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If you are considering adding extra security to your home or apartment using an off-the-shelf self-install home security alarm system, the Yale Sync Smart Home Alarm might be the one for your with more investigation. The is available in a variety of different starter kits depending on your needs and budget, offering simply a keypad, motion detector with a hub to a full alarm system with dual outdoor sirens if necessary. With no monthly monitoring fees, the Yale Sync Alarm system can support up to 40 accessories, allowing you to tailor the smart alarm system to your exact requirements depending on your budget and house layout.
Users can easily add other Yale security products such as CCTV, Home View Cameras and Yale Smart Door Locks when the appropriate module is linked to the home alarm system, making it easy to expand the network if required at any time. The Yale Sync Alarm uses the 868MHz Frequency, and each wireless module is battery powered and includes low battery indicators ensuring the batteries will never run flat without notifying you.
Within this review, we will look more closely at the mid-range family kit Yale Sync Smart Home Alarm security system which is available to purchase priced at around £275 from online retailers such as Amazon. Inside the box, you will find 1x Ethernet Smart Hub, 1x Wireless External Siren, 2x Wireless Motion Detectors, 1x Wireless Door/ Window Contact, 1x Wireless Keypad, offering enough coverage to protect a number of entrances and a loud alarm siren that can be mounted wirelessly to the external wall of your home or apartment. The wireless system is capable of connecting accessories and sensors over a distance of 200 m, which means you can protect sheds and detached garages. During this review I will cover the wireless setup process, smartphone application, integration with Philips Hue smart lights and the Amazon Echo personal assistant.
Yale has designed the Yale Sync Smart Home Alarm for easy to installation, and without keeping you in suspense, they have achieved this making the setup a breeze. Simply download the iOS or Android application and follow the quick setup guide which tells you to connect the hub to your home router using a wired Ethernet connection and remove the battery blockers from the motion detectors and keypad. To begin with, I suggest checking that everything connects by laying the contents out on a table next to each other before installing it in their final locations, as you need to check the strength of the wireless connection between the modules
The Yale smartphone application will then guide you through the setup at every stage, first requiring that you register your email and mobile number for alarm notifications and messages. To connect the hub to your smartphone, enter the serial code on the reverse of the Ethernet hub connected to your home router. The complete setup process takes just a few minutes to complete, and a quick test of the motion detectors and siren indicates the system is fully functional before fitting in your final locations.
Once you are happy everything is connected, you can then move the wireless motion detectors to the locations in your home that provide the best protection to your property. Details about position and points to remember are noted within the supplied instruction booklet. Once the accessories are placed in the desired location, you can check the wireless strength using the companion application and the easily accessible test button on the front of the PIR modules. These provide reassurance that the sensors are close enough to the hub to be triggered and also offers a wireless range indicator similar to a wireless strength indicator on your smartphone or computer via the smartphone application. To prompt you if anything needs moving closer together for the best reliability and connectivity.
The motion detectors are entirely wireless as is the outdoor siren allowing you to mount them almost anywhere as long as wireless connectivity remains between the components. To fit the wireless motion detectors into the corners of your room, you remove one screw from the base of the sensor and remove the rear casing which can then be positioned in your required location and fitted using the positional fixing holes and screws provided. Repeat the process with the second sensor making sure you cover as much as your apartment as possible, such as entrance doors, windows, patio doors and similar. Each wireless alarm modules is equipped with tamper triggers and provide feedback via the application, email notifications and trigger the alarm if their covers are removed after installation.
The external Alarm Siren is fitted in a similar manner to the outside of your house or apartment and also features tamper triggers which will notify you if the front casing is removed after installation. Once the alarm is triggered, it will start counting down with an audible noise from the wired router hub before the siren is activated. Providing users with a chance to disable the alarm by either entering a pin code or disarming the alarm from the smartphone application. Once you have the central router hub, wireless motion detectors, door trigger, control keypad and siren setup, additional components can be added including smoke detectors, PIR image camera, panic buttons and more. For a full range of additional components jump over to the official Yale website by following the link below.
Using the Yale smartphone companion app, you can disarm and arm the system remotely from anywhere in the world and receive notifications directly to your smartphone, and soon to be Apple Watch, when anything is detected, or the alarm is triggered. Geolocation triggers can also be set up to automatically secure your home and arm the alarm system as you leave or disarm the alarm system when you arrive home. All wireless activity is communicated using “enhanced encryption” says Yale, and the system is also capable of detecting malicious attempts to jam the wireless signals triggering the alarm automatically and notifying you of such events. If you attach additional Yale security cameras to the system, you can also receive picture alerts and notifications from the PIR Image Camera if the alarm is triggered.
Once you have the primary system installed and working as you require, I would then suggest connecting it to Amazon Alexa and your Phillips Hue smart lights. The Hue lights provide additional silent visual notifications if your smartphone or Apple Watch was not on your person and offer an extra way to notify passers-by that your house may be in the process of being burgled. To connect the Yale Sync Smart Home Security Alarm to your Alexa, download the Yale Smart Living Alexa Skill and use the Alexa smartphone application to join your alarm and Amazon Alexa together.
Once linked you can then use a variety of different commands including: ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living to arm my alarm?’ ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living is the desk lamp on?’ ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living is the back door open?’ ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living is the patio locked?’ ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living is the alarm armed?’ ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living home arm the alarm, for a few examples. You can also ask, ‘Alexa, ask Yale Smart Living how did I name everything?’ to know how what’s your devices name or say “Help” for more information about the Yale Smart Living Skill which is always useful. Yale also provides a comprehensive support site with everything you need to know about setting up the alarm before and after purchase, including an informative ‘how-to’ video guide to help make the installation as simple as possible.
To connect your Philips Hue to your Yale Sync home security system enter the settings section of the Yale Home App selecting “Philips Hue settings”. Enter your Philips Hue account username and password when prompted, and the connection will be made. Once enabled actions can be set directly from the mobile app allowing you to arm or disarm the alarm, enabling your Philips Hue lights to flash following an arming or disarming event, or confirm that your alarm is armed, part armed or disarmed. Together with “Alarm Triggered” this sets your light storage flash when the alarm detects an intruder.
Conclusion
The Yale Sync is the ideal device to keep your home protected and it comes with a range of features that set it apart from the standard home alarms that are available on the market. The ability to use an app to for installation and monitoring means that you have instant access to your alarm from your smartphone or tablet. The device is easy to install and can easily be connected to other Yale home security products like their Home View Cameras and more.
The fact that the Yale Sync works with smart home devices like the Amazon Alexa and the Philips Hue bulbs and system means that the alarm can easily be integrated into your smart home setup. The system is easy to setup and also use on an ongoing basis and its lower price when compared to traditional alarms is a great bonus. If you are looking for a new alarm for your home or to update your existing one to a more modern alarm then the Yale Sync system is recommended.
You can find out more information the new Yale Sync home security system over at Yale at the link below. Prices for the Yale Sync home security system start at £235.
Rating : 5/5
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Disclosure: “This is a sponsored post. Geeky Gadgets has been compensated for this post. All opinions are that of the editor and were in no way influenced by the company.”
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