Been getting hosed for a while by my current company. Anyone using services like Simply Safe and the newer Ring systems? Current company of $25 years was supposed to have a lifetime $25 monitoring through USAA but I recently found they have been charging me $45 a month for monitoring as well as charging for service calls. I am done with them.
Home alarm systems
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I paid for hardware and installed my own system a few years back. Same system new ADT/Vivint use with touch screen and I am paying alarm.com vender $19 mo(no in between monitor company). Its a solid system but pricey in today's market and options. Added the ring doorbell + cameras and pay $100 year to have stored cloud recordings. I really like the ring product.....very well made and great support. Like the two-way voice interface where I can answer the door bell or tease my dogs from anywhere. Can check you vid logs and see when amazon dropped your package or when someone got home. I see if you get the ring security the cost is $100 year incl all the security cam features/vid storage.
My neighbor has a Simplisafe install and it is very easy install and set up. Cameras are good but his lack the two way com I enjoy. He really does not care and wanted a standard alarm with few options. Other than that he has similar controls and settings to his alarm system that I do. I believe he pays $25 mo. for full monitor and smart phone connect/control.
If I did it over again at my place I would go with Ring for security and cameras just because I like the two way voice cameras and door bell vid answer. You can see most people react to the video cam at your door bell...they have no idea where you are. If your not a fan of Amazon's owner you won't want Ring as they were purchased by them in March. On positive note Amazon will surely integrate Alexa and its family of smart tech products as one over time. Neither Ring or Simplisafe have contracts so prices are not guaranteed/locked over the long haul.
My .02 and I am sure others will have more input for you.
My neighbor has a Simplisafe install and it is very easy install and set up. Cameras are good but his lack the two way com I enjoy. He really does not care and wanted a standard alarm with few options. Other than that he has similar controls and settings to his alarm system that I do. I believe he pays $25 mo. for full monitor and smart phone connect/control.
If I did it over again at my place I would go with Ring for security and cameras just because I like the two way voice cameras and door bell vid answer. You can see most people react to the video cam at your door bell...they have no idea where you are. If your not a fan of Amazon's owner you won't want Ring as they were purchased by them in March. On positive note Amazon will surely integrate Alexa and its family of smart tech products as one over time. Neither Ring or Simplisafe have contracts so prices are not guaranteed/locked over the long haul.
My .02 and I am sure others will have more input for you.
I use WiFi cameras inside my house. They're set up for motion detection and will even pick up something as small as a cat in the house.
From the time they detect motion to when I get a notification on my smart phone is always between 3~5 seconds. I can then look at the app and see who's in the house and call the cops or a neighbor to go check on things if I want. I can be thousands of miles away and it still works fine.
It's good enough for me and doesn't cost anything in monthly fees.
From the time they detect motion to when I get a notification on my smart phone is always between 3~5 seconds. I can then look at the app and see who's in the house and call the cops or a neighbor to go check on things if I want. I can be thousands of miles away and it still works fine.
It's good enough for me and doesn't cost anything in monthly fees.
Tenring
Member
Subscribed.....currently looking a the ring system for my new place but not set yet.
Ring is the one I wanted BUT the lack of a internet connection at my home starting next week they say it will not work right. I like the ring doorbell, a neighbor has one, one day when sitting in her house it picked up someone who pulled into my driveway, they didn't stay long when I confronted them.Tenring said:
Video is also coming for me just cant decide on exactly what yet. I want to figure out a way to get 2 cameras as plate readers day and night so when someone is doing weird crap I have their plate on video.
Desert Rat
Member
A friend has the ring doorbell and camera at his house and shop. works good. I am not sure what alarm system they have but it alerts them when someone is outside, or drives by.
Very interested in hearing more on Simplisafe system. They had a pretty good deal over the July 4th Holiday but didn’t do it. I think they charge $14 a month. If it doesn’t need wifi that’s another plus, already have enough gadgets on it now.
It has the cell link inside the unit, no phone or internet needed. Today was nice, I got to tell Cox to go to hell and cancel their asses, new customers get much better plans than the customers of 25 years like myself. Simplisafe will be here in a couple days and I should have it up and running in about 3 hours.
brandyspaw
Member
Good info. I've been looking for a new system lately as well.
I had a security system for my old house that I purchased from a local company with those 3 year contracts. When I could finally get rid of them I found a cheaper month to month alternative but that company kept raising their prices for monitoring. What started out as a good deal became expensive pretty quickly. It seems that many of these companies are running on an antiquated business model and not realizing that with the newer systems and smart phones consumers can install and monitor their own systems pretty inexpensively.
I had a security system for my old house that I purchased from a local company with those 3 year contracts. When I could finally get rid of them I found a cheaper month to month alternative but that company kept raising their prices for monitoring. What started out as a good deal became expensive pretty quickly. It seems that many of these companies are running on an antiquated business model and not realizing that with the newer systems and smart phones consumers can install and monitor their own systems pretty inexpensively.
I got the original ADT deal through USAA. Somehow it creeped from a guaranteed rate of $19.95 a month 25 years ago to $45 a month today. I will say I was impressed with their attempt to keep me as a client today. I did pay a few service calls over the years which she said I should not have paid and on one service call they charged me for batteries which have been included for the entire term. She told me today they were going to ship me a box of CR123 batteries to make it right as I have replaced at least 50 batteries over the years, usually at 3am when they run a system test. I got offered their new system with wireless connection to monitoring with up to 5 cameras for the same price with no contract, I was shocked.
Got it today. Installed it this evening. It was very simple to install. Took about 2 hours to turn on base station, turn on keypad, install glass break sensor, install 2 motion detectors and 9 entry sensors. Sensor has a light that lights up when within range of magnet and when out of range. Also tested every sensor and it sets off alarm within a second of door or window opening. Same for motion detectors. Now to turn on monitoring.
Only complaint is the double sided sticky tape they use, it is not very sticky so I will buy a roll of better tape tomorrow and reset sensors.
Only complaint is the double sided sticky tape they use, it is not very sticky so I will buy a roll of better tape tomorrow and reset sensors.
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