Home Security system options

[gamefreakgcb]

Hey all! I got the recommendation of Simplisafe systems from a thread here in OT.

I was researching for systems without a monthly service tie-in and also found out about the Honeywell Lynx 5100 system. I priced it out and I can get a comparable system with a sensor or 2 less in the Lynx system but with a Z-wave and wifi module instead.

Does anyone here have any comments regarding this?

Simplisafe system

Lynx 5100

 

[NutBucket]

Why wouldn't you want the 3rd party monitoring? To me a security system is pointless without it.

FWIW my house has a 2GIG. Haven't had a chance to setup the monitoring service yet.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Thats what I meant. Monitoring is optional. It will still function as a local alarm and I can sign up for or cancel the monitoring when I want.

Alarmrelay.com has internet monitoring of the alarm from Lynx for $13/month.

Simplisafe's cheapest option is about $14 or $19 a month.

 

[NutBucket]

Oh, ok. I think one of my coworkers has Simplisafe and is quite happy with it.

What I don't like about the 2GIG system is the "brain" is located in the main panel. Seems like it would be too easy to defeat with a baseball bat.

One thing to watch out for is that many monitoring companies require a 3-5 year contract. That's ridiculous IMHO. So definitely make sure you can find a monitoring company that doesn't require that kind of commitment.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

That's what I like about simplisafe. The front panel is just that. The brain and the gsm (it communicates over cell service, no contracts or extra fees, included in the monthly fee) and it can be hidden anywhere. It is the only part that has to be plugged in and has a backup battery.

I'm now just trying to decide between either Lynx or simplisafe.

Both also come with extra 105dB+ sirens to that go off. In case of simplisafe that will also help mask the alarm from the brain so a thief can't find it and disable it (he has 30 seconds to do before it sends out the alarm).

 

[jaha2000]

you might want to call your local shops and see who does Honewell.
I got a tuxedo touch with 1 motion, 4 door, (has wifi and z wave built in) installed for less than that with no contract. Granted, i have to have monitoring, but, yeah, i dont know the point if you dont.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

My dad and I can do the install ourselves though. I'll contact some installers in my area to see what they have to offer.

 

[NutBucket]

Simplisafe is so easy one would be dumb to pay for installation IMHO.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Simplisafe is so easy one would be dumb to pay for installation IMHO.

I was talking about the Lynx.

 

[WackyDan]

Why wouldn't you want the 3rd party monitoring? To me a security system is pointless without it.

FWIW my house has a 2GIG. Haven't had a chance to setup the monitoring service yet.

Not pointless at all. Some of us rely mostly on the system to alert us to intrusion while we are actually home... Which is most of the time. *Wife stays at home and I work from home most of time.

You may think the only purpose of an alarm is for when you are away, but that is a common misconception. It is also for when you are home. The last thing I want is someone attempting to get into the home when my wife and child are there. I want an alarm to scare them away, I want an alarm to give my wife fair warning so she can egress, or barricade herself and our daughter and retrieve her (And I stress "her") firearm... And yes, I subscribe to the idea of monitoring but that is the last part of the defense.

At night, the alarm is the early warning system that gives me time to get my firearm out of the push button wall safe and clear my noggin before I have to address a potential intruder.

I'd go into why it's idiotic to keep a firearm at bedside and have no alarm or loud dog, but that is not was this thread is for.

If I seem paranoid, I'm not... But after a couple of nearby home invasions in the last few years, better safe than sorry.

 

[NutBucket]

Don't disagree that it's useful even when people are home. I guess most people tend to focus on the times they aren't at home.

And for the OP, the Lynx looks to be very similar to my 2GIG. The sensors are wireless as well. There are options to use wired sensors but not required. Typically all you need to provide to the Lynx is a DC power from a wall-wart.

 

[boomhower]

I went through this a few months ago and went with Frontpoint Security. For ~$220 I got the alarm, two door sensor, two motion sensors and a fire alarm. Call and negotiate, don't take what they offer initially. It does require a contract but I don't plan on moving and my need for an alarm isn't going away so it's not a big deal to me. It's not the cheapest on the market but has performed flawlessly and also has the ability to add whatever z-wave devices you desire.

It's all part of the security plan in all. The alarm wake me and the dogs up, Once the dogs are up I'll have a few more seconds to clear my head to deal with threat. Going through my dogs will give me some time to hopefully retrieve the kids to a safe place leaving me to do whatever needs to be done.

 

[NutBucket]

One thing I never figured out is this.

If arm the alarm at night before bed what happens if I trip a motion detector going to the bathroom or heading to the kitchen to get some water? Do you typically have different sensors active at different times? Also, when I'm home I typically have most of the windows open. Obviously the window switches would be useless and I couldn't have motion active since we're moving throughout the house.

 

[WackyDan]

One thing I never figured out is this.

If arm the alarm at night before bed what happens if I trip a motion detector going to the bathroom or heading to the kitchen to get some water? Do you typically have different sensors active at different times? Also, when I'm home I typically have most of the windows open. Obviously the window switches would be useless and I couldn't have motion active since we're moving throughout the house.

Zones. Door and window switches are best if you want to be able to move about the house but also have the alarm armed. If you can zone the alarms, then you can have a second half switch on each window that will detect if it moves from a partial to wide open position.

 

[brainhulk]

 

[NutBucket]

Ugh, that's a lot of work/sensors.

 

[rh71]

One thing I never figured out is this.

If arm the alarm at night before bed what happens if I trip a motion detector going to the bathroom or heading to the kitchen to get some water? Do you typically have different sensors active at different times? Also, when I'm home I typically have most of the windows open. Obviously the window switches would be useless and I couldn't have motion active since we're moving throughout the house.

There's a stay and away feature for ours. Basically stay (used overnight) means none of the motion sensors are active but the doors/windows are. It's really the only way if you want to avoid a lot of accidental alarms.

 

[NutBucket]

So for those that use it during the day when at home what about when going in and out? I guess that's OK because the door isn't open very long?

 

[dabuddha]

One thing I never figured out is this.

If arm the alarm at night before bed what happens if I trip a motion detector going to the bathroom or heading to the kitchen to get some water? Do you typically have different sensors active at different times? Also, when I'm home I typically have most of the windows open. Obviously the window switches would be useless and I couldn't have motion active since we're moving throughout the house.

Simplisafe has 2 modes, away and home. I use away when we go to bed or leave the house. Otherwise I use the home mode. I setup home so it disables the motion detectors. I strategically placed motion sensors throughout my first floor so every possible entry point to my house is covered. Saved me a lot of money from having to buy door/window sensors.

 

[NutBucket]

Sounds like I won't be using the home mode much. Probably will have to get more window/door sensors though.

 

[boomerang]

One thing I never figured out is this.

If arm the alarm at night before bed what happens if I trip a motion detector going to the bathroom or heading to the kitchen to get some water? Do you typically have different sensors active at different times? Also, when I'm home I typically have most of the windows open. Obviously the window switches would be useless and I couldn't have motion active since we're moving throughout the house.

Every system I've dealt with has multiple ways to arm it. Away - everything's going to trip the alarm. Stay - perimeter is armed which means doors and windows but not motions. The third option is Bypass - if you're having a problem with a sensor that you can't deal with at the time but must arm the system you use Bypass.

If you talk to people in the know, while motions are usually installed they are not ideal in that they trip once a bad guy is in the house. It's always best to keep them out of the house whenever possible. Better than motions would be glass break detectors. They look like a motion but are aimed at the window and will trip the alarm when the glass breaks. Having said all that, you won't find too many systems without motion detectors.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Russia's miltary black market can get you some pretty reasonably priced nuclear warheads. Be like Israel; let everyone know, you will detonate, if they try anything*.

* Anything includes:
- breaking into your house
- vandilizing your house
- looking at your house
- sneezing in the general direction of your house
- farting withing a 2 mile radius of your house

 

[RagingBITCH]

Sounds like I won't be using the home mode much. Probably will have to get more window/door sensors though.

It's nice to have/arm at home. Nothing like a blaring alarm if someone kicks in the door to wake you up and scare the shit out of someone. Enough time to grab a gun and shoot them if they're dumb enough to stick around.

 

[NutBucket]

Good info in here for people like me, the home alarm n00b.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Me too. So these two options are good but simplisafe does not have glass break sensors. According to their current customers, they've been sayning "soon" for their availability for a while now.

I'm leaning towards the Lynx 'cause of that.