We ended up exchanging this model for the slimmer version th-cam.com/users/postUgkx0jZ_lGlDVJhDnmagEU8gn47cmfPNlLQU because it was too wide for the only door trim area that made sense to mount it on. However, we should have just noted the dimensions prior to purchasing. Otherwise, we love the doorbell. It works perfectly, and the video is very clear, even at night.
If this performed better with HomeKit, had better dynamic range, and was in portrait or could display a square video that was the best of portrait and landscape, I'd argue it was perfect. Honestly, a rechargeable battery inside would be awesome too. It would be great in wired mode if the battery just took care of itself for power outage and dismantled scenarios. I'm glad the AAs can serve as backup to the wired connection. This is so close to perfect, but I think I'll wait until the next version.
If they made a smaller version only for hardwiring and improved the camera quality dramatically, I would buy this. I’d say they have work to do if they want to compete with other doorbells out there.
I don’t get why it’s so big. They have a sweet thin stylish door lock and they pair it with something that looks like it was designed in the 80’s. Looks like the iPod Classic.
The connection issue is likely due to the fact that you might need a more powerful transformer; I know for Ring and Eufy, I didn't have an issue, but when I upgraded to a more powerful smart doorbell, I needed a better transformer because I was getting those same disconnect/connect notifications
Thanks for the comment. I don't think that's the case, because it's working great in the Aqara app. And I've had the same issues on battery only. It's only HomeKit that gives me problems. And my other hardwired HK doorbells have worked fine. Great point tho for others who may be experiencing issues when hardwired.
@@ShaneCreates Ever had something like this with a Netatmo camera. After completely resetting and reinstalling never had a problem again. So maybe give it a try….
@@ShaneCreatesI have the same problem with my G2 pro’s. I went ahead and got an absolute steal on eBay, a brand new G4 for £25. I have dropouts on all 3 cameras but they all show up in the Aqara app.
Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱 Shane. Love your vids and learning a bunch. One addition: in Europe (Netherlands at least) a lot of doors on older houses are recessed in brick walls. For my dad’s situation this means the screw that fixes the camera to the backplate cannot be secured as the wall is in the way. That’s a big miss. I guess also for others. Also, one request. I loved that episode where you made your grandpa’s house more secure. I’m currently trying to do that for my 88 year old dad. Any follow up videos on this topic would be greatly appreciated. All the best.
Living in a typical Dutch house too, installed it flawlessly using a wera mini rachet. You could consider the wera mini rachet set as it is useful in countless situations!
Thank you for the honest review. You almost seem deflated that this product doesn’t live up to your expectations. How does a video doorbell make it to market that chops off heads and packages from view? That’s a big miss for me. I literally hate my Google Nest Hello (1st gen with dead defective internal battery so every time the button is pressed it goes offline). I have been waiting for a great Apple Home(kit) video doorbell to hit the market. This one checks nearly every box -but the missing heads and missing packages is a dealbreaker. You covered the temperature range but I am wondering if this device suffers from direct sunlight and goes offline as some of the other options on the market? I enjoy your content. Thanks.
Horizontal feed would cover more of our front porch and the neighborhood including people walking up from our driveway on the side, but your examples of missing heads and not being able to see packages are very critical! Great video, thanks!
hard to say for sure but I think he mounted the G4 a little low, it looks like people are reaching down to press the button, if it were at about chest height this would solve the missing heads. as for packages, well presumably we saw a delivery guy on camera/received a notification so it's not really a problem imo. Great video tho I'm probably gonna get one thanks!
Thank you for the review. While I would love to change out my Ring doorbell, the problems with integration with HomeKit is currently a show stopper. Hopefully that will be corrected in the future. Also horizontal view is much preferred over the wide view.
I was excited about this option but I think I’ll just stick with my Logitech Circle View. The image quality looks like it will be better than what the Aqara is showing and I prefer the vertical video for the doorbell since it can capture more. I think the price for this option is awesome though and for many this will be a solid choice. It does have some great features.
Great info Shane, lots of great features and I agree I would not like the horizontal view. A deal breaker for me is the width of the G4 as I only have 2” width to install it. I will hang on to my old Ring door bell until something better comes around.
It’s been almost a year and I just got this device I love it took me 10 minutes to set it up love that updates by now has improved this device and because I have no doorbell at all this was perfect all I did was stick it up lol 😂
I was excited at the beginning of the Video and then when I saw the pixelation, poor night vision and the decision to use horizontal camera instead of vertical completely put me off! :) Great review.
Nice one fella, been waiting for 🇬🇧 release date so appreciate this with a nice discount 👍 *ordered it before even watching the video * 😳 it’s ok though I’m desperate for a non-wired battery HomeKit enabled doorbell so this will have to do!!
This may already been asked for but does it come with a notification on apple watch WITH a picture of who is at the door or/and then a tap for direct online communication with who is at the door?
Definitely prefer and love the vertical and higher quality video from my Logitech Circle View doorbell. It's not perfect, but seems to be the better buy to this Aqara.
The disconnection issues and horizontal feed unfortunately are deal breakers for me. I was so excited for this and it would have been my first Aqara product if it just had those issues resolved. Hopefully their innovation will inspire even more competition in the doorbell market…but I guess my ring will get replaced with logitechs doorbell for now
Awesome video, Shane! Looks like a promising device, but definitely need some software updates, I’m loving the price! I would be interested in seeing an update to your opinion after iOS 16.4 comes out to see if that improves its performance at all.
Just to clarify, when in HKSV mode, the 24/7 local recording is still possible? When hard wired ofc. Thanks Shane! It’s indeed a pity that it’s not a vertical ratio.
Thanks @Shane great video as usual !!!!!!! just a very quick question With a Google nest hub you can watch the live stream of the doorbell right ? But are you able to receive the g4 notifications with the image of who is ringing your doorbell through the Google nest hub as well ? I’m running the G4 Chinese version
I love my Aqara products (cameras, water sensors, etc) but since the day I bought my G2H’s have had that HomeKit connection issue. We’ve moved during the time we’ve had them to, so it wasn’t Internet related, and as you mentioned they still function in the Aqara app. It’s entirely random but I’ll end up with a ton of notifications from the cameras about connections lost, then connected again. I’ve never had any other HKSV cameras so I’m not sure if it happens with others. Disappointing, but I still love them for their price point and will likely give this a shot.
Thanks for the great video Shane! I've been waiting for your review on this one. I was hoping it would be more positive though. First, the dimensions are a bit wide, so I'd have to mount it on the brick facade, instead of the current doorbell position. But the video cutting the heads off due to the orientation isn't great either. I was also concerned about the dropping and rejoining of the network. I have that happening now with one of the Aqara G2H hubs in the house already. I don't want to have to deal with that with another device as well. Headed now to go check out your review of the Logitech Circle View again. I think that's the one I'm going to have to end up going with.
I had to return mine as it broke down after 6months of use, and I found the battery only held for 3weeks or so, even when using rechargeable NiMh batteries or higher quality Energiser Lithium batteries. I went back to using Ring which seems more effective but would like to get a HomeKit enabled battery enabled wireless doorbell.
Can an automation be created that triggers when the Aqara doorbell is run? Or is the only option to trigger an automation when the Aqara doorbell detects motion? If only the latter is possible, then can the field be limited so only someone directly in front of the doorbell camera is detected?
Ordered! Any insight on when we could see the FP2 presence sensor and the E1 roller shade motor in the US market? Think you’ll get a preview on those too. That presence sensor could be a game changer for automations with its detection zones.
So excited for this video! Great job as always Shane. A question though. Is the chime repeater an IR connection to the doorbell? Is that why it needs to be so close? Because if it is I have to wait until I move as this house kills IR doorbells. Haven't been able to figure out why. I think considering the prices of the other options, I'm willing to deal with those cons. Maybe I'll have another camera pointing out there to catch the missing bit. And I suppose if the horizontal view really was a problem you could get creative and mount it sideways. Not ideal, but better than paying the exorbitant price for the others.
I have the same issue with ALL of my cameras. It all started with the buggy HomeKit firmware update that has since been pulled. Hoping it get's fixed with 16.4.
Awesome video. Do you know what happens if the Wifi cuts out? I know recordings can't be uploaded or synced with phone because that needs wifi and internet, but are the recordings still recorded to the SD card? - if so, how are they accessed later?
Another great video! I would also prefer the vertical view so I can see the person's head and packages. Also, can I borrow your demo unit? lol I'm still on a August Doorbell Cam Gen1
My doorbell doesn’t record my voice (through iPhone/iPad) while talking to a visiter. Recording video or visiter’s voice is normal. Shane, or anyone, do you experience this?
Hi Shane, is it possible to change ringing options cause notification sound is same as movement detection and all notifications on iPhone and I don't notify that someone was pressing button when I'm away
Aqara makes great products, but it seems like they missed the mark on this one. No horizontal video and it’s only 1080p. Figured it would future proof itself to at least be 2k.
Their website says Aqara Doorbell now supports a NAS. Have you tried it with your Synology? Can you save recordings to your NAS? Have you heard if it's going to support Matter?
I am curious about the online/offline issue of the doorbell. Most probably there has been a few firmware upgrades since the recording of this video. Does the offline issue still exist? Or has it resolved? I have the same issue with the eufy cameras and it bothers me so much i decided to change the doorbell and security cameras of eufy, because eufy wont fix this problem, since they dropped HomeKit support with their new cameras and customer support is also very bad at eufy.
I have been using the Logitech doorbell camera for a few years now. It has some major drawbacks but I experience the same connectivity issue within HomeKit, problem is the Logitech is only available within HomeKit. At least with this one you have a backup you can access the footage in. I don't like the camera angle in this one though, the Logitech has the vertical view which actually does seem better. Would be curious to see a direct comparison with pros and cons.
I'm having an issue with the latest firmware version .78 that bricked the doorbell apparently... it does not connect to the chime and it lights green intermittently even if I reset both devices. I know this is a kind of common issue and I saw several comments on Reddit. Does anyone know if it was resolved?
I setup one (shown briefly in the video) where the doorbell chime plays a funny sound when it recognizes my face. Best part is when I walked in the other day while my wife was on a work conference call, and the chime repeater was making some crazy noises in the background 😅.
I had the eufy Duo from launch and thought let’s try this doorbell I hated it I returned it the next day just because it never started recording when it saw someone when they left it started recording 😢
I purchased the video doorbell but have been unsuccessful fetting through set up. Do I also need to purchase the hub for it to work? I only have the doorbell video and the chime. Please, advice.
Thanks, Shane. I already have a Ring Doorbell, but ordered this to play around with. As you pointed out, the video dynamic range su isn't good, but otherwise it seems ok and I'm sure Aqara will upgrade the firmware to keep making it better. I'm going to try mine as a regular outdoor camera since there aren't a lot of battery-powered & affordable Homekit options. I might have to 3D print a simply enclosure for it...we'll see. Also you could connect it to a solar cell if mounted outside to help keep recharagble batteries charged. If not solar-powered, I'm wondering if using lithium AA batteries would work and last longer Their voltage is slightly different and I'd want to know if the hardware will accept them. It will probably affect any battery level measurements it does....I'll find out. Thanks again, Shane.
I love the idea of adding a solar charging option, but I’m having a hard time visualizing how that would work. Is there an example of something similar that you can think of to point me in the right direction?
@@csweikart If you'll search for game camera solar panels, you should end up the panels that have a built-in rechargeable battery and the needed 12-volt output instead of the more common 5-volt panels other cameras, like Ring, need.
Have had my Aqara doorbell for 3 days now. Horizontal image is good. For now, I'm using it on batteries. Il live on a fairly busy road in the city, so put it on eco mode. Curious how long the batteries will live. Oh yes, I can't find anywhere how to make an automation "when the doorbell rings"....great video thanks!
You can create an automation in the Aqara app when the doorbell button is pressed. If you want to create an automation based on that in HomeKit, you need to use a 3rd party homekit app like Eve or Home+.
Hi guys. Very sad that a doorbell does not expose to HomeKit the main purpose of it, which is to press the button 🙄 Do you know if this will be exposed anytime soon? (I use an Aqara bulb to turnaround this limitation)
Can you setup the doorbell , for more than 1 mobilePhone, like can my wife and me, get the same acount for the doorbell, for both mobile Phones, get the same videos, ect
Question of the day? Would i be better off getting the newer nest doorbell wired with starling hub. or get aqara with homekit. from what i heard package detetion is trash on aqara. Video quality is great on nest. Thoughts Shane? what am i losing by going to nest vs aqara as they both technically work with homekit.
Shane, does your HomePod announce who’s at the door using face recognition? Mine has announced 3-5 times in like 2 years. It’s identifying them in the HKSV recordings feed so it’s spotting people. Just not announcing. Super weird. Others complain that it doesn’t work too on redit, etc. can’t find the fix.
Do you or anyone know of any anti theft door mounts that would fit this? I use one for my ring when I travel. I like to put them on my hotel door. Good for not having to drill or stick to the property walls
Great review as always! But does anyone know how this doorbell holds in direct sunlight in the sense of overheating? I now have a Logitech Circle View and although I love it from a quality perspective it is just crap in direct sunlight. In the summer if always turns itself off because of overheating around 15.00 - 17.00 and (rain?) water also made it inside the device, it still works but the device enclosure looks terrible now. I am thinking of buying this device as a replacement but I need to know if this one doesn't overheat so quickly in direct sunlight...
Can this record 24/7 AND record motion-activated segments to HSV at the same time? Or is it one or the other? Also can you view 24/7 recordings on the SD card away from home? If so, can this be viewed on the Apple Home app or only the Aqara app?
Hey Shane, great videos. Is there any way to get G4 motion detection and doorbell action get priority in my notifications? (without controller/webhooks). Currently the doorbell and motion is treated the same as all notifications in HomeKit - which means if my phone is silenced I can’t get an audible notification alert. Before with Ring i could customize ring notifications to always make a noise.
Thank you. You cannot do this in HomeKit... there is now way to change the priority of notifications for different devices. You may want to look into the Aqara app for a solution. You can create an automation that says when the doorbell is pressed, then send a push alarm notification. This notification would come from the Aqara app, but would be delivered to your devices as a "critical" notification. Maybe that would help you get closer to what you are looking for.
@@ShaneCreates got you. If you wanted to do it on “motion alert” you would need to align your activity zones so that you get a push notification from Aqara at the same time as HomeKit.
Koush (scrypted guy) maintains that camera disconnection messages have always been a HomeKit issue. I haven't been convinced of this, but you can turn off the message for each camera. I'm going to give this a try. I have a Ring Doorbell 2 wired, had to remove it from scrypted because it just didn't work reliably. With HomeBridge, it mostly works but no HKSV (I didn't have luck with Camera.UI). The horizontal orientation should work fine for me, but we'll see. Wondering if this would work without installing any batteries? I worry about the humidity and have had battery corrosion issues with other devices. My power is quite stable.
Yea, I had to turn off those notifications a few times during testing because they were waking me up all through the night 😫. I don't believe it to be a homekit issue because I also had the notifications turned on for other HSV cameras so I could compare during testing. I was not seeing the same thing with my other homekit cameras. Yes, it can work without installing batteries if you hardwire it.
@@ShaneCreates So I didn't turn them off. But the camera has gone offline many times in the two days I've had, with no notification. Frustrating. I moved the chime - yet again - to within about 4 feet of the camera. It might still be working since I did that last night, but less than optimal location.
And done with the Aqara, back it went. Could not get it to work reliably (wired, battery) even with a newer Orbi system and a satellite in line-of-sight. Lots of reasons this product is not ready for prime time.
Having problem after upgrade to the latest firmware. Now the G4 indicator LED keep showing solid red colour. Previously only turn red when recording activities or stream. Who is facing this problem also?
Hi Shane! As always great video, I’m about to buy my first HomeKit doorbell, and out of the 3 available, this is the most affordable. Do you have any follow up comment about the HomeKit integration issues?
Hi Shane, I just moved to a new house, last year I was about to buy my first doorbell but I wanted to move to the new house before getting it. Just want to follow up, is this still the best doorbell option? Or do you recommend another?
I think this is a great option if the horizontal video feed works for your property. That’s really the only thing that did not work for me personally. I have installed these at multiple family members’ homes where the horizontal feed worked well.
Hi Shane, I got my doorbell, completed the installation like an hour ago. I’m loving it so far. I was wondering, if you know, a way to use the Aqara m1s hub as an extra chime or you are only limited to the included chime plus your HomePod mini. As always thank you for your help.
I have had mine for about a month now and contacted aqara about the sensitivity of the microphone. They ended up sending me out a replacement but that has the same problem. The sound is distorted / muffled. Does anyone else have this issue ?
Another great video Shane, as much as I love my Aqara devices, which you initially introduced me to, this one is a definite pass for me. Functionality, it ticks most boxes but the lack of HDR to clean up the video, is definitely a deal breaker but to be quite honest, it really boils down to it’s ugly as sin.
![[#44] Умный дверной звонок Aqara G4 c HomeKit - наконец!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6nOgm_-uDl4/mqdefault.jpg)
![[#44] Умный дверной звонок Aqara G4 c HomeKit – наконец!](/img/tr.png)
We ended up exchanging this model for the slimmer version th-cam.com/users/postUgkx0jZ_lGlDVJhDnmagEU8gn47cmfPNlLQU because it was too wide for the only door trim area that made sense to mount it on. However, we should have just noted the dimensions prior to purchasing. Otherwise, we love the doorbell. It works perfectly, and the video is very clear, even at night.
If this performed better with HomeKit, had better dynamic range, and was in portrait or could display a square video that was the best of portrait and landscape, I'd argue it was perfect. Honestly, a rechargeable battery inside would be awesome too. It would be great in wired mode if the battery just took care of itself for power outage and dismantled scenarios. I'm glad the AAs can serve as backup to the wired connection. This is so close to perfect, but I think I'll wait until the next version.
If they made a smaller version only for hardwiring and improved the camera quality dramatically, I would buy this.
I’d say they have work to do if they want to compete with other doorbells out there.
I don’t get why it’s so big. They have a sweet thin stylish door lock and they pair it with something that looks like it was designed in the 80’s. Looks like the iPod Classic.
It’s because of the AA batteries that it takes but yeah I agree
Purchase the Aqara G4 Video Doorbell:
[Amazon US]
geni.us/G4Aqara
Promo code: USCAVDG4 (15% OFF, valid from Mar 23 to 25, applicable to Amazon US & CA)
[Amazon UK]
geni.us/G4AqaraUK
Promo code: EUDOORBELLG4 (15% OFF, valid from Mar 23 to 25, applicable to Amazon UK)
Follow me online:
► Instagram - instagram.com/shanecreates
► Twitter - twitter.com/shanecreates
► TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@shanecreates
► Website: shanewhatley.com
The connection issue is likely due to the fact that you might need a more powerful transformer; I know for Ring and Eufy, I didn't have an issue, but when I upgraded to a more powerful smart doorbell, I needed a better transformer because I was getting those same disconnect/connect notifications
Thanks for the comment. I don't think that's the case, because it's working great in the Aqara app. And I've had the same issues on battery only. It's only HomeKit that gives me problems. And my other hardwired HK doorbells have worked fine. Great point tho for others who may be experiencing issues when hardwired.
@@ShaneCreates Ever had something like this with a Netatmo camera. After completely resetting and reinstalling never had a problem again. So maybe give it a try….
@@ShaneCreatesI have the same problem with my G2 pro’s. I went ahead and got an absolute steal on eBay, a brand new G4 for £25. I have dropouts on all 3 cameras but they all show up in the Aqara app.
Who needs tech support when you have a garbage bin? Aqara doorbell back in action after a quick toss. Thanks for the adventure, Aqara!
Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱 Shane. Love your vids and learning a bunch. One addition: in Europe (Netherlands at least) a lot of doors on older houses are recessed in brick walls. For my dad’s situation this means the screw that fixes the camera to the backplate cannot be secured as the wall is in the way. That’s a big miss. I guess also for others.
Also, one request. I loved that episode where you made your grandpa’s house more secure. I’m currently trying to do that for my 88 year old dad. Any follow up videos on this topic would be greatly appreciated. All the best.
Living in a typical Dutch house too, installed it flawlessly using a wera mini rachet. You could consider the wera mini rachet set as it is useful in countless situations!
Hey Shane, watching a lot of your stuff - one of the best HomeKit channels out there. Keep up the good work
Thank so much for the support! 🙏🏼
On Reddit most of the issue with connect and disconnecting oddly only happen to those hardwired not batteries
Shane your videos are so informative and helpful regarding the homekit ecosystem
Thank you for the honest review. You almost seem deflated that this product doesn’t live up to your expectations. How does a video doorbell make it to market that chops off heads and packages from view? That’s a big miss for me. I literally hate my Google Nest Hello (1st gen with dead defective internal battery so every time the button is pressed it goes offline). I have been waiting for a great Apple Home(kit) video doorbell to hit the market. This one checks nearly every box -but the missing heads and missing packages is a dealbreaker. You covered the temperature range but I am wondering if this device suffers from direct sunlight and goes offline as some of the other options on the market? I enjoy your content. Thanks.
Great review of the G4. Hopefully the bugs get worked out over time for connectivity issues.
Horizontal feed would cover more of our front porch and the neighborhood including people walking up from our driveway on the side, but your examples of missing heads and not being able to see packages are very critical! Great video, thanks!
hard to say for sure but I think he mounted the G4 a little low, it looks like people are reaching down to press the button, if it were at about chest height this would solve the missing heads.
as for packages, well presumably we saw a delivery guy on camera/received a notification so it's not really a problem imo.
Great video tho I'm probably gonna get one thanks!
I agree, I prefer landscape viewing. I think the problem is his camera placement.
Thank you for the review. While I would love to change out my Ring doorbell, the problems with integration with HomeKit is currently a show stopper. Hopefully that will be corrected in the future. Also horizontal view is much preferred over the wide view.
Thank you Shane for very innovative review- the best HomeKit channel.
Wow, thanks!
I was excited about this option but I think I’ll just stick with my Logitech Circle View. The image quality looks like it will be better than what the Aqara is showing and I prefer the vertical video for the doorbell since it can capture more. I think the price for this option is awesome though and for many this will be a solid choice. It does have some great features.
Great info Shane, lots of great features and I agree I would not like the horizontal view. A deal breaker for me is the width of the G4 as I only have 2” width to install it. I will hang on to my old Ring door bell until something better comes around.
Thanks for watching Pat!
It’s been almost a year and I just got this device I love it took me 10 minutes to set it up love that updates by now has improved this device and because I have no doorbell at all this was perfect all I did was stick it up lol 😂
Great to hear. Thanks for sharing!
I was excited at the beginning of the Video and then when I saw the pixelation, poor night vision and the decision to use horizontal camera instead of vertical completely put me off! :)
Great review.
Were the homekit connection issues ever fixed?
Nice one fella, been waiting for 🇬🇧 release date so appreciate this with a nice discount 👍
*ordered it before even watching the video * 😳 it’s ok though I’m desperate for a non-wired battery HomeKit enabled doorbell so this will have to do!!
I hope you like it! 😃
This may already been asked for but does it come with a notification on apple watch WITH a picture of who is at the door or/and then a tap for direct online communication with who is at the door?
Definitely prefer and love the vertical and higher quality video from my Logitech Circle View doorbell. It's not perfect, but seems to be the better buy to this Aqara.
anything fixed from cons mentioned in this video?
The disconnection issues and horizontal feed unfortunately are deal breakers for me. I was so excited for this and it would have been my first Aqara product if it just had those issues resolved. Hopefully their innovation will inspire even more competition in the doorbell market…but I guess my ring will get replaced with logitechs doorbell for now
Logitec Circle View also has disconnection issues, a lot of people is complaining about that...
Awesome video, Shane! Looks like a promising device, but definitely need some software updates, I’m loving the price! I would be interested in seeing an update to your opinion after iOS 16.4 comes out to see if that improves its performance at all.
Thanks Larry!
Actually, I like the landscape view. I want it for my patio door
BTW - Great and comprehensive review - Thanks Shane: Best HomeKit Channel!
Thanks Mike! Appreciate the support!
Just to clarify, when in HKSV mode, the 24/7 local recording is still possible? When hard wired ofc. Thanks Shane! It’s indeed a pity that it’s not a vertical ratio.
Yes, that is correct.
@@ShaneCreates Thanks! Orderd Mine today. The Logitech is NA in The Netherlands
This is literally the ONLY doorbell I’m able to get because I want apple HomeKit configurations and I live in an apartment so I need batteries
Thanks @Shane great video as usual !!!!!!! just a very quick question
With a Google nest hub you can watch the live stream of the doorbell right ? But are you able to receive the g4 notifications with the image of who is ringing your doorbell through the Google nest hub as well ? I’m running the G4 Chinese version
Thanks for this review. Going to wait until Matter doorbell protocol is available on this device.
Has this happened yet?
Matter still does not support cameras at the moment. Hopefully that will come in 2024.
I love my Aqara products (cameras, water sensors, etc) but since the day I bought my G2H’s have had that HomeKit connection issue. We’ve moved during the time we’ve had them to, so it wasn’t Internet related, and as you mentioned they still function in the Aqara app. It’s entirely random but I’ll end up with a ton of notifications from the cameras about connections lost, then connected again. I’ve never had any other HKSV cameras so I’m not sure if it happens with others. Disappointing, but I still love them for their price point and will likely give this a shot.
Only 5 meters distance .. any solution for range i need 7 meters
Thanks for the great video Shane! I've been waiting for your review on this one. I was hoping it would be more positive though. First, the dimensions are a bit wide, so I'd have to mount it on the brick facade, instead of the current doorbell position. But the video cutting the heads off due to the orientation isn't great either. I was also concerned about the dropping and rejoining of the network. I have that happening now with one of the Aqara G2H hubs in the house already. I don't want to have to deal with that with another device as well. Headed now to go check out your review of the Logitech Circle View again. I think that's the one I'm going to have to end up going with.
I had to return mine as it broke down after 6months of use, and I found the battery only held for 3weeks or so, even when using rechargeable NiMh batteries or higher quality Energiser Lithium batteries. I went back to using Ring which seems more effective but would like to get a HomeKit enabled battery enabled wireless doorbell.
Can this g4 do automation that if it detect a selected face. Your Aqara door lock installed on your door would unlock aswell?
Definitely would prefer vertical. If I need wide angle I’d just get an outdoor camera.
batteries last a couple weeks for this camera, small motion zone, ended up hardwiring it
Does recording fail if no internet, power failed or router powered on?
When I try to make a scene with the Aqara SMDB it does dot show up in my list of accessories :|
Can an automation be created that triggers when the Aqara doorbell is run? Or is the only option to trigger an automation when the Aqara doorbell detects motion? If only the latter is possible, then can the field be limited so only someone directly in front of the doorbell camera is detected?
Ordered! Any insight on when we could see the FP2 presence sensor and the E1 roller shade motor in the US market? Think you’ll get a preview on those too. That presence sensor could be a game changer for automations with its detection zones.
Would love a comparison on the Aqara G4 vs Nest Doorbell (via Starling) for best HKSV doorbell!
So excited for this video!
Great job as always Shane. A question though. Is the chime repeater an IR connection to the doorbell? Is that why it needs to be so close? Because if it is I have to wait until I move as this house kills IR doorbells. Haven't been able to figure out why.
I think considering the prices of the other options, I'm willing to deal with those cons. Maybe I'll have another camera pointing out there to catch the missing bit. And I suppose if the horizontal view really was a problem you could get creative and mount it sideways. Not ideal, but better than paying the exorbitant price for the others.
Great review Shane! 😀
Has Apple ever contacted you about what could be causing these drop outs?
I have the same issue with ALL of my cameras. It all started with the buggy HomeKit firmware update that has since been pulled. Hoping it get's fixed with 16.4.
Awesome video. Do you know what happens if the Wifi cuts out? I know recordings can't be uploaded or synced with phone because that needs wifi and internet, but are the recordings still recorded to the SD card? - if so, how are they accessed later?
Has the HomeKit integration improved after a year?
Another great video! I would also prefer the vertical view so I can see the person's head and packages. Also, can I borrow your demo unit? lol I'm still on a August Doorbell Cam Gen1
My doorbell doesn’t record my voice (through iPhone/iPad) while talking to a visiter. Recording video or visiter’s voice is normal. Shane, or anyone, do you experience this?
Hi Shane, is it possible to change ringing options cause notification sound is same as movement detection and all notifications on iPhone and I don't notify that someone was pressing button when I'm away
Aqara makes great products, but it seems like they missed the mark on this one. No horizontal video and it’s only 1080p. Figured it would future proof itself to at least be 2k.
Their website says Aqara Doorbell now supports a NAS. Have you tried it with your Synology? Can you save recordings to your NAS? Have you heard if it's going to support Matter?
Saw the pros and cons… if not this camera which other HomeKit camera is recommended that works with Apple TV.
I am curious about the online/offline issue of the doorbell. Most probably there has been a few firmware upgrades since the recording of this video. Does the offline issue still exist? Or has it resolved? I have the same issue with the eufy cameras and it bothers me so much i decided to change the doorbell and security cameras of eufy, because eufy wont fix this problem, since they dropped HomeKit support with their new cameras and customer support is also very bad at eufy.
Thanks for the video Shane. Very good review as always. Do you know when we'll have Smart Lock U100 to match the Doorbell G4?
Thanks for this great review
Hey! Will you ever do an update of this device?
How can I only get notifications on HomeKit an not the Aqara app.?
I have been using the Logitech doorbell camera for a few years now. It has some major drawbacks but I experience the same connectivity issue within HomeKit, problem is the Logitech is only available within HomeKit. At least with this one you have a backup you can access the footage in. I don't like the camera angle in this one though, the Logitech has the vertical view which actually does seem better. Would be curious to see a direct comparison with pros and cons.
I'm having an issue with the latest firmware version .78 that bricked the doorbell apparently... it does not connect to the chime and it lights green intermittently even if I reset both devices. I know this is a kind of common issue and I saw several comments on Reddit. Does anyone know if it was resolved?
Curious to know if the hub is actually interchangeable with other hubs of the same company so that less hubs/speakers are managed
Can this use rechargeable batteries?
Is the IR bulb up high somehow attached to the door cam unit, shadows too strong for no additional light bulb.
Can’t wait to see automation with this
I setup one (shown briefly in the video) where the doorbell chime plays a funny sound when it recognizes my face. Best part is when I walked in the other day while my wife was on a work conference call, and the chime repeater was making some crazy noises in the background 😅.
@@ShaneCreates Bet that didn’t end well
@@tdrg_ 🤣I got out of there quick!
@@ShaneCreates very funny! I will try to open the Nuki door with the face recognition! For me, my wife and my kids 🤔
@@fabienlelaurin7760 Keep in mind, automations triggered by facial recognition can only be done in the Aqara app (not Apple Home app).
I had the eufy Duo from launch and thought let’s try this doorbell I hated it I returned it the next day just because it never started recording when it saw someone when they left it started recording 😢
I purchased the video doorbell but have been unsuccessful fetting through set up. Do I also need to purchase the hub for it to work? I only have the doorbell video and the chime. Please, advice.
In the side-by-side cameras which one was on the left
Thanks, Shane. I already have a Ring Doorbell, but ordered this to play around with. As you pointed out, the video dynamic range su isn't good, but otherwise it seems ok and I'm sure Aqara will upgrade the firmware to keep making it better. I'm going to try mine as a regular outdoor camera since there aren't a lot of battery-powered & affordable Homekit options. I might have to 3D print a simply enclosure for it...we'll see. Also you could connect it to a solar cell if mounted outside to help keep recharagble batteries charged. If not solar-powered, I'm wondering if using lithium AA batteries would work and last longer Their voltage is slightly different and I'd want to know if the hardware will accept them. It will probably affect any battery level measurements it does....I'll find out. Thanks again, Shane.
I love the idea of adding a solar charging option, but I’m having a hard time visualizing how that would work. Is there an example of something similar that you can think of to point me in the right direction?
@@csweikart If you'll search for game camera solar panels, you should end up the panels that have a built-in rechargeable battery and the needed 12-volt output instead of the more common 5-volt panels other cameras, like Ring, need.
So is there away to make it work with the house chime?
Have had my Aqara doorbell for 3 days now. Horizontal image is good. For now, I'm using it on batteries. Il live on a fairly busy road in the city, so put it on eco mode. Curious how long the batteries will live. Oh yes, I can't find anywhere how to make an automation "when the doorbell rings"....great video thanks!
You can create an automation in the Aqara app when the doorbell button is pressed. If you want to create an automation based on that in HomeKit, you need to use a 3rd party homekit app like Eve or Home+.
@@ShaneCreates OK thanks! I didn't find it right away!
Hi guys. Very sad that a doorbell does not expose to HomeKit the main purpose of it, which is to press the button 🙄
Do you know if this will be exposed anytime soon? (I use an Aqara bulb to turnaround this limitation)
Does it work with your normal hardwired doorbell chimes or do you need to use the speaker?
Can you setup the doorbell , for more than 1 mobilePhone, like can my wife and me, get the same acount for the doorbell, for both mobile Phones, get the same videos, ect
Yes you can do that.
Why do Aqara not make all this works with the Google Home 😞
Question of the day? Would i be better off getting the newer nest doorbell wired with starling hub. or get aqara with homekit. from what i heard package detetion is trash on aqara. Video quality is great on nest. Thoughts Shane? what am i losing by going to nest vs aqara as they both technically work with homekit.
Hey Shane great video man! What doorbell do you think you’ll keep on?
Question, anyone know how to disable the the dismantle alarm when replacing batteries?, can’t find the setting anywhere!
yes detection settings in the acara app then go across to tamper alerts and there you will see dismantle alarm turn that off
Shane, does your HomePod announce who’s at the door using face recognition?
Mine has announced 3-5 times in like 2 years. It’s identifying them in the HKSV recordings feed so it’s spotting people. Just not announcing.
Super weird. Others complain that it doesn’t work too on redit, etc. can’t find the fix.
Hey Shane, does the native aqara app notifications have thumbnail pictures for the doorbell?
Do you or anyone know of any anti theft door mounts that would fit this? I use one for my ring when I travel. I like to put them on my hotel door. Good for not having to drill or stick to the property walls
Can’t see this working in a Canadian or northern US winter - cold will kill those batteries
Does the chime stay online and if it goes offline does it reconnect? I have a Ring Chime that totally sucks at that.
Great review as always! But does anyone know how this doorbell holds in direct sunlight in the sense of overheating? I now have a Logitech Circle View and although I love it from a quality perspective it is just crap in direct sunlight. In the summer if always turns itself off because of overheating around 15.00 - 17.00 and (rain?) water also made it inside the device, it still works but the device enclosure looks terrible now. I am thinking of buying this device as a replacement but I need to know if this one doesn't overheat so quickly in direct sunlight...
Can this record 24/7 AND record motion-activated segments to HSV at the same time? Or is it one or the other? Also can you view 24/7 recordings on the SD card away from home? If so, can this be viewed on the Apple Home app or only the Aqara app?
I have the Circle View Doorbell, but it over heats almost once a week. So tired of it.
Might buy this one but I really don’t like the angle.
Do you offer consultation for a new home build project?
Sorry if you said this in the video, but does it have a feature for pre-recording a few seconds before motion is detected when powered via hardwire?
The drops from HomeKit were common on their other devices like the G2 but was fixed with firmware updates. I assume that would be the case here.
Let's hope so!
Hey Shane, great videos. Is there any way to get G4 motion detection and doorbell action get priority in my notifications? (without controller/webhooks).
Currently the doorbell and motion is treated the same as all notifications in HomeKit - which means if my phone is silenced I can’t get an audible notification alert. Before with Ring i could customize ring notifications to always make a noise.
Thank you. You cannot do this in HomeKit... there is now way to change the priority of notifications for different devices.
You may want to look into the Aqara app for a solution. You can create an automation that says when the doorbell is pressed, then send a push alarm notification. This notification would come from the Aqara app, but would be delivered to your devices as a "critical" notification. Maybe that would help you get closer to what you are looking for.
@@ShaneCreates got you. If you wanted to do it on “motion alert” you would need to align your activity zones so that you get a push notification from Aqara at the same time as HomeKit.
I have noticed I have connection problem all the time with Aqara.
I can't find anywhere what size of micro ssd is needed to save at least 7 days of continuous recording. Do you have this info?
How do I get the HomeKit, to pop-up with a notifikation when the doorbell is pushed ?
Until now, it only pop-up with Aqara
Make sure your home app notifications are turned on as well as your notifications for the specific camera
Koush (scrypted guy) maintains that camera disconnection messages have always been a HomeKit issue. I haven't been convinced of this, but you can turn off the message for each camera. I'm going to give this a try. I have a Ring Doorbell 2 wired, had to remove it from scrypted because it just didn't work reliably. With HomeBridge, it mostly works but no HKSV (I didn't have luck with Camera.UI). The horizontal orientation should work fine for me, but we'll see.
Wondering if this would work without installing any batteries? I worry about the humidity and have had battery corrosion issues with other devices. My power is quite stable.
Yea, I had to turn off those notifications a few times during testing because they were waking me up all through the night 😫.
I don't believe it to be a homekit issue because I also had the notifications turned on for other HSV cameras so I could compare during testing. I was not seeing the same thing with my other homekit cameras.
Yes, it can work without installing batteries if you hardwire it.
@@ShaneCreates So I didn't turn them off. But the camera has gone offline many times in the two days I've had, with no notification. Frustrating. I moved the chime - yet again - to within about 4 feet of the camera. It might still be working since I did that last night, but less than optimal location.
And done with the Aqara, back it went. Could not get it to work reliably (wired, battery) even with a newer Orbi system and a satellite in line-of-sight. Lots of reasons this product is not ready for prime time.
Having problem after upgrade to the latest firmware. Now the G4 indicator LED keep showing solid red colour. Previously only turn red when recording activities or stream. Who is facing this problem also?
Hi Shane! As always great video, I’m about to buy my first HomeKit doorbell, and out of the 3 available, this is the most affordable.
Do you have any follow up comment about the HomeKit integration issues?
I have the same question 🙋🏼♂️ 😅
Hi Shane, I just moved to a new house, last year I was about to buy my first doorbell but I wanted to move to the new house before getting it. Just want to follow up, is this still the best doorbell option? Or do you recommend another?
I think this is a great option if the horizontal video feed works for your property. That’s really the only thing that did not work for me personally. I have installed these at multiple family members’ homes where the horizontal feed worked well.
@@ShaneCreates thank you!
Hi Shane, I got my doorbell, completed the installation like an hour ago. I’m loving it so far. I was wondering, if you know, a way to use the Aqara m1s hub as an extra chime or you are only limited to the included chime plus your HomePod mini.
As always thank you for your help.
Quick question, can you do automation where if your door opens the speaker on this doorbell will chime like the speakers on their hubs?
Yes, as long as you have an Aqara Door sensor on the door.
I have had mine for about a month now and contacted aqara about the sensitivity of the microphone. They ended up sending me out a replacement but that has the same problem. The sound is distorted / muffled. Does anyone else have this issue ?
Another great video Shane, as much as I love my Aqara devices, which you initially introduced me to, this one is a definite pass for me.
Functionality, it ticks most boxes but the lack of HDR to clean up the video, is definitely a deal breaker but to be quite honest, it really boils down to it’s ugly as sin.