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My setup, after house fire rebuild: All Samsung appliances (very unpopular choice) linked to SmartThings. Got a good deal on the package. No problems yet but from what everyone says, I expect problems eventually. Armstrong air / Lennox comfort sync heat pump system (HACS integration available) I bought sengled color bulbs and later started changing them to Philips Hue SMLight SLZB-06 Zigbee coordinator TreatLife DS03 fan switches (must use dumb fans with these) wifi Lorex 4K doorbell, along with a frigate integration Ultraloq bolt deadbolt locks (wifi) I don't recommend smart smoke detectors personally. I have dumb hard wired ones that link to each other wirelessly. Kidde brand from home depot. I ended up getting an AirThings View that monitors PM, CO2, radon, VOCs, pressure, temp, humidity I SHOULD HAVE wired Shelly 1 Mini gen 4's into all of my light switches, but I didn't :( So as of now I have a SmartThings hub, Philips hue hub, SLZB-06 coordinator, and a bunch of docker containers running on a Mac mini
It...really doesn't. I got a Lorex NVR for maybe $300 and their wired video doorbell with a remote chime for like $100 more. So for basically twice the price of a new Ring doorbell, you can have a doorbell plus a hard drive recorder supporting as many PoE cameras as you desire. You can keep the whole thing offline if you want, use their app for accessing your live views and local recordings, or push the whole thing through your own proxy service, I'm sure.
Yeah I absolutely wired it myself. The doorbell is connected to the NVR via wifi, so it only needed power. There was already a doorbell wire to a non-working chime and outlet nearby. So I had to run new wire across the attic, hook it up to a new transformer, and connect that to a new mechanical chime. Then connected the Lorex remote chime via wifi, plugged in my bedroom. I forgot about that part of the project, but most people wouldn't have to do that, because most homes already have a wired traditional doorbell. Maybe replace their existing transformer to handle a higher power load (especially if they need multiple doorbells on, say, a front and back door). But nothing that should add significant cost and difficulty. Especially if the benefit gained is privacy and control over your own monitoring content. Edit: Also, many battery- or solar-powered doorbell options exist, should an "expensive" rewire be necessary to replace an older doorbell on like 23ga wire or whatever.
I’ve been rocking a Lorex for a few years, works great no issues. Pairs nicely with their wire free (ie battery) camera system too.
I had a Lorex doorbell camera and am happy with it. It records onto an SD card and is linked to my private wifi. They make other cameras also. No subscription!
I got a Lorex camera and am happy with it! Records on SD.
I have the Lorex doorbell camera along with other cams going to their NAS. I like it
End of reviews
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