Self Monitored Alarm system

neonman

Hi all,

Moving into a new house in a couple of months and I am looking into alarm systems. There are plenty of companies out there that offer a monitoring alarm system for a monthly/yearly fee.

I'd like to get a self monitoring alarm system for the house that you can access via a smartphone app and if possible has a fob for turning it on and off or has some geo-location technology built into it.

I did some searching on the internet for this type of system but I have come up short on finding some. Maybe I'm using the wrong search keywords? Can you guys recommend such a system or have one installed in your own home that works well?

bk

Well for professionally installed systems there is Vanderbilt/Siemens, they have an app that allows you to self monitor the system, remotely arm/disarm, etc.

If you want to do DIY self install there is this Yale Smart Alarm System:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yale-Smart-Home-Alarm-Kit/dp/B01I549JFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525275730&sr=8-1&keywords=yale+smart+alarm+system&dpID=41k-XL%252Blk4L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

It has an app with self monitoring, etc.

I've not used either of the above, so you should research further yourself.

KoolKid

+1 on the Vanderbilt Siemens systems.
We use both them and GSD both very reliable & popular due to their options of free apps with no annual /monthly charges.

kub

OP, all I will say is be very very careful of the attraction of the Free this or that.

The issue with Free is, the system depends on your broadband router in order to notify you of an alarm activation.

So in the event of a power cut or an issue with the line serving your router then your comms are down, granted you may be notified of that, but in my own mind that simply is not good enough if some scrote decided to break into your home while your power or whatever was down.

Shame that professional installers on here continue to recommend this free option.

neonman

Thanks for the replies, food for thought alright. I was thinking that a self monitored system is better than your traditional system which I had in the last house. I am also thinking of putting up my on IP camera front and back that will notify me if someone activates the sensor.

Just some ideas haven't made my mind up, looking for the pros and cons I guess of the different options out there now.

bk

You should be just as wary of professionally monitored systems.

For monitored systems that use a phone line, if your phone line somehow fails, then the monitoring service won't know, giving a thief plenty of time.

For monitored system that uses GSM/Mobile, there are ways that a thief can take out that connection or that it can fail and the monitoring service can take up to 5 hours before it notices, plenty of time for a thief to empty your home.

Personally I feel an IP based monitoring system that lets me know within 5 minutes of losing a connection that it is down, is far superior to any of the above.

And of course you can always add a GSM channel as backup to the above Siemens system if you want and you can add a UPS to your wifi router.

If you look at the new security systems in the US, they all pretty much have IP monitoring and control (apps) for free out of the box, with GSM as an optional paid for backup channel. I suspect it is only a matter of time before the same becomes the norm here too.

neonman, if you put IP cameras front and back that use cloud services and give speedy notifications (e.g. Logitech Circle, Nest, Arlo, etc.) and those cameras can cover your incoming phone and electrical cables, then you would have a really decent self monitored system.

Of course nothing is perfect security, it doesn't exist, but professionally installed and monitored security systems are just as full of glaring security holes, so buyer beware.

neonman

What I don't like about the monitored systems is the fact that a lot of them have an internal camera installed so they can check the inside of your house if an alarm goes off.

What is stopping them from just looking in on you from time to time without you knowing?

I'll probably go down the self monitored road and add the IP cameras that connect to the cloud myself.

Maybe something like this?

https://nest.com/alarm-system/overview/

bk

neonman wrote: »

What I don't like about the monitored systems is the fact that a lot of them have an internal camera installed so they can check the inside of your house if an alarm goes off.

What is stopping them from just looking in on you from time to time without you knowing?

Yes, I don't like that either and there is nothing stopping them and of course such cameras are also completely reliant on IP and your router, so just as open to those issues mentioned above.

BTW not all monitored systems are like this. The more common HKC and the above Siemens systems can have monitoring where you only have shock sensors and motion sensors, no cameras needed.

neonman wrote: »

I'll probably go down the self monitored road and add the IP cameras that connect to the cloud myself.

Maybe something like this?

https://nest.com/alarm-system/overview/

It isn't available in Ireland/UK yet unfortunately. It is also missing a bunch of features that would be expected in the UK/Ireland market and that I'd prefer to have then not. But it is a very interesting system with some nice unique ideas that I'd like to see come to all alarm systems. I'll be very interesting when they bring it here and if they will add the missing features for the UK/Ireland market.

The smart security system market is a very young and still immature market IMO. There are a bunch of new and interesting systems coming to the market in the US over the last 6 months (e.g. Nest, ADT SmartThings, Go Abode, Ring, etc.) but they haven't made it over here yet and are missing a bunch of features that you would like to have.

Personally I'm in a wait and see how it develops. I continue to use my old fashioned, unconnected HKC system, but have enhanced it by adding two Logitech Circle Cameras which I quiet like and a few other bits.

Not ideal, but will do until the smart alarm market matures, I don't feel it is a particularly great time to invest a lot in an expensive system. Though that Siemens system seems quiet decent for a traditional system and others mention Cytech alarm systems.

neonman

bk wrote: »

Personally I'm in a wait and see how it develops. I continue to use my old fashioned, unconnected HKC system, but have enhanced it by adding two Logitech Circle Cameras which I quiet like and a few other bits.

Not ideal, but will do until the smart alarm market matures, I don't feel it is a particularly great time to invest a lot in an expensive system. Though that Siemens system seems quiet decent for a traditional system and others mention Cytech alarm systems.

I was thinking about that option as well. Get a traditional system in now and enhance it will some IP cameras.

Do you have a link to the Siemens system?

bk

neonman wrote: »

I was thinking about that option as well. Get a traditional system in now and enhance it will some IP cameras.

Do you have a link to the Siemens system?

Here you go:
https://vanderbiltindustries.com/spc

If you head down the professional install route then you should get a few installers around and ask for detailed quotes.

BTW If you are interested in IP cameras and other smart home type tech, you should check out the Home Automation and Internet of Things forum here on boards. A lot of these topics get covered there:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1777

KoolKid

bk wrote: »

For monitored system that uses GSM/Mobile, there are ways that a thief can take out that connection or that it can fail and the monitoring service can take up to 5 hours before it notices, plenty of time for a thief to empty your home.

Personally I feel an IP based monitoring system that lets me know within 5 minutes of losing a connection that it is down, is far superior to any of the above.

And of course you can always add a GSM channel as backup to the above Siemens system if you want and you can add a UPS to your wifi router.

Some very good information there.
Its also important to note with the paid options the poll fail notifications can be 5 hours whereas the free ones like Siemens/Vanderbilt & GSD can be 5 minutes or less.

If you are looking at professional paid for monitoring look at duel path with IP & GSD . We use an option that polls and you can be notified from the monitoring station within 15 minutes of comms lost. Instantly is its lost after an alarm event.

I also agree a monitoring station should not have access to view internal cameras in a residential set up.