Ring Peephole Camera: A Closer Look

In Short:

• Easy DIY installation lets you upgrade apartment living security with no permanent modifications—remove the old peephole, mount the bracket around the opening, slide in the camera, connect the battery inside, and pair it to the app.
• Battery-powered flexibility allows you to position the cam anywhere without worrying about outlet access while lasting 6-12 months between charges.
• Real-time mobile alerts instantly notify you when built-in sensors detect motion or loud knocks, so you know when packages arrive, or suspicious activity occurs.
• Robust features like custom motion zones, two-way talk, 1080p night vision, and Alexa integration check all the boxes for versatile monitoring in an affordable package.

The Ring Peephole Camera, also sold as the Ring Door View Cam, offers a clever way to upgrade security and monitor visitors from your peephole. Ring is known industry-wide for its video doorbell cameras and home security innovations. Its Peephole Cam continues that tradition with intelligent detection alerts, crisp 1080p recording, two-way talk, and broad integration with Ring’s ecosystem of products and services. This in-depth review will explore everything that distinguishes this device from standard peepholes and primary door cameras. Keep reading for the full scoop on specs and capabilities, installation and setup, best uses, potential issues to be aware of, and much more. Let’s start peeking through the peephole to see why the Ring Peephole Cam deserves a spot on your shortlist.

Key Specifications of Ring Peephole Camera

What’s in the Retail Box?

When your order arrives, here is everything you’ll unpack to complete the installation:

• Ring Peephole Security Camera
• Removable battery pack
• Battery case/mount with hardware
• Door installation toolkit
• Cable and adapter for wired setup
• Cable clips, screws, anchors
• Drill bit, screwdriver, level

Easy Installation Process

The Ring Peephole Cam is designed for easy do-it-yourself installation without any professional help required. The process involves just a few key steps: First, remove your existing peephole using the tools included in the box. Next, charge up the removable battery pack fully to ensure it lasts 6-12 months before needing a recharge. Then, mount the back plate securely around your door’s peephole opening and insert the camera into position facing outward. Run the adapter cable from the camera to the indoor battery housing and connect everything. Finally, connect to your WiFi network and use the Ring app to test motion alerts, adjust viewing angles, and configure settings.

Advanced Security Functions

This compact camera is loaded with advanced security capabilities. It captures crisp 1080p high-definition footage day and night, thanks to infrared LEDs that enable night vision in zero ambient light. The wide 155-degree field of view is seen side-to-side. Two-way talk lets you communicate through the camera using your smartphone when an alert is triggered. Speaking of intelligent alerts, the Ring Peephole Cam sends instant notifications when it detects motion or if its integrated impact sensors hear loud knocks at your door. For fewer false alerts, you can set up custom motion zones in the app to ignore background movement beyond areas of interest.

Integration with Smart Home Systems

Regarding smart home ecosystem integration, the Ring Peephole Cam fully supports Amazon Alexa products like Echo Show displays. You can view live camera feeds just by asking Alexa. However, the camera does not currently work with Google Assistant. So, it may not be the best choice if you mainly use Google Home products and services for your connected home.

Mobile App Control and Monitoring

The Ring mobile app for iOS and Android devices is where you’ll manage all features and view live footage from your Ring Peephole Cam. Available features include remote streaming, custom motion zones, two-way talk with visitors, battery management, connectivity status, sharing access with friends/family, Alexa integration, and more. The app also sends all event-triggered and on-demand videos to your smartphone from anywhere in the world.

Benefits of Using a Ring Peephole Camera

Some top benefits of choosing the Ring Peephole Security Camera include easy do-it-yourself installation with no drilling or wiring to deal with, flexible battery-powered operation, crisp 1080p video quality with infrared night vision, real-time mobile alerts and talk capability after motion is detected or door knocks heard, affordable pricing for most budgets, weather-resistant and tamper-proof compact design, broad compatibility with other Ring ecosystem products and services, and intelligent integration with Alexa-enabled devices.

Potential Drawbacks and Considerations

Despite notable strengths, a few compromises come with choosing the Ring Peephole Cam to be fully aware of, such as the lack of free cloud video storage, which requires an ongoing subscription for full functionality, motion and impact detection sensors only with no AI-powered person or facial recognition available, support for Alexa home automation only with no current Google integration, the potential need to frequently replace batteries seeing average lifespans around one year, and mixed reliability/support experiences among early adopters dealing with faulty units or unresponsive customer assistance.

Tips for Optimizing Ring Peephole Camera Performance

Adjust the motion detection zone and sensitivity to cover high-traffic areas instead of wide background spaces to improve awareness and accuracy while reducing unwarranted alerts. Check battery levels monthly and charge proactively once every six months. Keep the peephole lens clean using microfiber cloths and rubbing alcohol to prevent dust buildup. Update camera firmware when new versions become available for the latest features and fixes. Consider adding a microSD card for continuous backup recording as an extra precaution. Register your device at forums.ring.com to access community support insights beyond official channels.

Future Developments and Updates

As home security competition continues heating up, Ring will likely issue over-the-air software updates to the Peephole Cam, adding new detection modes, streamlining alerts, and expanding both Alexa and Google ecosystem integrations. We will probably see Ring leverage machine learning for smarter notification accuracy. Purpose-built accessories could also customize installation and performance in unique use case scenarios. Stay tuned for plenty more innovations!

Please Note: Be realistic when comparing this budget-friendly camera’s detection accuracy and reliability versus advanced models with facial recognition and free cloud storage. Ongoing subscription fees apply to access stored videos beyond real-time streaming. Mixed customer service experiences have been reported regarding defective units and support response times.

Pros and Cons of Ring Peephole Camera

Should I Buy It?

Ultimately, the Ring Peephole Cam warrants consideration if you want a competitively priced smart security upgrade for apartment living with remote streaming and alerts courtesy of dependable 1080p video and two-way talk. Before purchase, set expectations appropriately regarding recorded video storage and advanced intelligent detection capabilities compared to pricier competitors. Let the specifications, pros vs. cons list, and common FAQs guide your decision-making, adequately aligned with needs.

FAQs

Does the Ring Peephole Camera have free cloud storage?

No, you have to subscribe to a Ring Protect plan to access stored event video clips in the cloud. But a basic plan starts at only $3 monthly.

Can you install a Ring peephole camera if you’re a renter?

Yes, renters can install Ring Peephole Cams since they simply mount over your existing peephole without permanent modifications. Just check if your landlord allows smart devices first.

Does the Ring Peephole Cam capture faces?

While the video resolution is quite sharp, the peephole mounting limits the camera’s perspective somewhat. You can distinguish individuals but may not clearly capture fine facial details.

Can you still use the peephole to see outside after installing the camera?

Yes, fortunately, your regular peephole remains fully functional for analog visual checks even with the digital Ring camera covering it.

How long does installation and setup take?

If you follow the detailed instructions, most users can install a Ring Peephole Cam fairly quickly in around 10-20 minutes including setup in the app. It’s a very user-friendly process.