YALEs new EASYFIT alarms oh dear

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It would seem Yale's new easyfit alarms in an attempt to solve problems have created others.

Yale are dropping the current 6000 range of 433Mhz alarms and are replacing them with the new EZfit range of alarms .

The Ez fit alarms are 866Mhz and are therefore in the licenced frequency. In addition rolling codes are used so essentially no more hypothetical worries about common household items like baby monitors etc causing problems.


Despite the name EZfit and Yales desire to make the alarms easy to fit there has been an alarming dumbing down of the installation procedure to meet the common denominator of hapless diy fail homeowners.


Ironically never before has it been necessary for someone experienced to install one of these alarms for others.

An old bugbear of the 6400 system (for Yale's technical team presumably) was the fact that devices learnt in initially did not have any attributes set.
Typically all devices would be defaulted to burglar or instant activation.

It was necessary to reprogram the entry devices as such as without doing so would mean the alarm would activate whenever you entered the property with no delay at the panel.

To fix this minor problem instead of adding a section to the manual instructing users to select their entry device and change it's attriutes they have instead DEFAULTED ALL ALREADY LEARNT IN SENSORS TO ENTRY!!

Where the 6000 system had no already learnt in sensors and all had to be programmed in during installation the EZfit has all sensors enrolled but as ENTRY DEVICES!! not only that but with a default 30 second delay.

I am absolutely gobsmacked and horrified.
The great thing about the 6000 series alarm was that when setting up you had all your sensors individually set so that you knew in the vunerable areas like a rear patio door or kitchen door or all the PIRs not in the entry zone would immediately activate the alarm.

Now homeowners will be blissfully unaware if they dont understand the significance that without actually reprogramming devices someone can break in to their patio door and leave before the alarm even sounds.

When lots of burglaries are to snatch car keys I cannot believe Yale have taken this path just to dumb down to the level of the least intelligent purchaser.

The only way a Yale system can be securely configured now is by someone with the experience to do it properly.

Good news for me I suppose but when Yale have switched to 866Mhz with rolling codes this to me is simply snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
 
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The system can also warn of open sensors now.

So Bernard will be happy to know you can't set the alarm with a door or window open with out the system warning you ..


However again the DEFAULT allows setting with sensors open.

Oh boy... I actually expect Bernard and Co to now be suggesting I make sure I install as many of these as possible to ensure they actually work in the best way.
 
In short the installation process has actually been made no easier.
Ladders still have to be used and power tools still have to be used and ironically more technical knowledge required now than ever.
 
The Ez fit alarms are 866Mhz and are therefore in the licenced frequency.
866 ? 868 Mhz is also a licence exempt channel and will have the same problems as 433 Mhz. Or are you going to add that every purchaser of an alarm on 866.?? Mhz will have to apply for a licence to use the system.

Edit I believe MDF meant to say 868 and not 866

In addition rolling codes are used so essentially no more hypothetical worries about common household items like baby monitors etc causing problems.
Please do some research. Rolling codes will only deal with the problem caused when keyfobs are cloned and then the clone is used to unset the alarm prior to a break in.

Jamming and blocking by other devices on the licence exempt channel will still be possible. In the early days problems from legal equipment will be less than on 433.92 Mhz but illegal devices intended to jam 688.xx Mhz are already in use.
 
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OH DEAR I missed something

according to MDF Yale are using 866 Mhz......

That is the second harmonic of 433 so a poor quality 866 receiver could be blocked by transmissions from existing 433 Mhz systems.

I think MDF meant to say they are on 868 Mhz
 
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OH DEAR I missed something

according to MDF Yale are using 866 Mhz......

That is the second harmonic of 433 so a poor quality 866 receiver could be blocked by transmissions from existing 433 Mhz systems.

I think MDF meant to say they are on 868 Mhz

You noticed and pipped me at the post ;)
 
The training manual ( ex Youtube ) suggests the siren can communicate two way with the panel ( though the indication shown in the DVD on the panel is apparently wrong ). That is an improvement and hopefully allows for low battery ( in the siren ) to be displayed on the panel. Maybe the panel can be informed when the siren receiver is blocked and the panel receiver is not blocked.

No way ( so far ) of knowing if the sensors are two way with the panel and are tested for state and condition immediately prior to the alarm going into alarm state. MDF suggests this might happen but confirmation from a Yale document would be appreciated. For the user to be told a door is open when setting the alarm is a major improvement.
 
If it was a two way system, Yale would be singing it from the rooftops.
 
Maybe not..... To say two way communications was an improvement over previous systems would be an admission that existing systems without two way communication have short comings which users may not be aware of.

I will have to have a word with Yale Technical when they are open for business.
 
DEFAULTED ALL ALREADY LEARNT IN SENSORS TO ENTRY!!

Where the 6000 system had no already learnt in sensors and all had to be programmed in during installation the EZfit has all sensors enrolled but as ENTRY DEVICES!! not only that but with a default 30 second delay.

I bought a house a bit ago, think it might have been an Accord XPC installed...... 3PIR's, (covering the two back rooms and the hall) all set as entry, dummy box on the outside, elmdene sounder inside, and surface tacked cable everywhere.

Lets just say I had extreme pleasure ripping it out.
 
Maybe not..... To say two way communications was an improvement over previous systems would be an admission that existing systems without two way communication have short comings which users may not be aware of.

I will have to have a word with Yale Technical when they are open for business.
There's two way & there's two way, I'll find you a link to what I'm thinking about.
 
The manual says that sensors can have supervision but that the default status this is set to off.

'Supervision
Enable or disable supervision detection on the control panel. PIR, Door Contact, Smoke Detector and Siren can be monitored for outage using this feature. Except for Smoke Detector (which is always on), the other three accessories need to have supervision enabled on board to facilitate this feature.'

and yes it's 868Mhz not 866 as I first posted.

So some major improvements but in reality this system is no easier to fit that the last one. Pre enrolled sensors and sirens seem to be the only real effort to make things easier but to get the system working properly and securely you have to reprogram everything anyway.

Two of the defaults to my mind being exactly the opposite of what I would have picked for a one time fit system.
 
I've just been donated one of these to assess from a security perspective. Should have some decent information in a few weeks.
 
I've just been donated one of these to assess from a security perspective. Should have some decent information in a few weeks.
..... just in time for that break-in I have planned, look forward to reading this.

Why bother? The Yale is a cheap DiY alarm that serves a lot of people well.

I've been in the alarm trade for more years than you have been alive and have NEVER found an alarm to be compromised in the way you are getting at.

All that is needed can be found in any toolbox.

I would have thought that it would be better to spend more of your time with The Bean.

A totally pointless exercise.
 
Why bother? The Yale is a cheap DiY alarm that serves a lot of people well.

It's in the same price band as grade 2 wireless alarms like the Pyronix Enforcer and Texecom gear now, yet seems to be much less capable. I don't think consumers are aware of this.

I've been in the alarm trade for more years than you have been alive and have NEVER found an alarm to be compromised in the way you are getting at.

I really don't get this attitude. This was exactly how BMW reacted when they were told their transponders could be cloned - "I've never seen it in all my years". Things change, but if you want to stick in your ways, that is fine.

I would have thought that it would be better to spend more of your time with The Bean.

What a strange thing to say. By extension, no one should do anything but spend time with their family? What a boring existence you strive to lead.


A totally pointless exercise.

Exactly the same principles can be used on grade 3 and 4 wired systems and signalling devices. The same lacklustre and antiquated attitude to actual security in DIY systems extends to the highest grade equipment.
 
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