Home Alarms: ADT or Brinks?

[Cameramonkey]

Needless to say, I don't really feel like giving them my money anymore. I have done a little research on the Honeywell Lynx system with the same wireless sensors that Circle City Alarm was going to use. It looks like I can buy everything they were going to sell me for about 50% less from Amazon.com and then do the installation myself (pull 1 circuit for power, mount several wireless sensors). I'm thinking about going this route because I'm pretty familiar with this type of work (I deal with PLC's and remote cell communications for industrial water treatment systems) so I think I could pull it off. My only concern is programming the Honeywell unit and finding a monitoring company. Anybody got experience with either?

The Honeywell Lynx would be outfitted with the integral cell phone modem (gsmvlp) so I don't have to depend on a land line. Thoughts? Any suggestions on a monitoring company?

Good luck with that. Many companies wont take you unless the system was installed by certified installers. And if they DO accept you, be aware that if its not installed right and goes into false alarm, you are on the hook for fines from the police. In Marion county I think you are allowed 1, maybe 2 false alarms per year. the rest I think is subject to a fine of at least $100 per FA. Some municipalities also do incremental fines... so each one gets more and more expensive.

Oh, and programming is not really very intuitive. In fact I need to talk to my guys on how to add alarm codes to the system. I have the manual in my hand and cant get it to take.

Take a look at Koorsen. They are locally owned and wont show up between golf outings. LOL,

 

[bbarker]

Make sure to get a Lynx 5100 and make sure the radio is a 4G capable one.....the gsmvlp is not. The 5100 panel can also monitor via wifi as well and can offer zwave control options. Just know that if you go the wifi route that you realize it's limitations. If your phone line is cut, so goes your Internet connection in most cases. Also, in a power outage, if your router loses power, so goes your wifi. The 5100 is also going to be much easier to program than the basic Lynx.

Dont forget about things like smoke, flood and carbon monoxide detectors. They can add to the discount you can get from your insurance company. That would be monitoring from a central station and not self monitoring. I have also had people add a wireless door contact to a safe or vault door and have it programmed to email or text when it opens.....wifi or cellular monitoring would be required for that.

I met with Circle City Alarm on Friday afternoon. They took the time to go over my house and we laid out a plan. Only after I sat with the guy at my kitchen table for an hour did I notice his shoes (golf cleats or something) scratched the heck out of my brand new hardwood flooring!!!! I took a photo and emailed it to the guy, but now he's not returning my emails anymore...

Needless to say, I don't really feel like giving them my money anymore. I have done a little research on the Honeywell Lynx system with the same wireless sensors that Circle City Alarm was going to use. It looks like I can buy everything they were going to sell me for about 50% less from Amazon.com and then do the installation myself (pull 1 circuit for power, mount several wireless sensors). I'm thinking about going this route because I'm pretty familiar with this type of work (I deal with PLC's and remote cell communications for industrial water treatment systems) so I think I could pull it off. My only concern is programming the Honeywell unit and finding a monitoring company. Anybody got experience with either?

The Honeywell Lynx would be outfitted with the integral cell phone modem (gsmvlp) so I don't have to depend on a land line. Thoughts? Any suggestions on a monitoring company?

 

[Tactical Dave]

Good luck with that. Many companies wont take you unless the system was installed by certified installers. And if they DO accept you, be aware that if its not installed right and goes into false alarm, you are on the hook for fines from the police. In Marion county I think you are allowed 1, maybe 2 false alarms per year. the rest I think is subject to a fine of at least $100 per FA. Some municipalities also do incremental fines... so each one gets more and more expensive.

Oh, and programming is not really very intuitive. In fact I need to talk to my guys on how to add alarm codes to the system. I have the manual in my hand and cant get it to take.

Take a look at Koorsen. They are locally owned and wont show up between golf outings. LOL,

Thats my opinion.... I have been on many service calls that ended up costing the person $$$ because it was their equipment that failed or they did it themselves and it did not work. If something goes wrong then you are trying to figure out if it is your equipment or theirs ect ect....... Not worth the headaches.... I have had people tell me "I did not think it was rocket science"....... As I handed them the bill. Now if you don't plan to have in monitored by a company then have at it but the installers be it any service from a/c to alarms know why works and what doesn't and were it works and were it does not work.....

 

[Cameramonkey]

I did mine myself. Even though I had one of the techs from work come over and program it, I still had to pay another tech later to fully inspect and test it before they would allow me to sign a monitoring agreement.


in the end I didn't save much money DIY.

 

[chizzle]

I'm thinking about buying my equipment from these guys and then using them for my monitoring:

https://www.alarmgrid.com/products/honeywell-lynxzgsmkt

[video=youtube_share;GVG-CiauGJk]http://youtu.be/GVG-CiauGJk[/video]

I like the idea of knowing my system backwards and forwards, and being able to customize it with readily available parts. Thoughts?

 

[dnurk]

Just purchased and installed one of these within the past two weeks.

Wireless Home Security Systems & Wireless Home Alarm Systems

The Simon XTI controller, 12 wireless door/window sensors, two motion detectors. It is upgradable should I wish to put a sensor on my gun safe, add in smoke or water alarms, etc.

we have no landline and it communicates via cell signal only. It also has the ability for us to talk directly through the XTI to the panel.
Pinstalled it in less than 30 minutes as everything came preprogrammed based on the info you fill out when you order it. They have awesome customer service as well.

i researched for a month before buying and all in all I could not be more pleased.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I personally am not a fan of monitored alarm systems that are not with a major well known company.... No that anything is wrong with them but from what I have seen companies that send you the stuff to put in and then they provide you the service tend to have a hands off approach to helping if something goes bad. Some don't even really have a tech support department.


For ADT for example if you get a fault and can't figure it out they can sent a tech out to look at it... May cost you a bit but you k one it will get fixed not to mention you know it was put in right. For a do it yourself gig you are sent the parts and told to have a nice day past that point really. I'm not going to go into detail because it would probably reveal who I work for but probably 70% of the time or more the so it yourself kits in my company end up costing the customer more time and or money in the long run and sometimes very quickly then the time and money involved in having a tech do it all.

 

[Cameramonkey]

^^^^^THIS!^^^^^

ESPECIALLY when getting it wrong can get the LEO's brass/admins on your back with fines for repeat false alarms.

Also choose a local company that has an established track record. Ask for referrals. If they cant give you a referral, they can move on in my book. As I recall, like Comcast, many national brands use contractors to do the install. God only knows who they will send.

Also ask point blank: "When my contract is up, can I choose a different monitoring company?" If they say no, move on. If they say yes find out the model of the equipment they will be installing and then call around and ask "if I have a Honeywell xl1400 panel from X company, can you take over the monitoring?"

Oh, and Honeywell/First Alert is the most universally supported brand out there. Odds are if its that brand, it WILL be transferrable. If they have rebranded it and cant tell you what the underlying manufacturer is, move on.

 

[chizzle]

Just purchased and installed one of these within the past two weeks.

Wireless Home Security Systems & Wireless Home Alarm Systems

The Simon XTI controller, 12 wireless door/window sensors, two motion detectors. It is upgradable should I wish to put a sensor on my gun safe, add in smoke or water alarms, etc.

we have no landline and it communicates via cell signal only. It also has the ability for us to talk directly through the XTI to the panel.
Pinstalled it in less than 30 minutes as everything came preprogrammed based on the info you fill out when you order it. They have awesome customer service as well.

i researched for a month before buying and all in all I could not be more pleased.

I was looking at these guys, but for some reason they discontinued the Honeywell model that I want to use.

 

[Tactical Dave]

You can request that the company send a tech that is an employee of that company and not a contractor.... If they say they can't then move on..... I have seen bad hack jobs by both directs and co tractors but have seen worse and worse additives by the contractors it seems.

I know of a Comcast co tractor that introduces himself as "sham wow" if that says anything.... The homeowner said that at that point he knew he should have shut the door but did not.....

I saw a job rescently by multi band and let's just say that after two days two supervisors had to go out to completely re install it.

 

[Davis0023]

I had ADT but they were high pressure sales. I ended up winning overall. But it was BS the negotiation that had to be done.

 

[Brandon]

adt and no complaints

 

[Hoosierman]

I've got ADT, and like it. FYI, get the fire monitoring. Yeah it's 5 bucks extra per month, but I saved 25 per month on my homeowners insurance. Basically paid for the alarm system. The wife burned some pancakes last year, we didn't hear the phone call from ADT, and the fire trucks were here at the house inside of 5 minutes.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I've got ADT, and like it. FYI, get the fire monitoring. Yeah it's 5 bucks extra per month, but I saved 25 per month on my homeowners insurance. Basically paid for the alarm system. The wife burned some pancakes last year, we didn't hear the phone call from ADT, and the fire trucks were here at the house inside of 5 minutes.

What he said, pays to ask insurance agent about discounts because the alarm may end up being free or near free.

 

[Valvestate]

Stay away from ADT. I signed a 2 year contract and when the 2 years was up, ended my service. They sent a Collection Agency after me that I had a 3 year contract. Sent them my copy and still fighting after a year.

My buddy is having to deal with the same crap with Guardian

 

[Damean-m44]

thats why i got my rott. and my nagant for.

 

[Brandon]

thats why i got my rott. and my nagant for.

Hope you have more you are not telling. I would not rely on those alone nor do they help save on insurance.

 

[Davis0023]

I found a new alarm service while researching for a new one myself. Simplisafe
check it out. It looks good. I'm getting one to replace my current one.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I use mytech. They are based in Plainfield. Every time the alarm accidently went of the call center called with in 15 sec. They will put in whatever you want and there is no contract. $24 a month for cell and protection service.