Ring Alarm

Devices & Integrations
#1

Anyone gotten the new Ring Alarm. Lots of features, but I am already heavily invested in SmartThings and want to remain vested in it. Don’t like ADT (paid way to much for them) and love the Ring DIY. But would love some integration between them. Maybe a SmartApp that allows SmartThings to see everything in it as a hub?
Looks like each feature in Ring Alarm could match up to a capability:

Alarm
http://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/capabilities-reference.html#alarm
Battery
http://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/capabilities-reference.html#battery
Configuration
http://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/capabilities-reference.html#configuration
Contact Sensor
http://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/capabilities-reference.html#contact-sensor
Motion Sensor
http://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/capabilities-reference.html#motion-sensor
Smoke Detector
http://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/capabilities-reference.html#smoke-detector

#2

This would be great… If Ring had an open API.

Amazon is unlikely to open Ring’s API as that could allow purchasers to avoid Ring Security’s monthly fees (and various other Amazon Cloud initiatives like the new Amazon Cloud Camera).

I wish the smart home / smart alarm / camera industry wasn’t so “closed”, but - it is.

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#3

Ring’s new security system doesn’t integrate with anything else yet, not even the ring doorbell. And not IFTTT, even though the ring doorbell integrates with IFTTT.

So until ring opens up an integration pathway, there’s not much anybody else can do.

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#4

ADT Tools for improved integration.

I know you said you aren’t exactly a fan of it, but integration has improved allot I think. Keep in mind other then initial cost being a bit higher the rest of the components are priced similarly and you dont have to subscribe for monitoring.

If monitoring is important ring is a bit cheaper, but may be limited as to what they can call out for.

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#5

Yes, I get that this would work better if there were an open Ring API.

But there are other ways around this… for example, I use Kevo Locks, and there is no “open API” for it. But for example, this person wrote a great Unofficial Device Hander for it.

From my very redementary ability to ready groovy and understand it uses the mykevo.com website to poll info on locks, stores your username and password, and can determine status and even lock and unlock locks. It’s not perfect. There are bugs, there is a delay (polling occurs once every 10 minutes etc and sometimes status isn’t perfect), but it is SOMETHING.

Ring.com has a similar web interface where someone with more skill than myself could probably take this and write a DTH. Just throwing it out to the community is anyone wanted to be a hero… :slight_smile:

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#6

I’m looking into getting a Ring DIY security system as it seems to be one of the better DIY systems available, and it gets much better reviews than the Samsung/ADT system. What’s odd to me, though, is that there’d be no ST compatibility with the Ring system when other Ring products supposedly work with SmartThings. If you look at the product info for the new SmartThings Hub 2018, “Ring” is clearly listed among the compatible products, yet the Ring DIY security kit apparently doesn’t work.

It seems to me like (Samsung/ADT kit notwithstanding) there’s not really a DIY security kit that integrates with SmartThings, which is unfortunate. My ultimate goal is to be able to use putting an unlock code into our smart deadbolt as a trigger for disarming the security system. That’s really the only reason I’m interested in this integration. My significant other isn’t much a fan of smart home tech, especially when they’re cumbersome and require multiple steps as opposed to just doing something “the old-fashioned way.” So the only way I don’t get resistance is when these smart home devices/platforms work together pretty seamlessly. I’d like to avoid IFTTT workarounds and other hacks that would probably cause lag and result in reliability taking a huge hit.

Right now, I think I’m leaning toward investing in Ring and just hoping that the system integrates with SmartThings at some point down the line.

#7

Ummm… The ADT Security Hub version of SmartThings absolutely is their official and very effective “DIY security kit”!

The Scout monitoring option for SHM is less solid, but also an official offering.

The new instant kits from Ring and Nest are really meant to compete with the biggest in the industry: SimpliSafe, along with Scout (kit), Abode, and a couple other names that escape me at the moment.

These do not have the same breadth as SmartThings; which is why the ADT Security Hub is currently such a great partnership in the value it gives to consumers.

@heythisisnate’s Konnected.io is a super option for pre-wired (hardwired) homes… also born as a SmartThings integration, but with exciting plans for expansion.

#8

Don’t forget Abode. I switched from Simplisafe to Abode and am extremely happy. I won’t consider switching to Ring unless there is a way to talk to Smartthings even though I pay $100 a year now for my Ring cameras anyway which includes their Alarm service. I cannot put a price on shutting off my tv at night before going to sleep and having my alarm automically arm the house :slight_smile:

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#9

I’ve heard good things about Abode. Does it fully integrate with SmartThings? I read about “iota,” which supposedly comes out later this year. Could wait for that I suppose.

@tgauchat I’m hesitant to go with the SmartThings/ADT version. I’ve read reviews on all the DIY units and the SmartThings/ADT kit is consistently the poorest rated. I’m inclined to choose a better product even if it doesn’t work with SmartThings the way I’d like, although a solid product that does work with SmartThings is what I’d prefer.

#10

Through IFTTT I am able to arm and disarm Abode and create virtual switches, etc. it’s worked very reliably for me and I highly recommend it.

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#11

@Mbhforum would it be possible to use IFTTT to connect Abode to an August or Yale smart lock? Basically, I want to be able to input a code on the lock at the front door and have the lock code trigger the security system to disarm itself. So basically, instead of using a code on the lock and then a code on the security system, the code on the lock would also disarm the security system. Is that something you’ve been able to do (or could do) with IFTTT and Abode?

#12

You should just basically look up the IFTTT triggers and actions for each channel and that is how you will be able to determine what you can and cannot do. I am sure you can do this with some crafty work on the ST using virtual switches and IFTTT triggers.

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#13

@daneoleary using the august lock key pad you will NOT be able to do what you are thinking as it is a closed system so the codes only work with the lock itself. Now with a yale lock i am not sure as i don’t have one but i have seen on the forum below that if you have webcore AND a compatible lock then you could do it. You would essentially assign a code to a “user” in this case it would be the alarm as the user and then you could turn on the alarm. I would suggest that if you want to use an alarm system like abode that has an IFTTT trigger then you could use the IFTTT integration with webcore to send a command to turn on the alarm system.

or here

#14

Do you mind me asking what is the cause of the low ratings for the ST ADT system in the reviews you have been reading?

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#15

@Mavrrick58 Basically, every review I’ve read has been below average and lower than the other contenders. It’s got a 3.2 out of 5 on Amazon, a 6 out of 10 from Digital Trends, and a 2.8 out of 5 on Samsung’s own website. The best review aggregate I’ve seen was Best Buy, which the system has received a 3.8 out of 5.

Some of the problems I’ve read about are connectivity issues, lack of compatibility with other SmartThings devices, requires that you set up the security hub as your main location or else use it as a secondary location (meaning moving all your connected devices over to the new hub), and some other things I don’t remember and frankly don’t feel like looking back over.

By comparison, SimpliSafe and Abode and some others seem to get much more solid reviews.

#16

All of these “negatives” are entirely related to the SmartThings portion of the product, not the ADT portion.

In other words, it’s not an Apples to Apples comparison against other dedicated DIY security offerings, which don’t offer the tremendous power of (and some integration with SmartThings.

The SmartThings ADT Security Hub is a “best fit” only for folks use or want to use SmartThings and happen to also want a partially integrated, but reliable, monitored, no contract, security service.

Apparently, SmartThings is having a challenge setting accurate expectations / clear understanding of what this product actually is. Of course, it would sure help if:

  1. All SmartThings sensors were compatible for alarms.
  2. Auto migration from existing Hubs was provided.
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#17

But if the SmartThings aspects of the SmartThings/ADT security kit is what makes it (subjectively) weaker than other similar kits, then is it really the best system to use?

It would be helpful to have someone with firsthand, personal experience with several of the systems I’ve seen who can offer some objective, unbiased feedback. While the SmartThings system would seem to be a better option in theory, it really doesn’t sound like it’s actually the better choice. To me, it sounds like going with a different system, like an Abode system or maybe SimpliSafe, would mean poorer smart home integration but an overall superior system. And at the end of the day, as much as I might want the integrations, the most important thing is to get a system that works and that I’ll be happy with.

#18

This really just brings forward the “age old” classic question:

  • Is it better to have 2 products (from different vendors) with distinct specialties and strengths
    or
  • Is it better to have 1 hybrid-product (from a single vendor or official partnership) which may have various weaknesses in certain specific isolated areas and/or an “overall” lesser experience - but might have compensatory benefits stemming from the official integration and/or single vendor support for issues and/or lower cost?

I am ambivalent. The second approach also brings along the baggage of “all eggs in one basket”, which is yet another strike against it.

But, personally, if I wanted to add rigorous monitoring to my SmartThings household, I would not hesitate to make the ADT Security Hub the first product I would try. The benefits of official integration, IMHO, outweigh the drawbacks. However - this is partially due to my extensive entanglement with SmartThings, obviously.

And due to @Mavrrick58’s incredible work on enhanced integration utilities, such as https://github.com/Mavrrick/Smartthings-by-Mavrrick/blob/master/smartapps/mavrrick/adt-tools.src/adt-tools.groovy

#19

It really is about appropriate expectations and many invalid misconceptions. You echo’d most of the complaints I have seen as well, and frankly they have nothing to do with the how the system works or if it is capable.

You mention a lack of compatibility with other smart things devices. That isn’t true, but has been stated so many times people think it is. The only limitation the sytem has with smart things is that non Dual branded sensors can’t talk to the Alarm side of the system to trigger alarms or for monitoring. Beyond that anything you can do on a differnet hub you can do on a ST ADT panel. The need to set it up as a primary hub or secondary location isn’t new and is again not a ADT Panel problem but a Smartthings problem.

One thing that seems to have hurt the ST ADT panel is that so many people have talked it down because they have invested alot of ST only equipment and they want that to control the Alarm side. I suspect if those folks have never had Smarthings prior to getting the panel some of those reviews would be different.

I will tell you this. My ST ADT Panel has worked flawlessly. I don’t dobt some folks have issues , but the majority of the time i have followed it the resulit is because they don’t follow directions.

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#20

I can 100% agree that @heythisisnate’s Konnected.io is fantastic. I am using it at my house right now. It integrates with ST really well and with an extra $120 you can replace two keypads with Kindle Fire tablets that use ActionTiles to replace the keypads. I am even powering them both with the wires from my old keypads. It is a great system if you are willing to put a little effort into it.

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