I have used the Smart Alarm app before we got v2. I never disabled it even when we got v2 which came with the Smart Home Monitor setup system.
My problem: when I arrive home some of the time, the built-in Home Monitor system doesn’t disarm, but the external app disarms. And if i try to disarm it manually (both using Home routines or hitting the disarm button), it just sits there spins on disarm and eventually stops and continues being armed. This means all my sensors are triggering intruder alert. Here is the scary thing to me: the Fortrezzz Siren never goes off in this period. The only time i have heard the alarm go off is if both the app and the built in system are triggering. This leads me to believe realistically the app is the thing triggering the alarm.
Actually right now, the Smart Home Monitor tab is stuck there saying Loading (Obviously, this is related to the current outage problems) Does anyone else get these periods where the auto arm/disarms don’t work, manuals also don’t work, and are you having sirens not triggering?
Related if my system has lost connection to the internet, my presence sensor keychain fob doesn’t disarm the system.
WTB Samsung actually putting money behind this product. I understand the system is free for me to maintain, but I have put 500-700 dollars into this system that doesn’t work 100% of the time. In my opinion, a security system that doesn’t work 100% of the time is basically a worthless system.
I would guess that people will point out that Smartthings is mostly about home automation, and only secondarily home security.
In addution, the hub is brand agnostic- great for allowing the addition of lower priced devices, but it comes with the built-in problems of instability. To a certain extent it’s the same argument between the Apple closed system, and the open system around Linux or even Android.
Other systems, like Simplisafe, are probably more stable, but they’re focused only on security.
The problem with the brand agnostic thing is the systems that are failing for me are the built in ST hub/cloud service/software. Also, the only two motion sensors of mine that have false alarms are the two ST Zigbee (one original model, the 2nd was updated model) motion sensors. I currently have both motion sensors that have issues next to eachother. So, if only one goes off I know there is no real problem. I actually bought v2 because i assumed the first was just a bad one. Then the 2nd has had a false alarm or two.
tgauchat
(ActionTiles.com co-founder Terry @ActionTiles; GitHub: @cosmicpuppy)
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The sale of monitoring services (add-on subscriptions of various sorts like Scout or ADT-Canopy, and notification of neighbors or family through special notification channels) has been mentioned as a revenue strategy for SmartThings since January 2015.
I believe that SmartThings is completely committed to making the product a “very reliable” home security and safety monitoring system. It may never be 100% reliable, but will have to be reliable enough to sustain subscriptions of the add-on services.
However, SmartThings is playing the long-game here. There is no deadline for them to reach … target reliability. It’s a new world… There have always been products whose first couple of releases have issues. But now, it seems that a lot of software services (in particular) are in perpetual beta. It’s called “Continuous Improvement” (but it means “continuously trying to fix old and new bugs”).
This is so frustrating. I’m even very forgiving when it comes to technology…but a 2-3 day outage per month (as seems to be the track record in 2016)? SmartThings needs to get its shit together.
I am not sure what is the status of your security system now but I am assuming that it must have been corrected. Every electronics system will have a weak point and would malfunction at least once in their life. That is what I have seen in my life. The only way you can ensure that the system is working properly is by regularly testing the system.
I have a DSC PC16161 in my home and I tested it last month. If we test the system from time to time we can know if its working properly. Or else some burglars may come and test which we definitely do not want. In case someone here needs a guide on testing your intrusion alarm systems, here is the one I used. It can be used for DSC Power Series.