Home Security Systems

[SigFan250]

Hey folks,

Anybody have any experience with home security systems? ADT, etc.? Or smartphone-friendly wireless security cameras?

We live in an unsavory neighborhood (not for too much longer, thankfully) and I'm curious what you guys use, if anything, along these lines. Pros, cons, I'm keen to learn.

I would like something like this to use as a deterrent, as well as to document if anything bad ever goes down in or near my house.

Thoughts?

 

[Kraut]

If you get a system, have it monitored. My wife has opened the wrong door early in the morning on several occasions and set the alarm off, and the response time from the monitoring service to call was very quick, they've reached us on our listed cell numbers when away from the house and a door not fully secured blew open, and dispatched fire when my wife forgot something burning on the stove while running an errand.

You can't always count on neighbors to react or call if they hear it, but have an exterior siren anyway, making sure it's properly placed to sound out through a vent in the eaves to be clearly heard. Some installers just place them in the attic somewhere kinda-sorta near an opening, but they won't be heard well if not placed properly.

I find a flashing strobe option on the outside of the residence extremely helpful in quickly locating the right address when responding to an alarm, you don't see it often but it sure makes it easy on the responding officers coming down the street.

 

[PPBart]

If you get a system, have it monitored... flashing strobe option on the outside of the residence...

We've had ADT for about 10 yrs. Never had an actual break-in, but several false alarms and ADT always responded very quickly. We recently upgraded to ADT Pulse and a wireless system (finally convinced wife to drop AT&T landline). I'm still playing with the remote control features and camera, seems like a good system.

 

[LACamper]

Talk to Eddie from Eton Electronics in Kenner. I've used him on 3 houses over the last 20+ years. Service and rates have been excellent.

 

[Jack]

If you have any specific questions let me know. I've been installing alarms, cameras, access control systems, remote look in, home automation, etc across all the major brands for a while now. Should be able to answer almost anything.

 

[CHW2021]

Find someone like the above to work with, keep it simple and user friendly. It is easy to get carried away and include bells-n-whistles that you do noot really need; as far as companies look at Sonitrol, they are monitored locally and have good service.

 

[madwabbit]

I've had ADT for years and installed the Pulse system as well.

Honestly, I'm on the fence about continuing the subscription. The signs and equipment are a huge deterrent alone, and when the alarm goes off bad-guys won't know if the police are en route or not... on the other hand, i travel quite often and it is +1 peace of mind when my lady goes to bed and I arm the alarm from 3 states away when she forgets. I've invested quite a bit of time into making my house very, very difficult to enter uninvited. I wouldn't consider dropping the service otherwise. House will not be entered silently, and my wife can shoot better than you'd ever guess.

just reviewing the equipment/service - top notch. never had an issue, and they always responded promptly. I set it off intentionally occasionally just to check the response time. Phone rings in ~ 45 seconds.

 

[Neil09]

I installed a wireless system from Frontline Security last month. Will pay $42/month. I love it so far. We control everything from our smartphones. No system malfunctions, and hopefully none will come. My cousin had them for 1.5 years, and loves it. There was a misunderstanding on when I ordered my equipment, and I was only charged for and sent 6 window sensors, when I wanted 10, after speaking with a supervisor for 5 min, he sent the rest out without a mention of me having to pay. Startup for equipment was about $250, of course that's for what I wanted, which is a bit overboard. Definitely in the top 3 of companies I've dealt, with concerning customer service.

 

[topgunz1]

We had a system from Cox installed a few weeks ago, I don't know if they are fully available yet or if we are in the employee only test program since my wife works for them, but so far it's pretty cool. Can arm/disarm, set thermostat, and view cameras all from my phone.

 

[Jack]

We had a system from Cox installed a few weeks ago, I don't know if they are fully available yet or if we are in the employee only test program since my wife works for them, but so far it's pretty cool. Can arm/disarm, set thermostat, and view cameras all from my phone.

I spoke to some of their guys at a trade show, from what they said they are using equipment I've worked on before and it is pretty good. My only concern is that the last two major companies to decide to start doing alarms didn't last very long. One being entergy and the other being ATT. Entergy sold all of their contracts and systems to ADT, I'm not sure what happened with ATT customers. I don't know if I would want my cable company installing my alarm, I have enough issues with cox that I'm not sure if I'd want any more of their services.

 

[El Rubio]

ATT still offers their service. It's called "Digital Life", and seems to be geared as home automation and security.

 

[Jack]

ATT still offers their service. It's called "Digital Life", and seems to be geared as home automation and security.

Yeah, they offered traditional security about a 15 years ago, it was a really shitty system based on the ITI. They were big on throwing in wireless for everything before the wireless developed into what it is today. They stopped installing alarms and I'd assume sold their contracts to another company(dunno who). They've only started selling alarms again in the last couple of years.

 

[shroom14]

If you have any specific questions let me know. I've been installing alarms, cameras, access control systems, remote look in, home automation, etc across all the major brands for a while now. Should be able to answer almost anything.

Jack I have a camera system i want installed. Ive been putting off installing it myself for about a week now. Can you recommend a company or person in the baton rouge/ prairieville area for installation, and what would a fair cost be for 12 cameras to a dvr i allready have the bnc cables needed

 

[Jack]

Not without seeing the house. The problem you're going to run into is that everyone who is installing them will want to install their own because they turn a profit off of the equipment also. Is it a single story, two story, mounting them to a vynil soffit, any interior, domes or bullets?

 

[shroom14]

Single story plywood soffit all exterior bullet cameras. I found a card in the box for free labor install from installernet.com but had trouble on the website. I wouldn't think it would be to hard to install I'm just not as flexible as I used to be and climbing/crawling around in the attic might be worth a installation price