Ring Outdoor Camera Elite (Stick Up Cam) | HD outdoor Security Camera 1080p Video, Two-Way Talk, Wifi, Works with Alexa | alternative to CCTV system | 30-day free trial of Ring Protect

I now have two of these devices covering my entire property, and the system is very simple to use and relatively easy to install.The ring app, which is used to monitor all my ring cameras is very easy to use and they keep bringing new functionality all the time. You can have an overview of all cameras in a single display and also change the settings of each camera individually. We have an Amazon Alexa Fire Cube and I love the ability to ask Alexa to display the cameras on the TV, which is great for seeing who is at the front door or keeping an eye on the dogs in the back garden.Starting off with the installation, everything you need is supplied in the box, but I found a couple of extra tools come in very handy. Firstly, you get a very lengthy Power of Ethernet (PoE) cable, which is used to both power the camera and also connect to the internet, either via WiFi, or Ethernet. Once the cable was installed, I wanted to trim it right down to length, but in order to do that, I needed a spare ethernet cable connector (the ones on the supplied cable cannot be removed as they’re sealed) and a network cable crimping tool.Once the cable was cut (recommend cutting the end which will be indoors so as not to affect the ingress protection of the outside end), I fitted a new connector and it’s now much neater.I also recommend getting a Powerline Adapter – TP Link do a very good set for a reasonable price and these mean that your existing electrical cabling become a conduit for internet, rather than having to hardwire the house with ethernet cabling. The powerline adapter plugs in the same socket as my router downstairs, and the other next to the camera networking and power unit. This is also great if, like me, you have a detached garage and want to place a camera on there without having to run cabling. Provided the garage has a power socket, you can use the powerline adapter and internet signal will be sent over the existing circuit.Lastly, I needed an extra long drill bit (about 2-3 feet in length) to drill from inside to outside for the cabling. Luckily a neighbour had one, otherwise i would either had to hire or buy one. One of the problems which I came across was then trying to fit the ethernet connector through the hole (which is sizable compared to the width of the cable) which kept getting stuck and you’d need a very wide hole to get it through. This is another reason to cut the inside connector and fit a new one, as it makes it so much easier to thread it. Once everything was in place, I sealed the hole with expanding foam and fitted a cable weather shield on the outside hole to prevent water ingress.I make this sound so complicated, but I’m completely useless when it comes to DIY and I managed to achieve it!The actual camera is fairly clear and it has a very wide field of view, like a fish-eye view. You can also zoom into the live video and images, although this is a digital zoom, not optical so you just closer to the pixels. It provides notifications to my phone when motion is detected and I have it setup to show a little screen grab notification so I can get a quick view of what has triggered the alert, without having to open the app (perfect when at work!). You can also communicate via two way audio over the camera, so can give instructions to delivery drivers or trigger an alarm to scare away next doors cat!I find the night mode not to be great, but I think it’s my camera positioning too close to walls which reflect the Infra-Red lights, making the rest much darker. Something I’ll have to think about soon.One concern I had about the camera was the large opening to the rear, where the POE cabling goes into the camera. That being said, I’ve had both my cameras outside now for about 2 years and the only ingress I’ve found, are some spiders making it their home! Likewise, I’ve never had any other problems with any of the ring cameras and would thoroughly recommend them.

The Ring cameras are fantastic, no problems at all. I paid for my cameras to be installed via amazons installation service but, that is because I'm disabled. I would have easily fitted these myself if I was still able-bodied.I spent quite a bit of time doing my own research before opting for these Ring cameras, and I will share my knowledge if it helps. I'm with Sky as my ISP (Internet Service Provider) I only pay for 37 MBPS in speed. After doing my research on Wi-Fi mesh networks I decided to opt for the BT Whole Home Wi-Fi Triple Pack (which you can buy from amazon for £161.98) I didn't think they were overly expensive and It nearly doubled my speed up to 75 MBPS! The big bonus with these BT Wi-Fi discs is they work with any ISP (Internet Service Provider) be it Sky, Virgin, BT etc. There is also an Ethernet port at the back of each disc which means hard-wiring your Ring cameras via PoE (Power Over Ethernet) an absolute doddle. If you want a stable service and great picture with your Ring cameras you have to go PoE in my opinion instead of wireless. Only one of the discs has to be plugged into your router via Ethernet the other two you can move around your home to boost your signal. I live in a 2-bed bungalow and everything is working great for me but, I've also read many comments from people who live in houses who have purchased these discs, and they work great for them too.The Ring cameras are fantastic, and getting the app for them via the play store for your phone or tablet is easy and free! The same goes for getting the app for your laptop from the Microsoft store for windows. I took out the monthly plan for the Ring cameras the same day great service all round.

I installed the camera 2 days before writing this review. The installation was easy, I ran a single ethernet cable from my PoE switch to the camera and everything was very straightforward to setup. One thing that did bug me was the gaping hole that the ethernet cable goes through. I know Ring says the product is weatherproof, but I struggled to accept that such a design was sufficiently protecting the device against the elements, so I used some Sugru mouldable glue to cover up the hole after plugging the cable into the camera (hopefully I don't regret this is the future).In terms of the camera performance itself; I live on a busy (albeit entirely residential) road. That means the street is already well lit, so the night vision is very good. The downside of living on a busy road being that the motion detector goes off constantly, so I need to keep limiting the size of the detection zone. The picture quality is good, but I've mounted the camera about 4.5 metres high, which perhaps is a bit too high, as I cannot make out the numberplates of passing vehicles in the event of a hit and run.I was previously considering the Nest Outdoor Cam, and even bought one but never put it up because I was uneasy about the magnet design which could be knocked off by someone throwing a tennis ball at it. I also didn't like that you had to feed a sizeable USB-A connector through the wall. The Ring has neither of those drawbacks, you can feed through some CAT5/6/7 and then use a crimping tool to put on the RJ45 connector meaning you only need to make a 5-6mm hole in your wall rather than a 22mm hole.The siren is not very loud, although it may be of use in quieter neighbourhood -- I live in London. It's a similar story with the speaker. Taking all of the drawbacks into consideration, I've ordered another one which I'll use to keep an eye on the garden. Personally, I would say you get fairly good value for money, and the optional subscription is a lot more reasonable than all the other ones I've seen.