A new wave of video doorbells has arrived to market in the US. EZVIZ, a brand that has released many smarthome products in the past two years, has released its svelte wired DB1 model. It comes with the usual night vision, premium subscription cloud plans, and an app for iOS and Android. Amazon currently offers this smarthome accessory for $119.98
*Reviewer’s Note: EZVIZ also has a DB2 video doorbell with the same features, except that this model is battery powered. The DB1 is powered via home wiring.
EZVIZ’s smarthome products have always been easy to use and the DB1 is as well. This is one of the most feature-rich video doorbells that I have come across. The company boasts upgraded features such as a 180-degree vertical field of view, to see the entire person and packages left at the door, PIR passive infrared motion detection, which detects people, pets, and vehicles, 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, replaceable color faceplates, local video storage on a microSD card with support up to 128GB. I like SanDisk microSD and Kensington microSD cards and its free 3-hour rolling cloud storage.
The package comes with all of the hardware needed for install. EZVIZ says the DB1 is compatible with all mechanical chimes and most digital chimes. Check the compatible mechanical and digital chimes on its website and voltage of your chime system before purchase. They also suggest upon installation, “For the first time use, please power on the doorbell and wait for 3 hours before using it, or else the chime in your home may not work.”
The included angled mounting plates are good to position the video doorbell where you need it. This is important as not all doorbells are mounted next to the door, but may be on an adjacent wall like mine is. Be sure to install the microSD card before attaching a faceplate of choice to it. Once it is on the wall, the card slot is covered and sealed in the IP65 weatherproof enclosure.
Night vision lets you see what is going on after the sun goes down. The EZVIZ DB1 is capable of seeing up to 16ft when in night vision mode. The video doorbell offers a live viewing mode, clear two-way audio, and push alerts via its smartphone app. Their premium cloud storage options have changed since this device was released in Europe and Asia, so be sure to check those options in the app.
Watching high-quality video over 2.4GHz can be a pain when there is an abundance of wireless signals where you live. There are more than 22 visible WiFi hotspots in my vicinity, so I appreciate the DB1’s capability to connect to 5GHz WiFi hotspots with less interference and more bandwidth. Its included 3MP camera produces video resolution at 2048 x 1536.
I like the super tall 180-degree vertical field of view as delivery people put packages all over my front porch. It has been difficult to see these packages before with other video doorbell cameras. Never again worry about a delivery attempt and have a visual record if they actually attempted one in the first place.
As I have covered Ring video doorbell technology on MacTrast before, about how its videos can be accessed by the local police, finally as opt-in, this was not always the case.
It is only fair that you should be aware that EZVIZ is a division of Chinese manufacturer Hikvision, whose controlling shareholder is the Chinese government. Regardless of Hikvision being on a US trade blacklist, they have a top industry record of preventing security vulnerabilities and being transparent when they do occur. EZVIZ’s products continue to be available in the US and according to a 2019 report; some Hikvision cameras are still in use by the US government.
A recent notice from EZVIZ is that their provider of CloudPlay Service has been changed from EZVIZ Inc. to EZVIZ International Limited in South Korea from May 19, 2020. This change is reflected on the CloudPlay page in the EZVIZ App for more details.
EZVIZ’s DB1 Video Doorbell has important features like full 180-degree wide-angle video views, full two-way audio, free cloud storage, and video viewing, local video storage, live streaming video, definable motion zones, push alerts, and a price of only $119.98. Being able to see a package next to the door is so much better than guessing that one is there, as most other video doorbells do not have as wide a field of view.
This video doorbell kit has can save video to local storage on a microSD card and multiple angled faceplates to adapt to siding or weird angles. An important additional feature that I would have liked is a backup battery to run it if the power were to go out. Its features, local storage, included free cloud storage and install kit, make it a top pick.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Disclosure: I was supplied with an EZVIZ DB1 at no cost for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Photos may be courtesy of the manufacturer.
