Not really smart, but very safe house from Xiaomi
If Xiaomi has not yet come to your house as a tracker, smartphone, or even a scooter, then there is an opportunity to give him one more chance - as a guard. And this is not a waste of manpower and resources - literally recently, in the USA, the “smart home” system called the police in an environment where the hostess could not do this, since her life was in the hands of a mad man. And this is not the only case when the technique has saved a human life, not to mention endless examples of the salvation of property. By the way, all the devices are also very beautiful. Just like the girlfriend of Wall-e Eva.
Generally, strictly speaking, the “smart home” system can only be called a complete end-to-end control system of everything and everyone, which is capable of being responsible for security, reliability and, in some cases, for the owner. However, in the modern market, smart appliances are called any devices that make our home easier, safer and more technological. One of them is a set of Xiaomi, which will be discussed.
During the sale of this kit in conjunction with other elements of surveillance, safety and comfort, we have collected several common options for the use of devices.
In general, the goals are different, but the tool should be effective, reliable, inexpensive. And we have it.
Xiaomi's 5-component home security system is inexpensive (only $ 56.99), an absolutely simple and reliable component system to provide minimal basic protection for your home (garden, cottage, garage, office) from potential troubles. The kit includes: a motion sensor, a window / door opening sensor, a smart socket using the Zigbee protocol, a main control unit, a wireless smart button. The whole set works via Wi-Fi, which means that they can be controlled using the app on the smartphone (although localization is lame in places, but there it’s easy to navigate by the icons).
The system works not only when you are not at home, but also when you are in place. Then she turns into an assistant who creates comfort, and performs the actions that you assigned to her: controlling the light, the night light, turning off the air purification systems when the window is open, etc. And when you are not there, this is protection, which can also serve as an alarm: when a trigger event occurs (door breaking or a stranger in the house), a siren will scream and the IP camera will turn on. Where did the camera fit? We just did not have time to say that other Xiaomi smart devices can be connected to the main control unit: ip cameras, lamps, night lamps, air purification systems and everything that they made there.
At the moment, there is a slightly more advanced and expensive ($ 87.38) Xiaomi mijia 6 in 1 Smart Security Kit. It includes six components: the same smart socket, a motion sensor, an open window / door sensor, a temperature sensor, a main control unit, a smart button.
Here it is worthwhile to tell you in more detail what the components of both systems are.
The head unit (aka the hub, it’s the control center, it’s the brains of the whole system) is a multifunctional device that plays the main role as a connector for all other Xiaomi devices. But he also has several side roles: a custom call, a remote control device from a smartphone, a nightlight with 16 million colors. In the specification, you can read more about online radio, but here only for those who study Chinese - only heavenly radio stations are available.
Magnetic sensor of an open window / door - a useful thing that allows you to determine the fact of opening, can make sounds (from siren to signal) and, connecting to other devices, transmit them commands through the head hub. For example, you opened the window, the sensor reports this, the air purifier understands that you can rest and turns off. Well, or a smart lamp will illuminate the hallway for you as soon as you return and open the door in the dark.
Smart button - in our version, the most wonderful element of the system. You can assign it a function and control any device from the Xiaomi smart gadgets, dragging you around the apartment in your pocket or transferring from place to place.
The smart socket that supports the Zigbee protocol is great, but don't forget to buy an adapter. With its help, you can control the power consumption of all components, adjust the operation time for each of the devices.
Well, the motion sensor is a motion sensor. Depending on the location, it can react to movements of a person or animal. Again, it interacts with other devices and, for example, can transmit a command to turn on the light in the hallway or toilet if you get up at night from the bed.
The temperature sensor from the second set is a device that controls the climate in your apartment. And, of course, the security function - you can configure an alert or an action when the air is excessively heated (for example, in case of a fire).
Certainly in an apartment, house, office is always more than one window and most often there are several doors, rooms, rooms and zones of special security requirements. One motion sensor and the opening of a window / door will obviously not be enough. All sensors can be purchased separately: motion sensors for $ 9.99, window and door sensors for $ 7.99.
When I realized that the Xiaomi system was watching you,
both sets have nice chips that you don’t pay attention to right away, but without them, like without hands: you can manage all devices together with all family members (or “share” access to someone or to one or the other), and all states and actions are logged: events are written, scenarios, activation time, operation time, etc. Well, that is, for example, they put the door-opening sensor on the refrigerator, and in the morning, trolly my wife for how many times she came up after six “just look at Barsika to feed”.
We have already mentioned Xiaomi ip cameras that can be connected to security systems. In fact, these are not simple recording “eyes”, but modern technological devices already in three versions.
Xiaomi mijia Smart 720P WiFifor $ 37.99 - a camera with night vision and 360-degree viewing of the room. The camera does not even need to listen to the motion sensor - it recognizes the movement of an object in space and, importantly, it records everything that happens absolutely silently. The camera supports modern TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones - from anywhere in the world where there is internet, you can watch the room left empty or left to disgrace children and animals. The camera supports recording to a card up to 32 GB, recognizes movement at night up to 9 m due to infrared sensors. It is important that the operating temperatures are in the range from -10 to +50 degrees C. This allows the use of the camera, including in the garage or a small storage room.
Another Xiaomi camera for $ 42.99 supports 1080P FHD resolution (how many ideas you can shoot at home while you are at home!), Covers a wide angle of up to 130 degrees, has a built-in microphone and speaker, detects movement at a distance of 15-20 m. Due to clever recognition, the camera will save you from false positives (for example, if the wind blows the curtain and it moves). The camera, like the previous one, can work in night-vision mode up to 10 m. This camera seems to be balanced and optimal for security purposes.
Are you ready to buy a slightly more expensive camera to make your cat look better on video?
Even more pumped variation for cats and bad people on foreign territory - Xiaomi 360 Degree Panorama Wireless 1080P. She takes a panoramic shot of the room, writes video as 1080P, recognizes movement in the dark due to infrared sensors, has a built-in microphone and a speaker. Among other things, this camera produces an image with significantly less distortion. You can arbitrarily laugh at freeze-frames of animals from the promo of the manufacturer, but this is done only in order not to scare you. Let's be frank: in the case of hacking, theft, arson and other troubles, the quality of the recorded video will solve a lot - in particular, it will give the person and the signs of the attacker in the smallest detail, and greatly facilitate the work of the police.
All three cameras support control from an application on a smartphone (English interface only).
For a while, Xiaomi released only logical switches of the smart button type from the kits described above, but market demands were too obvious not to make the switches at the same time as the physical contact breakers and with the ability to control through the application and configure scripts.
This was the Xiaomi Aqara Wall Switch ZigBee Version - a multifunction switch that fits perfectly into the system of our conventional smart home. With it, for example, you can turn off several light bulbs at once or the whole world in the apartment. The switch supports ZigBee protocol.
For those who need the same, but withmother-of-pearl two keys, take the switch Xiaomi QBKG03LM Aqara Wall Switch ZigBee Version .
Say a little about the protocol ZigBee. This is a communication protocol for devices of some integrated systems of a smart home, including Xiaomi. It differs from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies in several important ways. The most important of them is energy efficiency. ZigBee transmits up to 250 Kbps per second. Any reader will say that this is just turtle speed, but for components of a smart home there is enough of it - but due to this, there is a sheer savings: standard tablet batteries in components serve for a couple of years, the components themselves also have an increased service life. ZigBee can easily go into sleep mode, and due to this it becomes even more energy efficient.
The sensors of the listed devices are synchronized at a frequency of 2.4 GHz and can “communicate” at a distance of 22-25 m. Thick concrete walls can become a hindrance, consider this when selecting a full set of devices.
Developers and engineers have access to the ZigBeeClusterLibrary ZCL library, in which about 200 presets for smart home components are available in the open form. At the same time, radio modules are incredibly cheap. In general, engineers in many countries of the world appreciate ZigBee for reliability: when one or more components break, the system continues to work and coordinate within itself. Although, of course, the final ode will not work - as long as the protocol has problems with standardization. Well, if someone suddenly decides to start his project.
Ceiling LED lamp Xiaomi Philips for $ 86. 99 is more expensive than the entire set, but, firstly, it integrates perfectly with it (including MiBand bracelets and smart switches), and secondly, it's worth it. This is a continuation of the almost legendary Philips lamps, but with the intelligence and scenarios from Xiaomi. The lamp supports several modes - from ordinary light to cozy moonlight, it works with scripts, brightness settings, slow waking up, etc. The lifetime is 25,000 hours, which is about three years. Luminous flux - 3000 Lm, power - 33 W, lighting area - 20 sq.m. The lamp is easily mounted and fits absolutely to any interior, from high-tech to "repair the 70's."
If you do not want to bother with the installation of the lamp or parting with the old (well, or newfangled) chandelier - a sad and painful event, you can make your usual lighting device wise up. To do this, you need to be a little goodwin and change brains: install the Xiaomi Philips Smart LED lamp (for $ 9.99 - yes, more expensive bulbs in Ikea!). This lamp is controlled via an application on a smartphone, supports 4 lighting modes: night lights, normal bright light, soft cozy light and TV viewing mode. It is possible to turn on and off a lamp without getting up from a sofa - directly from the smartphone. This is especially convenient if you fall asleep and are extremely lazy to drag to the switch. The light bulb has a standard E27 cartridge, power 6.5 W, color temperature 3000 - 5700 K, maximum luminous flux 450 Lm.
Two more lamps that we could not include in the review, if only because they are well, very cozy - their light can be customized and depend less on the type of paper or ambient lighting. The first of them, Xiaomi Mijia Smart , among other things, has two modes: reading mode and focus mode. Due to the neutral color temperature of 4000 K, reading books is comfortable, the eyes do not get tired, the head does not hurt - you can safely sit down to read at 22:30 and ... “oh, 2 hours left before the alarm clock”. Again, it looks like a classic device, but it is perfectly integrated into the smart home system and can turn on the light when you enter home or enter the room using a motion sensor. The price of the issue is $ 39.99.
The second table lamp is the Xiaomi Philips Eyecare Smart Lamp 2 , a flexible and stylish piece for $ 49.99. The lamp from the Eyecare series also protects your and even children's eyes from tension and fatigue. It also integrates with the home modular system and is managed through a mobile application. An additional plus is the flexible housing, which allows you to perfectly adjust the position of the light fixture you need. The diameter of the lighting is impressive - 90 cm.
Summing up under such a general overview of the capabilities of the modules of the smart home from Xiaomi, I want to move away from the enthusiasm caused by the endearing design and simplicity, and remain objective. Like any technical system, the modular solution of Xiaomi has its pros and cons.
Pros:
Minuses:
Despite the shortcomings, it is worth noting that the solution turned out to be massive and high-quality. And it will cope with five plus all the tasks described. And even with the existing security system will not be superfluous - in the end, the attackers also keep up with the progress and are able to remove the security circuit and alarm even top companies. But nobody waits for the second guard mate in the form of Xiaomi. But it was not there.
In general, take care of your home. He gives you peace, comfort, joy and safety - pamper him and you.
Generally, strictly speaking, the “smart home” system can only be called a complete end-to-end control system of everything and everyone, which is capable of being responsible for security, reliability and, in some cases, for the owner. However, in the modern market, smart appliances are called any devices that make our home easier, safer and more technological. One of them is a set of Xiaomi, which will be discussed.
During the sale of this kit in conjunction with other elements of surveillance, safety and comfort, we have collected several common options for the use of devices.
- Security of the house, garage, garden and country house, office, other premises.
- Control of children in the next rooms and the apartment as a whole.
- Monitoring and supervision of the elderly and sick people who are forced to stay at home while everyone is at work.
- Monitoring and monitoring of unattended pets (and you thought, where did the creators of the “Secret Life of Pets?” Draw inspiration).
- Spying for the second half (this option is unpleasant for us, and we do not advise you - relations should be built on trust).
- The control of the warehouse.
In general, the goals are different, but the tool should be effective, reliable, inexpensive. And we have it.
Does not bark, does not bite, does not let into the house
Xiaomi's 5-component home security system is inexpensive (only $ 56.99), an absolutely simple and reliable component system to provide minimal basic protection for your home (garden, cottage, garage, office) from potential troubles. The kit includes: a motion sensor, a window / door opening sensor, a smart socket using the Zigbee protocol, a main control unit, a wireless smart button. The whole set works via Wi-Fi, which means that they can be controlled using the app on the smartphone (although localization is lame in places, but there it’s easy to navigate by the icons).
The system works not only when you are not at home, but also when you are in place. Then she turns into an assistant who creates comfort, and performs the actions that you assigned to her: controlling the light, the night light, turning off the air purification systems when the window is open, etc. And when you are not there, this is protection, which can also serve as an alarm: when a trigger event occurs (door breaking or a stranger in the house), a siren will scream and the IP camera will turn on. Where did the camera fit? We just did not have time to say that other Xiaomi smart devices can be connected to the main control unit: ip cameras, lamps, night lamps, air purification systems and everything that they made there.
At the moment, there is a slightly more advanced and expensive ($ 87.38) Xiaomi mijia 6 in 1 Smart Security Kit. It includes six components: the same smart socket, a motion sensor, an open window / door sensor, a temperature sensor, a main control unit, a smart button.
Here it is worthwhile to tell you in more detail what the components of both systems are.
The head unit (aka the hub, it’s the control center, it’s the brains of the whole system) is a multifunctional device that plays the main role as a connector for all other Xiaomi devices. But he also has several side roles: a custom call, a remote control device from a smartphone, a nightlight with 16 million colors. In the specification, you can read more about online radio, but here only for those who study Chinese - only heavenly radio stations are available.
Magnetic sensor of an open window / door - a useful thing that allows you to determine the fact of opening, can make sounds (from siren to signal) and, connecting to other devices, transmit them commands through the head hub. For example, you opened the window, the sensor reports this, the air purifier understands that you can rest and turns off. Well, or a smart lamp will illuminate the hallway for you as soon as you return and open the door in the dark.
Smart button - in our version, the most wonderful element of the system. You can assign it a function and control any device from the Xiaomi smart gadgets, dragging you around the apartment in your pocket or transferring from place to place.
The smart socket that supports the Zigbee protocol is great, but don't forget to buy an adapter. With its help, you can control the power consumption of all components, adjust the operation time for each of the devices.
Well, the motion sensor is a motion sensor. Depending on the location, it can react to movements of a person or animal. Again, it interacts with other devices and, for example, can transmit a command to turn on the light in the hallway or toilet if you get up at night from the bed.
The temperature sensor from the second set is a device that controls the climate in your apartment. And, of course, the security function - you can configure an alert or an action when the air is excessively heated (for example, in case of a fire).
Certainly in an apartment, house, office is always more than one window and most often there are several doors, rooms, rooms and zones of special security requirements. One motion sensor and the opening of a window / door will obviously not be enough. All sensors can be purchased separately: motion sensors for $ 9.99, window and door sensors for $ 7.99.
When I realized that the Xiaomi system was watching you,
both sets have nice chips that you don’t pay attention to right away, but without them, like without hands: you can manage all devices together with all family members (or “share” access to someone or to one or the other), and all states and actions are logged: events are written, scenarios, activation time, operation time, etc. Well, that is, for example, they put the door-opening sensor on the refrigerator, and in the morning, trolly my wife for how many times she came up after six “just look at Barsika to feed”.
The master's eye
We have already mentioned Xiaomi ip cameras that can be connected to security systems. In fact, these are not simple recording “eyes”, but modern technological devices already in three versions.
Xiaomi mijia Smart 720P WiFifor $ 37.99 - a camera with night vision and 360-degree viewing of the room. The camera does not even need to listen to the motion sensor - it recognizes the movement of an object in space and, importantly, it records everything that happens absolutely silently. The camera supports modern TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones - from anywhere in the world where there is internet, you can watch the room left empty or left to disgrace children and animals. The camera supports recording to a card up to 32 GB, recognizes movement at night up to 9 m due to infrared sensors. It is important that the operating temperatures are in the range from -10 to +50 degrees C. This allows the use of the camera, including in the garage or a small storage room.
Another Xiaomi camera for $ 42.99 supports 1080P FHD resolution (how many ideas you can shoot at home while you are at home!), Covers a wide angle of up to 130 degrees, has a built-in microphone and speaker, detects movement at a distance of 15-20 m. Due to clever recognition, the camera will save you from false positives (for example, if the wind blows the curtain and it moves). The camera, like the previous one, can work in night-vision mode up to 10 m. This camera seems to be balanced and optimal for security purposes.
Are you ready to buy a slightly more expensive camera to make your cat look better on video?
Even more pumped variation for cats and bad people on foreign territory - Xiaomi 360 Degree Panorama Wireless 1080P. She takes a panoramic shot of the room, writes video as 1080P, recognizes movement in the dark due to infrared sensors, has a built-in microphone and a speaker. Among other things, this camera produces an image with significantly less distortion. You can arbitrarily laugh at freeze-frames of animals from the promo of the manufacturer, but this is done only in order not to scare you. Let's be frank: in the case of hacking, theft, arson and other troubles, the quality of the recorded video will solve a lot - in particular, it will give the person and the signs of the attacker in the smallest detail, and greatly facilitate the work of the police.
All three cameras support control from an application on a smartphone (English interface only).
On off
For a while, Xiaomi released only logical switches of the smart button type from the kits described above, but market demands were too obvious not to make the switches at the same time as the physical contact breakers and with the ability to control through the application and configure scripts.
This was the Xiaomi Aqara Wall Switch ZigBee Version - a multifunction switch that fits perfectly into the system of our conventional smart home. With it, for example, you can turn off several light bulbs at once or the whole world in the apartment. The switch supports ZigBee protocol.
For those who need the same, but with
Say a little about the protocol ZigBee. This is a communication protocol for devices of some integrated systems of a smart home, including Xiaomi. It differs from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies in several important ways. The most important of them is energy efficiency. ZigBee transmits up to 250 Kbps per second. Any reader will say that this is just turtle speed, but for components of a smart home there is enough of it - but due to this, there is a sheer savings: standard tablet batteries in components serve for a couple of years, the components themselves also have an increased service life. ZigBee can easily go into sleep mode, and due to this it becomes even more energy efficient.
The sensors of the listed devices are synchronized at a frequency of 2.4 GHz and can “communicate” at a distance of 22-25 m. Thick concrete walls can become a hindrance, consider this when selecting a full set of devices.
Developers and engineers have access to the ZigBeeClusterLibrary ZCL library, in which about 200 presets for smart home components are available in the open form. At the same time, radio modules are incredibly cheap. In general, engineers in many countries of the world appreciate ZigBee for reliability: when one or more components break, the system continues to work and coordinate within itself. Although, of course, the final ode will not work - as long as the protocol has problems with standardization. Well, if someone suddenly decides to start his project.
Home sun
Ceiling LED lamp Xiaomi Philips for $ 86. 99 is more expensive than the entire set, but, firstly, it integrates perfectly with it (including MiBand bracelets and smart switches), and secondly, it's worth it. This is a continuation of the almost legendary Philips lamps, but with the intelligence and scenarios from Xiaomi. The lamp supports several modes - from ordinary light to cozy moonlight, it works with scripts, brightness settings, slow waking up, etc. The lifetime is 25,000 hours, which is about three years. Luminous flux - 3000 Lm, power - 33 W, lighting area - 20 sq.m. The lamp is easily mounted and fits absolutely to any interior, from high-tech to "repair the 70's."
If you do not want to bother with the installation of the lamp or parting with the old (well, or newfangled) chandelier - a sad and painful event, you can make your usual lighting device wise up. To do this, you need to be a little goodwin and change brains: install the Xiaomi Philips Smart LED lamp (for $ 9.99 - yes, more expensive bulbs in Ikea!). This lamp is controlled via an application on a smartphone, supports 4 lighting modes: night lights, normal bright light, soft cozy light and TV viewing mode. It is possible to turn on and off a lamp without getting up from a sofa - directly from the smartphone. This is especially convenient if you fall asleep and are extremely lazy to drag to the switch. The light bulb has a standard E27 cartridge, power 6.5 W, color temperature 3000 - 5700 K, maximum luminous flux 450 Lm.
Two more lamps that we could not include in the review, if only because they are well, very cozy - their light can be customized and depend less on the type of paper or ambient lighting. The first of them, Xiaomi Mijia Smart , among other things, has two modes: reading mode and focus mode. Due to the neutral color temperature of 4000 K, reading books is comfortable, the eyes do not get tired, the head does not hurt - you can safely sit down to read at 22:30 and ... “oh, 2 hours left before the alarm clock”. Again, it looks like a classic device, but it is perfectly integrated into the smart home system and can turn on the light when you enter home or enter the room using a motion sensor. The price of the issue is $ 39.99.
The second table lamp is the Xiaomi Philips Eyecare Smart Lamp 2 , a flexible and stylish piece for $ 49.99. The lamp from the Eyecare series also protects your and even children's eyes from tension and fatigue. It also integrates with the home modular system and is managed through a mobile application. An additional plus is the flexible housing, which allows you to perfectly adjust the position of the light fixture you need. The diameter of the lighting is impressive - 90 cm.
Summing up under such a general overview of the capabilities of the modules of the smart home from Xiaomi, I want to move away from the enthusiasm caused by the endearing design and simplicity, and remain objective. Like any technical system, the modular solution of Xiaomi has its pros and cons.
Pros:
- Design. This is a stunning minimalism in white, which will suit any apartment, home, office. It is utilitarian and elegant, does not dictate its own rules and its laws. It’s just a beautiful, well-made working thing. That does not deny the possibility of using it in certain types of premises as an element of interior design.
- Modularity of the solution - you can only select the necessary components, combine them and not be afraid of failure - cellular communication using the ZigBee protocol is responsible for the reliability and stability of the system.
- Low cost - much lower than most popular solutions on the market.
- Setting hundreds of scenarios: your home - your rules.
- Logging information, counting indicators, collecting and analyzing data will optimize the usage profile.
- Silent operation of motors, where they are, easy installation and disassembly.
Minuses:
- There is no battery charge indicator in the devices - which means you can suddenly lose a system element, if, for example, the battery turned out to be of poor quality.
- The need to buy adapters to Russian outlets and lose a little in space.
- Bad English and often no Russian localization of products.
- Yet this is not a full security system and a full-fledged smart home system.
Despite the shortcomings, it is worth noting that the solution turned out to be massive and high-quality. And it will cope with five plus all the tasks described. And even with the existing security system will not be superfluous - in the end, the attackers also keep up with the progress and are able to remove the security circuit and alarm even top companies. But nobody waits for the second guard mate in the form of Xiaomi. But it was not there.
In general, take care of your home. He gives you peace, comfort, joy and safety - pamper him and you.