America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

Last post 5 years ago by tonygraz. 41 replies replies.
Home Security System Experience
8trackdisco Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
Ladies & Gents,

Any companies any of you use? Love or loathe any based on first hand experience?

Not sure where to start.

Helpful ideas, snide comments, an humor all welcomed.
Phil222 Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Heckler & Koch
ZRX1200 Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,473
H&K
Glock
870 express
MACS Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,584
What's happened? Bad element moved to the neighborhood or sumpin'?

Chew on a piece of straw and tell 'em they got a purdy mouf.
Abrignac Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 02-24-2012
Posts: 17,216
Consider a multipart system. I use:

Dog as an early warning/alarm
Sufficient amounts of jacketed hollow point projectiles to ✋ unwanteds.
shaun341 Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
I would love to help, but most of our home invasions here are to score the next fix and a simple sign in the front yard that says this home is protected by ADT deters them. Don't even need the system just the sign here.
8trackdisco Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
Looking more for video surveillance.
8trackdisco Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
MACS wrote:
What's happened? Bad element moved to the neighborhood or sumpin'?

Chew on a piece of straw and tell 'em they got a purdy mouf.


It is something my parents might be interest in.

In my neighborhood, I'm the Bad Element.
MACS Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,584
8trackdisco wrote:
Looking more for video surveillance.


Your place or the cabin?
KingoftheCove Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,600
The wife got this little camera with remarkable lens.
Uses it to watch the front door, and to spy on me while I'm smoking my cigar on the porch.....heh.
She can talk to me, I can talk back, remote control lets her swivel the camera almost 360'degrees, and up and down, etc.............from her IPhone.
She can put a card in it, an program it to take a photo at varying intervals, video feed, etc.
I think you can control up to 6 at once using the iPhone...........$60/ea as I recall.
Not sure which one we have.......says Amcrest 1080P...........Amazon has a ton of different models, sets of 8, etc.
It's pretty cool
8trackdisco Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
MACS wrote:
Your place or the cabin?


Parents house.
grmcooper Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 10-10-2006
Posts: 20,430
We have ADT. To be honest we have never armed the system. We use it to be able to watch my retarded son. The German Shepherd is our security system. I believe she would protect the boy with her life.
Mr. Jones Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 06-12-2005
Posts: 19,357
Pump 12 ga. Shotgun

Listen to VICE PRESIDENT Joe Biden....

After he's done beating up Donald trump behind the
GYM BLEACHERS...

he goes home and loads his pump gun for intruders...

"When anybody hears that first round racking sound...
They turn around and run"
Gene363 Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,660
Firearms, both of us have carry permits.

We have a Simply Safe alarm system that we like very much. The system is easy to install, includes motion, entry, glass break, smoke and other sensors. It's a wireless system that connects via cellphone technology and costs about $15/month for monitoring, but can be used without monitoring. They have cameras too, but I use another system.
8trackdisco Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
Thinking more around video. Guns are fine, but they only work if someone is there to pull the trigger, 24/7.
dstieger Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
When we moved in, I found an old ADT sign in the bushes. I cleaned it off and stuck it in the ground. Haven't had a problem. Too bad the sign didn't prevent flooding from burst pipes. I would probably be more interested in remote monitoring for fire and water than for intruders.
Gene363 Offline
#17 Posted:
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,660
dstieger wrote:
When we moved in, I found an old ADT sign in the bushes. I cleaned it off and stuck it in the ground. Haven't had a problem. Too bad the sign didn't prevent flooding from burst pipes. I would probably be more interested in remote monitoring for fire and water than for intruders.


There are water alarm sensors, SimplySafe has one along with a freezing alarm. They have a fire alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm. The smoke alarms are good but the CO alarms failed after a couple of years. Since they are more important to occupants I just bought two send alone CO monitors.
Gene363 Offline
#18 Posted:
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,660
8trackdisco wrote:
Thinking more around video. Guns are fine, but they only work if someone is there to pull the trigger, 24/7.


Good point. A hidden or off site backup of the video is a good in case the burglars find the video recorder and carry it away.
grmcooper Offline
#19 Posted:
Joined: 10-10-2006
Posts: 20,430
I can watch our dog sleeping all day on the couch from my phone.
dstieger Offline
#20 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
dstieger wrote:
When we moved in, I found an old ADT sign in the bushes. I cleaned it off and stuck it in the ground. Haven't had a problem. Too bad the sign didn't prevent flooding from burst pipes. I would probably be more interested in remote monitoring for fire and water than for intruders.


Things have shifted a little bit in less than two months. My wife has been showing interest in the Ring system....and I've been trying to dampen the enthusiasm....I just haven't seen the need. Neighborhood has been pretty safe. We did have a package either get swiped....or I suppose misdelivered...and I had my car console rifled one night, though nothing was taken.

But, now, my doorbell has decided to crap the bed and I need to buy a new unit; assuming I can't fix it this weekend. I can replace it for probably less than $20, but that doesn't mean I still won't get talked into some video something or other soon after.

Anybody using Ring or Nest? Seems a bit pricey for what you get. Thoughts?
Gene363 Offline
#21 Posted:
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,660
I've been looking into them. I want something smaller due to my front door configuration and I want it to work off the old doorbell voltage available at my current doorbell button.

Meanwhile, I have a Zmodo wireless camera mounted on the approach to my front door. It senses motion and recorded 35/7 to the cloud. It's about $50 per year to maintain seven days worth of video. I do have some great video of our vehicles leaving and returning, foxes, raccoons, a mouse, delivery persons etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0761RDLS1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They too have some doorbell models.
dstieger Offline
#22 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
The whole subscription model thing kinda torques me. In my mind, the techno WiFi camera doorbell thing should have been allowing us to move away from subscription security companies. Dumb thinking, I guess....since subscription seems to be the model for most everything nowadays
Gene363 Offline
#23 Posted:
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,660
dstieger wrote:
The whole subscription model thing kinda torques me. In my mind, the techno WiFi camera doorbell thing should have been allowing us to move away from subscription security companies. Dumb thinking, I guess....since subscription seems to be the model for most everything nowadays


True! Remote data storage is biggest cost of police body cameras. On the positive side, remote storage does prevent a robber from carrying away video evidence of their crime. However it does require an internet connection. It would be pretty easy to hide a local storage device if the system allows that configuration. I needed the camera so see who is here, but I'm still in the wait and watch mode as the equipment evolves.
Numismaniac Offline
#24 Posted:
Joined: 01-13-2012
Posts: 12,222
I bought a Defender brand 4 camera system, it's a wired system because I thought we would be rebuilding on the 5 acres where the place burned, BUT, long story short, we got a barely ten year old GIANT brick house, 4 BR, in-ground pool, 2 car garage in a DAMN subdivision just 7 miles from the farm and old house place for almost 30k LESS than we were being quoted for a much smaller house, 2-br, no garage and board and batte cypress and metal roof, both of which are cheap in this area?!?!

I have a few wires showing, but if I really tried, I could hide it under the edge of the upstairs carpet. The other 3 cameras are in my "collection room" two looking out and one watching the room and one looking over the upstairs walkway, looking at the back door and open living room and kitchenette area.

Phone app is free, I can see all 4 camera's feeds from my phone. My neighbors could see the cameras facing out front and from the dormer looking over the driveway and garage entry, and wondered if I could see someone getting a package from their from door. I showed them the feed and that I couldn't really see their front yard.
smokestaxx Offline
#25 Posted:
Joined: 01-27-2012
Posts: 4,214
Fishing line and empty keystone lite cans work for me

Nyuk nyuk nyuk
dstieger Offline
#26 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Thanks, Mark. Wow...I haven't been paying attention and didn't realize there was a fire....sorry to hear

While I do need a new doorbell, perhaps a simple camera is smarter than trying to integrate into a 'system' that I neither want, nor really need.
tailgater Offline
#27 Posted:
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Just build a wall.
tailgater Offline
#28 Posted:
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
smokestaxx wrote:
Fishing line and empty keystone lite cans work for me

Nyuk nyuk nyuk



Q: how do you know the Keystone light can is empty?

A: There is more flavor.




dstieger Offline
#29 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
tailgater wrote:
Just build a wall.


My HOA promised to build one. I asked about it at the last meeting; they said "Have a little patience....wait while we get the HOA across the road to pay for it."
frankj1 Offline
#30 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
smokestaxx wrote:
Fishing line and empty keystone lite cans work for me

Nyuk nyuk nyuk

nyuk nyuk jokes?
dstieger Offline
#31 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
frankj1 wrote:
nyuk nyuk jokes?



Guess, its going to have to be.....the doorbell is still fd up
Ewok126 Offline
#32 Posted:
Joined: 06-25-2017
Posts: 4,356
Just get a big dog and tell pops to throw the pecker to mom with the window blinds/shades/curtains open for about 5 days in a row. After a week not even the worst of the unwanted will want to come in the house. Granted they might show up in the yard to video for YouTube but no harm no foul in that. Also this allows for extra income to the family from the mom and pops porn sites which is a double plus. This has worked wonders for my mom and pops.


Oh, send me links to the videos so I can tell if the security is working properly. I do not charge for my hard work and security advice services because, I like helping out my BOTL! Beer


I am not only the owner of Ewok's security advice LLC, I am also a client! BigGrin
8trackdisco Offline
#33 Posted:
Joined: 11-06-2004
Posts: 59,987
grmcooper wrote:
I can watch our dog sleeping all day on the couch from my phone.


............................................................................. pervert.
grmcooper Offline
#34 Posted:
Joined: 10-10-2006
Posts: 20,430
We use ADT. We have a camera inside the house so I can check on my son also have a German Shepherd as an early warning device that I will probably shoot when she gets too old. No problems with ADT
delta1 Offline
#35 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,753
dstieger wrote:
Thanks, Mark. Wow...I haven't been paying attention and didn't realize there was a fire....sorry to hear

While I do need a new doorbell, perhaps a simple camera is smarter than trying to integrate into a 'system' that I neither want, nor really need.



my SIL's mother had a "Ring" doorbell installed...she's happy with it...more cuz it let's her screen visitors at her door on her phone as well as allow two-way audio...it allows you to see who's at your door when you're away..it also has "record" capability, for $3/month, but it's optional...

neighbor who has one and uses record mode captured an image of the burglar who broke into my son's house, across the street...other neighbor who has one on record mode captured the burglars's vehicle as it drove up and down the street several times during the day of the burglary...local PD spotted the car and arrested the burglar after a brief high-speed pursuit ...
frankj1 Offline
#36 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
grmcooper wrote:
We use ADT. We have a camera inside the house so I can check on my son also have a German Shepherd as an early warning device that I will probably shoot when she gets too old. No problems with ADT

we use ADD.
when someone approaches the house we run around like lunatics and they usually back away.
delta1 Offline
#37 Posted:
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,753
hah...that's my strategy for avoiding a strong arm robbery on the street...
DrafterX Offline
#38 Posted:
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,506
You show them you're nuts..?? Huh
frankj1 Offline
#39 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
it's the Squirrel Security System
Numismaniac Offline
#40 Posted:
Joined: 01-13-2012
Posts: 12,222
delta1 wrote:
my SIL's mother had a "Ring" doorbell installed...she's happy with it...more cuz it let's her screen visitors at her door on her phone as well as allow two-way audio...it allows you to see who's at your door when you're away..it also has "record" capability, for $3/month, but it's optional...

neighbor who has one and uses record mode captured an image of the burglar who broke into my son's house, across the street...other neighbor who has one on record mode captured the burglars's vehicle as it drove up and down the street several times during the day of the burglary...local PD spotted the car and arrested the burglar after a brief high-speed pursuit ...



Just sump'n to consider, Brother, I just saw on the Kim Komando website that it's out in the public that Ring has allowed workers to watch the customer's webfeed!!!
tonygraz Offline
#41 Posted:
Joined: 08-11-2008
Posts: 20,173
No security system here. When I moved here most people didn'y lock their doors and some didn't have any idea wherre the house keys were. At the local shopping center if someone locked their car to go shopping they were either not locals or new locals. Things have changed from time to time, but some of us still don't worry much about locking the doors.
A place I worked at around 30 years ago about 15 miles away had a security box with a flashing light on the wall outside the entrance - a battery operated fake. We had a break in once but it was an inside job.
Users browsing this topic
Guest