Ring Launches DIY Security System With Optional Monitoring

The Ring Protect DIY security and home automation system features ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular and no-contract professional alarm monitoring.

Looks like security professionals have yet another DIY security system to compete with.

Ring, the popular maker of video doorbells, has completely undermined the traditional security-monitoring business with its new Ring Protect DIY security and home automation system.

The hub, featuring ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, WiFi, on-board siren, 24-hour battery back-up and cellular radio, is cheap to begin with. A starter kit costs $199 for the Ring Protect Base Station, one keypad, one door/window sensor, one motion detector and a Z-Wave range extender.

But the crazy-cheap thing is the no-contract monitoring fee: $10 per month. Oh yeah, that includes 60-day video storage for an unlimited number of Ring cameras and video doorbells. Today, Ring charges $3 per month per camera for video storage, which is still cheap by industry standards.

No need to go crunch the numbers yourself. Ring has a nice little chart comparing their pricing with ADT, SimpliSafe and Comcast. There is no trickery in the numbers. They are legit.

Ring Protect prices compared to ADT Pulse, Simplisafe, Comcast

Besides the pricing, there’s nothing all that interesting about Ring Protect, although I happen to like the look of the keypad.

The company is using Z-Wave for the keypad and security sensors, and we imagine it will integrate with other Z-Wave and ZigBee devices, including smoke and CO detectors, but we’re not sure if those would be monitored.

By the way, we don’t know yet who is doing the monitoring, and we can’t tell you much about the app or home automation integration at this time. We hope to have more details on the whole system shortly.

Ring Protect is expected to ship in November, with preorders now accepted at BestBuy.com, HomeDepot.com and Ring.com.

As a security pro, how do you feel about the proliferation of DIY security systems? We’ve looked at the potential risks of SimpliSafe, will Ring Protect be better?

 

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Julie Jacobson, recipient of the 2014 CEA TechHome Leadership Award, is co-founder of EH Publishing, producer of CE Pro, Electronic House, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales and other leading technology publications. She currently spends most of her time writing for CE Pro in the areas of home automation, security, networked A/V and the business of home systems integration.

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2 Responses to “Ring Launches DIY Security System With Optional Monitoring”

  1. Rick Rogers says:

    I will be interested to see all the fine print on the ring security system. Is it ul listed, etc.

    The cost of ownership numbers however, are misleading. For instance, simplisafe is 24.99 with video services, but there is no camera included in pricing.

    Also the ring monthly is calculated if you pay up front, if you are billed monthly it’s higher.

    I will be interested to see which of our manufacturers decides to take the lead and starts selling to the dealer direct, so that we may compete with the likes of simplisafe and ring.

  2. Dave L says:

    We are looking for a system that will work with the Ring that includes a video hub for the cameras. I have installed the door bell and have a camera, but cannot find anything that indicates a video hub monitor is available.

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