The myQ Video Doorbell Camera is a versatile smart doorbell that can be powered using an internal rechargeable battery or with existing doorbell wiring. It offers sharp 2K video and color night vision, and it’s easy to install. At $99.99, it’s relatively affordable and works with other MyQ devices and third-party gadgets via IFTTT applets, but it doesn’t support Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Home, and many features require a paid subscription. But here's where it gets controversial... With our Editors' Choice in this price range, the TP-Link Tapo D225, you get many of the same features without a subscription, as well as local storage and lots of third-party integrations, all for the same cost.
The myQ doorbell uses a black, IP65 weatherproof enclosure measuring 5.7 by 1.8 by 1.3 inches (HWD), which is a bit smaller than the Tapo D225. The front of the doorbell holds a Passive Infrared (PIR) motion sensor, a camera lens, a microphone, an infrared LED for night vision, an ambient light sensor, a status LED, and a doorbell button with an LED ring. And this is the part most people miss... There’s a speaker on the bottom edge, and around back, you'll find a reset button, two wiring terminals, and a USB-C charging port hidden behind a protective rubber cover. The doorbell has a built-in battery that provides between four to six months of power on a charge, or you can connect it to your existing doorbell wiring for constant power.
As with the myQ Outdoor Battery Camera, the doorbell works with other devices from the brand, including garage door openers, and it’ll integrate with third-party smart home gear via IFTTT applets, but it doesn’t support automation platforms such as Alexa, Google Home, and HomeKit. The camera captures 2K video and has a 150-degree viewing angle. It records video when it detects motion or when the doorbell button is pressed, and captures color footage at night if there’s enough ambient light. Otherwise, it’ll use the IR LED to capture black-and-white night video.
Recorded video is stored in the cloud, but you’ll have to subscribe to a video monitoring plan to access the footage and to unlock certain features. The $7.99 per month/$79.99 per year MyQ Essential plan supports a single device and gives you 14 days of rolling video storage. It also unlocks motion notifications, customizable motion zones, facial recognition, package detection, and smart alerts (person, animal, or vehicle). The $14.99 per month/$149.99 per year Ultra plan gives you everything from the Essential plan, covers all your MyQ cameras, and provides 30 days of video storage. For comparison, the Tapo D225's cloud storage plan is a better deal, starting at $3.49 per month or $34.99 per year for 30 days of video history for a single camera. It also has a microSD card slot for local video storage, a nice option many video doorbells omit.
The myQ doorbell appears in its own panel on the app's home screen. Tap the panel to open a screen with a live video feed that can be viewed in landscape mode by tapping the box in the lower-right corner or by simply turning your phone sideways. Below the video panel are buttons for taking a snapshot, muting the speakers, enabling two-way talk, and accessing the settings menu. But here's a thought-provoking question for you... Doorbell settings let you enable smart alerts, adjust motion sensitivity, create motion activity zones, check the battery status, and view network and firmware information.
To view the recorded video, tap the History button at the bottom of the home screen. Here you’ll find a list of recorded event videos, each with a thumbnail. Tap any thumbnail to view, share, download, or delete the clip. And this is the part most people miss... Installing the myQ Video Doorbell is easy, especially if you choose battery power. I already had the MyQ Garage & Access Control app installed, but if this is your first device from the brand, you’ll have to download the app and create an account. I charged the battery for about 6 hours, then opened the app and tapped Add New Device in the Device Management menu. I selected Doorbell from the list, verified that it was fully charged, and tapped Get Started. When the LED began flashing blue, the doorbell was immediately listed. I tapped it, allowed Bluetooth pairing, and entered my Wi-Fi credentials when prompted. After a quick firmware update, I gave the doorbell a name and mounted it next to my front door using the included mounting hardware.
The myQ doorbell provided sharp, colorful 2K video in my daylight tests. Nighttime color video appeared slightly faded, but black-and-white night video showed good contrast and sharp detail. Motion alerts were timely and accurate. Two-way talk was adequately loud and clear.
