X-Sense Sensible Video Doorbell and XC01-WR Carbon Monoxide Detector in Check – Smarts in your Sensible Dwelling?
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REVIEW – The term “smart home” is a bit of a charged collective term. Whether it’s an alarm system, networked audio or controllable light, if the products don’t fit into your usage habits, it may not make life easier, which doesn’t sound so intelligent. X-Sense sent its Smart Video Doorbell and XC01-WR carbon monoxide detector for review as I prepared to move to a new home. It forced me to think about how to connect and use my home technology and how a potential buyer might want something different. Let’s dive in, shall we?
What is it?
There are two different X-Sense products in this review …
The Smart Video Doorbell connects to your home WiFi and gives you access to video, notifications, and two-way audio communication with anyone on your doorstep.
The XC01-WR carbon monoxide detector is a battery-operated, networked sensor that, in conjunction with the other X-Sense detectors, warns you of the presence of carbon monoxide in your home.
What’s in the box?
X-Sense Smart Video Doorbell
- Smart video doorbell
- Mounting plate and angle washers
- Mounting material and template
- Power cord
- screwdriver
- Extension cable and power supply
- Instructions and thank you card
X-Sense XC02-WR Wirelessly connected carbon monoxide detector
- XC02-WR carbon monoxide detector
- Mounting material and template
- Instructions, thank you card and warning sticker
Hardware specifications
X-Sense Smart Video Doorbell
Lens: viewing angle – diagonal: 170 °; horizontal: 152 °; vertical: 81 °
Lens: Resolutions – 2K (2560 x 1440), 1080p (1920 x 1080), 720p (1280 x 720) | Supports HDR
Video: manual and automatic mode, can be rotated vertically and horizontally, night vision distance 5 m (16.4 ft) range
Audio: built-in microphone and speaker; supports full-duplex real-time 2-way audio
Connectivity: 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz, IEEE 802.11b / g / n / ac
Power supply: AC 8-24 V or USB Type-C 5-30 V
Software functions: Face recognition for up to 20 faces | Supports up to 128 GB micro SD card
Weatherproof: IP65 Waterproof | Operating temperature range -4–122 ° F (-20–50 ℃)
X-Sense XC02-WR Wirelessly connected carbon monoxide detector
battery: 3V CR123A lithium battery / 5 year lifespan
Sensor: electrochemical
Safety & Certificates: UL 2034, EN 50291-1: 2018 | TÜV and CE listed
Current: Standby Operating temperature / humidity: 40–100 ° F (4–38 ° C) | 10–85% relative humidity (non-condensing)
Volume: ≥ 85 dB at 3 m (10 feet) | Silent duration ≤ 9 minutes
Operating frequency: 915 MHz (UL), 868 MHz (TÜV)
Max Connected Units: Up to 24 X-Sense Wireless Units
Dimensions: 5.3 × 2.5 × 0.9 in and 0.2 lbs (135 × 63 × 24 mm and 92 g)
Design and functions
The Smart Video Doorbell was designed with a neutral black and silver aesthetic that should blend in with most homes. When you’re set up with the app, you’ll have access to a live video feed, automatic recordings based on events, and the ability to speak directly to anyone nearby.
The carbon monoxide detector XC01-WR is also neutral in color, but this time it is off-white. As you can see in the picture below, this shouldn’t be painted to match your walls as it could affect its function. The right button is used to run a test and to mute a running alarm. The center LED screen shows the peak CO concentration since the last reset. The horizontal bar below is a colored LED display that shows green, yellow or red depending on the current status. These are helpfully printed directly below so that you don’t have to remember anything. The circle on the left houses the speaker.
configuration
Let’s go through how to set up the Smart Video Doorbell first.
If you’re replacing a wired doorbell, installation is pretty straightforward. I replaced another video doorbell that I already had a compatible power supply for that ran from an electrical outlet in the front door. In either case, there are a few first few steps to follow that are the same.
First, download the Xsmartview app from your preferred app store. It’s available for iOS and Android. You should also confirm that your phone is connected to WiFi before starting the doorbell setup.
Next, the easiest thing to do is to plug the doorbell into a typical USB wall adapter to connect it to WiFi. That way, instead of standing on the doorstep, you can laze around in your living room during this step.
Follow the steps in the app to connect the doorbell to the WiFi. They’re well detailed and should get you up and running quickly.
Now you can physically install the doorbell. Make sure the power is off and / or the adapter you are using is unplugged. Route your power cord through the hole in the base plate that is appropriate for your setup. For me it was the horizontally angled one. The built-in spirit level makes it easier to get up. Screw it in as tight as it is suitable for the materials you are dealing with.
For the power cord, depending on your source, you should either plug in your power cord’s cords directly or use the included USB power cord. Depending on your bell scenario, another step can be taken here using the power cables supplied. I don’t have a chime so the two AC cables in the photo above attach directly to the two screws on the back of the doorbell. In this photo you can also see the USB-C port as well as the reset button hidden in the shade and the microSD card slot in the lower center. The two weird cut-out shapes on the far left are the mounting cavities for connecting to the various wall mounting plates.
Once your power connection is secure, press it onto the wall plate and slide it down onto the seat. Turn the device back on and make sure it boots up and the doorbell is visible in your app. If everything is okay, use the provided screwdriver to tighten two screws underneath to make sure no one accidentally removes (or worse, steals) your new doorbell.
All remaining settings are in the app, such as B. the adaptation of the zones to the monitoring and recording settings.
Now we’re going to get into setting up the wireless carbon monoxide detector.
Setting up a single unit is pretty straightforward. I installed this one right down the hall from our gas stove and in the landing area between the bedrooms. There are a few height and proximity rules that you should read up on, but once you have it in place it attaches with two screws and you’ll want to pull on the bar that allows the included long life battery to connect .
If you don’t want to attach it to a wall, it has small, built-in feet that can also be used to stand up.
If you set up several, they will have a built-in connection through which they can communicate with each other. More on that in a moment.
power
So I mentioned in the opening that I was preparing to move and the house I was moving out of was almost empty when I received these products. Timing was actually perfect, and I bought some additional X-Sense products from Amazon so I could create a whole-house solution. For reference, I took a 2K outdoor spotlight camera, 3 of the wirelessly connected combined smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and 6 wirelessly connected smoke detectors with me.
The Smart Video Doorbell works the way you want it to. The Xsmartview app opens quickly and shows a picture from all of the X-Sense video cameras you have installed, in alphabetical order by the name you assigned. In my case, that’s the driveway and the front door.
Clicking one will give you a live view where you can adjust the zoom to see exactly what you want. Here’s an early morning view with the camera still in night mode but a great example of the camera’s clarity.
The Smart Video Doorbell works as I hoped it would and does not require an additional WiFi repeater box like some other brands. If someone rang the doorbell, my phone alerted me within seconds. It wasn’t instant, but it wasn’t too long either. It will depend on your network congestion. However, my scenario is unique in that I don’t have a doorbell that would ring instantly on most installations.
As for the wireless carbon monoxide detector, installation was straightforward, and while I haven’t tried activating it, I can have peace of mind knowing it’s set up and ready. The coolest thing about the X-Sense system is the ‘interconnected’ part. All X-Sense Link products have built-in RF transmission that enables them to communicate with each other. After you have set up a device in the app, the remaining ones are activated by briefly pressing the button 4 times on an activated device and then quickly pressing the button 2 times on the device you want to set up next. It goes super fast and then they’re all ready to go. Now that they are connected, they all react when one is triggered, making them impossible to miss.
It’s worth noting that RF is not WiFi or even an open standard that you can connect beyond X-Sense’s proprietary products. It works well and again, setup was super easy. However, I would like to see these support WiFi so I can see the status of the detectors in the Xsmartview app which is required for the Smart Video Doorbell. To encourage this mindset it would be fantastic to be able to use the interconnected detectors (10 for my installation) to ring when the doorbell is pressed as I don’t have a doorbell. I understand these products were not designed as a system, but why not?
What I like
- Easy installation and setup for both products
- Doorbell looks great, works well, and has a great image
- Carbon monoxide detector connects to the other detectors on X-Sense for a unified alarm
What I would change
- Add WiFi and app monitoring to the detectors
- Allow detectors to also act as doorbells
Final thoughts
X-Sense has some solid products here. The Smart Video Doorbell is worth a look if you’re not already tied to a Ring or Google Nest system. While Nest has a dominant name in the detectors space, the XC01-WR carbon monoxide detector, with its interlink system and significantly cheaper options, has a better chance of getting through the noise, but it won’t alert your phone if you don’t Homeland.
Prices: $ 139.99 Smart Video Doorbell | $ 39.99 XC01-WR Wirelessly Connected Carbon Monoxide Detector
Where to buy: X-Sense and Amazon
source: The sample of this product was provided by X-Sense.
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