What home security system do you sue or recommend?

[r0g3r]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to get a home security system, but not sure what to get.

I've been hearing lots about Alarmforce and their "two way live" monitoring, and only 25$/ month.

This seems attractive but i guess I want to know what's useful and whats not.

What system do you use, if any? Which would you recommend?

I live in a family home in coventry hills.

For the most part it has been a safe area but burglaries still occur and just want to be safe.

Please share your input. Thank you!

[eblend]

If I had to pick any one ot sue it would probably be alarm force for disturbing my peace with thier stupid commmercials.

jokes aside, I invested into a video survailance system instead

[Marsh]

Dollar Store sign, Beware of Dog. Works pretty well.

[black_2.5RS]

I called Alarm force last year and the asked about their video monitoring. The way it was described to me was they needed a plug in for a camera. This sounded completely absurd to me that anyone can simply unplug it from the wall......like wtf? Perhaps things have changed but ADT has a similar system called "ADT Pulse" that looks ok but haven't really looked into it in any great detail.

[Transp0rt3r]

ADT and video cameras around the house with remote connection . :nut:

[Kloubek]

I have a private alarm that I picked up on Ebay. Connects to the phone line and uses cellular if line is cut. Also has battery backup in case power is cut. The alarm calls my phone and my wife's phone in the event of a break-in. Cost me $250.

I also bought ADT stickers I put all over my windows, and two IP cameras where I can view key areas of my home from my phone or computer in the event the alarm goes off. Plus we have motion-sensing exterior lights.

And I have a staffie (smaller pitbull) but he'd probably lick an intruder to death if there was nobody home he felt he needed to protect.

I think the combination of the ADT stickers/sign and the beware of dog sign are enough to ward off 95% of intruders when we're not home. And we are... well, the dog, shotgun, and highly protective owner would have something to say about that.

[ExtraSlow]

To me, if you realll think you need an alarm, lowest month monitoring cost trumps nearly any feature.

Lowest I've heard of is $20/mo from united alarm. Wired directly to cops.

[eblend]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow


Lowest I've heard of is $20/mo from united alarm. Wired directly to cops.

Keep in mind....anytime the cops (or even the company security person) has to drive by your place to see if everything is okay...you will get charge the cost of that service, at least this is what happened to my friend when the crazy wind storms we had last year somehow blew open his door and caused the false alarm.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by eblend
If I had to pick any one ot sue it would probably be alarm force for disturbing my peace with thier stupid commmercials.


Grammar police fail.

[darthVWader]

Originally posted by Kloubek
I have a private alarm that I picked up on Ebay. Connects to the phone line and uses cellular if line is cut. Also has battery backup in case power is cut. The alarm calls my phone and my wife's phone in the event of a break-in. Cost me $250.

I also bought ADT stickers I put all over my windows, and two IP cameras where I can view key areas of my home from my phone or computer in the event the alarm goes off. Plus we have motion-sensing exterior lights.

And I have a staffie (smaller pitbull) but he'd probably lick an intruder to death if there was nobody home he felt he needed to protect.

I think the combination of the ADT stickers/sign and the beware of dog sign are enough to ward off 95% of intruders when we're not home. And we are... well, the dog, shotgun, and highly protective owner would have something to say about that.

You live in Dover? All you're missing is a moat.

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by eblend
If I had to pick any one ot sue it would probably be alarm force for disturbing my peace with thier stupid commmercials.

Agreed.

Add that the owner insists on using his fucking annoying voice.

Don't even get me started on that "Cochrane Dodge" POS.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by eblend


Keep in mind....anytime the cops (or even the company security person) has to drive by your place to see if everything is okay...you will get charge the cost of that service, at least this is what happened to my friend when the crazy wind storms we had last year somehow blew open his door and caused the false alarm.
That's true, I think the cost was $70 when it happend to me. But, When I ran the numbers, I could afford a false alarm per year with the cops and it was still cheaper than paying the alarm company for it's private monitoring solution. I think they wanted $15 per month on top of the $20.
Plus, if it's a real robbery, I don't want some rent-a-cop driving over, and then calling the cops. I want a real cop asap.

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by darthVWader


You live in Dover? All you're missing is a moat.

Hahaha! I truly lol'd.

Actually, I live in Kincora... one of the better neighborhoods in Calgary imo. But a house 2 doors up was broken into the day we moved in which prompted the alarm/stickers and then my truck was broken into a year ago so I figured I'd become extra vigilant to be on the safe side.

[AndyL]

DIY it...

dx.com has assloads of IP cameras, look for wifi and 720p (there's even a few 1080p now) - they're about 75$-125$ each... foscams the better option, for a bit more $.

You throw them on their own wifi (don't use your regular network) connect a PC for interweb connectivity and dvr duties, the software handles zone alarms all the good stuff, mine even emails and SMS messages me when certain camera/zones/timeframes cause them to be triggered. I can login from my phone and see whats up, 2 way voice on a couple of my cameras...

1 camera is hardwired, 2 foscams where I want better resolution, 3 ipcam/wanscam where its a whatever... upgrading a few now to higher Res units (can't get much off 640x480 video).

My. 02, but I'm cheap ;) screw paying fees to an alarm Co, the hardware and software does more anyway...

[brandon]

surveillance>intrusion any day.

As mentioned above get yourself a vms and ip cameras and call it a day.

I'd stay away from cheap oversea ebay cameras tho.

Exacq has free software if you pay for the licenses per camera.

Arecont, IQInvision, Axis all make great products.

[AndyL]

There's a ton of info out there on the ipcam and wanscam cameras, they're actually pretty OK...

now a story, nobody told me - don't point a ccd camera at the sun (sw facing)... foscam camera burnt out, month later - wanscam pukes a drive system...

it was plug and play to use the wanscams albeit shitier quality camera on the foscams base... having torn open an ipcam - the 3 are identical inside, same circuit boards, same drives, ancillaries are a wee bit different (quality/size/etc) but the units themselves appear to be the same groups of components packaged differently... not really surprising, makes for great serviceability...

[OU812]

I dont know how many of you know this but all the companies are monitored by the same call centre in Calgary so go for the cheapest as the end result is the same.

[brandon]

Originally posted by AndyL
There's a ton of info out there on the ipcam and wanscam cameras, they're actually pretty OK...

now a story, nobody told me - don't point a ccd camera at the sun (sw facing)... foscam camera burnt out, month later - wanscam pukes a drive system...

it was plug and play to use the wanscams albeit shitier quality camera on the foscams base... having torn open an ipcam - the 3 are identical inside, same circuit boards, same drives, ancillaries are a wee bit different (quality/size/etc) but the units themselves appear to be the same groups of components packaged differently... not really surprising, makes for great serviceability...

You are correct, never point a camera at the sun! but as for your other point.. most camera manufactures use oem'd chipsets and boards from other companies..

It's more the hardware processing software that makes the difference.

[AndyL]

Well yes and no, they all run the same mobo - it's just a fancy linux imbeded device. That said, it's well documented how to run the better foscam 'updates' on the other devices :)

[brandon]

Originally posted by OU812
I dont know how many of you know this but all the companies are monitored by the same call centre in Calgary so go for the cheapest as the end result is the same.

That's not correct.. Some local companies have their own monitoring stations and some use the big three monitoring stations in Canada! Most are out east.



Originally posted by AndyL
Well yes and no, they all run the same mobo - it's just a fancy linux imbeded device. That said, it's well documented how to run the better foscam 'updates' on the other devices :)

haha, yes you can flash it with other software but now you're going a little above and beyond don't yah think? lmao. If you're an experienced user and want to rip apart IP Cams... then by all means! but most people would just rather pay a little more for less work.

[codetrap]

.

[r0g3r]

Well these do it yourself solutions are fine,

but what about when you're on a trip or something?

What do you guys do? Like if you have to go for a week and no one is home, like family trips?


Also, where can i snag those ADT stickers? :D

[Weapon_R]

Any recommendations for non-monitored complete alarm systems? The response times make me think that a monitored system is useless.

[lilmira]

I had a false alarm once and told the call center to call for police dispatch to check it out since I was no where near home. They got there pretty quick but I had to pay 75 bux to CPS.

[eblend]

Originally posted by r0g3r
Well these do it yourself solutions are fine,

but what about when you're on a trip or something?

What do you guys do? Like if you have to go for a week and no one is home, like family trips?


Also, where can i snag those ADT stickers? :D

Remote connectivity?

I can check my cameras from anywhere in the world, on my phone ect. Some can alert you when they detect motion ect.

I also have family or friends who drop by every once in a while to check up on the place, and more recently to feed my cat.

The cat in itself would probably make a good deterant as well, she tries to kill me daily

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by eblend
The cat in itself would probably make a good deterant as well, she tries to kill me daily

ha!

So, say you're travelling to BC for whatever reason. The alarm goes off and you check your IP camera and see somebody in your house. What do you do?

Since I have a similar system, this is the kind of thing I've wondered about myself. You can't call 911 or you'll be connected to the 911 in BC. I guess you could all someone in Calgary and ask THEM to call 911 for you. Any other thoughts?

[AndyL]

I believe 911 centers are cross linked... 266-1234 likely will get an officer who can adress...

city of calgary has no alternate # for 911 listed, however, I've got my local police/fire numbers in my phone...

there's probably a voip solution too...

[brandon]

Originally posted by r0g3r
Well these do it yourself solutions are fine,

but what about when you're on a trip or something?

What do you guys do? Like if you have to go for a week and no one is home, like family trips?


Also, where can i snag those ADT stickers? :D

As mentioned.. most vms platforms offer motion detection.. which can either sms text you.. or email you instantly.

[Tomaz]

An Irish Wolfhound

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/images15/IrishWolfhoundFrankBrendan.JPG

And a 12-gauge Pump

http://www.remington.com/~/media/Images/Firearms/Shotguns/Model-870/Model-870-Express-Tactical/870-Express-Tactical-81198-prod.ashx

You may think i'm joking, any of the systems I have used are useless deterrents IMO.