Interestingly, however, it doesn’t currently work with the Aqara Home app. This is because, for any device to work on a platform using Matter, you need a Matter Controller. Aqara doesn’t yet have one until early next year when they plan to release the M3 Hub, which will not only work with Aqara’s current Zigbee devices but work with Matter devices too, as it will also be a Matter Controller. It’ll also contain a Thread Border Router, so this would then allow Matter over Thread devices to work in the Aqara app. If you’re interested to see how this device fares, read on.

PACKAGING

This is the P2, the actual successor to the Aqara Contact Sensor P1, which was only ever released in China. As such, I guess you could call this the successor to Aqara’s standard contact sensor, although once again that too was supplanted in China long ago with a T1 and even an E1 version, both of which use Zigbee 3.0. However you want to frame it, this is the new kid on the block, with the first example of a Matter logo on the packaging for an Aqara product, and almost certainly not the last. If you’re familiar with the original Aqara contact sensor, you’ll see from the image on the front, this has a very different design.

the rear of the box is also home to another first for Aqara, namely the Thread logo. One side features the specs, which are;

• Model: DW-S02E
• Battery: CR123A
• Wireless Protocols: Thread, BLE
• Dimensions: 77 x 22 x 22mm (Sensor Main Unit)  |  36 × 11.5 × 7.3mm (Sensor Accessory Unit)
• Operating Temperature: -10°C ~ 50°C (14°F – 122°F)
• Operating Humidity: 0 ~ 95% RH, no condensation

If you’re not so familiar with Matter or Thread, don’t panic at seeing the Bluetooth logo – Thread and Matter both utilise Bluetooth for initial pairing/commissioning/onboarding to your smart home platform, and in the case of Thread specifically, Bluetooth is used as a backup for when either Thread somehow fails, or you simply don’t have a Thread Border Router in your arsenal of smart home equipment, which in the case of Apple Home is a HomePod Mini, HomePod (2nd gen), or Apple TV4K (2nd gen or 3rd gen w/ 128GB).

Contact sensors are amongst the most basic of smart home devices, but still very useful. You’re going to find the best use case for this device on doors or windows, and although you could use it on other things that have the option to be opened or closed, like drawers or cabinets, the size of the P2 isn’t going to lend itself to this job as well as the original option.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

Aside from the contact sensor and the accompanying magnet, you get a manual in assorted languages, and a small piece of magnetic metal. This can be used when you might have a window that you can have in two different closed positions perhaps. The manual comes with a Matter QR code, and whilst this looks very similar to a HomeKit QR code, this is an 11-digit code, as opposed to the 8-digit code found in HomeKit. The result is the same, however, so scanning it via the Home app will add the device in exactly the same manner. As the process is pretty much identical, I’m not going to go into detail on adding it, although I’ll go into some details regarding other platforms later in this article.

THE SENSOR

The P2 does, for want of a better description, look like a large suppository! The reason for the change in size and design is not without reason, however. First of all, the battery used in the P1 and P2 is a CR123A, which is almost like a half-size AA battery. This should give the sensor decent battery life before you need to replace it, although Aqara doesn’t seem to specify how long that is.

The second reason is that the large pairing button will eventually be updated to become a programmable button. If you were to try and add a smart button like the one here to the original contact sensor, it wouldn’t be possible in my estimation, due to the size restrictions. At present, this button is only for pairing or resetting the sensor, so the programmable button function will only arrive via an update or more likely when the Aqara Hub M3 is released, which will then allow the P2 to connect to the Aqara app.

WHY THREAD AND NOT ZIGBEE?

Many people – and I include myself among them – are fans of Zigbee to a large degree, so Thread has had to prove itself worthy. I’m always open to new things and am quite happy to use Thread. I have around two dozen Thread devices currently and they’ve been very well-behaved, but then so have my Zigbee devices, so what’s the difference? Well, if I were to choose one word to describe the difference between the two, it would be ‘de-centralisation’. So, if you’re familiar with how Zigbee works, you’ll know that Zigbee child devices need a Zigbee hub, and in the case of Aqara and Hue – to name just two – their child devices will for the most part only work with their own hubs, at least when it comes to integration with HomeKit. Putting that to one side, when a set of child devices are connected to one of these hubs, if that hub goes offline or just dies, the child devices go offline too, until you reset them and add them to a new replacement hub, which is time-consuming. Zigbee child devices are therefore tied to a specific hub and ‘will go down with the ship’, so to speak.

With Thread devices, they still connect to what could be described as a hub – a Thread Border Router – but assuming you have at least two border routers connected to your platform of choice (mine are four HomePods Mini, connected to Apple Home), if one of those routers goes down, the Thread devices simply reroute to the next available Border Router. So, you can see, Thread is sort of decentralised in that it’s not tied to a specific hub or gateway, and so (in theory) your Thread devices just stay connected, as they aren’t betrothed to the hub that went down.

IN APPLE HOME

The settings for the P2 are the same as you’d see with other contact sensors with two noticeable additions due to it being a Matter device. First of all, you see at the bottom the ‘Turn on Pairing Mode’ option. This is so that you can pair the device with additional platforms if you wish. Pressing this button generates a brand new Matter code. The code that comes with the device can only be used when it’s paired to the first platform or if it has been removed from all platforms and reset. You can then use the new pairing code generated here, which is then needed to be used for any additional platforms you want to use it with. In this case, the sensor is already connected to both Apple Home and Google Home, as can be seen in the ‘Connected Services’ section above.

Unless you’re very new to Apple Home, or for that matter any smart home platform, you’ll know what a contact sensor does. If a door opens it will be able to instruct other devices (via an automation) to do something, so in my case, the P2 is on our bedroom door and so when we open that door between 6~11pm, it will turn the corridor lights on at 100% brightness. If the door is open between 11pm~12.15am, then the lights come on at 70% brightness, and between 12.15am~5.30am, the lights come on at just 10%. In each of these scenarios, the lights will turn off when the P2 sensor changes its status to ‘closed’ or 60 seconds have elapsed.

IN GOOGLE HOME

I was able to add the P2 to Google Home as I have a Google Nest Hub Max that is both a Matter Controller and contains a Thread Border Router. That’s all great, however at the time of writing, Google doesn’t give you the option to use the sensor in Routines, so it’s pretty much useless for Google Home users right now. To add insult to injury (as we say in the UK) the sensor state doesn’t update itself in the iOS version of the Google Home app until you physically refresh the app by pulling down on the UI with your finger.

SAMSUNG SMARTTHINGS

I was originally able to add the P2 to SmartThings too as I have the SmartThings Station, which like the Google Nest Hub Max, is both a Matter Controller and a Thread Border Router. However, during testing, it lost connection and just wouldn’t reconnect. I suspect that as I only have one Thread Border Router for this particular platform, when I moved the sensor to a location beyond the reach of the Thread signal it must have lost connection. You’d think it would reconnect once within range, but sadly not. I suspect this is mostly an issue with the state of Matter right now, and less a reflection on the Aqara P2, although it should have reconnected at some point.

I did try adding it again using a new code from both Apple Home and Google Home, but it repeatedly failed. Once again I think this is an issue with Matter.

As regards Amazon Alexa, I don’t have a Thread Border Router for that platform, although if you read this article on a recent Nanoleaf firmware update, that may have changed things. I wasn’t able to test it at the time.

PERFORMANCE | IN USE

I can only really attest to its performance in HomeKit, as it can’t be used for anything in Google yet, and I can’t get it to reconnect to SmartThings, but it may come as no surprise to hear that it works just as though it was a standard Zigbee sensor. It’s pretty much the same in terms of reaction times, and as it works directly with Apple Home right now, there’s no need for an Aqara hub, the downside of which is the inability to use specific Aqara automations, which in many ways are superior to most other platforms. Still, it’s mostly about doors opening or closing, and turning lights on or off for me, so it doesn’t make any real difference right now.

I’d be interested to see what use cases you could use with the programmable button once it becomes an option. For example, I think if it was placed on a front door and placed not too high, it could be useful for Setting your alarm system, or for turning off all the lights perhaps. It’s not as though we don’t already have many options to do this, so whether sacrificing the compact size is a good tradeoff for the button, remains to be seen.

The post Aqara Contact Sensor P2 w/ Matter over Thread (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

• Easy, tool-free installation
• Easily pair to your gateway
• Adjustable sensitivity levels
• Battery life up to 2.5 years (replaceable)
• Completely wireless
• 25-foot detection range

Set off your alarm & get a mobile alert as soon as this device is triggered. Rest easy knowing that if something goes wrong, you’ll be the first to know and it’ll be impossible to miss. This sensor easily covers multiple windows in the same room so you can consolidate your device needs.

• Height: 3.0″
• Width: 3.0″
• Depth: 0.94″
• Communication Protocol: abodeRF/433Mhz
• Battery: 1 CR123A Lithium battery (included)
• Operating Temperature: 14° to 113° F
• Operating Humidity: Up to 85% non-condensing

The post Abode Acoustic Glass Break Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

PACKAGING

The product I have here, whilst coming with German packaging, is actually the same as any other versions you may find. One thing that Onvis are good at is making sure their products are well protected, and the CT2 is no exception, with a very sturdy box. One side reels off the basic features of the device itself, although they’re more examples of the kind of automations you can create than features as such. The rear of the box lists some basic legal text, and the other side has some specs;

• Communication protocol: Bluetooth 5.0
• Operating temperature: 14ºF ~ 113ºF / -10ºC ~ 45ºC
• Dimensions: Sensor – 1.18 x 1.81 x 0.59in / 30 x 46 x 15mm | Magnet – 0.47 x 1.02 x 0.41in / 12 x 26 x 10.5mm
• Battery: CR2450

The sensor, magnet and spacers (I’ll go into those in a bit) are really well secured inside the box, so there’s no fear of them rattling around at all. Besides these parts, you get the manual, which is in English funnily enough, a few extra double-sided stickers, a sim pin for resetting the device, a spacer cap (once again – in a bit…), and a contact card.

THE DEVICE

The main sensor, with all the sensory parts inside, is fairly non-descript save for the rather large instance of the Onvis logo. It comes with a tab that keeps the battery from being active whilst in transit, and also has a double-sided sticker on the rear.

While from the front both the sensor and magnet are rectangular, from the side they have a convex profile. On one side of both parts, you have a marker to enable you to align the two sections accurately.

The spacers that are included in the package are designed for a door or window where the door jamb and the door don’t align for whatever reason. Essentially, these allow for the magnet to be raised to match up with the sensor, assuming that the sensor, stuck to the door frame, is higher or sticks further out than the magnet when it’s stuck to the door. This setup comes with a main spacer that sticks to the door/frame, with a further three spacers that can click into place, with a final lid or plinth that sticks into the last spacer, so that the magnet can have something to stick to itself. it’s unlikely you’ll need all of these plinths, but it’s good to have more than you need than not enough. Of course, these spacers aren’t always going to provide a perfectly aligned magnet and sensor, but thankfully contact sensors are a bit forgiving in this respect.

IN HOMEKIT

Even if you’re new to HomeKit, adding most devices these days is so simple there’s no point in going through the process here, and with the CT2 being a Bluetooth device, there isn’t any network information to pass between your phone and the device, so it’s even easier. The one change that has happened with iOS14 for HomeKit and sensors, is that they are no longer presented with their own tile, which I personally find is a step back. So when it comes to viewing the status of the device, it will appear on the top of the screen, and if there is more than one door sensor, then you will have to press on the circular icon for all your contact sensors in order to see the status of one in particular (Apple, what were you thinking?). If you only have one each of the different types of sensors set up as ‘favourites’, then on the home screen it’s not as bad, as you’ll only see the details for each of these sensors, so that’s one workaround. When it comes to the settings section for the CT2 in the Home app, you do get to see the battery level, which is nice, along with options to change the type of sensor it is shown as – Blinds, Contact Sensor, Door, Garage Door, Window. From there, each option has different icons you can choose from to represent the sensor type you’ve chosen, except for ‘Contact Sensor’ and ‘Garage Door’ which only have the one icon each to choose from. In my case, I chose the double door icon; in my case, I stuck the sensor to the two halves of a pair of sliding doors, so the icon that looks most like them is the double door icon you can see above, although the open doors don’t open like that, but who really cares?

Onvis’ own app provides a little more in terms of details, so aside from showing the CT2 with its own icon, in the settings section, you have a page that shows a record of when the door was opened or closed. As the contact sensor has been set up in an apartment that we don’t frequent on a daily basis, I can’t say for sure how long the records span but going to guess it’s around 30 days. Aside from this handy record of events, you get to see the battery level, which they’ve split into to separate readings – one for the battery percentage, and another for the battery level, which spans from 1 to 5, with 5 being anything between 100 – 81% (I believe).

IN USE

I have to say that whilst I’ve had it installed for about a month now, as it’s in a place I’m not living in regularly, I can’t say how fast it has been over the course of a month. At the time of installation, I was able to test it over the course of 5 days, and as expected with any Bluetooth device, there was the occasional late response if it hadn’t been triggered in a while, but generally, it worked fine, which has been the experience of pretty much every Bluetooth based contact sensor I’ve tested to date, which includes models by Koogeek, Eve, and Vocolinc. It’s also not too far from the Apple TV in this location, so there are never any issues with no connection. Putting it up against each of these models, it does have something over each one, albeit minor plusses. Although it’s not that easy to get into the CT2 to change the battery, it’s still a lot easier than the Koogeek model, which I detailed in my review of that product. The Eve contact sensor uses a much less common battery than the Onvis, which is an ER14250, which I’ve found to be very difficult to find. When pitted against the Vocolinc model, in terms of the overall design, the Vocolinc looks a lot more stylish and is a lot less deep than the CT2, however, the battery for the Vocolinc contact sensor only lasts for an average of 6 months, so half that of the CT2, although they do use different batteries.

Generally speaking, if you prefer to have devices that don’t hog your network, and can work even if there’s an issue with WiFi, then Bluetooth is the way to go, and with Bluetooth 5.0 you do get wider signal coverage. The trade-off is the occasionally slow initial response, but that’s something that can’t only be levelled at the CT2, as all the sensors I’ve mentioned will suffer this occasionally. The provided spacers and the decent price are its saving grace, but in all honesty, if you have the Aqara hub, along with their contact sensors, it’s almost impossible to beat the speed of Zigbee in terms of reaction times, although in fairness, there isn’t a lot in it, and even Zigbee is prey to the same occasional slow response, even if it is quite rare. If you don’t like the large logo, get a craft knife out and see if you can scratch it off – then it’ll definitely be worth looking at!

Full disclosure: Onvis provided HomeKit News with the Onvis CT2 Smart Contact Sensor for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was made, requested or has not in any way influenced our opinion of this product.

The post Onvis CT2 Smart Contact Sensor (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

PACKAGING/UNBOXING

The VS1 is a Bluetooth-based contact sensor, much like the Eve, Koogeek and Fibaro options, although it does use Bluetooth 5.0, so at least according to the stats, the range for this device should be fourfold compared to a device using BT4.2. It should also be able to transfer data at twice the speed, although something like this is harder to measure when a product of this type is usually quite fast anyway.

We’re looking at the 2-pack, as can be seen on the front of the box, and it’s quite a compact affair, with minimal use of packaging, which is always welcome. The rear of the box lists the basic specs and features in both English and French.

You may notice the lack of a HomeKit logo on the front but fear not, as it’s placed on the opening for the box, as part of the seal. As this is Bluetooth, currently this only supports Apple HomeKit, so no Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant/Home/Nest compatibility at this time, like their T-Guard Smart Lock.

Both sets of sensors are really well held in place with dense foam that hold both parts in place, so there’s little to no chance of these rolling around in the box – there’s simply no space to do so! Along with the sensors and magnets, you get a manual in English and French, as well as a set of double-sided stickers. For the 2-pack, you get four stickers for the main sensor, and two thin strip stickers for the magnet, as the magnets already come with double-sided stickers attached.

The booklet comes with two HomeKit QR Codes stuck to the back page (one for each sensor), with the sensors themselves also having the code stuck to the front. Whilst these codes aren’t particularly large, having them on the front is a bit unsightly, to be honest, so I’d personally be inclined to remove them once I’d saved the codes, as it does spoil the rather slick design. It would probably have been better to stick these to the rear of the device, although there’s precious little blank space as it stands. There’s also a bit of an issue with using the back, as I’ll mention later, although the remedy nullifies the issues anyway.

THE CONTACT SENSOR

The sensor is overall larger than many sensors, but it’s also slightly less deep. The main sensor is 60 x 30 x 9mm / 2.36 x 1.18 x .35in, with the magnet coming in at 45 x 10 x 8mm / 1.77 x 0.39 x 0.31in. As previously mentioned, the HomeKit code is placed on the front of the sensor, but it can’t be scanned, so the 8-digit code has to be entered manually. The codes stuck to the back page of the manual are standard QR codes, so they can be scanned.

The sides of the sensor and the magnet has circular markings to show you the best placement between the two halves, to ensure optimum functionality, but unlike some other sensors, the VS1’s magnet can be placed on either side of the sensor, which is just as well; If one assumes that the sensor portion is fitted to the door jamb, with the magnet being placed on the door (although it doesn’t really matter), given the VS1’s sensor is about a 1/3rd wider than say the Aqara Contact sensor, it’s likely it won’t fit some door jambs, so the sensor in many instances will be more suited to being stuck to the door. Some sensors only have the magnet fitted to one side of their sensor, and so depending on which way your door opens, you may have to place the sensor upside down, which was the case with the Onvis Security Alarm Contact Sensor. As the VS1 has magnets on both sides of the sensor it’s a non-issue.

The device, whilst in my opinion looks very stylish, hasn’t got a lot else to see other than the green circle at the top half of the front face of the sensor. This to me is what makes it look quite different from many other contact sensors. It also looks like a Vocolinc product, with the use of green that you see in their packaging, as well as the buttons for their new Air Purifier, so it would appear there has been some thought gone into the aesthetics. That said, it’s unlikely you’re going to be gazing adoringly at it for any amount of time in spite of the large green LED ring. This ring also acts as a pairing or reset button, with a small but noticeable click when pressed.

This LED light is also something that may not appeal to some users for a different reason, which is battery life; The VS1 uses a standard CR2032 coin battery, but the estimated battery life is a mere six months. Could this be due to the LED being quite large? Possibly. for many Zigbee users, we’re used to the idea of this type of battery lasting upwards of two years, so six months is a little disappointing. I don’t know if Bluetooth 5.0 uses more ‘juice’ than Zigbee, but it’s supposed to be ‘Low Energy’ usage. If the battery could squeeze twelve months of use, it could be acceptable, but I would posit that six months is simply too low for many people. It’s just as well that the battery compartment is easy to access… or is it?

A DESIGN FLAW AND A SIMPLE FIX

The double-sided stickers that come with the VS1 are designed to be placed on the top half of the rear of the sensor body and then stuck to the door or door frame. The battery compartment, which is quite easy to open and close, is also on the back, which means that once the sensor is stuck to a surface, you don’t have access to the battery compartment without first having to remove the entire sensor and double-sided sticker from the door again. Not great, especially if you have to do this every six months. Luckily, if you haven’t guessed already, there’s a simple solution; take the sticker, cut it into a circle the same size as the battery compartment cover, and stick the circular sticker to it. From then on, you only have to rotate the sensor 90º in order to open in and access the battery, with the cover itself staying in place on the door surface. Two things to note with this are that when turning the sensor to get to the battery, it turns anti-clockwise when opening, so you’ll want enough clearance when doing so, which shouldn’t be an issue if the sensor is attached to the door, but could be an issue if you place it on the right-hand side of a door jamb. The battery will also fall out quite easily, so have your free hand at the ready to catch it!

INITIAL SETUP

Contact sensors are very useful but pretty basic devices, and the VS1 is no exception in this case. Adding it to HomeKit via the Home app is also as simple and straightforward as you’d expect, so I won’t even go into this except to say, in the Home app, select ‘Add Accessory’, scan the code and you’re done! As it uses Bluetooth, it does all of this fairly quickly.

For the Vocolinc app, it’s essentially the same deal, although I did manage to easily find a small bug that didn’t allow me to create an automation, despite my HomeKit home meeting the stated requirements. I’ve brought this to the company’s attention, and they’ve said for now it’s better to just use the Home app, as they’re working on an update to the app, which will include some special and exclusive features for the VS1, so by the time you read this, this current limitation may already be old news. Regardless, it doesn’t matter too much, if like me you create your basic automations in the Home app, where automations works fine until the updated app is out.

IN USE

It’s not easy these days to get excited about a class of product when there are many options to choose from, and being that this kind of device only does one thing (The Xiaoyan door sensor does buck the trend with a built-in temperature sensor), it’s equally difficult to write about at any great length. Still, these types of sensors do a great job and this is also just as good at what it does. There’s no denying that for seasoned HomeKit users, with a few exceptions, many aren’t fans of Bluetooth devices if they’re required for time-critical functionality, as it’s well documented that they are a bit slow on the uptake initially if left to go into what appears to be a ‘hibernation’ state after a period of time. Once awake, Bluetooth devices such as the VS1 are for the most part as quick as their Zigbee counterparts, and with Zigbee devices needing a hub, you can see why a Bluetooth device can be appealing on a certain level. I for one, prefer Zigbee, and after getting the required hub, any other sensors that I buy and add, the initial outlay for the hub is mitigated over time. What the VS1 and its ilk have is that they don’t need a hub AND they’ll keep working even when your network goes down, although for remote access that’s not the case.

PERFORMANCE
Has the VS1 performed well? Yes, it has. This is in no small part due to it being relatively close to one of my Apple TVs, wherever I place it, and this is critical to a well functioning Bluetooth device. If the reach of Bluetooth 5.0 is as good as they say, then for most people you should have no issues. In fact, even my Zigbee devices have been slow to react on occasion, although it’s a lot rarer than Bluetooth, generally speaking.

Apart from the ‘issue’ with the way the VS1 is designed to be fitted to a surface, which is easily resolved, the only real ‘fly in the ointment’ is the battery life. The 2-pack is very competitively priced at US$36.99, making each sensor just US$18.50, which when compared to the Eve door sensor at nearly US$40, seems very reasonable. The other side of the coin is the Aqara door & Window sensor, which is only $16.99 but requires a hub, which comes in at $59.99. So, if you’re totally new to smart home tech, the VS1 does seem a better deal;

• 4 x VS1 Door sensors (no hub required) = US$73.98
• 4 x Aqara Door sensor + hub = US$127.95

What you still have to factor in, is that you’re going to replace the batteries every six months, with the Aqara batteries lasting roughly two years. CR2032 batteries are pretty cheap, with a quick scan on Amazon revealing an 8-pack for only US$4.99. So over a 2-year period, taking into account both sensors come with batteries pre-installed, you’re going to need twelve CR2032 batteries for the VS1 sensors and none for the Aqara sensors.

TWO YEAR PERIOD

• 4 x VS1 Door sensors (no hub required) > US$73.98 + US$7.50 for 12 batteries (over 2 years, replacing batteries every six months) = US$81.48
• 4 x Aqara Door sensor US$67.96 + hub US$59.99 > US$127.95 + no battery replacement needed (over 2 years) = US$127.95

FOUR YEAR PERIOD

• 4 x VS1 Door sensors (no hub required) > US$73.98 + US$17.50 for 28 batteries (over 4 years, replacing batteries every six months) = US$91.48
• 4 x Aqara Door sensor US$67.96 + hub US$59.99 > US$127.95 + US$2.50 for four batteries (over 4 years, replacing batteries every 2 years) = US$130.45

So, over a 4-year period, the VS1 is still better value for money, but only if you don’t already have an Aqara hub, which you may have already bought for other sensors previously. Take the price of the hub out of the equations above, and it’s a different story.

TWO YEAR PERIOD

• 4 x VS1 Door sensors (no hub required) > US$73.98 + US$7.50 for 12 batteries (over 2 years, replacing batteries every six months) = US$81.48
• 4 x Aqara Door sensor US$67.96 + no battery replacement needed (over 2 years) = US$67.96

FOUR YEAR PERIOD

• 4 x VS1 Door sensors (no hub required) > US$73.98 + US$17.50 for 28 batteries (over 4 years, replacing batteries every six months) = US$91.48
• 4 x Aqara Door sensor US$67.96 + US$2.50 for four batteries (over 4 years, replacing batteries every 2 years) = US$70.46

This doesn’t take into account the possibility of the Aqara hub failing of course, which the sensors rely on so that being the case, it still could work out cheaper to go with the VS1, but then if your hub does fail, it will also affect other sensors, so you can’t argue that the cost of a replacement hub is laid solely at the feet of the door sensors.

The bottom line is that if your VS1 sensor(s) are close enough to your Apple TV or HomePod, you’re going to get reasonably comparable performance to Zigbee for much of the time, although as already mentioned, Bluetooth does seem to hibernate after a period of inactivity, and can be slow to initially respond, which isn’t great if you’re relying on a porch light to come on when you open a door.

I really like the design of these, but whether that’s enough for me to ignore the paltry battery life, despite CR2032 batteries being cheap, is a tough call. I already have many Zigbee door sensors, and a few Aqara hubs, so it’s not as though I’m short of sensors right now. Having said that, the day before I wrote this review, half my WiFi network went down (the 2.4GHz band strangely enough), and as a result, none of my Aqara devices would work, due to the Aqara hub not being able to connect to my Home Hub (Apple TV) via the network. The VS1 and some other Bluetooth devices (Eve Motion, Eve Door, Eve Room, Onvis Motion Sensor, and more…) were totally unaffected. That did make me think…

Full disclosure: VOCOlinc provided HomeKit News with the VS1 Smart Contact Sensor (2-pack) for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was made or requested and has in no way influenced our opinion of this product.

The post Vocolinc VS1 Smart Contact Sensor (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The Australian HomeKit game changed in 2019 with popular phone accessory brand Cygnett announcing their new range of smart home devices including smart light bulbs, power outlets, temperature sensors, motion sensors, door & window sensors, and smart control buttons. The biggest part of this announcement was that these devices would all be compatible with Apple HomeKit.

Despite this news, it seemed there wasn’t much chatter about these game-changing products online and I myself did not even find out about them until earlier this year. A few weeks ago I had the joy of finally purchasing their Smart Home Starter Kit for AUD$200. After experiencing the products for a couple of weeks I can finally share my thoughts on these products with you as well as examine its features, uses, and pros and cons.

PACKAGING/FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The first thing I noticed about the Starter Kit was that it came in a surprisingly small box which initially had me thinking: “they’ve packed a hub and four sensors into this?”. When I finally had a chance to open the box I was amazed at how small the hub actually was. It didn’t take up much space and was able to fit on my desk without obstructing anything else.

Also included in the box was one of their Temperature/Humidity Sensors, a Motion Sensor, a Smart Button, and a Door/Window Sensor. The devices were quite compact and I could tell that they wouldn’t be an eyesore and could blend into their surroundings. The devices were securely packaged with foam inserts and the exterior of the box lets you know that this is a professional, high-quality device.

SETUP

Setup of the smart hub was quite straight forward and required plugging in the hub using the include Micro USB cable. There was no adaptor for this so I had to use an old iPhone adaptor. A few seconds later, the hub was ready for pairing.

All that needed to be done was to download the Cygnett Smart app, register an account and pair the hub. Note here that you need to select Apple Home Setup and you will be redirected to the Home app where you scan the HomeKit code (that is plastered in multiple locations on the box, in the instructions and on the hub itself) and it will return you to the Cygnett app to finish the setup by naming the hub. Immediately I noticed a firmware update was available, however, both of my attempts failed to which I reset the hub and tried again which still failed. I wasn’t sure what the issue was so I ignored the update and continued with the setup. Later I noticed that the Hub did in fact update the firmware itself so I put it done to teething issues.

With the hub connected, it was time to set up the devices. It was a simple process and you just need to use the included screwdriver to open the backs of the devices, remove the battery pull tab and then hold down the pair/reset buttons on the devices. Move to the Smart App where you can press the “+” button, or alternatively press the power button on the hub, and it will search for the devices and pair them to the hub. You will know when the hub is in pairing mode by a vocal feedback message.

Once this is done you can move to the Apple Home app where the devices will appear and from there you can customise their name, locations and icon. It is important to note that the Cygnett Smart app doesn’t really give you many options to modify and automate the devices however it does show you logs of detected motion, doors opening and closing, and when buttons are pushed.

Once the devices are setup you can peel off the adhesive backing and stick the devices onto the wall. My concern with this was that the adhesive covered the backs of the devices where you need to open them to access the battery so when it comes to replacing batteries you will need to also replace the adhesive. Cygnett does cover you with extra adhesive for the first round of battery changes but after that, you are on your own to find a solution.

INITIAL THOUGHTS
My first instinct before mounting the devices was testing the range of the Smart Button, so I moved through different areas of my house and tested it out. Surprisingly, it worked more than 40 meters away which gave me high hopes for buying additional buttons for around the house. I didn’t have a chance to test the range of the other devices but I would presume the range would be similar.

After mounting the devices to the wall, I set up a few basic automations and enabled notifications. All I had to say was “wow!”. The devices had an almost instant response time and triggered automations right away. Given that the Hub is Wi-Fi and not Ethernet-enabled I had concerns there about communication but for once I am actually happy with my NBN service.

DAY TO DAY USAGE
Given that the devices are currently located in my bedroom I put them to good use with automating my lights to come on when motion is detected or a door is opened. I further automated these using the Home+ app but that is for another time.

Since then I’ve noticed myself rarely using my phone to control the devices as I have the automations scheduled exactly to my liking and at nights I can hold down the smart button and turn everything off.

I have faced a small issue with the button, that being that it sometimes fails to respond. I believe though that this is a common HomeKit problem as the button needs to communicate to the hub so it might be time to retire the old iPad Air and purchase an Apple HomePod. Other than that, it works exactly as expected and makes it much easier for those who aren’t as technologically competent to control the lights in my room. Additionally, with the lack of smart switches in Australia, these smart buttons are a great alternative for the time being.

The Hub also has a Smart IR feature to be able to control infrared enabled devices, such as TVs and Air Conditioners, with the Cygnett Smart App, however, I am yet to use that feature and do not intend to use this feature as you cannot use the Apple Home option and Smart IR option at the same time.

Other than this, the Sensors help me keep an eye on my room when I’m not at home so I know when someone is going in there without my knowledge. Next up is to add a security camera.

COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER SYSTEMS
The box does say that the devices are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. I do not use Google Home but I do have an Amazon Echo which I did link the Cygnett Smart Skill to. However, it only exposed the Door Sensor and Temperature Sensors which I did not intend to use. I did create an automation to have Alexa announce when the door is opened though. Needless to say, I disabled that less than a day later. If you do want to use the Button and Motion Sensors with Alexa this probably isn’t the product for you.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Ultimately, the Cygnett Starter Kit is reasonably priced and the devices are very affordable which make them a perfect addition to any HomeKit setup. Like all technology, the devices have their advantages and disadvantages.

Pros

• The Cygnett Smart Range uses the Zigbee protocol meaning that all devices connect to one central hub rather than connecting individually to wi-fi.
• Individual devices are cheaper than similar devices on the market such as Eve and Logitech.
• Can all be controlled solely from the Apple Home App.
• Cygnett customer service as extremely helpful and they have a range of videos online to support customers.
• Starter Kit comes with all the tools to set up the hub including power cord and screwdriver as well as extra adhesive.
• Cygnett Smart App records button presses, motion detection logs and door open and closing logs.

Cons

• Hub connects to Wi-Fi rather than Ethernet which could cause communication issues. However, I am yet to face them.
• The 3M adhesive can only be used once and after removing it to access the battery compartment you need to find another way to stick them to the wall again.
• Button sometimes fails to respond however this is a HomeKit issue, not a Cygnett issue.
• You can’t use Apple HomeKit and the IR Option for the hub at the same time. Additionally, you cannot control IR Devices connected to the Hub in Apple Home.

Despite this, I’d highly recommend the Cygnett Smart Hub to anyone looking to expand their smart home. With a lack of many notable brands in Australia, Cygnett is the best alternative to them and features many of the same devices. Fingers crossed, one day we’ll be able to get a Water Leak Sensor and Vibration Sensor added to the range.

If you have any questions about the hub feel free to leave a comment below and be sure to check out my unboxing of the hub on YouTube.

The post Cygnett Smart Home Starter Kit (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

• A Breeze to Automate Your Home (Apple Home Hub* Required): Open a door to activate a custom scene, which engages other HomeKit-enabled products, using the Home app on your iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch. Have your house automatically illuminate to greet you on entry, but only after 6 pm. Have your lights turn bright when your baby opens a storage area with potentially dangerous objects. Turn off the air conditioner when you open the windows in your room
• Immediate Notifications: Your HomeKit Home will send a notification to your Apple devices when anything equipped with the status of the VS1 changes. Get real-time status via Siri and your iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch before you leave your house, or when it is about to rain so that you will never forget to close your doors or windows. Remote access requires an Apple Home Hub*
• Ultra-low Power Consumption and Snappy Performance: up to 6 months battery life achieved by exclusive energy-saving technology and Bluetooth Low Energy technology (5.0); it uses a CR2032 button battery (included in standard packaging), which can be easily replaced
• Advanced Security with Apple HomeKit: “HomeKit-enabled” means personal data is under no circumstances captured, saved to a cloud, or sold to third parties. Even when accessing your home remotely via your Home Hub, all data is encrypted end-to-end and stored on your iPhone or iPad
• Compact, Thin, and Responsive: Designed to easily fit onto your window frames and doors. Setup is quick and simple. Response time is like a snap of the fingers.* Apple Home Hub can be an Apple TV (4th Gen+), HomPod, or suitable iPad

The post VOCOlinc VS1 Contact Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Reassurance at home and away
With ecobee Haven, SmartSensor sends alerts and notifications when doors and windows are opened or closed and its motion and occupancy sensor alerts you to in-home activity detected when you’re away. While you’re home, the contact sensor continues to monitor your entranceways, but the motion and occupancy sensor turns off to avoid sending unnecessary notifications.

Notifications that paint a picture
With ecobee Haven and SmartCamera, notifications or alerts are grouped using video and occupancy information, so you’ll always have context.

Dimensions;

Sensor Base

• Height: 60 mm (2.36 in.)
• Width: 29 mm (1.14 in.)
• Depth: 21 mm (0.8 in.)

Magnet

• Height: 33 mm (1.3 in.)
• Width: 16 mm (0.63 in.)
• Depth: 12 mm (0.47 in.)

The post Ecobee Door and Window SmartSensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

PACKAGING

Whilst the Abode Iota Home Security Kit isn’t a small financial investment, you do get a lot for your money, and for that, you’d expect decent protection for the contents, which in this case is definitely true, with a very strong box protected by a thick cardboard outer sleeve. This sleeve presents you with all the necessary information you need if you happened to pick this off the shelf out of mere curiosity, although it does not explicitly state on the outside that this kit will work with Apple HomeKit (it does, trust me). Indeed, it doesn’t really go to any great lengths to explain all of the possible integrations it’s capable of – and there are many – possibly due to Abode wanting you to know that whether you want a more complete smart home or not, their system can work all by itself, without any help from any of the three main smart home systems.

When it comes to HomeKit integration, after I initially set the system up, I had to update the firmware, which was revealed soon after setup was complete. Once that firmware was in place, an option within the app was added to expose the gateway to HomeKit. Within this option, the app generates a HomeKit QR Code. As I was adding this device on my iPhone, I had to scan the code from my iPad in order to use it, but you can simply take a screenshot, or copy the 8-digit code down and enter it manually. It was all pretty seamless.

The front of the box displays the heart of the system, the Iota Gateway, along with the reassuring slogan ‘smart. secure. all-in-one.’, which reinforces what I’ve said about the system being able to be used in a standalone capacity. The front doesn’t feature the other parts of the kit, but a list of included content is shown on one side of the box, along with requirements, such as an Abode account (free) and an internet connection with a minimum of 1Mbps download/512Kbps upload speed.

The rear of the box goes into a little more detail about the technology involved, compatibility with other devices, protocols, and brands (Z-Wave, Zigbee, Philips Hue, LiFX, Nest, Ecobee etc.), as well as an overview of how the system can be expanded upon*, and provide even more security, via optional paid monitoring packages, if required. The other side of the box outlines the simplicity of the setup, along with a mention of the Abode app, which you’ll need in order to set the system up initially.

* You can check out which Abode devices currently work with HomeKit via our listings page.

Once the outer sleeve is removed, you have the container in stylish black cardboard, that open via a flap. Upon opening the box, you’re greeted with the full set of devices that make up the ‘starter kit’, namely the Iota Gateway, the keyfob and the two halves of the contact sensor. Removing the top layer reveals another box that contains the power supply along with a few other bits and pieces.

This second box primarily contains both the power supply and an ethernet cable, which we’ll mention later. Along with these, you get a paper slip that acts as a ‘cheat sheet’ to get your Abode set up running quickly. It also has an activation key printed on the top, which you’ll need when you first connect the device to the company’s servers, so it can be registered. It’s advisable to keep this document, or at least a copy of the activation key, in a safe place.

THE IOTA GATEWAY

The centrepiece of the security kit is the Iota Gateway, which is an impressive looking device, that serves as the hub for your other Abode devices (in addition to other third party products), but has quite a few other functions; As well as being a hub to get your child devices exposed to HomeKit, it also has a built-in 93dB siren, a motion sensor, and a 1080p camera with a 127º horizontal field of view (67º vertical field of view). It also has a built-in microphone and speaker for 2-way audio. Visually, it really appeals to my taste, employing a stark, two-tone look for the top and bottom halves of the device. The top half is made of barely translucent plastic, housing the motion sensor and camera, whilst the bottom half is covered in a knitted mesh fabric, similar to what you’d find on the HomePod, that houses the speaker and microphone. Although the gateway isn’t especially tall, due to the imposing design it can perhaps appear larger overall. The gateway is 180mm / 7.1in in height, and 78mm / 3.07in deep/wide. One really staggering tidbit is that the Iota gateway can support up to 160 devices, which most people are unlikely to even get half-way to passing.

Both the motion sensor and the camera lens are visible on the top half of the front, with the bottom half only showing an LED status light when powered up. The rear of the device is sort of the opposite, in that there’s nothing to see for the top half, with the bottom section revealing the power socket and ethernet port, for the included power supply and ethernet cable. The gateway can be used with either 110-120v or 220-240v systems, so if you’re in Europe, for instance, this setup can be used without any issues. On the subject of the ethernet port, it’s good to note that this device can connect to your network by connecting it to a free ethernet port on your router, although the Iota is also able to connect to your network wirelessly. It can only connect via the 2.4GHz band, however, not the 5GHz band, which my D-Link Omna camera is capable of.

A closer look at the rear of the Iota also reveals a tab that when opened, shows slots for both a SIM card and a Micro SD card. The Micro SD card is for recording footage locally, as opposed to via Abode’s own servers, whilst the SIM Card slot – which actually comes with an included but unactivated SIM card – is to allow the gateway to keep connected to Abode’s servers in the event your internet connection goes down. This functionality is only available if you choose one of the company’s paid plans, however, and is also only available to North American customers, so it’s not an option for me living in Taiwan.

The top of the unit has the Abode logo cut into the black plastic, whilst the base features a switch that can be toggled on or off. This switch turns on the built-in backup battery, which is designed to kick in if power is cut to the device. The battery should last around 72 hours. Taking all of the protective features into account – the SD card for local recordings, the SIM card for continuous connection to Abode, and the backup battery if the power to your home goes down – it’s clear that the company are taking as many steps as they can with this gateway to keep it going under exceptional circumstances, which has impressed me mightily. The fact that it also has the camera, siren and motion sensor built-in, takes it even further, which we’ll look into next.

In terms of how the Iota gateway connects or communicates with Abode’s own-brand products, it uses AbodeRF, which is the company’s own version of RF433MHz. Aside from this, all of Abode’s gateways can connect to a variety of third party devices, either using Zigbee 1.2, or Z-Wave. Z-Wave seems to represent the lion’s share of devices that are compatible with Abode, with company’s like Aeotec, August, Fibaro, Leviton, and Schlage, just to name a few. It should be noted that if you’re integrating either of the Abode gateways with HomeKit, none of these third-party devices actually get exposed to HomeKit, not that you’re limited to one system or the other, of course. This does also mean that whether or not you’re using HomeKit, the Abode system can integrate with a lot of other systems, like Philips Hue, Yale, LiFX, Ecobee, Kwikset, Google Nest, and more.

THE IOTA CAMERA

NOTE: All screenshots of the Abode app are from the Beta version, which at the time of writing, is not publicly released, and so may differ from the version you may be aware of.

I’ve actually got quite a few cameras, some of which aren’t even in use, but all of them bar one, are not HomeKit compatible, being that they’re part of the Xiaomi smart home ecosystem. The one HomeKit camera that I do have, and have had for over two years now, is the D-Link Omna, and so this is the only camera I can use with which to compare the Iota camera.

The Iota streams at 1080p, which is the minimum I’d expect these days, and although it isn’t compatible with HomeKit Secure Video (and I’m told won’t be), it’s still a fairly decent camera. The still and streamed images, while slightly different from the Omna in terms of overall colour, actually seems slightly richer and crisp. The Omna has a 180º field of vision (FoV) (compared to the Iota’s 127º FoV), so that could account for it, perhaps. Both the Omna and the Iota are connected to Wi-Fi, with the former using 5GHz, and the latter, 2.4GHz. When I’m in the Home app, the Omna launches the live stream faster on every occasion, with the Omna almost instantaneous. The Iota can take up to three seconds to show the live stream, although this difference could be down respective Wi-Fi bands each camera uses – could this be down to the 2.4GHz being more cluttered due to more devices being connected than to 5GHz? Possibly, I don’t know, but oddly enough, when the Iota was connected to the network via ethernet, it was even slower to start showing the live feed in the Home app.

One thing I’m really not a fan of is the time stamp that shows in the top left corner. To me, it’s a reminder of the ‘old school’ Swann security cameras I used to have. Granted, it may be useful, but it would be preferable if there was an option to turn it off – which there isn’t unfortunately. Another slight negative is that the live feed on the Iota isn’t quite as smooth as it is with the Omna. The video feed is slightly ‘choppy’, almost as though a frame is missed every few of seconds, which is also noticeable if you watch the time stamp counting out seconds, where it will stop, before fast-forwarding a couple of seconds. It isn’t a massive deal in many ways, and I’m told a fix is being worked on to address this.

The Iota camera also plays nicely with the popular HomeCam app for Apple TV (as well as for iOS devices), so it’s nice to be able to stream your cameras directly to your TV screen when required.

As the camera is integrated with the gateway, along with the motion sensor and alarm, all three devices can work together in a variety of ways, either via HomeKit or totally within the Abode system. We’ll go into a bit more detail on that later, but for now, we’ll look at the other devices that come as part of the Security Kit.

In the Abode app, there are several settings for the camera, including turning the camera on or off, adjusting the streaming bandwidth, video quality (720p – 1080p), the length of the video clip capture (a maximum of 30 seconds), a pre-capture option that allows you to catch up to 30 seconds of footage before a trigger has occurred. along with a few sound options.

IOTA GATEWAY MOTION SENSOR

As already mentioned, the gateway features a built-in motion sensor. This get exposed to HomeKit in the normal way, and works exactly like any other HomeKit sensor, with all the same attributes. In the tests I set up for it that I tied to scenes, it worked every time, and whilst it wasn’t quite as fast as the Zigbee-based Aqara sensors I have, it was fast enough, and in fact, it’s less sensitive than my Aqara motion sensors, which I find a little too rigorous in detecting movement. The Motion sensor’s sensitivity settings can be adjusted (low, medium, high) in the Abode app, so in that aspect, it’s quite useful. The sensor is certainly more responsive than any of the Bluetooth motion sensors I have.

THE ABODE KEYFOB

Both the keyfob and the mini window/door sensor that come with the Security Kit are already pre-paired, so there isn’t a lot required to get these two items up and running as such.

The Abode keyfob is a nice addition to the kit, that really does give off the impression that the company are all about security, insomuch as they realise that not everyone wants to use their phone all of the time. With that in mind, it’s great that if you prefer something more tangible, that can be controlled manually, with physical button presses, then a dedicated keyfob of this kind ticks all the right boxes. In terms of dimensions, it’s quite discrete, around the size of a small box of matches or slightly smaller than a Zippo lighter, although similar in overall shape, measuring 14 x 53 x 35mm / 0.55 x 2.08 x 1.38in (Depth, Height, Width).

As with the Gateway, the keyfob adopts the two-tone theme of 50/50 black and white, with only the black half having any functionality. One side of the keyfob has the Abode logo, whilst the other four distinct but subtle icons separated from each other with crossed lines. The top black half of the keyfob is made of matt-like rubber, with the buttons requiring only the smallest of presses, like the buttons on a TV remote, for example, so it’s entirely possible if you have this fob in your pocket, you could inadvertently arm or disarm the system. This could only occur when you’re in range of the hub, however, but it’s just something to be aware of. At the top of the vertical line is a tiny LED that flashes red whenever one of the four buttons is pressed. Only three of the four buttons currently have a function;

• The small circular dot activates ‘Away’ mode
• The small dot within a circle activates ‘Home’ mode
• The cross sets the system to ‘Standby’ or ‘Disarm’ mode

The fourth button with the ‘Plus’ symbol, doesn’t have a function and is reserved for “potential future use”, although the Abode website states that it can be programmed to be used as a ‘panic’ button. This isn’t a HomeKit-compatible product however and so doesn’t get exposed to HomeKit, so any customisation for the fourth button has to be performed in Abode’s own app.

The keyfob is powered by a CR2032 battery which can be accessed by pulling the white and black halves apart. According to the website, the keyfob can work up to 30.5m / 100ft away from the gateway, which is quite impressive, although this number probably refers to a ‘clear line of sight’ between the keyfob and the gateway, so once walls start getting in the way, that measurement will likely reduce. A cursory glance of the Abode website didn’t bring up information on battery life, but I suspect a minimum of 12 months would be about right, depending on usage.

THE ABODE DOOR SENSOR

Door/window sensors are a really effective product type, as they’re so versatile. not only can they be added to doors or windows, but also drawers, jewellery boxes, or even your mailbox, as long as they’re in range of the hub of course. Door sensors are also quite basic in some senses, and usually take on the same form factor of the main body, which holds the electronics and transmitter etc, with the other portion a simple magnet housed in a plastic case.

This is the case with Abode’s offering – dubbed the Mini Door/Window Sensor, which is actually one of four versions the company offers. This particular model isn’t the smallest contact sensor around, but it not massive either; main body – 11 x 53 x 29mm / 0.43 x 2.08 x 1.1in, magnet – 7.5 x 25 x 14mm / 0.3 x 1.0 x 0.55in (Depth, Height, Width). Once again, the company employs a two-tone effect to this product, although given that it’s meant to be a bit more unassuming, the effect is achieved with mildly contrasting matt and gloss plastic finishes. Thankfully, the stickers that indicate where to line up the two halves are removable. The sensor also comes with two adhesive stickers, although unlike the typical double-sided adhesive strip you tend to see, they provide two single-sided stickers, with velcro on the other side, allowing the main part to be removed from the door frame, in order to change the battery more easily.

As with the motion sensor, this is exposed to HomeKit as a regular contact sensor and works well. The reaction times were almost on a par with my Zigbee door sensors, and (sorry, I have to say it again), but easily faster than the Bluetooth ones I have. The company claim up to four years of battery life, which is very impressive, even by Zigbee standards. The sensor uses a replaceable CR2450 coin battery. Overall, it’s an unassuming piece of kit, and rightly so, but it does the job well. It’s also great that it can work with the camera and alarm in a variety of different ways, which we’ll go into shortly.

THE IOTA ALARM/SIREN

When it comes to the alarm part of this setup, it should be stated that whilst HomeKit has four modes – Off, Night, Away, and Home – the Abode system only has three – Standby, Away, and Home. Some other systems that include an alarm, like the Aqara hub, currently only have an arm/disarm option, however. Due to Abode only having the three options, it would appear that selecting either the Home or Night modes in the Home app, activates Home mode on the Iota Gateway and in the Abode app. That sort of makes sense, as there are only minor differences between the two, although It would be great if Abode was able to add the fourth mode for parity. So, in essence, the modes between the Home and Abode apps looks like this;

Having briefly tested the alarm, I can attest to the loudness of it. It’s not just that it’s loud enough to deter potential an incursion into your home, but the quality of the siren sound is of decent quality, coming across – to my ears at least – as a more ‘full-bodied’ speaker, so the overall impression you get of the sound (for as long as you can bear it) is of ‘pro’ quality. I am, as you may have guessed, comparing this to my other alarm system, the Aqara hub, which whilst a great all-round piece of kit, is slightly let down by the speaker, which just isn’t as full sounding. Whether this increases the odds of an opportunist burglar fleeing at the sound of this particular alarm over another, is anyone’s guess, but it can’t hurt.

The Abode app has a more than sufficient amount of options for all aspects of the devices that come as part of the Security Kit, let alone additional devices that you might want to add in the future, so there really are too many to cover in a lot of detail, but just in terms of choices for the alarm siren, it has to be said, you won’t be disappointed. Options for the sounds are generally offered at three volume levels – Off, Low, or High – which covers door chime settings, delay sounds for the different alarm modes, as well as confirmation sounds. It really is quite extensive, as can be seen in the screenshots above.

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ABODE APP

All of Abode’s child devices can work with the alarm portion of the gateway, so whether you want a simple low-level alert alarm that’s also sent to your phone if there’s a water leak, for example, or the full-blown panic alarm if the worst should happen, it’s all possible. Additionally, there are sections covering all aspects of the devices that connect to the Iota Gateway, as well as account, internet, and integration settings for connecting to systems previously mentioned. Much of this app, although still in beta, has replaced a large portion of what is currently accessible via the company’s web-based app, which is great if you don’t mind deving into a browser. Having pretty much everything in one app is the way forward though, ultimately, with the web-based app a decent backup option.

Wrapping up this overview of the Abode app, the main screen, and first of the five tabs at the bottom of the screen, simply called the Dashboard, gives you quick access to the camera along with the three alarm modes. Whenever you select the two active alarm modes (Home, Away), the gateway will count down, with 1 beep per second, so if you set the alarm arming delay to thirty seconds, you’ll get thirty beeps before it arms. Whatever amount of time you’ve set in the settings for the arming delay time, will also be reflected in a visual countdown effect within the icons for these two modes. The Devices tab gives you access to not only the camera, but settings for the built-in motion sensor, and any child devices that have been added. Here you can also group devices in any manner you wish, be that by room, or by sensor type etc. For the camera, you can also take a screengrab from the camera or record footage on the fly.

While Abode can play nicely with many systems it does appear to take itself seriously as a complete in-house security solution. This is why they offer a section labelled Cue, which allows you to create automations with rules, action and conditions. It’s possibly not as extensive as what can be achieved in the Home app for devices that aren’t security centred and also work with the Abode system, but it does offer a few options that aren’t possible for the alarm within the Home app.

SUMMING UP

I have to say that given the number of options you have with not only the Abode app but all the devices that can connect to the gateway, I’ve more than likely I’ve missed a few details here and there, so apologies if that’s the case, but there’s a lot! The depth of customisation for the siren is pretty impressive, and if you were to only use the Abode app without worrying about whether a device compatible with the gateway will be exposed to HomeKit, then you really are spoilt for choice. This choice is mostly sensors though, so don’t expect the Abode system to replace what’s on offer, in a broader sense, via Apple HomeKit.

What you do get is an all-in-one starter kit that does the basics, with you being able to add more as and when you want. That’s nothing new in some ways, as Aqara offer the same kind of choice. Still, Abode specialises in security in particular, and it’s evident when you see the paid secure monitoring options they offer it becomes apparent how seriously they take it. I haven’t really touched on these paid choices, as I’m really focussed on the hardware in the main, but even their plans are very flexible, and nowadays it’s all about choice for the consumer.

Has the system been good for me? At first, I did have an issue with the Iota gateway disconnecting once a day, which was quite disturbing, when you think that it’s the nerve centre of the system for security purposes. This happened when I was connected via ethernet at the time, and although I wasn’t directly connected to the router, I’d assumed it would be the best option. I have to admit that my system isn’t the best, and could do with a bit of streamlining, so I took to unplugging the gateway’s ethernet connection and went with a Wi-Fi connection instead. Soon after that, I’m glad to report the disconnections stopped. Whether the fault lies with my setup or not, I’m not sure, but as long as the gateway stays connected, I don’t really care how it does it. Aside from that, the keyfob and the door sensor have worked flawlessly, the motion sensor does the job well, and the camera is decent enough.

If we’re going to be fair, the slightly stuttering image from the live camera feed isn’t great, but I can live with it, and I do tend to look at the camera portion of the gateway as a bonus feature rather than a central one. After all, their other hub doesn’t come with a camera, and you can also buy separate cameras from either Abode or any number of manufacturers, so I’ll live with it. The siren/alarm part is what I consider the core feature, and as I’ve stated before, it’s LOUD. That’s all I need aside from reliability, even though where I live, we’re very safe thankfully. If it wasn’t for the fact that our apartment is already fully kitted out with sensors, I’d quite likely consider more Abode devices, as I’m really not too keen on Bluetooth sensors.

Finally, whether it matters to most people or not, I do like my devices to look good if they’re on show, whilst also having them blend in. The Iota does this in spades for me. I simply love the design. Taste is personal of course, but with this being both the heart of the system, as well as being a camera, it will get seen, and it should look good. I think it does.

Many of Abode’s products can be bought on Amazon.com, but it’s also worth checking out the company’s online store, as, at the time of writing, they are offering up to 50% off selected items from their range of products.

Full disclosure: Abode provided HomeKit News with the Iota Home Security Kit for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was made or requested.

The post Abode Iota Home Security Kit (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Receive security notifications if someone enters your home when you’re out. Alternatively, place this sensor on any door in the home and receive alerts when someone enters that room.

No need to scramble to check if you’ve shut all your windows and doors before leaving your home. Check the Cygnett Smart Home app and check if everything is closed and secure – quick and simple.

Partner this sensor with a Cygnett Smart Bulb to automatically turn on a light whenever you enter a room. Ideal for spaces in the home like the pantry or storage cupboards. Once the pantry door closes, the light with automatically switch-off.

• Detects when any door or window is open 
• Create automations during open & close 
• notifies when a window or door is opened 
• Cygnett Smart Hub & IR Remote required

The post Cygnett Smart Door and Window Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

• Simple Set-Up: Pair the sensor directly to the Sengled Smart Hub using the Sengled Home app (iOS/Android). A compatible hub is required for use
• Simple Installation: Use the in-app guide to activate your sensor. Then, peel the backing off the adhesive and stick on any door jamb or window frame
• Check-In From Anywhere: See the status of your window or door by checking the Sengled Home app (iOS/Android) when connected to a Sengled Smart Hub
• Automate Your Home: Have your entryway lights turn on when you open the front door automatically. Use the open/close status in the app to trigger other Sengled smart devices, including Sengled Smart LEDs
• Keep An Eye Out: Know when your door or window has been opened by checking the timeline in the Sengled Home app

The post Sengled Door/Window Contact Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.