Alarm Systems

[Jim Campbell]

if you were going to build a really good alarm system that is upgradable,computer controlled,where would you source quality components...servos,contacts,motion sensors,switches cameras,software,interfaces..etc

[fdeck]

In Winnipeg?

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by fdeck

In Winnipeg?

im thinking in terms of who makes good stuff.....if they sell it here cool,if i gotta order it in thats fine too......i've talked to a few companies but the path to objectivity lies not in asking salesmen

most places offer a cheap all in 1 box deal with a monitoring contract,(where they really make the money for nothing....i want to be able to add components and functions without having to replace every thing at once....the one box solution usually leads to a box full of junk

[Sartori]

I would just get a dog.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Sartori

I would just get a dog.

got one but i work a lot of hours and he has to come with or he tears up the house

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

got one but i work a lot of hours and he has to come with or he tears up the house

My dog never tore up the house.

[AxtoOx]

Try a large male Doberman. They are a handful at first, but then they are fantastic dogs. People are intimidated just by the stare.

[Spector_Ray]

CIA yard sale.

[fdeck]

Get those fake yard signs, which you will need in any event if you go with the DIY route.

The main purpose of alarm systems is to sell alarm systems.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Sartori

My dog never tore up the house.

Originally Posted by AxtoOx

Try a large male Doberman. They are a handful at first, but then they are fantastic dogs. People are intimidated just by the stare.

Originally Posted by fdeck

Get those fake yard signs, which you will need in any event if you go with the DIY route.

The main purpose of alarm systems is to sell alarm systems.

it used to be but not so much any more.......the gang pukes send their young teen wannabees on daily/nightly shopping trips now that the weather is good and even if they get caught nothing really happens to them.....the cops even tell you that they do not respond to private residence alarms,but hopefully making enough noise will discourage them a tad......remember, this is canuckistan....... if your dog bites a burglar you will probably get sued.....and lose

[AxtoOx]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

it used to be but not so much any more.......the gang pukes send their young teen wannabees on daily/nightly shopping trips now that the weather is good and even if they get caught nothing really happens to them.....the cops even tell you that they do not respond to private residence alarms,but hopefully making enough noise will discourage them a tad......remember, this is canuckistan....... if your dog bites a burglar you will probably get sued.....and lose

This is Oklahoma, I"m allowed to use deadly force on any not wanted in my house no matter how they enter. You door could be proped open, their not welcome, they should leave. Quick.

[kanonfodr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ED-209

ED-209, for your complete protection needs. Just let him handle security, and don't try anything funny.

Peace,
Greg

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by AxtoOx

This is Oklahoma, I"m allowed to use deadly force on any not wanted in my house no matter how they enter. You door could be proped open, their not welcome, they should leave. Quick.

well there's the way it oughta be and the way it is.....if i was in ok my house would be a free fire zone for intruders but in canuckistan we aint got a second amendment

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

well there's the way it oughta be and the way it is.....if i was in ok my house would be a free fire zone for intruders but in canuckistan we aint got a second amendment

It's not a second amendment thing. The "free fire zone" is limited to a very small number of states.

[MadMan118]

All you need is an octopus in a suit of armor.

Or a Glock 17, Springfield M1A1, and razorwire.

[Tarrbot]

You have to tell us a bit more than what you've asked for.

You haven't given us any sort of spending limit, just a grand wish list of something you might want. And barely that.

At the point you're looking at it's probably cheaper to get a monitored system like from Sonitrol or Guardian Alarm or something like that.

We've recently upgraded a lot of our headquarters and I've taken a lot of the old equipment home.

I'm just too lazy to install it (and don't bother asking for me to sell it, it's not happening).

The point is that you haven't even outlined what you want.

Video surveillance? Alarm monitoring? Keyed entry doors that are activated from a server? Motion detectors?

You've given us nothing and expect to just be handed everything.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Tarrbot

You have to tell us a bit more than what you've asked for.

You haven't given us any sort of spending limit, just a grand wish list of something you might want. And barely that.

At the point you're looking at it's probably cheaper to get a monitored system like from Sonitrol or Guardian Alarm or something like that.

We've recently upgraded a lot of our headquarters and I've taken a lot of the old equipment home.

I'm just too lazy to install it (and don't bother asking for me to sell it, it's not happening).

The point is that you haven't even outlined what you want.

Video surveillance? Alarm monitoring? Keyed entry doors that are activated from a server? Motion detectors?

You've given us nothing and expect to just be handed everything.

....well i hoped to be able to start with 3 door contact sets,a siren in the house,an independent siren in the garage,with a switch to shut it off after 2min or so,servos to trip the switchs etc.............the big thing for me is to ensure that the components are expandable so that when i add things that i dont have to start ripping out whats there and replacing the key pads,box,etc.......all of the things you mention i'd like to add as time and cash permit.....but i fear that the solutions the alarm companies offer permit only doing it all in one go......

for a couple of hundred you get a monitoring package and an installation but they seem pretty vague on the expandability thing...some even give you the alarm free as the monthly monitoring contract is what they are interested in....ultimately i would like to add a dedicated pc to monitor everything that sleeps and can be awakened by phone so that i can monitor from my phone,or when the system is breached it calls me .....

initially i'd figure on spending about 200-300 usd on components and add ons would be budgeted down the road so that the budget is open ended...when i had the drywall off i pre wired every door and window with six filament telephone cable,and have two sets of wire underground to the garage plus a coax cablevision line..... and thats the other reason i dont want the 1 box deal is they won't discount for the work i've already done....but i really don't know what anything costs and the alarm companies,don't even want to sell me parts unless i sign up for monitoring from them........

the last thing is that i want to do my own installation and learn how this is done....if you have any input i would be grateful

[Tarrbot]

I wasn't trying to be harsh earlier and I don't think you took it that way but after reading it, it kinda looked that way.

My company does building control systems (among other things) but not for home systems. They typically deal with not only security systems but environmental controls as well.

I'm the network admin so I don't know all of the ins and outs they use.

I can ask around at work and see what they suggest. I just needed a clear scope so that I wasn't back every other day asking them questions.

To give you an idea of the scale they do, this is one of their buildings.


Although I think they only do the main center building and not the outlying buildings. I'm not positive on those details.

I can see why the alarm companies won't allow you to use your own work because they can't warranty your work with your materials.

It sucks.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Tarrbot

I wasn't trying to be harsh earlier and I don't think you took it that way but after reading it, it kinda looked that way.

My company does building control systems (among other things) but not for home systems. They typically deal with not only security systems but environmental controls as well.

I'm the network admin so I don't know all of the ins and outs they use.

I can ask around at work and see what they suggest. I just needed a clear scope so that I wasn't back every other day asking them questions.

To give you an idea of the scale they do, this is one of their buildings.


Although I think they only do the main center building and not the outlying buildings. I'm not positive on those details.

I can see why the alarm companies won't allow you to use your own work because they can't warranty your work with your materials.

It sucks.

thanx for the reply and i learned a long time ago that busy people tend to get to the point and sometimes that can be perceived as "harsh" but i really did not notice....perhaps hold off on your coworkers and i'll get busy and do my homework ......this week im off and i plan on getting the specifics,but so far i can't seem to get past the salesmen......i understand their point about my stuff but i'm just not ready to throw it all away just yet

[Kael]

I can't give you prices in your market, but if you want specific info regarding alarm systems or companies PM me. I've worked in the alarm biz for the past 10 or so years. Dunno if I qualify as an expert, but I am probably a tad more knowledgeable than the average layman.

Couple quick points.

1. Fake signs are starting to not work as crooks are catching on them. That plus most people with an alarm never set the damned thing. Stupid. Like having a gun for home defense and leaving it in a safe unloaded. The tool is only effective if you have it ready for use.

2. Do NOT skimp on any motion sensors you get. Get the biggest tolerance pet immune ones you can find. Even if your dog is only 15 lbs, get the one that ignores anything smaller than 60 lbs. The single biggest source of false alarms is motion sensors picking up little movements that aren't people related.

3. CCTV (closed circuit television) systems get expensive pretty rapidly. If this alarm is for a residence, I wouldn't waste the bucks on them. Minimal bang for buck for most situations. Security flood lights are usually effective and much cheaper. If you are in an isolated area, maybe not so much. If it is for a business and you have a bigger budget, then go hog wild.

4. Monitoring is actually not that expensive and it IMHO worth it. As long as you stay away from the idiots at ADT (incidentally they are hands down the most incompetent outfit in the game, I'm not a fan of Brinks either) rates are usually around $20 a month. You can usually recoup at least half that from dicounts on home owners insurance. If you do get monitoring, you want local. No one the next state/province over. You also want a small monitoring station. Those big mega monitoring stations suck. Really slow response time.

5. Most any alarm system can be added on to. Get a basic system, then you can tack on sensors as needed. Any alarm company that tells you that you have to replace an entire system to get a couple new features is usually trying to just gouge you for money. There are in fact times when alarms need to be replaced, but never wholesale. Maybe the alarm box then just use the sensors already there. Might need to replace out a sensor but keep using the alarm panel. Pop a new keypad on the wall but keep everything else the same. Etc. Worst case scenario is usually that you run out of the max number of zones available and have to start tying multiple sensors on to the same zone. Ex: Instead of each window having its own sensor, all the windows on the south wall are on the same zone.

I could keep going but there's no point in me writing a novel here.

PS: I cannot emphasize enough how strongly I recommend to everyone to AVOID ADT. I've had friends ignore this advice when I've given it to them, and they've invariably told me later that they were unhappy with them. ADT = poo of the runny sort.