See and speak with visitors at the door from anywhere using your smartphone. The August Doorbell Cam allows you to quickly connect and receive a clear view of visitors on your doorstep. Featuring 2-way audio and an HD camera, you will be able to answer the door from anywhere.
August Home started shipping the Doorbell Cam in March of 2016. It is a great complement to their locks and overall entry system. The August Doorbell cam, paired with an August lock and smart keypad, allows you to see and control who goes in and out of your home. If you already have an installed August lock, the video doorbell will act as a Bluetooth to WiFi bridge so that you can control your lock remotely using the August app. You no longer need to purchase a separate August Connect to enable remote connectivity.
Editor’s Update: November 2017: August has started shipping a newer smart video doorbell, the August Doorbell Cam Pro, with additional features and performance. We have requested one for immediate review. Stay tuned. Of course many, no most of the features of the older video doorbell in this review are carried forward into the Doorbell Cam Pro.
August Home was founded in 2012, in the California bay area. Co-founders Jason Johnson and Yves Behar have been innovating the entryway of your home ever since. The two have also led the way on some interesting unique programs, one being their involvement in Airbnb. I will get a little more in depth later in the review, but if you have an Airbnb property, this could be a way to make your life easier.
In this review, I will be reviewing their smart video doorbell. I will go through the installation, setup, and use of the mobile app. I will also take a moment to summarize it all up for you on the last page. There is always a lot of information in these reviews, and a good summary really lets it all come together.
We are proud to give the August video doorbell the Smarter Home Automation Too Cool Award. August has put together a well-performing video doorbell and has built some unique features and programs around it.
I will get more into the specific details in the following pages of this review. We have had the pleasure of reviewing a few video doorbells and it is always great to see the different programs and innovation that comes with each product offering.
Specifications
The video doorbell from August Home has some interesting specifications. While other manufacturers are using 720p, or touting full 1080p, this video doorbell is SXGA resolution (1280 x 960). That is a 4:3 resolution, which gives you a square image, just like the old TVs and monitors before everything started to transition to wide formats.
They do market it as an HD camera. The resolution is larger than 720p, so it does meet that qualification. I am sure you’re reading that thinking… WHAT? as most consumers do equate HD with 1080 and higher. The camera has a 120-degree diagonal field of view. All in all, it delivers a good performance along with some great mounting options.
Installation
Smart home devices help bring your home automation together into one system. They can trigger off each other and send you warnings and alerts should anything go wrong. The August Video Doorbell is a well-put-together product. However, most of the efforts around home automation from August are centered around their lock.
While there is support for the August Smart Lock on many apps and smart hubs, I cannot say the same if you start your August solution with their video doorbell. Even my favorite smart hub, Wink, only had support for the lock.
I was able to connect the August app to my Nest account. Which allowed me to see the temperature when viewing the August keychain, and that was pretty underwhelming. I was hoping to use the video doorbell with at least IFTTT or Stringify to trigger events, however – there was no support for the doorbell.
The August Video Doorbell will act as a bridge to connect the lock to your home. You won’t need to purchase the August Connect to perform that function – consider that a plus.
August does, however, bring some unique programs to the market with its services. While some companies take a product by product approach with their smart home products, August offers some unique services around its solution.
August Access is their services and smart home program. August was the first to offer a program that allows services to gain access to your home while you are away.
We have seen the recent announcement from Amazon, that they are doing something similar. Through the August Access section of the app, you can connect with delivery services, cleaning services, pet walkers even home repair professionals. The August Program gives you the power to allow these people to enter your home when you are not there.
When it comes to these programs, the video doorbell plays a strong role. It will be the eyes of the solution, giving you video proof of who is coming and going. The thought of having someone who is dropping off a package opening the door and placing it inside it nice. For most of us, however, I think the possible security concerns will limit the participation.
The team at August does have a great program for those of you running an Airbnb. They will be the middleman, sending invitations and codes to allow your visitors access to their rental. If you have a fair amount of renters, this could be a great time saver for you.
I do think this will be a good opportunity for dog walkers and cleaning professionals. You no longer have to pass out keys to your house. A unique key code is a much better solution.
August Video Doorbell – Summary
The August video doorbell is a nice product. It delivers good performance and can be a great piece in a larger August solution. It’s time for that all-important part of the review to summarize it all together:
- Installation – The August video doorbell was easy to install. There are 4 mounting holes that are not in the typical location. The wedge mount is great for changing the camera view.
- Setup – Simple and pretty quick. There were a couple odd messages in the instructions, but when it was said and done the doorbell worked.
- Mobile App – The August app is simple and easy to use. The settings are all laid out in one area. The icons are easy to understand. It is a good app.
- Compatibility – The August Video Doorbell is meant to be a piece of an August solution. As a stand0alone product, there is no real smart home support. This may change, but it’s been shipping for a year already, so who knows.
- Stand Out Features – The motion sensor was easy to configure and get dialed in to avoid false alarms. The wedge mount backplate was also a great feature for changing the view of the video doorbell.
I have had the pleasure to review a few video doorbells. They always have unique features and performance characteristics.
The August Video Doorbell is no exception. As a key part of the August product line up, it ads a visual component to their very successful lock.
Equipped with a motion sensor and a low light night vision camera, this was a good performer. Keeping an eye on the front porch, recording motion and visitors – all really good.
I was proud to deliver the SHA Too Cool Award. It is a good camera. As part of the August Home System, it can be a part of some really unique services.
Make sure and take a moment to check out some of our other great reviews. It is important to know what products will bring better functionality to your smart home. We pride ourselves on working to provide you with all the information you need to decide on the products that are right for you.
