I have a Ring doorbell and security system. It works great and is reliable. Added a few el cheapo cameras...both wireless with a solar panel and wired. All works great. The hype nonsense about thieves using hacks is utter click bait BS. $200/year for Ring monitoring is just fine. Anyone getting past the Ring system when we're home won't have the chance to regret they did.
Ring camera/ doorbell— happy to have
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
No, it's all cloud-based.
Well, to be transparent, The Federal Government wasnt click bait. Im sure it's been properly dealt with now, hopefully under control.
But it was truth, not clickbait and not hackers but were Ring employee's and contractors.
"According to the complaint, these failures amounted to egregious violations of users’ privacy. For example, one employee over several months viewed thousands of video recordings belonging to female users of Ring cameras that surveilled intimate spaces in their homes such as their bathrooms or bedrooms. The employee wasn’t stopped until another employee discovered the misconduct. Even after Ring imposed restrictions on who could access customers’ videos, the company wasn’t able to determine how many other employees inappropriately accessed private videos because Ring failed to implement basic measures to monitor and detect employees’ video access."
Source - https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/new...mers-failed-stop-hackers-taking-control-users
I just scrolled back to 6/3/26 in our 'history' on the app and could keep going farther. I don't remember how long they say they store it or what we have access to based on our subscription.
If you recall the mother of the morning talk show lady that went missing (can't recall her name). She had a Google Nest camera but no subscription, so in theory, NO STORAGE. She could only check it "live". Well, as part of the investigation, the FBI or some law enforcement agency contacted Google for help and they provided video going back multiple days. This requires a hard-wired doorbell though, which ours isn't. It only records when triggered by motion.
We have a Vivint system and like it quite a bit. Installed it after a dog bite incident with old neighbors. We have multiple cameras and it uses WiFi and cellular connection. Highly recommend it.
This is true. But there are many ways to disable cameras. Most thieves are not that smart. However, with that said you’re 100% correct.
Just about every commercial building has a DVR somewhere on the premises and not cloud storage.
Having been in the industry, a thief could pull a hoodie over their head and shut off power to the house, or cut the cable outside the house and you have no more cloud storage.
A solar camera with its own SD card will keep recording.
The key is if it’s an option, mount it high enough outside the house where it would need a ladder.
Doorbell cameras are another story and should not be relied upon as the only source of security footage, that goes for both local storage and cloud storage. All you have to do is walk up to the doorbell without showing your face and throw something over it or rip it it off the wall. Happens every day. Doorbell cameras of any type should be more of a useful aid than serious security if one is that concerned. The ideal situation is to add an outdoor solar camera or any other kind of camera to the front and rear of the home
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For about $100/year - they archive every video that triggers the system.
E.G. Our Virginia Beach neighbor’s car was stolen a couple of years ago - we were able to send them video.
They were able to see the perps, the car that the perps arrived in (the angle didn’t allow reading the plate) and precisely when it happened. Useful for their insurance, not to mention the police.
Our new house has Vivint. Seems to work equally well. High res video archived when triggered. The ability to speak through the camera when using the app.
Cameras with very high resolution continue to come down in cost. Likley in the future, videos of crimes that todays cameras do not capture enough detail of a perp's face or license plate, will be able to zoom in and maintain enough detail to be usable.
Many cameras now days just are not there yet re that kind of high resolution, but price vs resolution and other image quality keeps improving with time.
Many cameras now days just are not there yet re that kind of high resolution, but price vs resolution and other image quality keeps improving with time.
I have several Wyze battery cam's on solar panels, all of them out of human reach across 2 properties, and about 4 more I need to install. They are invaluable, I get lots of entertainment from nature stuff happening. I dont like the idea of a doorbell camera, the two above the eaves get noticed before they can get to the front door. Smile boys.
Not what I was speaking of....I was stating that the ability of thieves/burglars to jam your Ring or Simply safe system with readily available devices was way overblown and sensationalized... basically click bait BS.
I've been using Blink cameras for quite some time. Simply Safe covers the unauthorized entry side of things. I have 7 exterior cams and 3 interior (all pointed at door entries). The outside cams are all solar powered and mounted high enough to not be easily torn down. Fun to watch and "talk" to the dogs when we are out. They seem to wonder how I got inside that small little box 
. I have the older Sync module system that has an SD card port on it to store video. It will do about 3 days worth before overwritten if not accessed and saved. Not on any subscription plan, but have the app for all alert notifications and real-time viewing. All cams are motion triggered and exterior have IR features. Motion threshold and target areas are adjustable. System is WiFi and cellular driven.
We've had a few instances where internet cables to homes were cut to defeat alarm/camera systems. I run mine from an old iPhone that hotspots my WiFi for the Blink and Simply Safe 24/7, so even if some s-bird cuts my cable, I always have access. Its super helpful too when someone comes by and tries to sell me a security system and asks what happens when my internet goes out. I just tell them I have that part covered too and love to see their puzzled looks.
. I have the older Sync module system that has an SD card port on it to store video. It will do about 3 days worth before overwritten if not accessed and saved. Not on any subscription plan, but have the app for all alert notifications and real-time viewing. All cams are motion triggered and exterior have IR features. Motion threshold and target areas are adjustable. System is WiFi and cellular driven.We've had a few instances where internet cables to homes were cut to defeat alarm/camera systems. I run mine from an old iPhone that hotspots my WiFi for the Blink and Simply Safe 24/7, so even if some s-bird cuts my cable, I always have access. Its super helpful too when someone comes by and tries to sell me a security system and asks what happens when my internet goes out. I just tell them I have that part covered too and love to see their puzzled looks.
Nice well thought out.I've been using Blink cameras for quite some time. Simply Safe covers the unauthorized entry side of things. I have 7 exterior cams and 3 interior (all pointed at door entries). The outside cams are all solar powered and mounted high enough to not be easily torn down. Fun to watch and "talk" to the dogs when we are out. They seem to wonder how I got inside that small little box
We've had a few instances where internet cables to homes were cut to defeat alarm/camera systems. I run mine from an old iPhone that hotspots my WiFi for the Blink and Simply Safe 24/7, so even if some s-bird cuts my cable, I always have access. Its super helpful too when someone comes by and tries to sell me a security system and asks what happens when my internet goes out. I just tell them I have that part covered too and love to see their puzzled looks.
For some others, at least if the internet goes out, per the recent posts I made. If the device (such as the Eufy solar cameras I mentioned) has local storage (SD card) you will have imaging once you are connected again. Also like you say, realistically mounted where a thief isnt going to be hauling around a ladder making himself known to any neighbors.
I like Simply Safe too, Works well and fast with the text messages. I dont have the cell back up and only use the system when away on occasion or for a long time. There has never been a reported burglary in our gated community. I am mostly concerned about getting a text message if the smoke alarm goes off and the dog in the house. No denying, since I was in the industry for a while, never say never, it's a comfort thing having security.
Its seems like you are aware as well, almost anything can be defeated. Most criminals are "not the sharpest tool in the box" Some near the cities are a bit more sharp. For instance. Some comments in here about the major players in the industry, many of the panels now are all in one panels including the cell unit based for quick sales and installs, others will also have internet back up. One trick some thieves use will be to rip those all in one keypads (that also contain the system itself) and as fast as possible throw it in the homes refrigerator. THE smash and grab features are much improved but whether that signal gets out before the refrigerator which the metal case of the refrigerator may/will in most cases always stop the signal from getting out.
It's why I always hid the main unit and used wireless keypads, even with hardwired systems.
We’ve had a ring since the very early days. They’ve made a ton of improvements and the hardware is cheap and surprisingly robust.
For wireless, our batteries last 2 months between charges. It’s great to keep an eye on things when away. Just picked up two outdoor cams with batts for $100. We now have 4 cams and still pay $99/yr.
Edit, wow that sounds likes an ad.
For wireless, our batteries last 2 months between charges. It’s great to keep an eye on things when away. Just picked up two outdoor cams with batts for $100. We now have 4 cams and still pay $99/yr.
Edit, wow that sounds likes an ad.
GON
$175 Site Donor 2026
No, not an add. At some point ring/Amazon will have a table that states when a certain number of subscribers are under contract, xxx percent will not cancel regardless of how much monthly fee is raised.
At this point, ring will do just that, raise monthly fee by quite a bit, and will not sweat the loss in the small percentage that will cancel from the significant rise in monthly subscription fees.
slo town
$200 Site Donor 2026
I have our Ring cameras set up like it's Fort Knox. When we leave for a vacation or something I set two up cameras inside the house.
Now that we've had them for awhile I cannot imagine NOT having them.
Scott
Here's a Live View in high def. This is one of the area's "June Gloom" mornings.
Now that we've had them for awhile I cannot imagine NOT having them.
Scott
Here's a Live View in high def. This is one of the area's "June Gloom" mornings.
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Maybe your grandfathered in?
On the Ring website, it states each camera is $3 a month for 24/7 recording and that would cost $648 a year plus the $100 you are paying = $748 a year. I suspect you have recording on motion only @100 which still doesnt add up to the current pricing on their website because that $100 is per location. Not debating you, this is what Amazon/Ring does, if you are correct you must be grandfathered in.
Source - https://ring.com/plans
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