I was intrigued when I was selected to review the Piper nv, a new internet-enabled home security and automation system that allows me to monitor my home security more effectively. The Piper system has no monthly fees and gives me so much more control and options than our old system. It's available for purchase from the very helpful Piper website and even at retail stores, including local Targets. I found the standard Piper (but not the nv unit) in the Connected Living part of the Electronics department at the Target in Lowell.
Setup is a breeze. The Piper nv (for "night vision") is about the size of a router and comes with a quick start card and a window sticker. Remove the stand and the back, pop in the batteries, replace the back, plug in the cord, replace the stand, plug it in and you're ready to roll. I downloaded the Android app (an iPhone app is also available), set up a Piper account, and input my wifi router password. At first the Piper couldn't find the network, so I checked the online help system, which said to unplug the Piper and restart it. Worked like a charm -- as soon it booted up (the light on the front turns blue), it immediately found the network and I was able to communicate with my Piper via the app.
I didn't even need to read the online guide to understand how to set the system up. The dashboard shows four modes -- on but not monitoring ("Notify Only"), Stay, Away, and Vacation. I can enable any mode from my phone, whether I'm at home or away, which is very helpful if you're rushing out of the house and forget to enable the system. You use the Rules menu to set the system's reactions to different events. The camera can detect motion, temperature changes, and loud sounds. If it detects motion or loud sounds, it can begin recording a video, can notify me (via push message, phone call, email or text), can notify a list of my trusted contacts, or it can sound a (deafening) siren. If the temperature in the house goes below or above a certain threshold that I set, it will notify me and my list of contacts. It has an adjustable pet mode so that the system doesn't trigger if your pet strolls through the camera's range.
I recorded a screen capture of the Piper app showing the dashboard and the various settings:
http://youtu.be/UpRoWnhCc_E
In all modes, I can view what's happening in my home at any time through a live video feed. I can even pan and zoom and communicate via a two-way microphone. The app has a Panic button that will immediately turn on an extremely loud siren.
My system also came with a couple of very handy accessories -- a window/door sensor and a smart dimmer switch. The app had a bit of trouble recognizing the window/door sensor. After trying several times, I called tech support who walked me through a system reboot. (I thought I had rebooted it by unplugging it but the battery backup prevents it from fully rebooting. There's a button on the back that allows you to reboot the system in case it gets hung up.) After the reboot, it recognized the sensor immediately. I named the sensor "Basement Door" and mounted it on the walk-out door in our basement. I now get notified immediately via push message and a phone call if the basement door is opened while we're away or even during the night.
I love that I'm able to peek into my home at any time, just to check that things are safe. The app even provides a report of various "Vitals" -- indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity, and the hours when there was the most noise and activity in the house. If the system is "alarmed", it will begin recording video (per my settings). The videos are stored in the Piper cloud and can be reviewed on my phone or downloaded to police if needed should an incident occur. The Piper nv has night vision technology, and the live video and video recordings at night are surprisingly clear. See this video for a night vision recording (it was completely dark in the room when this was recorded):
http://youtu.be/ViF0bK_--9I
With the Piper nv, I feel like I have much more control over my home security and at a much lower cost than our previous system. I like that I can monitor my home more carefully. I'm thrilled to be able to cancel my expensive monthly security plan and stop using our ancient system. I plan to install an additional camera so that I can monitor our backyard (the Piper app can track input from several cameras). We have an inground pool, and I would like to be able to monitor the pool area while we're away. The Piper camera is currently not rated for outdoor use but can be installed in a covered area.
To learn more about Piper, visit the Piper website for lots of helpful videos, live chat and more. To enter to win a Piper and receive special offers, click HERE.
I received a free Piper nv and accessories for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.
