Bad guys get the unwelcome ballistic reception.
The combination of video technology and ownership of a firearm made it for a great save. Having early warning but having to call 911 and wait for the police to save you would have been possibly led to a deadly outcome.
And speaking of which, have back up cameras as in another camera aimed at the front door if you have a doorbell camera. You know bad guys are gonna see this and try to come up with a way to cover it before doing their evil deeds. A second camera placed in some not-so-easy to see location, preferably high (nobody ever looks up) will serve as the spare set of remote eyes when the first set is sabotaged.
I would argue that attempting to cover the camera should immediately warrant a jump to Code Red and an armed response.
Note to self: when I get around to building the DIY doorbell camera, I need to incorporate at least one means of detecting that someone’s attempting to obscure or disable it, and sound an alarm if that happens. Has to differentiate between “attempt to cover” and “reach for button with the intent of pressing it”, though.
Three thoughts.
One is a time filter. If the feed blanks completly for more than, say, 5 seconds, alarm. (Camera simply covered.)
Two is a correlation. If the bell rings but the feed stays blank (or continuously obscured, or constant image), alarm. (Button pushed but then hand held over camera.)
Three is no colocation. If you build your own, then locate the camera elsewhere from the bell button, e.g. in a nearby light fixture. Filters above can still apply.
All three are good.
The original plan called for having wired cameras under the eaves in multiple locations, including one covering the front door. We’ll probably have that in place by next spring. Meanwhile, yeah, a separate camera so we can at least tell that there’s someone present is a good idea.
The DIY doorbell is vaguely styled after a shrunken/modernized HAL terminal, though I’m having some issues getting the “eye” effect right in a tight space with cheap off-the-shelf optics. The glowing eye will of course be the button, and the built-in camera will be hiding behind smoked plastic.
(For access, press the button and hold it while saying “January suborbital denomination” for the voiceprint system. No, I don’t really plan on electronic locks; just another goofy thought.)
Would locating the camera low and viewing up/across be a better option? You see their faces under the bill of a cap or a hoodie. Doesn’t help much immediately if it goes sideways, but it helps identify the bad guys later for the police. Also, it could help you and the police identify people that maybe were checking out or casing the place if something happens.