Hello,
My search for a local security system has turned up nothing good. Most of the alarms on amazon and other places won't even notify me if a door/window is open when I arm, unless I use their app. I just want to use a keypad, although I don't mind using the app for setup or even notifications but I don't want to arm/disarm using the app.
So while looking at HE options with HSM, I see three keypads being in use by the community, Iris V2, Iris V3 and a xfinity/centralite.
For the sake of simplicity, which one is the least error prone with regards to HE integration? I don't want to hear any beeps, I will only use one "arm" mode (just perimeter windows/doors, no motion) and I would like to be able to give the pet sitter his own code to disarm.
Have you looked at konnected.io? I use that w/ hubitat and it's quite good not sure if you've got some stuff wired in which case konnected does a great job of bridging the gap.
If you're just looking for perimeter security and don't want anything to do with lights or other automations, take a look at iSmartAlarm. They have a lot of different packages that come with different components and have a keypad that you can add on to the system. Before I went to full home automation I used mine for quite a while and loved it. No professional monitoring but also no monthly fees. Definitely an easier option if you're not looking for full home automation.
Rob, I don't have any wired components, the last system I had was wireless from the 90s from smarthome and it was great, but it died on me! I thought konnected was for existing wired systems, I'll take another look.
Ryan, hopefully you can shed some light on this, I emailed with iSmartAlarm and they told me if a sensor is open I will not be notified unless I arm/disarm from the app, even though they have a keypad! Did I misunderstand them?
Yes, you did. You will only be notified in the app if your have the system armed. Whether you arm with the keypad, the app, or the keyfob won't matter. And you can be notified by the app, SMS (text message) and automated phone call.
See my post here. If you use Ring Alarm with @codahq 's app and drivers, you can control arming and disarming of the Ring Alarm system, and still use their keypad or app if you want. Their alarm arming, disarming and sounding can also trigger things on HE.
And if that's not what you want and you decide you do want iSmart Alarm, then send me a PM. I have one I'll sell you at a very reasonable price. I modified one of its remotes so it can be controlled by a Z-Wave or Zigbee relays. So for example, if you added a Zooz Multi-Relay, then you can trigger the arm, disarm, and panic buttons, thus allowing you to arm it, disarm it and trigger its siren (I have the remote siren to sell with it too).
Having said that, you do get much better integration with the Ring Alarm and the Unofficial Ring Integration that @codahq wrote. That will let you arm/disarm/panic from the keypad and trigger HE based on what's happening on the Ring Alarm. Whereas my modification to the iSmart Alarm remote will only let you arm/disarm/panic. No feedback to HE with what the iSmart Alarm is doing if it wasn't initiated from HE.
[Edit] Duh, and most importantly to answer your question specifically, the Ring will notify you that a sensor required (if you specify it as required) is bypassed. So since the integration is controlling the Ring Alarm API directly, then arming via an action from HE will act the same as if you had armed it from the keypad or app.
SmartHomePrimer, thanks, that's a lot of reading for me to do. I'll do my proper research on ring and see where I land. If I can resolve the ismartalarm niggle maybe I'll hit you up.
Ryan780, I found the ismart response to my question:
2.) If you try to Arm the system from the app and a Contact Sensor is still open, a push notification will appear on the screen letting you know it is still open and will ask you if you want to Force Arm or Cancel. Force Arming the system will Arm everything except for that sensor. Unfortunately, if you use the Keypad or the Remote Tag to Arm the system and a sensor is still open, it will just Force Arm the alarm. There is no way for the Keypad or Remote Tag to let you know if a sensor is still opened.
This was from a couple months ago, have they changed things?
Wait....are you talking about being notified if someone opens your door when the system is armed or arming the system when a sensor is open?
If you arm the system from a keypad when a contact sensor is open, the system forces arming except with that contact sensor. I believe that as soon as that sensor is closed, it will function normally. Just like the other sensors.
So, when you say "When you arm from a keypad you won't get notified." that's not really a complete statement. They are talking about the still open contact sensor when you arm the system, not an intrusion detection.
But if being notified that a sensor is still open when you arm is important to you, then you either have to arm from your phone or get a different system. What do you expect for $100? You're not going to get a top of the line, does-everything-under-the-sun system. You are going to have to make some compromises.
Thanks Ryan, ya that's what I mean. I think a security system should notify me when I arm it that it can't be trusted I don't need a false sense of security. That's my experience with alarm systems from oh all those years ago lol.
Ring speaks "Sensors required bypassed" and it will not arm. You close the required contact and then arm again, then you get a count down either silent or audio depending on what you specified.
I don't need a false sense of security. That's my experience with alarm systems from oh all those years ago lol.
