Posted: 12/16/2008 8:05:52 PM EDT
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Hey guys,
I will be purchasing a security system soon most likely from one of the major companies (ADT, Brinks) but want to know what you guys think of the systems and pricing. It def. doesn't seem cheap, with most systems coming with only 2 sensors for doors or windows and one motion detector. I also see that they have sensors that can tell when a window is broken or opened. Where i will be living is not big at all and has a total of 7 openings (windows and doors) so there isnt too much to cover. Without blowing the OPSEC on your home security, any information on pricing or what to get would be great. Thanks. |
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Hey!
This just happens to be my specialty.  Im in South FL, where are you located at? I can point you in the right direction as far as equipment you need and how to set it up. Even if your not in the area I can answer any questions or give some recomendations. Just email or pm me. I would be happy to help you out.
Take care, Luis [email protected] |
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Eh, sensors are usually pretty reliable. The trick is getting someone who knows what they are doing. Some installers do some half-ass installs leaving a time bomb of problems for the owner. Pir's come with issues of their own if you dont plan their installation properly. Do some research. Any questions please feel free to Im me...
Take Care, Luis |
Oh yeah, That definately works well too!  Course, with an alarm the clean up crew would be automatically on the way to pick up pieces. So its all works lovely together. 
Are those your dogs(eta- oops didnt read just saw the pic)? God I want to have a couple of Dobermans like that. One of the most badass and elegant dogs around IMHO... Take Care, Luis |
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Oh yeah, That definately works well too!  Course, with an alarm the clean up crew would be automatically on the way to pick up pieces. So its all works lovely together.
Are those your dogs(eta- oops didnt read just saw the pic)? God I want to have a couple of Dobermans like that. One of the most badass and elegant dogs around IMHO... Take Care, Luis Pieces, what pieces? You mean dog food right?  JK
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I used to sell security systems for Honeywell. Go with a Vista based system like a Vista-20, stay away from the Lynx it blows. The way to tell them apart is that the vista has a small panel that goes on your wall that is wired to a box that goes in your basement or in a closet somewhere, the Lynx is self contained but isn't as versatile, the panel looks bigger and it has a little speaker on the bottom right corner of the panel.
Don't get raped by the sales guy, if you put enough pressure you can get installation and activation fees waived and get free extra exquiptment. Standard pricing seems to be around $39.99/mo for regular two way voice monitoring over a landline, $44.99 for cell backup and $49.99 for two way voice over cell. I wouldn't pay anything more for those services, that includes taxes. Read the contract and remember that you have 3 days to cancel, after that you are stuck paying for the rest of the contract term and if you do cancel within the three days you might not get your activation fee back(if you paid it). Demand paper billing, don't do EFT or from a card, you will regret it if you do. Pay first month with a check. You are also responsible for getting an alarm permit from the city you live in, the sales guy may or may not mention that. If you get caught having an active system without one you can get fined. If your alarm keeps going off and the authorities have to make multiple visits you will be fined as well. If someone tells you that you are getting a free system and that all you have to do is keep it connected with the monitoring station they are full of BS, you are financing it. Get at least two key fobs(in case one gets lost) so you don't have to run to the panel to deactivate your system when you come home. Don't let them charge you $150 for a wireless smoke detector or a motion sensor. They cost like $66 from Honeywell. Each door/window sensor is like $30. Get ADEMCO branded Honeywell products, all the rest of the GE/Radioshack crap is shit. |
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Eh, sensors are usually pretty reliable. The trick is getting someone who knows what they are doing. Some installers do some half-ass installs leaving a time bomb of problems for the owner. Pir's come with issues of their own if you dont plan their installation properly. Do some research. Any questions please feel free to Im me... Take Care, Luis Its not rocket science, just install them at least 7 ft from the floor and don't aim them directly at windows that get direct sunlight or behind an obstruction. Programming is the hardest part and even that is a cake walk with the manual. They have a good range from about 15-35 ft depending on your flooring/carpet and no they can't see through walls. EDIT: one more thing... Make sure to check your sales rep's license and the company that he/she is working for as well. Alot of companies sell systems illegally without permits from the city or licenses from the state. Don't just let them flash a little plastic badge at you. Take the rep's name, employee number, company name and permit number and call the city to verify that they are supposed to be selling here. Also call the company to verify that the rep actually works for who they say they do. |
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Uhh yeah, dog food is what I meant of course.
Good info here. I work on mostly ADEMCO and DSC brand equipment myself. I can definitely say the ADEMCO stuff is good to go. Very solid and reliable and their wireless stuff works better than most others. I RARELY have to mess with anything major in the Vista panels. Usually a simple fix like replacing a resistor or whatever. I personally had a vista 10 (6 Zone) And hadn't ever had a problem in the 5 years I had it. Shop around on the web to find equipment prices. There is quite a bit of money you can save that way. Of course like it was mentioned you will need a permit unless you already have an existing system in your home. Then you can upgrade as you wish. And although it may not be rocket science youd be surprised how many screw ups from other techs Ive had to fix. It really isnt that big a deal but some things Ive seen just leave me like 
Take Care, Luis |
| Residential Security systems do not generally require any permits. They are under 50v which makes them not obligated by standards set in the Fl St electrical code. Commercial is different. If you live within a CITY that requires it, that is just yor city. If you would like to provide for different please post Florida Building Code where it states the need for a PERMIT in residential homes. |
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Umm are you getting offended or did I just get the wrong impression here? If Im reading to much into it my bad. But anyways if he doesnt have a system at all I am pretty sure whoever is installing the system would need to pull a permit to do so anyway. Of course as you said this may vary depending on where he lives. I will check with the guy who cuts my checks but nothing for you to get defensive about or get all puffed up. We're both just trying to help this person out are we not?
Point is do your research, find pricing, local codes, ect. And then find someone who knows what the hell they are doing when they install it. Dont let some rookie tear your walls up or leave a mess of wiring in your attic. Everything should be installed neat and to your satisfaction. Make sure he knows how the devices he is putting in works. You dont want false alarms and neither do the local boys in blue. Not only is it obviously more professional but it makes it easy on the next guy to service your system should the need arise. ETA: sending you a pm... Take Care, Luis |
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Thanks for the replies.
Im a member of USAA and they just told me i get some "discounts" from ADT i just have to call and tell them im part of USAA. My ultimate goal would be to have a security system through some sort of major company (well i guess it doesnt really matter who), and a camera system that i set up myself. Im guessing that a camera setup from a security company would be a fortune so i would most likely need to do it myself. I would like to have the window breaking sensors and the magnet sensors that go off when opened, but i know im looking at alot of money. We will have some very valuable things in the house so it needs to be as secure as possible without spending a million dollars. |
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Well honestly cameras can be a little pricey. But the thing to consider with them is value. You do get what you pay for. Figure about $500 or so per camera location for a basic set-up from a company. Of course if you want a DVR to record activity then the price starts to go up. Call around and get some prices. I use Silmar in Ft. Lauderdale for parts. You may not get dealer pricing but it can give you an idea of cost.
The cameras can even be tied in to your alarm. Just about anything you can think of can be done. Sensors arent really that expensive unless your talking wireless which run about $30 a pcs for a basic contact type. Motions should run about $60-$70 I think. Maybe more depending on models or features.... Take Care, Luis |
| Whatever you do, don't go with ADT for a monitored alarm. I got them to install a system when my house was getting rebuilt after Hurricane Charley, and it took them almost 6-months to get it working correctly, then, whenever I would "test" my system accidentally, they would never call. NEVER.....NOT ONCE!!!! ADT sucks. I switched to Brinks for monitoring, and they were pretty good. |
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Re:ADT
I forgot to mention they have an "authorized dealer" Program. What that means is taht basically your experience can vary from one extreme to another. Kind of like with Sat Tv installs. So definately buyer beware on that front. As far as brinks goes, my only problem with them is they use completely proprietary equipment. So once their stuff is installed, should you want a different provider you will need new equipment. Of course that is going back a little and things may have changed. Just something to keep in mind. Take Care, Luis |
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+1 on SAI, GTG. And thats what I mean about dealer programs. Direct TV does the same thing. Horrible service when you deal with a third party. Good luck even trying to get the same tech to come back. I know most of my customers would flat out refuse anyone else in their home except myself or the guy who trained me. I dont understand how some of these dealers stay in business...
Take Care, Luis |
 If you do your own camera system look into OZVISION for all your video verification needs, they work with almost all the new alarm systems as well as stand alone. Be careful of the big guys, you really are financing the system monitoring should not cost more than $21/month.
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Thanks again for thei input.
I was going to go with ADT but not anymore. I have a few wireless cameras already that im going to hook up just because i have them, but i was thinking of just ordering a few and hooking them up myself. I dont want anything to serious but i dont want it to be complete garbage either. What i really want to do is put a controllable camera on a pvc pipe or something high off the ground in my back yard so i can scan down the street and stuff, but i dont know how realistic that is.... What do you guys recommend for camera systems say that i could buy online? I know someone posted the one site, anyone else got some ideas? |
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Thanks again for thei input. I was going to go with ADT but not anymore. I have a few wireless cameras already that im going to hook up just because i have them, but i was thinking of just ordering a few and hooking them up myself. I dont want anything to serious but i dont want it to be complete garbage either. What i really want to do is put a controllable camera on a pvc pipe or something high off the ground in my back yard so i can scan down the street and stuff, but i dont know how realistic that is.... What do you guys recommend for camera systems say that i could buy online? I know someone posted the one site, anyone else got some ideas? Hi, the main consensus around here is to use supercircuits.com for surveillance equipment. I checked them out, found what I wanted then I went to eBay and bought the same items for 30% to 50% LESS. I am running this DVR: SuperCircuits and eBay with (4) Sony 1/3" IR dome cameras. I have all major entry points covered with the cameras, and one aiming down the driveway. The IR works pretty well, but I changed the lighting on the outside to motion activated, for everything!. If someone even steps close to the house, the light are on, and the cameras are catching them in full color, not b/w IR. |
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Thanks again for thei input. I was going to go with ADT but not anymore. I have a few wireless cameras already that im going to hook up just because i have them, but i was thinking of just ordering a few and hooking them up myself. I dont want anything to serious but i dont want it to be complete garbage either. What i really want to do is put a controllable camera on a pvc pipe or something high off the ground in my back yard so i can scan down the street and stuff, but i dont know how realistic that is.... What do you guys recommend for camera systems say that i could buy online? I know someone posted the one site, anyone else got some ideas? Hi, the main consensus around here is to use supercircuits.com for surveillance equipment. I checked them out, found what I wanted then I went to eBay and bought the same items for 30% to 50% LESS. I am running this DVR: SuperCircuits and eBay with (4) Sony 1/3" IR dome cameras. I have all major entry points covered with the cameras, and one aiming down the driveway. The IR works pretty well, but I changed the lighting on the outside to motion activated, for everything!. If someone even steps close to the house, the light are on, and the cameras are catching them in full color, not b/w IR. Thanks for the reply, im looking into cameras this week actually, did you hardwire or go wireless? Im guessing hardwire, but i dont know how i would do that.... |
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Thanks again for thei input. I was going to go with ADT but not anymore. I have a few wireless cameras already that im going to hook up just because i have them, but i was thinking of just ordering a few and hooking them up myself. I dont want anything to serious but i dont want it to be complete garbage either. What i really want to do is put a controllable camera on a pvc pipe or something high off the ground in my back yard so i can scan down the street and stuff, but i dont know how realistic that is.... What do you guys recommend for camera systems say that i could buy online? I know someone posted the one site, anyone else got some ideas? Hi, the main consensus around here is to use supercircuits.com for surveillance equipment. I checked them out, found what I wanted then I went to eBay and bought the same items for 30% to 50% LESS. I am running this DVR: SuperCircuits and eBay with (4) Sony 1/3" IR dome cameras. I have all major entry points covered with the cameras, and one aiming down the driveway. The IR works pretty well, but I changed the lighting on the outside to motion activated, for everything!. If someone even steps close to the house, the light are on, and the cameras are catching them in full color, not b/w IR. Thanks for the reply, im looking into cameras this week actually, did you hardwire or go wireless? Im guessing hardwire, but i dont know how i would do that.... I went hard wire. I haven't heard too much good about wireless setups. Get a long drill bit from Lowes/Home Depot and you can run wire almost anywhere without too much trouble, |
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I've been happy with Safe Home Security for $30/mth. I bought my system and added enough sensors to cover every door and window plus 2 glass breaks near the sliders.
Another place to check out cameras is Security Depot, they offer systems that don't include monitors (I plan to do this using the bedroom TV), or All Things Digital. I have the alarm system just to wake up this guy: 
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I've been happy with Safe Home Security for $30/mth. I bought my system and added enough sensors to cover every door and window plus 2 glass breaks near the sliders. Another place to check out cameras is Security Depot, they offer systems that don't include monitors (I plan to do this using the bedroom TV), or All Things Digital. I have the alarm system just to wake up this guy: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/infoblocked/PictureorVideo720.jpg I checked out the Security depot site and i would like a 4 camera exterior setup but without the DVR. I would rather just have a program that would save footage to my hardrive on my computer, i have a huge HD on my computer so that would save me what looks like about 300 bucks, do they make such a thing? Also, how do the cameras get power? Its not through the coaxil is it? |
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I've been happy with Safe Home Security for $30/mth. I bought my system and added enough sensors to cover every door and window plus 2 glass breaks near the sliders. Another place to check out cameras is Security Depot, they offer systems that don't include monitors (I plan to do this using the bedroom TV), or All Things Digital. I have the alarm system just to wake up this guy: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/infoblocked/PictureorVideo720.jpg I checked out the Security depot site and i would like a 4 camera exterior setup but without the DVR. I would rather just have a program that would save footage to my hardrive on my computer, i have a huge HD on my computer so that would save me what looks like about 300 bucks, do they make such a thing? Also, how do the cameras get power? Its not through the coaxil is it? You can get a 4 camera PCI DVR card on eBay for $20.00, or if you don't want to open up your computer, there is a 4 channel USB unit out now. I have no idea how well they work though. Both come with the software you need. USB PCI Card All the cameras I have looked at don't use coaxial, they use the normal yellow video and power cable piggybacked onto the same cable. 
Now they sell a siamese RG-6 and DC cable, so there might be a way to use that as well. RG6 |
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Oh yeah, That definately works well too! Course, with an alarm the clean up crew would be automatically on the way to pick up pieces. So its all works lovely together.
Are those your dogs(eta- oops didnt read just saw the pic)? God I want to have a couple of Dobermans like that. One of the most badass and elegant dogs around IMHO... Take Care, Luis Pieces, what pieces? You mean dog food right? JKthere won't be any pieces of dog food around to pick up. Every doberman I've owned act as if they've never been fed before, so you'll be racing to pick up food off of the floor 
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This may be a stupid question, but im about to buy a camera system that will hook to my computer and use its H.Drive to record the video. My H.Drive is 320 GB so i think that should be enough.
My question is, that means my desktop will be running all the time, how much power do computers really eat up? I mean is it enough to notice a big change in my electric bill? I could buy a system that has a drive that comes with it but they dont have the online features i like, checking from cell phone, other computers etc. ?? |