ᐅ Video doorbell and surveillance camera for new construction

Hello,

I want to install a video doorbell and surveillance cameras for our new build.

Which video doorbell would you recommend?
It should send the video feed to the registered smartphones and have a normal indoor chime, with the possibility to add another chime upstairs if necessary.
The doorbell should definitely work without internet (of course, sending to the phone won’t work then).
There must be no monthly fees or subscriptions for the doorbell.

Which surveillance cameras would you recommend? Should the cameras and doorbell be from the same manufacturer so they can be integrated?
For example, a video doorbell at the front door plus a camera, so you can see both images when someone rings.

What system should we use? PoE (Power over Ethernet)?

We will install Unifi access points on each floor and one in the garden for the network.

For surveillance cameras, possibly one next to the front door as an addition to the video doorbell, one camera with a light for the driveway near the garage, and maybe another camera for the small path next to the garage.

Which video doorbell and surveillance cameras would you recommend?

Which video doorbell with an Ekey module would you recommend for a new build?

What do you think of the Doorbird with Ekey?

Are there any alternatives with a wider viewing angle?

Are you planning to have children or do you already have them? If so, you should consider a solution that does not depend on a mobile phone.

Also, I was just testing apps for our new video intercom system last night. In daily use, I find it quite inconvenient to set them up to the point where you can actually talk through them. In my opinion, a well-placed indoor station is a better option.

There are a few other active threads on this topic right now. Maybe they will help you
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/suche-motorschlos-oder-e-oeffner-fuer-automatiktuer.43410/
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/fingerprint-zahlenschloss-nachruesten.42873/page-4#post-576289
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/smarte-videotuerklingel-und-ueberwachungskameras.42649/page-5

I installed the Google Nest doorbell in our new build. It only requires a simple doorbell wire with a transformer. The doorbell activates our conventional chimes and sends alerts independently of location to connected smartphones or smart home intercoms/displays. The cost of the doorbell is quite reasonable. A stable broadband connection is necessary; otherwise, the video may lag and the image quality is poor. The basic package (without extended video recording) can be used without a subscription fee. Alternatively, there are also other smart home doorbell options available.

Somehow, I don’t quite understand this.

I definitely want a future-proof PoE doorbell (no Wi-Fi doorbell for new construction).

Is there even such a thing as the perfect video doorbell? 😀

I didn’t get any clearer from the threads you mentioned either.

In my search, I found the following doorbells:

Doorbird – downside: forced cloud usage (how bad is this? What happens if the cloud service is shut down?)

2N IP Verso – downside: relatively low resolution (I think 480p) and unclear licensing system. Also, if you want to use it on the go, you have to sign up for a paid subscription.

Goliath – doesn’t look bad either, but how good is their fingerprint scanner? Unfortunately, they don’t use the one from ekey.

What other alternatives are there without cloud dependency and without monthly fees?

I also recommend considering app reviews when searching. That’s what made me quickly move away from the expensive solution offered by a well-known manufacturer. What’s the use of a smart home doorbell if the app and smart home integration constantly have issues and you can’t ultimately rely on it? Personally, I have nothing against cloud services; I actually see the advantage that you don’t have to manage the infrastructure yourself, and the provider automatically keeps the software intelligence up to date. The doorbell and app should still work in 5–10 years. With a small niche provider, there is a risk that no updated app version will be available for the latest Android/iOS version.