorbell camera wireless provides you with crystal clear images and video recording.4MP wireless doorbell camera supports 3:4 aspect ratio and 150° wide angle.When someone ring video doorbell ,you can see a person from head to toe or the package on the ground.Smart door bell cameras wireless built-in light sensor,super night vision up to 33ft.Any time,ring video doorbell Pro,door camera wireless for apartment,front door camera,ring door camera.
- 🔔【Smart AI Detection & 2-Way Audio】Smart wireless video doorbell with chime,it's Built-in PIR sensor allows you to receive alarms and cautions once someone ring doorbell.Wireless ring doorbell with camera,AI recognition can distinguish among people,pets,packages,vehicles,reducing false alarms.Camera doorbell wireless no subscription,it's built-in microphone and speaker system provide you with 2-way audio.You can have a real-time video talk with your visitors.Simply safe doorbell cameras for home security wireless battery.
- 🔔【100% Wireless & Support 2.4GHz WiFi & Easy to Install and Set up】No screws &drill.Ring doorbell camera outdoor wireless and 2 rechargeable batteries,the ring camera doorbell wireless is 100% cordless to install.It takes 5 minutes to install,set up and use the Security camera doorbell wireless with a quick start guide.Download CloudEdge App on IOS/android App Store, pair door bell cameras wireless with your smart device.Ring door camera,No screws required,3M adhesive can be securely installed.
- 🔔【Voice Changer & 30s Voice Message & Works with Alexa】The ring camera outdoor wireless with noise-canceling mic and speaker,you can have real-time talk to answer the door anytime. Voice changer can turn your voice into a man’s or a clown’s to protect privacy. Talk to couriers or scare away intruders.Wireless video doorbell Pro supports IP65 Intercom Custom mode Anti-Theft alarm.It Works with Alexa Echo Show & Google Home(Please refer to the instructions in the APP for specific operations).
- 🔔【NO Subscription & Local/Cloud Storage & Multiple-User Sharing】4MP Wifi Video doorbell cameras wireless with 64gb sd card. The doorbell camera wireless no subscription provides FREE 7-Day Rolling Cloud Storage(Select the Basic Cloud Storage mode,6 seconds each time).Or you can save videos on local card(64gb memory Card Pre-Installed).You can simply share the wireless smart video doorbells for home via APP. Bitnovol offer lifetime technical support, our professional team will always help you!
- 5MP Super HD Day & Night! Incredible 5MP HD, with advanced HDR/3D DNR and distortion correction technologies, brings you sharp and detailed images even in low light conditions.
- 2.4/5GHz WiFi & Waterproof! No worry about network disconnection; its 5GHz WiFi ensures a stable and fluent network experience. No worry about harsh weather as well; it's waterproof!
- 180° Wide Viewing Angle! Find the right position for your doorbell with its 15° wedge kit and enjoy the super wide field of view. Get more extra surrounding details for better and quicker responses.
- Chime Included! Plug the chime included to any electrical socket at any room and be confidently alerted when visitors "knock". You can choose 1 of its 10 tunes and adjust its volume.
- Answer the Door Faster! With its built-in mic and speaker, you can hear and talk back to the visitors even if you're not at home. You can also preset voice messages or automatic replies for times when you're occupied.
Last update on 2024-03-27
