Review on 🔒 Eufy Security Battery Video Doorbell Wireless Kit: HD Resolution, No Monthly Fees by Bill Russett

UPDATE 2. Now I have to disconnect and reconnect the ringer every day for the doorbell to work. Communication is terrible and now the device is almost permanently offline. This product does not appear to be well designed from this point of view. UPDATE 1: As of 11/16/20, video magically works in Alexa. I don't know if the Alexa skill has improved, but I've been able to watch live video a few times. However, this seems to come at a price as connectivity has become an even bigger issue. The chime is plugged into the same outlet as the router and the doorbell is within 10 feet of it, but it doesn't stay connected all the time. This effectively makes the live stream irrelevant if I can't connect to the doorbell. Conclusions. First off: I hate starting with a negative, but there are several fatal flaws in this design that make it almost useless to me. The first one I got was "Dead On Arrival" but Revain sent a new one straight away and I got it 2 days later. As for the functions of the doorbell, please see below: 1. It is not possible to send or download videos and recordings to the network storage center at the same time.2. You cannot view the Alexa/Google Home live camera feed. **Work started on 11/16/20**3. You need to remove the doorbell to charge it, and it takes about 6 hours, so the doorbell won't work while charging. The chime ONLY works with the doorbell, not with floodlight cameras. Here are more details on what I'm wrong about this device: First off, the fact that I can't take all my videos offline at once without removing the micro SD card from the call is a total failure. The call is connected to my network, I should be able to download all the videos to my computer or phone without removing the memory card. The constant insertion and removal of the card causes excessive wear and tear on both the card and the horn, which is easily avoided with a simple boot option. Also, I can't see the live stream in Alexa like you can with other Eufy security cameras (other than the Spotlight cam, which I'll review separately) - a very unfortunate fix that needs to be addressed. If I'm in the kitchen with my Echo Show and my phone is upstairs when someone comes to the door, I can't just turn on the video feed on my Alexa device to see who's there. That leaves me with three options: stop what I'm doing to open the door, stop what I'm doing to get my phone, or ignore it. None of this is ideal when I'm busy with something else. At least with live streaming compatibility, I could see and interact with my visitor without interrupting my work. My Ring Doorbell was perfect for this, but the subscription was too expensive to support it. I don't understand why the charging port is on the back of the camera in a place that needs to be removed for charging. If you are not using easily replaceable/rechargeable batteries, the charging port must be accessible without having to remove the entire doorbell. Maybe place on the side or bottom of the device? This way you can connect a solar panel or backup power bank or even plug a cable into an outlet for charging without losing your doorbell for 6 hours. A simple solution could be a mounting plate that allows you to move the charging port so you don't have to remove the doorbell for 6 hours. ONLY SPECIFICALLY works with the included doorbell and DOES NOT allow me to integrate it with my Eufy Spotlight cameras or any other Eufy cameras. I tried setting up my replacement doorbell with the first ring, but it did NOT accept the doorbell as it was somehow connected to the one that came with it. I don't understand why, it doesn't make any logical sense to me. If you've stuck with me for that long, here are the positives of this doorbell cam: Video quality is excellent, even at "only" 1080p quality. I would say it competes with my old Ring camera which was exceptional. However, the frame rate it records at is lower, so videos can be a little choppy, but it's still very good. Responsiveness is just fantastic. Notifications come quickly and the app loads quickly when visitors try to browse. It's MUCH faster than my old Ring Video Doorbell. The sound quality is also very good. A downside here is that it only records one side of the conversation, but this is outweighed by the fact that it's an audio-only stream and not muffled and distorted like my ring. Everything is fine with the connection. I'm calling this a positive because it doesn't disconnect as much as my ring but still has some connection issues. I suspect this is due to the weak Wi-Fi signal used to connect to the call. I know this is a battery saver mechanism, but I wish there was an option in the configuration to use a stronger signal to better stay in touch. Beep is on. Despite my issues with the chime, the fact that it comes with a doorbell is a huge plus. I had to buy a ringer separately for my old doorbell. I wish it had more ringtone options, for example my wife REALLY liked the 'Westminster' ring, but there's nothing quite like Eufy and no option to 'download' calls. Will I keep this doorbell? No entry fees, then I have to say yes until I find something better. The reality is that many of the issues with this device just boil down to poor design choices that could easily be remedied if Eufy decides to go for it. However, until there are solutions to the problems, I'll use it while I keep looking for a better option, and then it'll go to the trash. I'll update this review if Eufy solves any of the issues I see with this kit.