For the UV sensor not working, it might be because it's pointed at a modern window. Modern windows have 2 or 3 panes with an e coating, which does a good job of blocking UV and heat radiation. I'd give it a try through an open window before writing it off. That being said, i have a few of those sensors and i have found everything other than motion is a bit unreliable. My favorite part of the aeotec sensor is the recessed mounting plate and that it can be hardwired, which is a must for me because I'm lazzzzzy and never want to change batteries
7:55 The UV won't change because your window is filtering it. Otherwise you'd get a sunburn just having your blinds open. Maybe you could use that as an alternative to a contact sensor to tell if windows or doors are open?
I opened the window and it still did the same thing with sun shining on something right outside the window. So I tested it again in direct sunlight and it worked but barely. The sensor was still pretty weak so I’m not sure how useful it would be.
@@SmartHomeSolver I'd be curious to see it pointing straight up outside and compare it to Accuweather's claimed UV Index. (although I can't think of a Use Case for knowing) Plus, Warp's correct, new windows have lots of UV protection built in.
3 года назад+4
@@JoeAiello789 even just glass blocks uv light with no addons, but it can get better with additived or double or triple glass, as is now common.
Thanks for watching! Links to all the sensors and SmartThings device handlers are in the description. Let me know what you’re using. **UPDATE:** Thanks for all the comments about the UV light. I did some more tests with it today to see if my window was filtering UV light. I opened the window on a bright sunny Arizona day and it still read 0. Then I tested it in direct sunlight with the window both open and closed. With the window open it was 3 out of 255, and closed it was 2 out of 255. So yes the window does filter out some UV rays, but unless the sensor is in direct sunlight it might not pick anything up. There maybe some use cases for the UV sensor, but for me it’s not sensitive enough.
Hey Reid, what sensor would you recommend for your mailbox? I am having issues connecting through my metal mailbox, but I only have a Wyze. I’ve tried both motion and contact.
@@0h2ezy Try the long range wireless YoLink sensors. YoLink sensors can work more than 1000 feet away and use 2 AAA batteries, the battery life more than 5 years. It uses the LoRa technology vs other wireless wifi, zigbee and zwave, YoLink is much longer range and lower power and more secure protocol.
Hey as far as the UV sensor goes... Of the total UV light, 95% is UVA (the aging kind), and 5% is UVB (the burning kind). Sensors are usually designed to read only one and calculate the other. Most UV doesn't make it through modern low emissivity window glass, which you no doubt have in AZ, and so that's probably skewing your test. It might be interesting to try an outdoor test on a bright sunny day to see how it compares to, say, the current UV index that the local weather provides. The upshot is that skin is mostly shielded from the (burning) effects of UV light by normal everyday window glass, so there's that. 🙂
I have been looking at sensors lately so this is definitely a timely video. As for your sensor pointed out the window not seeing a change in UV when the blinds open, windows have a UV filter either baked into the glass or applied as a film over it (or both). Move the sensor outside as a test and you should see a change.
I tested it in direct sunlight and the UV sensor did pick it up. I also tried it with the window open not in direct sunlight and it still didn’t pick up anything. I’m not sure how useful this would be with how weak the UV sensor is.
Literally one of the only few channels left with honest video titles, no attention seeking channel thumbnails (cough) Paul Hibbert (/cough) and decent ‘to the point’ content with a little humour added in. Don’t buckle to the pressure for views on these subjects Reid and I’ll love (and support) you forever.
Idea put a ground cable on to a door with a battery or something and get Simon thing to check for grounded things and it should work if the person is isolated from ground it only needs to change a slight amount of charge that would make it to where the Moment you touch the handle the light turns on
Perfect timing on this video. I'm tearing out a lot of the one-off devices I have and trying to consolidate on fewer brands just to make things easier. Sensors is one area that I was not looking forward to researching, so thanks for doing all of this for us!
I literally just thought about what am I going to do when I want another contact multi-purpose sensor now that smart things doesn't sell it thank you for this video and hopefully aotech gets their act together
Hey Reed, thank you for this breakdown on sensors. I have the ring security system with contact and motion sensors throughout the house. Please come up with a video on how we can properly use ring security with Alexa and ideas on how we can further advance our home automation. Thank you for your great content
I have good experience with Aqara motion sensors in my SmartThings system. They detect motion (2 minutes cool down) and light intensity, plus they're quite cheap. They are pretty cute looking and they come with a tiny adjustable bracket. I use them in my house to automatically switch on the hallway lights when motion is detected. But only when the light intensity in that space is below the 30 lux threshold I set. This way the light only switches on when needed at night, or during daytime in our dark dark winter months. Works like a charm!
like the features, setup was difficult for some of my devices (August Door lock, ruclips.net/user/postUgkxhB5YOMNj04GuoAosExygP4cH-dKeb4aB Bose speaker)... but all switches and outlets (5), thermostat, tankless water heater. Unfortunately all I can do is turn on/off Bose. It doesn't support volume or changing channels, but I believe that is due to the particular speaker I have.... Worth getting if you already have other devices to use it with... I don't sit around and ask Alexa questions much so that doesn't really matter to me....
Hi, until you publish an updated version of this video 😉, which contact sensor do you recommend today for someone who doesn't have a hub yet and plan on using google home? Thank you in advance.
Impressed by the video and quality of the channel. Immediate sub. One question though. If I am starting to build smarter home, should I go for Zigbee or Z-Wave? You are recommending actually both of them. What are caveats of each other? What should I be looking for?
I'm super late to this but I want to advocate for Yolink sensors. Both their door and motion sensors are great. They have great range, fast reactions, and most importantly they're cheap. Highly recommended for those on a budget who while still being high quality. And they work with Alexa to set up routines so I have several around my home to turn on different thing at different times of the day.
Thanks for the great review and especially the real world examples of what you can set these up to do. I work with people with disabilities and there are so many useful applications that sensors can be used for to improve quality of life and safety.
I recently bought qingping motion and light sensor and some Mijia temperature and humidity sensors. Both use bluetooth, but they work great on Home Assistant. Love your videos!
Visonic sensors have always been my favorite. They are TINY, no logo, super easy to pair, they can be modified to be water sensors, and they were only $10 each. The price eventually went up to $15 (still great) and they eventually sold out. Can barely find them anymore now :(
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Do you have a video showing different types of motion sensors, their patters, and coverage area? I’m interested to know exactly which ones have what and how/where they may be used for the best detection.
I like the signal strength tip. Is there anyway to get access to this info without a Samsung SmartThings hub? I currently have Philips Hub, am going to be adding couple ZigBee light switches (connected to Echo Studio), setting up a Raspberry Pi, and probably either the Hue motion or Aeotec multisensor after watching your video.
I use the Aqara Motion Sensor, very satisfied. Also, with HomeSeer you can use BLRadar and create motion zones so you group sensors for given zone (I use three in my shop for example and if the entire zone is inactive for three minutes, it turns off the shop lights...lots of electricity savings).
I have been through a lot of motion sensors, and the Hue motion/light sensor is my favorite. It is reliable over the course of a year. The Aeotec are good when you need humidity, but for the price, they really eat through battery life quickly.. and they fail to accurately report battery life when using lithium batteries. For door sensors, I prefer the Aeotec recessed door sensor. It's very quick/responsive, and have exceptional battery life (on the 700 series model).
Could you do a video on the Orro Smart Light Switch VS the Brilliant Smart Light Switch? I’m leaning more on the Orro because I’m not so keen on a camera in the Brilliant in the kids rooms…. I love how you have the intercom feature with each, and both can be used as a motion sensor (although extremely expensive). But the cost of each is pretty high. And there just is t enough videos out there to show all the feature and functions of each. Your videos are very informative and it’s just much easier to watch you inform us.
I'm a fan of Aqara sensors. They're tiny, cheap, fast and they're zigbee (using them with Home Assistant). The motion sensor cooldown time can be hacked from 1 min to 5 sec
You should be able to use any vibration sensor, and just have an automation that detects when the state goes from vibration to no vibration. If i were you though, i would use a smart plug to measure power output, as this would be more accurate and wouldn’t require replacing batteries.
How about a video on outdoor sensors? Besides Hue, the options seem minimal. Specifically, I'm looking for a sensor to tell me when a backyard gate or carport storage room dooe is opened. Also, an outdoor sensor that can provide a door open/close status signal would get major upvotes. FYI - I live in Palm Springs, so extra points for sensors that can stand the heat).
You should review the NYCE ceiling motion sensor. I have gone through many Zigbee sensors for my SmartThings then my Hubitat hubs. The NYCE uses Zigbee and runs on two AA batteries. With lithium batteries, the sensors still show 100% battery capacity after three months of use. Previously I had SmartThings and Centralite sensors which went low on battery life at various times due to using button batteries. Of those two, Centralite was the best but now, for Zigbee motion sensors with very long battery life, I have switched over to NYCE and I'm thrilled with the redults.
Great channel, need to watch more. I am thinking of a "smart/dumb" solution, but the distance might be too far for smart home devices. Problem: when I am in the garden I cannot see nor hear who is entering my premises, front door is locked, but side door is in use by us, but accessible by that person (might just be a relative without harm) and walks in. Idea: motionsensor and a bell/horn, to let me know someone's coming. Any product idea's?
If you are going to point a UV sensor outside you need to open the window. Especially in Arizona home windows have a ton of UV blocking built into them. Have no idea if the product is just junk either but figured it would help with a more accurate test.
Thanks for the tip. I just tested it again with the window open and it still read zero. I then tested it in direct sunlight and it did work, even with the window closed. The UV sensor is still really weak and I’m not sure how useful it could be.
Just as I heads up, I just replaced 7 of those Sonoffs with Linkind. I had problems with the Sonoffs false triggering, and sometimes not triggering at all. They are really cheap and they perform as such.
Aqara has a motion sensor too. If you like their contact sensor, I'd check out the motion sensor. I have a mixture of Hue and Aqara motion sensors set up with Hubitat. But I'll probably only be buying Aqara moving forward since they cost half as much as the Hue ones.
@@6foot7dad Hubitat. The Aqara sensors are not on the list of supported devices for Hubitat, but there is a forum post with instructions on how to get it working pretty easily.
Great Video.. I am a newbie in the home automation. So the thing which takes up my curiosity is the knowledge about hub's. To connect the sensors mentioned in your video, do I need a hub, if yes- 1.which is the best one to use, compatible to multiple brand devices or sensors for home automation?
I mostly use sylvania motion and contact sensors. Both have temp sensors in them. They have been great and have a 18 month battery life but they are no longer made. I also have one samsung multi purpose sensor but that thing eats batteries quickly and is also problematic in the alexa app always showing unresponsive. Needing more sensors, Brian (AYL) pointed me to the linkind's that you showed. If connecting directly to the echo's zigbee hub they work great. The cool down time on the motion drops down to 30 seconds when using the echo hub. Linkind's sensors are all a bit larger than I like but the selection of zigbee sensors that reliably work with the echo hubs are quite limited.
Connecting the Linkind devices to SmartThings isn't all that difficult, either. I'm surprised Reed had enough problems with the motion detectors to mention it. Considering the steps I've had to take to get other devices to work (futzing with DHs, etc.) just having to pair something twice is relatively painless. I bought some (also thanks to Brian) to replace my ADT sensors when Samsung announced they were retiring the ADT co-branded system. They were inexpensive enough -- and Amazon's return policy is good, too -- that I figured they were worth a shot. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they work and that the cooldown period is so much shorter (1 minute vs. 3) than my old ADT detectors. The range of both motion and distance is considerably better, too -- in fact, I had to move one from where I had the ADT sensor because it kept detecting people walking in the hall outside the kitchen and switching on the light., which the old one never did. Time will tell if they're a good value or cheap crap, but so far I'm happy with them.
@@ToniHinton Hi Toni, I have the Linkind door sensors, and have issue connecting it.. with SmarThings app and with Alexa gen 4 there is limited functions. how did you add the device? using smarting's hub or directly to Alexa? or some other option I'm not familiar with?
@@Masadu6 I have some connected to Smartthings, and some others connected to Linkind's own hub. It's been a while since I set them up, but I recall the process with ST went smoothly, with one extra step to make it work right. When you first pair it with ST, it will be detected as a "thing". That's a generic device and so it will have little if any functionality. To get it to work properly you'll need to log into the IDE, go to the device, and change the device type from "thing" to "Smartsense Door/Window sensor". Then reset it (hold down the reset button for about 5 seconds, until the light is red) and then re-pair it. To be clear, you don't need to remove it, just re-pair it.
Love the video's I cant seem to get my Aqara vibration sensor to do anything with smart things, I may need a differnt driver? I would love a video on navigating the new smartthings devices page.
@@awstott An advice I can give You if You want to use Zigbee sensors or devices is a Conbee II USB Stick. They also have a site where all compatible devices are listed on. It's growing day to day. My house is running on the Conbee II stick and never had any connection issues. I'm using Temperature sensors from Xiaomi and Motion sensors from Ikea. The battery life on them is crazy. I have not changed a battery yet and it's been almost 2 years on the first sensor.
@@ZillionPrey I started down the zwave path - not sure that was the best option. I do have some Philips Hue stuff so I can connect some ziggbee devices that way. I do like the hue motion sensor - have some lighting automations using the light sensor in there that work pretty awesome.
@@awstott I wanted to change out some of my motion sensors with hue ones as well looking at the value (€) in my case, it's a pretty cheap devices that has Motion, Temperature and Light Sensing. I wanted to give Z-Wave a try but I can't find any cheap sensors or even lights here in Germany. Some things I am looking for in terms of Zigbee devices are hard to find :/ The ones I'm still seeking out are smoke and CO detectors.
One thing I would love to see is being able to turn off the sensing part of a sensor when not using it. Like say you only care for movement at night, it would be great to be able to tell the sensor to stop looking for movement (or whatever it senses) at 8am and say at 10pm tell it to continue working. Otherwise in these use cases the sensor may be sending useless signals throughout the day, specially for high transit areas where it could potentially be sending signals as often as it's cool down period (which btw is another thing that would be great to have control of).
I would be very helpful if you give some instructions on how to add aqara contact sensor in smartthings. I checked the description but it wasn't helpful.😥 I ordered a bunch of those after watching your video but now I can't add it in smartthings. 😔 Hoping to see your response 🙂
Love your work. Hue sensors do not show up as an option to add to my smartthings system (now that I'm trashing all the older smarthings motion sensors that go offline weekly!)
Great video. Can any sensor send out the alert to remote smart phones only when there is NO movement within a period of time? say 12 hours duration. I am struggling to find one. ideally wifi sensor connecting to the home router.
Awesome review! Do you recall which door sensor and Motion sensor had the quickest reaction time. I’m finding with my current door sensor it does take about 10 seconds to turn on the smart down light in the same room. Thanks in advance!
Just picked up the homeseer hsm200 and REALLY would love to know how you set it up to show colors based on your home status. Even if it’s a link to a blog or something.
7:00 Is there something like the HomeSeer HSM200, but that works with either Zigbee or Wifi? I really like the idea of this self-contained package, but I only have an Alexa Echo Zigbee hub or Wifi to work with and I don't really want to buy additional hubs.
Love the channel, only recently discovered as I'm in the process of buying a house and upping my game. I'm already all in on Google WiFi and Nest doorbells and x Yale locks. With the discontinuation of the Nest Detect products, what might you suggest for door/windows sensors. Obviously, I'm hoping not to add a new hub to the mix, but understand that might be the case. Thanks!
Hello! Great video! Can you please please tell me what door sensor would you recommend working with Alexa for my fridge? One that alerts me when the door it's open more than xx minutes...?? Please. Thanks
Thank you for the great video. I already have the Ring alarm (2nd Gen). Are you suggesting that I can buy additional door contacts and use them for others too though? Like it I had a ring contact in my wlak in wardrobe and set up siomething like 'if ring contact triggers, switch on my hue lights'?
Hi .. I love smart home projects and I also love your videos. So, I have a question. I bought an Echo Studio and did not find any information about the zigbee sensors that work with it. Do you have any videos that explain this?
I feel like you're missing out on the joy of Insteon. I know it's old and more expensive, but their power line + wireless communication is so fast and flexible. And often no software to set up links.
HI, love your channel help me a lot. I just added smart bulbs to my home and added smart switch all from trealife. Was looking on how to make the 2 work together. I'm using alexa.
I'd try the aqara motion sensor: nice design, small with a optional swivel arm, cheap and can do light and temperature. Cooldown is 2 minutes (or 5 seconds with small soldering job)
Hi Reed thank you for your great work! I have purchased the Aqara door sensor after your recommendation. Question: can I prevent my blinds closing if the window is open or shut off my tado heating? If so how would I program that automation in homekit? Any help appreciated. Thank you, Ian
I have yet to see a differential pressure switch that would be able to tell you that a furnace/AC filter needs to be changed. That would be really useful.
I agree that the Aeotec has some issues, but the UV sensor won't work through glass. Glass blocks UV and IR light. Open the window, and try walking... it won't sense the motion either, since the PIR is IR..
Good info but looks like you only based this on indoor applications. Would be nice to know the IP ratings and weatherproof capabilities for use in outdoors and harsh environments as well.
I connected 1st gen ring contact sensors directly to SmartThings, and it works fine , plus the battery last for very long time. though First get ring sensors are huge compared to new ones
Hi, thank you very much for this great overview! Please keep in mind that I am very new to this topic. I do have a question about the smartthings and ring contact sensors, do they need a corresponding bridge/hub from samsung/ring or can I connect them, or maybe one of them directly over my smartphone? Thank you very much in advance for your response!
Awesome mate, do you know of any sensors that can just alert you for sound, I've got an alarm system that used to use my home phone to ring my mobile if the alarm went off as it's indoors but I've got rid of the home phone so I want to just put a sensor near the alarm box so it alerts me if the alarm goes off and I'm out or in bed, it's gotta be easier than using a camera or getting a new alarm system, cheers
Hey Reed, I was looking at a Ring Contact Sensor 6-pack but don't have a ring alarm system. Can I pair the Ring Contact Sensors to my SmartThings hub WITHOUT the need for the Ring Alarm Base Station? Love your channel!
Great vid, however i have a small question, Is there any waterproof door sensors on the market. I want one for my back garden gate to alert me if the gate is open. Thank you
We would like to follow the advice from your other vlog and stick to a Eufy ecosystem. We tried VOCOlinc smart plugs and contact sensors and were very pleased once we added on HomePod Mini. But the VOCOlinc Opto VC1 cam was a disappointment with neither one in the 2 cam kit seeming to record anything. (Defective devices? Dumb consumer? Software snafu?) Now you added a lot of fuel for thought. We live in a townhouse where a safe, strategic placement outside for a Eufy cam is slim pickings, but we could put a motion sensor high and dry in the overhang over our entranceway, which could trigger an automation that wakes up our security cam peeking out through a side window. What do you think? No security cam seems to be able to detect motion through a glass window, except for a repurposed iPhone running AlfredCamera. Anyway, a motion sensor that triggers a security cam would be an solution. Do you think that would work with either indoor Eufy cam?
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Can you please make a 2023 version of this video. I am sure everyone would love this.
Reviving this comment
I'm fa of this guy. I'm sure he'll do this for all of us at some point.
+1
+1
2024*
For the UV sensor not working, it might be because it's pointed at a modern window. Modern windows have 2 or 3 panes with an e coating, which does a good job of blocking UV and heat radiation. I'd give it a try through an open window before writing it off.
That being said, i have a few of those sensors and i have found everything other than motion is a bit unreliable. My favorite part of the aeotec sensor is the recessed mounting plate and that it can be hardwired, which is a must for me because I'm lazzzzzy and never want to change batteries
I believe you are correct, most glass blocks UV and IR light
I find myself coming back to this channel constantly, thanks for all the tips you have no idea how much you’ve helped me with my new home
You are like the Jedi of smart home tech. Great video
7:55 The UV won't change because your window is filtering it. Otherwise you'd get a sunburn just having your blinds open. Maybe you could use that as an alternative to a contact sensor to tell if windows or doors are open?
Was thinking the same thing right away. But it's definitely not a common sensor to use in automations
I opened the window and it still did the same thing with sun shining on something right outside the window. So I tested it again in direct sunlight and it worked but barely. The sensor was still pretty weak so I’m not sure how useful it would be.
@@SmartHomeSolver I'd be curious to see it pointing straight up outside and compare it to Accuweather's claimed UV Index. (although I can't think of a Use Case for knowing) Plus, Warp's correct, new windows have lots of UV protection built in.
@@JoeAiello789 even just glass blocks uv light with no addons, but it can get better with additived or double or triple glass, as is now common.
Glass only blocks uvb and uvc rays but not uva which is also dangerous to the skin
Thanks for watching! Links to all the sensors and SmartThings device handlers are in the description. Let me know what you’re using.
**UPDATE:** Thanks for all the comments about the UV light. I did some more tests with it today to see if my window was filtering UV light. I opened the window on a bright sunny Arizona day and it still read 0. Then I tested it in direct sunlight with the window both open and closed. With the window open it was 3 out of 255, and closed it was 2 out of 255. So yes the window does filter out some UV rays, but unless the sensor is in direct sunlight it might not pick anything up. There maybe some use cases for the UV sensor, but for me it’s not sensitive enough.
Can you shout me out? You inspired me to make a smart home channel
@8:18 Your windows may have UV light filtering. That's causing the sensor to not detect a change.
Hey Reid, what sensor would you recommend for your mailbox? I am having issues connecting through my metal mailbox, but I only have a Wyze. I’ve tried both motion and contact.
@@0h2ezy Try the long range wireless YoLink sensors. YoLink sensors can work more than 1000 feet away and use 2 AAA batteries, the battery life more than 5 years. It uses the LoRa technology vs other wireless wifi, zigbee and zwave, YoLink is much longer range and lower power and more secure protocol.
Hey as far as the UV sensor goes... Of the total UV light, 95% is UVA (the aging kind), and 5% is UVB (the burning kind). Sensors are usually designed to read only one and calculate the other. Most UV doesn't make it through modern low emissivity window glass, which you no doubt have in AZ, and so that's probably skewing your test. It might be interesting to try an outdoor test on a bright sunny day to see how it compares to, say, the current UV index that the local weather provides. The upshot is that skin is mostly shielded from the (burning) effects of UV light by normal everyday window glass, so there's that. 🙂
I have been looking at sensors lately so this is definitely a timely video. As for your sensor pointed out the window not seeing a change in UV when the blinds open, windows have a UV filter either baked into the glass or applied as a film over it (or both). Move the sensor outside as a test and you should see a change.
I tested it in direct sunlight and the UV sensor did pick it up. I also tried it with the window open not in direct sunlight and it still didn’t pick up anything. I’m not sure how useful this would be with how weak the UV sensor is.
@@SmartHomeSolver have you had a chance to look at the Konnected product for homes that prewired
Literally one of the only few channels left with honest video titles, no attention seeking channel thumbnails (cough) Paul Hibbert (/cough) and decent ‘to the point’ content with a little humour added in. Don’t buckle to the pressure for views on these subjects Reid and I’ll love (and support) you forever.
Great job on covering most of the common sensors, you may want to consider including a water/leak sensor which is bery important to prevent leaks.
Have you tried the Aqara motion sensor? Probably the most attractive and smallest in my opinion.
Does it work with Alexa automatically to start routines or not ? planning on starting my smarthome when prime day hits this year.
Idea put a ground cable on to a door with a battery or something and get Simon thing to check for grounded things and it should work if the person is isolated from ground it only needs to change a slight amount of charge that would make it to where the
Moment you touch the handle the light turns on
Perfect timing on this video. I'm tearing out a lot of the one-off devices I have and trying to consolidate on fewer brands just to make things easier. Sensors is one area that I was not looking forward to researching, so thanks for doing all of this for us!
I appreciate a man who knows the difference between “less” and “fewer”
I literally just thought about what am I going to do when I want another contact multi-purpose sensor now that smart things doesn't sell it thank you for this video and hopefully aotech gets their act together
Hey Reed, thank you for this breakdown on sensors. I have the ring security system with contact and motion sensors throughout the house. Please come up with a video on how we can properly use ring security with Alexa and ideas on how we can further advance our home automation. Thank you for your great content
i second this! Would be great to see ring security and alexa and what can be set up using this ecosystem for us novices
Great video.
I found it amusing for you to easily see the garage door was open, but then have to actually walk to the garage to close it...
I was literally searching smart home sensor videos last night lol good timing
Dude that's how google and youtube works.. You search, google knows. You talk, google listen. You think, google creates a new startup to be first.
@@alissonfl He released the video hours after I searched for similar videos. You think he works for Google and RUclips? Lol.
I have good experience with Aqara motion sensors in my SmartThings system.
They detect motion (2 minutes cool down) and light intensity, plus they're quite cheap. They are pretty cute looking and they come with a tiny adjustable bracket.
I use them in my house to automatically switch on the hallway lights when motion is detected.
But only when the light intensity in that space is below the 30 lux threshold I set.
This way the light only switches on when needed at night, or during daytime in our dark dark winter months.
Works like a charm!
Same here...was missing it in the test
The last part is always the best part!
Right!!!
The throwing boxes at the beginning was pretty cool ngl
Seriously!
Great video! The only thing is missing are outdoor sensors, for example if u want to use sensors in the garden or outdoor gates
like the features, setup was difficult for some of my devices (August Door lock, ruclips.net/user/postUgkxhB5YOMNj04GuoAosExygP4cH-dKeb4aB Bose speaker)... but all switches and outlets (5), thermostat, tankless water heater. Unfortunately all I can do is turn on/off Bose. It doesn't support volume or changing channels, but I believe that is due to the particular speaker I have.... Worth getting if you already have other devices to use it with... I don't sit around and ask Alexa questions much so that doesn't really matter to me....
I'm after some sensors so glad you uploaded this
Hi, until you publish an updated version of this video 😉, which contact sensor do you recommend today for someone who doesn't have a hub yet and plan on using google home? Thank you in advance.
Impressed by the video and quality of the channel. Immediate sub. One question though. If I am starting to build smarter home, should I go for Zigbee or Z-Wave? You are recommending actually both of them. What are caveats of each other? What should I be looking for?
Like your videos Reed. One thing not mentioned is the Agara sensors require their hub to work, which adds to the cost.
I'm super late to this but I want to advocate for Yolink sensors. Both their door and motion sensors are great. They have great range, fast reactions, and most importantly they're cheap. Highly recommended for those on a budget who while still being high quality. And they work with Alexa to set up routines so I have several around my home to turn on different thing at different times of the day.
Thanks for the great review and especially the real world examples of what you can set these up to do. I work with people with disabilities and there are so many useful applications that sensors can be used for to improve quality of life and safety.
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO!!!
The range of products your review is exceptional, much more useful for making informed decisions, thank you!
I recently bought qingping motion and light sensor and some Mijia temperature and humidity sensors. Both use bluetooth, but they work great on Home Assistant.
Love your videos!
Visonic sensors have always been my favorite. They are TINY, no logo, super easy to pair, they can be modified to be water sensors, and they were only $10 each. The price eventually went up to $15 (still great) and they eventually sold out. Can barely find them anymore now :(
😂❤ I iu iu iui uy i i u u uu i u u uu i uuyi uI iI uI uI uI uuI iu 🎉we we qiiuqe I www uiuuiye I ywi u what 😂😂😂oatetw😮😊e😅a😊😊😊😊😊 😢praaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa❤😂❤😂🎉😂😂😂🎉😂q😂😂😮 12:21 ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
That intro was smooothhhh .... Amazing editing :)
Do you have a video showing different types of motion sensors, their patters, and coverage area? I’m interested to know exactly which ones have what and how/where they may be used for the best detection.
How did you know? I was looking for smart home sensors today!
Thanks friend, with so many sensors out there this helps narrow down what to buy
I like the signal strength tip. Is there anyway to get access to this info without a Samsung SmartThings hub? I currently have Philips Hub, am going to be adding couple ZigBee light switches (connected to Echo Studio), setting up a Raspberry Pi, and probably either the Hue motion or Aeotec multisensor after watching your video.
I use the Aqara Motion Sensor, very satisfied. Also, with HomeSeer you can use BLRadar and create motion zones so you group sensors for given zone (I use three in my shop for example and if the entire zone is inactive for three minutes, it turns off the shop lights...lots of electricity savings).
YEEEESSSSS I've been waiting for this one 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Can't wait for the 2024 Sensor Review!
I have been through a lot of motion sensors, and the Hue motion/light sensor is my favorite. It is reliable over the course of a year. The Aeotec are good when you need humidity, but for the price, they really eat through battery life quickly.. and they fail to accurately report battery life when using lithium batteries. For door sensors, I prefer the Aeotec recessed door sensor. It's very quick/responsive, and have exceptional battery life (on the 700 series model).
Could you do a video on the Orro Smart Light Switch VS the Brilliant Smart Light Switch? I’m leaning more on the Orro because I’m not so keen on a camera in the Brilliant in the kids rooms…. I love how you have the intercom feature with each, and both can be used as a motion sensor (although extremely expensive). But the cost of each is pretty high. And there just is t enough videos out there to show all the feature and functions of each. Your videos are very informative and it’s just much easier to watch you inform us.
Thank you for doing these excellent videos!! VERY helpful. I love that you keep it straight to the point.
Yay!! Thank you! I’ve been wanting this video for a while!! You da best!!
Nice shot man !
I’m using all day long the Sonoff and they are a bit tricky to install first but after they really work well.
Have tried Centralite sensors? Been very happy with their performance so far and at a reasonable price.
Hi, thanks for the video, I can also recommend you to check the aqara motions sensor, really good and not that pricy
Thanks Nir and I'll check those out!
I need one what brand would you recommend 👍👊👌
Great video my friend! Cheers from Portugal! 💪
Thanks, good video. FYI Amazon says that Ecolink sensor is unavailable.
I'm a fan of Aqara sensors. They're tiny, cheap, fast and they're zigbee (using them with Home Assistant). The motion sensor cooldown time can be hacked from 1 min to 5 sec
Hi , I’m looking for a vibrating sensor that can trigger when NO vibration is detected. Can u recommend ? To go on washer / dryer
You should be able to use any vibration sensor, and just have an automation that detects when the state goes from vibration to no vibration.
If i were you though, i would use a smart plug to measure power output, as this would be more accurate and wouldn’t require replacing batteries.
Can you make a video on the settings you use for your motion sensors
How about a video on outdoor sensors? Besides Hue, the options seem minimal. Specifically, I'm looking for a sensor to tell me when a backyard gate or carport storage room dooe is opened. Also, an outdoor sensor that can provide a door open/close status signal would get major upvotes. FYI - I live in Palm Springs, so extra points for sensors that can stand the heat).
You should review the NYCE ceiling motion sensor. I have gone through many Zigbee sensors for my SmartThings then my Hubitat hubs. The NYCE uses Zigbee and runs on two AA batteries. With lithium batteries, the sensors still show 100% battery capacity after three months of use. Previously I had SmartThings and Centralite sensors which went low on battery life at various times due to using button batteries. Of those two, Centralite was the best but now, for Zigbee motion sensors with very long battery life, I have switched over to NYCE and I'm thrilled with the redults.
Great channel, need to watch more. I am thinking of a "smart/dumb" solution, but the distance might be too far for smart home devices. Problem: when I am in the garden I cannot see nor hear who is entering my premises, front door is locked, but side door is in use by us, but accessible by that person (might just be a relative without harm) and walks in. Idea: motionsensor and a bell/horn, to let me know someone's coming. Any product idea's?
If you are going to point a UV sensor outside you need to open the window. Especially in Arizona home windows have a ton of UV blocking built into them. Have no idea if the product is just junk either but figured it would help with a more accurate test.
Thanks for the tip. I just tested it again with the window open and it still read zero. I then tested it in direct sunlight and it did work, even with the window closed. The UV sensor is still really weak and I’m not sure how useful it could be.
Just as I heads up, I just replaced 7 of those Sonoffs with Linkind. I had problems with the Sonoffs false triggering, and sometimes not triggering at all. They are really cheap and they perform as such.
I have the Linkind door sensors, and have issue connecting it.
how did you add the device?
using smarting's hub or directly to Alexa?
Another GREAT vid!! Couldn't you use the motion sensor with vibration sense on a clothes dryer to know when the cycle is done?
Lots of folks do.
Aqara has a motion sensor too. If you like their contact sensor, I'd check out the motion sensor. I have a mixture of Hue and Aqara motion sensors set up with Hubitat. But I'll probably only be buying Aqara moving forward since they cost half as much as the Hue ones.
Yes, you should defenetly have a look at the aqara motion sensor!
What physical hub are you using? I'm just getting started and it seems every brand needs its own hub.
@@6foot7dad Hubitat. The Aqara sensors are not on the list of supported devices for Hubitat, but there is a forum post with instructions on how to get it working pretty easily.
Did you tried the Shelly DoorWindow sensor? has a half second of delay, but works well, and the battery last for a year and a half!
Great Video..
I am a newbie in the home automation. So the thing which takes up my curiosity is the knowledge about hub's. To connect the sensors mentioned in your video, do I need a hub, if yes-
1.which is the best one to use, compatible to multiple brand devices or sensors for home automation?
I mostly use sylvania motion and contact sensors. Both have temp sensors in them. They have been great and have a 18 month battery life but they are no longer made.
I also have one samsung multi purpose sensor but that thing eats batteries quickly and is also problematic in the alexa app always showing unresponsive.
Needing more sensors, Brian (AYL) pointed me to the linkind's that you showed. If connecting directly to the echo's zigbee hub they work great. The cool down time on the motion drops down to 30 seconds when using the echo hub. Linkind's sensors are all a bit larger than I like but the selection of zigbee sensors that reliably work with the echo hubs are quite limited.
Connecting the Linkind devices to SmartThings isn't all that difficult, either. I'm surprised Reed had enough problems with the motion detectors to mention it. Considering the steps I've had to take to get other devices to work (futzing with DHs, etc.) just having to pair something twice is relatively painless.
I bought some (also thanks to Brian) to replace my ADT sensors when Samsung announced they were retiring the ADT co-branded system. They were inexpensive enough -- and Amazon's return policy is good, too -- that I figured they were worth a shot. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they work and that the cooldown period is so much shorter (1 minute vs. 3) than my old ADT detectors. The range of both motion and distance is considerably better, too -- in fact, I had to move one from where I had the ADT sensor because it kept detecting people walking in the hall outside the kitchen and switching on the light., which the old one never did.
Time will tell if they're a good value or cheap crap, but so far I'm happy with them.
@@ToniHinton Hi Toni, I have the Linkind door sensors, and have issue connecting it.. with SmarThings app and with Alexa gen 4 there is limited functions.
how did you add the device?
using smarting's hub or directly to Alexa? or some other option I'm not familiar with?
@@Masadu6 I have some connected to Smartthings, and some others connected to Linkind's own hub. It's been a while since I set them up, but I recall the process with ST went smoothly, with one extra step to make it work right.
When you first pair it with ST, it will be detected as a "thing". That's a generic device and so it will have little if any functionality. To get it to work properly you'll need to log into the IDE, go to the device, and change the device type from "thing" to "Smartsense Door/Window sensor". Then reset it (hold down the reset button for about 5 seconds, until the light is red) and then re-pair it. To be clear, you don't need to remove it, just re-pair it.
Love the video's I cant seem to get my Aqara vibration sensor to do anything with smart things, I may need a differnt driver?
I would love a video on navigating the new smartthings devices page.
YES! He is using Home Assistant, welcome to the club :)
Would be nice to see how many of these sensors are compatible with HA too - lots of smart things info but I started down the HA path already.
@@awstott An advice I can give You if You want to use Zigbee sensors or devices is a Conbee II USB Stick.
They also have a site where all compatible devices are listed on. It's growing day to day.
My house is running on the Conbee II stick and never had any connection issues. I'm using Temperature sensors from Xiaomi and Motion sensors from Ikea. The battery life on them is crazy. I have not changed a battery yet and it's been almost 2 years on the first sensor.
@@ZillionPrey I started down the zwave path - not sure that was the best option. I do have some Philips Hue stuff so I can connect some ziggbee devices that way. I do like the hue motion sensor - have some lighting automations using the light sensor in there that work pretty awesome.
@@awstott I wanted to change out some of my motion sensors with hue ones as well looking at the value (€) in my case, it's a pretty cheap devices that has Motion, Temperature and Light Sensing.
I wanted to give Z-Wave a try but I can't find any cheap sensors or even lights here in Germany. Some things I am looking for in terms of Zigbee devices are hard to find :/
The ones I'm still seeking out are smoke and CO detectors.
One thing I would love to see is being able to turn off the sensing part of a sensor when not using it. Like say you only care for movement at night, it would be great to be able to tell the sensor to stop looking for movement (or whatever it senses) at 8am and say at 10pm tell it to continue working. Otherwise in these use cases the sensor may be sending useless signals throughout the day, specially for high transit areas where it could potentially be sending signals as often as it's cool down period (which btw is another thing that would be great to have control of).
philips hue sensor does that
Great Video, just what I needed. Quick question do you know if the Ring Motion sensor can also be used to trigger routines?
8:00 have you tried outside? Glass can absorb nearly all UVB rays, which most UV indices measure.
I didn't try it outside but that's a good point about the glass.
I would be very helpful if you give some instructions on how to add aqara contact sensor in smartthings. I checked the description but it wasn't helpful.😥
I ordered a bunch of those after watching your video but now I can't add it in smartthings. 😔
Hoping to see your response 🙂
Love your work. Hue sensors do not show up as an option to add to my smartthings system (now that I'm trashing all the older smarthings motion sensors that go offline weekly!)
Great video. Can any sensor send out the alert to remote smart phones only when there is NO movement within a period of time? say 12 hours duration. I am struggling to find one. ideally wifi sensor connecting to the home router.
Awesome review! Do you recall which door sensor and Motion sensor had the quickest reaction time. I’m finding with my current door sensor it does take about 10 seconds to turn on the smart down light in the same room. Thanks in advance!
Just picked up the homeseer hsm200 and REALLY would love to know how you set it up to show colors based on your home status. Even if it’s a link to a blog or something.
7:00 Is there something like the HomeSeer HSM200, but that works with either Zigbee or Wifi? I really like the idea of this self-contained package, but I only have an Alexa Echo Zigbee hub or Wifi to work with and I don't really want to buy additional hubs.
Love the channel, only recently discovered as I'm in the process of buying a house and upping my game. I'm already all in on Google WiFi and Nest doorbells and x Yale locks. With the discontinuation of the Nest Detect products, what might you suggest for door/windows sensors. Obviously, I'm hoping not to add a new hub to the mix, but understand that might be the case. Thanks!
Hello! Great video! Can you please please tell me what door sensor would you recommend working with Alexa for my fridge? One that alerts me when the door it's open more than xx minutes...?? Please. Thanks
Thank you for the great video. I already have the Ring alarm (2nd Gen). Are you suggesting that I can buy additional door contacts and use them for others too though? Like it I had a ring contact in my wlak in wardrobe and set up siomething like 'if ring contact triggers, switch on my hue lights'?
Hi .. I love smart home projects and I also love your videos. So, I have a question.
I bought an Echo Studio and did not find any information about the zigbee sensors that work with it.
Do you have any videos that explain this?
I have the sonoff for my laundry room. Works great for turning on the lights
Thank you so much for all your helpful videos! Is there a way to get the Hue Motion Sense to trigger other brands of lights?
Great video. Same again with heat/smoke/co2 detectors and sirens please. Frient and Neo Coolcam have good ST compatible products.
I feel like you're missing out on the joy of Insteon. I know it's old and more expensive, but their power line + wireless communication is so fast and flexible. And often no software to set up links.
Can you use a bunch of these sensors and a speaker to kind of piece together a routine to make your own self-monitoring alarm system?
HI, love your channel help me a lot. I just added smart bulbs to my home and added smart switch all from trealife. Was looking on how to make the 2 work together. I'm using alexa.
I'd try the aqara motion sensor: nice design, small with a optional swivel arm, cheap and can do light and temperature. Cooldown is 2 minutes (or 5 seconds with small soldering job)
The range SUCKS, though. Not a huge problem with zigbee being a mesh, but the Xiaomi devices don't pair with either Phillips Hue or Tuya routers.
Hi Reed thank you for your great work! I have purchased the Aqara door sensor after your recommendation. Question: can I prevent my blinds closing if the window is open or shut off my tado heating? If so how would I program that automation in homekit? Any help appreciated. Thank you, Ian
New to all of this. Great info. Keep them coming.
I have yet to see a differential pressure switch that would be able to tell you that a furnace/AC filter needs to be changed. That would be really useful.
I agree that the Aeotec has some issues, but the UV sensor won't work through glass. Glass blocks UV and IR light. Open the window, and try walking... it won't sense the motion either, since the PIR is IR..
Great video! How'd you pair the ring sensor automations? Taking out the trash and the light turning on?
Good info but looks like you only based this on indoor applications. Would be nice to know the IP ratings and weatherproof capabilities for use in outdoors and harsh environments as well.
I connected 1st gen ring contact sensors directly to SmartThings, and it works fine , plus the battery last for very long time. though First get ring sensors are huge compared to new ones
I love this comparison!!!
Hi, thank you very much for this great overview! Please keep in mind that I am very new to this topic. I do have a question about the smartthings and ring contact sensors, do they need a corresponding bridge/hub from samsung/ring or can I connect them, or maybe one of them directly over my smartphone? Thank you very much in advance for your response!
Awesome mate, do you know of any sensors that can just alert you for sound, I've got an alarm system that used to use my home phone to ring my mobile if the alarm went off as it's indoors but I've got rid of the home phone so I want to just put a sensor near the alarm box so it alerts me if the alarm goes off and I'm out or in bed, it's gotta be easier than using a camera or getting a new alarm system, cheers
This is a very useful Video - Much Gratitude!
Please cover leak or humidity sensors.
Are any of these good for outdoor usage? I think motion sensor to lights would be nice for outside security
Hey Reed,
I was looking at a Ring Contact Sensor 6-pack but don't have a ring alarm system.
Can I pair the Ring Contact Sensors to my SmartThings hub WITHOUT the need for the Ring Alarm Base Station?
Love your channel!
Great vid, however i have a small question, Is there any waterproof door sensors on the market. I want one for my back garden gate to alert me if the gate is open. Thank you
We would like to follow the advice from your other vlog and stick to a Eufy ecosystem. We tried VOCOlinc smart plugs and contact sensors and were very pleased once we added on HomePod Mini. But the VOCOlinc Opto VC1 cam was a disappointment with neither one in the 2 cam kit seeming to record anything. (Defective devices? Dumb consumer? Software snafu?)
Now you added a lot of fuel for thought. We live in a townhouse where a safe, strategic placement outside for a Eufy cam is slim pickings, but we could put a motion sensor high and dry in the overhang over our entranceway, which could trigger an automation that wakes up our security cam peeking out through a side window. What do you think?
No security cam seems to be able to detect motion through a glass window, except for a repurposed iPhone running AlfredCamera. Anyway, a motion sensor that triggers a security cam would be an solution. Do you think that would work with either indoor Eufy cam?