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Nekton
Nekton's stats
- Review count1
- Helpfulness votes52
- First reviewDecember 8, 2016
- Last reviewDecember 8, 2016
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating1
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes1
- First review commentOctober 3, 2015
- Last review commentOctober 3, 2015
- Featured review comments0
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Nekton's Reviews
See who's at the door with this SkyBell HD Wi-Fi video doorbell. It connects to your home's Wi-Fi so you can talk to visitors with your smartphone or tablet no matter where you are. The color night vision and 5x zoom of this SkyBell HD Wi-Fi video doorbell make it easy to see who you're talking to.
Customer Rating
1
Too many problems, expensive and sloppy
on December 8, 2016
Posted by: Nekton
The specs and pictures looked good. The reality was different. Here is a list of problems in their priority order:
1. Long delays in everything. Not consistent ranging from 10 seconds to 10 minutes delays in notifications of motion detection or button press. The unit does detect a person walking by the door almost immediately (light change shows that) but it starts recording with a delay so there is no chance of catching a picture of a UPS driver leaving a package, or worse a thief stealing it. I had a long talk with support and got the usual: how far is the router, try to clear cache, reboot the phone, reboot the router, soft reset the bell. Tried all. My WIFI signal is superb: Link 100%, down 50 mbps, up 8 mbps, strength -47db. Tech support guy agreed, but had no suggestions that actually worked. Even the soft reset of the unit is flaky: sometimes it works sometimes not. It took 4 attempts with support guiding me to get the reset, but delays did not go away. This one is a complete show stopper and the reason for the unit going back for a refund.
1. Long delays in everything. Not consistent ranging from 10 seconds to 10 minutes delays in notifications of motion detection or button press. The unit does detect a person walking by the door almost immediately (light change shows that) but it starts recording with a delay so there is no chance of catching a picture of a UPS driver leaving a package, or worse a thief stealing it. I had a long talk with support and got the usual: how far is the router, try to clear cache, reboot the phone, reboot the router, soft reset the bell. Tried all. My WIFI signal is superb: Link 100%, down 50 mbps, up 8 mbps, strength -47db. Tech support guy agreed, but had no suggestions that actually worked. Even the soft reset of the unit is flaky: sometimes it works sometimes not. It took 4 attempts with support guiding me to get the reset, but delays did not go away. This one is a complete show stopper and the reason for the unit going back for a refund.
2. Support is terrible. Took several redials to even get into the wait queue, otherwise get a message "call back later." Once in a queue the wait is in tens of minutes and support is useless.
3. The Apple version of the app is slightly more stable than Android. Still no good but a bit better and faster.
4. Conversation with a person at the door (if they have enough patience to wait) is half duplex. In other words it is one person at a time. You hold "talk" button of the app and talk, but cannot hear anything the other person may say, release the button and they can talk but will not hear you. This is a $200 product in 2016! Joke.
5. Motion detection creates video clips (regardless of their useless content) which can pile up. Each must be removed individually by hand taking 5 to 10 seconds. According to support "Group delete" is a frequently asked enhancement and they are working on it. Sounds like a simple fix and the product should not have been released without it.
6. To view anything you have to hold your device horizontally. Vertical format does not work.
7. Relatively minor nuisances: no manual comes with the product - all online but the web address in the printed startup sheet is wrong. The power connection screws are tiny and too close together to a point of inconvenience. The mounting screws have Philips slots for a small screwdriver. They actually include one with the product. Good luck trying to attach the bell to wood using that or any other small screwdriver. If you do not have an existing mechanical bell but are installing this bell using a standalone power supply it requires a 10 ohm 10 watt resistor. It is just a few cents item but is not included so you have to run to an electronics supplies store.
In summary: way to many problems of different scale. Not a consumer grade product. Expensive and sloppy.
My Best Buy number: 2990528793
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Nekton's Review Comments
Sony - 65" Class (64-1/2" Diag.) - LED - 2160p - Smart - 3D - 4K Ultra HD TV with High Dynamic Range
Only at Best BuySony XBR-65X900C LED Smart 4K Ultra HDTV: Enjoy streaming content with a clear picture and bright colors, use your smartphone or tablet as a remote control, or stream PlayStation 3 games to your TV. Plus, the Android TV function lets you download a wide array of apps and games.
Overall1 out of 5
1 out of 5Light bleeding and Sony's arrogance
By Nekton
The color is great, form factor excellent, but this TV has major problem with light bleeding. The first unit was returned to Bestbuy within the 15 day return window. The second one looked better but developed light bleeds in corners and blotches in the middle after the 15 day Bestbuy return window. Although there are plenty of documented cases about this problem on Internet Bestbuy does not want to take it back and points to Sony warranty support. Sony's support is appalling. They insist on turning down back lighting until the problem is no longer visible and refuse to accept the case. Be careful with this TV and aware of Sony's arrogance. They do not seem to care that customers are paying premium for this TV and deserve a working product. I used to buy exclusively Sony TVs, had their PCs, radios and other products and was always happy. No more. They will not see my money from now on.
Nekton
Follow up
October 3, 2015
After posting a similar review on Sony social site I got their attention. They requested photographs, reviewed them and finally replaced the TV. Unfortunately the new one is no better. The bleed pattern is a bit different - no white blotches in the middle but corners and edges are worse. The serial number on the new TV is about 15,000 higher which is not very much for a mass produced product with world-wide market. So it seems like Sony is not really checking what they give as replacements but just goes through motions. Or all of the TVs are bad and they have no choice. In any case I have a problem on my hands...
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