Yale Sync Smart Home Alarm test: an interesting connected alarm

The power station is particularly compact since it does not exceed 10 cm on a side. It is built in a fairly beautiful white plastic. Above, LEDs show the state of the system, while at the back we find two buttons (power on and reset Wi-Fi), the connector for the mains power supply and an Ethernet socket (the cable is supplied). Inside is hidden the connectivity of the device, namely a proprietary radio protocol to communicate with the various peripherals (200 meters of range in a free space, depending on the brand). There is also a siren that would be able to emit 100 dB (A) and a battery of 6 hours of autonomy after a 30-minute recharge (manufacturer data).

The keyboard is quite compact too. It naturally includes 10 numeric keys to enter the code, three buttons to disarm the alarm, activate it fully or partially and two others to launch panic mode.

The motion detector is rather impressive. It does not react to animals weighing less than 25 kg.

The door opening detector is a fairly classic model, since it consists of two parts that must be fixed on the door frame and on the door itself. All devices work with the supplied batteries, but be careful, there are several types of batteries. It is therefore a question of being vigilant when purchasing a possible replacement game.

For the installation, we opted for a wired connection. Once the control unit is plugged in and turned on, everything goes through the application. Please note, this is not the same one used by the brand lock (Yale Access), but Yale Home.

The method is fairly standard: creation of a user account then followed by a step-by-step protocol. It is then necessary to go to the configuration of the various accessories. There are two components here: the physical installation and the pairing between the peripheral and the central unit.

The brief user manual that accompanies the system indicates that the peripherals must be placed in pairing mode. Usually a button press is required to switch the device to this mode. Small difficulty, all do not have quite the same operation: the press can be for 1 s or 3 s, for example, depending on the device. The keyboard is paired by means of a combination of keys. But in fact, we did not need to follow this procedure, because as soon as we removed the tab preventing contact of the batteries of our three devices, they automatically connected to the alarm. It could hardly be simpler. This fast-track process is not really documented and we wasted some time trying to connect products that actually already were.

We start with the door opening detector. The application clearly explains the constraints of the installation, such as the distance between the two elements. Note the presence of a small spring which enables the alarm to be triggered in the event of the detector being torn off. The motion detector should be placed at a height of between 1.8 and 2 m. Fixing is done by screws provided and can be final using screws. In the end, the total installation took us about 30 minutes.

To activate the protection of your home, two methods are available with this kit. You can use the keyboard first. You must choose the alarm mode using the three buttons described above, then enter the password. The second way is through the application whose home screen presents the appropriate commands. It is rather classic then. Note that small remote controls to attach to a bunch of keys are available as an accessory at prices between 30 and 35 €. This is an option that we particularly appreciate, because it allows a simplified use by children who do not necessarily have a smartphone, or quite simply by people who are not technophiles.

We found that the use of partial arming was not very explicit. In reality it corresponds to the Night mode of a classic alarm. Thus, it is possible to exclude one or more sensors from the equation so that it does not trigger an alarm. At night, for example, you can deactivate motion detectors inside the house or in certain rooms by leaving only the door opening detectors active.

Once the principle is assimilated, the implementation of your protection strategy is very easy to achieve. You must open the screen of a detector and choose “Partial exclusion”. Of course, the user can adjust the timing parameters that will allow him to cross a room to enter his code on the keypad without triggering the alarm.

The motion detector is effective and effectively manages the presence of the old cat in the house rather well. We have not had any untimely triggering of this fact. However, be careful with the placement of the detector, especially in relation to the windows. A curtain that moves in a draft and your neighbors will hate you. The opening detector also works wonderfully, even when the distance between its two components is at the limit of acceptable (according to the documentation). The siren integrated into the small control unit produces a powerful (100 dB (A) verified) and very high-pitched sound. You can’t stay in the same room for more than a few seconds without protective gear. An excellent weight / power ratio as it looks in the automobile. The control unit also has a radio jamming attempt detection system on board.

The alarm system companion application plays the card of sobriety and simplicity. Do not expect a riot of menus and various options. Most of the functions are immediately accessible, which is a real plus for the average user. Yale has chosen not to offer so-called “smart” functions directly in its application. The alarm should be activated manually and not, for example, automatically when you move away from your home. It is possible to create several users with a PIN code (the one to be entered on the keypad) which must be different for each user.

The app differentiates these users whose account is only used to enter a code on the keypad from those able to manage the alarm system. There, we find the main account which takes the name of Master and possibly that of other users whose account is named Sub-account. We saw more clearly, in particular on the differences in terms of rights between the two categories of users. In general, the application sometimes lacks clarity, probably trying to appear as simple and uncluttered as possible. It gives little help around certain functions that are a bit complex to deploy. Note in passing that it is possible to authenticate using the Face ID system of the iPhone.

The application makes it possible to add peripherals which take place in a catalog which grows regularly, knowing that the control unit can manage a total of 40 accessories. Today there is an outdoor siren, a module combining motion and smoke detection, a controlled socket, etc.
To go even further, Yale relies heavily on openness to other ecosystems. We classically find Amazon Alexa, compatibility with Google Home due to arrive in a few weeks. Once the Yale Smart Living Skill is installed and configured, you can arm the alarm simply by voice.

The Yale Sync system can also connect to your Philips Hue equipment. Once the two ecosystems are connected, several scenarios are possible, such as automatically turning on light bulbs if the alarm is triggered.