[three1oh]

hey,

this board has been great in helping me settle in on my recent move to vegas. my new home has an alarm built in, it looks kind of old, but it should still work fine. Need to get a monthly monitor company and i guess have someone come out to make sure the alarm is ok and that zones are set up where i want them to be.

Anyone have some recommendations for a good and honest company with affordable monthly rates?

thanks again!

[dynimagelv]

DAWG inc......best alarm around

[crazy_bd]

The confederate flag hung on your garage door... throw in some Don't tread on me flags around the house too.

Seriously though - I am going to get Simplisafe myself. It's a DIY system, meaning you add and set up the sensors yourself but it is all wireless and doesn't require pulling cables. Their monthly service seems reasonable too, $15-20, and it's a cellular service so it doesn't rely on your phone lines. Also, if the alarm goes off, they will dispatch the police and not some company patrol car. Instead of getting a "free" or a $99 installation, you buy the equipment and you should be able to cover a house for well under $1000.

If anyone has used or is using simplisafe, I'd love to hear your comments. I can't find anything but great reviews online.

[gvc8]

Originally Posted by crazy_bd

Also, if the alarm goes off, they will dispatch the police and not some company patrol car. Instead of getting a "free" or a $99 installation, you buy the equipment and you should be able to cover a house for well under $1000.
.

I believe Las Vegas police will not respond to an alarm unless hearing directly from the homeowner.

[crazy_bd]

Originally Posted by gvc8

I believe Las Vegas police will not respond to an alarm unless hearing directly from the homeowner.

Where did you get this info from? Any reference perhaps?

On the other hand, the unarmed ADT guy isn't going to risk his life for your property either...? So when he calls the cops for you, it still would be the same result?

[Croce]

Check out:

Professional Security & Alarm System Monitoring only $8.95 month

You'll save money and won't get locked into a possibly inferior system for a long term contract.

Good Luck,
Croce

[dynimagelv]

Originally Posted by crazy_bd

Where did you get this info from? Any reference perhaps?

On the other hand, the unarmed ADT guy isn't going to risk his life for your property either...? So when he calls the cops for you, it still would be the same result?

I remember this also from a few years back....I dont have a reference just a shaky memory cause I dont have an alarm co...just two dawgs the thing tyere tough and a lotta nsey neighbors

[Danknee]

Something to be aware of with the big boys (ADT, Brinks, etc) is that they will make you sign a 2-3 year contract that clearly states (if the fine print counts as clearly) the only way to get out of the contract is to pay it out in full. If you are unhappy with your alarm system you can either live with it until your contract expires, or pay them the full cost of 3 years of service and go with someone else. Also they rely on a 3rd party installer to install and program your equipment, so they can't guarantee much because they aren't directly in control of the installer. Check the BBB for tons of complaints that verify this.

I agree with the other guys that you should go with a no contract option. Some of the above mentioned ones are probably good. Another one, My Virtual Monitoring - Broadband Alarm Transmitter for VoIP Compatible Internet Alarm Monitoring Service is pretty sweet. With these guys, if you have an existing Ademco motherboard you can install their broadband alarm transmitter that can be controlled remotely through your Iphone/Android phone (or laptop). If you don't have an Ademco MB you can buy one along with the broadband alarm transmitter for $90 (just the MB) or $180 with keypads and everything else you would need (plus $90 for the BAT). Once you are setup there is no contract, it is $8 for self-monitoring or $15 for central monitoring AND self-monitoring (per month for both those figures).

The self monitoring is essentially receiving a text message, email and automated phone call the second your alarm goes off. These type of systems give you the option to also send your signal through the phone line and/or cellular if you want to add that. An added bonus is that they give you the Compass software to program your alarm how you want. This includes naming the points (shows up in your email/text and on alphanumeric panels), and you can add extra features like wireless zones/sensors, water sensors, fire alarms, etc. Obviously anything you add requires extra equipment (wireless transmitter) or wiring the fire alarm loop into the panel, etc.

If your house is already wired with a panel, the alarm can be switched over to a different motherboard fairly easily.

One bad thing that I want to say about central monitoring is A) By the time the police show up you are either dead already or robbed already (get guns and learn how to use each of them comfortably). B) I have personal experience with a local business that does +$60 million annually (with significant assets to steal) that has an active (human) monitored alarm system and when that system was triggered, on two different occasions, a human call to dispatch police to investigate resulted in NO police ever coming (Summerlin area). This was in a building that was closed for business, but had personnel inside meaning that it would have been a robbery situation if it had not been a false alarm. This leads me to believe they will never or rarely investigate residential alarm calls either.

[airics]

i'm with dyn... except that i went with 3barkers inc.

[von949]

Originally Posted by Danknee

Something to be aware of with the big boys (ADT, Brinks, etc) is that they will make you sign a 2-3 year contract that clearly states (if the fine print counts as clearly) the only way to get out of the contract is to pay it out in full. If you are unhappy with your alarm system you can either live with it until your contract expires, or pay them the full cost of 3 years of service and go with someone else. Also they rely on a 3rd party installer to install and program your equipment, so they can't guarantee much because they aren't directly in control of the installer. Check the BBB for tons of complaints that verify this.

I agree with the other guys that you should go with a no contract option. Some of the above mentioned ones are probably good. Another one, My Virtual Monitoring - Broadband Alarm Transmitter for VoIP Compatible Internet Alarm Monitoring Service is pretty sweet. With these guys, if you have an existing Ademco motherboard you can install their broadband alarm transmitter that can be controlled remotely through your Iphone/Android phone (or laptop). If you don't have an Ademco MB you can buy one along with the broadband alarm transmitter for $90 (just the MB) or $180 with keypads and everything else you would need (plus $90 for the BAT). Once you are setup there is no contract, it is $8 for self-monitoring or $15 for central monitoring AND self-monitoring (per month for both those figures).

The self monitoring is essentially receiving a text message, email and automated phone call the second your alarm goes off. These type of systems give you the option to also send your signal through the phone line and/or cellular if you want to add that. An added bonus is that they give you the Compass software to program your alarm how you want. This includes naming the points (shows up in your email/text and on alphanumeric panels), and you can add extra features like wireless zones/sensors, water sensors, fire alarms, etc. Obviously anything you add requires extra equipment (wireless transmitter) or wiring the fire alarm loop into the panel, etc.

If your house is already wired with a panel, the alarm can be switched over to a different motherboard fairly easily.

One bad thing that I want to say about central monitoring is A) By the time the police show up you are either dead already or robbed already (get guns and learn how to use each of them comfortably). B) I have personal experience with a local business that does +$60 million annually (with significant assets to steal) that has an active (human) monitored alarm system and when that system was triggered, on two different occasions, a human call to dispatch police to investigate resulted in NO police ever coming (Summerlin area). This was in a building that was closed for business, but had personnel inside meaning that it would have been a robbery situation if it had not been a false alarm. This leads me to believe they will never or rarely investigate residential alarm calls either.

That virtual monitoring system sounds pretty good. I need to look into it.

Most of those features you can get with ADT service also(which I have) but you just have to pay a lot extra. Anytime my alarm goes off I get an automated phone call and a text message on my phone. If they dont get the correct reply in the designated time then my ADT service sends out a local armed gaurd(not metro). I dont get charged for false alarms either. I do have a 3 year contract but I can get out of it if I got official military orders anywhere so Im not too worried about that.

My home alarm system is not my primary home defense. Its just a piece of mind for my wife.

Guns, Dogs, lighting and home activity included with an alarm system is best for all around protection and deterent.