Xfinity Video Doorbell | Image: Comcast
For customers who’ve chosen to trust Comcast with their home security, it’s adding a new Xfinity Video Doorbell that pops up a notification both in your Xfinity app and on your TV through a Flex or X1 box when someone is at the door. There are many options for video doorbells these days, but Comcast’s includes HD video quality, two-way audio so you can speak to visitors even if you’re not at home (or don’t want to get off of the couch), motion alerts, and 24/7 video recording.
Image: Comcast
Xfinity Video Doorbell
If you want a video doorbell but have already gone the Ring, Nest, or Wyze smart home route, it’s unlikely to sway you, but it’s an option that slots in with the rest of the company’s security packages, and this is the first video doorbell available for Xfinity Home customers. The Xfinity Home package already offered security cameras with video clips and live monitoring, so the lack of a video product for your front door was a noticeable omission next to its sensors, thermostats, keypads, and the rest. For the rest of its pitch, Comcast also touts the xFi Advanced Security package that comes for free with its security monitoring to keep an eye on your connected devices.
Assuming you still subscribe to cable TV, it lets you pull up video clips or view those motion alerts right on your TV. There’s no word on how many features still work during a service or internet outage, but the overall Home products include battery backup, and given the reliability of AWS lately, it’s hard to say who may have better uptime.
If you’re getting a professional installation with Xfinity Home Pro Protection or Pro Protection Plus, it’s available for $120 upfront or for $5 per month paid over 24 months. Comcast says it will also be available for Self Protection Xfinity Home customers next year but did not specify pricing.
Disclosure: Comcast is an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company.