DoorBird D101 Tested Vs Ring and Axis

By: IPVM Team, Published on Sep 01, 2017

Video doorbells are a big growth market, with Ring, in particular gaining a lot of attention on the consumer side and Axis making a push on the commercial side. See IPVM's Ring Pro Test and IPVM's Axis Door Station Test.

DoorBird is emerging as a rival to those two, less expensive than Axis, but greater integration (e.g., ONVIF support) than Ring. But how well does DoorBird work?

We bought and tested the DoorBird D101 IP door station, with results on:

Video quality
Audio quality
Echo cancellation
Noise reduction
VMS integration
WDR performance
Low light image quality
Mobile App / Usability

And more. See the full results inside.

***** ********* *** * big ****** ******, **** Ring, ** ********** ******* a *** ** ********* on *** ******** **** and **** ****** * push ** *** ********** side. *******'* **** *** ***********'* **** **** ******* Test.

********** ******** ** * rival ** ***** ***, less ********* **** ****, but ******* *********** (*.*., ONVIF *******) **** ****. But *** **** **** DoorBird ****?

** ****** *** ****** the******** ****** **** *******, **** results **:

***** *******
***** *******
**** ************
***** *********
*** ***********
*** ***********
*** ***** ***** *******
****** *** / *********

*** ****. *** *** full ******* ******.

[***************]

Key ********

**** *** *** *** findings **** *** **** of ********:

***** *****:** *** ****** ******, subjects ******** **** *** Doorbird **** ********* ** hear ***** ******* ***** and ******. ******** ******** noise ************, *** ***** are ** ******** ** increase/decrease ******, **** ** overall ***** ******* ***** increases **** ***** *** speech.
**** ***** *******:******** ******** **** ******** image ******* ******, ********* high ***********, **** *** performance, *** ***** ****** ***** at **** *******, ********* to **** ******* ***** quality **** ******** ** other ******* ******.
***** *********** *****/***** *** only:******** ****** *** ***** with ********, *****, *******, and *********, ********* * video ****** *** ***** output, *** ** *****.
********** ***: *** ******** ***, ***** simple *** **** ***, was ********* *** *******/********, displaying **** ********* *** button *******/****** ******, **** no ********** ***** *** video *****, ****** ******** events ********* ** ****.
**** ** *************:******** ***** ******* ***** configuration ******* ******** ** typical *******/*********. ********* *** passwords *** *** ** customized, * ****** ** address ****** ** ********, no *******/***/*********** *********** *** available, ***.

Axis/Commercial ******* **********

******** ** ********** **** stations **** ** *** Axis *****-*, ******** ****** poorer ***** ******* *** lacks **** ***** *** I/O *********** ** *****. However, ********'* ***** ** **** lower ***** ** ********** especially *** ******* ***** or budgets. **** *** ***** setup *** *** *** are ******* **** ****** (if **** ***** ***** features ** ***), ****** it ****** ** ****** plug ** *** ****** calls *** ***.

****/*******/******** *********

******** ** **** *** and ******* **, ********'* video ** ***** ******* and *** ******* ****** is **** $*** **** expensive **** ***** *******. However, **** *** ******* lack *****, ****, ** other *** ***********.

*****

*** ******** **** *** be********* ******** **** ***** website *** $***. **** ** ~$*** more **** *** **** Pro, ****** **** ***** the */* ***** ** Doorbird. *** ******** ** less **** **** *** price ** ***$********-* **** *******.

Physical ********

*** ******** ** ***** than *** **** *****, making ** ****** ** be ******* *******. ** is ******* ****** **** most ********/*** ******* *********, as ****.

******** *** ** ********* via **** ** ******** ***** an ******** ******. ***** may ** ******** **** ******** doorbell ****** ***** ** included ***** ******, ** via ***.

** ****** ***** ******** in *** ***** *****:

Wistia video player

Noisy *****

********'* ***** ** ********* to **** ******* *** mobile ***, **** *** issues:

**** ***** ************:*******'* ***** *** ******** to ******** ******/*****. ******** includes ***** ************ *** no ***** ** ********* it ** ** ****. Even ******* ** ** unoccupied ********** ****, ***** levels **** **********.
**** **** ************:****** *** ** ****** as ******* ***** ******, we *********** **** ****** during ******* ** *** scenes, **** *** ********'* voice (***** ****** ***) echoing **** **** *** DoorBird, **** ******* ******* with ** ********** ******* nearby.

*** ******** ***** ********** these ******.

Below ******* ***** *******

** ****** ***** ******* in ****** *** ******* scenes **. *** **** A8105-E **** *******.

*******, ******** ***** ** sufficient ** ********* ******** using *** *******. *******, video ** ****** ********** 720p (***, *** *****), resulting ** *********** ******** and ********* ******** ** the **** **** *******.

********, ******* **** **** worse, **** *** *******'* face ******** *** ***********/******** more ******.

************, ** ******* ******, details *** **** *****, as *** ******'* **** appears ******* ****** ** near *******, ****** *** background *** ******* **** only *-*' ******.

Low ***** ***********

*** ** *** ***** in **, *** ***** image ******* *** ******* to *** **** *****-* (no **) **** **** added ***** (***** * lux ***** *****).

*******, ** * ******* dark ***** (~*.****), ******** provides **** ****** *******, with *** *******'* **** still ************, *** ******** in *** **** **** station.

VMS ***********

******** ********** **** *** VMSes ****** ***** *****, including ******** ******* ******, ExacqVision, ******* ******** ******, and ********* ******** *********. Users ******* ***** *** same *********** **** *** the *** ("*********", ***.).

**** **** ***** ******** a ***** ****** *** control ** ********'* ***** output. ** **** *** integrate *** ***** ******, button *******, ** ********* input.

Limited ********/****** *******

*** ******** ****** *** displays **** ***** ********** for ****** ******* *** motion ******. ******* * given ********* **** *** load *****. ***** ***** are ********* ** ******** order ** * ******** tab. *******, ***** ** not **** **********, ******* users **** **** *** time/date **** *** ********* for ** ****** ******** clips *** ** * time ************ ***** **** find **.

Wistia video player

Limited ************* *******

******** ************* ** ******* in ******* *** ****:

** **** *************:***** *** ******** * unique ***** ***** *** not ** **********. ********* are ****** "**********" ***** X ** ****** * ********** number. ********* *** * 10-character ****** ****** *** may **** *** ** customized, **** ******* ** another ****** ******.
** ***** *************:****** ******* ********** *******, DoorBird *** ** ***** options, **** ** ***, compression, *******, ***. ***** is ****, ** ***, with ** ***** *******.

** ****** ********'* ***** options *****:

*********/***********

********* ******** ******* *** and *****, ** ***** that ************ *** * steady ** *******, **** higher **** ******* *******, which ******* ~**-**. ************, the ****** **** * steady * ****** *-***** interval. **** ******* ** noticeable *********** ******** *** artifacts **** ** ****** above.

******** ****** **** ~***-*** Kb/s ** ******** ****** during *******. ***** **** bitrates **** ***** **** daytime *** ** ******* visibility/details ***** **.

Test **********

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** ****** ********* specified. *** ********* ******** versions **** **** ** this ****:

******** ****:******** ******
**** *****-*:*.**.*.*

Comments (16)

Undisclosed

09/01/17 03:32pm

Another Doorbell to test is the DBell HD Live as it also features an ONVIF stream.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

09/01/17 05:39pm

I have the Skybell HD on my home. When everything is working optimally, such as bandwidth, WiFi, phone reception, Skybell's server, etc., it's awesome. When any one of those things is not working well, it's frustrating. The Skybell HD has a 1080p camera, but if your WiFi will only support a 1080p intermittently, you'll need to select the 720p option if you want it to work more than once a week, and even then it's uncertain you'll get live video when a visitor comes calling. With Skybell HD, make sure you have adequate upload speed. Skybell recommends 1.5Mbps upload, but I think 2Mbps or higher should be your target.

Tyler Graham

09/01/17 07:14pm

Do DoorBird or Ring support SIP protocol? If not, I don't think it's fair to lump them in with the Axis A8105 which is a commercial grade SIP endpoint, for functionality and price. In the commercial environment, they are tied into a SIP PBX and answered with a SIP phone - not a mobile app.

Duncan Miller

In reply to Tyler Graham | 09/02/17 01:23am

DoorBird does support SIP. I have tested it with FreePBX and can confirm it works.

Jack Woods

In reply to Tyler Graham | 11/08/18 03:31pm

DoorBird DOES support SIP, now.

Undisclosed Integrator #3

09/01/17 09:11pm

No hikvision doorbell in the test ?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #3 | 09/02/17 12:27pm

#3, We will test the Hikvision doorbell. In NA, I believe it is just starting to ship.

Rhodes is already starting to testing Hikvision and Dahua access control overall, we will have our first post in that series next week and tests over the next month.

Jim Kirk

In reply to John Honovich | 09/17/17 07:57pm

Looking forward to the Hikvision doorbell test. Will it be the DS-KB6003-WIP wireless doorbell(seems like this is the only one they call a doorbell, other Hikvision models are called "video intercoms") :

http://www.hikvision.com/en/Products_accessries_857_i6482.html

or is there a wired model from the Hikvision Video Intercom line that is a "doorbell" that you are testing?

http://www.hikvision.com/en/products_702.html

FYI, here is a "video doorbell", HIKVISION DS-KV8102-1A, I'm seeing on eBay with some very detailed screenshots of how to interface it with iVMS 4200.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIKVISION-DS-KV8102-1A-HD-Visual-intercom-doorbell-waterproof-IP-Camera-Doorbell-/322496297306?hash=item4b1646f95a:g:-9gAAOSws5pZNLip

Interesting that this eBay seller says ("in NOTE") this model can be added to a Hikvision NVR directly. Great feature if it pans out.

Note

1,NO Power adapter in the original package,If you need a Power adapter for the camera of us, please go to the link of Power adapter to buy and pay.

2. This is Multi-language Hikvision IP Videl intercom which Can not upgrade the firmware, including English, French, Russian, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese.Can be added to the HIKvision NVR directly

I'd really like to see if these video doorbellscould be integrated with a Hikvision Indoor station for a residence, such as these products:

http://www.hikvision.com/en/products_701.html

in addition to having the doorbell work with a Hikvision NVR.

What makes this Hikvision stuff so interesting is the expectation of full integration (i.e. it all works well together) with an existing all Hikvision residential video surveillance system I am using (Hik IP Cam's>DS-9632NI-I8 IP NVR).

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jim Kirk | 09/17/17 08:41pm

Jim, Which unit(s) we tested is not yet determined. We'll ask Hikvision North America for input first as we don't want to test eBay or Chinese models that would cause confusion / dispute about the validity of the results.

Jim Kirk

In reply to John Honovich | 09/17/17 09:14pm

John,

The Hikvision USA site has a very limited choice of video intercoms (i.e. doorbells). Be interesting to see what you get.

http://overseas.hikvision.com/us/products_723.htmlhttp://overseas.hikvision.com/us/products_723.html

There is quite a difference in Hikvision product labeling from the USA site compared to the /en site I linked to. Confusing.

I purchased one of my IP cameras (DS-2DE3304W-DE) from a Chinese vendor because it wasn't available in the US market when the urge to purchase hit me. Eventually that camera was listed on US websites but I would always like to go US first so future upgrading is no issue. FYI, I was able to contact the Chinese vendor and get updated FW sent to me (which worked perfectly) but it's much easier to get it from the US Hikvision support site for US cameras.

Brian Hampton

IPVMU Certified | 09/06/17 02:42am

I recently installed one of these (although I think it was a D201 or D202 stand alone module) that was integrated in to a gate call box made by Holovision. Combined with a keypad and a 3xLogic Infinias eIDC32 controller it works pretty well. It does have poor audio quality for the size of the speaker (although it is better than other's I have experienced.) The image quality is decent for short range which is typically where your subjects will be standing. The biggest pro for me was that it can be synced with numerous devices. When the gate call button is activated it "ding dongs" the wall mounted iPads in the residence as well as both resident's cell phones simultaneously. This particular customer did not have a working phone line run to the gate and running a new line would have required boring or cutting concrete twice. So this was the best solution I could find that would work over a wireless bridge to the house.

Jason Meens

Greenwave Technology Solutions | 09/22/17 01:16am

Grandstream also has what appears to be a decent door station that would be more similar to the Axis model tested then the doorbird is. I own one but have not tested it yet. It is a SIP endpoint also and supports ONVIF. It is also POE.

http://www.grandstream.com/products/physical-security/video-door-systems/product/gds3710

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jason Meens | 09/22/17 01:20am

Jason, thanks for an informative first comment.

Though Grandstream has never been a significant surveillance camera provider, they are fairly established on the voice side, and low cost. We will consider it.

Btw, we are just about to finish a test on the SkyBell which was tested because of its support on the Alarm.com platform. Expect that next week.

Jason Meens

Greenwave Technology Solutions | In reply to John Honovich | 09/27/17 05:16pm

You are welcome. I have not had time to test the Grandstream door station yet and likely won't have time for quite a while. If you were interested to test it for review I would be willing to send it to you as long as you paid the shipping and return it after. Let me know.

Jason Meens

Greenwave Technology Solutions | 09/22/17 01:20am

Forgot to mention the Grandstream GDS3710 is only about $350 as well so about the same as the doorbird. It is more for commercial use though. Supports a door strike which are used in commercial buildings often.

Tony Chuah

In reply to Jason Meens | 02/23/19 10:08am

Yes, this unit is ugly as sin, suitable only for commercial use, or homeowners with poor taste.