Piper NV Review: Self-Monitored Home and Business Security System

Definitely NOT a complete solution, but the Piper NV has added much peace of mind with the added benefit of home automation without the fuss. I love it so much I have two!


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WHAT IS IT?

  • Built-in peace of mind
  • siren, motion & sound detection, 180 degree camera with night vision
  • can be used as z-wave home automation hub
  • 2-way audio to check in at home
  • home vitals monitor (temp, light, humidity, sound, motion record)

WHY IT MATTERS:

  • peace of mind – but will not replace true monitored security system

WHO IT’S FOR:

  • family, pet owners, anyone with space to protect (home or business)

WHY SHOULD YOU TRUST ME?

  • Had house broken into
  • Paranoid home-owner & uber-geek with monitored home security system for over 30 years

REVIEW:

PROS:

  • all-in-one design
  • simple initial setup
  • great online support
  • reliable (over 2 years without major complaint)
  • no recurring fees
  • live video on demand & triggered recordings to the cloud
  • anti-theft battery backup (with screw)
  • z-wave compatible = can become your home automation hub
  • ifttt integration

CONS:

  • fisheye lens distortion / limited resolution
  • all units are ganged: can’t activate just 1 in multi-piper house (all or nothing)
  • no outdoor solution
  • many false positives with sound detection (but can easily turn it off)
  • ifttt timers not accurate (but not the fault of Piper)

QUIRKS & QUESTIONABLES:

  • Piper unit may act strange when batteries are low. If experiencing random weirdness, try replacing batteries.
  • Admittedly I have a lot of Z-wave appliances hooked up (4 door/window sensors, 4 switches, 1 water sensor and a motion sensor), but have had some z-wave appliances not respond to Piper “rules” or commands. Solution was to force remove ALL z-wave appliances, then add them one at a time again. Happened twice but solution worked in both cases. Tedious but do-able.

Tip: don’t place in rooms/floors where you want privacy

  • not a replacement for real police-response monitored alarm system (we have both) – remember you require wifi to have it notify you
  • fisheye lens is not of best resolution
  • night vision mode is useful but not detailed
  • Z-wave tip: have mine set to boil water and turn on my nightlight when movement is detected in the kitchen (kids are awake)
  • Z-wave tip: have motion detector in garage: can tell if someone is in garage prior to entering house
  • Z-wave tip: have front house lights wired via micro-switch to turn on/off house lights anywhere in the world
  • Z-wave tip: can hook smart power plug up to heater to prevent frozen pipes in winter

VERDICT:

BUY IT!



THANK YOU! + THE NotSo FINE PRINT

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