Can additional devices (i.e. door contacts, cameras, etc) be added to each kit to provide coverage to my entire home?
Absolutely! Based on your feedback, we are now providing the ability to add additional devices to each pledge level. To add devices, please do the following: 1.) Find the Kickstarter Promotional Price for each device you’d like to add to your base kit here: – Streaming Camera (with Night Vision) - $119/each – Motion Camera (with Night Vision) - $109/each – Door/Window Contact with Battery (open & close sensor) - $24/each – Keyfob (remote arm/disarm security) - $19/each 2.) Increase your pledge amount on the baseline kit you have purchased by the quantity of devices and their corresponding prices. For example, if you purchased the EARLY BIRD and want to add 2 door contacts, the price would be $199 + $48 = $247 3.) Send us a message on Kickstarter with the quantity of the devices you’d like us to include in the shipment of your kit. – If you have any questions, or would like us to compute a total, feel free to send us a message here and we’ll get back to you. Thanks for your support! Last updated: Thu, Mar 26 2015 1:48 am EDT
Does abode require a monthly fee? (no)
abode allows you to install a full security solution in your home with no monthly fee. You have the option to self-monitor your home and receive notifications / events as they occur, directly to your iPhone or Android. You can then take action (i.e. automatically call police) by verifying the event or designating it as a false alarm. The only time there is a monthly fee (which requires no long term contract) is if you’d like cellular backup or a professional monitoring team to monitor your home 24x7. The monitoring center would only be notified in the event that an alarm was triggered. Last updated: Thu, Mar 26 2015 4:55 pm EDT
What protocols does the abode gateway support?
IP, abodeRF, ZigBee 1.2HA, and Z-Wave Last updated: Tue, Apr 21 2015 7:42 pm EDT
Does the abode system work in (your country)?
Abode has been designed for maximum compatibility throughout the world based on the devices available in each country. Due to unique local regulations and radio frequencies, there are however some limitations in certain areas. Please read below if you are interested to learn whether abode will work in your home location. Professional Monitoring - Currently abode professional monitoring will only be offered in the United States, however you will be able to self-monitor your home free of charge anywhere in the world! We will be actively adding additional countries for monitoring moving forward. Internet Connection - abode will support any cable or DSL model that has an extra ethernet port available, world wide. 3G - The abode gateway has an 8-band 3G radio which enables near global coverage. We will initially be supporting the United States with our SIM rollout, but are in talks with a global SIM provider. Additionally, we added a USB port on the back of our gateway to allow for upgrades in the future (for example an LTE or local USB cellular modem) Here is an overview on compatibility of each protocol: * abodeRF - Yes, works great everywhere! The abodeRF protocol will work in any country. * ZigBee - Yes, works great everywhere! The ZigBee Protocol we use is the 1.2HA implementation. * Z-wave - The integrated Z-Wave radio works in the United States, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts, Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, Uruguay. We also offer a Z-wave USB dongle that plugs into the back of the abode gateway for other global compatibility. If you’d like to add Z-wave for your country, please pledge an additional $20.00 to your Kickstarter Pledge and we will include it when your order ships. Last updated: Tue, Apr 21 2015 8:25 pm EDT
What’s different about your IP security camera vs. other companies?
The abode IP camera is unique to the security market and it‘s specifically designed to work with the abode gateway and the abode web portal. Its visual verification functionalities are new to the security industry and the first IP camera to provide a fully integrated solution using an advanced authenticated two-way encrypted wireless link enabling it to transmit and receive instant commands directly to and from the gateway & Web portal while maintaining constant supervision with them both. These unique proprietary features and communication protocols are compatible with only the abode gateway and web portal. The IP camera not only provides live streaming video using Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection, it also stores all captured video clips to its built in microSD card (Comes with a 4Gig SD card and can accommodate up to 32Gig). All captured clips can be immediately transmitted to the abode web portal to provide the user with viewing abilities during an alarm event or when a user has requested a clip on demand. (Optional monitoring service will also have the ability to only view the captured events of a triggered alarm event during a predetermined time frame) IP camera specs: The 1.3 megapixel progressive scan sensor provides 1280 x 720 color image resolution with day/night mode and IR LEDs to enhance low light performance. Video capturing during alarm events and clips on demand, provide pre-alarm and post- alarm activity. A plug in power transformer comes with each camera. The gateway can support up to 6 of our IP Streaming cameras and multiple users can view the live streaming at the same time using a web browser or our phone app. Last updated: Wed, Apr 22 2015 10:56 am EDT
What about the PIR motion camera, how does it compare with others on the market?
The abode PIR motion image camera is another unique to the market product from abode. Its total wireless (battery operated) design combines a high quality passive infrared motion sensor with a high resolution color camera. It’s designed to work only with the abode gateway and the abode web portal. When the gateway is armed, it detects human movement without being triggered by pets (up to 59.lbs) and provides visual verification high-quality color-images that are transmitted to the gateway by advanced authenticated, two-way, encrypted wireless link where there stored and simultaneously transmitted to the web portal where they can be viewed in seconds by the user on their Phone or web browser to determine if an event is real or false. On arming the system, each PIR/camera saves a pre-alarm image. Once an alarm is triggered, the pre-alarm image and two more newly taken images are transmitted to the gateway: This provides a Pre-alarm, the alarm-event and post alarm. When entering the home through a delayed entry point with the alarm system armed, the PIR motion camera will capture images of human movements and hold them in memory, then if the system is disarmed the images can be discarded, and if the system is not disarmed, and the system is triggered, the images are categorized as a perimeter alert alarm and used for verification to determine if the event is real of false. Last updated: Wed, Apr 22 2015 10:58 am EDT
If I already have a system, can I use any of the devices with your gateway?
The abode gateway uses a three different wireless communication protocol for the various security and home automation devices. The abode long rang secured RF proprietary wireless is used for most of our security devices and the gateways two open protocols are used for home automation, (Z-wave and ZigBee). We are working to ensure that our gateway will work with most of the Z-Wave and Zigbee devices on the market. We will be providing a list of all of the approved devices that work with our gateway and will update it as we continue to add devices. We also will have a solution for converting hardwired devices like door contacts to our wireless gateway. Currently the Abode gateway requires a 24x7 internet connection, and our optional cellular provides the gateway with a secondary backup communications when the internet is down. The gateway uses an Ethernet that connects to the user’s router and comes with a power transformer that plugs into the wall. It’s back up battery is located inside and stays fully charged incase power is lost. Battery life is 5 + years. All devices that connect to the gateway are wireless. Last updated: Wed, Apr 22 2015 10:59 am EDT
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