iSmarAlarm is a wireless surveillance system, that can be managed remotely via a smartphone. When it comes to home security, we want a discreet, of an excellent quality, yet affordable, security system. The iSmartAlarm wireless surveillance system features all these characteristics. It consists of a smart cube, said CubeOne, two contact sensors, a motion sensor and other accessories required to keep the house safe if a thief breaks in. iSmartAlarm is very easy to install, as it does not require a subscription. It can be controlled remotely with both iOS and Android systems.
What’s in the box
The box contains the cube, or CubeOne, two contact sensors (DWS3 model) for doors or windows, a motion sensor (PIR3 model) and two remote controls. Finishes are beautiful and elegant, and all the items are made of solid materials. Every component is white. The higher cost of the premium version is due to the iCamera Keep.
Other extra components include two contact sensors and an intelligent switch. The 10 cm elegant and modern cube featuring a 110 dB alarm is the central element to which all the other sensors are connected.
Its white LED light is switched on when the system is operating, and it will be red when something is wrong. It will pulse during an alarm and remains switched on if there is a fault. An Ethernet network cable, a power cable, two movable stickers and the user manual in English will be provided with the box.
The retail price is around €199, but you can find it for cheaper on Amazon.
iSmartAlarm: how does it work?
The iSmartAlarm system can be controlled remotely, it doesn’t require a remote control and many extra features can be added downloading the app compatible with iOS and Android systems. The setup of the app only takes a few second. You will receive a confirmation call so that the iSmartAlarm can contact you if the alarm sets on.
Connect the cube to the router and to the power cable. Please remove the two insulation labels from the two sensors, as they prevent the connection from working properly.
Once you open the app, you will need to create an account directly linked with your mobile number.
The app will guide you through these steps and will research the sensors, the motion detectors, and remote controls. The procedure is really easy.
However, if you delete the cube from the app, you will need to take off the batteries from all the devices and wait for 10 seconds before reinserting them.
It’s going to be easy to take the batteries off from the contact sensors (one AA battery each), but the motion sensor has 3 AA batteries and the remote controls, even if they only have one AA battery, have small screws that need to be removed first. The CubeOne does not include a backup battery, so if there is a power failure, the entire system will stop working.
The motion sensor is very light and is designed to be placed on a vertical surface, such as the wall, thanks to a double-sided sticky tape.
It captures movements within 3 meters and it detects 9 different degrees of intensity. Contact sensors can be installed up to 100 m from the cube.
They can be placed on doors and windows, but they can also be installed on wardrobes, swimming pool’s entrance to check if anyone enters. Place the stickers in their right spot at the first try as they are very hard to be removed from the wall, and if they are moved from their original spot, they lose their grip.
If sensors are installed properly they will send reliable notifications whenever the doors or windows will be open and the motion sensor will act the same whenever it detects movements.
The remote tag is a remote control that works from 100 meters and is equipped with four buttons that allow you to turn on and off the iSmartAlarm. You can also start the “home” mode that disables the motion detector, keeping the contact sensors working, to ensure the home is secured even if someone is at home.
Finally, there is a “panic mode” button that activates the alarm deliberately.
When you push the panic button, the system is activated. The CubeOne starts beeping and, from that moment, you have three minutes to leave the house before it starts making an annoying noise, due to the activation of the motion sensor.
Whatever happens in your house, you will receive a notification on your smartphone. The information received is stored in a log file called “App Notifications”. Another detectable element is the sound “Ding Dong” emitted by the CubeOne at the opening of a door or a window.
You can also adjust the alarm activation and deactivation time, identified with a beep that will get faster when it’s closer to the activation and deactivation of the alarm.
Find the CubeOne a spot where the thief cannot find it, otherwise, if he finds it, it can deactivate it before the alarm set on and you won’t receive any notification about him, being in the house. To make the system more effective, it is recommended to remove the countdown and deactivation notification sound.
In any case, even though the cube were to go offline, the app would alert you. The volume of the alarm represents a problem, because even though you can adjust it, it is not always audible. However, the problem can be solved by buying an external alarm, or by buying a third party one, according to the IFTTT protocol.
Conclusions
The surveillance iSmartAlarm system is easy to install and manage, and is able to ensure a good performance. Its sensors are reliable and you can be 100% sure that if anything happens, you will be alerted immediately. As it doesn’t require any installation or subscription costs, the retail price of the system is relatively low.
Moreover, the app is really intuitive. iSmarAlarm is an adaptable surveillance system and is recommended for those who are on a budget and don’t want to address to experts of the field, that might ask a very expensive fee for installing a professional surveillance system, that is normally too invasive for the house as it requires to make many holes on the wall.
This product is a very good value for money.
Advantages: Good Materials, Sensors Reliability, Easy Installation, Good Price, Expansibility.
Disadvantages: The alarm volume is not high enough, no backup battery