Go to the nearest 2 jewelry stores and contact the company they use. My service company is 1/2 mile away and the monitoring station is less than 5. It pays to have alocal company.

How about enlightening us.

Have ADT now with the service plan and pay about $45 a month. Own all my own equip. When there is a problem ADT notifies me and if they can't fix over the phone they send a tech out at no charge. I am happy with my system and my experience with ADT for the past 10 years. What can I do to improve on this?

 

ADT did a bang-up job for me, twice. And the equipment is not junk, it is all SOTA.

 

So,

I am looking into a home security system. Any recommendations or advice? I have a few big bay windows i assume the glass break sensors are best but do they work? Any advice on hardwired vs wireless? Self instal vs professional install?

Thanks in advance

 

 

I would go hard wired on doors and motion and go wireless on windows etc. That way you can use the wireless component to add other stuff yourself with minimum hassle.

I used to have a wired Napco security system with a local alarm monitoring when I lived in NJ. When we moved into our new home I researched the heck out of all these "all in one" packages. All I have to say is ....... RIP OFF! ADT and 3 or 4 others all promised free installation which included a $1200 system @ $40 per month. Well, that $1200 system included one keypad, 2 sensors and one motion.

 

I started researching and there is a lot of good systems but I ended up with a wireless Alexor DSC. I wanted this system because of the hidden "brain" that I can hide away from the keypads. I got a pretty good deal with 2-keypads, 2-motions, 10-window/door magnets (sensors), main controller, etc for about $525. I also use "Safe mart" for monitoring. They set up my system and monitor for $10 per month. So far I triggered my alarm system 4 times (on purpose) and they called back with in 30 seconds.

 

It took me a total of 3.5 hrs or so to pull all items from the box, set everything up and then run it for about a week before monitoring. The hardest part was setting up the zones, but once you read up and figure it out after the first few, it flies bye pretty quick. I've had it for 7 months and it's been rock solid so far. Has battery back up,etc.

Just because ADT (and EVERYBODY else) offers a "free" system package does not mean that's all they offer.

 

I almost did my own myself as well. I'm glad I had ADT do it. So glad, I had them do the upgrades, even though at that point I certainly could have done it myself.

I hate to be a downer or a hater....but the vast majority of you giving advise are clueless....

 

some of you know NOTHING of the industry and how it works...let alone the contracts that dictate how you will be 'handled'.....

 

YMMV

 

 

sheesh..........

 

No Nick, they have to be correct, I read it on the internet!

eeehhhhhh,,,, Bonjour...

I have been trying to....if you have a specific question please ask..............

 

The industry in and of itself is a quagmire and worse than dealing with used care salemen.........

 

Not Always. One of the managers that handled my upgrades was a former used car repairman, not salesman (true story)

Wow a lot of great info in here almost to much lol.

I have also been researching home security/camera systems and there is so much out there on the net hard to tell what truly is good and what’s garbage.

I think I have seen so much hard to tell left me confused lo.

I am also in the industry and although I do not know nick personally, from reading his advice to others the guy know what he's talking about and I agree 100% with everything he's said

Did I miss a post? Still don't understand why copper and cell is a bad idea. 2. What is a better monitoring service than ADT and why? 3. While I like to dabble I would rather know that I pay a small fee each month to ADT and they make sure my system works. Is there another company that does that? 3. I know about smash and crash and I think I have that covered so not an issue. Really would appreciate any help as I am always looking to improve on what I have.

This is NOT rocket science.....and like every company...large and small....there are good and bad..........some results with ADT are fabulous....your lucky....some not so much....

 

I'm not the slightest bit lucky. I knew exactly what they were doing, what they were using, how it worked, and I watched them do it. And, I had to help them program it because I had macros in mind. That aint luck. I am lucky that I didn't have to fire them for trying to rip me off or kick them out for being incompetent. So, in that respect, true. I am lucky there were competent people available in my area.

Very well said nick, I can say personally the company that I work for our contracts don't lock you into a period of time with our company, you can cancel your monitoring or use of us as your service provider at anytime, all are contract garuntees is that we promise not to change your monitoring rate for 3 years from the date you sign the contract and your account goes online with our CO provider. Also a note on CO providers, we use a local company like ourselves for central and they are out of this world. Extremely knowledgable, professional an willing to help. Not to mention its nice as a tech to call the CO and hear a voice you recognize and have talked to 100+ times.

I would like a recommendation on an alternative to ADT monitoring because they are expensive. Now, here I go again, and I don't mean to be contrarian I have been very impressed with ADT monitoring. I have always spoken to people that knew their s**t and knew my s**t as well. They have handled a few technical issues for me in rapid fashion and called me to warn me when one of my batteries was going south.

 

Speaking of layered security, I do have one advantage that we have not discussed. If monitoring calls the police, the police are going to show up. I guarantee it. I had an unfortunate misunderstanding with about 20 regional cops from 6 departments one time. No, it was not carry related. But they know who I am, and they are going to respond to a burglary call from my address. I have confirmed they have "notes" (whatever you coppers call it) on my license plate and address. I actually saw it in action about a year before I confirmed it, funny story not for public consumption.

I had a 9yr old system when I had ADT do the upgrade last year. I knew exactly what I wanted and was very happy with the install. Honestly I haven't had a bad interaction with them in 10 years. My only issue was a adt reseller. ADT took care of that issue. If there is a better service in my area I would like to know.

So confused now. Need a system. Want to own all equpt and do wireless with a backup. Really dont want to go with a big name company like adt or brinks. Just want my first floor and basement with cameras front and back. Also want to be able to check cameras from the internet or my phone.

ADT bought Brinks. I think it's why most smaller alarm companies hate them cause due to their size they just swallow up the competition.

So confused now. Need a system. Want to own all equpt and do wireless with a backup. Really dont want to go with a big name company like adt or brinks. Just want my first floor and basement with cameras front and back. Also want to be able to check cameras from the internet or my phone.

 

Throw in a common area motion on your second floor if you are not willing to pay for anything up there. Will cost almost nothing extra but is likely to trigger on any unusual entries. I assume any second floor goodies are in your bedroom, so might want to do the windows in there, or put motion in bedroom and cover the light on the sensor as a cheap way out.

 

Then check your homeowner's insurance. And if you have a lot of money in firearms, you should buy a separate policy or rider for the guns.

My son loves his Frontpoint system. Frontpoint has awesome reviews, no hidden fees, pricing up front, no contract required (if you do sign a contract you get some $$ toward free hardware). Has all the bells and whistles you guys are talking about, check and set from Internet or iPhone, redundant monitoring, etc.

Im not worried about the second floor because its inaccessible from outside without a ladder. I do like the common area motion sensor idea though. Still need a good system though. Im located in Bayonne if that help

Im not worried about the second floor because its inaccessible from outside without a ladder. I do like the common area motion sensor idea though. Still need a good system though. Im located in Bayonne if that help

 

Back when I did it on the cheap the one thing I never did was allow somebody to wander around any portion of my house undetected and unmolested, no matter where they got in, even with a ladder. My mind could not wrap around that deficiency. That is why a common area motion on the 2nd floor (which you can probably get for free at the end of the deal) at least gives you something that will refuse any punks the ability to walk around up there with impunity no matter what.

This is an example of what ADT has done to the security integration market. Everyone thinks they are going to get a $5k install for $99.

 

Copper is old and being phased out as a business sense, no doubt about that, but it is still provided and maintained. If you have a copper line, don't get rid of it. Telco offices have huge back up battery strings and generator power...as long as they have power, you get tone(providing no damage to the lines of course lol). Cell backup is good as well, but not all towers have backup generator, once their batteries are drained(few hours depending on traffic load), thats it. This reminds me to call my buddy and double check, but I think if the alarm was set and monitoring see a loss of communication to the system(i.e. someone trying to cut the line), they automatically dispatch out.

My cell backup was down for 2 weeks after Sandy! Was GLAD I had copper!

my copper was down for 1 week after Sandy, no tv/internet/phone. Glad I had cell!