What's everyone doing for home security alarm system?

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Posted: 3/25/2015 5:43:30 PM EDT

I know some people think they are worthless and a ripoff and I don't totally disagree. However, we live in a rural area, I work weird hours, sometimes overnight, and the wife wants one. She lets me buy guns, ammo, hunting stuff.......you get the picture. So, we have a security system that was installed by ADT about four years ago. The monthly monitoring is up to $50 a damn month. Crazy. And, I don't have access to my system through a smart phone app. It is a GE Simon XT system with a cellular connection. It works pretty good although I have one sensor that doesn't work.

So what is the best route to go? I have called a couple places about taking over the monitoring and was told it would depend on how cooperative ADT is. I called ADT and it is not a cooperative place. I looked at the Simpli Safe system and it looks pretty easy to set up and cost $25 a month.

I had a local guy come out and he quoted me about 1k to put a system in equal to what I have now, with $15 a month monitoring. Seemed high and said he couldn't use the hardware I have now because he only deals with Honeywell.

Looking for some advice before I jump into something again.

Posted: 3/25/2015 5:46:18 PM EDT

[#1]

I think they're basically worthless. If I lived in a rural area, I think they'd be entirely worthless.

Posted: 3/25/2015 5:50:54 PM EDT

[#2]

We have a Papillion Bark-O-matic. Pretty worthless except as a burglar alarm. He's good. Very good.
The last two times he's heard a thump in the night, he was spot on.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:02:59 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
We have a Papillion Bark-O-matic. Pretty worthless except as a burglar alarm. He's good. Very good.
The last two times he's heard a thump in the night, he was spot on.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2rzt9bb.jpg

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Dogs are great, I agree. But when we are gone, it can't call the police.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:04:25 PM EDT

[#4]

I (usually) lock my doors...

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:05:16 PM EDT

[#5]

I have simplisafe. had ADT and got sick of the high bills, I had the cell transmitter too since i have no home phone, cost me like $250 plus and extra charge a month.

simplisafeis real east to install and you only buy what you need and can add other sensors any time you want without having some alarm tech come to your house after you made an appointment.

since it is battery powered, if the power goes out the thing will work for a while too which is a plus out in the sticks

and my dogs travel with me so they are even more than useless

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:05:42 PM EDT

[#6]

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:06:11 PM EDT

[#7]

I have two miniature schnauzers. One will bark and growl at everything possible. The other will steal my sandwich.

So, it's pretty much a wash.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:18:33 PM EDT

[#8]

We use Frontpoint. We have been very happy with the service and the hardware. We also have software integration into our iPhones/iPads, which we use almost exclusively to activate/deactivate and check the status of our system. It reports on all sensors in real time, very handy. We have door/window sensors, motion sensors, glass break sensors, fire and carbon monoxide detectors. We set it to go off instantly, no delay, at night. Since it's cellular we have no concerns about communications being cut. The monitoring center calls very fast, at least they have after all our accidental alarms. We also have keypad and voice duress codes.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:22:35 PM EDT

[#9]

How tech-savy are you? How handy-man handy are you?

If you earn high marks in both categories you can roll your own commercial-grade system and self-monitor via text message. Hit up the threads here and on the home security forums. Steep learning curve, but all the info is out there. You can put together a nice system with lots of extras (voice keypads, wireless controllers, network control from your phone/tablet, integrated smoke detectors, SMS alerts, z-wave automation, etc.) for well under what you'd pay for a year of monitoring service.

Sorry, no specifics (OPSEC/PERSEC). You'll just have to go look. But find you will.

You can probably convert your existing ADT system to be self monitored.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:24:20 PM EDT

[#10]

i have one in my home canceled service long ago never use the fucking thing.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:26:49 PM EDT

[#11]

You can buy a new Controller, 3 new Wireless Sensors, a Keyfob, and a Motion sensor as a kit here.
http://www.amazon.com/80-649-3N-XT-SIMON-WIRELESS-Security-System/dp/B001VSCALW

Or you can step up to the Fancy touch screen one.
http://www.home-technology-store.com/home-security/GE-60-924-3-XT-2WTTS.aspx?gclid=CjwKEAjwucmoBRDmysGsgbDr5j0SJAAxL9abRRBgUXZqGzwKkZbp1g1N6K8GOWbOZKsJKXCwj3nHAxoCp2jw_wcB

Program your existing sensors into the New Controller.

Here is a cell phone module for $70.00 for it, AT&T Service.
http://www.amazon.com/GE-SECURITY-600-1048-XT-6-AT-SimonXT-Network/dp/B004OICCAA/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1427322011&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=600-1048xt

And then you can get Monitoring from here for about $12.00 a month with Cell phone control. http://www.geoarm.com/

No affiliation with any of the above. But did put in a Honeywell touch screen system yesterday with 31 sensors and used Geoarm for service.

Posted: 3/25/2015 6:32:13 PM EDT

[#12]

Two Belgian Malinoiss

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:28:43 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:

I think they're basically worthless. If I lived in a rural area, I think they'd be entirely worthless.

View Quote

I do and you are right.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:31:40 PM EDT

[#14]

Rack the slide of a shotty.

It is all you will ever need.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:31:45 PM EDT

[#15]

Dag

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:32:48 PM EDT

[#16]

Thanks for non worthless replies. Will look into geoarm for sure.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:39:38 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
You can buy a new Controller, 3 new Wireless Sensors, a Keyfob, and a Motion sensor as a kit here.
http://www.amazon.com/80-649-3N-XT-SIMON-WIRELESS-Security-System/dp/B001VSCALW

Or you can step up to the Fancy touch screen one.
http://www.home-technology-store.com/home-security/GE-60-924-3-XT-2WTTS.aspx?gclid=CjwKEAjwucmoBRDmysGsgbDr5j0SJAAxL9abRRBgUXZqGzwKkZbp1g1N6K8GOWbOZKsJKXCwj3nHAxoCp2jw_wcB

Program your existing sensors into the New Controller.

Here is a cell phone module for $70.00 for it, AT&T Service.
http://www.amazon.com/GE-SECURITY-600-1048-XT-6-AT-SimonXT-Network/dp/B004OICCAA/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1427322011&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=600-1048xt

And then you can get Monitoring from here for about $12.00 a month with Cell phone control. http://www.geoarm.com/

No affiliation with any of the above. But did put in a Honeywell touch screen system yesterday with 31 sensors and used Geoarm for service.

View Quote

So does Geoarm do the monitoring or does a third party? A little confused by the site.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:41:23 PM EDT

[#18]

I have 3 dogs, one is a lab so he doesnt really count

the other two will alert you to anything walking around outside.

we have cameras up so we can watch it on our cell phones.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:42:24 PM EDT

[#19]

Sound system with perpetual racking of shotgun.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:54:50 PM EDT

[#20]

Have you looked at any local monitoring companies? I have mine local, they monitor many businesses in the area as well. No contract and $35/month.

The ADT box you have is worthless, they will not unlock it for another provider to use. You can buy a new one and install it yourself. You may be able to use your old sensors depending on brand. If it is wireless, it is super simple to hook up any additional sensors. I installed my own, including wireless and wifi card. My alarm company came out and added it to their monitoring system for no charge.

Posted: 3/25/2015 7:56:53 PM EDT

[#21]

I have devised a security scheme that is virtually fool proof.

My house looks so crappy and run down that no one would ever suspect there is anything of value inside, and thieves bypass it for more inviting targets.

The wife helps out by spending money faster than I can make it and refusing to get a job, leaving her home sleeping during the times I'm at work.

I also have a very hungry dog in the yard.

It works for identity theft as well, anyone stealing my identity would be calling within a few hours begging me to take it back.........

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:00:06 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
We use Frontpoint. We have been very happy with the service and the hardware. We also have software integration into our iPhones/iPads, which we use almost exclusively to activate/deactivate and check the status of our system. It reports on all sensors in real time, very handy. We have door/window sensors, motion sensors, glass break sensors, fire and carbon monoxide detectors. We set it to go off instantly, no delay, at night. Since it's cellular we have no concerns about communications being cut. The monitoring center calls very fast, at least they have after all our accidental alarms. We also have keypad and voice duress codes.

View Quote

I've been using Frontpoint for years and have been very happy with it.

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:01:46 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks for non worthless replies. Will look into geoarm for sure.

View Quote

Your thread title asks what we are doing for home security alarm system. Answering with we don't use one because they are worthless is not a worthless reply.

a typical burglar will spend between 8 to 12 minutes in your home usually taking less than a minute to actually break in.

average police response time about 10 minutes.

ok so it sounds like you may get lucky and have the police there 50% of the time to catch the guy but you'd be wrong as once the alarm goes off the alarm company will then call you before calling the police and it's anyones guess what the response time of the alarm company will be, with a company here I've had it be anywhere from 2 minutes to not even calling at all and in many jurisdictions the police will not even respond to a home alarm system because a huge percentage of the time it's a false alarm.

any good burglar will know these stats and be in and out before the police are even on the phone. A self monitored system with a live video feed and you calling the cops might just catch the guy if your police force has a great response time and security doors and security laminated windows would go even further to help with this.

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:02:27 PM EDT

[#24]

Simplisafe

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:06:36 PM EDT

[#25]

3 GSDs

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:09:39 PM EDT

[#26]

DIY Vista20P with an Envisalink board.

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:12:03 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
I think they're basically worthless. If I lived in a rural area, I think they'd be entirely worthless.

View Quote

This. My parents live in a rural area and they had an alarm system on the house they bought. The alarm company gave them a free three month trial. I came home from college once announced and they were not home. Forgot about the alarm, didn't know the code, went outside because I couldn't stand the noise. It was at least 45 minutes before a cop showed up.

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:12:10 PM EDT

[#28]

I have a Honeywell system. It's just local right now not monitored. That may change at some point. Honeywell and DSC makes a really good system. I'll admit I have knowledge of how to program them, though. You can find stuff on the web to program it yourself if you buy the system; otherwise, you will pay a security provider to set you up with monitoring and the whole nine yards.

The thing is that unless your house has been wired for security, you are faced with "wireless" systems as your only option. That's not necessarily a bad thing. The DSC Impassa and Honeywell Linx are two excellent wireless systems. You just have to know how to program them and set them up.

Don't get one of those shitty Home Depot/Lowe's/Handyman Warehouse Emporium do-it-yourself kits. Spend the money on a good reliable system. And for the love of God don't go with Time Warner or AT&T's security system. Get a real one.

Posted: 3/25/2015 8:21:41 PM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
3 GSDs

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2 here.
They did their job very well today. Meter reader stopped up and left 2 biscuits on the front porch for them. Apparently she didn't make it in the house to give it to them directly.

Posted: 3/26/2015 7:48:19 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

Your thread title asks what we are doing for home security alarm system. Answering with we don't use one because they are worthless is not a worthless reply.

a typical burglar will spend between 8 to 12 minutes in your home usually taking less than a minute to actually break in.

average police response time about 10 minutes.

ok so it sounds like you may get lucky and have the police there 50% of the time to catch the guy but you'd be wrong as once the alarm goes off the alarm company will then call you before calling the police and it's anyones guess what the response time of the alarm company will be, with a company here I've had it be anywhere from 2 minutes to not even calling at all and in many jurisdictions the police will not even respond to a home alarm system because a huge percentage of the time it's a false alarm.

any good burglar will know these stats and be in and out before the police are even on the phone. A self monitored system with a live video feed and you calling the cops might just catch the guy if your police force has a great response time and security doors and security laminated windows would go even further to help with this.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Thanks for non worthless replies. Will look into geoarm for sure.

Your thread title asks what we are doing for home security alarm system. Answering with we don't use one because they are worthless is not a worthless reply.

a typical burglar will spend between 8 to 12 minutes in your home usually taking less than a minute to actually break in.

average police response time about 10 minutes.

ok so it sounds like you may get lucky and have the police there 50% of the time to catch the guy but you'd be wrong as once the alarm goes off the alarm company will then call you before calling the police and it's anyones guess what the response time of the alarm company will be, with a company here I've had it be anywhere from 2 minutes to not even calling at all and in many jurisdictions the police will not even respond to a home alarm system because a huge percentage of the time it's a false alarm.

any good burglar will know these stats and be in and out before the police are even on the phone. A self monitored system with a live video feed and you calling the cops might just catch the guy if your police force has a great response time and security doors and security laminated windows would go even further to help with this.

Most of this is essentially true and I agree. Having our home broken into when I was a kid, and 13 years in LE have me looking at it a bit different. A bad guy broke into my parents house when I was about 18 an still living at home. Came in through a basement window.. My sister was at college and came home early on a Friday. She went into the basement an there the guy was. She ran out, went to the neighbors and called the cops. An alarm sounding would of stopped her from going inside the house.

Also, there are different kind of burglars. Some will look for a quick in and out. These you may never catch. They can get electronics, game systems, things you leave out in plain sight, etc. Others will spend a lengthy amount of time in your home. I have worked cases where locked rooms were broken into that took a lot of time, safes cut into that took hours, burglars who left and came back one or more times. The latter is what I am looking to prevent. I have most our good stuff, guns, etc. locked up fairly well, but given some time, those items could become lost too. An alarm would likely prevent this. It would also prevent my wife from walking into the middle of something. Also would alert her to an intruder in the middle of the night.

Alarms are, at times, worthless. Mainly because people don't turn them on. Police response can be slow, but they do respond where I live. Other times, alarms can be worth the time and money.

Posted: 3/26/2015 9:30:05 AM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:

3 GSDs

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So the plan is to ensnare burglars in a giant wad of hair?

Posted: 3/26/2015 9:51:25 AM EDT

[#32]

ADT and a Rhodesian Ridgeback

Posted: 3/26/2015 10:05:27 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
I know some people think they are worthless and a ripoff and I don't totally disagree. However, we live in a rural area, I work weird hours, sometimes overnight, and the wife wants one. She lets me buy guns, ammo, hunting stuff.......you get the picture. So, we have a security system that was installed by ADT about four years ago. The monthly monitoring is up to $50 a damn month. Crazy. And, I don't have access to my system through a smart phone app. It is a GE Simon XT system with a cellular connection. It works pretty good although I have one sensor that doesn't work.

So what is the best route to go? I have called a couple places about taking over the monitoring and was told it would depend on how cooperative ADT is. I called ADT and it is not a cooperative place. I looked at the Simpli Safe system and it looks pretty easy to set up and cost $25 a month.

I had a local guy come out and he quoted me about 1k to put a system in equal to what I have now, with $15 a month monitoring. Seemed high and said he couldn't use the hardware I have now because he only deals with Honeywell.

Looking for some advice before I jump into something again.

View Quote

Hi Rightside,

I use a third party, medium size monitoring company located in Birmingham. They have always done a really job for me:

ESC Central

I use it in combination with cameras and door break detectors.

Posted: 3/27/2015 6:00:26 AM EDT

[#34]

System called Blink coming out in July, not sure if you can wait or not, but you can record to USB at the base. Unlike the Netgear, this looks to be flash based, so the batteries last one year. Has instant on, instead of 1 to 2 second delay. They have yet to say if they are going to provide an outdoor model, but if you put it under some type of overhang, it should be fine.

http://www.blinkforhome.com/index.html

Posted: 3/27/2015 7:11:22 AM EDT

[#35]

...

Posted: 3/27/2015 7:13:36 AM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:

I think they're basically worthless. If I lived in a rural area, I think they'd be entirely worthless.

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A monitored alarm is a requirement for the insurance on my firearms. So there is that.

Posted: 3/27/2015 7:33:02 AM EDT

[#37]

Honeywell lynx touch 7000 and it's $9.99 for Honeywell total connect per month and Arlo cameras. I dropped about $1400 for everything and installed it all myself. Full ipad and iphone control with z-wave home automation.

Posted: 3/27/2015 7:37:36 AM EDT

[#38]

ADT with cellular back up. Wife wanted it before I deployed in 2004 and we've had it ever since. Don't mind it really but I don't think my bill is near as high as yours.

Posted: 3/28/2015 7:56:43 AM EDT

[#39]

Quote History

Quoted:
So the plan is to ensnare burglars in a giant wad of hair?

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Quoted:

Quoted:
3 GSDs

So the plan is to ensnare burglars in a giant wad of hair?

If that's the plan you need to throw a Husky in the mix

OP, we are presently looking at a house that is pretty rural. We plan on installing a security system if we get it. Taht said, I have one at my shop which is 10 miles from where I live. If the alarm goes of the cop will respond in about 45 minutes. I guess if life & limb don't hang in the balance they don't care. When I install in my house I will be able to monitor it from my smart phone. We have 3 dogs but a person that is serious about getting your stuff or hurting you could give a crap about your dogs.

LEt us know what you install.

Posted: 3/28/2015 8:03:34 AM EDT

[#40]

Posted: 3/28/2015 8:04:53 AM EDT

[#41]

Lifshield from Directv

Posted: 3/28/2015 8:09:05 AM EDT

[#42]

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Quoted:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/VonErnst/Scan005July1220042.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/VonErnst/DSCF1728_zps746da200.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/VonErnst/IMAG00512.jpg...

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For some reason, when I look at that second pic, all I hear is "Go ahead...make a move...I fucking dare you"

edit: grammar

Posted: 3/28/2015 8:15:25 AM EDT

[#43]

Quote History

Quoted:

Simplisafe

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On their website, they say do not use a gun in a home invasion. Bullet point 3 in their blog on what to do in an invasion.

Posted: 3/28/2015 10:25:00 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:

For some reason, when I look at that second pic, all I hear is "Go ahead...make a move...I fucking dare you"

edit: grammar

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/VonErnst/DSCF1728_zps746da200.jpg

For some reason, when I look at that second pic, all I hear is "Go ahead...make a move...I fucking dare you"

edit: grammar

Here's the "before" pic...

Posted: 3/28/2015 10:39:34 PM EDT

[#45]

picture of the rottie pup is beautiful.. everyone should have a dag like him. in my case, a 95 pound black lab male named bear who dosent like strange people in the house. plus the sign on the front of the house warning that no warning shots will be used due to the high cost of ammo !