Home security system

VortecJeep

VortecJeep

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Aug 24, 2005
Location
Concord, NC
The wife wants a home security system. I asked if I could just put up cameras that she can view from her phone. She says she wants one that makes noise. Doesn't have to be professionally monitored. So I've been searching the interwebs. I'm leaning toward this:
abode - a Professional-grade DIY, Home Security & Automation System

I'd put the acoustic glass sensor in and a door sensor on each door.

Any recommendations from you guys?

Before she told me it had to make noise, I was leaning toward just a camera system, then if she thought she heard something, she could just view the camera feeds on her phone. Something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MCXE7FV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3F3ZKMU0NXC4F&psc=1
 
We have simplisafe are it has been great. No issues and honestly makes us feel better when Home and away.

Pretty sure they had 40% off discounts at thanksgiving/Xmas/New Years last year.

It’s $24 a month, but no contract and pay for the equipment up front, diy install, and cellular connection to the monitoring. That also allows you to use the app to monitor and set alarm from phone. It’s $14 a month for basic monitoring and no cell phone app control. As well, if you don’t want monitoring, you can install system and just use it as a basic alarm with siren for no monthly fee.
 
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I am putting in a system, from suretydiy.com Monitoring and control via alarm.com $22.95/mo for central station monitoring.

2 main systems to consider..... Qolsys and 2GIG GC3. Both mostly similar in features/abilities.
 
Another question: What is the purpose of the motion sensors? Unless someone comes down the chimney like Santa, shouldn't door sensors and glass break sensors detect an intruder?
 
VortecJeep said:
Another question: What is the purpose of the motion sensors? Unless someone comes down the chimney like Santa, shouldn't door sensors and glass break sensors detect an intruder?
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Glass break sensors aren't foolproof. They work by listening for specific frequencies, which *most* glass emit when it is shattered. Not always. And other environmental sounds can trigger the sensor. Window switches aren't 100% either (switch is in frame, somebody busts out window, clears glass...frame switch never trips). Plus, very few people do windows....costs to much for all the wireless switches (30 a pop), and too much of a PIA to do wired switches on every window. (and yep, wireless and wired can be defeated with enough time and motivation -- but unless you got a few mil worth of Picassos, the meth-heads are going to go next door instead)

Motions are especially needed in commercial/shop applications -- look at number of incidents you see on the news where someone went in thru roof, sawzalled thru a wall, unscrewed panels on a metal building, etc. The way most houses are built with vinyl, cheap osb (and sometimes just foam or blackboard instead), and sheetrock you hardly even need a saw to get thru a wall, just punch thru.

I will not go into any detail here at all, but I will say that my system has multiple layers. That's what is needed in today's world.

If you are going to have and depend on a system, you need that....most systems are easy to defeat, if you observe and think about it for a minute. One of the most common systems/providers around here I can defeat on most houses in about 10 seconds (if I were so inclined).
 
I would go with Vera home automation. You can add all that stuff and remote view/control it
 
Not trying to be a smart butt, but just get a big dog. Haven't locked the doors in my house since I built it. If someone wants to come in and play with Gage (my dog) then I will gladly call the ambulance for them afterwards.
 
We went with Frontpoint. From what we found researching, best guarantees, simplest contract with shortest range and one of the cheaper equipment costs. They also work off of gsm service has its pros and cons like anything. And the equipment also supports z wave technology, so if you have smart devices and what not, they can speaks together. Not really my thing, but this way was able to upgrade the front door lock and could then use the Frontpoint app to lock the door. Etc.
 
junkxj said:
Not trying to be a smart butt, but just get a big dog. Haven't locked the doors in my house since I built it. If someone wants to come in and play with Gage (my dog) then I will gladly call the ambulance for them afterwards.
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If you think a man breaking into your house gives 2 shits about your dog you are crazy.
I dont care how big he is 2 small drops of lead end that front.
 
Ron said:
If you think a man breaking into your house gives 2 shits about your dog you are crazy.
I dont care how big he is 2 small drops of lead end that front.
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but most robbers are lazy they want to take the easy route and messing with a dog is normally not the case.
 
jeepyjman said:
but most robbers are lazy they want to take the easy route and messing with a dog is normally not the case.
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Wrong...robbers arent lazy. That mindset wll get you cleaned out.
Lazy folks just collect wellfare. Robbers typically know what they are looking for and...all robbers are criminals. They wont think twice to shoot your dog..
 
junkxj said:
If someone wants to come in and play with Gage (my dog) then I will gladly call the ambulance for them afterwards.
Click to expand...

If the robber doesn't shoot your dog, the cop who responds may

Ron said:
They wont think twice to shoot your dog..
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This quote applies to the cops as well :cool:
 
Ron said:
Wrong...robbers arent lazy. That mindset wll get you cleaned out.
Lazy folks just collect wellfare. Robbers typically know what they are looking for and...all robbers are criminals. They wont think twice to shoot your dog..
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Huh, sure stopped the one trying to get in our house!!! Our 5 dogs woke up when he kicked in the door (pissed us off, it wasnt locked) and raised hell, crook turned tail and ran before we could even get to the door. We live in the sticks so he wasnt concerned wit neighbors, and none of our dogs weigh more than 100#s. I guess we got lucky or the though of 5 dogs chowing down just didnt sound fun to the crook. Oh well.

We dont have a security system other than the furry kind and the kind that slings lead. We dont lock the doors and often leave the windows open.
 
Ron said:
If you think a man breaking into your house gives 2 shits about your dog you are crazy.
I dont care how big he is 2 small drops of lead end that front.
Click to expand...

Was in the news last week, forget where, but the dogs got peppersprayed in a break-in. That took the fight out of them.
 
I have to say, once again I have been proven wrong. I have decided to get rid of my husky /wolf hybrid and install a home camera system.
That way I can watch the video of a robber breaking into my house in real time, if I am away from home.
I also hope, that while I am at home, these same robbers don't realize most of these systems don't have a battery backup, so cutting the power to the house would render them useless.

Can you honestly tell me a home security system sticker on a window of your home would be more of a deterrent than a dog that looks like it would tear you apart looking through that same window ....

Point is, if someone wants in your home badly enough, they will get in. Period. A security system and a dog will hopefully do the same thing, alert you to the intrusion.
 
I look at the dog as my alarm and several stashed guns at multiple locations for quick response times - as level 1 stuff.

I have also witnessed a military fog fail. Mine as well it happens. I don't know what you're basing your info on but these systems do have battery backups.

The main device has a battery backup and a secondary one to make a call if the first goes dead. My camera plugs into a light socket and looks like a lightbulb. It can be accessed via the web and has a sufficient capacitor bank to survive a short term without power. I have three other cameras that have battery backups which last days

My infrared motion detector operates off of batteries. The main system lets me know when they are low.

The glass break detection also operates off of batteries. Same as smoke and gas.

Newer units are using cell signal technology. So even if you use a cell signal blocker it does not stop it as a loss in signal triggers a silent alarm. Etc.

Lots of features.

When I did SF on the bases there sure wasn't doggies protecting bunkers and gates.
 
ckruzer said:
I look at the dog as my alarm and several stashed guns at multiple locations for quick response times - as level 1 stuff.

I have also witnessed a military fog fail. Mine as well it happens. I don't know what you're basing your info on but these systems do have battery backups.

The main device has a battery backup and a secondary one to make a call if the first goes dead. My camera plugs into a light socket and looks like a lightbulb. It can be accessed via the web and has a sufficient capacitor bank to survive a short term without power. I have three other cameras that have battery backups which last days

My infrared motion detector operates off of batteries. The main system lets me know when they are low.

The glass break detection also operates off of batteries. Same as smoke and gas.

Newer units are using cell signal technology. So even if you use a cell signal blocker it does not stop it as a loss in signal triggers a silent alarm. Etc.

Lots of features.

When I did SF on the bases there sure wasn't doggies protecting bunkers and gates.
Click to expand...

I was just going off of what the op linked too, which says nothing about back up power. I am sure there are ones out there that do have the back up, but not those....

I guess I would have to ask, would you rather have your dog and firearms, or the security system? I guess it's obvious what I rely on...
 
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I wish to apologize to vortecjeep. I diverted this thread off topic, and may have kept him from getting the answer he was looking for.
I have several of the Wi-Fi drop cams in my house to keep an eye on my dog.
They are cheap ($25), plug and play, and can be monitored on your phone. They also can be set to record video if they detect sound.
Might meet your needs, for less than what you have been looking at.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-N...d=1508213786&sr=8-4&keywords=wifi+drop+camera
 
I have a big dog and things that go bang. And we lock our doors. But my wife still is nervous when I'm not there, so she wants an alarm that makes noise. Happy wife, happy life. I've looked at all the suggestions so far on here except frontpoint, I'll check it out today.
 
Another for Simplisafe. Its very easy to install and my favorite feature is being able to login online and set up each sensor operation individually. For example, my garage motion detector is active when my alarm is set to home, while the others are not. If you go with Simplisafe, write down each sensor number and their location before you mount them. It will save you a lot of time later when it comes time to name them online.
 
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