Related Sections: Security
Digital Peephole Viewer uses zooming camera
Update that antiquated peephole with this $138 Brinno Digital Peephole Viewer. It's an LCD display with a tiny camera on the other end that fits into that cylinder now occupied by your current peephole. The company says it can be installed "in a matter of minutes," but we're thinking that depends on your mechanical ability and how difficult it might be to remove that existing peephole.
We like the way you can either peep in a normal view or zoom in for a closer look. The company says two AA batteries will give you 1,700 peeps, that is, if each look lasts the 10 seconds it takes until it's automatically turned off to conserve battery life.
Another benefit is the person at the door won't be able to tell if you're peeping or not, unlike old-fashioned peepholes that suddenly get darker when you're looking through them. It's available in Australia now, let's hope it finds its way Stateside. Attach a motion-sensitive peephole recorder, and you'll have a total security package.
Bold Technology, via Slippery Brick
By thisisonlyatest at 7:27 PM ON 10/05/09
Ooh... Just what I always wanted... a $138 peephole... Or... I could go to Lowes and spend as much as $13 for a traditional one...
Or... I could buy a $60 backup camera from Wal-Mart and screw that to my door...
Or... better still, I could buy a digital camera for about $30 (for a dirt cheap one that uses AA batteries) and I could cut a hole just big enough for the lense to fit through and use some duct tape to mount the whole contraption...
Then again... my door has a window at the top, so I have no need for this... Also, I don't ever get visitors...
By Giggity at 10:17 AM ON 10/06/09
lmao @thisisonlyatest... "Also, I don't ever get visitors..."
I figured that it would only be a matter of time before someone came out with this.
As thisisonlyatest points out, there are a ton of other ways to do this, but they wouldnt be as clean of an install.
Now, just add the ability to keep the images of people and you have a nice way to id any thief dumb enough to break in thru the front door.
By BrianPaul21 at 7:50 PM ON 10/06/09
OR, make it wifi capable and have an app for it as well so you will never have to leave your couch to see who is at the door. I would buy that.
By thisisonlyatest at 11:46 PM ON 10/06/09
Add Wifi and I might consider using a few of these around my home as CCTV cameras... they look easy enough to hide... but in my neighborhood they'd get stolen at night or hit with rocks in daylight...
By Coyotecom at 7:07 AM ON 10/07/09
Beats getting rammed in the eye with a pick or screwdriver. I stayed in a hotel once where the peepholes could be unscrewed from the outside by hand, a digital camera with zoom and a fisheye lens let me look into peoples rooms without them knowing I was there (only did this to a couple friends, freaked them out).
By Robert Wierzbicki at 2:45 AM ON 10/14/09
Hi
How I can buy the peephole camera and the screen? I live in Sydney, can you let me know the contact details, please?
Also can I use the camera for pernement 24/7 recording with external dvr and power supply?
Regards
Robert
By USAmerica1st at 6:14 PM ON 11/15/09
It's a viewer, not a camera, so it doesn't record. You push a button and it shows you who is at the door for 10 seconds. Gives over 1500 views on two batteries. Easy to install. I'm getting this baby.
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USAmerica1st:
It's a viewer, not a camera, so it doesn't record. You push a button and it shows you who is at the door for 10 sec...More »