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Best home security system/company?

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Put in a fake alarm but don't tell your wife it's fake. She feels safe because thieves fear loud noise (everyone knows this), and you save $40 a month.
 
Watch Death Wish 3, follow the tips seen in that.
What also helps is security cameras that are visible. Could even get fake ones if you don't want the footage.
 
www.alarmsystemstore.com was a good source for me. I went with a DSC 1864 and wireless module. They also have the completely wireless Alexor which my boss is using.

Their monitoring is $8.95/month...I also have a cellular backup so I pay 2x$8.95 month...still cheap.
 
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alkemyst said:
www.alarmsystemstore.com was a good source for me. I went with a DSC 1864 and wireless module. They also have the completely wireless Alexor which my boss is using.

Their monitoring is $8.95/month...I also have a cellular backup so I pay 2x$8.95 month...still cheap.
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I'm not sure how your system works, but will your system work with a prepaid tmobile sim? That way you don't have to pay $9 bucks every month.
 
Kelvrick said:
I'm not sure how your system works, but will your system work with a prepaid tmobile sim? That way you don't have to pay $9 bucks every month.
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You are basically paying for only monitoring. There are other methods to subscribe to a cellular service. I am using a Digital Uplink device.

For $8.95/month it was a no brainer.

I'd not recommend self-monitoring.
 
Did you do the install yourself? I can do the install but don't have time right now and it would be great if I can have somebody set it all up.
 
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mossberg_500_tactical.jpg
 
Zombie said:
Did you do the install yourself? I can do the install but don't have time right now and it would be great if I can have somebody set it all up.
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I did my own install. You can definitely pay someone to do it as well. It's not cheap though.

It took me a good three solid days to setup 8 glass breaks, 2 fire sensors, a couple alarm panels, the cellular uplink, the ip communicator, two lock boxes, 20 or so wireless sensors, two sirens, three motion detectors and the wireless transmitter.

I also had to wire in the X31J (maybe the wrong name) for line interception.

A tech is going to probably want at least $50 per hour...

ADT and the like only throw in a couple wireless sensors, a motion and an all in one keypad/siren/brain module. Plus you are on the hook for $30/month in monitoring.

My system was about $1600 I think and a lot was extras/overkill.
 
Security systems are worthless. If the thugs cut your phone line, wear ear plugs, or just don't give a shit, or if the police take 2 hours to respond to an alarm while your house is cleared out, none of the security companies are going to pay to replace your stuff. Someone who wants you dead isn't going to care either. You're basically paying for nothing or what I like to call negative-insurance. Like others have said, get a sign and some stickers and make sure your insurance is up to date.
 
aldamon said:
Security systems are worthless. If the thugs cut your phone line, wear ear plugs, or just don't give a shit, or if the police take 2 hours to respond to an alarm while your house is cleared out, none of the security companies are going to pay to replace your stuff. Someone who wants you dead isn't going to care either. You're basically paying for nothing or what I like to call negative-insurance. Like others have said, get a sign and some stickers and make sure your insurance is up to date.
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I will take the 10-15 minute response time in my area over no response at all. I have a GSM dialer for my alarm and my insurance is up to date...
 
We have about a 5 min response time. I live 3.5 miles from my home and by the time I get the third call (first is the residence, second the police, third my cell) and home the police have already been there.

If they cut my phone line, I have a cell backup.

It's doubtful they will stay long with an alarm going off.

I was burglarized last year and they had about a good four hours to work. My neighbor was hit 3 months prior the same way. Total losses + they vandalized.

I took a $30k loss, did my own cleaning ($16k), and was still out about $10,000 as they cap computers and tools ($2500 and $5000 respectively).

My new policy is more generous on the computers, but they still limit a residence to $5,000 in tools.

My alarm was less than $2000. Monitoring is about $200/year. They call within 2-3 mins of an event. If I am not home, the police are immediately called and they dispatch to my house within the next 5. Total time from alarm to police hitting the premises on my initial false alarms has been 15mins or less.
 
aldamon said:
Security systems are worthless. If the thugs cut your phone line, wear ear plugs, or just don't give a shit, or if the police take 2 hours to respond to an alarm while your house is cleared out, none of the security companies are going to pay to replace your stuff. Someone who wants you dead isn't going to care either. You're basically paying for nothing or what I like to call negative-insurance. Like others have said, get a sign and some stickers and make sure your insurance is up to date.
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What experience do you have with security systems?

I agree that they are very limited to what they can help with, but, they are certainly not worthless.

When I worked overnights doing tech support, my department also monitored burglar alarms and dispatched police....

Yes, ~90% of alarms were false (low battery in sensor, something inside moving near sensor, helium balloons notorious for this!) probably ~5% were caused because a moron left a door open, or armed the system and then went back into the store which caused the alarm to trip... And, maybe ~3-5% were legitimate breakins... of those breakins, around 20% of the time, the cops would catch the guy(s) responsible for the crimes... usually on the spot, or running away from the scene...

Now, maybe retail is different from residential .... But ... there is a reason why businesses use alarms, it's because they do work, so I'd think that would also apply to residential...

Still, I prefer to rely on Smith and Wesson in my own home...
 
BurnItDwn said:
What experience do you have with security systems?

I agree that they are very limited to what they can help with, but, they are certainly not worthless.

When I worked overnights doing tech support, my department also monitored burglar alarms and dispatched police....

Yes, ~90% of alarms were false (low battery in sensor, something inside moving near sensor, helium balloons notorious for this!) probably ~5% were caused because a moron left a door open, or armed the system and then went back into the store which caused the alarm to trip... And, maybe ~3-5% were legitimate breakins... of those breakins, around 20% of the time, the cops would catch the guy(s) responsible for the crimes... usually on the spot, or running away from the scene...

Now, maybe retail is different from residential .... But ... there is a reason why businesses use alarms, it's because they do work, so I'd think that would also apply to residential...

Still, I prefer to rely on Smith and Wesson in my own home...
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How well would the smith and wesson work though if you are not at home? That is what I find funny with the all of the gun replies so far...

Don't get me wrong, I have several handguns and a mossberg 500 but I am not home 24/7 and I do feel a bit more secure knowing I have a home alarm just in case.
 
spacejamz said:
How well would the smith and wesson work though if you are not at home? That is what I find funny with the all of the gun replies so far...

Don't get me wrong, I have several handguns and a mossberg 500 but I am not home 24/7 and I do feel a bit more secure knowing I have a home alarm just in case.
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I guess I could deal with a loss of my stuff, but I'd like the option to prevent the loss of my life...
 
alkemyst said:
You are basically paying for only monitoring. There are other methods to subscribe to a cellular service. I am using a Digital Uplink device.

For $8.95/month it was a no brainer.

I'd not recommend self-monitoring.
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Yea, I'm also only paying for monitoring as I purchased my own system. What I meant to say is that with a GSM backup, getting a prepaid sim card is better so you don't have to pay the monthly fee for a gsm line.

Regarding the alarm, my service offers notifications. I know whenever the alarm is set to away, home or disarmed, along with anything else that happens. I can log in and check if I armed the system before going to work or on vacation.

I have plenty of guns, but it didn't help when my house got broken into when I was out of town on business and the wife was at work.
 
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hmm. if you're not home, wouldn't you want the alarm to be silent, so the cops can catch the guys red handed? assuming response time is quick, they'd probably get there before the thieves were finished.
 
vshah said:
hmm. if you're not home, wouldn't you want the alarm to be silent, so the cops can catch the guys red handed? assuming response time is quick, they'd probably get there before the thieves were finished.
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Most thieves would bolt once the siren started going off (I rigged one to point out at the street and the rest of the neighborhood to draw attention). I'd rather they bolt and just have to deal with the broken window/door/etc. Give them 5-10 minutes, they just ran through your house breaking stuff, throwing drawers and contents onto the floor, etc.

EDIT: I plan on getting a dog in the next few months, but I don't have time to properly take care of and train one right now. And it won't be exactly menacing as a few month old puppy.
 
You can get a online company to monitor for around $117.00 a year. ADT is a rip off. The Watchlight corp.
 
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