I have a door sensor that signals for my Wyze Cam OG to turn on the siren if triggered during a certain time frame. However, occasionally I need to open the door during that time period. I can turn off the siren from the app on my phone but I don’t see a way to prevent it from starting without manually disabling the rule each time.
I’m not sure what the solution is that I’m seeking or how to ask the question. Here are a few scenarios that I don’t know if they are possible or not but I THINK would accomplish my goal:
Option 1: Have a shortcut on my phone (or even just in the app that is very easily and quickly accessible) to disable the rule either permanently until reenabled (with another shortcut) or disabled temporarily so I can enter without alarms. This would require each person to have access to the app.
Option 2: Have a delay in the siren and another option within the room to disable the siren within x-seconds (even if it was that the camera is plugged into a plug that could be powered off quickly- the delay would give us time to turn it off without it sounding instantly). I know I can turn off the siren on my phone but I don’t believe I can turn it off until it has been sounded, right? Also, if a family member needs to enter the room they may not have access to my phone.
Ideally, I could set it up for “IF door is opened between 5PM and 5AM” “THEN wait 10-seconds to turn on siren” before checking "IF (wyze sensor or light switch) is not triggered). But I know this is not possible with the limitation of a single “IF” variable in current triggers.
I assume this is something that would be solved with the Home Monitoring but it’s a small office outside of my home which I understand is not allowed with Home Monitoring. Just looking for some workarounds.
I’ve played around with Macrodroid but I’m not sure how that would work either.
That could work! I just setup Alexa and haven’t played with the routines yet. Since I have Wyze rules and macrodroid macros, I hate to introduce a 3rd variable, but maybe I could move away from rules in the Wyze app.
The only way to disable a rule is thru the Edit Rules dialogue. There is no snooze or pause functionality and no way to modify active\inactive status like thru another Shortcut Rule. This option is not possible.
There are no delay features within the Rules Engine that allows for the introduction of a delay. Once the Trigger is pulled (sensor), the Action fires (siren).
It may be possible, with the addition of an additional Wyze device like a plug, to introduce a delay function by using an Alexa Routine. Alexa cannot trigger the siren on the cams. But she can use the sensor to trigger a routine that specifies a “Wait” time before turning on the plug. She can also announce that the Routine has triggered on any Echo devices before triggering the plug. A Wyze Rule can then use the plug as a Trigger to Action the Siren on.
With Alexa Routines and Wyze Rules, you only get one IF. There are no other IF variable parameters. The one IF you get is the single trigger for the Routine or Rule. You can have multiple THEN Actions, but all of them fire from the same single IF Trigger.
If you are looking for an app that can offer more customized IF\THEN variables, you may want to consider IFTTT. I believe that only the paid subscription plans get multiple IF variables.
I previously used IFTTT, but quit using it some time ago when they started gouging customers. I currently use Wyze Rules, Alexa Routines, and MacroDroid Macros.
Thanks so much. It looks like Alexa might work (I realized I have several routines that I had forgotten about). I’m still looking into some of the settings in Alexa but I’m trying to find a way to have have a “beep” sound that would play for 5 seconds to alert me that the alarm will sound, then have an alarm sound. The alarms included in Alexa are pretty bad and there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to include custom sounds within an Alexa Routine.
I bet I could do this with MacroDroid and I do plan to have an Android phone with MacroDroid running, so that might be a way to go. If you have any suggestions off the top of your head I would love to hear them. Otherwise I’ll poke around and see what I can find- then I’ll message you for help because I’m sure I’ll need it!
Alexa is a bit limited in the sounds that can be played, but playing a single sound several times in a routine before a wait command should produce the audible countdown with delay you are seeking.
I have found that MacroDroid is highly dependant on outside input to trigger macros. Because it monitors the OS for the incoming notification, it is always subject to the inherent variable latency of the notification delivery before triggering. I have been successful at MacroDroid triggering Alexa Routines using Webhooks, but the opposite has proven difficult during to the excessive unreliability of Alexa notifications. I find that my Wyze notifications are far more reliable in triggering my macros.
Ok, I’ve played around with a few settings but I’m still not getting the right setup.
With Wyze I can get it to send the door being opened and then turn on an alarm on my camera or turn on a switch with an alarm plugged in. But no way to delay this to allow it to be “disarmed” before sounding.
Alexa routine seems could work on that it can sense the for opening, add a delay, then signal a built in again (but the alarms are pretty silly and alive more scifi, which isn’t going to startle anyone), and there is no way that I see to have it give the delay, then check for another trigger (light switch or power switch turned on or off) as the disarm key.
Macrodroid is probably the way to go, I can get Wyze to send a notification to my phone which macrodroid sees and triggers a countdown, then sounds a custom alarm that I can add to the phone (this could be the beep and the siren) but I can’t figure out how to have to wait for the countdown and then check that another insurance is true or false (Wyze light or power switch) to act as the disarm. I can’t figure out how to get macrodroid to know anything the state of embassy devices without notifications from Wyze. If I could have a Wyze rule to alert my phone when a Wyze light is turned on and macrodroid could wait x seconds for this notification to arrive before sounding the alarm, that could work.
Am I making this too complicated? Is there an easier way?
I think the IFTTT solution that Slabslayer talked about above may be the best solution, but it may be $2.50-$5.00 a month for the the ones that offer nested “IF” statements.
I think you can try them out for free for a limited time to see if it works though.
I have never fiddled with IFTTT, but lots of folks use it.
MacroDroid cannot monitor any external device. It can only monitor your Android OS functions. For MacroDroid to do anything, it has to register on your phone or be dependant on some OS feature on your phone.
The stacked plug concept has been used before. Good idea @muerte33.
I used this with an external bull horn siren I had for my HMS Alarm before it gained Wyze Rule Triggers. It may work for you as well…
The bottom plug serves as a Master Arm\Disarm. The top plug is the Trigger plug.
Using this, you wouldn’t need any delay. You would just need an Arm and Disarm Trigger.
When you leave, whatever trigger you use will turn the Master On. The Trigger plug will then power on and log into the network returning to its prior Off state.
If the contact sensor opens, a Wyze Rule turns on the Trigger Plug for 30s. Another Wyze Rule will sound the cam sirens when the Trigger Plug turns on and they will run for 30s.
When you come home, whatever trigger you choose turns the Master plug off. If the contact sensor opens, it will execute the Rule to turn on the Trigger plug, but since the Master is off, it has no power and cannot get that Rule command so it can’t turn on to trigger the siren.
Hopefully stephen7 has another Wyze plug to test the above scenario!
I think it could work, but would it be reliable (AWS servers could be a problem)?
I guess a Wyze rule “shortcut” could be used to turn OFF the plug that actually plugs into the wall socket if they want to quickly bypass the siren.
It would be nice if Wyze could add a delay into the rules toolbox, but I saw the wish list on rules, and it is rather LONG!
Thanks Slabslayer!
Thanks so much for the help on this. I was able to get everything working. Ultimately I’ve decided to get a commercial option with a keypad, but I’m utilizing this option in the meantime and it’s working great. I tried a few other setups with Alexa and some options with window sensors to enable/disable, but the suggestion of two plugs works great.