The RemoBell smart video doorbell detects both body heat and motion to reduce false alarms
The RemoBell’s most interesting feature is its heat-sensing motion detector. In the absence of body heat, motion—be it bushes moving in the breeze or an insect flying in front of the camera—won’t trigger an alert, so Remocam promises its camera will produce fewer false alarms than competing products. Infrared LEDs enable the camera to see in the dark.
The camera itself uses a true wide-angle lens, versus the more common fisheye, to provide broad coverage of your porch without image distortion. A company spokesperson at the show said the camera had a 120-degree field of view from right to left, and a 90-degree field of view from top to bottom. The view is good enough that you can see not only the delivery person at your door, but the package left on your porch after the visit.
Remocam is developing Android and iOS companion apps for the RemoBell, and up to five users per account will be able to receive push notifications when the bell us rung or motion is detected. An optional subscription plan will be available for storing video clips in the cloud. This will cost $2.99 per month or $29 if paid in advance for a full year. Curiously, the company currently has no plans to enable users to incorporate its video doorbell into broader smart-home systems.
Why this matters: The video doorbell market is getting crowded quickly, with entries from Ring, August, Yale, and—if you’re looking for a comprehensive smart-home system—Vivint to name just a few of the competitors vying for attention.