Peephole Viewer vs. Door Cam

Nowadays the safety issue for home is much more important, and door is the last protection of home security. There is new innovation of door view solution going to be popular to the market. It’s easy to find there are 2 different structures of door view solution, one is the peephole viewer which is using the original peephole lens, and another is door cam viewer which is using the camera module. Here are the brief information and comparison.
About PeepHole Viewer
Peephole viewer uses original peephole lens solution through a simple setting to make image can display in a LCD screen. The concept catch original peephole lens image and convert to digitalize and display in LCD. The LCD monitor through a simple mechanical setting to locking with original peephole lens. It about 5 min handmade without any tooling can complete all process. The Global patent number as following


About Door Cam
Door cam uses digital camera concept to apply in the door. The camera lens needs to set in front the door to catch image, it need to take off the original peephole lens. As the door thickness issue, normally use a wire to transport digital signal to back end (LCD display). As it is replacement the original peephole lens concept, it usually use the screw setting to lock camera lens, LCD display with door. Some design need to draw a big hole for put camera lens and LCD display
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Peephole viewer and door camera both have many patents in the world, peephole cam patent list, TW no, #M368816. JP patent no #3160302. China patent no ZL2009 2 0133201.3and European and USA. The door cam patent, world international no, WO 00/24199, US no 2009/0059001 A1 ,Eu no. 86104783 and US no.2003/0095185A1. All patents had special feature to point out the function and installation.
Both are totally different products, door viewer is replacing the original peephole to new camera. The visitor will know you have a digital camera to see them. Peephole viewer is extends the original peephole lens for review. Visitor will not know who is looking for them inside.
The comparison for Peephole Viewer & door viewer
1. Application, peephole viewer can use in the door that had peephole lens. Door cam need to replace the original lens. Since there is different door thickness, you have to make sure the thickness of your door before purchasing.

Left side: door cam lens.
Right side: peephole viewer lens.
2. Installation, peephole viewer use simple mechanical design to lock the LCD display with peephole lens, it takes only 5 mins for installation. Door cam use simple mechanical design to lock the LCD display as well, but you have to make sure the wire connect with the camera clip on tightly.

Left side: door cam system. (looks complex)
Right side: peephole viewer system. (looks simple)
3. Safety issue, the peephole viewer uses the peephole lens to catch images, the unexpected visitor won’t know if there is security to record the image from the door. The door cam use camera to catch image, if the unexpected visitor want to break your door to do something badly, it’s obviously to see there is camera there, and will break the camera first.

Left side: door cam uses a digital lens.
Right side: peephole viewer uses a traditional lens.
4. Maintenance, if the peephole viewer is broken, the user still can use the original peephole lens to see who is outside, and it’s supplied by 2 AA batteries which is easy to get. The door cam use the camera module and wire to display on the LCD, it may cause damage when you take off the wire to replace the new battery. If the camera module is broken, what will happen if there is unexpected visitor, who is going to be your security guard?

Left side: door cam lens hard to maintenance.
Right side: peephole viewer lens easy to maintenance.

Left side: if it’s out of battery, door cam can’t see who’s at your door.
Right side: if it’s out of battery, peephole viewer still can see who’s at your door.