Wyze Home Monitoring: Self Monitored Mode ASAP

Add a permanent “Self Monitored Mode” for those of us that do not want central dispatch. I understand that this can be achieved with “Test Mode.” However, this results in a permanent “You are in Test Mode” card that eats up a lot of screen space. UPDATE 12-JUN-2021: Test mode also disables a number of other features, such as Critical Alerts. With “Self Monitored Mode” it would deactivate central dispatch and eliminate this needless card on the screen. UPDATE 12-JUN-2021: Self Monitoring Mode would also enable all other features that are disabled in Test Mode. Perhaps add a simple banner that reads “SELF MONITORED”. Even put it in RED if you want.

You can even do the same thing with Test Mode and changing the card to a banner that reads “TEST MODE” and put the “Exit Test Mode” in the settings.

Why might someone want to do this? Some municipalities require a permit for alarm systems that have central dispatch. This adds cost to the system and some people don’t want to pay that extra cost. Additionally, there is often a charge for false alarms. Some people want the self home monitoring without the fear of getting charged for a false alarm call to the property.

I understand this may have been noted as a potential “future” addition, but it needs to be moved up and implemented ASAP.

Agreed. I’d like to add my own insights to compliment this:

There is no downside to doing this. Heck, even keep charging us the same monthly/yearly cost and even pay Noonlight for every subscription if you want Wyze. Make us do some kind of super extra confirmation that we understand blah blah blah like you were doing with the facial recognition disclaimer having a 10 second pause and extra confirmation.

If necessary, I don’t even mind paying the subscription in this case, and I don’t mind if you keep paying Noonlight as part of your agreement to them or whatever, but allow me to choose of my own accord to make it all self-monitoring without something making it annoying or difficult.

I support this wishlist 100%.

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I think there is a lot of people that would like to buy the hub and sensors alone just for the use of the upgraded V2 sensors.
After all wyze has no other sensors for purchase at this time
Another thing , Panic button does not work in test mode, Self Monitored Mode should allow this
As to this wish list item I vote yes

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Interesting idea here and, taking it one step further, if you kept the subscription and Noonlight, you could add a layer in the Self-Monitoring Mode to manually kick it over to Noonlight, rather than it going to Noonlight automatically.

An event process more like: Alarm condition active > Self Monitored Alarm Nortifications > Deal with Alarm manually OR send to Noonlight

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I like this idea. I have a stupid question. I installed the monitoring starter kit & followed directions to sign in using code provided. When I set the system to home or away how do I know it is being monitored remotely?

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You exit test mode, arm, and trigger. Then you wait to see if Noonlight call’s you.

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Yes, exactly. In fact, it could even be setup to do a sort of prompt. Set everything as self-monitor and when an alert or alarm happens, it tells you and prompts you for your decision like: Alarm > Prompt: Handle the alarm myself; or send it to Noonlight. Then things don’t automatically go to Noonlight, but if there is a real emergency you can still have that access when you feel it is warranted, but without the risk of false alarm penalties, etc. That’s basically what I want. 99% of the time I want to manage it all myself. 99% of the alarms will be my daughter not disarming the alarm, I already know this. But if there is something concerning, I can press a button that switches the situation to Noonlight. That’s a great option.

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Agreed.

None of this will ever happen.

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Yep, it’s not what they are selling. :frowning:

I’m sure you’re right, still, you never totally know with Wyze. Sometimes they are willing to do new, innovative things and be different from others with cool features and pioneer new options that make others change too. So it is certainly more likely than hoping certain other affordable competitors would take the time to do it. There is a huge market and high demand for self-monitoring, so hopefully it is something that will be considered, especially since it will allow them to rationalize continuing to charge a subscription even if it is “self-monitored” in the above example of having that option (manually calling Noonlight) still.

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Yup. Hoping that see the value in this. :wink:

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My ol’ legacy home security company just introduced a feature where you will get a text msg if yer alarm goes off. cmon.

It appears the best way to do this is to have (some portion of) the app always runnin’ in the background. Then, blow up yer phone when yur alarm goes off.

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Hi @holocron , I hear you. It’s on our roadmap. Please stay tuned :slight_smile:

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Great news.

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TY TY TY, hope to hear more soon as I just got my entire package in today. Planning to set up tomorrow after reading up. I don’t want to pay the city even more to be on their list. I’d rather have a trigger set off lights and alarms that I control results on. This third (and fourth) party involvement thing is not my want and will hold off perhaps and keep it in test mode (once I understand all that). Independence feels good.

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Hey @WyzeRyan , on iOS are critical alerts activated while in Test Mode? or are they only triggered when NOT in Test Mode?

So, @WyzeRyan , I learned definitively via support “chat” that critical alerts on iOS are deactivated in “Test Mode.” This just amplifies the need for a Self Monitored mode that either entirely bypasses Noonlight OR puts Noonlight in the contact queue only after the user manually kicks it over to them.

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To some of us, a bug in a Home Monitoring System can be a life or death situation. Here are two of my biggest fears/scenarios:

  1. False alarm happens, I’m working on my shop and don’t see incoming messages. Cops mistake me for the intruder and shoot me (I’m not white).

  2. My dogs trigger a false alarm while I’m away. I’m unreachable. Cops arrive and shoot my dogs (this is standard procedure in my area).

This is not exclusively a Wyze issue, and it’s a concern I have with every home monitoring system out there, but a self monitored mode that can interact with the rest of my Wyze devices stands out from the competition.

At the very least, an option that says “never ever ever call 911 unless my house is literally on fire and you have visual confirmation”

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Do I understand that the home monitoring MUST have the subscription or activate the Noonlight subscription?

Another question: Does the monitoring system sensors work with Alexa to make announcements?

Wyze currently won’t sell the hardware without a purchase of the subscription in the same order. Only in that sense is it a requirement. You could choose to activate the hardware but NEVER activate the subscription and the sensors would still work just like the V1 sensors do. You would just not have any of the special features included with the subscription (siren, Noonlight, keypad use, Security tab, etc). Similarly, you can activate the subscription then cancel it right away…I am just telling you that you can activate the hardware without ever redeeming the subscription to prove that in a way it is not required.

I used the hardware for about 2 weeks before I finally activated the subscription, so I can attest that it works great without the subscription…they are just normal normal sensors like the V1 Wyze Sense and will work with rules, and notifications and such.

And even after activating the subscription, I’ve never taken it out of test mode so far, so in a way I’ve not used Noonlight at all.

Yes, I tested this out. Alexa supports using them as triggers for open or closed, then you set whatever actions you want when those triggers occur.

EDIT: Apparently, Alexa recognizes the sensors, sees the approved triggers (open/closed), allows you to set up the routines, but there is a bug preventing execution of the actions from the triggered sensor right now. I’m sure this will get resolved, but it is something worth mentioning. Funny, I never noticed. I just set up the routine, click the manual activation test and just ignored it after that. But there really is a bug right now