A few months before our son was born, I installed several smart devices for security and surveillance. They have worked out quite well. You might notice that my setup is a bit unconventional – I don’t have Nest Cam, Ring, etc from Google, Amazon et. al. That’s because privacy is a big feature that I look for 🙂

Tech enthusiasts: My entire house is smart.

Tech workers: The only piece of technology in my house is a printer and I keep a gun next to it so I can shoot it if it makes a noise I don’t recognize.

— Pranay Pathole (@PPathole) April 12, 2019

Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt

• First and foremost, it’s a solid lock (deadbolt).
• Simple, nice keypad on the outside ⇒ Can be used easily by visitors. Locks with a single touch. Numbers light up when any key is pressed.
• No need for complicated key sharing process with electrician, contractor, babysitter, etc. Just give them a temporary code.
• Supports 30 codes. Can configure time-of-day based access. Length of code can be configured. Access can be easily enabled/disabled using the Schlage App
• Several options for remote operation using WiFi
• Really long battery life
• Comes with a backup physical key (makes sense to take the key with you if you are planning to be away for an extended period of time)
• Installation was really easy. Just replaced my existing deadbolt. No drilling.
• I bought it from Amazon

Eques VEIU Doorbell and Door Camera

• Retrofits in the peep hole and runs on batteries ⇒ very easy installation
• Battery lasts for approximately 2 months.
• LCD touch screen on the inside with full functionality ⇒ anyone can operate it, no need for app
• Local storage ⇒ No sending data to the “cloud”. You can still connect remotely and stream the video.
• All the features expected from a “smart” doorbell and camera – bell rings on the device (on the inside) as well as on the phone. You can see the person, talk back and forth. Passive IR detects movements and captures a burst of stills (and you can set it up to send notifications)
• I bought it from Amazon

YI Dome Indoor Camera

• 1080p, Pan, Tilt, Zoom, Auto-Cruise, Night Vision, Motion Tracking
• Local storage ⇒ Better data privacy. You can use a 64GB SD card and store HD video worth a month (it keeps rotating). You can still stream it via the internet. They have cloud subscription if you want to use it.
• Privacy mode not only switches off the input, but also rotates the camera all the way into the cover such that it’s physically blocked. It’s still connected to WiFi, so you can turn it on using the app.
• Passcode protected camera. You can set a passcode so even if someone is physically at your home (lets say, while you are away), they won’t be able to pair with the camera and access the content.
• 1080p
• Great price for the quality and features
• I bought it from Amazon

The Hub: Apple TV 4K

I use Apple TV not only as a media center but also as the HomeKit Hub. Currently I use HomeKit with only my Schlage Sense lock for remote operation of the lock. The other products have their own apps, servers and notifications infrastructure which work pretty well.