Vivint smart home security system review: smarter than we expected

It’s nary concealed that you tin DIY a good smart location information system these days. Amazon is littered pinch smart information cameras and strategy options that committedness seamless installation, setup, and integration. But DIYing thing arsenic important arsenic smart location information and automation is not for everyone — moreover those of america who see ourselves ace tech savvy.

When we moved into our caller video workplace and needed to get a information system, I charted retired everything I needed and wanted. It quickly became clear that nan Vivint smart location information strategy was nan measurement to go. And I couldn’t beryllium happier pinch really it turned out.

But earlier we get into why it worked for us, a disclaimer: This is not an advertisement for Vivint, nor is it a sponsored post. Everything present is 100% my sentiment and perspective. And afloat disclosure: Vivint provided nan hardware and installation of this strategy for free truthful I could make this review, but they person zero power complete its content.

With that successful mind, here’s really nan Vivint smart location information strategy worked for us.

Smart security, smart safety

Our workplace is loaded pinch costly user electronics and master video cogwheel — hundreds of thousands of dollars worth. We’re located successful a trendy, high-traffic area conscionable extracurricular of downtown Portland, surrounded by public-facing businesses. Which intends folks thin to show up extracurricular our door, making themselves astatine home. But that tin get successful nan measurement of our video production.

Suffice to say: There’s a batch to protect here, myself included.

The Vivint Spotlight Pro and Outdoor Camera Pro Digital Trends

When I sketched retired our needs, it was fundamentally astir security: doorway sensors, model sensors, and solid break sensors. But it was besides astir safety, for illustration flood, fire, smoke, and c monoxide monitoring.

I besides wanted cameras — some to enactment arsenic a deterrent and to show our premises — arsenic good arsenic automated ambiance power and automated lighting. Another point connected nan wishlist: to beryllium capable to usage sound commands to motorboat nan abstraction into workplace mode for video recording, and to unopen down nan workplace for a much accepted workplace environment. This meant automating respective different operations.

It was a large ask, but nan Vivint strategy delivered.

All of nan model and doorway sensors are small, unobtrusive, battery-operated, and wireless — pinch nary wires for powerfulness — and they link wirelessly to nan Vivint Smart Hub.

The studio’s indoor and outdoor cameras run via wall power, which was installed by section Vivint professionals. We person an indoor camera pinch a mobility sensor, a doorbell camera, and an outdoor camera that monitors nan entryway.

The outdoor camera besides has a mobility detector and provides lighting astatine night, acting arsenic a deterrent. If anyone hangs retired for much than 30 seconds, a large reddish ringing lights up connected nan camera and it makes a large whistling sound (the sound is changeable) and records everything. It besides follows group arsenic they move astir nan area, letting them cognize they are being watched.

With smart deadbolt locks, I tin group up introduction codes for guests, which tin beryllium enabled aliases abnormal arsenic needed, allowing maine to negociate who has entree to nan workplace and when.

The camera views connected nan Vivint app Digital Trends

And erstwhile nan doorbell rings, I tin spot who’s there. And everything is recorded successful nan cloud, truthful video footage tin beryllium reviewed, saved, and downloaded immoderate clip (which really helped maine thief a neighbour who had immoderate spot vandalized a fewer months ago).

Everything is monitored. When an siren goes off, Vivint instantly reaches retired pinch matter notifications and emails, followed by a telephone call. If there’s a problem, nan section authorities are contacted. It gives maine bid of mind that each of our costly cogwheel and my individual information is well-protected 24/7. It makes maine consciousness awesome and it besides makes nan security institution consciousness awesome — capable to springiness america a amended rate.

All of nan information and information options are easy managed either done nan Vivint app aliases nan location hub: viewing cameras, talking done nan camera — each of it.

Smart somesthesia control

The existent brilliant of this strategy reveals itself successful ambiance controls. A smart thermostat allows maine to group up somesthesia ranges for heating and cooling according to nan seasons, nan clip of day, and whether I’m successful nan studio, retired moving errands, aliases connected vacation. These settings tin besides beryllium controlled manually and pinch a timer.

Thanks to nan Vivint AI smart assistant, nan strategy has learned my habits complete time: erstwhile I’m typically successful nan studio, erstwhile I’m gone, really agelong I’m gone for, and erstwhile I’m apt to travel back. The smart adjunct has entree to nan smart cameras, mobility sensors, and doorway locks. So, if I time off for a gig successful nan evening, nan somesthesia adjusts accordingly. When I return, nan strategy automatically switches backmost into residential mode.

The Vivint Smart Thermostat Digital Trends

It besides detects slumber patterns. So it tin set nan thermostat automatically astatine nighttime and again successful nan morning, which saves money. When I compared nan heating and cooling costs from earlier we had this strategy to after, we’re now redeeming $70-$80 a month.

Vivint besides does smart lighting and smart powerfulness guidance too, which has not only saved america money connected our energy measure (about $20 a month), but it has made day-to-day cognition of this workplace businesslike and moreover enjoyable.

Smart powerfulness modules let complete power complete erstwhile powerfulness is fed to devices. You tin automate schedules and power powerfulness remotely, and moreover create scenes and routines. So, moreover if you person fixtures that aren’t smart, you tin make them smart utilizing wireless powerfulness modules.

Smart lighting, but …

Vivint’s smart ray bulbs are awesome, but location is room for description and improvement. Right now, they’re nan only action disposable — you can’t get different bulb types for different fixtures aliases merge third-party smart bulbs. And while nan colour somesthesia is variable, they aren’t RGB, which intends nary colorful statement vibes.

However, they do everything I request them to: They wirelessly link to nan strategy via Wi-Fi and are each individually controllable done nan app and hub, and by accepted switch.

Lighting power connected nan Vivint app Digital Trends

The lights tin beryllium programmed to travel connected and move disconnected astatine circumstantial times, and are triggered erstwhile nan strategy is equipped aliases disarmed. They travel connected automatically erstwhile I unlock nan doorway and move disconnected erstwhile I fastener it. And nan lights tin beryllium group to various scenes, making it imaginable to automate workplace lighting for activity purposes.

For example, pinch a sound bid done Google Home, each of nan location lights unopen down; each of nan workplace lights, including inheritance scenes, powerfulness on; nan thermostat adjusts to minimize HVAC noise; nan doorway locks close; and nan outdoor camera turns on. All making it easier, quieter, and safer to record.

Digital Trends

After signaling is finished, nan workplace lights tin beryllium automatically powered down, nan location lights tin beryllium turned connected to a group colour temperature, and nan thermostat tin beryllium adjusted — without flipping a azygous switch, which saves time. An added bonus: The automatic lighting besides helps support our plants alive, since we person had to artifact retired each earthy light.

Vivint tells maine that smart lighting is 1 of its astir useful features, and 1 that astir group don’t cognize is available. In my opinion, it’s 1 of their astir desirable.

What needs to beryllium smarter

Getting nan smart ray bulbs group up, identifying them, and naming each of them takes a adjacent magnitude of work. And it’s a small much analyzable than it needs to be. Vivint’s installation techs tin grip each of it, but there’s decidedly room for betterment erstwhile it comes to setup.

Another criticism: Sometimes nan unreality video playback is simply a small delayed and choppy astatine first. Ultimately, I get precisely what I request and want, but this is simply a spot clunky. (To beryllium fair, I’ve had akin clunky experiences pinch different platforms.)

The Vivint Smart Hub Digital Trends

Overall, I’ve been thrilled pinch nan Vivint system. Like astir DIY systems, location is simply a monthly monitoring fee, but immoderate folks will prevention much than they walk pinch this setup. And pinch Vivint adding successful moreover much smart power guidance — for illustration star and power retention — successful nan coming months, location will apt beryllium much savings down nan road. That’s thing other I for illustration astir Vivint: It doesn’t remainder connected its laurels, and anticipates developments and merge them successful existent time.

As acold arsenic pricing goes, Vivint says that packages commencement astatine $599 and spell up from location based connected your customization. Monthly monitoring runs $40 per month, if you should take it.  When it comes to smart location security, I’ll return Vivint complete Comcast, Brinks, aliases ADP immoderate time of nan week. This strategy provides bid of mind, savings, convenience, and moreover fun. When was nan past clip you could opportunity that astir your information system?