This article is dedicated to Piper review since it occupies an important place in home security. In these Piper reviews, you will find information about its pros and cons, price, equipment, services provided, features of use and the specifics of ordering.
Overall Score – 5.0
- Price – 5.0
- Equipment/Devices – 5.0
- Customer Service – 5.0
- Features & Technology – 5.0
- Ease to Use – 5.0
Piper – a project that appeared thanks to public funding. The creators of the home security system packages conducted a fundraising campaign on the Indiegogo website about a year ago, and it turned out to be very successful: the organizers wanted $ 100,000 but received three times as much. The developers did not delay the official launch much and soon the gadget became available to everyone. Talking about the Piper home security price, one should mention that today it is from 240 to 850 dollars.
The Piper wireless security system includes a high-resolution panoramic (180⁰) indoor camera, which can change its position and enlarge the image by an external command. In addition, it contains a motion detector, as well as a 105-decibel siren. In case of violation of security rules, the device can send messages using SMS or push notifications. Piper is unique in that it provides panoramic pictures of the house, but this is not all of its capabilities. Therefore, this is not just a novelty, it is a real breakthrough in the world of innovative technologies used to ensure home safety. This is a fully automated home device that combines the possibilities of panoramic shooting, Z-Wave technology, elegant design and the ability to interact with a tablet or smartphone.
At the same time, Piper is not just another security system, it is also able to control smart home devices. Using optional accessories of the Z-Wave standard, such as special electric plugs, the user can integrate various devices into a single solution. By connecting, for example, the lighting system to the Smart Switch, you may regulate the light from anywhere via the Internet.
It is important to indicate in these Piper home security reviews that organizing a simple security system at home is not so difficult. For this, it is not necessary to be very smart because a correctly selected DIY solution will save most of the problems with installation and configuration. The Piper system is a great example of such a product.
Pros/Cons
Many are concerned today about the issue “Is Piper a good company and whether should I get it services?”. It is necessary to consider the pros and cons in order to answer this question.
Pros:
Unconditional advantages of Piper – ease of installation and relatively low cost. For little money, the owner receives a full-fledged “secret police” and a blank for a primitive automation system. If we consider Piper pulse cameras like Dropcam HD or Samsung SmartCam HD Pro as competitors, then it might seem that the user gets an appendage in the form of a Z-Wave hub completely free. This is not entirely true: the owner has to put up with the lack of a number of useful functions. Firstly, Piper does not support night mode, which is strange for a security camera. Secondly, Piper is not able to automatically switch modes. Thirdly, the Piper system does not allow forced video recording. An outstanding viewing angle can serve as a certain competitive advantage, but in general, Piper does not claim to be a leader in the security camera segment.
- Easy installation;
- Low cost;
- Professional cameras as a part of the security system;
- A package of cool features.
Cons:
If to consider the gadget as a combined solution, it should be mentioned that the purchase of additional accessories significantly increases the total cost of the system, as a result of which Piper has to confront iSmartAlarm, another security system that owes its appearance to crowdfunding. The latter has a number of significant advantages, but at the moment it is available only in the United States and Canada.
- No video recording;
- No support for the night mode.
It is also necessary to mention in these Piper security reviews that by the standards of the Indiegogo project, the gadget went on sale pretty quickly, but it played a trick on it: at the time of the release of the software it was incomplete, because of which users were faced with the problem of spontaneous disconnection of Piper from the wireless network. For the device on which the safety of property depends, it is unforgivable. By releasing several firmware updates, the problem was fixed. As a result, the Piper security company is very popular today.
The Bottom Line
At first glance, Piper is another variation on the theme “security doorbell camera for amateurs”, but not everything is so simple. Of course, Piper can compete with some Dropcam, however, the subject of this review not only protects the home from intrusion but also provides the simplest automation of rooms. This device looks after the house through the lens, which is known as the ‘fisheye’, that is, it performs panoramic shooting. The field of view of Piper is so wide that it is able to see absolutely everything, it seems that there are 4 cameras in the room at once. Automatic recording is turned on if something unusual happens, for which it was programmed. The high-quality recording is in HD. The device has a good memory margin – 802.11b.
Pricing
As it was already noted above, the price of the Piper smart home is from 240 to 850 dollars. Piper pricing depends on the number of main equipment options, that is, equipment for sale included in the set.
Equipment/Devices/Features
Piper is a small device equipped with an ARM processor, a flash memory chip, a Wi-Fi wireless adapter and a Z-Wave controller (a wireless communication protocol designed for home automation). A camera with a wide-angle lens, an infrared motion sensor, a high-quality microphone, light, temperature, and humidity sensors, as well as a three-axis accelerometer, are used to collect data. There are an LED indication and a siren with a volume level of up to 105 dB. The power supply in the event of a power outage will be provided by a backup battery.
Piper smart home reviews indicate that modules can be wall-mounted or simply mounted on any surface. To manage and visualize data, a special mobile application for smartphones or tablets is used. Through it, you can interact with a maximum of five Piper units connected to a home computer network via Wi-Fi.
The device offers a remote video monitoring system of rooms: Piper camera provides a viewing angle of up to 180 degrees. If necessary, the image can be zoomed in and out. The captured material is stored in the cloud service for later viewing or transmitted in real-time to the mobile application.
Control (App)
The analysis of Piper security system reviews specifies that users are able to configure various security features. For example, when a motion is detected, Piper activates audible alarms and sends a notification to the smartphone of the homeowner. In addition, informational messages can be sent when the sensor readings change – for example, when the temperature rises (it can indicate a fire) or extraneous sounds. Thanks to the support of Z-Wave, the system can interact with other devices compatible with this protocol. It can be lighting devices, climate control systems, “smart” door locks, etc.
An accompanying mobile application is available for Android and iOS platforms. The functionality of both versions is completely identical. The application interface has five key tabs – “Dashboard”, “Vitals”, “Live Video”, “Controls” and “Rules”. Also, the user has buttons to go to the fine settings, a complete list of events that have occurred and a list of captured videos:
- The Dashboard tab is key. It contains keys for switching between the three operating modes (“Stay”, “Away” and “Vacation”), for each of which you can create your own set of rules. It is often necessary to resort to these buttons: turning the alarm on and off manually, automatic algorithms are not provided. The Dashboard page also displays the readings of the built-in sensors and a list of connected Z-Wave devices – they can be controlled directly from this window. It also displays the latest events that have occurred with Piper;
- “Vitals” is a tab with graphs that will tell you in detail about the changes over the past two days. The curves show the level of humidity, light, and noise, as well as the degree of mobility of people in the room. In addition, there are two temperature graphs on the page at once – “inside” and “outside”. The latter is drawn based on data from the Internet;
- The “Live Video” tab allows you to connect to Piper directly and view video from the camera in real-time. There is also a button to activate two-way communication. If desired, four windows can be displayed on the screen at once, each of which will display a specific shooting area in an approximate form;
- “Controls” – the page for creating rules for Z-Wave accessories. Devices can automatically turn on / off depending on the time of day and the readings of sensors built into Piper;
- The “Rules” tab allows you to set the reaction of the system to certain events for various operating modes. For example, you can make sure that the door opening in the “Stay” state is accompanied by the inclusion of light and the start of the music center, and the “Away” mode – by activating the siren and sending a corresponding notification to the owner.
Piper alarm system review shows that the application supports push notifications, but this is not the only way to attract the user’s attention: Piper can send SMS / e-mail and even make calls to a mobile number. However, the gadget does not have its own cellular module, so all notification options are based on the manufacturer’s server, and therefore, in the absence of the Internet, there will be no calls or SMS. The application allows creating a list of proxies who will also receive notifications. Another curious function – “Bedside”. When it is activated, the system status is displayed on the screen, as well as a large button for manually starting the siren. Also, the creators of Piper took care of pet owners: a special option allows reducing the sensitivity of the motion sensor so that it does not respond to small animals.
Customer Service
Piper security cameras reviews indicate that this device is a completely different kind of security system. It can be programmed for certain actions at a time when the owners are not at home. Leaving the house, you can give this setting: “If movement is noticed while I’m not at home, it is necessary to turn on the siren, record a video and send me a text message”. You can add relatives, friends, whom the device will notify about incidents if the hosts are unavailable. Leaving the house with Piper, you can safely relax or go about your business, because it is equipped with a motion detector, microphone, so if there is noise or movement, it will turn on the alarm.
Piper security system review shows that security is not the only advantage of the device. It combines a surveillance camera and smart home technology. Information from the various sensors that are at home goes to the Piper and can be easily programmed for different actions. For example, turning on the light when opening the door or turning on the air conditioner if the air temperature has reached a certain level. The device will turn on the lights when it gets dark on the street, throughout the day it will notify about the microclimate and incidents in the house.
How to Order
If you are interested in Piper and want to buy it, then contact the company’s manager with this request, he will provide you with the relevant Piper home automation review.
FaQ
Piper home security systems reviews allow representing answers to the most frequently asked questions from customers:
Does Piper Require the Internet?
The answer here is simple. Yes, Piper requires an Internet connection. For the effective operation of the device, you need broadband Internet with Wi-Fi. At the same time, the minimum download speed should be 1.0 Mbps;
How Much Is Piper per Month?
There is no monthly fee. A customer buys a device, pays money for a set, and then uses it freely;
How to Cancel a Piper Account?
It is very easy to do. You just need to log into your account, select the button “Cancel an account” and that’s all;
How Long Has Piper Been in Business?
Blacksumac, a smart technology-based telepresence system, has announced sales of a device called the Piper in 2014, designed to enhance residential security and home automation;
Does Piper Offer Free Installation?
Piper offers free installation. Installing it is easy, you just need to download the application, connect the device, and then run the setup program to connect to Wi-Fi;
Does Piper Work with Alexa?
Yes, Piper works with Alexa. IFTTT integration makes Piper and Alexa friends;
Does Piper Work with Google Assistant?
This product effectively works with Google Assistant.