The smart home space got a little smarter this week with ecobee’s launch of its new Smart Doorbell Camera. With the smart home market heating up in recent years, ecobee is expanding its range of devices with a new doorbell that works with its range of smart cameras and thermostats.
With a sleek design and unique features, the wired Smart Doorbell Camera aims to stand out in the crowded video doorbell market with new features that look to make it exciting for buyers. The Smart Doorbell Camera boasts an extra-wide 175° vertical field of view to capture visitors from head to toe, as well as packages placed right at the doorstep. Enhanced low-light vision provides crisp 1080p HD video day or night.
Unlike many competing battery-powered models susceptible to weather-related issues, the Smart Doorbell Camera avoids a built-in battery and is specially engineered to withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -13° to 113°F (-25 to 45°C). IP65 waterproofing and dust protection also allow the doorbell to endure rain, snow, and other inclement conditions. According to ecobee, removing the need for a battery improves reliability and makes the device far less susceptible to failure in harsh weather.
Integrations with other ecobee products help make notifications smarter and more customizable. The Smart Doorbell Camera can tap into on-device radar technology to better differentiate between people and objects. Activity Zones allow users to specify areas they want the camera to focus on, reducing unnecessary alerts.
One of the more intriguing features is the integration with the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. Homeowners can view a live video stream from the Smart Doorbell Camera directly on the thermostat’s display, something I never expected to type in a news story. They can then speak with visitors via the ecobee app without having to go to the door.
For people who want to feel safer while away, the Smart Doorbell Camera also works with ecobee’s whole-home Smart Security system. With a subscription plan, the camera can automatically record activity and deliver real-time smartphone alerts. Upgrading to the Complete Plan adds professional monitoring, so if homeowners can’t respond, monitoring agents can verify emergencies and share information with 911 responders.
For do-it-yourselfers, ecobee is marketing the Smart Doorbell Camera alongside its Smart Thermostat Premium and SmartSensors as a Total Security and Savings bundle. The $399.99 package provides enhanced climate control, leak and freeze detection, and video monitoring in one comprehensive system. If you have read our coverage of the Smart Thermostat Premium, it is a solid device, and with these new features, it makes for one potentially impressive offering.
The ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera is available starting today for $159.99 ($219.99 CAD). Shoppers can find it on ecobee’s website and through various online retailers. Select Best Buy stores will begin carrying the device on October 23.
With its unique features and tight integration with other smart home products, ecobee’s Smart Doorbell Camera looks poised to compete in the hotly contested home security camera space. It is hard to know if the new offering will be able to go head-to-head with brands like Ring, but it has all the features to make it a strong contender in any case.
