Everything You Need With SwitchBot's Security Products (Contact/Motion Sensor and Camera)

3 Security Products From SwitchBot! || Contact and Motion Sensor + Indoor Camera
Our review, unbox, and setup of the SwitchBot Contact Sensor, the SwitchBot Motion Sensor, and the SwitchBot Indoor Camera is here! I'm ready to show you everything about these 3 new security products from SwitchBot.
They haven't been perfect, as the scenes tend to have a delay based on the internet requirement and the hubs themselves. In fact, the Contact Sensor and Motion Sensor both require the SwitchBot Mini Hub (and can't use the existing SwitchBot Hub Plus).
Either way, these are fairly inexpensive and do work with Amazon's Alexa app and even the Google Home app. However, they won't work well with SmartThings at this time, and with Google, you'll only be able to stream the camera on their smart displays. With Amazon Alexa however, the SwitchBot Motion and Contact Sensor, as well as the Indoor Camera can all trigger Alexa Routines, plus speak to people through the Echo Shows.
The SwitchBot Contact Sensor has some interesting things about it, as it's not just a door or window sensor, but also a cabinet and a motion sensor too. It also has a button on it that you can use to tell SwitchBot you're leaving. This can trigger scenes inside of SwitchBot's application.
The SwitchBot Motion Sensor is really different too, as it sports a 9 meter sight. It's battery powered and should give you 3 years of run time before you need a couple AAA's.
The SwitchBot Indoor Camera looks pretty good and does fairly well when compared to the new Google Nest Camera and Wyze Cam V3.
All in all, these are different security devices, but they're all pretty good. Just be aware of the delay and the fact that you need internet for them to work!
Links for today's video:
Tips for Easy, Reliable Wi-Fi - • 5 Tips For EASY and AM...
SwitchBot Tags, NFC Tags For Home Automation - • This Secret Product La...
And that dual sided sticky tape? geni.us/DoubleSidedTape (Amazon affiliate link)
You can buy all of SwitchBot's great products using the links below. Here are some deals available now though:
- Use "25OFF1" on SwitchBot Curtain and Bot Combo for 25% off, until September 4 - www.switch-bot.com/pages/deal... (Affiliate link)
- Use "25Automate" on SwitchBot Indoor Cam for 25% off, until September 13 - www.switch-bot.com/collection... (Affiliate link)
- OR use our lifetime channel specific promo code “AUTOMATEYOURLIFE10” to enjoy 10% off all SwitchBot products at the following links
SwitchBot Indoor Camera - www.switch-bot.com/collection... (affiliate link)
SwitchBot Motion Sensor - www.switch-bot.com/collection... (affiliate link)
SwitchBot Contact Sensor - www.switch-bot.com/collection... (affiliate link)
Other Products - www.switch-bot.com?sca_ref=465261.lnJUzVYgn2 (affiliate link)
Buy SwitchBot products on Amazon US/UK/FR/ES/DE/IT/NL for 25% off, ends September 6th:
SwitchBot Hub Mini - geni.us/SwitchBotHubMini (Amazon affiliate link)
SwitchBot Curtain - geni.us/SwitchBotCurtainAYL (Amazon affiliate link)
Timecodes for today's video:
0:00 - 3 New SwitchBot Security Devices
0:59 - SwitchBot Motion Sensor Unbox and Review
3:22 - SwitchBot Motion Sensor Installation
5:19 - SwitchBot Motion Sensor Setup
8:02 - SwitchBot Motion Sensor Settings
12:28 - Scenes With SwitchBot Motion Sensor
14:20 - SwitchBot Contact Sensor Unbox and Review
16:28 - SwitchBot Contact Sensor Installation Details
19:04 - SwitchBot Contact Sensor Setup
20:10 - Physical Mounting of SwitchBot Contact Sensor
21:22 - SwitchBot Contact Sensor Settings
25:03 - Scenes and Automations With SwitchBot Contact Sensor
27:41 - SwitchBot Indoor Camera Unbox and Review
30:07 - SwitchBot Indoor Camera Installation Details
31:12 - SwitchBot Indoor Camera Setup
32:29 - SwitchBot Indoor Camera Settings
38:56 - Automations With SwitchBot Indoor Camera
39:49 - Amazon Alexa and SwitchBot Security Devices
41:59 - Google Home and SwitchBot Security Products
44:03 - Camera Quality Comparisons
45:11 - Reliability of the SwitchBot Sensors
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Thanks for watching, and Don't Hate, Automate.
Brian

[@HughD]

Yet another interesting video, Brian. I know you like these folks and I have a couple their Switchbots and temp sensors installed, but I wish they'd start using LoRa if they're going to require their hub and give me some reason to install yet another hub. Also IMHO the last thing we need is yet another cheap "smart" camera. I've used a lot of those cameras and am certainly not needing more. I do find that adding light sensing is interesting as well as adding motion to the switch. I'll keep using what I have of theirs and will watch for new stuff, but they need to have some technical feature that makes them truly stand out from the rest. Thanks again!

[@AutomateYourLife]

Watch that other one I released today Hugh...you might just find that simple automation you're after! I have a hunch! :)

[@ronm6585]

Thank you sir. Great info.

[@AutomateYourLife]

So nice of you sir! Thank you!

[@lany_07gaming]

Switchbot Products are cool,great review.👍

[@AutomateYourLife]

Thanks Lany!!

[@andrewcbartlett]

Brian, thank you for making this interesting video.

[@AutomateYourLife]

Thanks sir! Good to see ya!

[@TjFruichantie]

Hey Brian, what's the cooldown time for the motion sensor and the door sensor?

[@alldaypan]

Do you know the cool down time for the motion sensor?

[@TimAspinell]

Another great video

[@AutomateYourLife]

Thanks Tim!😀😀

[@philipperostin]

Switchbot is definitely becoming a serious competitor to smarthings and hue ! I do prefer the really compact design of wyze products, but their range is really bad, at least in my house. As for Switchbot, I still wait to encounter a problem !

[@AutomateYourLife]

Well that's a pretty good sign...these aren't perfect, but SwitchBot's done well

[@BigTadger]

i love switchbot very reliable just extremely slow i have hue motion sensors and lights turn on instantly where as switchbot takes 2-4 seconds depending on room.

[@AutomateYourLife]

Agreed. To bridge across to lighting it can be slower. Have you tried some of SwitchBot's own lighting? It can be a little quicker. :)

[@Reel2RealProd]

Have you tried these products with Home Assistant? Specifically the motion sensor and the contact sensor.

[@AutomateYourLife]

Nope! Sorry!

[@EsotericArctos]

I am not sure what "features" I really want on a contact sensor. All I want to know is if the door is open or closed, if the device is tampered with and if the battery is good for battery operated devices :). That aside, Switchbot have come a long way and created a really great ecosystem.

[@AutomateYourLife]

Yeah it's an interesting take, and you know what...I allllllllways appreciate a company pushing the boundaries of what a device should do. It's the only way we'll see innovation in this industry. So I like the idea, even if I don't personally have a use for the button. I do like the motion sensing part, but I wish Amazon could bring both sensors across!

[@EsotericArctos]

@@AutomateYourLife Relying on Amazon or Google to bring sensors in on their own is probably pushing the boundaries a bit too far. I still think having a separate hub that can pull all the sensors and send them to Google or Amazon is a better way, and gives options should Google or Amazon go offline for whatever reason, or (as Paul Hibbert may say) Jeff Bezos decides he needs more yachts lol.

[@ReeveLuiz]

Can these be added to Home Assistant to create and run automations there?

[@AutomateYourLife]

Don't know! I actually haven't bothered. I guess I'll add it to the list of tests from now on...you guys ask alot

[@ReeveLuiz]

@@AutomateYourLife That's cos we, as subscribers, value your opinion quite a bit! ;)

[@AutomateYourLife]

And I value you guys!!

[@seaeyeare]

I am not having a fun time with Switchbot products. They respond slow and heck. Everything is connected properly. My smart lights respond very quickly when asking google or alexa to turn them on but switchbot turning off the same light using motion is slow slow i could literally go in and come out before it even turns it on. Any suggestions @Automate Your Life ? Switchbot has been a terrible experience so far.

[@AutomateYourLife]

That's a bit odd. I've had delays sometimes, and right now I know there are some delays because of a couple of AWS outages wreaking havoc with things. I would chat with their support about the time it takes to respond. It can happen like this depending on the route you're using. Maybe Alexa from SwitchBot?

[@seaeyeare]

@@AutomateYourLife so right now I only have the Alexa on my phone not using an actual speaker. If switchbot was communicating through the actual speaker and not just the app on my phone might it be a little quicker? I noticed the routines generally are only working when the app is open on my phone if I close the app walk away from my phone and my phone locks the motion sensor will still turn on the light sometimes but never shuts it off. If I open the app it's almost like it remembers to do the routine so maybe it is possible if I get an Alexa Flex the routines might work a little smoother?

[@AutomateYourLife]

Hmmmm no probably not a TON quicker. It's all cloud/server based. But might help a bit. Here's what I'd do to test. Test an automation just inside of SwitchBot. Try a motion sensor triggering anything and see how quick that is. Then go external to ifttt and test that. Then go to Alexa. You'll feel the problem quickly!

[@seaeyeare]

@@AutomateYourLife I used ifft and it works much faster and very smoothly responds within 5 seconds and light shuts off after a minute of no motion works much quicker much more smoothly. Thank you for the fantastic advice you have earned not only my subscription but if you have patreon I'll be on that list too.

[@seaeyeare]

@@AutomateYourLife Just an update here in case you or anyone runs into this or you can include this in one of your videos because I read negative reviews online about the sensors being inconsistent. So first I noticed if I didnt go into the room with the sensor for hours it was just inactive and i would have to open IFTTT app. How I fixed this was I went into my phone's battery settings and set it so Switchbot, Alexa and IFTTT never get put to sleep. NOW it has been days with fairly consistent operation. I still feel Switchbot products are on the lower end of quality and the delay is still 3-5 seconds for the light to turn on but I feel that is manageable and the fact I dont have to be home or have to keep opening the app for it to work is a big bonus

[@calamityairlines9762]

It's all switchbot today 🤣

[@AutomateYourLife]

I dub it, SwitchBot Day!

[@BigMu2003]

Is this communicating to the hub by using Bluetooth?

[@AutomateYourLife]

Yep! Pretty much all SwitchBot's products do Eric :)

[@BigMu2003]

@@AutomateYourLife huh. Is it reliable and fast enough? Wouldn’t other protocols be better?

[@AutomateYourLife]

That's in the video a few times

[@BigMu2003]

@@AutomateYourLife do you think SwitchBot will jump to thread in the future? Perhaps a firmware update like Eve did? Also would you choose SwitchBot or Yolink for sensors?

[@carloscarvalho4410]

Just remember! Switchbot products can't be added in Routines was a trigger!!! Also whith hub... I have made That mistake

[@AutomateYourLife]

Alexa routines no, but Smartthings routines! Don't even need an ST hub for that

[@carloscarvalho4410]

@@AutomateYourLife thanks for the info...doesnt know that... my intention was turn on a smart plug ...for heter in winter... dont know how

[@patrickcadette]

😁😁😁👍👍👍

[@AutomateYourLife]

😁😁😁😁

[@BrentFranker]

Just FYI, you have a phone number off your personal phone displayed... a voicemail number. You may or may not care but thought I'd let you know in case you missed it. :) If you do care and decide to blur it out or not, feel free to delete this comment once you read it :)

[@BrentFranker]

Oh, also, you mentioned you were going to leave a link for your double sided sticky tape but I don't see it :)

[@AutomateYourLife]

Thanks Brent! No that one's OK...I mean if people want to try and get my messages they can but thank you for pointing it out! So helpful when people are looking out for you. Also the tape! Thanks for the reminder there. geni.us/DoubleSidedTape (Amazon affiliate link)