How does the Google Nest Doorbell chime?

[maxedbeech]

Hi there! 

Before I purchase a Google Nest Doorbell (am looking at the 2nd gen wired or Barrery but then using it wired), I would love to understand how the chime works, as I'm a bit confused.

I have a series of Google Home speakers around the house as well as a Lenovo Google Smart Display. 

How do the chimes play through these speakers? I understand you can switch on announcements, but is there also a traditional chime? I see references to seasonal chimes but not sure if that's what plays through Google Home speakers or via some other mechanism.

Context: trying to work out whether I should remove my mechanical bell and rely just on Google Homes, have both, or try to build some automation where perhaps a Raspberry Pi is used to recognise the doorbell and then cast a custom doorbell-like sound to the various Google Home speakers.

Thanks so much!

[MplsCustomer]

@maxedbeech 

If you wire a Google Nest doorbell to your existing doorbell wires (following the installation instructions) and your doorbell transformer meets Google Nest's transformer requirements (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9247132?hl=en), and you turn on the "Indoor chime" setting for your Google Nest doorbell, the Nest doorbell will ring your existing mechanical chime using your doorbell wires

If you ALSO turn on "Visitor announcements" in settings for your Google Nest doorbell, it will send a "visitor announcement" to any Google Nest speakers in the same Google Nest "home/structure" (https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/7672451?hl=en). This is accomplished via your home Wi-Fi network.

They are two separate settings, but you can use both.

[maxedbeech]

Thanks so much! Really appreciate it. And so how could I get the chime sounds like the seasonal one I mentioned please? My guess is  it’s via one of the following ways but I’m not sure which:

- The chime plays through Google home speakers

- The chime plays if you have a digital bell connected to the doorbell rather than a mechanical one

- The chime plays via sine kind of plug-in chime speaker

 any help would be much appreciated!

[MplsCustomer]

@maxedbeech 

"Seasonal doorbell themes are available for your doorbell around some holidays. The app lets you know when a seasonal doorbell theme is available. You can change the theme or set a different chime sound in the app’s doorbell settings.

When you turn on a seasonal theme, a unique sound greets visitors when they ring the doorbell. If you use visitor announcements for your Google Nest or Home speaker or display, the sound plays on the doorbell and in your home.

After the holiday, your doorbell automatically goes back to the default tone, and the seasonal theme disappears in the app."

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9231819?hl=en#zippy=%2Cdoorbell-themes

[maxedbeech]

Thank you very much. So that implies that if I switch on visitor announcements, the Google home speakers will all do a proper chime and then I guess after say the words “Someone is at the door”? Is that correct please? I’m trying to work out whether I should keep my mechanical bell or not.

 Thanks so much for your continued help,

 Max

[MplsCustomer]

@maxedbeech 

I believe so, yes.  We've never used seasonal themes.

[maxedbeech]

That’s great to know thanks. Do you use the speaker announcements? If so, do they also do a proper chime prior to the spoken words please?

[MplsCustomer · Accepted solution]

@maxedbeech 

Yes, we use visitor announcements and they provide a ding-dong type of chime on each of our Nest Hubs, followed by "Someone is at the [doorbell name]."

[janthadeus]

Hi folks!

I just wanted to jump in real fast to see if you saw MplsCustomer's reply and to see if you still needed some help on this or if you were able to get it sorted out. If you are still needing some help, just let us know and we'll be happy to continue helping.

Thanks for the help here, MplsCustomer.

Regards,

JT

[janthadeus]

Hi maxedbeech,

It's me again. I want to check if you still need help. Don't hesitate to reach back if you do.

Thanks,

JT

[maxedbeech]

No you can close this thanks

[EmersonB]

Hello everyone,

@maxedbeech we're glad to hear that you're all good now with your Nest doorbell chime. Let us know if you have additional questions. Otherwise, I'll be locking this thread after 24 hours.

@Jt thanks for your response.

Best,
Emerson