Home security
Security cameras are increasingly popular, but you can expand your home security system with these affordable sensors
Affordable ways to protect your property.
Last issue we looked at the huge explosion in sales of security cameras, which are now far and away the most popular products in the entire smart home category.
But while a security camera is the ideal starting point for your home security system, even the most advanced models have their limitations. A camera can only look out for activity in one specific room or location, and even cameras that have a night-vision mode can only see things a few yards away once it gets really dark.
You could, of course, buy additional cameras to cover other areas – but with high-quality models costing $120-$200 each, that can quickly turn out to be very expensive.
Fortunately, cameras aren’t the only security option available for the smart home. Once you’ve got a camera, you might also purchase a number of other security devices, such as motion sensors that can detect movement even in dark rooms, or contact sensors that can tell when a door or window has been opened.
As well as helping to monitor areas that might not be easily visible to a camera, these sensors are generally a lot cheaper, so you can buy several to cover different rooms around your home. Like a security camera, a motion sensor or contact sensor can connect to your home Wi-Fi network and send an alert to an app on your iPhone if it detects any suspicious activity.
it’s all connected
While you can generally buy any camera and quickly set it up to work with your iPhone, these other types of security sensors rarely just work on their own. In most cases they are specifically designed to work in conjunction with other devices made by the same manufacturer.
If you own Netatmo’s popular Welcome camera ($199), you can use that to control additional “tags” that monitor doors and windows (and also the company’s forthcoming
Security Siren). The tags are well priced – just $99 for a pack of three – but they don’t work on their own, so you do have to budget for the Welcome camera as well.
When you’re starting from scratch, the cheapest option is probably to buy a starter kit that includes a number of different security devices. Panasonic really goes to town here, offering a range of kits that contain different combinations of security cameras, sensors and sirens. Prices start at $200 for a basic kit with two cameras and a hub.
Samsung takes a different approach with its SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit ($249). The kit doesn’t include a camera, opting instead for a central hub, two multipurpose sensors, a motion sensor, and one SmartThings outlet. The latter can be used to plug in non-smart devices – a dumb old table lamp, for instance – and control it via the capabilities of the Smart Kit. The multipurpose sensors, meanwhile, really are that: They can detect vibration, orientation and angle, temperature, and when things open or close. In short, if something changes in your home, it’ll know about it and can alert you accordingly.
If you do want a camera, the SmartThings kit can be used to control Samsung’s separate SmartCam HD Pro ($139). Samsung has also done a good job of working with other companies – pay attention, Apple! – to make its products compatible with SmartThings. There are security cameras from both Netgear and D-Link that will work with the SmartThings kit, along with some of the latest smart locks from Yale, Philips’ Hue lights, and even multiroom speaker systems from Bose.
MIX AND MATCH
Regardless of manufacturer, one thing these kits have in common is the inclusion of a central control hub that connects to your home router and links the different security devices together. Once you have the hub set up you can extend your home security system by purchasing additional sensors – typically for $30-50 each – and Samsung, D-Link, and Panasonic all provide a good selection of add-on sensors, including motion and contact sensors, sirens, and also smoke and water detectors that can provide additional protection against floods and fire.
The odd one out here is Elgato, with its Eve Motion ($50) and Eve Door & Window ($40) sensors. These are affordably priced and – unlike most of their rivals – they don’t require you to buy a separate control hub from Elgato in order to use them. The catch here is that they only work with
Samsung ha s worked with other companies to make their products compatible with its smart things range
one thing many starter kits have in common is the inclusion of a central control hub
Apple’s HomeKit platform, and for remote access and notifications you need to have an Apple TV or iPad configured as your ‘home hub’ – see support. apple.com/HT207057 for instructions.
While a third-generation or later Apple TV enables remote access to HomeKit accessories, you’ll need the latest, fourth-generation model if you want the ability to automate your devices. That brings extra security benefits, of course, such as the ability to turn on a light after sunset.
So, while a security camera is still the best place to start, there are plenty of options available that enable you to extend your security system to cover key rooms and locations around your home, even on a quite modest budget.