Vivint Says House Key Era Is Ending

JH
John Honovich
Jul 28, 2014
IPVM

So, what do you think? Are house keys on the way out?

Avatar
Michael Silva
Jul 29, 2014
Silva Consultants

Electronic access devices will replace house keys just like the keyboard replaced pens and pencils.

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jul 29, 2014
IPVMU Certified

I agree with the analogy here. Mechanical keys are here, and even common, for many decades to come.

Keys, especially when managed correctly, do a great job of controlling access. Until something comes along that does that job fantastically cheaper, more simply, or dramatically more effectively, then they will continue to be used.

JH
John Honovich
Jul 29, 2014
IPVM

I don't understand this analogy.

Keyboards have dramatically reduced the use of pens and pencils. Is that your point or?

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jul 29, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Keyboards have not replaced pens and pencils, just like electronic access will not replace keys.

Maybe their importance has dropped, and maybe they have a reduced value, but they are still common. Even people who love keyboards still have a pen or two floating around.

Avatar
Michael Silva
Jul 29, 2014
Silva Consultants

Having to explain takes away the Zen-like profoundness of my statement :)

My point is that, despite the widespead use of keyboard and other alternate input devices, the use of the pen and pencil remains widespread. I can think of very few people who still don't use them daily.

I see the use of electronic access devices in the the same way: even if the use of keyless entry becomes widespread, I expect to see the use of mechanical locks and keys to continue for a long time to come.

JH
John Honovich
Jul 29, 2014
IPVM

"I can think of very few people who still don't use them daily."

Me, for one.

I suspect lots of people are in a similar position.

But this is getting off topic. In general, we should stay away from analogies for supporting claims of the future.

JH
John Honovich
Jul 29, 2014
IPVM

How inexpensive can electronic / networked door access get for homes? That seems to be one of the biggest questions / issues for this.

$100, $200 per door for product? Then install?

How many doors do people have in their homes?

Do apartment buildings / condos have incentives to pay for / standardize on electronic / network access?

U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 30, 2014

If you incorporate the electronic access control into the basic locket I think you can get the cost down to an acceptable level. We already see this with some basic consumer-grade electronic deadbolts and lockets in the $99-$149 range.

In many cases you might not have electronic access control on every door, just 1 or 2 primary doors in the house. The cost would be easiest to absorb with new construction or with packaged services where the price is ammortized over several years of monthly payments. A $200 as-installed lockset would be $3.33/mo. over a 5 year contract. Isn't the peace of mind for your families security worth an extra $3/mo., Mr Honovich? ;)

JH
John Honovich
Jul 30, 2014
IPVM

"Isn't the peace of mind for your families security worth an extra $3/mo., Mr Honovich? ;)"

Alright, you got me, where do I sign....

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jul 30, 2014
IPVMU Certified

If you're willing to get full sleeve tattoos, wear flat-billed orange ballcaps, and mix in 'Suns out, Guns out" into your vernacular and creedo, you have a future at Vivint.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 30, 2014

Started work on my sleeves last year. Just need a couple more commission checks to get them finished up.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Jul 30, 2014
IPVMU Certified

interesting statement but I feel we are still many many years away from that being the case... manufacturers must not even see that happe happening soon, if so they would not make electronic locks that also accept standard keys...

Avatar
Carl Lindgren
Jul 30, 2014

Electronic door locks remind me of the electronic keypads on many modern safes. There are some advantages but if the batteries die, you have no way to open them. I agree with Keefe, an electronic lock with a manual bypass makes more sense for now, until someone invents an electronic lock that is as durable and reliable as a key lock or a mechanical combination lock.

Avatar
Ari Erenthal
Jul 30, 2014
Chesapeake & Midlantic

One of the first things I did upon moving in was install one of these.

Mechanical, so there's no power to worry about, quickly and easily reprogramable, so I don't have to worry too much about giving out my combination to cleaners or housesitters or etc, and I don't have to carry keys. Simple and cheap. I see no advantage to an electronic version unless there's logging or alerting or something, which I don't need. And these things last forever.

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jul 30, 2014
IPVMU Certified

I'll agree with most of this. I'm a fan of simplex type combo locks, too because they are practically impossible to break in normal use. They cannot be drilled or back-shimmed open like typical safe combo dial locks, so we better hope they don't break!

The only drawback in using them you didn't touch on is that only one combination opens them.

Unlike an electronic system where I can assign a 'babysitter' code that only unlocks the front door while my 'master code' might be good to open every door, a simplex lock supports a single code. Other than this, lack of audit trail (like you mentioned) is a bummer, but may not be a deal breaker for everyone.

I visited with a utility company that used simplex locks on all remote pump houses across the south US. They were just tickled with what they had, and had no interest in changing to an electronic access system.

TG
Tedor Gligorich
Aug 02, 2014

Why front desk person say here is your key and gives me a peace of plastic when i check in hotel? For to them it is key, and always you must go back for it not works, doesnt work?

JH
John Honovich
Aug 02, 2014
IPVM
New discussion

Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.

Newest discussions