Home Security System

Tororider · Mar 1, 2012

Yeah, costco has a deal right now on their 8 channel dvr, that comes with 4 cameras. I was thinking this would be the best of both worlds for me, start with the four and add a couple if needed. I was thinking ad one to the nursery so we can keep eyes on the baby.

With regards to an alarm system, I will check tomorrow with the insurance company about what the discount is and maybe have a brinks put one if if the monthly wouldn't be too bad. I do like the idea of installing one myself though and if anyone has a good recommendation for a wireless(I don't want to have to snake a bunch of wires) system I might just put in my own.

DennisArrow · Mar 1, 2012

If you have to sign a contract or pay more than $20 per month for monitoring, you are getting ripped off............Be careful of the folks who install systems that charge an arm and a leg each month for monitoring. NO CONTRACTS.........God bless......Dennis

Fixemall · Mar 2, 2012

I don't even have to leave my office to confront intruders/trespassers, my system has two way audio...scares the heck out of em, and this week I should have the new servos for my remote control pole mounted paint gun system in, can't wait to test drive that sucker, might even rig it up as a dual system and have the capability to fire two at the same time.

IslandTractor · Mar 2, 2012

Fixemall said:
I don't even have to leave my office to confront intruders/trespassers, my system has two way audio...scares the heck out of em, and this week I should have the new servos for my remote control pole mounted paint gun system in, can't wait to test drive that sucker, might even rig it up as a dual system and have the capability to fire two at the same time.

If anyone shot at me for showing up on a video image I'd take them to court. Make sure your lawyer agrees with your video game vigilante strategy before you try it out.

newbury · Mar 2, 2012

To the OP -
You can never have to many cameras. One first step would be to install a few fake cameras as deterrents while you decide on your multi hundred dollar system.

I prefer the BBD security system, Big Black Dog.

Tororider · Mar 2, 2012

newbury said:
To the OP -

I prefer the BBD security system, Big Black Dog.

I currently have what I would call a MBD, medium black dog. He is everyone's best friend and I know burglars won't know that, but he is still a pup and sleeping in his crate at night so he won't chew on stuff he isn't supposed to chew on. Hoping soon he grows out of it. In the meantime, cameras will be going up soon.

bonefish101 · Mar 2, 2012

Hi all, I have a Protect America home system with about 30 or so windows and doors on it, garage doors, smoke detectors, wireless, Internet remote as well as keychain remotes, this system works great, cost me less than 1200 for all the extra coverage hardware (3800sq house) and my monitoring fee is less than 50 a month. Oh, btw, my home insurance went down about 35 bucks a month after I got it installed. The system works great and I couldn't be happier with it. The only let down is the slow response time of the local pd and county sheriff (don't ask....).

radioman · Mar 2, 2012

IslandTractor said:
If anyone shot at me for showing up on a video image I'd take them to court. Make sure your lawyer agrees with your video game vigilante strategy before you try it out.

WAIT! how you you know you were being recorded? For all you know they noticed you were on someone else's property.......

s219 · Mar 2, 2012

We had a Brinks/Broadview system installed after an attempted break-in one morning at 5am while we were home (luckily these guys were like the three stooges, and not very bright, so they didn't get far). Monitoring cost is $32 a month, which is more than covered by the reduction in homeowners insurance cost. It's worth it just to give my wife peace of mind when I am out of town.

We had our house pre-wired when it was built 11 years ago at a cost of about $300. So when Brinks showed up, they just had to put switches on the windows/doors and hookup the central system to the wiring. We saved some money on the installation costs because of that, and don't have to depend on any wireless sensors or motion detectors (which would be an issue with pets anyhow).

I also have a Panasonic network camera mounted in a front window, which can be monitored and controlled from anywhere on the internet. We can log in through a web browser on any computer or phone to see and steer the camera view. The live image updates every second. It also records up to 1000 images whenever motion is detected, including a buffer of 20 seconds before and after the motion starts and ends.

zzvyb6 · Mar 2, 2012

The fake cameras are actully easy to spot as fakes. Once you have experience with them (which home owners AND trouble makers will have), the real cameras have a subtle red circular glow ring around the lense from the IR beacon. At night they are really visible to the experience eye. Funny how you can then go to other's properties and detect running and non-running cameras. The glow also indicates that the camera is powered up. Sometimes things happen that can or would take the cameras off-line, so you can tell their status. For example, If I have only a 4 camera DVR but have 10 cameras installed, then I have to choose which 4 are online. Sometimes corrosion cuts power to a camera and it goes dead.

Interesting idea, but not effective enough for me. They might fool a kid but not a 'pro'. For $299 (free shipping). I got a system that convinced me this was a useful tool.

BTW: The driveway alerts are Miltronics brand. 9v batteries in the sensor boxes last for months. They have a website with more details.