INTRODUCTION

   Protecting your family, home and even your business from intruders has never been easier than it is today (and we imagine things will get even easier as time goes by) largely thanks to a good number of manufacturers that specialize in state of the art DIY (do it yourself) smart home alarm/security systems. Now in case you're not aware of this the reason we call them DIY systems is because manufacturers give consumers the ability to tailor/customize each system to their specific needs so for example although one system may feature an exterior bullet camera and 5 window/door sensors the other may come with an interior camera (or both), 2 window/door sensors and a motion sensor. Home8 is one such manufacturer and although they currently have a rather large selection of available devices with which you can create your very own smart alarm/security system we decided to check their award winning Video-Verified Security Alarm System.

   Home8 leads a new generation of advanced wireless communication platforms, incorporating video and Internet-based mobile cloud technology to put home control and protection in the palm of users’ hands. Home8’s patented zero-pairing networking technology installs in minutes and integrates smart security, safety, video, care, and home control functions to protect property, assets, and people. Home8 features include sensor-initiated video recording, cloud and local storage options, notifications to customized tiers of recipients, and can be used in multiple locations, all accessible under one single mobile app. To see the complete Home8 lineup of comprehensive and affordable alarm, awareness, and assurance solutions and services, please visit www.home8alarm.com.

   Before we start talking about the Video-Verified Security Alarm System by Home8 i need to point out that it's currently available in two versions with the type of hub/shuttle used as their sole difference. So although the EU based version comes with version 2.0 of the hub/shuttle (the one we got which resembles a router) the USA version comes with version 3.0 (showcased in the above picture - round one). Now although both hubs/shuttles perform the same exact tasks and can be paired with the same range of alarm peripherals version 3.0 has a built-in 110db siren whereas version 2.0 works with an external 100db one (they also use different CPUs but as far as we can tell based on their specifications performance is virtually identical). With that out of the way depending on the version the Video-Verified Security Alarm System is either a 6 or a 7 piece security alarm system consisting of a central hub/shuttle (version 2.0 or 3.0 including a 16GB USB thumb drive for local recording - you can use up to an 1TB HDD for recording), USB powered mini cube HD camera (720p/H.264/30fps/NV-IR/Built-in microphone and speaker), USB powered siren (for version 2.0 of the hub/shuttle), battery powered infrared motion sensor (120 degrees angle of coverage/3m-13m detection range/tamper proof/90m wireless range), two door/window sensors (tamper proof/90m wireless range) and a keychain remote (90m wireless range/arm-disarm-panic buttons). Of course since this is an DIY system you can expand it according to your needs by adding numerous extra sensors (including garage, tracking, fire alarm and water leak models), cameras (twist HD 360 degrees camera, mini outdoor full HD camera, WiFi camera, Pan-Tilt camera) and care devices (panic button, fall detector, activity tracker, medication reminder, medication dispenser, inactivity alert motion sensor) available from Home8.