The Lyric Built-In Camera Disarm Pictures Cannot be Used With HomeKit
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Description
In this video, Jarrett from Alarm Grid explains how the Lyric disarm photos cannot be used with Apple HomeKit. The disarm photos produced from the Lyric front camera are for use with Total Connect 2.0 platform only. That is the interactive monitoring and automation service designed exclusively for use with Honeywell and Resideo Alarm Panels. Although the Lyric is compatible with Apple HomeKit, its compatibility is somewhat limited. Certain features for the Lyric, such as disarm photos cannot be used with Total Connect 2.0.
The interactions between the Lyric and HomeKit are for automation functions only. The main reason to use the Lyric with HomeKit is to have automation functions perform automatically when certain predetermined events occur on the security system. You can also get a limited selection of security notifications on your iPhone or iPad from HomeKit. Another feature is the ability to control your Lyric System remotely using spoken voice commands through Apple Siri. But the Lyric is only able to share a select range of information with the Apple HomeKit platform. The Lyric shares much more information with Total Connect 2.0. Unfortunately, there is not much of a way to have Total Connect 2.0 speak with Apple HomeKit. Some minor integrations can be made using a third-party program like IFTTT, but even then, this is extremely limited.
There is no way to share disarm photos from the Lyric with HomeKit. But there is no reason why you cannot use Apple HomeKit in conjunction with Total Connect 2.0. The two platforms make great complements for one another. You can use Apple HomeKit for your automation functions, and then use TC2 for security functions. When a disarm photo comes through, you will still be able to get it through Total Connect 2.0, and you can check that platform to view these photos if you want to check who has been using your system.
https://www.alarmgrid.com/faq/can-the-lyric-built-in-camera-s-disarm-pictures-be-used-with-hom
http://alrm.gd/get-monitored
Transcript
[METALLIC SOUND EFFECT] Hey, DIYers. It's Jarrett here from Alarm Grid, and today we're going to cover if you can view the Lyric's Disarm photos in Apple HomeKit. The answer is no, you unfortunately cannot view the photos within Apple HomeKits. The photos are only able to be viewed within Total Connect 2.0, which is the application that Honeywell created specifically for their Honeywell systems. Now, the Disarm photos are essentially there for security purposes. It's therefore to be able to confirm who is actually arming or disarming the system so that you know if that person is somebody that should be disarming the system, or if it's somebody that isn't and it might be an intruder. Now, there's different things between HomeKit and Total Connect 2.0. One of the biggest things that you want to keep in mind is that HomeKit is there more for the expanded automation part of things for the Honeywell Lyric. Like, if you wanted to set up more automation with the system, if you wanted to have more of a bigger control with your automation devices, then using HomeKit with the Lyric system is a great choice. But you want to keep in mind it is not completely there for the security. You could do certain things within it to be able to, like, arm and disarm, get notifications and stuff, but it's not actually meant for the full security of the system. What I mean by that is Total Connect 2.0 is. Essentially, Total Connect 2.0 was built for the Honeywell systems so that you can be able to do really what you need to with the system. If you want to view the photos, the photos are going to be viewed right there in Total Connect. If you want to arm and disarm, it's going to all be right there. If you want to control automation, it is there as well. Not as complex as what HomeKit would give you, but it is all there. Total Connect 2.0 is really meant more for the security part of the devices or the systems compared to Apple HomeKit. Now, if you did want to use Apple HomeKit, we can definitely set you up with it. And if you did want to go ahead and use the system to be able to work with that, the Honeywell Lyric is going to be the best compatible system with Apple HomeKit at this time. We have many people who currently use it. It does work very well. So if you are looking to set up HomeKit with your system, then I would strongly recommend the Honeywell Lyric. Now, the other thing about devices or systems that are compatible with Apple HomeKit, the Lyric is one of the few that are able to be used within HomeKit. However, the Honeywell Lyric is the most recommended because it gives you full control over the system via the user interface, and then the integration between the application is also very simple as well. So compared to other systems, not as easy, but they can be set up, right? But again, the recommended is the Honeywell Lyric. Now, if you did want to go ahead and set up something so that you can get Disarm photos within Apple HomeKit, you technically can, but the only way you'll be able to do that is if you set up an Apple HomeKit compatible camera. And you either set it up right here, right above where the actual camera is on the Honeywell Lyric so that when somebody does disarm it, you could take a photo of that person right there. Or you can have a camera anywhere else. You know, up on the ceiling, up in the corner-- wherever you want to have a nice view to be able to take that picture. Now, if you did want to set that up, you would basically just set up an automation scene within Apple HomeKit so that when it picks up the system being disarmed, you can trigger that camera so that it takes that picture, and then you can go ahead and see that photo within Apple HomeKit. But again, the actual Lyric's Disarm photos are not going to be viewed within Apple HomeKit. It is going to send that picture directly to Total Connect 2.0. And in case you were wondering, the camera is right here on the Honeywell Lyric, so it does have a very nice view of whoever is disarming that panel. Now again, Total Connect 2.0 is meant for the security part of things on the Honeywell Lyric, so that is solely why the photos are going to be sent over to Total Connect 2.0 and no other third party type of platform, because it is meant there for security reasons. It wouldn't really be-- it would be kind of a security risk there if you can go ahead and send those photos to other people. Or I mean, not other people, but different platforms and stuff, because at that point, I mean, it's there for the security of the system. It's really kind of voiding that point if you have other people that are able to view that, unless you have Total Connect 2.0 and you want to delegate those people to be able to use it. So keep that in mind whenever you're trying to get some photos and stuff within HomeKit so that you can see who is disarming your system. Very important to know. And that answers the question on whether you can view the Lyric's Disarm photos within Apple HomeKit. If you have any further questions about the Honeywell Lyric or alarm systems in general, please reach us at support@alarmgrid.com, or go to our website, alarmgrid.com. If you found this video helpful, please like and subscribe. For notifications of future videos, please click the bell icon. This is Jarrett with Alarm Grid. You have a great day.
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