4 Stupid Questions for SureTY DIY

Stupid Question 1 - For ADC, do I HAVE to buy the ADC version of the Skybell HD satin?

Stupid Question 2 - Either way, do you know where I can buy one at a reasonable price?

Stupid Question 3 - I saw you have this item in stock on your website, although this is higher than my current security providers price, could I buy it as a non-customer?

Stupid Question 4 - Should I be buying this? (is there a better Skybell?, Lots of issues? Things I should know?)

Bonus question - I think I have met the capabilities (automation speaking) that ADC can offer. I have dabbled in a little IFTTT and thought about buying a Harmony Home to round out some things I might want to do. However, a lot of the ideas I read about automation are not things I really care about. Anyone have a “next level” ideas for automation? I have tapped out the triggers from lights and door sensors and even put a Sensor Group 25 door sensor on my bedroom for various triggers. Just curious about other good ideas.

Bonus 2 - I want to put a 10’ Sub-woofer on a Leviton appliance on/off module. I have a few outdoor modules for higher wattage coming but the Leviton is my preference. Do we think this would work?

The wife asks me to turn the bass off when she goes to bed before me and who wants to get up and walk 10 feet to turn a switch on the back?

There are no stupid questions. I mean, I suppose if there is a question about cheese manufacturing, we wouldn’t be able to answer. :wink: But as far as related questions go, if you need something answered please feel free to ask!

For ADC, do I HAVE to buy the ADC version of the Skybell HD satin?

No. The Skybell HD can be purchased from any vendor and can be used with ADC. There may be a possibility of newest firmware on a Skybell HD which is not officially supported yet breaking a feature, but we haven’t seen that yet.

The Skybell Slim Line ADC version is on the other hand only ADC compatible and versions other than the HD and the Slim Line ADC are not compatible.

Either way, do you know where I can buy one at a reasonable price?

We sell the ADC branded HD model here. HD models can be found from a variety of vendors, likely on Amazon as well.

I saw you have this item in stock on your website, although this is higher than my current security providers price, could I buy it as a non-customer?

You can purchase equipment from suretyDIY even if you do not use Alarm.com service through us and you can use equipment from other vendors with our service.

There are no obligations regarding equipment, just that it is compatible. We recommend purchasing new communication modules rather than used for the panel models with modular cell cards, and we recommend buying them from us because we can guarantee they are unregistered and new.

Should I be buying this? (is there a better Skybell?, Lots of issues? Things I should know?)

There have been some battery concerns with some of the Skybell HD units. The battery has been reported in cases to swell over time, necessitating replacement of the battery. I don’t recall the same reports regarding the Slim Line version.

Anyone have a “next level” ideas for automation? I have tapped out the triggers from lights and door sensors and even put a Sensor Group 25 door sensor on my bedroom for various triggers. Just curious about other good ideas.

Things we’ve suggested.

Ideas others have suggested.

Some ideas from Z-wave.com

Options expand at a steady clip with new services available under ADC. There are recent inclusions of Irrigation Control, Legrand Home Audio, etc., which are included with suretyDIY Gold Interactive service.

Scenes through ADC allow you to group many disparate actions together and control them all via a single action. Even better you can assign them to home screen widgets on your smartphone for easy access.

I want to put a 10′ Sub-woofer on a Leviton appliance on/off module. I have a few outdoor modules for higher wattage coming but the Leviton is my preference. Do we think this would work?

We would need more details in this case. What model of subwoofer? What is the model number of the appliance module?

I assume there wouldn’t be an issue, I can’t imagine an appliance module is rated for less than 15Amp

So, about the cheese…j/k.

So, to clarify; I can buy any Skybell HD and it will integrate completely with ADC? I ask because I read a bunch of places that I had to use the ADC one or it wouldn’t work.

I saw one on Amazon, sold by Skybell that is $50-120 cheaper than any ADC version I saw. Sorry for the clarification but I want to use it to trigger other things in ADC and didn’t want any issues. I have to give my current vendor another $5/month to add.

The module is this one https://home.leviton.com/products/z-wave-universal-plug-in-appliance-module/

and the sub is this one https://www.bestbuy.com/site/klipsch-reference-10-300w-powered-subwoofer-black/6345006.p?skuId=6345006

Thank you for the suggestions.

So, to clarify; I can buy any Skybell HD and it will integrate completely with ADC? I ask because I read a bunch of places that I had to use the ADC one or it wouldn’t work.

There are ADC branded ones like we sell, but they are not functionally different than the unbranded Skybell HD model. The ADC versions are firmware controlled, meaning they will only ever have the latest confirmed stable firmware release compatible with ADC upon shipment. We’ve yet to see newer firmware cause an issue.

You shouldn’t have any issue with the sub on that Z-wave appliance module I don’t think. I’m not sure the comparison is 1 to 1 or matters in this case, but the module supports motor loads up to 1/2 HP.

1/2 horsepower equates to more than the sub’s 300W.

Thank you so much for your honesty Jason, you could have easily said, “You can only buy the ADC one, please send me your credit card information”.

I bought the one on Amazon.

For cool things within the Alarm.com system, I have/or am doing:

  1. When my wife goes to bed, which is at a generally specific time; turning off the sub-woofer through a bedroom door Group 25 sensor

  2. Have a motion detector in my drum set room. When I come in to play, it turns on everything (PA System, mixer) for me and if the motion is inactive for 30 minutes, turns everything off.

  3. We spend a lot of time in the basement of our house so if someone opens the front or back door, it will turn off the basement lights for 15 seconds.

  4. Currently testing an IFTTT applet that will turn my Harmony activity on when I pass by a motion detector within a designated time. It’s laggy though.

  5. Door sensors on our fridge to let me know if it doesn’t close properly. Which happens because it is a double door and when you close one, it sometimes opens another one.