Coming off of the discontinuation of Lowes IRIS, I’ve got 30+ devices I need to migrate to a new platform. Iris is pushing people to SmartThings as a preferred platform, but I’m seeing warnings in forum posts here about people nervous about the future of SmartThings.
Additionally, there are too many options. It appears if I want professional monitoring like I had with IRIS, then I need the ADT hub and ADT sensors. But at the same time, Samsung won’t sell additional ADT sensors to me, they refer me to BestBuy or NewEgg… the whole thing just seems like a total cluster-f . I was even looking at the SmartThings Wifi to get better WiFi and Z-Wave coverage throughout my house… but since they are listed as hubs, I can’t tell if they work in conjunction with the ADT hub or not.
I don’t see dedicated ADT keypads for multiple doors (and I don’t like key fobs which don’t require you to verify you are the person you are supposed to be)
I currently have:
3 motion sensors
3 door sensors
2 glass break sensors
7 GE lighting controllers
the IRIS garage door controller
Radio thermostat
Orbit sprinkler system controller
Orbit Hose Bib controller
3 Utilitek (Lowes) water sensors
Z-Wave water shut-off valve.
Keypads and Sirens
My monitoring service doesn’t monitor the water leaks, but the system automatically handles shutting off the valve. I don’t have smart smoke or co alarms as my home’s built in alarms are wired and interconnected.
What are my options with SmartThings to get an on-par experience, and do people see Samsung sticking with the platform?
Welcome! I’m sure it all feels pretty overwhelming.
We’re going to need to know the exact brand and model numbers of each of your devices in order to give you the best answers as far as what will be easy to move and what might not be.
As far as whether Samsung will stick with smartthings, I think it’s pretty clear that they do intend to stick with the new app and the new platform, which are based on the idea that most customers will have less than 15 devices and may have a Samsung TV or smart appliance, Although that’s not required. Security features are best delivered through the ADT/SmartThings model, but it’s not really clear whether there’s a long-term commitment to that one or not. They haven’t said one way or the other.
The ADT model hub does not work with the other hubs and at the present time you can only have one of their panels on an account. So I don’t know if that matches what you need or not.
Samsung did just announce a new keypad at CES 2019, but I’m not sure how that would work with the ADT hub, again they haven’t said one way or another and it’s still in pre-release.
The mesh Wi-Fi hub models can only work with other mesh Wi-Fi hub models, not with the standalone models. But to be honest I think most people in the community get a different Wi-Fi mesh system if that’s what they want. The Samsung version is pretty simplistic.
SmartThings is currently in a state of transition, so you’re assessment of it currently being a cluster-f is accurate IMO. However, I still find it to be my preferred home automation platform due to this community and the wide compatibility of devices.
Regarding the ADT hub, it isn’t the only hub with professional monitoring. But other hubs require the Classic app for professional monitoring through Scout. But it is the only hub with an officially supported keypad and the only one that can arm/disarm without the internet. But there is also questions around its future since it has been heavily discounted lately and ADT has launched their own revamped smart home hub.
I know most of the devices which are compatible vs not compatible, but it changes if I were to pick the ADT hub and use ADTs service because a lot of them are sensors.
For example, can i use a non-ADT water sensor to trigger a z-wave water valve if I’m not paying ADT to monitor water leaks and fires? Or will ADT force me to use all their stuff if it overlaps with one of their services?
Ok, so you are saying the WiFi mesh which has the built in Z-Wave and Zigbee support won’t repeat signals if you have a non-WiFi Mesh Hub on the system running things? Hmm, that was one of my biggest complaints with Iris is I was constantly having devices drop offline due to range issues or things like duct-work in the line-of-site.
Not sure what it’s worth but we just jumped on the Samsung/ADT band wagon. BestBuy currently has some serious discounts on the ADT products, the expansion pack with the Co2 detector, fire alarm, and water leak detection is $40 currently, a $10 savings from Amazon and msrp of $200.The door/window contact sensors are $5.00, a $6.00 savings from amazon; msrp is $25.00 each.
I ordered the ADT ST hub from Amazon today.
The obvious rub is Samsung or ADT discontinuing the partnership or is a new version coming out since the current line was rolled out in 2017.
The ADT monitoring is at your choice and is on amonth to month basis and you can select your level of monitoring. $35 will get you professional monitoring on the window/door sensors, motion sensors, fire, and co2.
It seems reasonable to me
When using the ADT/smart things hub, The dual logo ADT/SmartThings Sensors can trigger A call to the monitoring center or be used in any of the other home automation rules. So you could definitely have one of those sensors trigger the valve control. Or any other smartthings – compatible sensor could trigger the valve. That counts as a home automation rule. It is only calls to the monitoring center. Which are handled differently.
You can also use a non-dual logo sensor in home automation rules. The only thing it cannot do is trigger a call to the ADT monitoring center.
See the FAQ (this is a clickable link)
Ok, so you are saying the WiFi mesh which has the built in Z-Wave and Zigbee support won’t repeat signals if you have a non-WiFi Mesh Hub on the system running things?
No, I’m saying that you cannot add the non-Wi-Fi mesh hub to the same “location“ on your account. They cannot control the same devices. You can own both the Wi-Fi mesh hub and one of the standalone hubs, but each will have its own set of devices and they will not do any repeating for the devices that belong to the other hub. It’s basically just two separate networks.
Hmm, that was one of my biggest complaints with Iris is I was constantly having devices drop offline due to range issues or things like duct-work in the line-of-site.
Then you need to have more repeaters and work on the network backbone. That would be true regardless of the hub that you were using. The Wi-Fi mesh hub does not change anything about the range of your Z wave and ZIgbee devices.
See post 11 in the following thread, then go up to the top and read the whole thread.