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SMART LOCK WITH A CAMERA: WHAT YOU ACTUALLY GET

A smart lock with a camera built in is one device that unlocks the door and shows you who is standing at it, no separate doorbell to install or manage. BTRtec builds this into two of its four model...

SMART LOCK INSTALLATION: WHAT IS ACTUALLY INCLUDED

"Free professional installation" on a smart lock listing sounds like a line added to justify the price. Most buyers skim past it, then read the warranty terms for the first time only after somethin...

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BTRTEC SMART LOCK RUNS OUT OF BATTERY

A BTRtec lock does not unlock itself when the battery dies, and it does not leave you standing outside either. The X9, S5, and V5 Vision all give you a real-time low battery warning before it happe...

X9, S5, S6 MAX, OR V5 VISION: CHOOSING A BTRTEC SMART LOCK BY BUDGET

BTRtec sells four premium smart mortise locks, from the six hundred dollar X9 to the V5 Vision starting at eleven hundred and fifty dollars, and the honest answer to which one is right for you come...

How Secure Is a Smart Mortise Lock, Really?

Almost every article answering how secure is a smart lock spends its length on hacking: encryption, app vulnerabilities, whether a thief with a laptop can talk their way ...

Installing a Smart Lock on a Custom or Solid Wood Door Without Damaging It

A mortise lock is not a bolt-on gadget screwed to the surface of a solid wood door. It is cut into it. That is the part most product pages leave out, and it is the reason a homeowner with an exp...

Smart Lock Installation Cost: What Drives the Price, and When It Should Be Zero

Published figures for smart lock installation cost generally range from around $80 for the simplest bolt-on swap to $400 or more for a fuller professional job, depending on the source and what ...

Apple Home Key and HomeKit Smart Locks (Plus NFC and App Access)

Apple Home Key, HomeKit, NFC cards, and the lock's own app are not the same thing. This guide explains how each works, how they fit together on one premium mortise lock, and which BTRtec model supp...

Biometric Mortise Locks: Fingerprint vs Face vs Vein Recognition

Fingerprint, face, and vein recognition are not three versions of the same thing. This guide covers how each method actually works, where each one fails, and which belongs on your front door.

Smart Lock Installation: Why a Mortise Lock Needs a Pro (and When It Does Not)

A smart mortise lock is cut into the door and wired through it. Here is why that makes installation a professional job, and when it genuinely does not.