The ADT Self Setup doorbell is promising, especially considering the reasonable price.
ADT Self Setup Doorbell Review
3 min readIn our ADT Self Setup review, we mentioned that you could buy the ADT Self Setup doorbell camera as a standalone piece. If that piqued your interest, we’re here to give you a rundown.
Let’s talk shop about the ADT Self Setup doorbell camera (also sometimes known as the DIY Doorbell Camera). It’s reasonably priced and has a lot of useful features, but the facial recognition needs some work.
ADT Self Setup doorbell camera price and details
Product | Image | Price | Subscription plan | Learn more |
 | $199.99 | $2.99–$12.99/mo. | View Plans |
Prices as of 10/17/2022. Offers subject to change.
Other cameras
ADT Self Setup also sells an HD video doorbell camera not featured in this review. The ADT DIY brand also sells an indoor camera and outdoor camera selection.
ADT Self Setup doorbell camera features
The DIY Doorbell Camera looks good and comes with tons of features.
First off, the Self Setup Doorbell Camera is one of the prettiest doorbell cameras we’ve seen. It's not as flashy as Ring or Skybell, but we think the more modest, matte look is preferable for many homes. It definitely doesn’t scream, “Steal me!” like some video doorbells do.
Doorbell colors
You can get this little beauty in either graphite or pearl gray.
Within the hardware, there are several useful video doorbell features.
ADT Self Setup video doorbell camera features:
- Facial recognition
- Motion detection (with customizable motion zones)
- Night vision
- Two-way talk
- Cloud storage
- Push notifications
- 180° field of view
- 1080p resolution
- Rechargeable backup batteries
Facial recognition
Motion detection
The ADT Self Setup doorbell camera is equipped with a customizable motion detector. You can get notifications on your phone when someone steps into your custom motion detection zone.
You also have the option to disable the motion-detection feature and only get alerts when someone pushes the doorbell button.
Facial recognition is the most uncommon feature included with this video doorbell. Ring, which is arguably the top brand for video doorbells, doesn’t even have this plus.
Users say the facial recognition can be erratic, which is a bummer. But we’ve tested facial recognition with Nest (arguably the second-best brand for video doorbells), and we have to say that’s erratic too. During a test conducted by one of our reviewers, the Nest Outdoor Cam IQ struggled to recognize the same person from different angles.
So basically, facial recognition, in general, is still a work in progress. We don’t think you’re gonna get drastically lower recognition quality with ADT Self Setup. Plus, we like that the company isn't charging an arm and a leg for this experimental tech.
ADT Self Setup doorbell camera pricing
This video doorbell has a lot for the price.
With facial recognition, night vision, two-way talk, and cloud storage, this camera is a terrific deal. It’s hard to find all that at the $200 price point.
The $2.99-per-month, cloud-storage subscription is an excellent deal as well. Most companies are charging $5, $10, and even more per month for cloud storage.
ADT Self Setup doorbell camera home automation
This doorbell works with Alexa and IFTTT.
Some pieces of ADT Self Setup equipment work with Google Assistant and Z-Wave Plus. However, the doorbell camera is compatible only with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.
That’s not the best smart home automation we’ve seen. Still, the flexible nature of IFTTT means that you might be able to set up chain reactions using a Google Home or Z-Wave product.
ADT Self Setup doorbell camera installation
You’re responsible for installing your ADT Self Setup doorbell camera.
Because it's designed primarily to be part of ADT’s DIY security suite, the doorbell camera is self-install only. Luckily, ADT provides a helpful YouTube video.
Your camera comes with brackets, screws, wires, and connectors so you can install it on your own. You’ll also need to open your ADT Self Setup app to complete installation.
If the thought of setting up the camera overwhelms you, you can always hire a professional or bribe a friend to do it.
Installation
This doorbell is hardwired, so you’ll need to connect it to your existing doorbell’s power source. If you don’t have an existing doorbell, check to make sure you at least have wiring, a door chime, and a doorbell transformer in place. (Your existing doorbell doesn’t have to be a smart doorbell for its hookups to work with ADT Self Setup.)
Recap: Is the ADT Self Setup doorbell camera good?
By all accounts, this camera is a good one.
We recommend the ADT Self Setup doorbell camera to you, especially if you have a ADT Self Setup system. It’s not too expensive, and it includes a lot for the price.
If you aren’t feeling this camera, check out our video doorbell roundup and this Ring video doorbell review. If you aren’t feeling ADT Self Setup in general, we have a lot of alternate home security suggestions.
ADT Self Setup doorbell camera FAQ
No sir. The $2.99 fee covers your rolling 60-day cloud storage, but it doesn’t put any eyes on your cameras (besides yours).
It’s unusual for a company to offer professional video monitoring, TBH. Probably because security cameras easily pick up on things users don’t want to share outside their homes.
Probably not.
ADT has two offerings. There’s the DIY system (ADT Self Setup), and there’s the traditional ADT system, which you can get using plans from a variety of third-party dealers. If you already have one of these numerous plans, it seems natural that you could add a ADT Self Setup camera to your security system, right?
Well, ADT Self Setup systems are rebranded LifeShield equipment, while typical ADT equipment is from Alarm.com. Because of this, they’re unlikely to be compatible with each other.
The DIY Doorbell Camera is a wired doorbell, but the batteries are present as a backup, just in case.
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