Home Alarm with option to access info away from home

[Kneedragger]

My father wants me to install a home alarm in his second house that will give us access to sensors and camera footage from another location. I know you can go with a company like ADT but I heard that the sheriff won't respond to calls from alarm companies in this area for some reason. So I figured if this is true why bother paying them for install and $30.00 a month?

So I'm looking for recommendations on an alarm I can do this with and maybe a camera system with the same access.

Thanks

 

[boomerang]

I just installed an add-on board to my panel yesterday that will give me web access to certain functions. When I registered it I poked around the website quite a bit and it looks like they may have just what he's looking for.

Is there broadband internet at the location? If not, there's no sense in my explaining further.

 

[beachchica]

Cameras and a VPN. It's pretty easy. If you don't care about network privacy and you want a faster connection you can just use port forwarding.

 

[boomhower]

You can do it two ways, one system with everything or two separate systems. I'm doing the latter. Bought a camera system and am going with simplisafe. There are a ton of camera systems out there and in general you get what you pay for. Most of your sub $1k systems are going to give you great picture quality. You'll spend a good bit more than that to get the capability to get high quality vid on all of your cameras.

For an alarm you can do your own that will alert you when it goes off. If it has a landline you may be able to find a way to go it for free but if you are going rely on cell service you are going to have to pay someone but you can get it a lot cheaper than ADT if you do the equipment yourself.

 

[Doppel]

Best camera system for what you want is Dropcam. It's the company I pimp in all these threads and will continue to do so. I have two of their cameras (they released a new one, the Dropcam Pro this week) and there is no other camera system as simple and robust and as accessible on a multitude of devices. It has a monthly cost, but it's worth it.

Setup is stupidly easy.
Camera has excellent quality.
Off-site DVR
Is very reliable.

I don't receive money for recommending them, but I do so without inhibition.

 

[boomerang]

The outfit I'm suggesting has monitoring for $9 per month.

http://www.eyezon.com/

All done over the internet. No landline needed. Monitor from any computer, tablet or smartphone.

Here are the cameras they're offering. http://www.eyezon.com/?page_id=525 I'm sure you could use others.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on this guys if you have time to poke around their website. I just added their EVL-3 board to my DSC system.

I get alarm components from here. http://www.homesecuritystore.com/

 

[boomerang]

Best camera system for what you want is Dropcam. It's the company I pimp in all these threads and will continue to do so. I have two of their cameras (they released a new one, the Dropcam Pro this week) and there is no other camera system as simple and robust and as accessible on a multitude of devices. It has a monthly cost, but it's worth it.

Setup is stupidly easy.
Camera has excellent quality.
Off-site DVR
Is very reliable.

I don't receive money for recommending them, but I do so without inhibition.

The recordings being kept like that is really good. Is the recording started based on motion? Seems like a lot of bandwidth would be eaten up otherwise. I see no means for storing video with the stuff I linked to. I do get nearly instantaneous texts when I arm and disarm, etc. So, if there was a break in, one would need to look at the cameras and then what would you have to show the coppers?

Why did I think this was like $50 per month? I never looked into it because it was more than I wanted to spend. Guess I was misinformed.

I hate all that wiring though. I'm assuming the cameras are PoE? Just need to hardwire to a router or switch? Would love to have wireless.

 

[KK]

The outfit I'm suggesting has monitoring for $9 per month.

http://www.eyezon.com/

All done over the internet. No landline needed. Monitor from any computer, tablet or smartphone.

Here are the cameras they're offering. http://www.eyezon.com/?page_id=525 I'm sure you could use others.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on this guys if you have time to poke around their website. I just added their EVL-3 board to my DSC system.

I get alarm components from here. http://www.homesecuritystore.com/

I put this in our system last week. We have a Honeywell vista 20p panel with a tuxedo wifi keypad. The tuxwifi keypad will do only a select few cameras and foscam is not one of those. The keypad is also accessible via Internet but I don't think it can send out the alerts. It does have the ability to do zwave remotely. The eyeZon will do the alert to emails/SMS and it wasn't to hard to install.

 

[rh71]

Best camera system for what you want is Dropcam. It's the company I pimp in all these threads and will continue to do so. I have two of their cameras (they released a new one, the Dropcam Pro this week) and there is no other camera system as simple and robust and as accessible on a multitude of devices. It has a monthly cost, but it's worth it.

Setup is stupidly easy.
Camera has excellent quality.
Off-site DVR
Is very reliable.

I don't receive money for recommending them, but I do so without inhibition.

We currently have an alarm system that dials out to central station and unless you have a cellular signal rather than a hard-line or wifi, this looks like it has the same weakness. If someone cuts the phone line / internet COAX cable outside, you're screwed. Unless I'm missing something.

 

[boomerang]

I put this in our system last week. We have a Honeywell vista 20p panel with a tuxedo wifi keypad. The tuxwifi keypad will do only a select few cameras and foscam is not one of those. The keypad is also accessible via Internet but I don't think it can send out the alerts. It does have the ability to do zwave remotely. The eyeZon will do the alert to emails/SMS and it wasn't to hard to install.

I knew there was some additional setup with Honeywell systems. The DSC install entailed only registering the board at the website. I originally had it set up to email me and there was a long and inconsistent delay which was certainly not unexpected. The SMS is very, very quick.

I have not subscribed to their packages so for now, I can only arm, disarm (I think I can disarm) and view zone information if there were to be a break in.

I'm being monitored for $10.50 a month now so they are slightly cheaper. But I have a phone through Comcast that I keep basically only for the alarm to dial out on. If I go through them for monitoring I can drop the phone as everything will be done over the internet. I'm in contract for another 9 or 10 months so it will have to wait until then to switch.

 

[boomerang]

We currently have an alarm system that dials out to central station and unless you have a cellular signal rather than a hard-line or wifi, this looks like it has the same weakness. If someone cuts the phone line / internet COAX cable outside, you're screwed. Unless I'm missing something.

Yes, you're right and my understanding is that thieves long ago figured out to cut the lines. However, I'm not sure your average drug addict looking to steal items to fence is that on the ball.

 

[KK]

I knew there was some additional setup with Honeywell systems. The DSC install entailed only registering the board at the website. I originally had it set up to email me and there was a long and inconsistent delay which was certainly not unexpected. The SMS is very, very quick.

.

The Honeywell install was just hooking up the four wires on the keypad spot on the panel and programming the system via a keypad for the eyeZon. I had to make an account on the website first and then give them the MAC address and powering on it seemed to register.

 

[Svnla]

Interesting thread. Subscribe because I am planning to get one for my new house.

 

[boomerang]

The Honeywell install was just hooking up the four wires on the keypad spot on the panel and programming the system via a keypad for the eyeZon. I had to make an account on the website first and then give them the MAC address and powering on it seemed to register.

No programming needed for a DSC system. That's the difference. Hook up four wires, connect Ethernet cable. Go to website enter MAC, wait ten minutes and log in at site and finish up.

Have you clicked around at the site much? A lot of things are links that don't look like links. I entered descriptions for all the zones and entered in our names assigned to User Numbers as reported by the alarm. So I know by name who did what.

 

[Kneedragger]

I just installed an add-on board to my panel yesterday that will give me web access to certain functions. When I registered it I poked around the website quite a bit and it looks like they may have just what he's looking for.

Is there broadband internet at the location? If not, there's no sense in my explaining further.

Yes broadband is available.

 

[Kneedragger]

You can do it two ways, one system with everything or two separate systems. I'm doing the latter. Bought a camera system and am going with simplisafe. There are a ton of camera systems out there and in general you get what you pay for. Most of your sub $1k systems are going to give you great picture quality. You'll spend a good bit more than that to get the capability to get high quality vid on all of your cameras.

For an alarm you can do your own that will alert you when it goes off. If it has a landline you may be able to find a way to go it for free but if you are going rely on cell service you are going to have to pay someone but you can get it a lot cheaper than ADT if you do the equipment yourself.

Will take a look at SimpleSafe, thanks.

 

[Pardus]

I'm also looking for an alarm for my apartment, don't want window sensors as i don't want the alarm going off when a big truck rolls by or t-storms. Prefer a wireless panel and motion sensor.

SimplySafe was over $250 last time i spoke to them, is there anything cheaper? Don't need monitoring.

 

[Kneedragger]

OK so if I go with

• DSC PowerSeries (1555, 1555 MX, 1575, 5010 (832), 5020 (864), 1616, 1832, 1864)
• Honeywell Vista Panels (Vista20P, 21P, 15P, and 10P)

I can add the EnvisaLink3 http://wwwtest.eyezon.com/?page_id=176 to my system and access it through the internet and get alerts. Seems pretty straight forward.

Anyone have any issues with this setup so far?

Whats your take on brands? Which one is better to go with the Honeywell or DSC hardware?

Thanks

 

[Kneedragger]

Best camera system for what you want is Dropcam. It's the company I pimp in all these threads and will continue to do so. I have two of their cameras (they released a new one, the Dropcam Pro this week) and there is no other camera system as simple and robust and as accessible on a multitude of devices. It has a monthly cost, but it's worth it.

Setup is stupidly easy.
Camera has excellent quality.
Off-site DVR
Is very reliable.

I don't receive money for recommending them, but I do so without inhibition.

Doesn't look like they have outdoor cameras unless I'm missing something on their site?

 

[Doppel]

Yes, you're right and my understanding is that thieves long ago figured out to cut the lines. However, I'm not sure your average drug addict looking to steal items to fence is that on the ball.

It is true, it's wi-fi only. However, most thieves are stupid. How often do they ACTUALLY cut house lines for power and communication? I bet it's a huge minority of break-ins. Of course, still to be successful they'll need to cut it before coming within range of the camera, so you could pre-empt this if it's located appropriately.

To answer your question, Dropcam records video 100% of the time, and yes it eats up bandwidth, somewhere in the vicinity of ~50GB/month IIRC. They recommend you have .5 MBPS upload bandwidth available per camera. I have two cameras now and a 2 MBPS upload and they work perfectly. Most people have no bandwidth cap so it's not a problem. The off-site aspect of it is good, and it can't even be deleted even if you hack somebody's account. Essentially: the second you come within frame, your video is up on the net securely.

Dropcam doesn't sell itself as a security system, per se, and it's not tied into any remote notification system of authorities, although their motion detection alerts (email, text) do work very well. I think it is a good supplement to a system. I personally have no security system right now. I know some people pay $30,40/month for one and I'd much rather have three dropcams in place at half the price. Being able to see what is going on at home is now something I take for granted and would not tolerate losing in the future.

 

[boomerang]

OK so if I go with

• DSC PowerSeries (1555, 1555 MX, 1575, 5010 (832), 5020 (864), 1616, 1832, 1864)
• Honeywell Vista Panels (Vista20P, 21P, 15P, and 10P)

I can add the EnvisaLink3 http://wwwtest.eyezon.com/?page_id=176 to my system and access it through the internet and get alerts. Seems pretty straight forward.

Anyone have any issues with this setup so far?

Whats your take on brands? Which one is better to go with the Honeywell or DSC hardware?

Thanks

I've only had the Envisalink in place since Friday afternoon so that's all I can contribute in that regard.

As far as DSC or Honeywell, I've had both. My original system was an Ademco. Honeywell bought them out. Now, I have DSC. The reason I replaced the Ademco system was because the original installer locked the system so that no changes could be made. That's a no-no in the alarm business. He died and took the unlock code literally to his grave. In order to add more zones, I had no choice but to scrap it. Went with DSC because their stuff looked far "cooler" at that timeframe. Both systems were and are rock-solid with zero false alarms.

I'm not familiar with the Honeywell offerings but do know that several of the DSC systems that are compatible with the Envisalink board are no longer being manufactured.

Your biggest decision will not be the manufacturer IMO, it will be to go with a base wireless or wired system. A wired system can have wireless components with an add-on board. There's more to it than the simplification I just stated so do your homework. The people at homesecuritystore are really nice, not pushy, and knowledgeable. I would not hesitate to call them and pick their brains.

If the authorities where your Dad lives won't respond to alarm calls, I feel that a system with the Envisalink board as an add-on is a low cost, great alternative to a monitored system. With SMS, as long as you have cell reception, you will know if something is going on. Multiple recipients can be set up for notification too.

Hope this helps.

 

[boomerang]

I'm also looking for an alarm for my apartment, don't want window sensors as i don't want the alarm going off when a big truck rolls by or t-storms. Prefer a wireless panel and motion sensor.

SimplySafe was over $250 last time i spoke to them, is there anything cheaper? Don't need monitoring.

So, are you looking for something with a siren to hopefully scare somebody off or are you looking for something that will give you notification also?

If you're in an apartment, you'd want to go wireless I would think but be aware that you still must provide power to the panel through a transformer. The siren will have to be hard-wired as they are not available wireless. If you want notification, the least expensive IMO would be to add-on the Envisalink board and that must have a network connection to your router.

Hey, and I want everyone to know that I too am not pushing anyone's products for any reason other than I am familiar with them. I am not in the alarm business. It is a casual hobby of mine in that I know some stuff but by no means am I proficient at any of it.

So, based on my familiarity with DSC systems, you might want to look at this. http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-1456-kit32-16cp01-dsc-power-1832-security-kit-with-rf-keypad.aspx $149.50

You will need to add a wireless motion to that kit. And you'd be into it for another $99 for the Envisalink board if you want notification. http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-...-alert-module-for-dsc-honeywell-security.aspx

You could add in other wireless components too as you desire.

Do not order this without doing your homework. I am not well versed enough to recommend this system without that warning. Also look at the manual for the product. Programming is not truly difficult but virtually everyone that has programmed their own said they had to read the manual through like three times paying very close attention. The manuals are written for professional installers, not average Joe's. If you read it and study it, eventually it will "click" with you. It's not intuitive though.

 

[boomerang]

It is true, it's wi-fi only. However, most thieves are stupid. How often do they ACTUALLY cut house lines for power and communication? I bet it's a huge minority of break-ins. Of course, still to be successful they'll need to cut it before coming within range of the camera, so you could pre-empt this if it's located appropriately.

To answer your question, Dropcam records video 100% of the time, and yes it eats up bandwidth, somewhere in the vicinity of ~50GB/month IIRC. They recommend you have .5 MBPS upload bandwidth available per camera. I have two cameras now and a 2 MBPS upload and they work perfectly. Most people have no bandwidth cap so it's not a problem. The off-site aspect of it is good, and it can't even be deleted even if you hack somebody's account. Essentially: the second you come within frame, your video is up on the net securely.

Dropcam doesn't sell itself as a security system, per se, and it's not tied into any remote notification system of authorities, although their motion detection alerts (email, text) do work very well. I think it is a good supplement to a system. I personally have no security system right now. I know some people pay $30,40/month for one and I'd much rather have three dropcams in place at half the price. Being able to see what is going on at home is now something I take for granted and would not tolerate losing in the future.

I hear ya, if I install camera's, I'll be hooked - big time.

I want outdoor cameras too though as I have been broken into twice over the years. I'm a firm believer in deterring them from ever coming in. A confrontation with a burglar in the home is something that can go south real quick. I want everything outside the home I can get to deter them. Luckily both break-ins were when nobody was home.

But January, February and March next year we'll be spending in Florida for the first time. A lot of what I'm doing and thinking about right now is geared towards that.

 

[Pardus]

So, are you looking for something with a siren to hopefully scare somebody off or are you looking for something that will give you notification also?

If you're in an apartment, you'd want to go wireless I would think but be aware that you still must provide power to the panel through a transformer. The siren will have to be hard-wired as they are not available wireless. If you want notification, the least expensive IMO would be to add-on the Envisalink board and that must have a network connection to your router.

Hey, and I want everyone to know that I too am not pushing anyone's products for any reason other than I am familiar with them. I am not in the alarm business. It is a casual hobby of mine in that I know some stuff but by no means am I proficient at any of it.

So, based on my familiarity with DSC systems, you might want to look at this. http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-1456-kit32-16cp01-dsc-power-1832-security-kit-with-rf-keypad.aspx $149.50

You will need to add a wireless motion to that kit. And you'd be into it for another $99 for the Envisalink board if you want notification. http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-...-alert-module-for-dsc-honeywell-security.aspx

You could add in other wireless components too as you desire.

Do not order this without doing your homework. I am not well versed enough to recommend this system without that warning. Also look at the manual for the product. Programming is not truly difficult but virtually everyone that has programmed their own said they had to read the manual through like three times paying very close attention. The manuals are written for professional installers, not average Joe's. If you read it and study it, eventually it will "click" with you. It's not intuitive though.

First off, sorry Kneedragger, didn't mean to post this in your thread. To answer boomerang's question, live on the 1st floor of a large apt complex, while the area is safe, have been looking for some type of wireless system that hooks up with sticky tape.

The development does not allow us to drill or make holes in walls. Central monitoring is useless as it takes the cops 10 mins to show up, by then, its too late.

Was looking at placing fake cameras by the window sills so it can be seen if someone is looking at them directly and some type of alarm that makes noise when tripped.

Have tried some cheapo alarms that went off for no reason, the window sensors were too sensitive.

That being said, looking for an touch screen alarm panel and motion sensor and the whole thing must be wireless/portable without central monitoring.

 

[Rakehellion]

We currently have an alarm system that dials out to central station and unless you have a cellular signal rather than a hard-line or wifi, this looks like it has the same weakness. If someone cuts the phone line / internet COAX cable outside, you're screwed. Unless I'm missing something.

Newer systems use a wireless data connection.