Recommendations for replacement alarm with IoT functions

BobbyT28

Hi,

Currently have a wired alarm in the house for the last 14years. It's currently faulty and I am.going to take this opportunity to upgrade it.

Current alarm is an Airtech CS350
1 X PIR
5 X windows sensors
2 X door sensors

Securigard are currently doing an offer of
8 X sensors (5 windows 3 doors)
1 X PIR

It's the only place I've look for a quote off as I've just started researching but was hoping someone could recommend something

Ideally I would.like to be able to integrate this with my smart home devices. GH, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, Stringify etc to notify me if alarm is going off.

Any suggestions would be great. I live in the Celbridge/Leixlip/Maynooth area.

Thanks BobbyT28

bk

The problem you run into is that most of the alarm systems installed by professional installers are pretty old fashioned in terms of modern technology and have little in the way of home automation integration. They however do tend to be very reliable, the security industry tends to be understandably conservative.

I feel we are in a major transition period at the moment and perhaps not the best time to be shopping for an alarm.

Securigard I think offer HKC for wired systems and Visionic for wireless. Neither support any modern home automation that I know of. Though if you are handy with soldering and wiring, I think you can hack them to work with SmartThings, but definitely not for the faint of heart.

Wexfordman has a good alarm system that can be made to work with SmartThings without hardware hacking, Cytech Comfort, though I think they are quiet old now and maybe expensive and hard to get in Ireland.

Siemens/Vanderbilt might be a good option worth looking into, with a bit of software hacking that might be able to gotten to work with SmartThings, but again no guarantees.

As you can see, not a great time for professionally installed systems, there aren't many great options.

I had an old HKC system, but opted to replace it with a DIY system, Yale Smart Alarm System, it isn't perfect, has it's pros and cons, but for it's relatively cheap price I'm happy with it compared to my old HKC and it will be a decent stop gap until the market matures, then I'll replace it with hopefully a modern, well connected system.

Sorry, it isn't really a simple topic.

BobbyT28

bk wrote: »

The problem you run into is that most of the alarm systems installed by professional installers are pretty old fashioned in terms of modern technology and have little in the way of home automation integration. They however do tend to be very reliable, the security industry tends to be understandably conservative.

I feel we are in a major transition period at the moment and perhaps not the best time to be shopping for an alarm.

Securigard I think offer HKC for wired systems and Visionic for wireless. Neither support any modern home automation that I know of. Though if you are handy with soldering and wiring, I think you can hack them to work with SmartThings, but definitely not for the faint of heart.

Wexfordman has a good alarm system that can be made to work with SmartThings without hardware hacking, Cytech Comfort, though I think they are quiet old now and maybe expensive and hard to get in Ireland.

Siemens/Vanderbilt might be a good option worth looking into, with a bit of software hacking that might be able to gotten to work with SmartThings, but again no guarantees.

As you can see, not a great time for professionally installed systems, there aren't many great options.

I had an old HKC system, but opted to replace it with a DIY system, Yale Smart Alarm System, it isn't perfect, has it's pros and cons, but for it's relatively cheap price I'm happy with it compared to my old HKC and it will be a decent stop gap until the market matures, then I'll replace it with hopefully a modern, well connected system.

Sorry, it isn't really a simple topic.

Is there an issue with the take smart alarm system and house insurance? Do you have to get it installed by register installer or can you do.it yourself?

peteb2

BobbyT28 wrote:

Is there an issue with the take smart alarm system and house insurance? Do you have to get it installed by register installer or can you do.it yourself?

From an insurance guy...never take the discount! It's only 5 percent and it's not worth it.

wexfordman2

BobbyT28 wrote: »

Hi,

Currently have a wired alarm in the house for the last 14years. It's currently faulty and I am.going to take this opportunity to upgrade it.

Current alarm is an Airtech CS350
1 X PIR
5 X windows sensors
2 X door sensors

Securigard are currently doing an offer of
8 X sensors (5 windows 3 doors)
1 X PIR

It's the only place I've look for a quote off as I've just started researching but was hoping someone could recommend something

Ideally I would.like to be able to integrate this with my smart home devices. GH, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, Stringify etc to notify me if alarm is going off.

Any suggestions would be great. I live in the Celbridge/Leixlip/Maynooth area.

Thanks BobbyT28

Self install route, you could look at diy. I mention Ed this a few times, but it is a oricy system, the cytech comfort alarn system is Rock solid and has loads if optuins for ha interfacing.

I use it with openhab at the moment, but am trying out a new module which has a built in node red interface, which effectively gives it acceas to pretty much any service and have tech.

Mine is a ten yr old system (and have had cytech system before that also

bk

BobbyT28 wrote: »

Is there an issue with the take smart alarm system and house insurance? Do you have to get it installed by register installer or can you do.it yourself?

As peteb2 mentions, the general advice is never take the discount, even if it is a professionally installed system, the risk isn't worth it. What if you forget to arm the alarm, etc.?

Professionally installed systems most be installed by a PSA certified person and an EN 50130 certified alarm system only.

For DIY, you can install anything you like yourself, but you can't include it in the insurance, not that it is a bad thing.

Of course no guarantees with anything security related.

eoinfitzokk

bk wrote: »

As you can see, not a great time for professionally installed systems, there aren't many great options.

I had an old HKC system, but opted to replace it with a DIY system, Yale Smart Alarm System, it isn't perfect, has it's pros and cons, but for it's relatively cheap price I'm happy with it compared to my old HKC and it will be a decent stop gap until the market matures, then I'll replace it with hopefully a modern, well connected system.

Sorry, it isn't really a simple topic.

I leaning towards this point of view myself. Seems that the mains suppliers are pushing HKC control units etc and locked down systems.

Similarly, I'm using a temporary system as you say until the market matures;
1. Moved into the house which had two dummy cameras visible outside.
2. The house already had two motion detection flood lights at the front door and the shed. The lights also loudly and annoyingly speak warning you are being recorded by a security camera as you trigger the PIR. Light and speaker are mains connected and can be set to trigger at dusk or daytime and dusk.
3. I've added some DIY smartphone security cameras with manything and mains power. The cameras using the manything software stream and record to the cloud where the software detects motions and provides instant notifications via the app and email. Also you can stream live and see 5-120 seconds of motion detection footage. I placed the smartphones in the areas of the PIR flood lights so one triggers the other at night time. The footage is decent enough to see number plates from the camera facing downstairs towards the front door.

Faults include, smartphone storage and memory crashes so the app may have to be restarted.

Got a quote from a local security company of over 700 quid to replace a bell box and a wired control panel to wireless system. The existing system is basic with a few sensors at the front and back door. The quoted 150 annual monitoring fee which to be fair was not expensive.

What I'd like to do is:
A. A company to take control and remote monitor of a similar system for me using alexa google home etc - for a reasonable price.
or
B. Pay a monitoring company to monitor a system that I build up using alexa, google home etc - for a reasonable price.

Seems like variations of what I have described will come about in time.

Can you provide any details on the cost or installation of the yale system?

bk

eoinfitzokk wrote: »

Can you provide any details on the cost or installation of the yale system?

So I got the Yale Smart Alarm System, I actually bought two kits to make up all the sensors and bell boxes I wanted. I got them during sales, I've forgotten the total cost, but something like €250 for the hub, 4 door/window sensors, 3 PIRs, 2 bell boxes, two keypads and a remote (which I don't use).

Note this is a DIY system, you'll need to install it yourself, a professional won't touch it as it isn't an EN... certified system, though setup is pretty easy and consumer friendly.

Compared to a HKC system it has the following cons:

- wireless only

- No shock sensors, the door/window sensors are open/close only

- Comms over broadband only, no sim backup channel and no polling like you can get with a newer hkc system.

- Build quality feels cheap compared to HKC which definitely feel rugged and well built. Having said that I haven't had any issues with reliability so far. The biggest place you feel the difference is the keypad, which works, but definitely feels cheap compared to the HKC one. It is the one thing I miss from the HKC system.

Pros:

- Cheap

- Free remote monitoring and control, notifications seem fast and work well.

- The new integration with Philips Hue is cool and really makes it more useful IMO.

- Extra sensors can be easily bought for cheap and easily added to expand the system (20 devices limitation).

- Can be unofficially partly (arm/disarm/what is the status) integrated with SmartThings and thus IFTTT/Google Home/Alexa.

Note my system has now been replaced by the Yale Sync system, which is very similar and adds official Alexa support. I'm hoping official Google Home will come to it and my system in a few months.

In addition to this, I supplement my system with two Logitech Circle IP cameras and two Yi IP Cameras.

I also have Xiaomi sensors and SmartThings sensors, though I don't really use those daily any more, but if away for a week, I'd arm those too, but most likely not really needed, I just happened to get them before I got the Yale system and I haven't gotten around yet to repurpose them for other HA apps I have in mind.

Oh and I have motion sensor lights too. So yes, I feel pretty well covered.

BTW coincidentally last night, a drunken couple stumbled onto my deck. Motion lights sprung on and seemed to scare them away, all hilariously captured on one of my IP cameras

BBTW you should also check out http://www.smanos.com I don't have any experience of their gear, but very interesting, GH, Alexa, etc. supported.

bk

Oh and until one of the traditional alarm companies makes an EN 50131 certified alarm that also works with Smart Home devices, you won't get anyone to monitor or do maintenance on one of these alarms.

BTW HKC has been bought by Yales parent company. So the hope would be that the strengths of both would be combined to make a decent smart alarm system.

Boards.ie: Niamh

bk wrote: »

Securigard I think offer HKC for wired systems and Visionic for wireless. Neither support any modern home automation that I know of. Though if you are handy with soldering and wiring, I think you can hack them to work with SmartThings, but definitely not for the faint of heart.

Securigard have been in touch to clarify the above post and advise that their Visonics systems can offer home automation.

Thank you.