News Posts

We actually missed this about a month ago, but it appears Alarm.com has updated their website camera video feed viewer to use native browser streaming. This replaces the old Adobe Flash video viewer. This change does not come as a surprise, as Adobe Flash will soon reach its end of life.

Being able to live-stream the video feed for Alarm.com Security Cameras is one of the most important features of these devices. This can be done using the Alarm.com website or the mobile app. The change being discussed here affects streaming through a web browser and the Alarm.com website. Before, it was only possible to stream Alarm.com Cameras on the website by using the Adobe Flash video viewer. The update provides support for native browser streaming. This will make it easier for most viewers to access their camera feeds.

With Adobe Flash reaching its end of life by the end of the year, this update was basically a no-brainer for Alarm.com. Users will still have the ability to view their cameras using Adobe Flash until the end of the year. At that point, only native browser streaming will be supported for camera streaming through the Alarm.com website. Native browser streaming is easier to maintain, and it does not require users to install and update a Flash plug-in. Native browser streaming support was actually made available towards the end of September, but we never covered the news in our blog prior to now.

When you access your Alarm.com account through the website, the Video section will appear on the left if Video Surveillance has been added to your account. By clicking on this section then Live Video, you will be able to choose a camera for streaming. In the upper-right corner there will be a toggle bar for you to enable or disable the "New Viewer. When the bar is blue, the New Viewer is enabled, and native browser streaming will be used. This is the default option. You can click the toggle bar to turn off the New Viewer and use Adobe Flash streaming. This will only be available until the end of the year. After that, no Flash streaming will be available.

Please note that the New Viewer and native browser streaming only allows the live video stream to be maintained for a few minutes at a time. After that, you will get a message that the stream has "timed out". You will need to refresh the stream to resume viewing. This is normal, and it's just a limitation that comes with Alarm.com Camera streaming. Simply click the "Play" button that appears on the screen to refresh the stream and continue watching.

Also note that while the camera viewer now has native browser streaming available, the streaming video recorder (SVR) timeline page still uses Adobe Flash. Native browser streaming is not yet available for SVR functions on the Alarm.com website. We expect that to change in the near future, as Alarm.com continues to make their transition away from Flash. We do not have an ETA on when that will become available, but we will be sure to provide an update once we learn more.

If you have any questions about Alarm.com Camera streaming, or if you are interested in monitoring service to gain access to Alarm.com, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. Remember that Alarm Grid customers need either a Platinum Level Plan or a Video-Only Plan to gain access to Alarm.com for camera streaming. Our team is happy to address any questions or concerns you may have via email. We check our email during our usual business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

I don't usually get the opportunity to talk about my personal life very often in this blog. But today, I wanted to briefly share my personal experience registering an alarm system in Pompano Beach, FL. Specifically, I want to focus on the sensible alarm registration policy in the city.

Earlier this year, I had the fortune of purchasing my first home, located just half a mile from the Alarm Grid headquarters. Along with this purchase came a brand-new Honeywell Lyric Security System and monitoring service from Alarm Grid. Maybe someday I'll show the inner workings of my home security setup. But for now, I just want to talk about the positive experience I have had in registering my system with the city of Pompano Beach, FL. This is truly an example of a local alarm authority maintaining a very reasonable policy.

As the operator of a monitored security system in Pompano Beach, FL, I am required by the local jurisdiction to register my system annually with the city. The annual registration fee is a mere $25, and it covers me until December 31st of the same year. This struck me as very reasonable, and I do not believe that it would deter anyone in my community from protecting their home with a monitored system. But the aspect that left me quite impressed was the professional and sincere follow-up that I received after registering.

Upon receipt of my payment, the city of Pompano Beach, FL sent me a welcome letter to verify registration. It included a decal that I can display outside to verify that my system is registered with the city. The welcome letter itself was also very informative in its own right. This message specifically mentioned the importance of regularly testing a security system, complete with a reminder to place the system on test mode with the central station first. The letter went on to present a long list of common causes of false alarms. It even made specific mention of motion detection sensors, which, as a security professional, I am very well aware of how they can cause problems if not installed properly.

The letter ended on a rather serious note, as it mentioned that less than 2% of the alarms that the local police and fire departments respond to are actual emergencies. It urged users to do their part to reduce the false alarm rate by receiving proper training from the alarm provider. Luckily for me, my monitoring provider is also my employer, so I have received plenty of training in preventing false alarms. But I can easily see a typical homeowner who isn't experienced in using a system making a mistake and potentially causing a false alarm.

Taking a step back, I honestly think that my city has a very sensible methodology in handling security systems. There isn't an extreme "verified response" policy, and the local authorities will respond to any alarm event. I believe that this is important for members of the community to feel safe in their homes and to place trust in those who protect and serve. But at the same time, my city acknowledges that false alarms are a legitimate problem, and system users are urged to do their part to prevent them. I think that is very reasonable, as we must all do our part to not abuse the system and waste the time and resources of our local authorities.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the false alarm fining policies for Pompano Beach, FL. It turns out that the first three (3) false alarm events within one (1) calendar year, provided that the system is registered, will result in warnings. The fourth (4th) false alarm within a year will result in a $25 fine, the fifth (5th) will result in a $50 fine, and the sixth (6th) and all subsequent false alarms within the year will each result in a $100 fine. Again, I am fine with this policy, as causing more than three (3) false alarms with a year is pretty foolish, and by that point, a user probably should be fined if they have not corrected the problem.

I might take a closer look at the letter and its fine details another time. But I will end this post by saying that I am proud of my city for taking a very reasonable approach to what is a well- known issue. Alarm Grid does its part to stop false alarms by working to train its customers in operating their security systems responsibly. We strongly advise checking this guide to false alarm prevention, as it provides a plethora of tips to ensure that you're not the one increasing the false alarm rate.

You can also email us if you have any questions or concerns about using your system. We are always happy to talk about false alarm prevention so that you can feel confident your day-to-day security system interactions. Monitored Alarm Grid customers should email support@alarmgrid.com with any questions they might have. This email is also good if you are interested in starting new monitoring service to protect your home or business. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you prevent false alarms!

According to the September/October 2020 Security Market Index (SMI) released by the Security Industry Association (SIA), confidence is returning to the industry following the global health pandemic. Surveyed SIA members currently feel more positive about the industry than in recent months.

Selected SIA members were asked how they would rate current business conditions in the security industry. The options of "Excellent", "Good", "Average", "Fair", and "Poor" were available. The idea was to get a good gauge of the current industry outlook for security professionals. The table below outlines the submitted responses for this question.

According to these results, nearly two-thirds of surveyed security professionals view current industry conditions as "Excellent" or "Good". And perhaps equally as encouraging is the fact that none of the responding SIA members reported viewing the current industry conditions as "Poor". Needless to say, this paints a very positive current outlook for the security industry.

Back in April, we discussed how the DIY security industry was remaining strong in the face of the pandemic. We cited how well companies like ours were able to weather the storm and adapt to the changing times. At Alarm Grid, we provide all of our support online and over the phone. This makes our company best-suited for meeting the unique needs of our customers in an era of social distancing. Now it appears that the rest of the industry is catching up.

Alarm Grid is happy to see that many security professionals feel as confident in the industry as we do. We know that our company remains in a position to thrive, even as others face potential uncertainty in these unique times. Providing top-quality alarm monitoring service is as important as ever, and we will continue doing our part to meet the needs of all our clients. This includes our long-time customers, as well as those who are just now getting started.

If you are interested in joining the Alarm Grid family as a monitored customer, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We will be happy to work with you in determining the best security system and monitoring plan for your needs. Remember that we check email during our usual business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you follow this blog regularly, then you probably already know about the significance of the 3G and CDMA Sunset. Now, Alarm.com is taking their own steps to demonstrate the urgency by listing a "Trouble" status condition next to all 3G and CDMA accounts on the alarm dealer end.

Alarm dealers like Alarm Grid who provide service with Alarm.com will notice a "Trouble" status condition next to all customer accounts who are still connected using an AT&T 3G or a Verizon CDMA Communicator. The purpose of this trouble condition is so that dealers can properly notify end users who need to upgrade to LTE to avoid a loss of service. Cellular service providers are expected to shut down older 3G and CDMA Networks in 2022.

When a cellular network is shut down, all cellular devices designed to connect with the network will stop working. This includes cellular communicators for security systems. The 3G and CDMA shutdown will inevitably affect countless security systems across the country. Anyone still using a system with a 3G, 4G, or CDMA Communicator is heavily urged to upgrade to LTE as soon as possible.

While this news does not impact end users in any manner (including those still using 3G or CDMA), it does go to show how important this issue is. We have been doing our part by informing users about the importance of upgrading. Recently, our marketing team even sent out emails to customers still lagging behind to try and get the word out. We have also been regularly blogging about the subject.

Fortunately, most users with a 3G or CDMA Communicator can simply swap out their existing communicator for a new LTE model. The term LTE stands for "Long-Term Evolution", and an LTE communicator will keep your system online well into the very distant future. You may have heard about the rise of 5G cellular communication and think that LTE will soon be outdated as well. But the truth is that LTE will serve as a valuable backup to 5G. Both AT&T and Verizon have promised to keep their LTE networks online for many, many years, possibly decades.

If you need assistance finding an LTE communicator for your security system, then we are more than happy to help. We urge you to not wait until the last minute, as many users will be trying to upgrade at the same time. Upgrading early helps prevent a logjam when it comes to be crunch time later on, and it greatly reduces the burden on us. Please, contact us with your panel information, and we will assist you in making a seamless transition.

The best way to contact us regarding LTE upgrades is to email support@alarmgrid.com. If you are currently monitored with Alarm Grid, then we will be able to pull up your panel info. But if you are looking to switch to Alarm Grid, then please provide us with a picture of your alarm panel. This includes a picture of the inner circuit board if you have a hardwired panel. Remember, we check email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Alarm Grid has discovered a recent manufacturing mistake that has affected some Honeywell 5822T Garage Tilt Sensor units. The issue has resulted in the internal tilt detector for the affected units being positioned upside-down. We apologize to anyone who may have received an affected unit.

Inside every Honeywell 5822T is a pair of cylindrical metal pieces. These metal pieces represent the sensor's internal tilt detector that is used to determine whether the garage door that is being monitored is opened or closed. Because of a recent manufacturing error, the internal tilt detector for these sensors was positioned upside-down.

The following picture shows the tilt detection sensor in the proper position. Note how it is positioned facing the upper portion of the sensor.

And now here is a picture of a Honeywell 5822T where the tilt detector has been positioned improperly. Note how the metal cylindrical pieces are positioned facing the sensor's bottom.

At this time, we are not entirely sure of the date ranges for the affected sensors. So far, we have only seen incorrectly manufactured Honeywell 5822T units with a date code of D227, which represents August 14, 2020. We have also seen newer Honeywell 5822T units with a date code of D255, which represents September 11, 2020 that do not have this issue. Based on that info, it's likely that Resideo has already corrected the mistake in manufacturing, and we are only just now discovering the issue due to reports from customers.

Below is a picture of the date code for one of the improperly manufactured 5822T units. Note that D represents the year 2020, while 227 represents the 227th day of the year, or August 14th, with 2020 being a leap year.

The good news is that the improperly manufactured units are still usable. When using the 5822T as a garage tilt sensor (Loop 3), you just need to mount the unit upside-down so that the internal tilt detector is facing the proper direction. Normally, these devices are mounted at the top of the garage door with the arrow pointing upward. If you find that you have an affected unit, just mount the sensor in the same location with the arrow pointing downward. If you are only using the Honeywell 5822T as a wireless transmitter (Loop 1), then you can position it in any direction, as that function is unaffected by the manufacturing error.

The picture below shows the arrow on the outside of the Honeywell 5822T. The sensor is typically installed with the arrow facing upward, but an affected unit can be used for regular operation by being installed with the arrow facing downward.

If you have any questions about the Honeywell 5822T, please reach out to us by emailing support@alarmgrid.com. This is also a great email to use if you are interested in starting monitoring service with Alarm Grid. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

There will soon be yet another update available for the Alarm.com Mobile App. This time, both the iOS and Android mobile app versions are receiving updates. According to Alarm.com, the new mobile app versions should be made available for free download sometime within the next week.

Alarm.com Mobile App Version 4.16 for iOS will add smart lighting control as a new Siri Shortcut option. This will allow a user to more easily set up their lights so that they can be controlled using Siri Voice Commands. We have found Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts to be very useful for easily controlling one's security system through spoken voice commands. For more info on using Siri Shortcuts with Alarm.com, please check out this prior blog post.

Alarm.com Mobile App Version 4.15 for Android will provide video doorbell support to the Shortcuts feature for the app. This will allow the user to access the live video feed for their Alarm.com Doorbell Camera with a long press of the app launcher icon. This is believed to be similar to the doorbell shortcut for the iOS version that was released in the prior update. In addition, Android users will also gain the ability to set an "Override Do Not Disturb" option to ensure that they do not miss critical alerts from Alarm.com. This option will be available from within the Alarm.com Notifications Page.

As usual, both the new iOS and Android App Versions will also include general stability fixes and improvements to help ensure seamless performance. These new app versions are expected to be made available sometime next week, so keep an eye out for them in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Alarm Grid will provide further updates if we learn anything else. If you have any questions regarding Alarm.com Mobile App Version 4.16 for iOS or Alarm.com Mobile App Version 4.15 for Android, or if you are interested in starting monitoring service for accessing Alarm.com, please do not hesitate to email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

The parent company of 2GIG is rebranding itself. The company will now simply be known as Nortek Control, rather than its previous name of Nortek Security & Control. Nortek is making this change to place an even greater emphasis on the diverse selection of products that it offers.

Nortek is arguably best-known for 2GIG, which focuses mostly on the security industry. This is, of course, the manufacturer of the popular 2GIG GC2e and 2GIG GC3e Alarm Systems. However, it's clear that Nortek wants people to be aware that they offer more than just security and access control products.

President and CEO of Nortek Control Chris Larocca said of the rebranding, "We address a wide range of markets, and we just believed that shoehorning ourselves by calling out one specific segment that we address in the company name really was not conducive to the other markets that we play in."

Nortek Control has product offerings and subsidiary companies in a wide selection of industries, including security, access control, electrical power, audio/video, health & wellness, and analytics. The company recently announced that it would expand its audio business by continuing to grow its SpeakerCraft and Proficient brands.

Alarm Grid carries many Nortek Control products on its website, most notably those from 2GIG. We also offer products from Linear, which is the smart home automation company of Nortek. Alarm Grid has praised many 2GIG and Linear products in the past for their strong build quality. The rebranding should not affect any existing offerings from 2GIG and Linear.

Nortek Control currently operates design and manufacturing centers in North America, Asia, and Europe. The company has millions of customers and clients worldwide, and they plan to continue providing innovative products across various industries. The rebrand also includes a new logo, which is the letter N designed to appear as an oscilloscope or infinity loop.

If you want to learn more about Nortek Control products, specifically those from 2GIG and Linear, then we recommend reaching out to us by emailing support@alarmgrid.com. We are happy to help you find the perfect additions for your security and smart home automation needs. Our hours for checking email run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Alarm.com has won a 2020 New Product of the Year Award from Security Today for their Wellness Camera, also known as the Alarm.com ADC-V622-WELL. The Alarm.com Wellcam won the award in the Fire & Life-Safety category. We congratulate Alarm.com and their Wellcam for their continued success.

With social distancing guidelines still in effect due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Alarm.com Wellcam has proven to be highly effective in helping many doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff communicate with patients, while still maintaining a safe distance. The product was actually first unveiled at ISC 2018 a couple of years ago, but it's good to see it really shine during an era of social distancing.

Alarm.com Vice President of Products Steve Chazin said of the award, "The need to stay connected with family and loved ones is greater now than ever before. Wellcam extends the power of modern security systems to help protect and connect people wherever they live. We're thrilled that Security Today deems Wellcam a New Product of the Year. This recognition underscores just how critical innovations like Wellcam are in helping all of us look after one another, regardless of whether we're feet or miles apart."

The Alarm.com Wellcam is loaded with excellent features that help it to thrive both as a wellness camera and as a security camera in general. The device offers 1080p recording capabilities, a 180° viewing angle, 6 MP zoom, and IR night vision of up to 15 feet. This helps ensure that the camera captures detailed video of any activity that occurs in the room. The camera also has a call-button on top that a patient or monitored individual can use to call for help, if needed. A built-in microphone and Bluetooth speaker allows the individual to engage in a two-way voice call with the monitoring party through Alarm.com. The speaker can also be used for entertainment purpose, including streaming music and podcasts.

Alarm.com originally designed the Wellcam for use with the Alarm.com Wellness Platform. But the capabilities of the device have really been put to the test with the ongoing pandemic. Needless to say, the Alarm.com Wellcam has passed with flying colors. Like all Alarm.com Cameras, the Wellcam is designed exclusively for use with the Alarm.com platform. You can get started using the camera by getting an Alarm Grid Platinum Plan or an Alarm Grid Video Monitoring Plan. More information about our monitoring plans can be found in this post.

If you have any questions about the Alarm.com Wellcam, or any other products or services relating to Alarm.com, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! The best way to contact us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

HomeKit users may notice two (2) new device categories in the platform. Apple iOS 14 has added device categories for both TV Set Top Boxes and Streaming Sticks. These categories will appear when you go to add an accessory and have a compatible TV Set Top Box or Streaming Stick within range.

The two new device categories have appropriate icons to go with them. It's possible that the new categories could have other implications for Apple HomeKit. Some have speculated that Apple may be in the process of providing HomeKit support to various streaming devices, other than their own AppleTV.

It is likely that HomeKit-compatible TV Set Tox Boxes and Streaming Sticks will behave in a similar manner as HomeKit-compatible televisions when used with the platform. The devices appear in the Apple Home App so that you can navigate and control the connected device through the app or by using the Siri Voice Assistant.

You will only find the new device categories when using HomeKit on Apple iOS 14, which was just made available last week. Alarm Grid previously covered how iOS 14 was set to introduce a new look for HomeKit on the iPad and facial recognition for HomeKit-compatible security cameras. Alarm Grid recommends the Honeywell Lyric as a HomeKit-compatible security system.

We are impressed with how Apple continues to update their HomeKit platform. We think it is a great resource for Apple users. If you have any questions about HomeKit, including the compatibility between the Lyric and HomeKit, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

2GIG and Nortek have announced that many of their products have been discontinued, effective immediately. This list is headlined by the 2GIG GC3, which has been replaced by the 2GIG GC3e. These products are no longer being manufactured, and new models will no longer be available.

Most of the products on this list are older products with proper replacements, as well as some unpopular products and products designed for markets outside of the United States. Although the list is quite extensive, there's really nothing too surprising here. Many of these products weren't even available through Alarm Grid, so not much will change in terms of our product offerings. The move simply allows 2GIG to dedicate more resources to manufacturing newer and more robust products.

The list of discontinued items can be seen below:

• 2GIG 2GIG-ANT1X External In-Wall GSM Antenna
• 2GIG 2GIG-CAM-101-NET Indoor WiFi Camera, Powered By Securenet
• 2GIG 2GIG-CAM-HD100 Camera HD100 Indoor W/Night Vision
• 2GIG 2GIG-CP22-345B GC2 345MHz security, 921 Z-Wave, Brazil
• 2GIG 2GIG-CP61-345C Control Panel 345 Mhz GoControl Pr
• 2GIG 2GIG-DW10-120PK Thin Door/Window Contact, 120 bulk pack
• 2GIG 2GIG-GC3-345 GC3 Panel (North America) 345 MHz
• 2GIG 2GIG-GC3GA-T GSM 3G AT&T Telular GoControl
• 2GIG 2GIG-GCKIT30IMG GC2 Image Sensor Kit; 1 GC2 Panel, 3 DW10 Sensors, 1 Image Sensor
• 2GIG 2GIG-GCKIT311 GC2 Kit 3-1-1
• 2GIG 2GIG-GCKIT410 GC2 Kit 4-1-0
• 2GIG 2GIG-GC-POTS GC2 Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) Module
• 2GIG 2GIG-KIT311-GC3 GC3 3-1-1 Kit
• 2GIG 2GIG-KV-T-GC3 GC3 Telus VKit: GC3-345 Panel and GSM/3G Telus cellular radio (2GIG 2GIG-3GTL-A-GC3)
• 2GIG 2GIG-LAN-GC3 GC3 Ethernet Module
• 2GIG 2GIG-LTEV-A-GC3 Alarm.com Verizon Cat-3 4G LTE Cell Radio For 2GIG GC3 With 2 LTE Antennas
• 2GIG 2GIG-MNT-250B 2GIG Camera Mount For Outdoor Mini-Dome, Series 250, Black
• 2GIG 2GIG-MNT-250B 2GIG Camera Mount For Outdoor Mini-Dome, Series 250, Black
• 2GIG 2GIG-RELY-KIT3 Rely 3-1-1 Kit for SecureNet Backend with Camera. Note: A KIT3 includes KIT2 (3-1-1 Rely for SecureNet) and the Camera
• 2GIG 2GIG-SDS1-345 Wireless Smoke Detector Sensor 345MHz (Smoke Ring)
• 2GIG 2GIG-TS1-SLO 2GIG 2GIG-Ts1-Slo (This is not the 2GIG TS1, which is still available)
• 2GIG 2GIG-Z-CT100 Ct100 Thermostat
• GoControl GD00Z-4A Garage Door Controller : GoControl Z-Wave Plus Garage Door Control. Plain white box. Frontpoint.
• GoControl WD1000Z-1 GoControl Z-Wave White In-Wall Dimmer Switch. 1000 Watt Max
• GoControl WD1000Z-R4 Retail Replenishment pack of 4 WD1000Z-1. Z-Wave white wall dimmer switch. 1000 Watt max. 300 Series. North American product
• GoControl WD500Z-1 Z-Wave white wall dimmer switch. 500 Watt max. 300 Series. North American product.
• GoControl WD500Z-R6 Retail Replenishment pack of 6 WD500Z-1. Z-Wave white wall dimmer switch. 500 Watt max. 300 Series. North American product
• GoControl WDKIT-AL WD 4 PC Trim Kit Almond, 1ea
• GoControl WDKIT-AL-R4 Retail Replenishment pacK of 4 WD ALMOND trim kits
• GoControl WI15VZ-1 Z-Wave 15 Valve Irrigation Controller. US

If you have any questions about these discontinued products, or if you are needing suitable replacements for any discontinued product, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!