Vivint smart home security review: smarter than we expected

It’s no secret that you can DIY a good smart home security system these days. Amazon is littered with smart security cameras and system options that promise seamless installation, setup, and integration. But DIYing something as important as smart home security and automation is not for everyone — even those of us who consider ourselves super tech savvy.

When we moved into our new video studio and needed to get a security system, I charted out everything I needed and wanted. It quickly became clear that the Vivint smart home security system was the way to go. And I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

But before we get into why it worked for us, a disclaimer: This is not an ad for Vivint, nor is it a sponsored post. Everything here is 100% my opinion and perspective. And full disclosure: Vivint provided the hardware and installation of this system for free so I could make this review, but they have zero influence over its content.

With that in mind, here’s how the Vivint smart home security system worked for us.

Smart security, smart safety

Our studio is loaded with expensive consumer electronics and professional video gear — hundreds of thousands of dollars worth. We’re located in a trendy, high-traffic area just outside of downtown Portland, surrounded by public-facing businesses. Which means folks tend to show up outside our door, making themselves at home. But that can get in the way of our video production.

Suffice to say: There’s a lot to protect here, myself included.

When I sketched out our needs, it was essentially about security: door sensors, window sensors, and glass break sensors. But it was also about safety, like flood, fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide monitoring.

I also wanted cameras — both to act as a deterrent and to monitor our premises — as well as automated climate control and automated lighting. Another item on the wishlist: to be able to use voice commands to launch the space into studio mode for video recording, and to shut down the studio for a more conventional workplace environment. This meant automating several different operations.

It was a big ask, but the Vivint system delivered.

All of the window and door sensors are small, unobtrusive, battery-operated, and wireless — with no wires for power — and they connect wirelessly to the Vivint Smart Hub.

The studio’s indoor and outdoor cameras operate via wall power, which was installed by local Vivint professionals. We have an indoor camera with a motion sensor, a doorbell camera, and an outdoor camera that monitors the entryway.

The outdoor camera also has a motion detector and provides lighting at night, acting as a deterrent. If anyone hangs out for more than 30 seconds, a big red ring lights up on the camera and it makes a loud whistling sound (the sound is changeable) and records everything. It also follows people as they move around the area, letting them know they are being watched.

With smart deadbolt locks, I can set up entry codes for guests, which can be enabled or disabled as needed, allowing me to manage who has access to the studio and when.

And when the doorbell rings, I can see who’s there. And everything is recorded in the cloud, so video footage can be reviewed, saved, and downloaded any time (which actually helped me help a neighbor who had some property vandalized a few months ago).

Everything is monitored. When an alarm goes off, Vivint immediately reaches out with text notifications and emails, followed by a phone call. If there’s a problem, the local authorities are contacted. It gives me peace of mind that all of our expensive gear and my personal safety is well-protected 24/7. It makes me feel great and it also makes the insurance company feel great — enough to give us a better rate.

All of the security and safety options are easily managed either through the Vivint app or the home hub: viewing cameras, talking through the camera — all of it.

Smart temperature control

The real genius of this system reveals itself in climate controls. A smart thermostat allows me to set up temperature ranges for heating and cooling according to the seasons, the time of day, and whether I’m in the studio, out running errands, or on vacation. These settings can also be controlled manually and with a timer.

Thanks to the Vivint AI smart assistant, the system has learned my habits over time: when I’m typically in the studio, when I’m gone, how long I’m gone for, and when I’m likely to come back. The smart assistant has access to the smart cameras, motion sensors, and door locks. So, if I leave for a gig in the evening, the temperature adjusts accordingly. When I return, the system automatically switches back into residential mode.

It also detects sleep patterns. So it can adjust the thermostat automatically at night and again in the morning, which saves money. When I compared the heating and cooling costs from before we had this system to after, we’re now saving $70-$80 a month.

Vivint also does smart lighting and smart power management too, which has not only saved us money on our electricity bill (about $20 a month), but it has made day-to-day operation of this studio efficient and even enjoyable.

Smart power modules allow complete control over when power is fed to devices. You can automate schedules and control power remotely, and even create scenes and routines. So, even if you have fixtures that aren’t smart, you can make them smart using wireless power modules.

Smart lighting, but …

Vivint’s smart light bulbs are awesome, but there is room for expansion and improvement. Right now, they’re the only option available — you can’t get different bulb types for different fixtures or integrate third-party smart bulbs. And while the color temperature is variable, they aren’t RGB, which means no colorful party vibes.

However, they do everything I need them to: They wirelessly connect to the system via Wi-Fi and are all individually controllable through the app and hub, and by conventional switch.

The lights can be programmed to come on and switch off at specific times, and are triggered when the system is armed or disarmed. They come on automatically when I unlock the door and turn off when I lock it. And the lights can be set to various scenes, making it possible to automate studio lighting for work purposes.

For example, with a voice command through Google Home, all of the house lights shut down; all of the studio lights, including background scenes, power on; the thermostat adjusts to minimize HVAC noise; the door locks close; and the outdoor camera turns on. All making it easier, quieter, and safer to record.

After recording is finished, the studio lights can be automatically powered down, the house lights can be turned on to a set color temperature, and the thermostat can be adjusted — without flipping a single switch, which saves time. An added bonus: The automatic lighting also helps keep our plants alive, since we have had to block out all natural light.

Vivint tells me that smart lighting is one of its most useful features, and one that most people don’t know is available. In my opinion, it’s one of their most desirable.

What needs to be smarter

Getting the smart light bulbs set up, identifying them, and naming all of them takes a fair amount of work. And it’s a little more complicated than it needs to be. Vivint’s installation techs can handle all of it, but there’s definitely room for improvement when it comes to setup.

Another criticism: Sometimes the cloud video playback is a little delayed and choppy at first. Ultimately, I get exactly what I need and want, but this is a bit clunky. (To be fair, I’ve had similar clunky experiences with other platforms.)

Overall, I’ve been thrilled with the Vivint system. Like most DIY systems, there is a monthly monitoring fee, but some folks will save more than they spend with this setup. And with Vivint adding in even more smart energy management — like solar and energy storage — in the coming months, there will likely be more savings down the road. That’s something else I like about Vivint: It doesn’t rest on its laurels, and anticipates developments and integrate them in real time.

As far as pricing goes, Vivint says that packages start at $599 and go up from there based on your customization. Monthly monitoring runs $40 per month, if you should choose it.  When it comes to smart home security, I’ll take Vivint over Comcast, Brinks, or ADP any day of the week. This system provides peace of mind, savings, convenience, and even fun. When was the last time you could say that about your security system?