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View Nest Doorbell camera feed in landscape mode on Google Nest Hub

johnanish
Community Member

Hi, How would it be possible to view the camera feed from the Nest Doorbell on the Google Nest Hub in landscape mode as opposed to portrait mode?

TIA!

17 REPLIES 17

Jimmy_J
Community Member

so far not possible.  a nice big screen with a small portrait thumbnail.  ahhh.... beautiful.  i'm getting rid of all my google junk.

MplsCustomer
Bronze
Bronze

@johnanish 

There is no capability like that. Would you then turn your Nest Hub on its side?  With our Nest Hellos, the feed takes up most of the screen.

That doesn't make sense to turn it sideways. Why would the camera only shoot in portrait? Google needs to think this through for their nest hubs.

@johnanish 

Ah, I think you want to change the aspect ratio of the camera (the ratio of width to height), but this is a physical fixed value for each Google Nest camera; here are a few:

Nest Hello: 4:3
2nd Gen doorbells: 3:4

Nest Cam Battery: 16:9
Nest Cam Outdoor: 16:9

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9259110?hl=en

It has nothing to do with the Nest Hubs; they just display what's there.

The Ring doorbell's aspect ratio's are also fixed; for example:

Ring Video Doorbell Pro: 16:9
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2: 1:1

aatienza
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey johnanish,

 

Checking in — we hope you've got the answer you're looking for. Let us know if you have more questions in mind.
 

I appreciate the help, MplsCustomer.

 

Thanks,
Archie

aatienza
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey there,

 

I just wanted to follow up to see if you still need our help. Please let us know as we would be happy to answer any questions you may have. 
 

Thanks,

Archie

yes I still do need help. Is there a way to view the feed in landscape mode on the google nest hub?

@johnanish 

The Nest Hub cannot display what is not there. While the Nest Hub has an aspect ratio of 16:10 (width to height), the 2nd Gen doorbells have an aspect ratio of 3:4. There simply is no content available on the doorbell's camera to fill the width of the Nest Hub's screen. The doorbell's camera can only provide a "portrait" view. The Nest Hello, with an aspect ratio of 4:3, is slightly different, and fills most of the horizontal space on our Nest Hubs, but if it tried to fill the entire horizontal space (with 16:12), the top and bottom would be truncated.

Consider that, when you configure Activity Zones, you are mapping out the entire physical area that the camera "sees".

With an aspect ratio of 16:9, when Google Nest cameras are displayed on a Nest Hub, there is a slight amount of black at the top and bottom as the view is displayed on the Nest Hub's 16:10 aspect ratio.

Everything that our cameras and doorbells see is being displayed on our Nest Hubs, with filler for what's not available on the camera

aatienza
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey johnanish,

 

I'd like check if you've seen MplsCustomer's response. Let us know if you need more help by replying to this thread.
 

Thanks,

Archie

AbigailF
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi johnanish,

Checking back in should you still have some questions here. Let us know by replying to this thread. 

Best, 
Abi

johnanish
Community Member

I am surprised that there is no feature request asking to flip the image via the software/ video processor.  There are other camera providers whose feed can be rotated via software (a toggle button). Is this simply not possible with Google?

@johnanish 

I don't think what you're asking for is physically possible.

Some Google Nest cameras DO have the ability to flip the image using the "Rotate image" that lets you flip the image by 180 degrees, in case you need to mount the camera upside down. This just flips the image upside down but does NOT change the camera's field of vision.

Google Nest doorbells have never had that "Rotate image" option, though a few customers have asked for it because they want to mount their doorbell upside down with the doorbell button on top for various reasons.

A handful of customers have asked for the ability to rotate their camera or doorbell image by 90 degrees, which is what you are asking for. I don't think it would be possible to rotate the camera's aspect ratio by 90 degrees; that's a fixed physical capability. This would involve using software to rotate what the camera is actually seeing.

Some Ring, Eufy, and Arlo cameras have the ability to rotate or flip the image by 180 degrees, but NONE by 90 degrees, though customers keep asking for it.

SWayneZ
Community Member

I too find this frustrating. My Nest Hello fills most of my Google Hub screen nicely at my house. I just installed the 2nd Gen Doorbell and a new hub at my mom’s house. The portrait 3:4 aspect ratio leaves a lot of black screen on the sides. She can pinch zoom the display but if she goes back to the Home Screen and the back to the doorbell cam, the display reverts back. Why would Google make this change (perhaps to work better with phone displays)? They should fix this to allow an aspect ratio change. 

@SWayneZ 

I suspect changing from the Nest Hello's aspect ratio of 4:3 to the 2nd Gen Google Nest Doorbell's ratio of 3:4 was quite deliberate on Google Nest's part, intending a more "head-to-toe" view. We're sticking with our Nest Hellos as long as they last. Here is what some reviews said:

"The Verge" says: "The camera captures a head-to-toe view with a 3:4 aspect ratio and a 145-degree field of view. These specs will disappoint those who love the Nest Hello, which has a higher resolution at 1600 x 1200, a wider field of view, and stronger digital zoom." - https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/4/23386060/google-nest-doorbell-wired-specs-features-price-release-...

This post on "Reddit" says: "Yes, the aspect ratio is actually one of the reasons I went ahead and got the gen 2. I can see my steps so much better now and that's where packages get left. It has been a big improvement in that respect." - https://www.reddit.com/r/Nest/comments/ysmmvt/gen1_vs_gen2_doorbell_aspect_ratio_what_was/

"TechHive" says: "Also new is the 1.3-megapixel color sensor with a taller 3:4 aspect ratio, allowing for a head-to-toe view of visitors as well as packages left on your doorstep." - https://www.techhive.com/article/1341019/google-nest-doorbell-wired-2nd-generation-news.html

"Pocket-Lint" says: "The Nest Doorbell (battery) has a 3:4 aspect ratio and a 145-degree diagonal field of view. It has a taller view than the Hello wired doorbell, enabling you to better see things on the floor in front of your doorbell, as well as people." - https://www.pocket-lint.com/smart-home/buyers-guides/google/157976-google-nest-doorbell-battery-vs-n...

 

Hey everyone,

 

Checking in — I just wanted to make sure if you’ve seen MplsCustomer’s reply. Let us know if there’s anything else.

 

I appreciate the help here, everyone!
 

Thanks,

JT

Yes. Mpls’s report was very concise and appreciated. I can understand the trade offs between the two different aspect ratios. I agree with Jimmy_J that there is a frustrating disconnect between the portrait view of the 2nd gen doorbell and the landscape view of the Google Home Hub. I prefer the landscape view of the Nest Hello that I’ve been used to at my home. I have no trouble seeing packages on my porch. The issue is more frustrating at the home of my elderly parents who aren’t as tech savvy and have more trouble seeing the smaller “thumbnail” image of the 2nd Gen. I just installed for them. I acknowledge that we can pinch zoom but when they exit the view of the doorbell cam and then bring it back up, it drops back to the portrait view with black screen on the sides and a smaller image. Just a disappointment for us. 

janthadeus
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey there,

 

We hear you. Our team is working hard to deliver the best experience for our users — we'll take this as feedback. Keep an eye on the Google Nest Community page https://goo.gle/2JvnMRy for any updates. Please let me know if you have other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours if I won't hear back from you again. Feel free to start a new thread and we'll be happy to help.

 

Check out this link on how to file feedback.

 

Thanks,

JT