GoogleNest Doorbell - (Wired, 2nd Gen) - Wired Video Doorbell Camera - Doorbell Security Camera - Ash

We’ve had this doorbell for a few months now, and I’m really happy with how it’s been performing. The dark ash color fits seamlessly with the modern aesthetic of our house. I appreciate the sleek, understated look that doesn't scream "Look at me! I'm a Smart Doorbell". It fits in with the look of my home without obnoxiously standing out and it compliments the black accents on our exterior.Here’s what’s been great about it:Tall Aspect Ratio: This is a game-changer. Although I miss out on the wide left to right field of view of a traditional camera - for a doorbell I have found this to be a preferred and optimal choice. With its vertical design, I can see more than just someone standing at the door. I’m able to spot packages on the ground, which has been a lifesaver with the number of deliveries I get, and it’s easier to catch visitors' (head to toe) as they approach.Custom Alerts: I really appreciate how specific the alerts are. The algorithms baked in to the detection software are able to discern between a person, vehicle, animal, or package crossing the field of view, and I get a notification for exactly what I need to know. Beyond just identifying a person, the Nest Aware software goes a step further to recognize familiar faces and tells me if it is someone I know, or an unrecognized person. This makes a huge difference in cutting down on unnecessary alerts, like when a passing car triggers a motion warning. It also makes sure I take notice when its an unknown person at the door and not just one of my kids running around. Although the advanced Nest Aware package costs 15 dollars a month, I find the 24x7 coverage and advanced detection features to be worth the piece of mind it provides.Video History: The 3-hour free video history is perfect for those that just want to check in on missed events. Personally I chose to step up to the 10 days of 24x7 coverage to provide full access to events and surrounding video coverage. Its always better to have it and not need it, then to need it and it not be there. The video quality is crisp enough to clearly identify people or events, which is reassuring when something’s off at the door or front yard. I also love that I can check and manage all of this through the Google Home app anytime.Easy Setup: It replaced our old wired doorbell without any issues. It simply requires two wires for the power, and two screws to attach it to the wall in front of my door. My transformer was already compatible and provided the right amount of power to run the doorbell. Just like a regular doorbell, a press of the button activates my doorbell chime. This doorbell goes even further though by also announcing the event and playing a chime through my google home speakers and sending a push notification (with video) to my phone. I like this because I can clearly know when someone is at the door no matter where I am at in the house.Some notes:Disappointingly it doesn't support the Nest app which is where I have typically managed my other Nest cameras I have installed around the house (so if used to that interface, it’s a bit of an adjustment), but the Google Home app has been easy to use, and I was able to transition all of my legacy Nest devices over.If Homekit is the preferred smart home over Google - there is a way to integrate the doorbell and camera feed through either a custom homebridge server or through an additional device called Starling Home hub. I personally have the Starling device and it allows the doorbell to integrate perfectly into my existing Homekit Smart Home setup - including alerts, notifications, and live video feed.For anyone looking for a simple, reliable doorbell camera with great video quality and custom alerts, this has been a solid pick. I would definitely recommend it if you're into a more modern, functional design that works out of the box with Google or Alexa devices.

If you're thinking of buying this to install in Ireland (or the UK), I can confirm that it works. The only thing is that if you're coming from the 1st generation wired Nest Hello doorbell, as I was, you may need to upgrade your transformer. The 1st gen required 12V whereas this one needs 16V. I bought this one from Amazon UK and it works perfectly.https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08XQ2TXVQAs for the doorbell itself, the image quality is slightly better, but bear in mind that the aspect ratio is now 3:4 instead of 4:3. The main advantage is that the notification time is much faster. Installation was pretty easy. The screw holes for the base plate are the same as the 1st gen, which is handy. My only tip is that the wires need to fit within the hole in the base plate. If they don't, you won't be able to attach the doorbell.

Upgraded to the latest version which made this an easy installation. Better picture and more features. Know exactly when people are at your door and when packages come and go. Still adjusting to the migration from Nest app to Google Home. Battery went out in previous model. Repurposed the old doorbell in the basement to use as a camera to spy on the cat after adding a powercord to power the camera..

Over all, I like this camera, but I probably wouldn't buy another. My main issue with it is probably more software based. I feel it doesn't pick up events nearly as good as other cameras. Just about every single time it picks something up, it starts recording late, and ends recording early. Other cameras record quite a few seconds before and after an event. For example, oftentimes I'll get a notification for "animal activity" as I live in the woods. When I watch the recording, the animal, often a cat, racoon, opossum etc, will already be right in front of the camera. It didn't pick up the animal walking up to the house, even though it's clearly very visible. Then, the recording often stops while the animal is still moving and still in the frame of vision. This happens with people sometimes too, although less often. So, my main complaint is not enough recording time before/after a detection, and no way to adjust this setting. I also don't like that I can't set different notification sounds for different events. It would be nice to have a different sound for people vs animals vs cars (sometimes picks up cars driving by at night, this is somewhat adjustable with "zones").The video quality is good. The setup/installation was easy (hardwired), and the doorbell chime adapter works well. It also fully integrates with Google, Google TV and Google Home, so I can pull up the camera on my Google TV easily, and any other device. If someone rings the doorbell, and my TV is on, I'll get a notification on the TV and can quickly view the camera on the TV if I choose to.

Upgraded from the old model. Easy swap and happy with the new resolution. It’s weird not having the Nest app anymore, but we will get used to it.