The R1 Ultra can store recordings locally, giving you an alternative to the subscription-first approach
AOSU R1 Ultra Wireless Video Doorbell
A decent video doorbell needs to do a lot more than give you a clear view of who’s at the front door. Other than knowing the difference between a passing lorry and your gran on the porch, you’d ideally like notifications, the ability to keep recordings and, most importantly in my book, do everything out of the box without locking you into another monthly subscription.
The AOSU R1 Ultra Wireless Video Doorbell makes a decent stab at all this, while throwing in a nice wide-angle camera and a combination of radar, PIR and AI-based detection.
Its biggest selling point, however, may be what it doesn’t require. The R1 Ultra can store recordings locally, giving you an alternative to the subscription-first approach adopted by many of its competitors. AOSU claims up to 60 days of loop recording, which gives you plenty of time if you ever want to keep some footage.
From first glance, there’s not much that’s special about the R1 Ultra’s looks. It’s not particularly bulky, however, with the camera positioned above the illuminated doorbell button. It has an IP65 rating, so it should have no problems coping with the British weather.
Installation is pretty straightforward. You can run it entirely on the internal rechargeable battery, or connect it to compatible low-voltage wiring to avoid regular charging. The 180-day battery life means you’re much more likely to pick the former.
It records at 2560 x 1920 resolution and uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is better suited to a doorbell than the widescreen format found on many security cameras, as it’s focused on the visitor from head to toe and everything they’ve left on the doorstep.
The 166-degree field of view is impressively wide, allowing the R1 Ultra to cover a substantial area around the entrance. There is some inevitable wide-angle distortion, but that’s a reasonable trade-off for the additional coverage.
Daytime footage is very good. Although infrared night vision is perfectly usable, the footage does lose some of the detail captured during the day.
AOSU has taken an interesting approach to motion detection. Rather than relying solely on PIR, the R1 Ultra combines PIR with radar and AI-based human detection.
Radar can detect an approaching person before conventional motion detection sees enough movement to trigger an alert, while PIR provides another layer of detection. The AI system then helps determine whether the movement is actually a person.
In practice, this combination definitely reduces the number of pointless notifications from things like passing movement. This came as some relief!
The included aosuBase Mini provides local storage for recorded clips, so you can install the doorbell, receive notifications, and review recordings without needing to sign up for another monthly subscription. Optional cloud storage is available for additional backup or more advanced AI features, but it isn’t essential to the doorbell’s basic operation.
As you’d expect, the R1 Ultra supports two-way audio, allowing you to talk to visitors through the AOSU app. There’s also a one-click video-calling feature and quick replies, allowing you to respond with pre-recorded messages when you don’t have time to have a conversation.
The audio isn’t quite as impressive as the video – and had attracted some criticism online – but I found it to be perfectly fine.
The R1 Ultra works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, although Apple HomeKit users are less well served. There is also no Matter, SmartThings, RTSP or ONVIF support, which limits the appeal for anyone wanting to integrate the doorbell into a more open home-security platform.
For most people who simply want a doorbell that works with their phone and existing Alexa or Google setup, this won’t be a major problem. For smart-home power users, it is a definite limitation.
The R1 Ultra offers an impressive combination of image quality, detection technology and subscription-free recording. If you want a modern video doorbell without adding another monthly bill, it’s an excellent choice.
The R1 Ultra is currently available from Amazon for £99.97
What users say
“Fantastic video doorbell, after nearly pulling my hair out after buying several others that just would not work for me, connect, etc., this was so easy, and when I opened the box I knew just by the look and the feel of it that it was the real deal.”
“Easy to fit and pair, only four stars because of poor volume on ringer component.”
Alternatives
