Ring Indoor Camera Features, Specs, Pros & Cons

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Gained early experience with automation technology in the private and industrial sector, can turn his living room into a movie theater with one voice command and is the owner of this website. He is happy to share his accumulated experience with every new article.

Ring Indoor Cam

Do you want to know what your cat is up to when you’re not at home? Or do you need monitoring of the garage, for example to protect against thieves? Would you like to be informed as soon as something unusual happens in the house?

The Ring Indoor Cam can do all this and much more. Ring, under the direction of Amazon, has once again created a useful device that will enrich your smart home.

Otherwise, it’s a practical little cam that reliably fulfils its purpose: making your smart home more secure. All it needs is monitoring and a notification as soon as something unusual happens.

Installation is a breeze, so you can easily integrate it into your existing home network. All you need is Wi-Fi and your smartphone with the Ring app. And of course the cam!

Overview Ring Indoor Cam:

Small indoor surveillance camera.
For wall mounting or standing up.
With motion detector: Notification on event.
Two-way audio, similar to intercom.
Livestream at the push of a button: Video in Full HD = 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Some features, for example saving videos, are only available with a subscription.

Ring Indoor Cam – System Requirements

Ring shows itself to be very flexible here. It is sufficient for operation if you have an older operating system: This includes everything from Android 5.0 upwards, as well as Apple iOS 9.3 and newer.

The upload speed should be 2 MBit/s. According to the manufacturer, the minimum is already 1 MBit/s.

Unfortunately, the 5 GHz WLAN only works with the help of Chime Pro – you can find out more about this in the accessories section!

Ring Indoor Cam – Areas of application

Watching pets is especially popular: Finally, you can see if Rex the German Shepherd or Lucky the cat is responsible for the hair on your couch! Otherwise, you’ll never know what they’re up to when you leave them alone.

Because a smart home always arouses the covetousness of strangers, you should protect yourself and your family especially: Point it at your front door from the inside, and you’ll get real-time reports of any suspicious movement. If you have your own carport, monitoring is also worthwhile.

Since it has a small built-in siren, you can give thieves a good scare. You can also use the intercom function to tell them that the police will be with them in a moment.

Is this cam suitable for outdoors?

Many users want to use the handy cam for outdoors as well. This is not recommended for two reasons.

For one thing, it is not weather resistant. For another, it can’t black out any areas. Therefore, there could be legal problems as soon as you capture public areas or strangers.

Theoretically, you would have to ask each of these people for permission, which is practically impossible. Therefore, it’s better not to use it, even if it might be technically possible – protected from the rain and with a socket nearby.

Use with power and cable

For power connection, the cam needs a power outlet nearby. You connect it with a power cord that comes with the cam. If you need more, you’ll need to buy it separately: A three-metre power cable is available as an accessory.

A use with battery or solar panel is unfortunately not possible.

Is the Ring Indoor Cam wireless?

Nevertheless, the cam is what you call “wireless”: you don’t need a cable to connect to the Internet. As soon as it detects Wi-Fi and if you have entered the password for it, it automatically connects to the network.

Ring Indoor Cam – Technical Specifications

Size without base (H x W x D): 7.5 cm x 4.58 cm x 4.58 cm.
Size with base (H x W x D): 9.5 cm x 4.58 cm x 4.58 cm.
Weight: 150 g.
Colour: available in white or black.
Video / Resolution: The ring camera delivers videos in HD with 1080p. This corresponds to a Full HD resolution with 1920 x 1080 pixels. This is sufficient for clear recordings of most indoor areas, assuming good lighting conditions.
Microphone / Loudspeaker: With the audio equipment you can use the camera as an intercom system. Because both microphone and speaker are hidden in the device, you can talk to the monitored person just like with a door intercom. The integrated noise suppression ensures a reasonable quality of communication. However, there is no alarm in case of noise, but only in case of movement.
Field of view and viewing angle: vertical = 60°, horizontal = 115°, diagonal = 140°. Interesting for indoor cams is the specification of the diagonal. The smaller the monitored area, the less you need. The 140° available here is easily enough to monitor your living room, for example. For narrower areas such as front door, hallway or garage door, it is suitable anyway.
Mounting: With the stand you can place the cam where it suits you. Of course, you can also mount it on the wall, the accessories for which are included in the scope of delivery. If you want to install the cam on the ceiling, you should adjust your live view afterwards: You might see better if you rotate the video image in the view! Here’s how it works: select the cam in the Ring app. Then go to the video settings in the device settings. Here you will find a button “Rotate video”. Please note: Because you change the cam settings of the view, your motion zones are invalid, if you had any set up!

Ring Indoor Cam – Set up or hang?

The practical base can be used as a stand for mounting, then you screw it under the cam. Or you can use it as part of the bracket for wall mounting.

There you can also rotate the cam slightly. This is useful if you notice after the suspension that you would prefer a slightly different angle.

Ring Indoor Cam – Features

Basic features are free of charge. We’ll put these at the beginning. Below we explain what else you can do with the cam and a paid subscription.

Monitor your home from anywhere: on holiday, in the theatre, in the office or on the train. You can quickly take a look at a specified area in the smart home from anywhere. The prerequisite is the notification after activation of the cam.
Receive a notification when the cam detects motion: You can have push messages or emails sent to you.
Livestream: Then you can open the Ring app and thus the live view to see what it’s all about.
Person detection: The cam is able to detect persons – not individually, but that there is a person there at all. Other motion detections are triggered by a door opening, for example.
Set up motion zones: You can do this using the app. This way you reduce the number of false alarms! You can also set up to three motion zones without a subscription.
Hide certain areas: If you still have the bathroom in the picture, for example, you can preserve the privacy of your family by removing the area from surveillance.
Night vision in color: Infrared LED makes sure you see what’s going on even in low light!

What happens in the event of an alarm:

After you receive the notification on your phone, you should first switch to the live view.

In the stream you can see if you have to react. Then activate the communication and talk to the person. Optionally, activate the siren to chase someone away.

For all this, you need the Ring app. It not only helps you with the installation. It also unlocks other features for using the cam. For example, you can define when you want to receive notifications: only for people? Or only in certain areas?

Alternatively, the message function can of course also be switched off completely.

LEDs on the Ring Indoor Cam

LED light colors have proven themselves in many smart Ring devices. The Indoor Cam also comes with them: Several colours give you information about the status of your Indoor Cam. You will find the LED light on the front of the camera.

The cam lights up or flashes either red or blue. A table can be found at the manufacturer. A few examples:

Slow blue flashing: Camera is being set up.
blue light for five seconds = setup completed successfully.
lights up permanently blue = camera has been started, recording is running
LEDs off = Cam is currently not active.

Good to know: If the light turns blue intermittently without you setting it up, the cam is refreshing. It really needs the connection to the network now. Never deactivate it while this process is running!

Ring Indoor Cam with Ring Protect Subscription

Although the cam also runs well without a subscription. But then you can really only use basic functions. The following features are only available to you if you take out a paid subscription.

Record and save videos / photos

Because the cam does not contain an SD card, you usually can’t save anything. This is where the subscription comes in handy: It offers you a storage function for up to 30 days. The storage location is the cloud.

Watch videos even after the event is over

With the help of a timeline, you can scroll back to a specific point in time to watch the event in question. Without a subscription, you can only use the livestream. And it only turns on when there is an event.

Share with family and friends

You have a funny video of your cat? Offer friends and family more fun, share the video with them!

Create photos

Independent of videos, the cam can also take photos. According to the manufacturer, it does this permanently and saves them in the event history. However, only up to seven days: If you want to have something longer, download the photos!

Activate person mode

Here, the cam only sends a message when it detects people. So if an open window slams shut in the wind, the cam does not react. However, if someone enters through this window, you will get an alarm!

Using the Pre-Roll Function

All Ring wired devices have the Pre-Roll function as part of the subscription. In Advanced Level, it detects six seconds BEFORE an event triggers it. Although the function is always active, it can only be queried with a subscription.

Ring Protect Plus only: more security for your home

While with the Basic subscription you can only use one device, with Protect Plus you can use an infinite number of devices. You can also set up three contacts who will be notified in an emergency.

If your Wi-Fi goes down, Ring will provide you with a cellular backup for the cam. You also extend your warranty for all Ring devices in your possession.

Practical and helpful tips

How to set up the cam

For this you always need the Ring app. Open it and go to “Set up Ring device”. Look for the item “Security camera”. Then scan the QR code on the back of your new cam.

The app will automatically detect the device and guide you through the rest of the setup process.

Ready!

Enable / disable video and audio

Want to be really private for once, but the cam would get in the way? Deactivate it! You can do this via the device settings, where you can access the video settings.

Looking for the option to disable audio? You’ll find this in the same place: Usable via switches, with the help of which you activate or deactivate the respective function.

Connect Cam to the Smart Home

Other smart devices with a display make it much easier for you to use the cam. If you’re already using the Echo Show, for example, simply command it to “Alexa, show me the living room” when an alarm goes off.

However, the cam can only be operated hands-free via voice command if you have set it up in the Alexa app. Otherwise, you are still dependent on your smartphone.

So in the Ring app, you control the cam and connect it to other smart Ring devices. In the Alexa app, you establish the connection to Alexa. You can then use the intelligent voice software for ongoing operation.

Is there a memory card in the device?

No. Videos are only stored in the cloud. This has advantages, for example in case of theft: You can still watch the videos that were saved for you.

Can the Ring Indoor Cam be used as a baby monitor?

The Ring Team itself advises against it. The reason: Unlike a normal baby monitor, the cam is not activated by noises. You will then also receive no notification.

It is true that the pictures are of a higher quality than with conventional baby monitors. But that alone is not enough: a baby monitor should inform you immediately about everything that is going on in the nursery.

Even in the Ring Protect subscription, however, recording only starts when motion is detected. The livestream also only switches on as soon as motion is detected. The Ring Indoor Cam is therefore unsuitable as a baby monitor.

What to do in case of theft?

The Ring company offers an interesting service in case your cam is stolen. However, the basis is a report to the police. They will create a protocol that you have to submit to Ring.

After checking the process, Ring will replace your Indoor Cam – at no additional cost!

The best thing about it: This service is valid for life, i.e. as long as the device exists. A manufacturer’s warranty, on the other hand, which covers parts and repairs, is only valid for the first two years after purchase.

Popular accessories

Chime Pro
Power supply with extra long cable (3 m)
Privacy Kit = lens cover, plus switchable power supply with 1.9 m cable

The following has proven successful with other users: If you’re at home, use the lens cover. Remove it before you leave the house!

But beware, the Ring Team points this out themselves: The cover really only blocks the view. Not the microphone! The intercom function also remains active.

What is a switchable power supply: It allows you to turn off the cam manually. In passing, so to speak! However, there is no on/off switch on the cam itself.

What can Chime Pro do?

Chime and Chime Pro are actually devices that can be used to create ringtones on video doorbells. But the Chime Pro can still be used as a Wi-Fi amplifier for your smart home. And this is where it gets interesting.

Because Chime Pro can also increase the functionality of your Ring Indoor Cam:

Strengthen the reach of your network.
Here you can also use the Indoor Cam with 5 GHz.
In the event of a motion alarm, you no longer just receive a message on your mobile phone. Chime Pro also emits an acoustic signal that sounds throughout the house.

Ring Indoor Cam – Advantages & Disadvantages

PRO:

more compact than many other models
precise motion sensor
good value for money
simple installation
Night vision in color
Set up movement zones
(Subscription) Saving of events up to 30 days
with mini siren

CON:

No separate notification when WLAN down – only the LED color changes.
No battery: You need a power outlet nearby.
Some functions only in the subscription – liable to pay the costs! Example Record videos, save.
Users report jerky videos and artifacts in the image.
No SD card in the cam itself.

Conclusion about the Ring Indoor Cam

The Ring Indoor Cam* is an affordable, small model for monitoring private living spaces. Activated only when an event occurs, it can immediately display burglaries, for example. If you’re not there at the time, you’ll find out anyway!

This increases the security in the house. But the cam also provides fun, for example, when it films your pets in your absence.

The cam is easy to install and connects smoothly with other smart devices. Simple features are available from the factory.

But if you want to use the full range of functions, you need a subscription. This can be worthwhile: If you install several devices, for example a cam in each room, you only pay one subscription for Ring Protect Plus.

There are many helpful additional functions: For example, recording and saving past events are important. You would miss something like that in normal operation if you are in an area without a network or have just switched off your mobile phone.

Check Price:

AMAZON*

Attention: When installing electronic equipment, please be sure to observe the manufacturer’s safety instructions. You have to take care of your own safety. The information on this site only helps you to learn.
Disclosure: This website is the property of Martin Lütkemeyer and is operated by Martin Lütkemeyer. Martin Lütkemeyer is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to enable Web sites to earn advertising revenue through advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Links marked with * are affiliate links.