LifeSmart Smart Alarm (review)
Important Note: For reasons unknown at this time, the LifeSmart app (client version 1.1.8p3 and above) for iOS no longer has the HomeKit code generating feature, so you will be unable to add the Smart Station or Smart Alarm to HomeKit.
This is, as the name would suggest, a Smart Alarm, but it’s also a miniature hub, in the same way as LifeSmart’s Smart Station is a hub for all LifeSmart accessories. The differences between this device and the Smart Station are as follows;
This device allows you to connect up to 24 separate devices, whilst the Smart Station allows up to 500. The wireless range on this device is 200m, with the Smart Station expending to 400m. This device connect via wifi and has no ports, whereas the Smart Station has an ethernet port and two USB ports. There are some other minor differences that I won’t go into, but the most obvious difference is that this is also an alarm, obviously.
Now, I have to say, the sounds are the alarm are quite awful, even though they are quite loud. If you can imagine the sound effects you used to be able to buy that would be a sort of a key ring, then these are the sounds you get on this device. The only reason I have this to be honest is as a hub, and as it’s around half the price of the regular hub, it has been great as a hub for a second apartment. That being said, it would probably be quite an effective alarm to startle an intruder, even if it’s a little crude.
All LifeSmart devices are made in China, and so some devices will come with Chinese style pins. This is one of those products, so you’ll have to go with an adaptor for this, whilst a lot of their products come with a separate US style adaptor connected to USB.
This device also allow you to connect to HomeKit as a hub, so compatible products that go through this hub will be visible to HomeKit, as with the Smart Station.
Is it possible to trigger an alarm on this device through homekit?
So if a motion sensor triggers then alarm sounds?
Hi Darko, this particular device, although compatible with HomeKit, is only compatible as a bridge in this instance, so the alarm doesn’t appear as a function in the Home app. However, there is a sort of workaround. If you owned this, then you could buy one of the LifeSmart motion or door & window sensors, which do both appear in HomeKit. With either of these you could program a scene so when a door is opened or motion is sensed, then it could trigger an alarm. You can only program it in the LifeSmart app though, but all three devices do appear in HomeKit, so they can be used for triggering HomeKit devices as well. I will do some tests for you and see if there is another way.
Thnx for the answer. I was reluctant to get this siren as I was suspecting as much.
Did you try managing it with Eve app? I found it gives more options with homebridge connected devices at least.
Hi
unfortunately the LiFeSmart Smart Alarm doesn’t appear at all in the Elgato Eve app, or even Matthias Hochgatterer’s excellent ‘Home’ app. It does appear in the standard Home app, but only as a bridge. To be honest, it’s really only of use to me as a bridge so that my other LifeSmart devices can appear in HomeKit, and it’s around half the price of their standard bridge (Smart Station). As this unit is in another location that I haven’t got easy access to (it’s in another apartment), I’m unable to do any further tests based on your query at present. As soon as I’m able I’ll follow up.