I’m new to SmartThings and have installed a bunch of sensors and devices with no problem. One of our uses is as a home security system and it is functioning perfectly. When we are home, the siren provides ample notification of an alarm condition. However, when we are out of the house, SmartThings can only issue a text message or push notification. Both of these use the standard short and simple audible notifications provided by Android (I’m using a Samsung Galaxy S5 from ATT). These sounds would not be enough to wake me from a sound sleep were I in a hotel and an alarm condition triggers.
So, has anyone found a way for SmartThings to initiate a custom ringtone on Android and/or Apple. Another solution would be to generate a phone call. I’m looking into whether IFTTT could provide a hook to do this but wanted to get the community’s response. This seems like a reasonable need for anyone using the system as a security system.
Use Tasker on Android to look for a specific string in a notification and then turn up the soundLevel and play an alert sound or TTS the notification text.
I assume Tasker on Android must be an active task at all times. The IF app on Android is an option but must be an active task. It would be better if there were no prereqs.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into Tasker
What other notifications are you getting from smartthings? If its just your alarm, why not set the sound to something more to your liking? And you could set the notification to priority so its louder/always on.
I’ve found a solution on IFTTT. ST can generate SMS messages based on alarm conditions. IFTTT supports an Android app that allows new SMS messages to be used as a trigger. ST seems to use the same phone number for all messages to my phone, so this number can be used as a trigger in IFTTT. (It works for both intrusion and water leak alarms.)
The IF app allows a number of 'Do’s to be performed from the trigger. One is to play a specific track of music. This has the advantage that I can leave the notifications and phone call volumes low or muted while sleeping, but the music will play at whatever level I specify. (IFTTT can also set the music volume, I think.)
I’ve tested it and it works well. The only downside is that the IF app must be running so I would need to doublecheck this when the alarm is on.
It looks like Tasker has similar functionality to IF on Android. I’ll check this out next.
Android notifications seem to be limited to the tones provided with the phone. I couldn’t find a way to insert my own ringtone into notifications as an option for ST to use. So the canned tones are just little ‘ding-a-lings’ and chimes. Android allows custom ringtones for phone calls and contacts, but I didn’t see this as an option for ST notifications.
Maybe there is a way around this, but I couldn’t find one.
Well, I might have over-thought this. The best solution seems to be to modify Android notifications.
Using a file management tool, copy the ringtone or music file into the device storage folder called Notifications. The new file will show up as an option when selecting notification sounds.
Now if you want all SmartThings notifications to play this file, select it as the application notification. I just wanted the SMS messages from SmartThings that are sent from alarm conditions to trigger the file. To do this I added a contact and included the phone number from the SMS messages sent by SmartThings as the mobile number. Then you can add a field to the contact to specify a custom message notification sound and select the music file you added to the Notifications folder. Give the contact a name and save it. SMS messages from SmartThings will appear with the contact name and trigger the custom notification. Make sure the file plays long enough to wake you up, though, since it will only play through once. This eliminates the need to devote memory to IF an/or Tasker. Your notifications volume will need to be set fairly loud, so other short notifications might hinder your sleep.
I might use Tasker for other purposes as it looks like a very interesting and powerful tool.
Download a app called zedge then go to notifications in the app or you can search for a tone I use one called pager it’s a super loud beeping noise. Once you find the tone you want go back into ST and use the notification.
There is an amazing Android app and ST device handler that turns your phone into a siren, doorbell and speech synthesis device. The app is call LANnouncer and all the info is on [RELEASE] LANnouncer with IFTTT
The ObyThing Music smart app let you play a particular music or sound when your SmartThings are activated.ObyThing smart app also provides some of the features by SmartThings Labs & Sonos integration without sono speakers.These are some of the features I found online
• Trigger a custom greeting to play when a family member enters the front door
• Set up a message to play when your mail has arrived, if a door opens unexpectedly, or when a variety of other things take place.