Cameras

Overview

The Video Doorbell Pro integrates seamlessly with your SimpliSafe® system, allowing you to see visitors and interact with them through its live streaming and two-way audio features, without needing to be home.

If you are subscribed to either our residential or business plans such as, Pro Plus, Pro, Core, or Self Monitoring with Camera Recordings, the Video Doorbell Pro will record video when motion is detected, and those recordings will be stored in your account for 30 days. These recordings can be downloaded from the SimpliSafe® Mobile App or Online Account.

The Video Doorbell Pro detects motion using advanced motion analytics during the day to recognize cars, people, and other objects. At night, the Video Doorbell Pro uses passive infrared (PIR) to detect moving, heat-generating objects in contrast to the environment. Since it is looking for warmer objects, you may see an uptick of motion events from the Video Doorbell Pro during the colder months.

Looking to purchase a Video Doorbell Pro? You can find it available for purchase on our website.

Video Doorbell Pro Requirements

Before installing your Video Doorbell Pro, it’s important to know that the device requires:

• Existing doorbell wiring

• A mechanical chime. The Video Doorbell Pro is not compatible with digital chimes

• A transformer with 8-24VAC, 10-30VA

• A Chime Connector. If you do not have a Chime Connector, please reach out to our Support team for one

Failure to meet these requirements may result in damage to your device and/or your home. If you’re unsure if your system meets these requirements, we recommend contacting a licensed electrician.

You can test the voltage of your doorbell using a multimeter or voltage tester. If you're unsure of how to do this, please consult with a licensed electrician in your area for further assistance.

Before Getting Started

You will need to have a 2.4GHz network connection available to complete the setup of this camera.

What’s in the box:

• Video Doorbell Pro

• Angled mount

• Mounting bracket

• Chime Connector

• Security Screw

• Torx screwdriver

• Mounting bracket screws

• Wood screws

• Wall anchors

You’ll also need to have your own Phillips Head screwdriver to complete the installation.

Watch the video below for a hands-on experience from our team of experts for the installation process.

Troubleshooting

• My doorbell won't ring—do I need a Chime Connector?

• Changing Wi-Fi networks for Cameras

• Why Does My Camera Keep Losing Its Wi-Fi Connection?

• Why won't my QR Code Scan?

User Manual

• Video Doorbell Pro Installation Guide

Related Articles

• Video Doorbell Pro Settings & Customizations

• Doorbell Angle Kit for Video Doorbell Pro Installation Guide

• How to Rename a SimpliSafe® Camera

• Recording Behavior for SimpliSafe® Cameras

The status light on the front of your SimpliCam® Wired Indoor Security Camera indicates key information about your camera. At a glance, it can tell you if your camera is recording, if it isn’t connected to Wi-Fi, and so much more. You can watch the video for a hands-on look at what the LEDs will look like on your camera, or reference the chart below to learn more at a quick glance.

The status light located on the front of your Outdoor Security Camera Series 2 indicates key information about your camera. At a glance, it can tell you if the camera is recording, isn’t connected to Wi-Fi, or if agent intervention is occurring when enrolled in SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection. You can watch the video to see the different LEDs up close and personal, or refer to the chart below to see at a quick glance what each status light means.

The battery within the Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera can last up to 3 months on a single charge, depending on placement and usage. To charge your camera, we recommend plugging it into power for 6 hours with a 5V, 7.5W USB power adapter that provides 1.5A of current. You will know the battery is fully charged when the LED on the camera turns solid white.

You can maximize your camera’s battery life through its location and various camera settings. The information below will help guide you through our recommendations to improve overall battery life and performance for your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera.

Camera Location

Your camera is activated by a motion sensor for accurate alerts. Because of this, we recommend the following for camera placement:

• Place the camera in a room or area where subjects are likely to spend time in if there is an alarm

• The motion detector is most sensitive to side-to-side motion with its 125-degree field of view

• Do not position the camera so that only a doorway is in frame

• Do not position the camera to look outside through a window or doorway

Using the recommendations above, we created a placement guide for the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera with a mock-up floor plan. This floor plan is inserted below and can help provide guidance as to where we’d place the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera in a home with this layout.

Camera Settings

There are many settings that can be adjusted to help extend the battery life of your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera. To access the settings in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App, navigate to:

1. Click the Cameras tab at the bottom of the navigation bar

2. Choose the gear icon for Camera Settings in the upper right corner

3. Select your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera

4. Adjust your camera’s settings, as needed

Once on the settings menu for your camera, you’ll have the option to change settings. To maximize your battery life, we recommend the following:

• Under Motion Detection:

  • Lower your camera's motion sensitivity setting to low

    • This will impact how frequently your camera is triggered

• Enable People Only detection to ensure your camera is only capturing humans, and is not unnecessarily triggered by other moving objects or animals

• Set up Activity Zones for your camera to exclude zones that you don’t want to receive alerts for

Additional Battery Optimization Tips

If you find that your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera’s battery drains quickly despite following the placement and settings tips above, we also recommend considering the number of times you view a live stream through your camera every day, or how often Secret Alerts are triggered.

Frequently viewing a live stream through your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera will cause its battery to drain faster, so if you use it to monitor babies, children, pets, or vacation homes, expect the battery to last fewer than 3 months. If you do use your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera to constantly monitor a room, we recommend keeping it plugged in with its power adapter mentioned below. 

If you have any sensors set to Secret Alert and it is triggered, your camera(s) will record a 10-second clip. Over time, this can cause the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera’s battery to drain faster than expected. If you have a sensor that is constantly being triggered, and it does not need to be set to Secret Alert, we recommend turning off the setting for the sensor to preserve the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera’s battery life. If it does need to be set to Secret Alert, we recommend keeping the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera plugged in with its power adapter mentioned below.

Indoor Camera Power Adapter

The Smart Alarm Indoor Camera requires a 5V, 7.5W USB power adapter that supplies 1.5A of current. You may use any compatible power adapter, or you can purchase the Indoor Camera Power Adapter from our online store or through select retailers. The Indoor Camera Power Adapter is a power brick that will allow you to plug in your Smart Alarm Indoor Camera to provide continuous power to the camera.

The Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera has a rechargeable battery, that should last up to 3 months depending on placement and usage.

The battery may take up to 6 hours to fully charge on a 5V, 7.5W USB power adapter with a 1.5A of current. You will know the battery is fully charged when the LED on the camera turns to a solid white.

SimpliSafe® has a variety of different cameras that provide additional eyes and ears for both inside and outside your home. The following article will provide you with the resources you need for installing the specific camera to your SimpliSafe® system. 

HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO WI-FI DURING THE INSTALLATION PROCESS?

Our cameras are designed to connect seamlessly to most Wi-Fi networks, however, some networks may require additional configurations to be compatible. We recommend confirming that your network meets our system requirements.

Overview

You can customize your SimpliSafe® cameras even further by changing the motion detection to coincide with your system’s arming state. This means you can now adjust when your camera records as it is directly tied to your system’s arming state. 

For example, if you don’t want your camera to record when the system is set to OFF, but do want it to record when it is in AWAY mode, you can now control these settings.

Motion notifications are determined by your monitoring subscription. You can learn more about which monitoring plans include push or SMS notifications on our Help Center.

Supported Cameras

The following cameras are compatible with motion detection set by arming state:

• Outdoor Camera Series 2

• Wireless Outdoor Security Camera

• Smart Alarm Indoor Camera

How to Change These Settings

To change your motion detection based on the arming state:

1. Open the SimpliSafe® Mobile App on your phone or tablet

2. Choose My System from the bottom navigation bar

3. Select Camera Settings

4. Tap on the camera you wish to manage

5. Under Camera Behavior, tap on your arming state to adjust the settings

6. Toggle ON or OFF Motion Detection, as needed

7. Choose SAVE in the upper right corner of the app to save your selections

NOTE: your camera will not record unless motion is detected in any arming state when the arming state is configured to detect motion.