Yale IA-345 Sync Home Security System – 11 piece kit
Yale IA-345 Sync Home Security System – 11 piece kit , White
Activity monitoring
| Weight: | 5.34 kg |
| Size: | 11 Piece kit |
| Dimensions: | 19.8 x 2.65 x 2.65 cm; 5.34 Kilograms |
| Model: | IA-345 |
| Part: | IA-345 |
| Colour: | White, Yellow, Black |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Yale |
| Dimensions: | 19.8 x 2.65 x 2.65 cm; 5.34 Kilograms |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Size: | 11 Piece kit |
Bought these to extend the starter kit I bought and works just as expected. Super easy to set up in the app and to install on the wall. Option to install in the corner or against a flat wall.
Bought to replace my aging Yale alarm. Great that the contacts etc are prelinked. Bought another door contact which was easy to link.
Setting and unsetting is easy with the app, as is defining your perimeter and internal items so you can do a part arm (if you have a pet inside). The fob is quite sensitive to touch and I’ve set the alarm just pulling it out of my pocket but don’t use it now.
Good product.
I bought this together with 3 sensors and a keyfob. Was relatively easy to set up. The alarm works well and am glad I purchased it. A few things to note. The instructions are basic and mainly picture based. So not useful when things go differently. I set alarm and activated the siren. On disarming, I noticed an Amber light had illuminated on the control panel. There was no explanation about this online other than battery could be low. Yale help pages failed to load on my andriod phone. So after uninstalling the sensors restarting the process the Amber light was still on. Eventually I managed to find the support site for Yale. Emailed them and got reply sane day. The fix was easy ( set alarm mode for 1 minute and read my notifications) . Amber light went off!! Also the sensors (after initiation where there is a flashing blue light) do not flash. So I could not tell if they were working or not. However lights not flashing when you walk past sensors is normal in order to save battery life. They work when the system is armed, though still do not flash. Apart from the basic instructions the alarm system is good. Works well with keypad, keyfob and with the app. Happy so far.
Once installed and set up it’s easy to use and (so far) reliable.
Installation is not as easy as you might imagine. The instructions are mainly annoying cartoons with very few words – probably to avoid translation into different languages.
The accessories all have anti-tamper devices which make installation a bit worrying as they tend to trigger error messages; and although this isn’t a problem, a few words of explanation in the instructions would avoid the anxiety this creates.
The siren is supplied with screws and rawl-plugs, but the holes for the case a so long it’s difficult to accurately locate the positions for the screws. So if you’re working high up on a ladder, holding a heavy siren which you don’t want to drop, you can easily mis-locate a screw position and end up with a problem. If only Yale supplied a simple printed template in the package for the screw positions, this issue could be easily avoided.
The door switch is OK, but clearly designed mainly for doors that fit flush into the frame. Annoyingly they’re not well suited to UPVC doors.
The app is a bit mickey-mouse, but it works.
I tried phoning the support desk a couple of times – but nobody could be bothered to pick up the phone.
After all that, I did manage to fit the system and get it working. The error messages have disappeared and I feel a bit more confident about using it now.
Easy to install generally, although the app and set up is very clunky initially, couod not get through to tech support, and instructions are terrible – but luckily a quick google and it seems everyone has the same problems – so lots of advice out there.
The door and window sensors DO NOT fit on doors that are not flush with the door frame – they need wedges fitted underneath – not very attractive – it would be ideal if the sensors could be supplied with different fitting options.
Would recommend this set up though – once up and running its great, and gives peace of mind.
It was a fairly easy system to install. The motion detection works great on this as soon as the window and door sensor has been in broken the alarm go straight off. You have to buy some memory cards for the cameras, also so make sure your Wi-Fi covers to the cameras. Took me about 1-hour 30 minutes to install. Two downsides which one of them is the price dropped by my over 30% just after I bought this than the other downside is cameras can only be used or monitored by one person at a time
Found the setup extremely easy, and all of the sensors work perfectly. Detect motion very quickly and I’m even using a door switch on a rickety garage door which is working fine. The only downside is the keypad sometimes seems not to connect so doesn’t always set the alarm first time when leaving the house and sometimes accidentally set the alarm off while coming home despite numerous attempts to disarm. Requires checking on the app to make sure the system is armed or disarmed sometimes. My partner uses the key fob which works fine. All in all really happy with it and a lot cheaper than a subscription based alarm.
The door connector doesn’t fit flush with my upvc door, the door is quite a bit higher than the frame but there is enough distance for it to work with the bit that comes in the back to raise it from the frame.
Bought an additional PIR sensor and was straight forward to sync.
Nevertheless a decent alarm system for a good price. I paid 225 for mine.
Will look to buy the fobs to add to the system.
Tip: if any of the devices don’t show up, try syncing the again. There’s also a technical helpline if needed but wasn’t great.
Overall a great system even if it takes a bit of time to set up. I haven’t yet figured out how the keypad works but use my phone to activate and deactivate.
The sensors and the app communicate through RF so even if your internet is down or the main power goes off, you still have a working alarm system. The nice thing is that also if you can’t access your mobile app, you still can control the alarm through the keypad or the fobs. This was important for me as I did not want to depend completely on the mobile phone. On top of all this, there is no subscription to pay and the kit price is very reasonable. Overall very satisfied so far.
That aside, the alarm is great. I love the convenience of being able to isolate specific sensors whilst leaving everything else fully armed. And being able to expand on the number of sensors up to 40 is so reassuring when it comes to securing a property.
All in all, I’ve found this to be a great all round product. And not having to pay a subscription is a huge plus. The email notifications are basic, but I’m informed immediately if sensors are triggered or when the system is armed and disarmed. If you combine a system like this with some security cameras then you get the added bonus of looking to see if a sensor triggered accidentally (well done kids for forgetting to disarm the door) or if it’s something more malicious.
Yes I would recommend this product. I can’t comment on Tech Support as I’ve had no reason to deal with them. Yes, I’ve read the comments, but I won’t be judgemental simply on hearsay (but fingers crossed)
As I have an old, large house I went for the 14 item system with an extra key fob and pet motion detector – not cheap, but Black Friday came to the rescue. Fitting was straightforward but here come the “buts” which prevented me from giving 5 stars overall. Firstly, the instructions rely mostly upon pictures which are not always clear; that said, where there was some small print it advised that the pet motion detector should not be used if your pets climb on furniture – try telling that to a couple of cats. Secondly, nowhere did it say that the key fobs have a tiny locking switch. I thought that I had 2 duff fobs until I looked at them closely under a strong light and then bingo. On a similar note, nowhere did it inform you the motion detectors sleep for 2 minutes after you have activated the system which could lead you to think that there could be a problem, that is until you search the clunky help site. Lastly, the blurb makes much of the fact that the system requires no wiring because it relies on batteries; that’s good you think – until you open the camera and discover it needs a mains feed. Oh well, I’ll position it in accordance with Plan B.
Now, please don’t get me wrong; Yale have produced a very good system which is let down slightly by the quality and extent of the instructions/information which unfortunately, prevents it from being excellent.
When we moved I decided to analyse and see what are available in the market.
At the outset the monthly paid alarm systems are expensive in long run, cheaper Chinese products does not tend have good support/instructions and Yale stood out for me with the smart system what they offer and a long standing brand.
It does exactly what the monthly paid command center based alarm systems do – send you notification when there is movement in house (when armed), allows partial arming, device outside showing protected house and all this at one time low cost.
Installation super easy, no wires to run, clean instructions and tech support. Only difficult part is installing the siren box outside as I had to go high up the ladder on a windy day. Yale also offer installation support (engineers to come and install) at an extra support price.
I have tested the app several times now and really smart, you can arm, partial arm and disarm from a distance through your phone too (plus you can do the same with traditional keypad when you leave and enter) . There is lot of configurations you can play with. (don’t worry most of it comes with a default value) .
The motion sensors works perfect and really appreciate the walk tests I can do with my phone app.
Feel good that I decided for Yale after comparing with others. Not disappointed at all ..
Well done YALE.. !!
This was relatively easy to set up, but you’ll need DIY skills, a drill with masonry bit, and I used those double-sided sticky foam pads to mount the keypad and door sensor. It took about 2.5 hours to install but I swapped out a pre-existing alarm box, so perhaps add a further 30 mins to mount a new box? The app’s is fine, enabling the alarm is really easy but I’d recommend turning off some of the less important status notifications. As a comfort blanket I chose to switch on the siren’s enable/disable beeps.
My only complaint is the door sensor – very much style over substance. Having a composite door, mounting it using screws wasn’t desirable (not even sure it’s possible) so I’m trying sticky pads. The styling of the magnetic contact means very little surface area to stick it to the door. It may yet fall off. The online tech support is ok but I initially had an app error and help was nowhere to be found!
Bought to upgrade from a 20 year old alarm that had served me well but spares were no longer available.
Pros;
Good modular easy to use wireless system and in the kit form supplied all the components are already synchronised
Relatively easy to install and set up but instructions supplied are not very clear
The app seems to work well as of May 21 making arm / part arm and disarm by phone a very simple task
A walk test to confirm sensors work ok can be done via the app
Bell box timing (how long it sounds) and comfort LED control can be set within the app
Users can all have different / personal codes
This alarm is very loud – both the bellbox and the internal siren
Integrates well with the Hue lighting system, lights can flash when an alarm is triggered looks like DEFCON 1 has arrived 🙂
Cons;
The door contacts are poorly designed – totally ridiculous shape making them difficult to fit to a recessed door or window.
The keypad buttons are not very tactile ie you need to press them with some force to register but i have the keypad(s) only for backup anyway
The external bellbox uses D batteries so these will need to be changed regularly making a long ladder an essential accessory with this alarm
The screws supplied in the fitting kit are generally of poor quality and in my view those supplied for the bellbox were to short for such a heavy item.
Summary;
So some limitations but overall a good system for the average chap or chapess to install and use.
Improvements can be made to the design, the contacts are an obvious item to improve.
In regard to the bellbox why don’t they offer a mains powered bell box option using a transformer and fly lead with 3 pin plug so the internal battery only becomes a backup ? this has to be possible and would make the system a lot easier to maintain.
I added two additional PIR’s and a second keypad to the system – very easy and quick to do.
Dont know yet how long the batteries will last, would like to see some indication of life left in the app which could be another improvement.
All things considered – recommended.
Had for a few years now and been pretty happy. Relatively east to set up, window alarm batteries last a long while and no “false” alarms, also pretty easy to use. Negatives are that the app doesn’t talk to yale smart camera app (why wouldn’t you integrate them Yale?), it would be great if arming alarm also turned cameras on. Also as many people found voice command on Alexa is rubbish and long winded. But playing around in alexa app I found a way to fix this and now it arms when I say goodnight or goodbye along with turning off lights etc. To do it create or go into a routine (e.g goodnight one) and add new action, head down to bottom for “customised” and you can enter text which matches a voice command e.g “ask yale smart living to part arm the alarm”. I’ve also set up a routine where action (when this happens/voice) is when I say “set alarm” and then the custom action is as above to giving a shorter voice command option. You can only add one voice command per routine though I think 😉
After deciding on key criteria (wireless, over 15 metres wireless signal detection range, integration with smart home, no monthly subscription, door chimes, ability to handle significant number of sensors (3 door contacts, 8 PIR for home and outbuildings), we settled on this unit. Some of the products we looked at from other vendors said “80 metre wireless signal range” but when you read their manuals, this was 80 metres “clear” i.e. when used in the middle of a field, and went down to 15 metres if you were foolish enough to use the product inside a building with actual walls in it!).
On unboxing the kit, it seemed quite straight forward so we went for it, and let it walk us through the smart installation wizard. The steps were fairly simple and within 30 minutes the system was up and running. Another 10 / 15 minutes of playing around we got the Alexa integration running, plus the Apple watch functionality working.
The “strange” design decisions were:
on the hub, for the backup battery, there’s a switch that needs to be toggled in order to enable the battery. The toggle label, unlike every other switch I’ve ever come across, gives instructions for using the switch rather than showing the state of the switch. So, instead of showing On / Off with the switch being positioned under the relevant value (like everyone else does), it shows a left pointing arrow followed by the word “on”, indicating (I think) that you need to slide the switch to the left such that it’s NOT under the word “On” in order to activate the backup battery. That’s just plain daft, and even worse, until you switch it to On, you’ll get an orange light on the front of the hub and a beep every 30 seconds until you figure out what’s wrong, which is pretty annoying.
There’s a door chime function whereby the hub emits a chime sound whenever entry points are used. The chime sound (accessed from top left waffle button, settings, alarm settings, system settings, general configuration) was initially set to “No Sound”. I turned on the door chime for both door contact points and couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t making a noise until I went searching on the net and found someone who’d turned it on. Questions are a) what’s the point of having a door chime function if you’re going to default it to “no sound” and b) if you’re going to be idiosyncratic enough to default it to silent, why hide the setting under five levels of menus? Another daftness.
the watch app stopped working overnight, so we couldn’t disarm the system from the watch. I can only assume that it timed out, but I’ll check that tomorrow and update the review if necessary. As things stand, having a watch app that can time out turns the watch integration into a novelty that is of no use in the real world. Edit: after digging around, I found that by going to top left waffle menu, settings, users, app security, and switching on “Enable touch ID”, the watch stopped needing the phone to log onto Yale before it maintained sync with the alarm, so the watch integration is now a useful addition to the ways to interrogate / arm / disarm the alarm, and it isn’t just a novelty any more.
Anyway, after spending a minimal amount of time setting the system up and then AGES figuring out the daftnesses, we’ve finished up with a system that integrates with the rest of the house, has a good range, and first impressions are very favourable.
The first thing we did on registering with the Alexa skill was to change the names of the devices to “Yale security”, “Yale front” and “Yale back” to simplify arming and disarming by voice. Now, by saying “Alexa arm Yale security”, the alarm is set and “Alexa disarm Yale security” causes her to ask for the pin and when you give it, the alarm is unset. Nice. We also did a routine which is triggered by the “arming of the system” event, which causes the “Messaging” action in the routine to broadcast “the alarm is now set” to all Alexa devices, as well as an “unset” equivalent, to let everyone know that the alarm isn’t set anymore.
Additionally, the chime function is an irrelevance if you have an Alexa device or two, since you can set up a routine that is triggered by doors opening. When the “Yale front” contact sensor is triggered, the routine broadcasts “the front door has been opened” to all Alexa devices and similarly a message for back door opening is in place. Lots better than a “dinkdink” noise coming out of the hub…
The Alexa integration means the keypad and fob provided with the kit are redundant, so we’ll just take the batteries out of those and stick them in a drawer somewhere. The rest of the kit is great, though, so I’d recommend this system to anyone who wants a flexible, extensible, alarm system that they can install themselves and integrates well into a smart home
The instruction manual is one of those where the person who wrote it assumes you have knowledge of the product, or just a mind reader to know what the various random icons mean without explanation. There’s a random graphic showing a pic of the hub, mobile phone and a finger pressing a button with text saying “Press button to test connection”… with an icon of a fridge freezer with a warning sign next to it. No explanation of what that warning is – don’t go and raid the fridge whilst pressing the button?!! There are two icons on the keypad, there is NO explanation in the manul what they are for, in fact there’s no guidance about the keypad in the manual apart from ‘changing you key pad PIN in the app’.
AS for the app, well that is not intuitive at all! One of those apps where you have to hunt around the menu to find what you need, rather than it being in a logical place.
When I set up the system, the app disconnected from the network then the tamper mechanism in the siren set the alarm off… I couldn’t disarm the alarm at all, just had to wait and re-boot the hub which took forever and some very delicate ears since!
Now it’s re-booted, everything is working fine, but mostly guesswork and I still don’t know what those two radio signal buttons on the keypad do! The app needs re-writing so it’s modern and intuitive.
Would I recommend the Yale Sync Smart Alarm? YES, because it does work and the physical kit was easy to install, just that the app and instructions are rubbish! Sort it out Yale and you’ll have a 1st class product to offer.
I bought this from Amazon in a Black Friday deal, and with the money saved, purchased an extra PIR sensor. I found the set up of the system straightforward. The instructions aren’t the best to be fair, but if you have a modicum of common sense, then they aren’t as bad as others have said. The only help I need was fixing the alarm box to the wall of the house, as I didn’t have a ladder.
Registering the product is recommended. The alarm can be set remotely or by using the included keypad. Zones can also be set, for example, the downstairs can be alarmed fir when you’re upstairs in bed. Our preference of arming the system is by way of the Yale Home Security smart phone app. It can be a bit flakey at times but with several updates it has become more stable. It offers the reassurance that if you leave the house and are unsure whether you’ve alarmed it, you’re able to check it’s status, and arm/disarm from wherever you are. You are also able to introduce guests or family members onto the app account so if you need family members to house sit or check on your property while you’re out, if they don’t have your key code, they can use the app. It is secure. We haven’t gone down the Alexa interactivity, so I can’t comment. But I don’t use Alexa for anything other than playing music and doing the shopping list. Not for lights, or security.
I’ve also noticed on another review, that the wall box beeps when the alarm is activated or deactivated, and would disturb the neighbours. I have to say, our alarm is silent when it is set. This may have been an option to adjust from within the app. The only thing that beeps is the internal box inside the property that only we can hear when the alarm is armed/disarmed.
I’ve recommended this product to others, with no negative feedback, so from purely personal experience, I’d recommend it again.
I’m 25 and have a good knowledge of computers and technology and basic DIY skills,
1. Installing this was easier than I was expecting after reading some reviews saying it was quite difficult, download the app first and follow the walk through instructions, added another item to the kit with ease, the paper instructions in the box are quite basic.
2. Using this alarm system is very easy, you can either control it with the app or with the keypad provided, very handy if you go out and forget to arm it you can check. I found the part arm / full arm feature very good as you can part arm whatever you want and set access points to have a delayed alarm or alarm straight away, ie all the door / window sensors on part arm and all systems armed on full with one door set on entry.
3. In conclusion I would 100% recommend this to anyone looking for a good alarm system that’s easy to install ( following the app ) I had researched various company’s and would rather just pay the one off fee and monitor it myself. The notifications come through straight away.
4. Only downside I found was the alarm base noise when you arm and disarm it being quite loud.
This alarm was used to replace an already ‘smart’ alarm.
It was very easy to set up and sync all the different devices. It is great that it is completely wireless and makes positioning of devices really easy. The range is wide enough for our house and into the garage. The app is clear and simple enough to use. No issues with that. You get notifications across devices when the alarm is set / disarmed and this can be done on approaching the house which is great. The use of Alexa is very limited. Yes she can set the alarm. However, the command is initially very long winded. We have managed to shorten this to ‘arm security’ which is better. She can only arm the alarm in ‘home mode’ which I guess is correct as to use Alexa you have to be in the house….. however, would be nice to be able to set this on the way out. She does need the key code to disarm as well so that is a good safety feature. However, the phone app is simple enough so I guess it’s ok.
We also added on the key fobs with this. Given the simplicity of the app these are a little redundant. You have to press the fob for it to connect, wait 2-3 seconds and then press again for it to set. To disarm, you only have to press it once and again the range is good. But this is actually easier on the app. Good for family / neighbours to have in case of emergencies though. We also have similar issues with the keypad. You have to press a button for it to connect and then press the arm/disarm key and code. This is a little hard to use. If you have your phone in hand, again much quicker to just press disarm on this.
Overall I am happy with the system and would recommend it. We will probably add devices as they are released as this was very new out when we bought it.
Would be really good to have an RFID tag to be able to swipe on entry (no buttons) as on my previous alarm, but given that the main hub has to be wired to the router and the keyfob is not constantly connected this is probably not going to happen. This allowed us to know who had entered as well (family member etc) which is a feature I miss.
Customer services are VERY slow to respond but do message eventually. Calling them is a better option when possible.
Had no problem installing and setting up the IA-320 kit which works fine. App is basic but does the job. Instructions could be better – diagrams are all very well but a text based description of the system’s capabilities and modes of operation would have been helpful. There are also various quirks to confuse the unwary. For example, after completing the installation I set the alarm and then remained in the building to check that it worked. After the entry/exit time delay had elapsed I operated the door contacts – alarm immediately started to time down and on expiry of the time delay the external sounder operated. Good. I then tried doing the same thing with the PIR detectors and had no joy. Eventually I discovered an entry in the Yale FAQ that says “The PIR goes into sleep mode for two minutes. Please vacate the area covered by the PIR for a full 2 minutes before testing”. So now you know.
Another point. I decided to purchase an additional PIR detector (for my detached garage if you’re interested). Obviously the new unit was not linked to the Yale hub so I tried to pair it using the “Add Device” feature of the App. What a load of hassle! Initially the App didn’t find the PIR at all but after removing the batteries and reinstalling them a couple of times the App/hub began to find the device only to conk out with a series of error messages. I persevered and eventually the PIR linked up OK. What the problem was I’ll never know.
One of the sensors is duff. Sometimes responds and most times not. I first tested with tiny movements as the family held pillows over their ears in anticipation of the apocalyptic noise I pre warned them about. These tiny movements progressed into more of a MJ moonwalk, still nothing, finally doing jumping Jack’s, flying kicks and silver back chest beating… Nothing! Disarmed then rearmed and the thing went off nearly giving me a heart attack. However it then stopped responding again. Also the tamper disable feature doesnt work. This was all after testing with device walk through then checking sensors activated the alarm and screwing the sensors in place.
I await call back fron tech support before I update this review
update.
After waiting for 2 call backs from Amazon support, which did not happen (well one happened hours after the stated time I had already fixed the issues), I decided to call Yale directly. To cut a long story short, they pushed a firmware upgrade to my alarm which looks to have sorted various issues.
Some pointers.
You need to give the sensors 2 mins before you can move in front of them.
The external siren that does a series of beeps when you arm and disarm can be disabled but not via the app, Yale support have to do it (I didn’t want to alert the neighbourhood everytime I was coming and going).
The door sensor is designed for doors that close flush, alot of upvc doors have a ridge.
I bought this to replace a BT Home Monitor setup so that I could go subscription-free, ditch the need for a phone line and gain the ux of a mobile app over a nasty and hard to configure wall panel. I’m hoping to add the Yale door locks to the system later.
The good:
-Easy to set up. Everything in the kit came pre-paired to the hub so you just need to mount and turn on. Everything I added beyond that was simple to pair via the app.
-It worked first time and is configurable enough to meet my needs.
-After a couple of days, I’m generally very pleased with how it works.
The bad:
-The buttons on the keyfob – probably the most necessary buttons in the system – are black on black and flat, making them hard to read and easy to press accidentally. It’s too easy to dis/arm the alarm accidentally. The additional lock switch on the side is also hard to read, so knowing its position and status isn’t intuitive. Simple, firm, countersunk buttons with bright white on black print are required. I’ll probably mark the buttons with Tippex, assuming you can still get Tippex, but I’d really like to swap this keyfob for something better, which shouldn’t be necessary at the price.
-The rounded design of the door/window switches and magnet housings means that, particularly when used with the adhesive pads, you have to adhere the one flat side to your window/doorframe surface to ensure a good bond. This renders pointless and ugly the pebble-shape the two pieces are meant to form when married together. It might not be as pretty, but a square design on all sides would keep the design more compact, would be more flexible for positioning and would enable a more secure fit in any orientation.
Some features that should be added via firmware improvements, assuming Yale care and they aren’t things I’ve just missed:
-MAC address should be on the hub label rather than something users have to discover through trial and error via their routers. Also the network name is that of some obscure tech company from further up the chain, rather than a logical branded one such as “Yale Alarm” out of the box. It should also be possible to rename this.
-A static IP address should be assignable, rather than relying only on DHCP.
-A choice of door-open alert chimes, beyond the slightly alarming and piercing default would be of benefit.
-Automatic phone/paired device bluetooth alarm deactivation.
-Why can’t I log in to the web interface? It’s there but not for my eyes, it seems.
-The hub should be supplied and run with a USB PSU – bespoke transformers are hard to replace, inflexible and wasteful.
Compared to the BT VP1000 system and the confusing menus on its control panel, using the app on the Yale is a breeze. Having control over the notifications and setup without having to pay a subscription for last-century phone-call alerts or poking endlessly through an opaque maze of control-panel functions, is what sold me on this system and I’m pleased with what I got.
Alongside the door locks they already make, Yale need to make a CCTV doorbell (a la Ring) that can be integrated for remote answering and tied to the Yale door locks and alarm for remote opening/activation. It’d ideally be drivable via PoE, be IP address assignable and be ONVIF compatible so that users could tie the camera in to an existing surveillance system as well as to the Yale system. That’d complete the setup.
I’ve dropped a star here because the keyfob design is troublesome, the window/door switches/magnets should be squarer and because of the hub’s lack of user-configurable IP address.
Integration with Phillips Hue. You will probably get an error saying action failed error 500 when you first set this up. There is nothing on web that helps with this and the Yale website email contact doesn’t actually open an address so you cant email them. Thankfully as always Amazon came to rescue and eventually patched me through to Yale. It turns out you can’t have any special characters such as numbers or apostrophes in your hue light names. Once I removed these it works fine. This is important info and should be somewhere in the Yale instructions or troubleshooting FAQ on website. Hope this helps until they sort that out. 1 star dropped because of poor info and instructions from Yale.
In the last 30 years I have had a wired Yale alarm followed by a wireless alarm. But after a fair few years now I decided that as part of my ‘smart home’ conversion I would go for the new Smart home alarm from Yale. I would say the quality of the kit is up to the usual Yale standard. Installation is easy using the App.
The only real niggle is that the documentation that come with the kit is really not that comprehensive. Certainly not as clear as my previous alarms. Mostly it is OK, but for instance, the key fob documentation tells you to pull out the plastic tab to activate. Nowhere does it tell you about the tiny ‘lock’ switch on the side. It is small so took a while to work out why the key fob wouldn’t work. I even purchased a new battery as I thought that might be faulty. Oh well, I have a spare now.
Another example is how to activate and deactivate the alarm with the keypad. Nowhere in the manual does it tell you how to do this. I worked it out by trial and error. If you are interested, to arm you simply press the ‘lock’ icon followed by the PIN. I was used to entering the code and then pressing ‘OK’ on my old alarm. I see on youtube it says to simply push the lock button which doesn’t work. To disarm you press the ‘unlock’ icon and enter the PIN code. On my old alarm it was the other way around. Looking around on the ‘net things were not as clear as they should.
On testing I did have a funny with the siren tamper. I deliberately tripped the alarm and it went off fine. Then I noticed that I had a ‘siren tamper’ warning – this was definitely not the case. This also triggered a beep every 30 seconds on the hub which I could only clear by a reboot. As the siren is high up on the house I just set the tamper to off in the App. Otherwise I think this is a great bit of kit.
If I wrote this review just after installing it would be a bit lower. I ended up getting our electrician in to help with this install as he had to remove our old wired system anyway. It was a bit hectic getting all the sensors connected and figuring out which was which and naming them.
After install my control panel kept reporting tamper over and over (spamming my email!) I had no idea what to do so called support, but then found out it was a premium number!! This was extremely annoying as I just wanted a quick bit of advice. So I hung up since I was sure I could figure it out eventually. It turned out the panel wasn’t secured into the wall securely enough and the sensor wasn’t happy about that at all. This was actually quite impressive as I didn’t know the tamper sensors would work so well.
Once the system was installed though, my experience has been much better and I really appreciate the remote setting feature, it’s given us a lot more confidence leaving the house and knowing we will get an email and texts if the alarm goes off is a huge improvement to our old system.
The app has been updated since I started using it and the new version is much better and more intuitive for setting the alarm.
I ended up buying more sensors (two extra motion and two extra door sensors) which were easy to add and work great. I’ve yet to have to change batteries, my understanding is this won’t be for a while so fingers crossed it isn’t!
I have decided these three criteria because (1) I do not want to wast a lot of money for a small house and only two persons live on it. (2) I do not wast my time with a rubbish system and lose time, which is money. (3) I am new in the UK, and I do not know anyone who could turn the system off if I am away. I do not want to bother my Neighbors.
I came through this system in Amazon many times. What put me off not to buy it is negative reviews and 3.5 Stars. I kept searching and searching until I needed a system for critical security concern.
I bought this system one week ago ( I will return to update this review after six months ) and here are my comments :
Pors
(1) Reasonable Price compared to its features and quality.
(2) Easy to install for someone familiar with technology in General ( Total time of Installation & Testing & learning features was 6 hours)
(3) Endless of amazing settings makes you have 100% control over the system
(4) You can control the system from a keypad or your mobile. You can control this system from anywhere! Do not worry if you forgot to arm your home.
(5) Very Expandable, you can add devices as much as you need ( up to 40 ), which I found it give you the ability to design your system based on your need and cost.
(6) Multiuser setting. For Example, I can give the estate agent a separate password, and I can know if they ( for any reasons ) entered my home.
(7) Full ability to control notification by many methods, Email, SMS, or Push to your mobile.
(8) A lot of people comment negatively on Yale mobile application. I found it AMAZING, but you need an average mobile.
(9) Very high-quality material that you can feel it in every part of the system, Even the security stickers!
(10) As this system give you instant alert on your mobile, buying security camera which can be accessed by mobile will give you full control of your home.
(11) There is no subscription fees for their mobile application and online services.
Coins
(1) The person who is not familiar with technology will find this system complicated ! not because it complicated but because of its endless features.
(2) The guide (which is printed in high-quality material ) is not comprehensive. They have tried to make it simple; they do not explain all features of their mobile application in their simple guide.
Bottom Line: I would recommend it for any person who needs full control of a security system.
Update after 5 months : I could not say more than THANKS YALE! This system worth every penny spent.
System setup – followed instructions on the App to set up devices. App could not register hub initially, but restarting the router and hub together got it going.
Testing security – had to play around as expected and the most confusing aspect was that sometimes, once the system was armed, the motion sensors were not detecting my movements. Turns out the sensors were in sleep mode and it took about 1 minute to snap out of it after arming the system. I may have had to leave sight of any motion sensors during the 1 minute count for the sensor to activate.
WiFi signal is good around my three bedroom new build house – it’s not particularly big.
Still haven’t tested what happens when network connection is lost or if there is a power cut.
Notifications are sent immediately on intruder detection.
Physical installation of the devices is easy – requires basic DIY drilling skills and the instruction manual that came with the product was very clear.
So far I cannot flaw this system as it has proven to work in practice. Only time will tell how it works for real so I will probably update my review next year to include battery duration and alerts when battery is low and general usage.
I will also be adding more door sensors and motion detectors around the house as I am already feeling more comfortable about this security system to deem it worth investing in the extra sensors.
Thank you Yale!
Given the level of sophistication we wanted from a system we shopped around for a long time. ADT have had a smart home product for years but it’s super expensive and not that versatile. Even the other Yale system is missing the smart home integration elements we were looking at.
This kit isn’t everything you need. we bought four extra door contacts, so we have the whole ground floor and upstairs windows covered with PIR and door / window contacts. AC-DC at 30 is quite expensive when you need four, especially given the tech inside is a transmitter with a magnet and sensor.
The installation process was a doddle. I have uPVC windows and French doors and I was concerned about how to fit the contact due to the angle of the frame. as long as you fix the part with the battery to the non moving part, the angle isn’t an issue.
In total the physical installation took me about an hour with the additional door contacts. The system set up, which has do be done on a phone / table iOS or Android took about 30 minutes and I’ve been refining preferences for the rest of the day.
I’ve set the alarm off (on purpose) and it was epic, the siren is super loud and the base station gives off a hell of a racket too. I have also integrated Alexa and my Philip’s Hue system so when it went off I had the Siren, flashing Red lights throughout the house, you’d think DEFCON 5 had just been raised.
The system sends push notifications for everything this could get annoying but you can choose for notifications to be on alarm or for each system trigger i.e. Tamper / set /unset / alarm. Additionally the system will also send an SMS to the main account holder in the event of an alarm in case you are out of mobile data range.
This is a great product, the app works well. I’m already having some idea’s for some further enhancements I will suggest but overall it does what it said it would do and more. I’ll update this review once it’s been in for a month with any additional usability comments.
If you’re looking for a new alarm and can’t decide I would have no hesitation recommending this product.
A lot of people are complaining about the app, but it works fine for me. They seem to have made a lot of updates to it recently as early adopters had more issues with it, but I guess these have now been fixed. Its easy to set up exactly what sensors are used for the different alarm types and whether they set the alarm off immediately or on a delay. Its all very configurable.
The only drawback for me is that I cant use the smart home features as it doesn’t work with Google Home. This is a bit odd as everything else seems to support both alexa and google these days. But hopefully they can add this functionality late
I have placed a lot of door/window sensors (around 10) and until now all the system works very well: at the moment the sensors never fail. The system seems robust and give you the safety that you expect from a professional alarm.
What is good:
– the sensors and the whole system is easy to install
– the sensors’s wifi works with a very good range (I have placed 10 door/window sensors and 2 PIR sensor in a two stories home and I have the full signal in all the sensor except one that has in every case a good signal)
– the system works well without problems
– the App is complete and allow to check all the sensor and the events
– the notification works fine (but the messages aren’t so clear to understand)
– the direct integration with Philips Hue is really great
– the outdoor horn is very powerful
What can be better:
– the App is quite slow to connect with the system and so if you need to stop the alarm you can have some thrill moments (better to use the key pad)
– not all the kind of sensors of the old system are available just now (for example the outdoor sensors)
– the alarm tele command seems not be effective all the times.
In conclusion: very recommended system and it will be updated and developed in the next future.
As a traditional “Bells only” non smart alarm it is definitely worth 5/5. It was quick and easy to install, all the fittings were provided. I purchased additional sensors so I have installed 5 PIRs, 5 Door /Window contacts, the external siren and the keypad. All of these took under 2 hours to install (ignoring the external siren – it was raining, that was done separately the following day). The ‘built in alarm’ in the hub is 100db of loud and more than adequate alone, the second one is more of a deterrent than something that’s required. I have successfully setup the part arm and full arm modes with ease.
Being able to set multiple pins is a great idea, obviously however the more pins you have the easier it is to guess and your alarm is only as secure as your weakest pin. I have a pin for myself and then 2 family members have different pins so if they need to disarm it they can, but I will also know who has been in my house if they do.
The only issue I have had is occasionally when using the App occasionally it says the ‘hub is offline’. Which means I cannot get notifications or remotely arm/disarm the alarm. This is easily fixed by turning the alarm off and on again physically, just a pain.
This is an issue with any smart device, whether it be blinds, bulbs, alexas, alarms or smart cars. Hopefully overtime this becomes less of an issue. This model is far superior than their old Yale Smart Home Alarm system and operates at a much better range and is more reliable.
Ultimately it comes down to this: If you want a “Bells Only” alarm this is great, if you want an “alarm with notifications” this is good but not bulletproof. If you want the most reliable service possible you’ll need to buy an ADT alarm with subscription and even then there is a slight risk of it going ‘bells only’. For context, my setup throught ADT would have been 800 installed and then 40 a month 930 more in the first year and then 480 a year more forever… So I’d definitely recommend this unless you’re a Jewellery store or bank.
4/5 would definitely recommend for most people. Would be 5/5 if the hub never disconnected, however overtime the server technology should improve this, I’d say my hub uptime is around 95% from what has been monitored so far.
Had some issues with setting up the account. Firstly I created an account and then could not login. I put it down to being a long password (20 chars)…. come on Yale, this is a security system 20 chars is not too long, and if it is tell me.
It happened setting up both my and my wifes account so no glitch.
Because of this, it did not show the accessories and no amount of paring fixed it. In the end fixed with with a google:
Settings -> System Info -> Press and hold SMS Balance for 10+ seconds until the ‘refresh panel’ box appears. That would have been impossible to figure out!
Now working I am happy with this. Yet to fit the siren, but in principle this works well. Arm via the app and easily configure upstairs and downstairs so can be used at night. Disarm via the app or keypad (with pin), also allows multiple pins for guest and other household members. Push alerts are almost instant.
Hue light go from green to red when arming, and you can pick the rooms. Can also set the whole house on red when there is a trigger.
The beeps from the hub are pretty loud when arming downstairs at night, which can wake the kids and would be good if you could set the level.
Also the motion sensors don’t seem to be very sensitive, but guess if we were burgled they would set off as a significant amount of movement would be required.
Hoping the batteries will last well, as will be a pain to remove the sticky pads (purchased separately). Also hoping the outdoor siren does not been when arming (seem to have been mentioned in some reviews). Will have to wait and see on that.
Also not yet tried the geo-sensing but have it set up for myself and my wife on the app, was pretty straightforward.
If the app was improved from an information and usability perspective (however it is functional), I could see this being the go to DIY alarm for the smart home. It does however require some investment from Yale (much like Philips is doing on an ongoing basis with HUE)
When it came to looking for a new alarm, I decided to look at some of the more expensive options available from other manufacturers, but there were some draw backs to these (location of fitment would be an issue to me, as I did not want to install the main unit in the hall and some units had modules required, so not really a diy option and fitters also charge a premium for installation!), as well as most stating that you require a yearly maintenance check, which I refuse to pay.
Luckily for me, Yale had just released new information about this, the Yale Sync Alarm! It sounded all too good to be true, as it had everything I wanted in an alarm – Wireless, Easy to install, small main unit for easy placement and a good price.
I purchased the Yale Sync alarm back in September 2018 and since then I have been extremely happy with my purchase and have not regretted it one bit. As others have mentioned, Yale did have a bit of nightmare a little while back, but to be honest I didn’t seem to be affected by it, so I was one of the lucky ones.
Recently I was a little frustrated by a change to the Yale app, whereby a notification would prompt you every time you opened the app! But this was resolved in an update that I received today, so no more unnecessary notifications on the phone!
Otherwise the app works great and no issues so far with the hardware 🙂
Registration was easy and although the app is lacking functionality it has been fairly consistent and reliable (android). I had an issue that others have mentioned regarding entry/exit timer sounding on the external siren – very annoying to neighbours – and there is no support in the app yet to disable it – however after contacting Yale Customer Support they changed this for me remotely within 24hours and it’s now fine. They assured me that this change is coming to the app soon.
It connected to my Philips Hue as advertised and worked as expected. I haven’t tried Alexa functionality and probably won’t to be honest. I’m perfectly happy arming and disarming mostly via keypad, but also by the App.
I do still have an issue with part-arming however which means it’s basically useless at this time. I wanted to alarm my garage whilst I am still in the house using part-alarming, however in order to do it I have to set one of my “Entry Zone” sensors in the house to “Home Omit”. Unfortunately the side effect of this is that when I fully-alarm the system, it is no longer set as entry zone and the alarm will sound straight away when it detects an event. As soon as I can specify a version of “Home Omit” that has an entry zone timer for full-alarm instead of siren I’d be happy to give this product 5 stars.