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Smart Home Security System

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    #32
    bemak
    Registered Users Posts: 870 ✭✭✭bemak


    ya, the app is quite good. it was revamped lately. I tested it a few times and received push notifications within 2 or 3 seconds of anything being triggered.


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    #33
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,462 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Officer Giggles wrote: »
    Thanks for the response.

    At 30minutes the polling would be useless anyway.

    I presume there's an app or something that could notify you.

    The Yale Alarm app does indicate if the Hub is online or not. But is seems a bit hit and miss and it only works if you actually look up the app, you don't get a notification, so not really useful.

    Personally I've two other smart devices that have sub 5 minute polling. Logitech Circle IP cameras and SmartThings hub. So either way I'll know if my broadband is down from them, so the lack of this feature is a pity, but not really an issue for me.

    There is an unofficial API for the Yale alarm, that works with Python, Groovy, Nodejs, that allows you to control the alarm, check it's state, arm, disarm, etc. Allows you to integrate into other Home Automation systems, etc.

    It might be possible to build your own polling with that interface, but I need to play around with those interfaces first to confirm that, at the moment, it is looking 50/50 on this.

    Personally I think Yale Alarm + one or more Logitech IP cameras makes for a good combination and helps fix the polling issue. On the one hand, sucks to have to buy a second device, on the other hand IP cameras are a good addition to any home security system.

    Another option is the Honeywell Evohome Alarm system. They have one that has dual path comms, works over wifi by default, but can fall back to GSM if the wifi fails. I don't know if it has polling.

    I don't have this system myself, so I can't vouch for it, the dual path is an obvious pro, but from what I've read, the app and notifications aren't as good as the Yale. So pros and cons.

    And of course their are the pro install systems like HKC, GSD, Siemens, which can be configured with dual path and polling.


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    #34
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,462 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    bemak wrote: »
    ya, the app is quite good. it was revamped lately. I tested it a few times and received push notifications within 2 or 3 seconds of anything being triggered.

    Yep, the latest app refresh seems much faster and more reliable then in the past.

    Though it is somewhat of a weird UI design. The old design was slightly better I think. But the new one actually works better and gives you more useful info (which windows/doors open, etc.).

    Notifications have always been great, pretty much instantaneous and I don't remember it ever failing once. Really good.

    Playing with the API, the cloud service seems super fast too.


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    #35
    Officer Giggles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,677 ✭✭✭Officer Giggles


    Thanks BK, great info for me in your posts


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    #36
    buddyboy
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭buddyboy


    bemak wrote: »
    Installed the Yale Smart Sync last week. It has been a very seamless and straightforward experience. I actually did it over a few nights as I only had an hour each evening so I put up the motion sensors one night, the door contacts another night and then the external box. The fact that everything is paired out of the box meant that there was no messing with trying to link them all up.

    The system is very easy to use however I can see why the app gets bad reviews - it's not a slick experience but once you know where all the settings are, there's very little to it after that. I was plagued by notifications and alerts from the alarm at the beginning which was very reassuring but I've paired these back to the essentials.

    I was sceptical about how good a sensor the smoke alarm was going to be but it has an excellent field of view and completely covers the first floor landing, including the stairs from the second or third step at the bottom.

    We have PVC windows which means the frame isn't flush on the interior side - this makes it difficult to get the contact to work and they end up looking very clunky. But I saw a very neat trick on an Amazon review whereby you can get a pack of small 5mm diameter magnets and embed them into the window frame. This avoids the need for the yale contact and keeps everything nice and neat.

    Having installed everything - I'm going to get 5 more window contacts and 1 motion sensor for the sitting room and that will have me covered.

    On a seperate but related note - I installed a Netatmo Presence Security Camera for my parents over the weekend. The install is a bit fiddly as outlined in a lot of reviews but once set up - the camera has been excellent and I will be looking to get one myself in the near future.

    Friendly bump, any long term review advice for the Yale sync system? I'm looking to get one soon as we are close to closing on a house and i want to modernise the 20 year old alarm system that i will replace. Would you buy it again given the time you have had it installed so far?


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    #37
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,532 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    buddyboy wrote: »
    Friendly bump, any long term review advice for the Yale sync system? I'm looking to get one soon as we are close to closing on a house and i want to modernise the 20 year old alarm system that i will replace. Would you buy it again given the time you have had it installed so far?

    If you want a professional quality DIY smart alarm I would suggest that you would be far better off with the Ajax system (I linked to this earlier in the thread). The fact that professionals avoid all Yale systems yet they use Ajax systems tells its own story.


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