Unveiled at CES 2019, the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell was eagerly awaited and finally enters our comparison. With her, Netatmo ventures into an area already very busy with Ring and Arlo.
Presentation
Launched at € 299,99, the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell comes well after the manufacturer's indoor and outdoor cameras launched 4 years ago. This intercom is not intended for surveillance as such. The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell is a device that is added to the place of an already existing doorbell. It has a sensor that can film in Full HD 1080p (supported by an HDR mode) and enjoys a fairly wide viewing angle of 140 °. Obviously, infrared LEDs are on board so that the intercom can be harnessed to night vision. All videos are kept on a microSD card up to 32 GB.
Convenience of employment
The finishes of the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell are impeccable, the materials used seem resistant and of good quality.
Its push button is not sensitive to fingerprints, unlike that of the Arlo Video Doorbell model.
An outline as well as an inclined support are provided for the user to install the doorbell as he wishes.
The Netatmo video intercom is IP44 certified: it is capable of withstanding dust and splashing water. It also supports temperatures ranging from -10 ° C to 40 ° C.
Before any installation, it is important to check the status of the Wi-Fi signal with a smartphone where you want to position the doorbell since it does not have an Ethernet port.
The microSD port is no longer accessible once the device is plugged in and closed on the back.
The Netatmo doorbell plugs directly into the power supply of the old doorbell (8-24 V and 230 V) and the small black box on the existing chime to divert the current. In fact, as the doorbell is connected to the same electrical path and is permanently powered on, the module returns current to the chime only when the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell is pressed - even if it does not receive the Internet. Without it, it is unusable.
The module plugs into the chime.
Its installation does not take too long, but battery-powered systems are much easier to position, like the Ring Video Doorbell 3. Obviously, these stand-alone systems have their share of constraints: you have to keep an eye on them. autonomy.
Once the two Netatmo elements are connected, the doorbell is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi (2,5 GHz) from the Netatmo Security management application. The process is quick and easy.
Application
Netatmo Security, the doorbell management application, is intuitive, and it takes a few minutes to get started, which is very appreciable.
A live thumbnail can be positioned on the screen; practical for giving information from another application while communicating with a visitor.
On the home page are the live window and the list of all recorded events: missed or heard ringtones, motion detections, etc. Surprisingly, all recorded footage is clamped to 720p.
To access the videos, simply scroll through the history of sequences. They are all stored on the microSD card (included), but it is also possible to configure an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or to transfer the files to the user's Dropbox account. We appreciate that Netatmo leaves the choice to the user of the storage solution, which is not the case with Ring, especially on the Video Doorbell 3 where only access to a paid cloud is available.
The Netatmo Security application allows you to manage all the brand's devices.
With the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell, the user receives a notification if there is motion detection, when someone rings the intercom, when he answers, when he does not answer ... In short, all occasions are good. for the Netatmo Video Doorbell to send an alert to the user's smartphone. Fortunately, notifications are deactivated from the settings.
From the application, it is possible to define 4 detection zones in order to activate surveillance on these predefined spaces. From the "Manage my home" tab, you can choose that in the event of activity the device completely ignores the movement, that it films without sending an alert or that it records while transmitting a notification.
The application is very easy to use. If the settings are poor enough, they are sufficient for basic use.
Image quality
According to the data sheet, the Netatmo films Full HD 1080p images. Initially, this definition was only available for direct and through Apple HomeKit. Today, this definition is available on video recordings.
We will compare the images of the Netatmo Video Doorbell with those of the Philips WelcomeEye Link model which benefits from the same definition.
By day
Images from the Netatmo Smart Doorbell reveal a few overexposed areas where the details are quite coarse. However, the elements are clearly identifiable, even those located in dark areas. The Philips Welcome EyeLink is set back.
By night
In night mode, the images of the Philips Welcome EyeLink are of better quality, but those of the Netatmo Smart Doorbell do not deserve. The elements are clearly visible and good exposure management provides good visibility in darker areas.
The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell detects a silhouette at 1,5m, which is good enough for this type of product, although the Arlo Video Doorbell camera does better with its 4,5m.
Finally, we do not deplore any image distortion on the images of the Netatmo Video Doorbell.
Audio quality
The loudspeaker has sufficient volume to be heard without problem by a visitor from about 2 m away in a quiet environment. The utterances are understood very easily and the voices are reproduced with fidelity. The signal has no cutoff, so you can interact for a few minutes without difficulty.
The microphone is sensitive and picks up the quietest sounds (footsteps, for example), but this can be problematic for the understanding of sentences if there is noise around (work, traffic, etc.). The voices are very nasal and it is necessary to articulate well to be understood. Finally, the visitor must speak at most 1 m from the doorbell to hope that the owner hears it correctly.
Highlights
Impeccable finishes.
Very easy to use application.
Choice of video storage solution (microSD, server or Dropbox).
Day and night image quality.
Weak points
Conclusion
Note globale
Netatmo's Smart Video Doorbell was long overdue. And this delay, the Spanish start-up is perhaps paying a little. It left time for other players (Ring, Arlo, Nest) to cut their teeth by offering intercoms with very good image quality. Full HD, too, is long overdue, but it is now available for all videos recorded by the doorbell. This allows it to finally offer a much more precise image than that delivered by the HD initially offered. For the rest, the use is simple and we benefit from a device with impeccable finishes.
Sub Notes
