Voice Alerts & Chimes for Sense v2

Wishlist Maybe Later
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My idea(s) are super simple. There are only a handful of security products on the market which are equipped with voice alerts. This is a SUPER great feature for most people. Smart Things and Echo/Alexa now have this capability when paired, but it is a pretty expensive endeavor, depending on how many contact sensors someone wants or needs. A Smart Things box is ~$70 and each sensor runs ~$25 or so. After getting the box and 3 or 4 sensors, you’re looking at almost $200 and I have read that it’s not that reliable so I think Wyze is poised right now to get really disruptive (more so!) here.

What am I talking about?

Normal contact sensors simply chime when the door, window or whatever it’s attached to opens.

This idea comes with the assumption that you’re going to allow cameras to chime or make a noise at some point when paired with Sense (if not, put this on the roadmap too!).

My idea is to be able to program in VOICE alerts. You would need a solid vocabulary list, but that’s pretty easy. Once Voice alerts are enabled, the sensor will chime using voice. So, for example, when I open my Front Door, either have Wyze Cams (chosen in app) or release a dedicated device like a speaker or hub that will announce “Front Door Open” and “Front Door Closed”.

This is something that people don’t know they want until they have it and then they don’t know how they did without it (especially when you have kids).

How this could be executed?

For those WITH the Echo/Alexa:

As I mentioned, paired with Smart Things, this is something that Alexa can do. Using Echos skills and pairing that with some programming on your end, I don’t see why this isn’t possible using your sensors.

For those WITHOUT the Echo/Alexa:

This would be tricky. My first thought would be potentially through the Wyzecams. I don’t know how much memory the camera has inside, but I’m thinking that you can create a downloadable “language pack” which can announce voice alerts, just like the camera when connecting, I’m imagining that a language pack and some programming could possibly allow the camera to say/announce Voice alerts. If there’s not enough on board memory then perhaps it can access and store the files on a microSD card.

Failing this, create a product similar to Ring’s Siren. A speaker that plugs in directly to the wall and is able to chime or sound voice alerts (Rings’ can’t do voice alerts.)

Again, I think this would be an awesome thing to have. I myself have been looking around for a system to do this for months but the cheapest I can come up with is Smart Things, otherwise, it’d be getting a security system like Vivint or a Qolsys console, both which cost over $300 without a single sensor and require a monitoring plan which costs monthly.

Hopefully some of you think this is a good idea.

Thanks.

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Alexa will not be able to say “front door open” or anything else unbidden. The most an Alexa device will do is turn on yellow lights and wait for you to ask what notifications you have.

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“Alexa will not be able to say “front door open” or anything else unbidden. The most an Alexa device will do is turn on yellow lights and wait for you to ask what notifications you have.”

Here you go. This is just one example, there are plenty more on the web,

Using Smart Things, Echo can now speak custom phrases based on whether sensors are open, closed, triggered, etc.

This is the functionality I’m hoping will reach Wyze sensors.

2 Likes
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With the new Sense product sensors coming out soon, I am hopeful to see one feature added that SmartThings/security systems have and is a subtle, but nice feature. Currently, when selected doors or thresholds are broken on my SmartThings sensors, a chime or alert will play on the hub. I would love if on the Wyze Sense line we are able to have some/all cameras play a chime when a threshold is broken since they all have speakers embedded. We have this active so anyone in the house hears the chime if someone is coming in or going out, as well as knowing if a child has opened a door. Can’t wait to test out the new products!

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I just got my contact sensors and motion detector last week and so far I love them! It would be awesome if one or more cameras could announce when a sensor is open. For example if my 3year old opens my front door the camera would say “front door open” or make a chime sound.

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I ditto this.
I got the Ring Camera and alexa to say ‘motion at the front door’. I can’t do this with the ring chime. If using the ring spotlight cam, it would be nice to have a voice warning during the day… at night, the lights turn on. but during the day they don’t do anything. Since the spotlight cam has a speaker, they should do this but they don’t.
I hear the cam speak when doing setup. they should have a chime, a voice chime on motion detect or contact sense etc.
When they do an outdoor cam, then this would be helpful also. to scare away the package thieves, the skunk during the day and night.

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It would be a really quick addition for Alexa users. All Wyze would need to do is program the skill to accept the contact and motion sensor data. I’m really hoping they do this sooner than later. I’m ready to purchase more Wyze sense, just waiting for this to become a reality.

1 Like
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Yes, I can’t believe this isn’t already a feature. Our wyze cams already have speakers so why can’t they announce a door opening. Love the idea of it working with Google home mini or echo.

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IFTTT
If camera detects motion/sound or sensor is open/closed then play this sound on one or more cameras. Or broadcast to Google speakers?

Then you just need a library of custom sound files stored somewhere that can be accessed.

No idea if this capability exists yet or not. Different sound files for each open/close/detect event

3 Likes
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I would just like to add that, as a SimpliSafe user, I’m ready to move to Wyze and eliminate the monthly fee - but not having an audible chime when a door/window opens is a deal-breaker. Needing the smartphone as an alert mechanism is only practical when we are away form home. In the home, the phone is not always with us.

(We own the Wyze startup kit as a test and like it and have the bulbs on pre-order - we want to put Wyze everywhere!)

Using the speaker on the cameras would be fine, but a stand-alone speaker with more “power” would be even better. Thanks!

4 Likes
11

I would love an add on or feature to the Wyze Contact Sensors that could make an audioable alert or sound when the contact switches are opened or closed. Similarly to many home alarms. Beep-beep. Currently, I can visually look at the Wyze screen to see that the contact is opened or closed. A sound notification would be Great. Thank you!

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For my Ring Doorbell, Alexa says “There is someone at the front door.” It all depends on the Skill that is created.

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For Wyze, I would like a separate “Chime” device to announce this. It could simply be “sensor name is open” or a sound. Just so I don’t have to pick up my phone with every alert while at home.

I’d settle for updated Alexa or Google Assistant Skills that provided the same thing.

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It would be nice when a contact opens you get a beep on your phone, like an alarm system does.

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I can set up my individual sensors to send me alerts on my iPhone when they are open and/or closed. The biggest issue is that it uses the phone’s default alert sound so is easily lost. Plus it can’t break through “Do Not Disturb” mode.

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Chimes and or voice to work with google home speakers would be great.
I have workarounds using chime device by DOME and smarthings sensors.
Maybe they could at least link to existing dome or google home before coming out with a standalone chime device (ideal) for wyze.
It is one of the best features and useful that I have for my home. Wish I could have something for my wyze cameras or future wyze sensors.

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That works, thanks

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It occurs to me that this could probably done through software, using the speaker on the Wyze Cam itself. Granted, it’s not very loud, but depending on the placement of your camera, it might do the trick. I think I’ll add this as a separate wishlist topic. It seems like the easiest way that they could implement this. I’m all for an add-on chime unit as well, but this could be pushed to market through software alone, if they’re up for it.

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Just bought two starter packs but not having a chime is somewhat concerning to me. I plan to use this with my Home Assistant setup running on my RPi4 and was thinking I could set up an automation for this but I am not finding anything. This may be the only reason I can’t stick with this. I love what Wyze is doing and I’m sure it’ll come but hard to stick with it when not knowing when.

1 Like
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I just posted this on a different thread.