Run a quick internet search on video doorbells and I guarantee you will get a bunch of links pointing you to the ‘best’ products on the market. But who defines ‘best’? The marketers pushing those products. I look at it a different way. I define best and worst by looking at features, quality, and price.
As far as features are concerned, I want things that will help stop porch piracy. That is why I am looking at installing a video doorbell. I want to be able to leave my house and be fairly confident that any packages I haven’t accounted for through other means will be safe if left in front of my door.
But can a video doorbell really stop porch piracy? It might not stop a hard-core thief who does not mind taking the risk of being caught. But for most porch pirates, I think a few key things will stop them in their tracks.
1. The Best Shock and Awe Feature
I love the idea of shock and awe as a way to stop porch pirates in their tracks. I want to scare the living daylights out of them, so they run away rather than swiping my stuff. To that end, the best video doorbell feature I found was Vivint’s Smart Deter feature supported by some pretty impressive technology that allows the device to distinguish between potential threats and innocuous motion.
When a threat is detected, the doorbell sends an alert to the homeowner’s phone and/or a central monitoring station. But it doesn’t stop there. The doorbell also lights up with a blinking red light and sounds an alarm through a 90 dB speaker. A porch pirate will know instantly that he has been caught on camera. The blinking light and sound should send him running like a scared rabbit.
2. The Best Camera View
I have also come to realize that the effectiveness of a video doorbell in stopping porch piracy is somewhat dependent on the view. If a video doorbell offers a small and limited view, the data it provides is also limited. So I want the widest possible view without losing image detail.
A camera supporting a 180°x180° field of view would do the trick. I would be able to see a person approaching all the way from the street. And as he approached, I would still be able to see his entire body from head to toe. The full view would also allow me to see packages sitting on the porch without inhibiting my view of the street.
Tall and wide is the name of the game when you are talking maximum video doorbell coverage. The more I can see in my field of vision, the happier I am.
3. The Best Customization Feature
Video doorbells are by no means perfect. They can inadvertently detect animals, send false alarms, and so forth. That tells me I need some level of customization to maximize my device’s ability to stop porch piracy. Enter customizable surveillance zones.
With such a feature, I can literally draw out a surveillance zone electronically. My video doorbell will focus on that zone for the purpose of detecting intruders or lurkers. And if I want more than one zone, it’s possible.
I am smart enough to know that a video doorbell isn’t guaranteed to stop porch piracy by itself. But it is a very powerful weapon in the fight against such crimes. When thieves know they are being watched and recorded, they need to assess whether or not stealing a package is worth the risk. That gives me the advantage.