Ring Stick Up Cam review: Keep an eye on your home 24/7

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TA-ratings-92Home security used to involve calling a company like ADT to install equipment tied directly to them and monitored by them. Grant it, things have changed with ADT and they do offer new services, but these days simple home security is just a simple install away. The Ring Stick Up Cam is a great example of simple home security for people looking for a simple solution. While there may be debate swirling around the ultimate network security of IoT devices such as the Ring Stick Up Cam, devices such as these are providing an easy alternative to complicated whole-home systems like ADT. Read on for our full review of the Ring Stick Up Cam and the optional Ring Solar Panel.

Specifications

The Ring Stick Up Cam has the following features and specifications:

  • Power: Battery: USB, or optional solar power
  • Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connection @ 2.4GHz
  • Audio: Two-way audio with noise cancellation
  • Video: 720p, night vision, motion detection, live view
  • Dimensions: 4.98 in. x 2.43 in. x .87 in. (12.65cm x 6.17cm x 2.21cm)
  • Warranty: 1 year on parts, lifetime purchase protection
  • Operating conditions: -5°F to 120°F (-20.56°C to 48.89°C) weather-resistant
  • Encryption: Bank grade
  • Field of view: 80 Degrees

What’s In The Box (Ring Stick Up Cam)

  • Ring Stick Up Cam
  • Security mount
  • Quick release mount
  • Screwdriver handle and bit
  • Drill bit
  • MicroUSB cable
  • Installation screws and anchors
  • Quick set-up guide

What’s In The Box (Ring Solar Panel)

  • Ring solar panel
  • Adjustable mounting bracket
  • Screwdriver handle and bit
  • Drill bit
  • Installation screws and anchors
  • Installation guide
Ring Stick Up Cam
Rectangle design could have been slimmer.

Design

If you didn’t know better you would think the Stick Up Cam was a first generation Ring Video Doorbell. The design is virtually identical and I feel it’s a little bit dated already. The Cam is made of high-quality plastics and is very sturdy and robust. It’s also weather-resistant and designed to withstand the inclement weather. So without a doubt Ring gets thumbs up for making a device that can handle the elements it’s being used in. I would have liked to see a different aesthetic design but as I’ve said in many reviews, aesthetics are a deeply personal thing and I’m sure there are many who happen to like the look.

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On the front is your 720p camera and noise-cancelling microphone and on the back is the Micro-USB port as well as the reset/activate button. Overall the design isn’t ugly, but I would have liked to see a slightly slimmer more compact look.

The optional Ring Solar Panel is a pretty nicely designed power source which simply plugs into the Cam via the Micro-USB port to provide solar power. While I thought the Cam was too big, I think the size of the Panel is great because it allows for a good amount of light to be collected and converted to power. The Ring Stick Up Cam does get kudos for a nice robust build quality and weather-resistance and in the end, aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder.

Installation

You have a few options for install. You can install the Cam on a removable plate that allows you to move the camera from place to place, which is great if you’re using this indoors or someplace it won’t get stolen. Or you can install the Cam using the security mount which basically means if someone wants your Cam, they’ll have to take part of the siding with it. I opted for the security mount as I wanted to install this to monitor the front of my home.

Installation is super simple and using the included screws I simply secured the mount to my siding and then secured the Cam to the mount with the included security bolt. On the back of the Cam is a mounting point that accepts this bolt and it’s tightened down with the included screwdriver. The install for the Ring Solar Panel is pretty much the same, the same mounts apply and it’s as simple as drilling a few screws into the side of your home. The included level on the mounts ensures you mount it level as well. Overall, simple to install.

Ease of Use

Once you have the Cam installed it’s just a matter of downloading the Ring app and following the instructions. Opening the app and then pushing the orange button on the back will allow the Cam to pair to your home’s Wi-Fi. Once that is done you’re more than half done and you just basically have to set up your preferences in the app. Overall, this device is very simple to use and get working.

Ring Stick Up Cam
Easy install

Software

The app is the same app used for all other Ring products and is super simple to use. Each Ring device gets its own tab where you can adjust the following settings and access the following parameters. Recent activity keeps track of any motion or activations your Cam has encountered, the only caveat here is, you’ll have to subscribe to Ring’s cloud services to gain access to any video. Otherwise, it’s a good way to at least know what time and date there was motion at your home.

Motion settings allow you to set motion zones, which is basically a sensitivity setting if you set your motion zone too far out it could grab traffic on the street resulting in a lot of alarms. I found pulling the zones back away from the sidewalk and street gave me much fewer false alarms. Motion scheduling allows you to set times and dates for the motion sensor to be on or off. You could use this if you’re having a party and you know there will be a lot of movement near or in front of the camera. This will prevent you from getting notifications constantly.

Smart alerts allow you set the frequency of alerts. As the camera identifies a repeated or continuous motion, it only notifies you again once that activity has concluded. You can also share access to your Ring Stick Up Cam with other users. Just click the on the user’s tab and add a user’s email address and they will be invited to join using the Ring app. The other two options in the app are Linked Chimes, which is another Ring product, and device health.

Live view is probably the main part of the app you will be using. Live view is exactly what it says it is, a live view of your what your Cam is seeing from wherever you are. Just click Live view and you will pull your Cam up and you can see everything in real-time. When the motion sensor is set off you will get a notification which will open Live View for you should you open the notification. Live view not only allows you to see what is happening but you can also hear what is happening.

Finally, there is Ring’s cloud recording service. If you want to get the most out of Ring, you’ll need to subscribe to this service to access recordings of your events. The cost of the service is $3USD per device per month or $30USD per year. Or you can go with the unlimited camera plan which is $10USD a month or $100USD per year. Overall the pricing isn’t too bad and if you get multiple cameras and doorbells the unlimited is reasonable. It would be nice to have local storage on Ring’s devices but their pricing plans aren’t awful either.

Performance

The Ring Stick Up Cam is a solid performer. It’s built from high-quality materials and withstands the elements well. Let’s talk a little bit about video and audio quality.

Video Quality

With a 720p camera, I felt the picture Ring offers is really good. Oddly, I found the night vision picture to be even better than the day picture. It’s very easy to make out detail in the image, which is key should you ever need video evidence of any incident. Overall the quality is really good and gets high marks for an outdoor camera.

Microphone Quality

I was pretty shocked at the microphone quality here. The clarity is just amazing as I could hold a conversation with people with ease. Not only could I hear them perfectly clear, they could also listen to me clearly. Really top notch microphone and audio, thumbs up for that.

Battery Life

Ring claims 6-12 months of battery life, that is if you charge the unit via its Micro-USB port. Ring sent along their Ring Solar Panel and I found this to be the best solution if you do end up buying one of these cameras. The solar panel connects directly to your Cam via the Micro-USB port and provides power to the unit 24/7. This means you don’t have to take the Cam down to charge it when it needs it. The Solar Panel is a $49USD addon and I think it’s well worth it.

Price/Value

An MSRP of $199USD isn’t anything to sneeze at. Add on the solar panel and you’re at $249USD. Then if you want cloud recording you’ll be paying a monthly fee. I think the Ring Stick Up Cam is priced very fairly as is the Solar Panel. The value is something everyone will have to decide on their own as home security is going to be a personal thing.

Wrap Up

Ring makes excellent products well worth the investment and the Ring Stick Up Cam is no exception. I recommend it if you’re looking for a security camera solution, but you’ll have to decide if the cloud services are worth the extra monthly charge.

*We were sent a sample of the Ring Stick Up Cam for the purposes of this review.
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