Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell - HD Video, 180° View, Night Vision, 2 Way Audio, Black - AVD1001B

Thought I'd post this in case it might help others with the same or similar setup. House came with a Music and Sound (M&S) 223 Music-Intercom System with front and back doorbells, front 2-way speaker, and 5 room wall speaker units (pictured). Having run low on coal to power it, we purchased an Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell AVD1001. While waiting for delivery, I removed the front door speaker unit and discovered the M&S used 14VDC to the door bell...not the expected (and now more common) 24VAC. Bummer. Two story house with door bell wiring coming from the attic, so rewiring would be complicated (and in a 130 degree space at this time of year in Houston). And, unlike converting AC to DC, DC to AC is more complicated and expensive (and no, to those who aren't aware, there's no such thing as a DC transformer).Anyway, investigating the intercom 'Master Unit' revealed its primary power supply to be at 21.5VAC. Ah ha. Not needing the old front door speaker any more, I hijacked its wiring and spliced it into the AC power. I also left the master unit end of the door bell button wiring intact. So now there was AC present at the door, and the existing chime wiring, which had been connected to the door speaker button, was also available. There isn't a separate chime box on typical vintage intercom units, and it's my understanding that they (and older NuTone's?) don't close a button circuit per se. The voltage drop caused by pressing the button is actually sensed and it 'rings' because of that trigger. Hence no reason for a 'standard' button voltage. I specified "3 screw" & "mechanical" when the Arlo setup asked what type of chime I had.Now for an actual circuit addition: a 24VAC SPST (single pole single throw) relay which I mounted at the door cavity rather than in the intercom unit box (pictured) but all of the following could be done at the intercom end. One side (either) of the door's ex-speaker/now-AC wire goes straight to the Arlo. The other goes to either coil connection on the relay. The Arlo's other voltage-in connection comes from the remaining relay coil contact. The 'power kit' is also wired across the coil with its switch in the "O" position. Again - no polarity involved. The door bell button's wiring is then connected to the relay's two NO (normally open) switch contacts, either lead to either contact. Makes no difference. The relay I happened to use was an American Zettler AZ2280-1A-24AF chosen for its small size, but any device with compatible coil voltage requirements would work. Its contacts are labeled COM & NO, and the coil isn't marked. Pinout diagram is available on Amazon listing.When the button on the Arlo is pressed, the relay is energized and contact is made between the original door bell button's wiring, ringing the intercom 'chime'. Oh, and I had to grind down the lower mounting screw head which prevented the doorbell from snapping into the frame. Pretty lame considering everything else seemed well thought out. No problems with setup except for the unnecessary, beyond annoying, insecure two-factor authentication band wagon Arlo appears to have jumped onto. No opt-out available, apparently.Hope this helps someone with their 'vintage' installation. It works fine so far.

After extensive searching and comparing. Finally decided for the Arlo video doorbell.The main feature is the ability to see more of a vertical view rather than a horizontal. Which, I my case, I am able to see my packages that arrive at all times.- The installation process was a breeze! Following the steps through the app is about as easy as it can get. The only issue I had was turning off the power for the door bell itself. Tried any and all breakers that could be associated with the doorbell, but no luck. It is to my understanding that I may be wire with the furnace depending of the wiring. However, some homes may have the correct circuit breaker. I continued the installation process with caution and was able to install with no issues.- The screw is about an 8 size. I used a 1/8” drill bit for the pilot hole. Worked perfectly.**Update to this part: found a super handy chart and I realized I should have used a different size. Regardless, the 1/8” it still worked for me.- The set up process of the actual video doorbell was also seamless. The app guides you in detail through every step and even offers solutions to problems you might encounter.- Video quality of the Arlo video doorbell is phenomenal. Keeping in mind that it is a small camera, it definitely surpassed my expectation. Having that vertical field of view rather than the horizontal, to me was a lot more beneficial.- The app notifies you of any movement within about 6 to 10 seconds! Once on the app you’ll be able to view the video clip. At first I was fascinated by this, however, I quickly grew tired of getting notified of every car that passed by the street. And that’s where this app is better than others. The Arlo app allows you to customize zones that you want to be notified when something enters that zone. I am able to get the side walk, all of my front yard to include my entrance and some of my driveway. Keep in mind that not all entrances face out directly to the street. The Arlo video doorbell comes with a wall mount that is tilted so you are able to get a better view, with doorbells that do not point to the street.- If someone rings your doorbell, the app will call you phone. In which you can communicate with the person outside and let’s you view the video as well. Furthermore, it allows you to leave your own customized audio message if you do not answer.- The only “negative” comment I have to say about this is the subscription service. But that is relative, let me explain.Arlo starts you off with a 3 month free trial, in which, you get all the benefits of having an Arlo doorbell. Such as, setting zones is your video so you don’t get alerts for every movement. It learn behaviors such as people, cars and animals. Cloud service for 30 days in which you can save clips. And plenty more! After your trial is over, all these features are gone and it becomes a regular video doorbell. Yes, you still get notified but you are not able to make certain adjustments.If you want to continue with the service there’s a fee associated with every Arlo product that you have to pay for. For example, if you have Arlo video cameras and Arlo floodlight then they are considered independent which you have to pay for individually. I will provide an update, but I believe that for the door bell it is $3.99.- Overall I would highly recommend the Arlo video doorbell. The installation and set up process was extremely easy coupled with the guidance of the Arlo app, it sets you up for success. Additionally, it is worth noting that after 3 months of the Arlo service subscription you will be given the option to continue the service. Meaning monthly subscription. Regardless, if you are in the market for a high quality doorbell and service look no further than the Arlo video doorbell.