I will be moving to a new home soon and I was curious if BI can integrate with a security system like SimpliSafe etc? Thanks
Can Blue Iris integrate with a security system
- Thread starter 105437
- Start date
Thanks for the response. I'm not giving up BI, but I do need a security system, so I'll keep them separate.
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
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simply safe is crap...there are systems that can send commands to BI, you just need to learn how to integrate them, but it wont be out of the box...
@105437 I don't have a SimpliSafe. Whether you can integrate to it depends on whether SimpliSafe has a public API for 3rd-party integration.
I have a DSC alarm system which is integrated to a Vera home automation. This is well-known 2-way integration that allows Vera to see all DSC door/window/motion sensors as virtual switches and thus possible triggers for any home automation scenes. For example, I can automatically turn on foyer lights when the DSC front door sensor is triggered. I can also use Vera to put DSC into a particular alarm mode. Example: every night at 9PM, put DSC into "Stay" alarm mode.
With BI, I can add each camera as additional virtual switches to Vera and thus use as triggers for any scenes. You do this in BI camera trigger screen where you can configure BI to do a web services call to Vera whenever motion is triggered. On Vera side, each camera is seen as a virtual motion switch, which allows me to do any number of things like turn on lights for the camera motion-activated event, then do an appropriate voice alert in family room, and even change the DSC alarm mode. Within Vera scene, I can send a web services call to BI to trigger it to start recording 1 or more cameras whenever some DSC alarm sensors are triggered.
Why use a home automation system like Vera as a middle man because most alarm systems I know do not have any way to configure complex scenes. I'm talking about the ability to configure conditional logic (if-then-else based on 1 or more sensors) to then do something automatically.
I have a DSC alarm system which is integrated to a Vera home automation. This is well-known 2-way integration that allows Vera to see all DSC door/window/motion sensors as virtual switches and thus possible triggers for any home automation scenes. For example, I can automatically turn on foyer lights when the DSC front door sensor is triggered. I can also use Vera to put DSC into a particular alarm mode. Example: every night at 9PM, put DSC into "Stay" alarm mode.
With BI, I can add each camera as additional virtual switches to Vera and thus use as triggers for any scenes. You do this in BI camera trigger screen where you can configure BI to do a web services call to Vera whenever motion is triggered. On Vera side, each camera is seen as a virtual motion switch, which allows me to do any number of things like turn on lights for the camera motion-activated event, then do an appropriate voice alert in family room, and even change the DSC alarm mode. Within Vera scene, I can send a web services call to BI to trigger it to start recording 1 or more cameras whenever some DSC alarm sensors are triggered.
Why use a home automation system like Vera as a middle man because most alarm systems I know do not have any way to configure complex scenes. I'm talking about the ability to configure conditional logic (if-then-else based on 1 or more sensors) to then do something automatically.
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
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tangent
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In my book simplisafe is the dildo of alarm systems. I don't understand why they think people would want to display the giant plug-in light-up simplisafe dildo... I have some issues with it too, but the upcoming nest alarm actually has some innovative features.
say no to dildo alarm systems.
My choice would go to Honeywell, DSC, or ELK
say no to dildo alarm systems.
My choice would go to Honeywell, DSC, or ELK
Personally, I am not a fan of monthly paid security systems. Why? I have a police friend that told me when a residential alarm is triggered that call is one of the lowest priorities to respond to. That is when the ALARM COMPANY calls the police. There are times that it can take 30+ minutes for them to respond to that call if they are busy at that moment.
Another thing too almost all security companies (ADT, simply safe, digital life, brinks ect..) use proprietary software/hardware that doesn't link into any other 3rd party system. Why dont it? It's because those companies offer their own camera systems and services that they want to push on the consumer to buy.
I had digital life by ATT, after I cancelled all my equipment was useless because the radio bands the equipment used for the door sensors and motion sensors and smoke detectors was a proprietary band and only can be used by ATT and nothing else. (Except their cameras, I was able to finally unlock them and get it to work with BI)
Another thing too almost all security companies (ADT, simply safe, digital life, brinks ect..) use proprietary software/hardware that doesn't link into any other 3rd party system. Why dont it? It's because those companies offer their own camera systems and services that they want to push on the consumer to buy.
I had digital life by ATT, after I cancelled all my equipment was useless because the radio bands the equipment used for the door sensors and motion sensors and smoke detectors was a proprietary band and only can be used by ATT and nothing else. (Except their cameras, I was able to finally unlock them and get it to work with BI)