Home Security Systems

Omayga said:

Pretty interested in getting one, anyone have feedback on something they like or hate? Ideally wireless / bluetooth would be best as I dont want to hardwire stuff if I can help it. Looking for something midrange for a 3000ish sq ft house.

Stuff in the range of SimpliSafe / Nest looks pretty good, but I dont see much negative reviews or how problematic the stuff is. Ideally looking at a camera or two, glass-break sensor, window / door sensors and maybe motion lights for outside

Something I can setup and install myself would be great, Im ok with the subscription services that monitor it (I think).

Thanks in advance

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I'm evaluating a SimpliSafe system. The hardware seems first rate. The Ring system that I looked at compares with the older SimpliSafe Gen2 stuff. The newer SimpliSafe Gen3 seems pretty sophisticated. There are also all the different sensors like entry, motion, broken glass, water, fire, key fob etc. The Ring system is not as comprehensive.

It was very simple to install, but if I keep it, I've got a lot more sensors to purchase. I bought the keypad, base station and 3 entry sensors and an indoor camera (free as a promo) for a little over $200. I'll be close to $450-$500 when I'm done. Lots of windows to protect and backup with broken glass sensors. I'm not going to get motion detectors. I have 2 cats that are everywhere. Everything installed and paired up without a hitch. Very impressed with that part. All the parts are unobtrusive and attractive. All are wireless.

Now the bad. The manual is worthless and doesn't go beyond the basics of mounting sensors and getting them paired up with the base station. The system is highly customizable with each sensor having multiple parameters you can adjust but you'd never know it by reading the manual or visiting the website. You'd also never know that the very good indoor camera, the doorbell camera and the soon to be announced outside camera are worthless without paying $25/month for monitoring. The cameras will only operate live and not store any footage without a monitoring plan. You also need that plan to have Alexa work with the system. Really pisses me off that I have to pay extra to have a device I own talk to another device I own over a network I own.

I originally wanted no monitoring because I'm cheap. SimpliSafe makes an auxiliary siren that squeals at 105db. I thought one of those inside and one outside would make anyone leave pronto. But without paying $25/month, I lose all the bells and whistles including a functioning iPhone app that would let me remote control things, Alexa integration and camera functionality. Very disappointed.

On the other hand, a similarly functioning ADT plan would be almost twice that a month and I'd have to sign a 3 year contract. So I'm torn. I'm not familiar with the Nest or others out there but I looked at the Ring because their plan is only $10/month. But their equipment is yesterdays news except for their camera which look first rate and the system (I believe, not real sure) requires I use ATT cellular. I have Verizon and SimpliSafe uses their own connection. Maybe someone will correct me.

If I've left anything out, let me know.

Omayga said:

excellent info

I thought I had read that the motion sensors had a setting where something under 50ish pounds would not trigger it and it also had less sensitivity on the ground (basically to avoid smaller pets)

sometimes the motion sensitivity on the cameras and sensors can be really picky though. We put CloudCams at the wifes workplace and even on the lowest sensitivity setting things like headlights shining in windows, shadows on the wall or cars driving by the street outside could cause it to record a session, which was causing tons of 5-10 second clips being saved so we had to get really precise with the blocked zones

I think for their external and internal cameras you would want the ability to block out certain high traffic areas (windows especially) or really dial down the sensitivity, which would probably require the app (which means the 25 dollar per month plan). Something I will have to look into to see if they offer. I had read that the SimpliSafe cameras used heat detection to only record on humans (and not pets they said) although it might have trouble with large dogs I would think.

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SimpliSafe does suggest different mounting positions for different size pets but I still don't trust them, the motion sensors, that is. Many moons ago I had an ADT system in a different house and the cats set it off a couple of times. I understand things have improved, but I'm installing a security system so I can leave the house and have peace of mind. I'd always be worried about a false alarm with the sensors.

I looked at Simplisafe but honestly any 2nd tier alarm security company (basically anybody but ADT) charges roughly $35/month with free equipment if you sign a 3 year contract. Considering the contract is transferable either to the new homeowner, or can be transferred to your new home, I don't see the contract being an issue.

I basically asked myself whether it was worth saving $10 a month for a system I will have to install and maintain myself, and I decided no.

If you don't care about an actual alarm that calls dispatches police, there are a ton of camera products out there like Ring/Nest.

Woot got me interested in Arlo Smart | Intelligence for your Arlo.

$10/month for 10 cameras and 30 days of cloud storage. seems like a pretty simple system to setup, and can record local as well. just curious if there's a system that's got zero monthly.

BrutulTM said:

Do you guys actually have problems with crime/burglary in your neighborhood? Everyone I've known with a house alarm just has to deal with tons of false alarms and zero actual burglaries stopped. Sounds like a lot of expense and hassle for a very small chance of benefit to me.

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Mostly I'm paranoid. The house in ID is in a housing development in a fairly populated area. There is more crime here because there are more people here than in AZ, where I leave the door mostly unlocked when I'm there. I just want to make my house less attractive to assholes than my neighbors'. I've never had a false or real alarm, including at a previous house in CA that had an ADT system on it. I don't know why other people do but I suspect they have motion detectors that detect their pets. I don't use those.

The expense with the SimpliSafe system will be minimal. About $500-$600 in parts and $300/year to monitor. It's just peace of mind.

BrutulTM said:

Do you guys actually have problems with crime/burglary in your neighborhood? Everyone I've known with a house alarm just has to deal with tons of false alarms and zero actual burglaries stopped. Sounds like a lot of expense and hassle for a very small chance of benefit to me.

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If you live in a major city there are always house robberies. IMHO false alarms are usually people who use motion detectors instead of glass break detectors, since the former have been known to trigger off shadows.

BrutulTM said:

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~2% nationwide, which is more than I would have thought, but I bet the numbers go down exponentially the further you get from the ghetto.

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I live in North Dallas, hardly the hood, and not a day goes by where I don't see a post on NextDoor about someone's car being broken into, or a Ring alert that a robbery has been reported in the neighborhood. Daily someone posts a Ring video of some hispanic guy smashing their car window on the street/driveway and grabbing something-- always a hispanic guy. I'm told the crime rate has gone up significantly because of all the new home construction in the area which adds not only cover, but that some of the actual construction workers scope out potential targets. Also weekly reports of some contractor having his tools stolen off a half built property.

BrutulTM said:

Well there's your problem. That site's only purpose is to convince you that you're in danger at all times. If burglar alarm companies didn't invent that shit, they should have.

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Well, it's not the histrionic posts from random housewise posting someone "suspicious" who really isn't, we're talking actual videos of crimes in progress. I mean yeah, I guess it instills "fear", but doesn't change the fact that they are real crimes.

Here are the rates for Dallas.

Dallas, TX Crime Rates and Statistics - NeighborhoodScout

BrutulTM said:

Well there's your problem. That site's only purpose is to convince you that you're in danger at all times. If burglar alarm companies didn't invent that shit, they should have.

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I’ll admit our Nextdoor has ads for ADT or SimpliSafe on a rotation.