A digital peephole provides house residents with a protected overview of what is going on in front of the door and warns of uninvited guests when they are absent. We compared popular models with a peephole camera from Ring, prsTECH, Somikon and BURG-WÄCHTER and revealed which devices are worth buying. We also explain what interested parties should look out for.

Digital peephole - the most important things in brief

A digital peephole is a device that replaces the traditional peephole and captures the entrance area by camera. The following distinctions are possible.

1. Digital base peephole : The user can follow the image on the inside of the door live on a display
2. Digital peephole with motion detection: automatically captures the entrance area when the cam detects motion
3. Networked smart door spy : Automatically detects movements in front of the door and actively informs the user about them

Digital door spies in the test or comparison - only a few really convince

The digital door spy market is difficult to see for many interested parties. Many users have no idea what modern devices can already do and then resort to solutions that they regret after just a few months. We have therefore compared particularly popular devices, of which we can only recommend two.

Digital peephole Ring Door View Cam - Editor's recommendation

The digital peephole Ring Door View Cam offers just about everything that residents can want from such a device. The camera has a 1080p video resolution, an integrated intercom function and is Alexa compatible. The device is networked via WLAN and has an integrated motion detector . If the peephole detects movement in the entrance area, it informs the user. They can then use the smartphone to access and watch the peephole live - even if they are not at home. Alternatively, the video image can be echoedtransmitted with display. The 155 degree viewing angle is the best of all devices in comparison. It can also be used to identify several people standing in front of the door. A little bit of downside: For the storage of recordings a paid Ring Protect subscription is necessary, which costs three euros per month.

Digital peephole prsTECH DoorCAM DC2 PLUS - recommendation for purists
If you are looking for a basic model without many extras for your door, you should take a look at the prsTECH DoorCAM DC2 PLUS . The digital peephole comes with its own display, which is attached to the inside of the front door. The size of 4.3 inches and the display resolution of 800 x 400 pixels make the image recognizable even for users with poor eyesight. Somikon PX3697-944 and BURG-WÄCHTER eGuard DG8100 cannot keep up in the digital peephole comparison. 4 AAA batteries ensure sufficient current.

prsTECH DoorCAM DC2 PLUS has neither motion detection nor night vision in comparison to the other door spies presented here. However, users no longer have to press their faces from the inside against the front door because the images are streamed to the monitor on the inside of the door.

Digital peephole BURG-WÄCHTER eGuard DG8100 - Unfortunately only low resolution
The digital door spy BURG-WÄCHTER eGuard DG8100 is a digital door spy available to house residents, which offers an integrated motion detector and a 4 inch display. However, the display resolution of 320 x 240 pixels can be classified as low, the built-in cam only offers 0.3 megapixels. So if you are farsighted, you should consider alternatives here, because details should not be very well recognizable in the picture. 2 AAA batteries provide the required energy. The viewing angle of 105 degrees is sufficient for a peephole. For comparison: Our recommendation, Ring Door View Cam, offers a 155 degree viewing angle.

Somikon PX3697-944 digital peephole - Small screen, many extras

The Somikon PX3697-944 digital peepholehas been on the market since 2012. The deviceoffers many functions such as night vision and motion sensor as well as a viewing angle of 100 degrees. However, the device only has a 2.8 inch monitor, which should make it difficult to recognize details in practice, since the image is very small. Recordings can be saved on a microSD card, the device automatically provides them with the time and date. Nevertheless: The most important criterion for a peephole is the identification of people and visitors. This is made difficult by the small screen. For comparison: Our recommendation Ring Door View Cam goes the modern way here and uses the smartphone display as a display thanks to WLAN networking. These usually offer a size of 6 to 7 inches.

Digital door spies in comparison - the technical data

In our test comparison, the models Ring Door View Cam and prsTECH DoorCAM DC2 PLUS were the most convincing. The Ring device offers the latest technology and integrates well into the smart home door. The prsTECH Door-CAM DC2 PLUS model is aimed at purists and offers solid equipment. With our recommendations, no one has to be afraid to open the door to the wrong people. In addition, the resident always knows who is at the door.

Buying advice on digital peepholes - the most important criteria when buying

A digital peephole should make it easier to recognize visitors. In its simplest form, this happens because users no longer have to move their heads near the inside of the door. Premium versions such as our recommendation Ring Door View Cam also inform the user when he is on the go.

Intercom function : Modern digital door spies often have an integrated intercom function. The resident can then contact the person in front of the door via a built-in loudspeaker and smartphone.

Display size : The larger the display, the easier it is to recognize people. We recommend display sizes of 4 inches and larger. Digital door spies usually have a TFT or LCD display. If the cell phone is used as a display, about 5 inches and more are available.

Display resolution : In addition to the display size, the physical resolution is crucial. This is given in pixels. The more pixels the display can show, the better. With Full HD one speaks e.g. B. of 1080p. The number 1080 stands for the number of pixels in the vertical.

Operation : Users should pay attention to simple operation, in which the digital peephole can be activated at the push of a button.

Camera resolution : The resolution is important for a digital peephole because it determines the image quality. It should always be at least as large as the resolution of the display so that residents can see who is at the door.

Night vision function : If the hall light or the outdoor light in the garden is broken, a night vision function helps to identify visitors at the door even in the dark.

Recording : For devices that offer recording, this is done either in the cloud or on a memory card. So you should read the storage description here, especially if you want to avoid storing data in the cloud.

Battery performance : If a door spy is digital, electricity is required for operation in comparison to a purely optical door spy. The energy is supplied either by battery, battery or wired during installation.

Viewing angle : Digital door spies are usually equipped with wide-angle lenses or endoscope lenses that offer a range of approximately 100 to 150 degrees. Analog optical door spies offer 200 degrees and more.

Digital peephole - legal information on data protection and privacy

Even before installing a digital peephole, users should think about legal aspects. Because surveillance of public spaces is prohibited here. This also applies to shared rooms in apartment buildings. The use of a digital peephole for permanent video surveillance of the entrance area in a rental house, in which the camera of the digital peephole also records the door of the apartment opposite, or people who use the corridor is not permitted without official approval.

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