The Arbor Video Doorbell offers more than Ring, for less

Arbor, a new Silicon Valley company, today announces its first product: the Arbor video stamp. Starting this summer, Arbor will do everything you expect and maybe a little more for a price that might surprise you, especially if you get your preorder early.

First, let's go beyond basic functionality. Arbor transmits 1080p HD video and bidirectional audio day or night through an 802.11b / g / n (2.4GHz) connection to your home Wi-Fi. It has a removable lithium-ion battery that lasts about a year with a single charge, according to the company, and the buzzer can be mounted without the need to connect any special wiring to the electricity or its old bell. IOS and Android applications alert people at the door, either after pressing the large bell button or when movement is detected in any of the user defined zones in the 160 degree field of view. the camera. The application also allows you to consult a live transmission of the video transmission at any time when you are at home or away from it. Everything you would expect from a video ring in 2018.

One thing that differentiates the timbre of Arbor is the inclusion of an integrated bell inside the included Wi-Fi extender. That makes Arbor suitable for a home or family, since everyone can hear the buzzer, not just those who have the application installed and their phone nearby (Arbor allows you to add additional users for smartphone alerts). The other advantage that Arbor offers is 48 hours of free encrypted cloud storage for your audio and video recordings (browser access to recordings will be offered when Arbor is shipped). In addition to the security benefits, the recordings allow you to see what was lost when you were in the shower or otherwise too busy to respond immediately to the app's alerts. Unlimited recordings beyond two days will cost $ 2-3 per month.




Arbor carillon and Wi-Fi extender hub.
Image: Arbor

Arbor promises the "best and fastest image" and the "most reliable Wi-Fi". Fi connection in the market. "In my tests with an almost final prototype unit (running beta firmware) positioned near my Wi-Fi hotspot, the buzzer sounds about half a second after I pressed the large button on the unit mounted outside my front door. I see another alert in the beta application that runs on my phone half a second later, that's fine, but it's no better than the buzzer and buzzer that I've installed in my house for years, and Arbor sometimes gets stuck in the start sequence, presenting a static image for a few seconds before the video starts. When you are away from home, Arbor alerts for smartphones can be delayed a few seconds, as with other ringers connected by Wi-Fi. Fi.

As for the "best" image quality claim: that's fine, but Arbor's 1080p video obviously does not look better (or worse) than the 720p video produced by my ringtone when it's seen on the small screen of my phone. Arbor likes to play the fact that he does not suffer from "strange fisheye distortion" like other video timbres, but other video timbres produce a much wider field of view as can be seen in the images below:

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the arbor video doorbell offers more than ring for less
the arbor video doorbell offers more than ring for less

Ring of vision (left) vs. Arbor (right) field of vision.

The Arbor app also features a panic button on the screen when you see the ringer feeding. Presumably, he would slip this while visualizing a threat outside his home, although the only alarm he triggers is the 115 decibel ring inside his home. Arbor says he plans to increase the function in the future to alert the police.

Unfortunately, Arbor does not offer much in terms of protection against theft for the doorbell. It is shipped with two mounting options: double-sided tape or a stand that is placed outside the door with standard philips screws. Other bells, such as Ring, are attached to their mounts using appropriate security screws as a deterrent against theft.

Where Arbor really shines is in the price, especially at the beginning of the Indiegogo campaign that is launched today. The timbre and video ring of Arbor are priced at $ 199, but the first 100 buyers get it for $ 119, a discount of 40 percent with delivery scheduled for mid-June. To compare, Ring, which absolutely dominates the sales of video stamps in the US. UU With a 90% market share, it sells an entry-level 720p ringer for $ 99, but will pay $ 199 for the second-generation model if it wants 1080p video and a quick release of the rechargeable battery. Add another $ 59 for the interior ring with Wi-Fi extender, and another $ 30 per year if you want to see the stored recordings. All together, Arbor seems to be a good deal for early risers.

It is true that it is always a bet to support a technological campaign of a new company in crowdfunding platforms such as Indiegogo. But Arbor is not the usual start: CEO and founder Farshad Taheri leads a 15-person team that includes Patrick Lazar, former vice president of engineering at Netgear; Hiroki Asai, former vice president of marketing at Apple; and a handful of experienced engineers. And remember, Ring, the billion-dollar company that is now owned by Amazon, also had its start through crowdfunding in 2013 when it was still called Doorbot.

In other words, there are a lot more risky technology bets that you could be doing on Indiegogo if you think the Arbor video ring could be right for you.

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