Alarm Feature Request

SimpleCommands is completely seperate from Alexa, so no Alexa needed,. Their service connects directly to the Ring API. The thing I like about it, is that they also have a SMS service that so you can receive text messages on sensor events, instead of just a notification from the ring app. You can also set it up to only alert on a schedule, so in a way you can add another “mode” of self monitoring.

Simple Command also allows you to see the battery percentages, which I would like the Ring app to do itself.

First time logging in and seeing the community suggestions, some great ideas! Haven’t read all but I would suggest, if not done so already, a scheduling feature to change modes. Personally would be useful to avoid alarms when pulling into a detached garage and can’t disable fast enough.

A schedule, combined with the idea of another mode, could further secure our two story home allowing sensors on the first floor to be active while sleeping. The mode could then go to home when waking hours approach.

Thank you.

Integrate the alarm and the cameras.

It would be great to be able to group cameras by alarm mode so that certain cameras either only record or only provide alerts when in certain alarm modes

i.e. indoor cameras only record / alert when alarm is in AWAY mode

i.e.2. outdoor cameras only provide alerts when alarm is in HOME or AWAY mode, but they record everything in all modes – this would be great since 99% of the time, my alarm is in HOME mode and the only times it’s not, I’m usually working outside and thus I don’t need alerts but I do want recording in case someone decided to slip into my house or something (this also gets rid of the extra step I currently have to take to snooze alerts)

2 Likes

Yes that would be awesome especially for the stick-up cam that has the battery so that it doesnt record motion when we are obviously home. We dont necessarily need motion notifications or recordings of ourselves when we are home. The option would be good to have for inside cameras and it should be a camera by camera setting so if i have outside cameras they will record if i so choose. Great idea. I hope they approve it.

While you wait for it to become a feature, you might be able to accomplish this with SimpleCommands. I do not own any cameras so I cannot say for sure but, I would imagine you could enable record mode on the cameras based on alaram state.

1 Like

Since the stickup cam, spotlight cam and flood light cam all have sirens built into them a easy update would be to have the siren automatically sound if the main alarm is triggered. I have watched many home security videos and a external siren is something that is highly reccomended by experts. There should be a option in the app to decide on a camer by camera basis whether you would like this feature to be activated.

The dome siren is not rated for outdoor use and would most likely not be a necessary that is if you take advantage of the ring stick-up cam. This could also be used as a compelling selling point to upgrade to the stickup cams and use them indoors as well. After all, if recording can be triggered by a alarm event then it seems reasonible that a couple lines of extra code could be added to trigger the sirens on the cameras as well. RING can you help with this???

Yes, but we want to disable based on alarm state. I dont think this is possible in simple commands, but good thougt.

Duress codes are already a option if you have monitored service.

Alexa guard in stay mode is a huge one for me too. but I’ll bet we would need to ask the amazon folks. From what I understand from talking to one of the CS reps is that the companies are still very separate and dont colaborate like that just yet. It would be good if they did though.

Might not be possible, but it is possible to turn on lights when the system is armed away, home, or disarmed. Do the camera options not show up in SimpleCommands?

Honestly, I have had a challenging time with simple commands and asked them to delete my account and then deleted the app. Its not very intuitive.

Haha, agreed. I was able to stumble through setting up the routines and it works well for my purpose. Turning lights on/off at sunset/sunrise and sending text messages when my garage door is opened.

Do you think they actually read our suggestions?

Yes. See posts by marley_ring, jennifer_ring, et al.

@jPojo

I’m thinking we should start a new thread under the “integrations” section of Ring Alarm:

SimpleCommands - Filling the gap

And then we can list all the things that can be done with SimpleCommands (SC) that you can’t do with Ring Alarm (RA) on its own.

Maybe post some pics/setup instructions too ?

You’ve convinced me that SC can solve my feature gap issues with RA, so I’m buying a Ring Alarm to replace my older setup.

I really need advanced Z-Wave functions, such a manual HEAL or the ability to schedule one automatically. In large houses with many nodes it is essential.

1 Like

you can adjust the keypad setting to achieve the same results as ADT. It will chime for all events

Ring alarm, Is it possible to have different tones for different doors?

1 Like

Yes. There are different tones to select for each sensor if you want. In my opinion there aren’t enough of them to pick from. Go to devices> alarm base station > pick the sensor > chirp tone.

1 Like