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Captain

Captain

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Saturday, January 4th, 2025 2:22 PM

CES 2025 and Simplisafe

Here we are at the beginning of 2025 and CES is just around the corner. Seems a lifetime ago Chad Laurans, founder and former CEO of SS, introduced the then unreleased SS3 system in it's "tiny house" at CES in 2018.  Light years ahead in features, design and many other ways over SS2, it was indeed a great upgrade.  Now move ahead 7 years later, is it time for SimpliSafe to make another appearance? I sure hope so as I would like to see further releases of additional  products, features and services. 

Active Guard definitely was an attention getter (and with a few tweaks I will be a customer of it again) and an example of what could be possible and brought to market in '25.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, SS, make sure you don't forget your roots: customer orientation.  

Hope you stay with me on this short story: 2012, March, and the then director of Ops is kind enough to ship to me one of the first SS2 systems. I get it, eagerly open the box and....nothing. Appears the base can't connect to a cell tower. Hmmm. I report it and, to my surprise, the CEO realizes the antennae design he himself created needed to be upgraded and 36 hours later I have a new base board to install, and an email to go with it to boot, with an apology. Wow, I thought, that is customer orientation.

Over a decade later, and dozens and dozens of SS2 and SS3 systems placed, I still very much enjoy, and depend, on SimpliSafe to deliver the best security solution in the market. As I read posts in the community about the monitoring cancellation process, camera issues, referral bonus etc issues, I do hope SS continues to expand efforts to address these customer concerns, even if a small % of their overall customer base.

Looking forward to an exciting 2025.

To all, happy new year and, as the old tag line went, "Remember, be safe out there!"

Update:

Appears SS will be making a showing at CES as an exhibitor and  Chief Technology Officer, Rebecca Zavin, will be a speaker.  Exciting, how about a link with a live stream, or at least a link with a recording of it? Heck, it is 2025, a year of technical miracles, possibly with Ms. Zavin hosting a live webinar in the community taking questions from customers? 

https://www.ces.tech/speakers/rebecca-zavin/

What do you think SimpliSafe will be showing?  SS4? New SS3 hardware (garage door sensor)? Drones? New AI driven services? MATTER support? Home Automation Hub? Looking forward to this big time!

Official Solution

Community Admin

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981 Messages

10 days ago

In case anyone missed Rebecca Zavin's great panel, we're pleased to be able to share a recording of the session.

 

Our CEO, Christian Cerda and Chief Product Officer, Hooman Shahidi also conducted a Q&A with Paul Rothman, the Editor-in-Chief of Security Business Magazine, where they discuss the future of monitoring centers, the applications of AI automation, and SimpliSafe's Active Guard solution.

Captain

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@simplisafe_admin​ The podcast with Mr. Cerda and Mr. Shadihi was very interesting, especially their view on competition and it's effect directly on SimpliSafe. Active Guard with AI was nicely explained, however, the topic where use of AI without the person(s) being recorded permission was not covered. At issue is, at least for now, limited to Texas, Illinois (where I live) and the city of Portland OR where use of AI without the subject's approval is not legal, and SS is forced to use live agents for the process in lieu of AI.  I have already emailed my state representatives with my position that if someone is on my property, it is my right to record them. Period.

Still waiting for SS to update the SOP on Active Guard to allow the monitoring agent to manually control the camera lights and sirens but keep user settings for all other alarm states.  (Sorry, but a false alarm from a motion sensor at 2am causing my two outdoor camera sirens going off is not going to cut it.)

Mr. Cerda,  Mr Shahidi, Ms. Ravin, well done. Now, before these great links get buried in the community, create a new area in the community and have podcasts, conferences, press releases etc be available there.  Also good material for those online webinars and other events we have been asking for over the years!

(edited)

1.5K Messages

16 days ago

Lol, SS4 maybe, it's due.

Cameras that actually work? For everyone? As sold and advertised?

RF extenders for SS3 or link the base stations to one account?

No RF? There's an idea. Zwave maybe?

A Mesh system? Even if it's someone else's? Save the customer & them some hassles. Opt in of course.

Already been burned, too little too late. Considering all those other negatives mentioned and learning the hard way on my own.

I've got geofence arming working on SS3. Self monitoring. And scheduled arming.

All by my little old self. Lol

I won't be watching. Their TV commercials make me angry enough.

Apologies for raining on the parade.

If they allow linking my two SS3 base stations on one account, we can talk, otherwise,, πŸ€”.

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@dlpsr​ ss4 well as long as I don't have to buy another system and they do an upgrade for free. Also agree with mesh as the new ring alarm system has the eero mesh included in all there newest systems. Ring aslo has zwave but don't believe ss is going to do any of this. 

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@lance843​ I'm inclined to agree.

SS3 was my first and last whether free or not. Free is doubtful IMHO. Little if anything new and will it work effectively, and fairly equally across the board. I have doubts after my experiences.

Zwave has better range, a better frequency at sub Ghz frequencies,  the Zwave devices create a device mesh.

I built similarly with Zigbee, about 37 entry, motion,  leak, vibration, etc and 3 powered Zigbee Extenders for the device mesh. I have one Z wave device, it's just a Ring V2 keypad for use with Alarmo for external arming and disarming. For her use mostly. 

Zigbee is less expensive,  and just as effective for me. So far. Zwave LR (long range) has it's uses though and general use of other Zwave device. I think Ring sensors are HA compatible. 

I have not personally tested it, and probably won't, but one cool Amazon device is the eero "outdoor" wifi 7 devices that can be added to eero mesh wifi. In multiples too. Kinda salty though. Water-resistant IEC IP66. Subscription requirements unknown πŸ™„.

Might even be able to use 5ghz with those as cameras are developed someday. Who knows. Regardless,  15,000 sq ft of coverage touted is a lot, 30,000+ with multiple devices. More brands will develop,  prices will drop.

But until SS gets over almost totally controlling our devices & sold for monitoring fees and move away from the worst frequency on the planet,  RF 433.92 Mhz. Whoever thought weak inside the house RF to wake battery powered cameras was a good idea, probably doesn't work there anymore.

But for me personally, I prefer building my own. Learned too late. However, I control it. Free software, monitoring if I want it and inexpensive. Some technical ability needed but not rocket science. Time, being retired, I've got plenty of that. Ability to read and ask how-to questions on forums or via Ai. (Don't trust Ai much lol)

Besides just setting up a geofence for arming and disarming for my SS base stations, which I can simultaneously arm and disarm both base stations at once.

Home Assistant Simplisafe integration required for that. As well as scheduling arming and disarming, sending my self TTS & push notifications etc. And that is with self monitoring. Doesn't even override Away armed to Home because of firmware bugs.πŸ˜‰

I also just setup a Bayesian sensor, in short it's an array of sensors, mostly Aqara P1 motion sensors and some Aqara entry sensors.

It compares motion detection and entry sensor trips to determine presence, setoff automations, lights, many, many uses. This did burn my brain abilities a little. πŸ˜† Still fine tuning it...not an expert by any means.

Anyhow, there isn't much out that isn't compatible for me anymore. Fun hobby for a decrepit old guy. Addictive too, now what can I automate today to irritate her? πŸ€”πŸ˜„

Captain

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@dlpsr​ Old, maybe, decrepit? Never. Your motion sensor ask sounds great in theory...with a perfect application for AI, but heck, I would be happy with garage door sensors at this point.

CES officially starts tomorrow. Back in 2018 SimpliSafe had video updates from the "Small house" several times a day on Youtube and other social media outlets. Hope SS is planning the same, or better, this week.

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@captain11​ 

decrepit
/dΔ­-krΔ•pβ€²Δ­t/

adjective

Not mentally perhaps;πŸ€”


Physically?

Weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use. That's me.πŸ˜πŸ˜‰

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@captain11​ 

"Your motion sensor ask sounds great in theory...with a perfect application for AI,"

Bayesian Intruder Detection:

 

Combines motion, door/window sensors, and unexpected sound patterns to reduce false alarms.

 

Bayesian can weigh the probability of a real threat versus environmental factors.

Health Monitoring:

Example: In elder care, combining motion, bathroom usage, and unusual patterns (e.g., inactivity) to detect issues.

Weather-Related Automations:

Example: A Bayesian sensor could determine whether to open/close windows based on probability of rain, wind speed, and humidity.

(edited)

Community Admin

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981 Messages

14 days ago

@captain11 it'll be great to watch Rebecca present at CES this year! You can view a livestream with the following link: https://spr.ly/61211vIQAd!

Captain

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@simplisafe_admin​ Thanks! Please ask SS Marcom not to miss a great opportunity to improve customer good will and post this prominently in the community!  How about an email blast? Record it for customers to view at their convenience?

Captain

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Great conference segment so far. Watch live if you can.

Rebecca doing a nice job explaining importance of standards and connection to complex processes work (Active Guard).

The Matter speaker is now talking about interoperability of different IoT devices, hope someone askes Ms. Zavin a follow-up question on that one for obvious reasons.

Moderator asked Ms. Zavin what should be expected in the coming year from SS, replied more interconnectivity and more valued services. (Note to SS: If I got this wrong, please feel free to respond).  A bit cryptic but understand need for product roadmap to be kept under wraps for competitive and other reasons.

Session just wrapped up after 40 minutes, definitely worth my time and, if SimpliSafe recorded it and makes it available in the community, I would say it would be worth your time investment too.

To SS: Ms. Zavin is a great spokesperson for your company! Please, Rebecca, do a live webinar on the SS community site. Great job! Thank you!

(edited)

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@simplisafe_admin​ I have posted up the live stream on my simplisafe security and cameras owners group on Facebook for everyone to check out. I also found a video from youtube from ces and simplisafe. Oneday I will make it to one of these but better yet one day I will make it to the Boston headquarters and take a tour and possibly do a live stream for our group? It's on bucket list.

8 Messages

13 days ago

Please PLEASE PLEASE!!!! add multi user logins to the system. It's been requested for YEARS and it's been either "it's coming" or lately crickets.

1 Message

13 days ago

i wish that simplisafe would let you access the cameras through echo show like ring does

Captain

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6.3K Messages

12 days ago

@Simplisafe: Two great questions by spelunke100 and vtoch3743 that could easily be answered by Ms Gavin in a live webinar here in the community!

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10 days ago

I watched it.

Where's the beef? (old commercialπŸ˜‰)

The regulator didn't tell me anything of much use. Perhaps more regulations coming?

The other presenter lady, I wasn't even certain what she was presenting. 

The Matter guy was behind the 8 ball, if he'd have stopped over with Aqara who was also there and introduced their new FP300 mmWave presence sensor, that can "supposedly" detect if someone has fallen or even whether your breathing or not, count people etc. Matter, Thread, or Zigbee and multiple compatibilities with several hubs & ecosystems etc.

I'll have to order one to play with.πŸ€”

SS was Active Guard.

Nothing new from any of the presenters.

Sitting next to the guy who wants all devices compatible across all ecosystems made me chuckle. (SS is a closed πŸ” πŸ”’ system.)πŸ₯±

Captain

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I remember that commercial if it Matters 😊

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@captain11​ πŸ˜‚ I guess we're old then.πŸ€”

Captain

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@dlpsr Beyond old.  And I noticed you didn't mention my attempt at humor. My wife warned me it wasn't funny, even after I explained it to her.  

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@captain11​ Sorry, new forum notifications seem to only work once in a while. I clean my browser cache.

I thought you fat fingered the keyboard. Not that that it Matters. πŸ˜‰

We're not ready to host SNL or Comedy Central. Our humor is just plain unappreciated.

Of course our better halves have listened to it for 50+ years, here anyhow.πŸ€”πŸ₯±

And I did sit here rereading for 10 minutes looking for it too. πŸ€“ I'm sorry to gang up, but it bombed.

Captain

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@dlpsr​ You are in good company with my wife.  She always said my humor was hardly such. Rimshot please.

46 Messages

5 days ago

Well first off there could be tons of improvement on the system. Matter hub aspect would be nice. Especially since SS Team is apart of matter, not the fact they would ever allow self monitoring. Secondly the cameras are the best hardware I seen yet, but the software suck! Why would I ever want my images sent to AWS? SS needs to add in local support for home owners. Give us RTSP cameras (IP Cameras) to store locally, I would love to add this in the NVR.

Last year they released announcement for open contact sensors, come on. I hope that it only announce in offline mode. As the thief would love to take it too in their escape plan.

With all that said, I am slowly transitioning away from the best hardware because I don't fall into their business model. I get it, but many of us love your hardware and don't like the in ability to use the system without being personal monitored by overlords. 

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