Two minute review
You may be familiar with UK connected home company Hive (owned by parent company British Gas Centrica) from their smart thermostat offerings. As one of the biggest rivals to Google Nest, which holds most of the market share, Hive has recently diversified, expanding into all areas of the connected smart home and developing a range of devices. Interdependent such as lights, plugs, security cameras and sensors. . Homeshield's design is nice and simple, which means it will work alongside the contents of any home. While the door and window sensors seem a bit cheap, the core products (the View camera and the siren) are rugged and well-designed to withstand the elements.
(Image credit: Lee Bell) When it comes to features, HomeShield is packed with them. Using AI, the security camera can successfully detect movements, sounds or faces automatically with high precision, alerting you on the app. There's also a cool feature that allows you to set rules for individual products that work cooperatively as part of the same smart home system, for example, you can set an ``Action'' for the siren light to turn on automatically when the camera detects movement. , but only at certain times of the day (at night, for example). We also like how the HomeShield integrates with existing smart home products like Philips Hue lighting and Alexa and the Google Assistant. Regarding installation, HomeShield can be installed by yourself or by an engineer (at an additional cost). The only downside is that the Siren and View camera must be powered via a standard UK socket, which limits where they can be installed. It may also require deep drilling to ensure the wires reach the necessary sockets. This means that the system is not suitable for all homes, especially if you are renting and have a strict landlord.
(Image credit: Lee Bell)
Prices and availability
- Available now in the UK with starter packs starting at € 167
- The most expensive 'big pack' costs €785
- Installation starts at €119 for the 'starter pack' and goes up to €279 for the 'big pack'
- Hive HomeShield subscription unlocks additional benefits and starts from € 9.99 per month
- Products can be purchased individually and with a 10% discount for existing members.
Hive's latest product, HomeShield, is a completely new smart alarm system aimed at protecting the home (hence the name), but with the added convenience that, thanks to its cloud connectivity, it can be controlled completely from a smartphone. . Making it easier than ever to check into your home by showing you a live view of what happened and when it happened, HomeShield's cloud accessibility means you can quickly see and react to any fun event from your phone, remotely. without having to. to go home and reset the alarm. Something that would not be possible if you were on vacation, for example. Available to buy now in the UK, Hive's HomeShield offer isn't just fixed cost. The prices are determined by the size of the package you buy, there are four of them: "starter", "small", "medium" and "large", and the prices increase accordingly. And if you're not sure which pack size to choose, you can fill out an online questionnaire to help you choose the right combination of devices that work best for your home. It's convenient, but these deals are customizable and you can always add more individual products later when you need to. Pricing starts at €167 for the starter pack and with that you get the most limited package and it doesn't include a hub, but it does come with a keypad, siren, motion detector and two contact sensors. This amounts to €785 for the 'big pack' of all songs and all dances, which includes a hub, keyboard, siren, three outdoor cameras, three motion detectors and four contact sensors. These sets are also fully customizable to your needs. Our review system was the 'small package', which retails for €365 and includes a hub, keypad, siren, outdoor camera, motion sensor and two contact sensors. If you've already installed a camera, you can add However, keep in mind that if you're not the best handyman in the world, you'll have to factor in installation costs, which increase with the size of the packages. It starts at €119 for the 'starter pack', €179 for the 'small pack', €229 for the 'medium pack' and €279 for the 'large pack'. While this might seem a bit pricey, keep in mind that it includes integration and a look at how it all works, even if you're a technophobe. You can also decide to install it yourself to save on these costs.
(Image credit: Lee Bell) Individually, the Hive View indoor and outdoor cameras are €179 each, the indoor motion and contact sensors are €29, the Siren €69, the active plug and keypad €39 and connected lights €29. That's not bad considering the cost of some smart home products these days. Also, discounts can be made on certain products if purchased in multiples and a 10% discount will be offered to members who purchase additional products. You also have the option to sign up to become a member of Hive HomeShield. This will incur an additional cost of €9.99 per month, but will unlock a variety of smart security features, such as storing more than a day's worth of footage in your cloud account, in-app police calls, more detailed intelligence reporting. and 10%. discount on products.
Integrated
- Simple design; integrates with the contents of any home
- Door and window sensors seem a bit cheap
- The cameras and siren are rugged and well designed to withstand the elements.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's start with what your HomeSheld system could potentially include. There are eight connected devices to choose from: an inside view camera, an outside view camera, a general motion sensor, a door/window contact sensor (based on magnetism, which detects a break in a contact), a plug active (a smart device). sensor socket that allows you to control your electrical devices remotely), a wireless keypad to enter and deactivate the alarm, and smart lights, which can be plugged into table lamps or ceiling lighting and activated when motion is detected. However, the main component, which the HomeShield system focuses on, is the Hive siren. This is a new offer for the company. Acting as her own deterrent, Siren sits proudly on her exterior wall, complete with a blue LED status to show would-be thieves that she means business. There's also a super-bright integrated security light that can automatically activate when motion is detected outside your home, for added peace of mind. The key feature here though is the alarm itself, which (110 dB) is as loud as a police car, sure to scare off any questionable characters. One of our favorite things about the entire Hive system is that each product in the kit has been designed in an understated way, ensuring it will blend in with any home's content, while still looking stylish. There are no garish colors; just minimal whites and grays, which complements our modern interior design. We can also imagine that they would resemble any accommodation.
(Image credit: Lee Bell) While the keyboard and hub are sturdy and sturdy, the motion and touch sensors feel a bit cheaper. They're relatively cheaper to buy individually, but on a number of occasions the touch sensor went out the door when we let it slam shut and therefore came loose and the battery died. The way these sensors close after installing a battery doesn't seem very secure and looks a bit flimsy compared to the keyboard for example. We can't imagine they would last long in an occupied home.
(Image credit: Lee Bell) The sensors and keypad can be secured to internal walls and crevices with 3M double-sided tape. Although this mounting method is much more robust than we had imagined, it depreciates the product somewhat; making it all a little less serious. But still, it's a good option for those who don't want to start drilling holes, or can't because they're in a rental property, etc. As for the View outdoor camera and siren, they feel much more rugged than sensors, probably because they were designed to withstand more extreme outdoor environments such as inclement weather. The camera, in particular, seems well-made and expensive, and while the siren is the biggest product in the line, it doesn't look out of place on the front of house.
Assembly and installation
- Can be installed by yourself or by an engineer (at additional cost)
- The siren and camera must be powered through a standard UK outlet, which limits where they can be installed.
- Not suitable for all households.
As the Hive Homeshield needs an installation à l'extérieur de votre maison, you can choose the faire you like, I can accept a supplement to the Hive and the embaucheront un ingénieur de Local Heroes to come le faire pour vous (moyennant a cousin ). Installation can cost anywhere from €119 for a 'starter pack' to €279 for a 'big pack' which is a bit expensive in our opinion. Then again, this might be priced well for those who aren't as tech-savvy and good at DIYing. It should be noted that this also includes a good hour of engineer presentation, which is probably worth it for those who aren't comfortable with modern technology. If you fancy connecting the camera and siren and attaching them to an outside wall yourself, you don't have to pay anything. For us, who are pretty tech-savvy, we didn't really need this introduction, but we did need the installation, so it would be worth it if Hive gave consumers the option to just pay for the work and walk away from the tech discussion. . , in case they don't really need it, like we don't, and they pay a little less. The facility was...