Uniden SOLO X2K Bell – wire-free video doorbell and chime (security review)

The Uniden Solo X2K Bell is part of its App Cam Solo X range of indoor and outdoor security cameras, which offer local SD storage, free basic cloud storage, and more comprehensive subscription storage.

The Solo X2K range is interesting. All are 2K; the outdoor models work with optional solar 2.5W panel kits. They comprise:

• Outdoor security camera with spotlight -1-4 packs
• Outdoor PT Pan and Tilt with up to 355° rotation.
• 4G PT is important for cameras out of the Wi-Fi range.
• Outdoor Bullet – stronger spotlight for colour night vision.
• Indoor PT 350° PT, AC power.

The Uniden SOLO X2K Bell (this review) includes an indoor rechargeable chime.

Read our guide

Video doorbells – knock, knock, who’s there? will give you the expertise to buy what you need.

Our consumer advice for buying a doorbell camera is threefold.

First, assess your total Wi-Fi video security needs. Do you just need a video doorbell and chime or a security ecosystem where everything works together – indoor and outdoor cameras, baby cameras, motion/door and other sensors, local and cloud storage, and Voice Assistance?

Uniden is ahead on value and has App-connected cameras, but others, particularly Arlo and Eufy, have far longer signal transmission distances (for its smart hub-connected products).

Second, if you don’t want to be worried about battery recharging (and it is a pain), it needs to be wired to a 12-24V AC power transformer unless you want to charge batteries frequently (6-hour charge). We cannot confirm whether the Uniden SOLO X2K Bell electrical wiring feature is enabled.

Third, Wi-Fi signal strength is the most critical issue. To check your Wi-Fi signal (Android only), download the free Network Cell Info Light from Google Play. Allow the App to have all permissions. Switch your phone to the 2.4Ghz home Wi-Fi network. Stand outside your front door and measure the Wi-Fi strength. Anything below -50dBm is usable. Anything higher (>-50dBm) may cause frequent dropouts, long lags between activation and notification, and low-quality or stuttering audio and vision.

A Bunning’s expert stated there is an extremely high rate of video doorbell returns [all brands] for two main reasons. Low-to-no Wi-Fi signal at the front door and the frustration at charging batteries too frequently – as much as weekly instead of 3-6 months – because a doorbell can have thousands of monthly activations.

Australian Review: Uniden SOLO X2K Bell

Website	Product range Product page Manual
Price	$159.95
From	Uniden Online or JB Hi-Fi, Bing Lee, Big W. Do not buy from online marketplaces like Kogan/Dick Smith/Matt Blatt/Mighty Ape etc.
Warranty	2 year (manual says 1 year)
Made in	China
About	Uniden is a Japanese electronics company established in 1966. In Australia, it is solid in surveillance cameras, CB radio, household cordless phones, etc.
More	Cybershack Uniden news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impressions – Pass+

With so much competition from well-known brands and cheapie generic Asian brands, the USP is a Japanese company with flexible ‘storage’ options ranging from microSD (up to 256GB), free basic 7-day cloud and paid subscriptions.

While it is advertised as 100% wireless, electrical connections are there to use your existing doorbell wiring (not tested), which would provide constant power. We have asked Uniden to confirm.

Mounting

It has a solid straight-on bracket that attaches to the wall or door (plugs and screws provided).

There are two issues with straight-on mounts. Unless you have it mounted squarely on the door at about 1.5m (chest height) instead of off to one side (where most doorbells are), you will get a side view of the person’s face.

We recommend making a left or right-facing 20° offset wedge to fully capture the caller’s face.

Straight-on also affects PIR sensitivity – it is best to cross the PIR beam. Maximum PIR motion detection is 10m, and thermal detection is closer to 5m. You can adjust sensitivity in the app to reduce false positives.

Install

Download My Uniden+ App for Android and iOS (not the older Solo app). Install and format a microSD (not supplied). Scan the QR code on the smartphone and follow instructions.

It uses Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz, suitable for about 30 metres from a router through a wall or two, but we recommend testing the signal strength before you buy.

2K Camera Sensor

We don’t know the actual brand and model of the sensor, but all the Solo X2K cameras share it. We think it is a ‘starlight’ type of sensor, but there are so many generic versions that all we can tell you is:

• 2304 x 1296 x 15fps = 3MP
• 1/2.8” sensor
• Fixed focal length
• f/2.2 (this is an estimate – it could be wider)
• 2.2um (Starlight sensors have much larger pixels to capture more light)
• CMOS backside lit
• Field of View – Horizontal/Vertical/Depth 110 x 60 x 135° (the vertical FOV is not sufficient to see parcels on the ground)
• Video H.264 MP4. 1 Megabyte approx. every 10 seconds.
• IR for mono night vision
• Starlight can ‘create’ colour night vision in as low as 50-lumen light.

Night vision – interesting

The camera features an IR cut filter (ICR) that switches to night mode when there is insufficient light (<50 lumens) for colour images. This produces IR mono night vision to 10 meters.

When light levels increase (we tested between 50 and 100 lumens), it begins to show colour. But there is a trick. The camera is fixed, and basic AI knows the colours in daylight and uses pixel manipulation to colourise the image.

Two-way speech and siren

Like any Wi-Fi device, it depends on the signal strength to the router and the lag from the router to a smartphone. Expect a delay of two seconds locally and four to ten seconds remotely.

Volume at 1m was 75dB – about the same as a smartphone speaker.

Chime – Pass

The Chime requires charging via a USB-A fold-out connector to a USB-A 5V/1A/5W adapter (supplied). It can remain plugged in, too. It has four tones via the App.

It has a 55dB volume (reasonably low), so it should be placed where you are likely to hear it. The chime can also come via your smartphone and if linked to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant speakers.

Battery – Pass

It has a 3.8V/5.2A/20W battery that provides up to 650 minutes of day and 400 minutes of night recording. Uniden estimates 180 days of typical use (small print – one detection per day), but we estimate that is about 30 days of 10-15 activations per day (typical).

Events record a 10-second clip (approx. 1MB) and continuously record while there is motion.

Battery recharge time is 5-6 hours.

Weather – IP54

It is IP54-rated. The 5 means dust ingress is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the safe operation of the equipment. The 4 means that water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect.

IP54 should be mounted under the roof eaves or protected from heavy rain.

Solo Uniden AU Cloud Plans

Free:

Each event is saved as a 6 second Motion Clip for 7-days. Maximum 5 cameras and 1GB of rolling storage.

Paid:

• $12.00 for up to 10 cameras, 30-day storage and 10GB
• $18.99 for up to 20 cameras, 60-day storage and 100GB

Paid allows for

• Remote access to the cloud library
• App or web browser
• AES encrypted
• Local cloud Sydney, Australia

AI services – extra cost

AI identification for people, Pets, Vehicles, and Packages costs $1.59 per month per device or $15.90 per year.

It will present images you can name or classify for future reference and to reduce notifications.

Privacy – Pass

Any brand has a privacy risk when still and video images are involved. Once the account was set up, we could not find the policies in the app. Screen grabs of the first page of the Policies are at the end of the review.

CyberShack’s view: Uniden SOLO X2K Bell – wire-free video doorbell and chime is a good, lower-cost video doorbell.

We have experience with Swann, Arlo, Eufy, Amazon Ring, Google Nest, Laser, TP-Link, Aqara, and a few generics. These range in price from $150 to $499 (Eufy 2K dual camera wired for use as part of the Eufy security system).

This is one of the lowest-cost 2K cameras and has a fully featured app. It can have local microSD storage, or you can buy a cloud subscription. It presents excellent value without compromise.

Uniden SOLO X2K Bell ratings

We will rate it as an entry-level video doorbell.

• Features: 80 – a Wireless 2K doorbell and chime with quite a good app.
• Value: 85 – It is one of the lowest-cost products from a reputable company.
• Performance: 80 – decent 2K video provided you have strong Wi-Fi.
• Ease of Use: 80 – easy to set up. Good online help.
• Design: 75 – the straight-on mount needs a directional chock.

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