Wireless doorbells? Any "better" brands or frequencies?

[larkim]

I've bought two wireless doorbells, one a B&Q cheapo and another a Byron SX15i cheapo from ebay. Both displayed the same problem - OK to set up, work fine, and then start randomly ringing themselves within an hour of being set up.

Random rings are truly random - no regular time pattern present, long periods of zero activity, etc etc.

In the absence of possession by the devil, and ruling out nearby other houses' bells (I have tried every one of the 16 different frequencies on offer), I can only presume there is "something" in my house (or a neighbours) that is triggering the ring - perhaps the heating system, or just a switch or something else generating the right sort of rf signal to cause a problem.

I really want to be able to use a wirefree device as there are limited options for wiring from the front door to a sensible location for a bell, and we've just decorated so I don't want bell wire all over the place.

Do any of the brands do a "better" type of RF transmission that might not be so subject to this sort of interference?

Matt

[charles]

In article <4cc41db2-9054-4821...@googlegroups.com>, larkim

years ago, we had a rather trendy (corded) phone which used to ring each
evening at a fairly predictable time. I noticed that this coincided with a
SAA Jumbo passing overhead somewhat lower than other planes from Heathrow.

Possibly your door bell is ringing for a similar reason

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

[stuart noble]

Or in the case of the Argos own brand, it works fine for a week or so,
then suddenly fails to work until the batteries are taken out and put
back again. An intermittent door bell is about as useless as it gets.

[Peter Johnson]

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 05:08:15 -0700 (PDT), larkim
<matthew...@gmail.com> wrote:

>I've bought two wireless doorbells, one a B&Q cheapo and another a Byron SX15i cheapo from ebay. Both displayed the same problem - OK to set up, work fine, and then start randomly ringing themselves within an hour of being set up.
>
>Random rings are truly random - no regular time pattern present, long periods of zero activity, etc etc.
>

I have Byron repeaters that ring occasionally for no obvious reason
but they will go for weeks without doing it.

[Richard Russell]

On Sep 20, 1:08 pm, larkim <matthew.lar...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Do any of the brands do a "better" type of RF transmission that might
> not be so subject to this sort of interference?

I've no idea, but we've never had any problems with our Friedland
Decor Symphony. It's been totally reliable for the last five years,
apart from a battery change.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Friedland-Decor-Symphony-Wireless-Chime/dp/B001F6MNTO

Richard.
http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/

[RJH]

I bought an Aldi �5 effort - seems to work fine. They have some
'digital' versions now, about �6.

Rob

[Brian Gaff]

What frequency do they operate on. could you not try to find a receiver
that covers them and see what crud is there when it rings?

Brian

--
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bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"larkim" <matthew...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4cc41db2-9054-4821...@googlegroups.com...

[Brian Gaff]

Well I'd send the duff one back.
In a way the old ones were far better as they only rang when someone pressed
a bell push, unfortunately it could be someone elses...

Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -
bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please!

"stuart noble" <stuart...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:mNF6s.338294$yI7.1...@fx09.am4...

[stuart noble]

On 20/09/2012 17:21, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Well I'd send the duff one back.
> In a way the old ones were far better as they only rang when someone pressed
> a bell push, unfortunately it could be someone elses...
> Brian
>

The Argos one works fine in my house but not my son's place. Switched
them and the same intermittent behaviour occurs at his place but not mine.
That said, I have no other wireless things in the house and he has the
usual array of gadgetry, any part of which could be interfering with the
signal. I'd put a wired bell in if it didn't mean drilling through a pvc
door frame

[tim.....]

"stuart noble" <stuart...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message

news:EGH6s.168093$Tt6....@fx11.am4...

They operate on the same frequency that car remotes use.

Perhaps he has a neighbour whose remote somehow manages to look like his
bell push

tim

[Bill Wright]

stuart noble wrote:

> signal. I'd put a wired bell in if it didn't mean drilling through a pvc
> door frame

If the door frame is set in a brick wall it should be easy to drill a
5mm hole in the mortar joint, alongside the frame. Put the push right
next to the brickwork.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Peter Johnson wrote:

>>
> I have Byron repeaters that ring occasionally for no obvious reason
> but they will go for weeks without doing it.

What's one of them?

Bill

[Ian Wade G3NRW]

___Original Message_________________________________________
From: larkim <matthew...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2012 Time: 05:08:15

>I've bought two wireless doorbells, one a B&Q cheapo and another a
>Byron SX15i cheapo from ebay. Both displayed the same problem - OK to
>set up, work fine, and then start randomly ringing themselves within an
>hour of being set up.

Weather stations, dear boy, weather stations.

We recently bought a wireless doorbell, and it too rang at random
intervals, sometimes with a very strange ring. Eventually I guessed it
might be one or both of our weather stations. I removed the batteries
from both, and the phantom doorbell stopped.

Problem then was, we wanted to keep the weather stations *and* the
doorbell. So I opened the doorbell controller, and discovered a couple
of pots (variable resistors) inside. I reckoned one of these was an
audio volume control, and the other was an RF sensitivity control. By a
process of scientific investigation (aka knob twiddling) I was able to
reduce the RF gain to a very low level, sufficient to receive the door
bell but insufficient to receive the WX stations. Now everything works
well without mutual interference.

Ian

[The Natural Philosopher]

what bollocks.

There is SUPPOSED to be a code in all 'shared spectrum' devices..


> Ian
>


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

[Harry Bloomfield]

larkim expressed precisely :

Try to source a Friedland EVO range of wireless doorbell. They use a
pairing system which means that they not only need to see a
transmission from the bell, but a transmission with the correct code
before they will sound. Not cheap, but very reliable and nuisance free.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[stuart noble]

Unfortunately it's a porch, so there's more dg next to the door frame. I
could drill through the cover strip over the joint but that's slightly
concave so the bell push would look a bit odd.

[Richard Russell]

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:23:21 +0100, Harry Bloomfield
<harry...@nospam.tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

> Try to source a Friedland EVO range of wireless doorbell.

The Evo range uses the same RF technology as the Decor range (e.g. the
Decor Symphony that I referred to in my earlier reply).

> Not cheap, but very reliable and nuisance free.

The list price is high, but the Amazon link that I quoted for the Decor
Symphony stated GBP 14.99 with free delivery!

Richard (G4BAU).
http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/

[Nick Odell]

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 05:08:15 -0700 (PDT), larkim
<matthew...@gmail.com> wrote:

I've been using cheapo Wilko wireless doorbells for the last few years
and found them effective and reliable. I have to say that in the
plural, not because they are unreliable, but because I'm unreliable
and keep dropping the blooming receivers - sometimes through fatally
long distances.

It's a very large building and I often take the receiver out of range
of the transmitter but when I return, it is still locked on. I've had
about two false alarms from it over about four years. On each occasion
the receiver has played a chime different from the one set at the
transmitter and I have no idea what caused it. I can live with that.

The Wilko unit costs about six quid so maybe it's worth buying one
just to find out if it works for you.

Nick

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

stuart noble <stuart...@ntlworld.com> wrote:

> Unfortunately it's a porch, so there's more dg next to the door frame. I
> could drill through the cover strip over the joint but that's slightly
> concave so the bell push would look a bit odd.

You could run the bellwire through oval conduit or even a narrower pvc
'pipe' and that could be glued straight on to the uPVC frame with the
silicone sealant of your choice. If done carefully, you might soon not
notice the conduit.

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to newsre...@wingsandbeaks.org.uk replacing "aaa" by "284".

[newshound]

On 20/09/2012 13:08, larkim wrote:

Not had this problem, but my experience FWIW.

Byron seems to be one of the more solid makes, and have a handy "sender"
which you can wire into an ordinary low voltage bell circuit to actuate
one or more of their wireless ones. In fact it will also "drive" an
Omega one, I now have wireless mains plug in sounders around the house,
and one which can go into the shed or garden if necessary.

Readily available from eBay, a bit more expensive than the cheapest shed
ones.

[D.M.Chapman]

In article <4cc41db2-9054-4821...@googlegroups.com>,
larkim <matthew...@gmail.com> wrote:

>I've bought two wireless doorbells, one a B&Q cheapo and another a Byron
>SX15i cheapo from ebay. Both displayed the same problem - OK to set up,
>work fine, and then start randomly ringing themselves within an hour of
>being set up.

Been there, done that. Binned the lot and spent 40 quid on a Friedland one

http://www.screwfix.com/p/friedland-evo-50m-plug-in-200m-portable-door-chime-twinpack/50749

Main unit is in the kitchen but can be taken out in the garden etc if wanted.

Second unit sits in a mains socket upstairs.

Been brilliant for many years. Required a new set of batteries in the
reciever (2 C cells) after 4 years or so. Button press still going strong
after 8 years.

Darren

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <ac119c...@mid.individual.net>,

tim..... <tims_n...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> They operate on the same frequency that car remotes use.

> Perhaps he has a neighbour whose remote somehow manages to look like his
> bell push

How many car remotes open another car?

--
*Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker *

Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[larkim]

Whether this is indeed bollox is an interesting point, but we do actually have a cheapo wireless weather station, so it is possible that cheapo WS with cheapo bell might be the issue.

Bell was ebay, so that will be written off to experience.

Problem is, SWMBO likes a "proper" bell ringing, which most of the expensive other makes don't do, preferring some 90's style synthesised tune or other such dong-ing.

Anyway, for whatever reason, no matter which frequency I try, it still rings randomly, so sommut is wrong.

Will try an alternative brand more expensive unit taking advantage of distance selling regs and see what happens.

Matt

[tim.....]

"Dave Plowman (News)" <da...@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message
news:52d3ef9...@davenoise.co.uk...

> In article <ac119c...@mid.individual.net>,
> tim..... <tims_n...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>> They operate on the same frequency that car remotes use.
>
>> Perhaps he has a neighbour whose remote somehow manages to look like his
>> bell push
>
> How many car remotes open another car?

I dunno

But all car remotes have to be as different as possible, so there has to be
some kind of secret code to stop it happening

I doubt that doorbells are "paired", I would guess that any bell push will
operate any chime, so there can't be the same level of checking that the
signal really has come from your bell push

BICBW

tim

[John Williamson]

The bell pushes I've played with have had 4 bit codes, whereas car
keyfobs have many more bits and a way to regularly alter the code
without user input.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

[Chris J Dixon]

tim..... wrote:

>But all car remotes have to be as different as possible, so there has to be
>some kind of secret code to stop it happening
>

You would think so. Nevertheless, in this household, a Nissan key
fob operated a plug-in socket remotely. Fortunately the socket
remote has several channels.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
ch...@cdixon.me.uk

Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

[stuart noble]

Even the cheapo Argos chimes are paired with the bell push. Been there,
tested that :-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <acb10u...@mid.individual.net>,

tim..... <tims_n...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > How many car remotes open another car?

> I dunno

> But all car remotes have to be as different as possible, so there has to
> be some kind of secret code to stop it happening

Correct - even although they operate on the same frequency.

> I doubt that doorbells are "paired", I would guess that any bell push
> will operate any chime, so there can't be the same level of checking
> that the signal really has come from your bell push

Which just means they are badly made.

--
*Okay, who stopped the payment on my reality check? *

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <gmk06812prmn9rq52...@4ax.com>,

Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> wrote:
> >But all car remotes have to be as different as possible, so there has to be
> >some kind of secret code to stop it happening
> >
> You would think so. Nevertheless, in this household, a Nissan key
> fob operated a plug-in socket remotely. Fortunately the socket
> remote has several channels.

That probably means the plug in socket electronics are crap. Unless, of
course, the socket remote also opened the car.

--
*I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you

[Chris J Dixon]

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

>In article <gmk06812prmn9rq52...@4ax.com>,
> Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> wrote:
>> >But all car remotes have to be as different as possible, so there has to be
>> >some kind of secret code to stop it happening
>> >
>> You would think so. Nevertheless, in this household, a Nissan key
>> fob operated a plug-in socket remotely. Fortunately the socket
>> remote has several channels.
>
>That probably means the plug in socket electronics are crap. Unless, of
>course, the socket remote also opened the car.

Sounds about right.

I was initially puzzled about Xmas lights turning off
unexpectedly just as my partner arrived home, then realised that
it was happening as her car was locked.

No, I couldn't unlock the car accidentally ;-)

[lea...@hotmail.co.uk]

On Thursday, 20 September 2012 13:08:16 UTC+1, larkim wrote:
> I've bought two wireless doorbells, one a B&Q cheapo and another a Byron SX15i cheapo from ebay. Both displayed the same problem - OK to set up, work fine, and then start randomly ringing themselves within an hour of being set up.
>
>
>

> Random rings are truly random - no regular time pattern present, long periods of zero activity, etc etc.
>
>
>
> In the absence of possession by the devil, and ruling out nearby other houses' bells (I have tried every one of the 16 different frequencies on offer), I can only presume there is "something" in my house (or a neighbours) that is triggering the ring - perhaps the heating system, or just a switch or something else generating the right sort of rf signal to cause a problem.
>
>
>
> I really want to be able to use a wirefree device as there are limited options for wiring from the front door to a sensible location for a bell, and we've just decorated so I don't want bell wire all over the place.
>
>
>
> Do any of the brands do a "better" type of RF transmission that might not be so subject to this sort of interference?
>
>
>
> Matt

Hi there, it's the frequency, I just moved and mine was ringing when no one pressed it and guess what, so was my next door neighbours! Lol! Because they both work off the same frequency so press one and they all go off.

[Brian Gaff]

Another old post, but surely they must have improved this issue by now?

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
<lea...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote in message
news:17a29246-292f-4f3a...@googlegroups.com...

[Tim Watts]

I have a Friedland Evo 433MHz - no trouble in 5 years, original
batteries too!

[Harry Bloomfield]

Huge expressed precisely :

> No nearby radio amateurs on 70cm, then?

If not presented with both the right frequency and the correct code,
they should not ring. You get what you pay for.

[polygonum]

I recently got:

Friedland 200m D914 Libra Plus Wirefree Portable Chime and Push

for my somewhat hearing-challenged mother. Much better than I expected
and you can get a dongle so an incoming phone call also makes it sound
(with a different effect).

--
Rod

[polygonum]

On 07/05/2014 22:05, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
> You get what you pay for.

So maybe one of these:


SILVERCREST Wireless Doorbell
ￜ6.99*Each

36 different tones and 4-level volume adjustment
With 3 signal options - acoustic, visual or acoustic & visual
Includes receiver base for tabletop use and 5 removable name tags
Batteries and mounting materials included
3 year manufacturer's warranty

Lidl. Tomorrow.

--
Rod

[tony sayer]

In article <mn.3d2d7de5ad...@NOSPAM.tiscali.co.uk>, Harry
Bloomfield <harry...@NOSPAM.tiscali.co.uk> scribeth thus

Except that equipment like that can be overloaded and driven to places
you don't want it to go like TETRA Airwave transmitters nearby..

--
Tony Sayer

[Tim Watts]

On 07/05/14 21:59, Huge wrote:
> On 2014-05-07, Tim Watts <tw_u...@dionic.net> wrote:

> No nearby radio amateurs on 70cm, then?
>
>

Most people around here struggle with their household tech - I doubt it ;->

[Bob Eager]

Just setting up to have the bell push just ring all the phones in the
house...



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

[Tim Watts]

On 08/05/14 10:18, Bob Eager wrote:

> Just setting up to have the bell push just ring all the phones in the
> house...
>
>
>

Cool - what device is that Bob?

[Bob Eager]

Asterisk box driving a USB relay, and a standard 12 volt door release.
When I wired the house, I ran a multiway cable from the phone wiring
centre (a Krone 301A) in the wall down to a box by the front door.

[Bob Eager]

On Thu, 08 May 2014 12:06:21 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

Sorry, that was describing the phone operated door release that I was
asked about elsewhere....

I'm not sure yet, is the answer to you. Another USB interface, probably
build this one myself, to detect the door push and tell Asterisk.