On the last Monday in May, we here in America celebrate Memorial Day. This tradition started after the Civil War. Known then as Decoration Day, it was meant as a day to decorate the graves of those who had died in battle. The tradition may have changed over the years, but each May, we pause. For the younger crowd, Memorial Day means school's out, summer is starting, the pool is open, and there's going to be a cook-out or some other type of food-centric get-together. But the older folks among us know that this began as a more solemn holiday. On May 30, 1868 the first official "Decoration Day" w ..read more

I've been hearing about Matter for a while now, and a new version was released this month. I haven't heard enough to give me a clear idea exactly what the fuss is about. So, I set out to educate myself, and hopefully I can educate you in the process. Here's what I've learned about Matter Matter is a Protocol Matter is a protocol and it officially launched on October 4, 2022 with Version 1.0. It is the official protocol of IoT (Internet of Things) devices. Equipment that uses Matter can do so using wired media (Ethernet) or wirelessly (WIFI, Thread). It is an open source protocol that is govern ..read more

Users with Lyric Controllers still installed are trying to use PROSIX PROSeries sensors with the Lyric panel. This is a mistake as the Lyric does not support any PROSIX devices. Instead, those users should be purchasing either SiX Series or 5800 series wireless sensors for the Lyric panel. Below you can see the PROSIXGB, glass break detector. It is compatible only with PROSeries systems: This has apparently become such an issue that Resideo put out a MyWebTech Technical Notification advising dealers what will and won't work with the Lyric. If you have a Lyric Controller, be sure that you only ..read more

Alarm.com will soon add a Discover tab to both the customer app and website. This page will educate you, the customer, about the features and capabilities of your system. It will also show recommendations for new features you can set up, or that you can add after discussing with your dealer. Below, the Discover Tab is shown as seen in the Customer App: Alarm.com continues to innovate constantly. They'll soon be rolling out another innovation in the form of the Discover tab. This will show up as a new menu selection in both the customer app and website. Within the Discover tab, you will see s ..read more

We first told you about the First Alert® VX5 Indoor Camera in our ISC West blog earlier this year. The VX5 debuted at the trade show. However, it's still not available for purchase. That's pretty routine, announcing a product that nobody can get yet. But, here's what we know about it so far. For one thing, it looks like that ⬆. It is attractive and unobtrusive. This is an indoor camera that can be mounted to the ceiling, wall, or can sit on any flat stable surface. It requires a wired connection to power, but is otherwise wireless. Using Total Connect 2.0, live video and clips can be viewed f ..read more

What 2GIG brought to the table at ISC West this year is a lineup of new sensors for the Edge panel. These sensors use the 900 MHz frequency band for extended wireless range. They also offer encryption for secure transmission. 2GIG boasts they will have a 2km or 1.2 mile transmitting range! The new 2GIG E+ extended range sensors are not yet available, and we don't have an ETA yet on when they will be released. In addition, 2GIG Edge panels require a firmware update to version 1.3 (3.1.3.xxx) in order to support the new lineup. When the firmware is released, we'll update our 2GIG Edge Firmware U ..read more

Starting on April 23, 2024 an improvement is being implemented to the arming process for the Qolsys IQ Panel 4 and IQ Pro. This change increases customer awareness of when their sensors are being bypassed during remote arming. Previously, it was often unclear when zones were being bypassed. The behavior changes slightly, depending on which panel version the user has. For IQ Panel 4 systems below firmware 4.5.0, and for IQ Pro systems below firmware 4.3.0n, the "Force Bypass" checkbox will be hidden both on the customer app and website to signal when the Auto Bypass feature will be applied to ..read more

Update 04/08/24 5:08 pm: According to a contact at Resideo, the available stock of IPCAM-WOC2 cameras without this issue is being held back to use as replacements for any affected units that have already been sold. Stock is limited, and once it is depleted, the camera will likely be discontinued permanently. As an alternative, Resideo recommends the First Alert CAMWE-WO, also known as the VX3 HD Camera. This is an outdoor, 1080p camera with Wide Dynamic Range (WDR). With its intelligent event detection, the CAMWE-WO can distinguish between vehicles, animals, and people. If you have purchased a ..read more

Resideo has confirmed that some Gmail users are not receiving Total Connect 2.0 email notifications. Their engineering group are aware of the issue and are working on a resolution. It is expected to be resolved soon. Text, push notification, and most other email domains are not affected. We haven't been made aware of the actual issue with Gmail email addresses, but it probably has something to do with Gmail's efforts to block unwanted emails such as spam or phishing attempts. Unfortunately, when you take measures to block the unwanted, you sometimes also block the wanted. This is an evolving i ..read more

From New York to Texas and California to Florida, the news has recently been filled with stories about squatters taking up residence in a home they don't own, and refusing to leave. In some cases, the occupation goes on for years. An alarm system can prevent this from happening to you. Pictured below: Alarm.com ADC-V723X: Sometimes, the property may be empty because the occupant has recently passed away, and ownership has yet to be determined. In others, the property is one of several owned by an individual and isn't occupied year-round. Whatever the case, having someone move into your proper ..read more