Vivint Smart Home doesn't answer
a lot of questions up front.
Their website is a little bit of a labyrinth,
then leads to a phone number.
So we've taken it upon ourselves to collect
some frequently asked questions about big orange
to help you out.
Today I'll be answering seven big questions
about Vivint based on my research, contact with
the company itself, and experience from Vivint users.
We've dropped the resources in the description
where you can find more about Vivint
and the sources where I found my information.
Since Vivint is a primarily professionally installed system,
you won't have to do much by way of setting up
your equipment, but there are a few things you might
have to do to get your system up and running
after your installation technician is done.
You can start your whole experience by downloading
the Vivint app and signing in with your account info.
Then, you'll need to get your touch screen panel
connected to your Wi-Fi.
To do that, tap General on the touch screen panel,
enter your pin, then select Connectivity, then Wi-Fi.
From there, you'll enter your Wi-Fi info
and you should be good to go.
Pretty easily from Vivint's web portal, you can see
your system, camera feed, and get
account information and billing.
To view Vivint on your computer, go to Vivint's website
and enter your account login information
and go to the dashboard from there.
Just in case, we'll drop a link in the description.
Self-monitoring with Vivint is doable, but it kind of
guts the system of all the best features.
You miss out on all the Vivinty things that make
Vivint stand out.
For example, without monitoring, you won't get
at the Vivint app, which is basically a remote control
for your house.
With it, you can arm and disarm the system from anywhere,
set up automations, control your smart home gear,
and see security camera feed.
Plus, without monitoring, you miss out
on that speedy response from monitoring pros
and all of that camera power.
At the most, you can still arm and disarm your system
and automate smart gear around the house
through the touchscreen panel.
The trouble is that if something trips the alarm,
you won't get a notification on the app,
and you'll be the only one to respond to the problem.
You can arm and disarm your Vivint system
through the app, desktop portal, or the touchscreen panel
that comes with your system.
If your alarm is actively sounding, you have 30 seconds
to disarm it before a Vivint a monitoring pro
will contact you through the touchscreen panel.
And if you aren't around to turn it off there,
you'll get a phone call from Vivint.
From there, you'll have to give them a verbal passcode
to turn off system.
Thankfully, turning your system on and off is easy enough
through any of these methods.
Through the app, the arm and disarm option
is front and center.
Just open the app and change its status.
It looks the same on the touch screen panel and online.
Vivint gives you a couple options for paying off your gear.
You can pay it off monthly through the term
of your contract (think lower price) over a longer period
of time, or you can pay off everything up front
and skip the contract.
You can combine options for paying your bills
through the Vivint portal online or have them
deduct charges from your account automatically.
Thankfully you don't have to leave
your security system behind if you move to a new place.
Vivint has three moving plans if you change your address.
You can get a new system for your new place,
move with your system, or opt for
professional removal and installation.
We can go into more details about those options
in a future video, so if you'd like to see that,
hit the like button on this video and let us know.
You can also check the description for more information
about Vivint's moving options.
If something happens to you and you aren't able
to keep your Vivint system through the whole contract,
you can find someone else to take it.
This works well again for folks who are moving.
But to make that transfer, you have to make sure
all your equipment is paid off first.
Vivint suggests that the best people for taking over
a contract are family, neighbors, friends,
or other people you might know, like, for example,
the person who bought your house. If they qualify
under Vivint's requirements, the transfer is free,
and if not, there's a $99 transfer fee.
Again, we've got a link to the source where we found this
in the description, but if you're looking for more info
on Vivint transfer, call this number.
Hopefully that answers some of your questions about Vivint.
We're planning on doing more FAQ videos like this
about Vivint and other security brands,
so drop your questions in the comments below.
Hey, if you're part of the 10% of people
who watched this far, or my parents, thanks for watching.
Don't stop there, though.
We have a ton of other resources on SafeWise.com
that you can check out, and if you like and subscribe
you'll get new videos from us every week.
Thanks for watching and stay safe.
(light music)