Blink Video Doorbell + Echo dot = £34.99 / Blink Video Doorbell + Sync Module 2 + Echo Dot = £49.98 (or Echo Show 5 £64.98) - Prime @ Amazon

I just bought the Blink doorbell from QVC when it was their TSV to replace my Ring doorbell. Places it next to my ring doorbell and the video quality was shocking, the material quality feels very cheap, I’d rather pay the subscription. It has been returned for a refund. If it had been any good, I was going to replace my ring cameras as well. But that’s been kicked into touch (edited)

It allows you to record to a USB drive thus avoiding the need for a subscription

I have some blink outdoor cameras & a sync module 2 (+ a USB memory stick) - you can certainly view past footage (using the Blink app on a phone) without a subscription with this setup, and the blink doorbell will be the same

Looks like it is still active, it was this deal: hotukdeals.com/dea…059

From my quick check of reviews, you don't NEED the sync module.
On its own, it will notify you if somebody rings your doorbell with live feed and motion.

However if you want to have a more robust set up (video storage, 2 way communication, etc) without paying a monthly fee, the sync device allows that.

Ive had the Ring doorbell for 3 years. So far its caught a Hermes delivery driver delivering 1 parcel but scanning two (and taking one back with her and stealing it), its caught my neighbour reversing into my wifes car and driving off, its caught someone random person in the rain wandering around my garden with a plastic bag over their head, its caught a hit and run drunk driver that side swiped my wifes car and didnt stop.

Very very useful. Ive just bought the blink deal as i hate being ripped off with subscription charges.

I believe the grandfathered free cloud storage does also work with the new Blink Doorbells - so yes you can!

Although If you check the fine print you'll see that for live-view on a blink doorbell (ie live view on demand without someone pressing the doorbell) you need to EITHER have a sync-module-2 OR wire the blink doorbell to existing doorbell wiring,
I believe that's due to the power drain of constant communication between the doorbell and the internet - and either existing doorbell wiring or a sync-module 2 is able to reduce that power drain enough to enable to feature.

If your existing ring doorbell is connected to doorbell wiring then just wire the new blink doorbell in place - no other requirements.
If not I think you'd need to either run doorbell wiring to the blink doorbell OR get a sync-module 2 for the live-view feature.

If you don't care about live-view then this isn't needed - you'll still get the free cloud-based recordings of motion events and doorbell press events.

You can get live video, on your phone by opening the app. You can also get live video on your echo show by saying "Alexa show me the front door".

There is just no automatic live video, like ring, where it shows the live feed on the echo show without any interaction from yourself.

By default, all it will do is chime.


From comments elsewhere, you can work around it using a skill, which will in effect say "Alexa show me the front door" when the door bell is pressed, but there is a bit of a delay in the video showing




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Does Blink SmartHome Skill support Auto Live View with Doorbell press or motion detection?



No, currently the Blink SmartHome skill does not automatically stream live view when the Blink Video Doorbell is pressed or motion detection is triggered. You can ask Alexa to steam Live View when you receive a Doorbell press or motion detection notification by asking "Alexa, show me [camera name]." (edited)

I have the blink XT2 cameras... same lithium batteries as used with this doorbell... they have lasted well over 2 years in my case!

My experience with the Blink cameras is that batteries last weeks not months or years, but vary massively depending on passing traffic (at best case 3 or 4 months, worst case 3 or 4 weeks). I bought a solar panel from Ali Express which is fantastic and has saved me a fortune in batteries, however I don't think the doorbell has a usb port for power, which is kind of putting me off.

It’s working this morning!

Don’t buy things day one, you’ll always lose out.

I'm just on to them about exactly the same thing

Can confirm. Just received and the "camera system" version comes with sync module

With the £65 deal you also get the Sync Module 2, was going to get this so I don't need a subscription for storage. So your getting the echo show for £15

I got a Ring doorbell when it was cheap and just don't pay to record footage. There's a brightly coloured light around the button, so a very clear indicator that there's a camera pointed at you.

95% of security is the deterrent, you just want to be more of a problem than the next house over, or car or whatever. I've heard too many stories about police doing nothing even with proof, so I'm dubious the extent to which it would be useful anyway.

Delivery people almost never stop and wait for the doorbell so it's not much use for that either. But as I said, as a cheap and largely functional security deterrent I think they're great. And in that sense it doesn't really matter which one you get as long as it sends a clear message. (edited)

It’s very easy - I did mine last week.

Get a multimeter to check existing voltage of your chime.
You will need the voltage to be a minimum of 16v to allow for movement to be detected but your existing chime will still “ding dong”.

Just to add you will need to kill the power from the junction box when installing but not to test (obviously!). (edited)

Doorbell comes with an angled mount in the box .

Only 1 sync module required, the doorbells or cameras all record to the single module

Check the subscription comparison table on here, live view recording is no for local storage/without a subscription. Watching on the echo or app is live view and it's not recorded.

support.blinkforhome.com/en_…faq

Indeed - and they completely ignore the part about WHERE the footage is stored. On the blink its stored on a small USB module that can be hidden in your house. For that Ezviz doorbell (and a number of other ones) its stored on the doorbell itself - meaning a miscreant simply has to pry off your doorbell and you have no saved footage. The Eufy ones are just as bad (the footage is stored inside the house, but encrypted with a key thats only available when the doorbell is connected to the system. Doorbell pried off = stored video is lost)

AFAIK the Blink is the ONLY (reasonably priced) doorbell that (without a cloud subscription) stores video footage inside your house in a way that you'll still have access to it if the doorbell is removed.

It chimes on any ( or selected) echo dots ot shows. Also chimes on my phone . My existing doorbell unit powers the blink doorbell and also chimes like before

Option for both.

Yes

That's what the sync module is for, with that you store videos locally on a usb drive.

If you want to store the files, ring charge you £32 a year.
With blink you can store them locally on the sync module.

If you don't pay for blink storage online storage you only miss the hourly photo that it takes.

There is still a delay. I can't see the instructions but there is somewhere you can configure, so when the button is pressed it runs a command, you set that command to be "Alexa show me the front door"

Get the "system pack" from £50 that includes the sync module 2 and you plug a USB stick into that for local storage.

Sync unit is a standalone box , about 3 inches Square . It has a usb port so could use an SD card with an adaptor for recording.

Don't think it has a standalone chime but you can set it to chime on all or selected echo dots and shows .

The sync hub and doorbell etc are controlled and viewed via the blink app

If you mean the chime when the button is pressed. Yes you can get it to chime to an echo device.

Don't bother with huge capacity usb, we went with the samsung 64gb fit, good enough and small fitting.

Or if you have a Amazon fire stick

(edited)

You can buy a silicon cover for the doorbell, as for the outdoor cameras to keep out rain and anything else, have them on all the cameras around the house

The URL doesn't work now (must have been temporary for Prime Day) but here's my invoice:

edit - helps if I screenshot it properly (edited)

In the app press the vid icon then it will give you the live view of that camera. it will start recording and ask if you want to keep, or disgard it's not rocket science?

Not live view. But all other footage

Unsupported support.blinkforhome.com/en_…faq



If you want faster live view, you need to buy the ring camera instead

You do get the wedge adapter in the box. I ordered one with the doorbell and had to send it back. Wish they'd just put up a list of what you get in the box.