Smart Doorbells: The Technology I Imagined in the 1990s
Smart doorbells have become a familiar part of the modern smart home. But did you know that the idea of a doorbell that could contact you when you weren’t home goes back much further than today’s video doorbells?
I know, because I was thinking about one back in the early 1990s.
At the time, the idea seemed futuristic. Mobile phones were still relatively new, the internet was in its infancy, and the concept of connecting your front door to a mobile phone was something most people had never considered.
I was fascinated by the possibilities.
My Smart Doorbell Idea from the Early 1990s
My first mobile phone was a Nokia 1610.
It was a very different world from the one we live in today. There were no smartphones, no apps and certainly no smart-home ecosystems.
But I had an idea.
I wanted to create a smart doorbell that could connect to the home’s landline.
The concept was relatively simple. If someone pressed the doorbell while I was away from home, the system would call my mobile phone and let me know that somebody was at the front door.
Looking back, it was essentially an early version of what we now call a smart doorbell.
I even started building prototypes.
Unfortunately, getting the technology to work reliably was another matter.
Every time new components became available, I would find myself modifying the design and trying to incorporate the latest technology. I was constantly changing the concept rather than finishing the original version.
And then technology moved on.
From a Telephone Call to a Video Doorbell
As mobile technology developed, my idea evolved.
Instead of simply receiving a telephone call when somebody pressed the doorbell, I imagined being able to see the person at the front door.
Eventually, smartphones made that possible.
The concept became an app that could send video from the front door directly to your phone. You could be at work, travelling or simply upstairs in your home and still see who was standing outside.
Today, that’s one of the defining features of a video doorbell.
And then came Ring.
I have to admit, I was gutted.
Someone had taken an idea I’d been thinking about for years and turned it into a successful commercial product.
I hadn’t been quick enough.
But rather than being annoyed about it today, I find it fascinating to look at how the technology has developed.
The smart doorbell has gone far beyond my original idea.
What Is a Smart Doorbell?
A smart doorbell is essentially a doorbell combined with a connected camera and smart-home technology.
Instead of simply making a sound inside your home when somebody presses the button, a smart doorbell can potentially:
- Send an alert to your smartphone
- Show you live video of your front door
- Allow you to speak to visitors through two-way audio
- Detect movement around your property
- Record video of activity at the entrance
- Work with other smart-home devices
- Allow you to answer the door when you’re not at home
This changes the role of the traditional doorbell.
It becomes a way of monitoring and communicating with people at your front door, rather than simply announcing that someone has arrived.
How Do Smart Video Doorbells Work?
Most smart video doorbells combine several technologies in one relatively small device.
A camera monitors the area around your entrance while motion sensors or software identify activity. When the doorbell is pressed—or, depending on the model, when movement is detected—the system can send a notification to your smartphone.
You can then open the manufacturer’s app to see what’s happening.
Many models also include a microphone and speaker, allowing you to have a conversation with the person at the door.
The result is a system that effectively gives you a remote connection to your front door.
That’s remarkably close to what I was trying to achieve all those years ago.
Ring and the Evolution of the Smart Doorbell
One of the companies that helped bring the smart doorbell into the mainstream was Ring.
Modern Ring video doorbells offer considerably more functionality than the simple telephone-connected doorbell I originally imagined.
Depending on the model, features can include high-resolution video, motion detection, two-way talk, night vision and integration with other smart-home devices.
Some models also include technologies such as 3D Motion Detection and Bird’s Eye View, designed to provide more detailed information about movement around your property.
The important thing is that these features are no longer particularly unusual.
What once seemed like science fiction is now available as an everyday consumer product.
Why Smart Doorbells Are So Popular
There are several reasons why smart doorbells have become so popular.
1. You Can See Who Is at the Door
This is probably the most obvious advantage.
Instead of wondering who has just rung the bell, you can look at your smartphone and see what’s happening.
That’s particularly useful if you’re upstairs, working in another room or away from home.
2. You Can Answer the Door Remotely
Two-way audio means you can communicate with visitors even when you’re not physically standing at the door.
For example, you might be expecting a delivery while you’re at work.
Rather than simply missing the delivery, you may be able to communicate with the driver through the doorbell.
3. You Can Receive Motion Alerts
Smart doorbells can also notify you when movement is detected around the entrance.
Depending on the device and its settings, you can configure activity zones to reduce unnecessary alerts and concentrate on the areas that matter.
4. They Can Become Part of Your Smart Home
Today’s smart doorbells can integrate with other connected devices.
For example, compatible Ring products can work with Amazon Alexa, allowing alerts and other functions to be incorporated into a wider smart-home setup.
This is another area where today’s technology is dramatically different from what was available when I first had my idea.
Wired or Battery-Powered Smart Doorbell?
One of the decisions you’ll need to make when choosing a smart doorbell is whether to install a wired or battery-powered model.
A wired doorbell can be a good option if you already have suitable doorbell wiring and want a permanent installation.
Battery-powered models can be more flexible because they don’t necessarily require existing wiring.
That can make installation easier, particularly if you’re replacing a traditional doorbell or don’t want to run new cables.
However, battery life and charging requirements are worth considering before making a decision.
What About Video Storage?
Another important consideration is how your smart doorbell stores recorded video.
Many video doorbells use cloud storage, with additional recording history and features available through a subscription service.
Other products offer local-storage options.
This means that when comparing smart doorbells, it’s worth looking beyond the initial purchase price.
Consider the complete cost of ownership, including any subscription fees, as well as the storage options available for recorded video.
Smart Doorbells and Privacy
There’s another consideration that didn’t exist when I first started thinking about my idea: privacy.
A camera pointed at your front door can potentially capture visitors, neighbours, delivery drivers and activity around your property.
It’s therefore important to understand how your chosen device handles video, audio, storage and access to recordings.
You should also consider where you position the camera and whether it is capturing areas beyond your property.
Technology can make our homes more connected, but that connectivity needs to be balanced with sensible privacy practices.
How Far Smart Doorbells Have Come
When I think back to the early 1990s, the difference is incredible.
I was thinking about a doorbell that could telephone me when I was away.
Today, a relatively small device attached to your front door can potentially provide:
- Live video
- Motion detection
- Smartphone notifications
- Two-way communication
- Recorded video
- Smart-home integration
- Remote access from almost anywhere
The basic idea hasn’t changed that much.
I wanted to know when someone was at my door, even when I wasn’t home.
The technology needed to make that happen has simply become vastly more sophisticated.
I Had the Idea — I Just Didn’t Get There First
This is probably the part of the story that still makes me smile.
I genuinely believed that a connected doorbell was a good idea back in the early 1990s.
I built prototypes. I experimented with the technology. I imagined being able to know who was at my door while I was away.
But I didn’t turn it into a successful commercial product.
Someone else did.
And that’s one of the lessons I’ve taken from the experience.
Having a good idea is only the beginning.
Technology, timing, execution, investment and a huge amount of persistence all play a part in turning an idea into a product.
When I look at the smart doorbells available today, I can see a little piece of that original idea in them.
I may not have been the person who brought the smart doorbell to the world.
But I can still say:
I was thinking about it back in the 1990s.
I just wish I’d been a little quicker.
Final Thoughts
Smart doorbells have transformed something as ordinary as answering the front door into a connected smart-home experience.
Whether you’re interested in security, convenience, remote communication or simply being able to see who’s at the door, today’s video doorbells offer capabilities that would have seemed almost impossible when I first started experimenting with the concept.
For me, however, there’s something particularly satisfying about seeing the idea become reality.
Because every time I see a smart doorbell, I remember that Nokia 1610, a few early prototypes and an idea from the early 1990s.
Sometimes you really can be ahead of your time.
You just need to get there first.