Stupid overpriced home alarm companies

[markstanco 12631]

Yea more questions.

 

I killed Vivint tonight. The cancellation took 30 minutes as expected. The panel was acting up, we requested a tech 3 times that didn’t show, etc. They were good at my old house in 08ish, but now that they have farmed CS to India instead of SLC it went downhill.

 

Anyhow…. What are some CURRENT home security companies you guys/gals like? I don’t need a combo camera system. Got cams. Just doors and windows and motion. Also, “monitoring” which is a scam in itself needs to be under 50. They don’t monitor shit. The software does.

[Quagmire 2147]

Never understood the point of monitoring , by the time someone breaks in, the company calls 4 times to see if it was a false alarm, snd cops show up the people would be gone.

Seems like the alarm siren would be enough of a deterrent to the average burglar .

[Native Horn 3516]

I also have Vivint, and they are stupid expensive.  Will be following this thread.

In Austin, if you have a monitored alarm system, you also owe $50 per year to APD to "register" your system.  If your monitored alarm goes off and APD shows up without your alarm being registered, it's like a $250 fine.  Which I suppose if it's a legit break-in and the cops catch the perp, worth it?  Who are we kidding, they don't have 'em working in shifts on this.  Also, some homeowner's insurance companies require proof of monitoring so that you get that sweet 5% discount or whatever.  

[PantsTent 2002]

Maybe you'll get some new input but this topic has been covered before.  I replied in one of these but Smith Thompson is the cheapest "traditional" company with monitoring.  My wife thinks monitoring does something so that's what we have.

 

 

[PantsTent 2002]

Lulz, just realized one of the other threads has the same OP.

 

[markstanco 12631]

49 minutes ago, PantsTent said:

Lulz, just realized one of the other threads has the same OP.

 

Well I disconnected Vivint last night so I am really in the market now. 

[CooterBrown 18034]

Never understood the point of monitoring , by the time someone breaks in, the company calls 4 times to see if it was a false alarm, snd cops show up the people would be gone.

Seems like the alarm siren would be enough of a deterrent to the average burglar .

This.

The cops show up 30 minutes later and won’t get out of the car.

The first day we had our alarm it went off. Cops called and said there was no sign of a break in. Oh yeah, here’s a $200 ticket for not paying the $40 annual alarm permit fee to APD we didn’t know about.

We get home and there was a 2 foot gap where a garage door had been crowbarred off the track. If a cop had actually walked up to the house it was plainly visible. The nails in the 1x4 holding the track to the front wall had screeched when pried out and set off the glass break alarm.

Only positive experience was that the garage door repair guy told us that was a common break in method. So I put in some lag bolts to lock down that board to the studs so it can’t be pried off.

[msbesq 387]

Smith Thompson is $20 per month and you get one month free if you pay for the other 11 months in advance. We’ve been pleased with their service.

[fattyflattie 4638]

Been very happy with full Ring system including monitoring.  Think it’s $10/mo.  Previously had smith Thompson for like $20/mo. It was fine, like ring better. 

[Brothahorn 10087]

Been very happy with full Ring system including monitoring.  Think it’s $10/mo.  Previously had smith Thompson for like $20/mo. It was fine, like ring better. 

+1 for Ring.

[hornbri 1418]

On 8/28/2021 at 9:57 AM, Brothahorn said:

+1 for Ring.

+2 

[luke duke 6414]

Smith Thompson is $20 per month and you get one month free if you pay for the other 11 months in advance. We’ve been pleased with their service.

Smith Thompson is the correct answer. There will be some upfront cost, but you will save a bunch of money in the long term.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13528]

The only benefit for monitoring is that your wife thinks someone is protecting her when you're not home. Nothing more. There are essentially zero stories of an alarm system saving someone. I'm sure 1 story exists  somewhere but it doesn't justify the billions in annual billing. When I called to cancel my monitoring, their only argument for me to stay was peace of mind. 

An alarm system and sign out-front might be worthwhile as a deterrence. 

[Incredulity 11683]

6 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

The only benefit for monitoring is that your wife thinks someone is protecting her when you're not home.

Happy wife...

[NeverMarryAStripper 21968]

If anyone ever breaks into my mom's house and kills her it will be because she has a monitored alarm system.  She insists on having one, but she can't hear the panel beeping when she comes in so she accidently sets it off at least five times a month.  She also insists on having a land line, but can't hear it ringing either so when the alarm company calls her after she sets off the alarm she doesn't answer.  Next the alarm company calls me.  The first 15 or 20 times I rushed over to her house to check on her.  Now when the alarm company calls me I just automatically tell them it was an accident and don't send the police.  She pays a monthly fee for the police to never come if her house is broken into.

[Spoosner 86]

On 8/27/2021 at 4:49 PM, fattyflattie said:

Been very happy with full Ring system including monitoring.  Think it’s $10/mo.  Previously had smith Thompson for like $20/mo. It was fine, like ring better. 

+3. I believe it's $100/year when you pay the lump sum.

[HiggyBaby 2548]

The only benefit for monitoring is that your wife thinks someone is protecting her when you're not home. Nothing more. There are essentially zero stories of an alarm system saving someone. I'm sure 1 story exists  somewhere but it doesn't justify the billions in annual billing. When I called to cancel my monitoring, their only argument for me to stay was peace of mind. 
An alarm system and sign out-front might be worthwhile as a deterrence. 

+1 for smith Thompson. +1 for wife “peace of mind”. +1 for insurance discount.

[crash_davis 23115]

Just buy an Arlo and have the cameras prominently displayed. If a thief sees the cameras and is breaking in anyway, aint no amount of remote monitoring going to stop him. You can even spend a little more to buy Samsung Smarthome system with the door/window sensors and have a siren. The whole Arlo and Samsung system can be integrated.  Have your internet router and Smarthome hub on back up battery so cutting power won't shut down the system.

Again it's all levels of protection which is mainly between the ears. 

I have the above system and it works the same as a monitored system. The difference is I'm not getting screwed in monthly fees. I just really only need the Arlo system. 

[Viper 12112]

I've heard rumors of Google/Nest partnering with ADT, but no idea when. They're old system was too expensive and didn't have glass break sensors (which you think would be easy to add with google home minis)

[Nueces River Rat 5552]

Best alarm system is an indoor dog and a Beware of Dog sign posted and visible even to dumbest perp.  ....   More than one dog is preferable.  

Edited September 9, 2021 by Nueces River Rat

[BearSchlong 8124]

Fuck it, I'm going with Ring, going to just use that monitoring money for a new pistol.  My dogs are the very best alarm but I will be on the road 2-3 nights per week and I promised my wife we'd secure the house.

Question - I'm finding that some smart locks interface with Ring, via Amazon's Key app.

I get that you need a code or biometric to open these locks from the outside, but what about the inside?  My concern is that someone could break the glass on my back patio door and simply turn the lock and then open the door.  What am I missing?  I'd rather have a smart lock without an additional deadbolt where both sides require keys.

 

[Quagmire 2147]

Stop paying for monitoring and get a gun, pussies

[C-Man 27285]

Monitoring is for insurance purposes more than anything. The HNW carriers basically require you to have centrally-monitored fire/burglar alarms or they won't even consider offering terms. You get a decent credit on your homeowner's policy in most cases -- it almost pays for the annual cost if you've got a good monthly rate. Middle market carriers don't seem to care as much and do not give as nice of a credit.

[Sam Lin 3564]

On 8/30/2021 at 10:41 AM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

The only benefit for monitoring is that your wife thinks someone is protecting her when you're not home. Nothing more. There are essentially zero stories of an alarm system saving someone. I'm sure 1 story exists  somewhere but it doesn't justify the billions in annual billing. When I called to cancel my monitoring, their only argument for me to stay was peace of mind. 

An alarm system and sign out-front might be worthwhile as a deterrence. 

I remember reading about a case in the news years ago where an employee of the alarm company partnered with a crime ring, he would notify the crime ring about any house that canceled their monitoring, and the houses would get robbed shortly after in a stunning coincidence. Happened to quite a few houses before they got caught.

[Fudge Nuggets 19228]

12 hours ago, Quagmire said:

Stop paying for monitoring and get a gun, pussies

Move out of the ghetto, poors.

[royiv 9387]

14 hours ago, Quagmire said:

Stop paying for monitoring and get a gun, pussies

What does the gun do when you're not home?

[Nice Guy Eddie 13528]

1 hour ago, royiv said:

What does the gun do when you're not home?

What does alarm monitoring do when your not home?  The police/security guards will call you to let you know that you were robbed before they could get there.

[royiv 9387]

2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

What does alarm monitoring do when your not home?  The police/security guards will call you to let you know that you were robbed before they could get there.

If you're not home and you're home is broke into it's not robbery. That would be burglary. But other than that, a monitored alarm is more of a deterrent than a gun is in that particular situation.

[Quagmire 2147]

What does the gun do when you're not home?

U tie a string to the trigger and then to the door handle , duh

[Nice Guy Eddie 13528]

24 minutes ago, royiv said:

If you're not home and you're home is broke into it's not robbery. That would be burglary. But other than that, a monitored alarm is more of a deterrent than a gun is in that particular situation.

Come on cliff clavin. You come home and when you discover that your possessions are gone, you’re going to tell people you were burglared? You like everyone is going to say you were robbed.

[royiv 9387]

1 minute ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Come on cliff clavin. You come home and when you discover that your possessions are gone, you’re going to tell people you were burglared? You like everyone is going to say you were robbed.

Having been in that situation before, I would say my house was broken into. I wouldn't say I was robbed, because I wasn't. Words have meaning. I prefer to use correct vocabulary.

[Your Mom 4855]

Monitored alarms have caused more hassle than benefits to me.   

[BearSchlong 8124]

Me: “I think I’m going with an unmonitored alarm”

Wife: “then who is going to come save me if I’m getting raped?”

Me: “I’m hoping the loud alarm kills the rapist’s boner.”

[TexasEd 8077]

43 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

Monitored alarms have caused more hassle than benefits to me.   

Same.  Why have a service monitor it? I would rather get a priority alert on my phone, turn on the camera to see what happened and then decide to call the cops myself.  Does not matter if I'm home or on the road except to be alerted by the app or by the siren going off.  Off chance I'm on a flight and can't check the app? Well I guess the perps can deal with the alarms while they look for shit.

I looked into the Ring with the system that ties into the whole house sensors but having to set up monitoring made me stop.  As far as I'm concerned you want two things, deter people, and collect evidence if they ignore the deterrents.

• Put up signs and visible cameras as the first line deterrent.
• The alarms are the 2nd line deterrent not the monitoring.
• The cameras catch the evidence because they will be gone by the time the police respond.

What are the best options for self monitored systems? 

Edited June 24, 2022 by TexasEd

[Seasick Sailor 3747]

On 9/9/2021 at 10:19 AM, Nueces River Rat said:

Best alarm system is an indoor dog and a Beware of Dog sign posted and visible even to dumbest perp.  ....   More than one dog is preferable.  

Until some skittish cop shows up and shoots your dog because he or she thinks its aggressive. 

[CooterBrown 18034]

Monitored alarms have caused more hassle than benefits to me.   

This.

First, they attempt to call you before calling the police. So, that’s several minutes wasted. Then they call the cops. If you’re lucky, a cop slow rolls by in 15 minutes. They won’t get out of the car unless they see something suspicious. If they see nothing, they’ll write you a ticket for a false alarm if you haven’t paid for a city alarm permit.

The best alarms are ones that send notifications to your phone so you can check your cameras. There’s zero need for monitoring.

[Vegas64 678]

On 6/24/2022 at 12:55 PM, Your Mom said:

Monitored alarms have caused more hassle than benefits to me.   

This. But my wife feels better with the $50/month spent, so be it.

[TexasEd 8077]

On 6/28/2022 at 9:28 AM, CooterBrown said:

This.

First, they attempt to call you before calling the police. So, that’s several minutes wasted. Then they call the cops. If you’re lucky, a cop slow rolls by in 15 minutes. They won’t get out of the car unless they see something suspicious. If they see nothing, they’ll write you a ticket for a false alarm if you haven’t paid for a city alarm permit.

The best alarms are ones that send notifications to your phone so you can check your cameras. There’s zero need for monitoring.

Yeah, we need to list these options because like printer manufacturers the prevalent model is to discount the hardware and overcharge for the consumables (monitoring or ink).

I would do the Ring whole house system but I think they require their cloud storage and monitoring.  Right now I have two cameras that ping me when I have someone activate the motion detector but nothing on my doors and windows.  That is the place I want to self monitor but have not found a solution.