Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free

[klowe]

Do you need the arlo chime with the essential video doorbell wire-free? I have the base VMB5000 that I use with my cameras.  If not, where does the sound of the chime come from?

[StephenB]

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@klowe wrote:

Do you need the arlo chime with the essential video doorbell wire-free? I have the base VMB5000 that I use with my cameras.  If not, where does the sound of the chime come from?

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You can connect mechanical chimes to the wire-free doorbell.  If you do that the, chime transformer will trickle-charge the doorbell battery.  You can also use the arlo chime 2.

Note at present the wire-free doorbell can't be paired with a base.  Arlo says they are adding that feature - hopefully it will be available soon.

[klowe]

Thanks Stephen.  Do you use the existing doorbell wires to connect mechanical chimes to the wire-free doorbell?  If so, why not just buy the Arlo wired doorbell?

[StephenB]

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@klowe wrote:

Do you use the existing doorbell wires to connect mechanical chimes to the wire-free doorbell?  

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Yes.

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@klowe wrote:

If so, why not just buy the Arlo wired doorbell?

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If you want to connect an existing chime, you can of course get the wired version instead.

There are a couple of advantages with the wireless model. 

• it will work with lower-power transformers
• it doesn't need the power kit used by the wired doorbells
• it will function if you lose power (assuming your wifi/internet is using a UPS).

One disadvantage - the wired model has Foresight; the wireless model doesn't.  https://kb.arlo.com/000062053/How-does-the-Foresight-feature-work-on-my-Arlo-camera