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Ask Slashdot: State of the Art In DIY Security Systems?
An anonymous reader writes "For geeks that want to secure their home, it seems that the choice of Do It Yourself solutions are limited. And in case you prefer to use a company, most of them require to subscribe to a contract for 3 years that costs at least $20 a month. In case you want to make a DIY security system without a monthly fee, few options are available. Some products (such as ismartalarm, Lowe's Iris system or also the fortress security) let you install your own system but seem not to be very mature (for some the alarm is not loud, for others they do not use the internet and only a land line, etc.). Is there any recommendation for a basic DIY home security system for monitoring the house and just have notification by e-mail or through a mobile application? Is there any open standard for home automation and security devices? Any suggestion about how to build something simple, affordable and efficient?" How to top the big-name subscription-based security companies is a recurring question, but one worth exploring every once in a while, as sensors and software both advance, and especially as more and more people are carrying around phones well-suited as remote monitors for in-house cameras. (And here's a preemptive link to ZoneMinder.)
TSIA
If I told you, I'd have to thrill you.
DIY security systems are nice, but your insurance policy will dictate what you must have. Once you pass a certain threshold of personal property, they'll require you have a monitored system with specifics. What equipment and who you pick comes down to whether or not you want to fight the insurance company when you file a claim.
This means most of us sign with the 3 letter well known company since we know it'll be rubber stamped.
Posting as AC since my one flaimebait post from 5 years ago would bury this post. It'd be nice to have decaying karma.
In the US having a DIY alarm can be a liability. You still have to pay for permit, and subscribe to a monitor. You can cut the monitoring if you don't want it to alert the police, but then what is the point? Buzzers don't stop murders and they only alert thieves that they have a time limit now.
Z-Wave, the wireless mesh protocol behind most of these systems, is an open protocol. That means you can build yourself an a la carte system. Not just for security, either, but total home automation. You can even buy Z-Wave USB dongles that work with Linux. Of course you'll need software as well. Or you can pick up an embedded device such as Vera Lite. If you're okay with a small monthly fee, Nexia (formerly Schlage LiNK) is Z-Wave based.
Have you looked into X10?
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
I used their system for a while. It worked adequately enough although if there was a break in, I'm not sure what I would have actually done...
Evolution: love it or leave it
It's called a Rottweiler.
Google "blue iris security software". I think it's $50 for the full version. It supports a wide variety of security cameras, including those pan and tilt wifi models.
I paired Blue Iris with a 4 channel capture card (about $100) and four Bulldog wired cameras (about $28 apiece) and a few minutes work with dyndns and the built-in web server, and I can monitor my house from anywhere I have network access, and any movement will send snapshots to my phone and record an AVI that gets sent to a secure server. The software supports configurable "dead zones", so if you have a tree that trips the motion detector in the wind you can block it out.
To my knowledge, this is the absolute cheapest you can go and have a usable configuration.
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
Buy a dog, a big dog that goes WOOF.
It's not as reliable as it could be yet, but I've set up a couple of these now and they worked for my jobs well enough. (Assuming version 2, original release sucked if you had more than one or two cameras.)
Is it a complete solution? Not yet. I've been working with some of the mFi stuff and it's okay too.
For an on the cheap system, I'm pleased enough. I'd *really* like to see the two product lines integrate with each other better though.
http://www.ubnt.com/mfi
http://www.ubnt.com/airvision
Our site uses Zoneminder together with Axis M1054 cameras. However, although these IP cameras can produce 1280x800 dpi images at 30 fps, we run them at only 1 fps because of the high load that this would otherwise put on the local server's CPU. So I suppose the program could be further optimized, but otherwise we are quite happy with it.
Buy a cheap vista (15p, 20p, etc) alarm and some sensors off of ebay or home security store and an AD2USB from alarmdecoder.com - you can self monitor or integrate into existing home automation. Roughly $200'ish initial investment, but 0 thereafter.
The 2GIG systems can be installed yourself, but you have to prepared to research. They are big enough that third party monitoring companies support them, but they are really designed for installer use, so a DIY installation requires a bit of know-how. I replaced my ADT system when they bought Brinks, and I really didn't save a lot of money, but I got a degree of control, and avoided the monopoly. Pleased.
not many vendors tho
Yes roc, depending on your country and laws, thats the neat way set up :) :) :)
Great software on fast a i5 or i7 cpu with 24/7 server quality HDs and a way to get the data when alerted to another external system.
No use having the person walk out with the only recording
Another tip would be to read up on any HD cameras - some have more unique password and port settings for their HD stream, others just work
Read up on test sites about night use, not all are great at night for the price.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
Couple of plasma mines hidden under pots and pans; a few rigged shotguns, and an electrified door controlled via a very hard terminal.
Should keep you secure from anything but an asshat with a pip-boy on their arm.
I work for a company that installs alarm systems. Dont want the insane mothly monitoring with a contract? Dont let them install "free" systems. You are paying many times over for the life of the contract for that "free" system.
Pay for the T&M up front, and many local companies will do the monitoring for as little as $10/month. (ADT and other national companies wont, but odds are you have a locally owned company that will.)
And beware DIY systems; If you dont do it RIGHT, you can end up paying more due to false alarm fees. Many municipalities charge per alarm after so many alerts. So if you dont know what you are doing and end up sending in multiple false alarm calls the the police, you could end up paying hundreds per incident in penalties.
You are looking for either the HAI Omnipro II or the ELK M1 gold. Check out http://cocoontech.com/forums/ for all the information you will ever need.
Motion - I have a number of cams, some are common usb webcams, 1 is a real IR IP security cam, the IP cams would be the best but cost a bit more, but also can be put outside, and have significant night vision.
Motion is configured to save any images with changes above a certain threshhold, and can also be setup to copy those images to someplace else (a HD hidden someplace, or in a big heavy gunsafe--some have usb passthroughs, or via internet/email to elsewhere).
I have been using this for years, and at the very least unless someone burns down everything (and deletes the remote copies) then there will be records of some sort.
It it is also much simpler to setup that zoneminder.
I haven't looked into it lately but it used to be that composite analog video (i.e. NTSC/PAL) quality was the only standard. Any higher quality video was proprietary and often required Internet Explorer. The only other option was using something like zone minder or motion to grab jpegs as quickly as possible and create videos after the fact.
Has the situation improved? Are there cameras available that provide live realtime HD quality video without a dependence on the camera vendor's software or a web browser plugin?
Our client base is primarily in West Vancouver BC - the richest municipality in Canada. The kind of town where a $3 million house is a "starter", and will immediately be pulled own to build a 20,000 ft McMansion.
In many years of working with clients in WV, I can recall TWO that actually ever turned on their alarms, and would estimate that half of our clients don't even lock their doors.
If nothing else they demonstrate that Vancouver's criminal class is either really dumb, or can't afford a bus pass.
Three Squirrels
I had a good experience building a DIY security system based on a M1 controller from Elk Products. The documentation was clear and there are add on options for connecting it to the internet and interfacing with other home automation equipment.
http://www.elkproducts.com/product_family_overview.html
I have done just this. After ADT refused to 'update' the installation I had done about 12 years ago, and wanted to charge me $800 or so AND continue to charge me the $50 a month for monitoring.
So, I junked their old (crusty and mostly non-working) system and bought all my own kit. You'll find you can *always* buy better than what they give you in their 'free' package anyway, and tailor it to your own needs. You can find a monitoring company for around $10 a month. My insurance company doesn't care who does it, as long as it calls the police, alarms for fire, etc etc etc.
So. Here's what I got :
Vista20p panel. It's what most 'big name' companies install, except YOU get to set the 'installer code' and the ability to change / add stuff you hook up to it. :P
Honeywell 6120RF keypad. You'll need a 'keypad' to program your panel. This one also takes care of wireless sensors.
Various door sensors, heat / smoke sensors, break-glass sensors, Pet Immune movement sensors.
Don't forget the siren
If you have a landline, you can hook it up to this panel and have it call your monitoring-company-of-choice when an event trips. If you don't, you can get wireless addons which call them via cell-phone.
All this stuff is easy to order, easy to physically install. The programming for the Vista20P is a bit arcane and reminds me of programming assembly from my youth, but a day or two with the manual and some judicious googling and you should be set.
One of my requirements was that it hook up with the z-wave stuff I'd started installing, and I'm a fan of gadgets. So I *also* bought some touch panels with pretty graphics and stuff on them. They're expensive, mind (about $400 a pop) and their z-wave capabilities were limited. I ended up not using them for that and got a Vera-lite anyway. The wife, however, likes them.. so I consider the investment worthwhile (they can also display security camera feeds).
Note: NONE of this stuff allows you to monitor without a contract to a company. If you want to do that, then you can buy the add-on daughter board for the Vista20P called the Envisalink3. Hook that up to your home network and it can send you mails and stuff when things occur. Also note: if you do that and your power goes out, and you don't have battery backup for the internet gateway it sends through, you'll uh.. not get notified.
All this stuff I bought from 'the home security store'. Which is a haven for DIY'ers. They have a very helpful forum, very helpful staff and their prices are reasonable. I bought my bits a year or so ago and I've been a very happy customer.
Links follow :
Vista20P : http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-958-vista-20p-honeywell-vista-20p-security-system.aspx
Wireless Keypad : http://www.homesecuritystore.com/nsearch.aspx?keywords=6150RF
Touchscreen pads : http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-2081-tuxw-honeywell-tuxedo-touch-screen-keypad-white.aspx
Glass break sensors : http://www.homesecuritystore.com/c-76-glass-break-detectors.aspx#Filter=%5BManufacturerID=7*ava=0%5D
etc etc etc
Just about any standard security panel will have dialer options, which can then phone your mobile if there is a break in. Just fill your house with standard PIR motion detectors, and some nice loud sirens (inside) near your valuables so that it drives the thieves crazy. You can even go wireless these days to save on install fees, but I like the reliability of wired.
There's lots of bands to chose from but I went with DSC (the PC1832 model - http://www.dsc.com/index.php?n=Products&o=view&id=2) because they are regularly used by commercial installers. They are well priced and available on Ebay, and any technically minded person should have no problem installing it themselves. This on it's own should be enough to make thieves move on to an easier target.
For video surveillance then Zoneminder is an easy choice and works a treat. Also the DSC panels support a PC serial interface module so between Zoneminder and some scripting (or a home automation platform like homeseer) you can have a comprehensive monitored system that records incidents and can do something smarter about them.
A half dozen or so ought to be enough.
I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
Front Point is a self install battery backed up cellular system with an android and IOS app. It is more expensive that ADT per month but with the low install costs it is only more expensive than ADT after 8 years
There are two better uses for that $20 per month. You could either bump up your dataplan so that you are sent lots of pictures to your phone of any vaguely interesting activity. Or if you have a good data plan then you could use $20 per month to get a data only plan for your security system so that it can communicate via your internet connection or via a cell data system as backup.
My sister has me as a contact for her security system. So I have driven across town more than once only to find one of her family has set it off and the phone is turned down or off the hook. It would be great to just get a snap of whomever set it off. Neice. Nothing. Nephew. Nothing. Guy in balaclava with sack over his shoulder, call the cops and give them a blow by blow description of who is exactly where.
So a DIY security system should not only be as good as traditional ones but should be way cooler.
On a side note, don't mount the cameras up high looking down. All you will get is an image of the robber's hoodies or baseball cap logo. Mount the cameras in a concealed location at eye level. This way you basically get a mug shot. If you want cameras for deterrent you can get fake cameras to mount up high. The only cameras you want up high are to capture the over all picture. I will tell you that you will be sorely disappointed if your security camera only provides enough evidence to say that a guy(race unknown) 5'4" to 5'10" wearing a Blue Molson hat, a grey sweatshirt, jeans, and black sneakers took all your stuff. Get a good enough picture at eye level and the police will drive right over to the halfway house and arrest him 20 minutes later.
Get an elk m1 gold with the ethernet interface. Its the defacto standard for alarm / home automation diy nerds. It can email you if its triggered or any other rule you create. There is also a Perl module that you can directly communicate with the alarm system. I have a Linux box that monitors the alarm and sends twitter updates for all zone changes etc.. Even sends me a pic if someone rings the doorbell. You can pretty well do anything with it.
So... roll your own is a very reasonable proposition if you have some basic scripting skills and some very basic low voltage wiring skills. I went with a wired system because I could see that all the Wifi-based ones could be easily disabled with a simple jammer. It also made it easy to supply UPS-backed 12V power to the alarm sensors, since I had that low voltage wire run anyway.
If you don't care about out-of-the-box sexy experience, it's hard to beat the Elk M1 as a DYI'er. Their view of DIY'ers is largely ambivalent... they won't go out of their way to solve your problems, but the moment you furnish them with a valid M1 serial number, they'll give you access to the same training materials, downloads, firmware, and accessories as their pro installers. It's a strategy that works for them, partly because lots of those prosumers who buy one to install themselves end up starting companies to get certified officially and install the same alarm systems for other people.
Just one thing... do... not... even... THINK... about buying a cheap TCP/IP-UART bridge for ~$20 on eBay and connecting it directly to both the internet and the Elk serial bus. Make sure you have some kind of middleware sitting between the internet and Elk serial port that can only do specific things, like indicate an active alarm, arm the system, etc. And if you don't understand what I just said & want your alarm to be internet-connected, pony up the cash and buy a proper M1-XEP interface for it. The Elk RS-232 bus was NEVER designed to be directly exposed to attackers over the internet, and mostly depends upon being inside a locked box for security. If you interface it to the internet in a way that allows arbitrary values to get blindly relayed straight to the RS-232 bus after reading this, you deserve whatever happens to you for being a complete idiot.
The only thing it really lacks, IMHO, is the ability to implement Boolean logic for triggering alarms. For example, monitoring the state of the glass-break sensor, the door-shock sensor, and motion-detector and triggering an alarm ONLY if at 2 out of 3 fire within 20 seconds. And having similar logic in other rooms. The firmware in my controller allows you to "sort of" do something like that for a single zone, but IMHO it needs the ability to independently do this in multiple zones.
The nice thing about the M1 is that thanks to Arduinos w/Ethernet and the RPi, you can actually extend its logic pretty easily by using the M1 as your low-level sensor interface, and moving higher-level logic to a Pi or Arduino on the Elk RS-232 bus (relaying events from sensors as they happen to that serial bus, and triggering things like alarms by sending events back to the controller via that same serial bus).
Kludge-tip: if you're in a hurry to set up the system, don't feel like pulling wires right away to each room, and have an unused landline phone cable with 6 wires buried in the wall to hijack, you can buy input expanders and use the 6 repurposed phone wires to daisy-chain the Elk bus to strategic points in your house (1 pair for RS-485, 1 pair for +12v, 1 pair for ground). I had my own Elk M1 wired that way for almost 3 years, before I finally got proper conduit and wires pulled throughout the entire house. I had one M1XIN hidden behind the TV in the living room & plugged into the phone jack (which obviously wasn't used for an actual landline phone), and a second one upstairs behind the nightstand in the master bedroom, along with the equally-kludged keypad. Amazingly, it actually worked (if I had voltage issues, plan B was to add DC-DC converters to boost the voltage from 12v to 48v as it left the box, then drop it back down to 12v at the living room & master bedroom. Fortunately, everything used very little power, and the only time I ever had an issue was around year 4, when the backup battery finally died and the voltage started sagging.
Oh... also... Elk's M1 can interface directly with X10, Zwave, Insteon, and some other standard that escapes me at the moment. The MSRP of their expansion boards is pretty high, but you'll never actually pay those prices anyway because there's ALWAYS somebody selling them for a relatively small markup on eBay. However, make sure you buy the main alarm controller itself from an authorized dealer. Elk DOES track serial numbers of main system units, and if a serial number is reported as 'stolen' by a vendor, they'll re
What are your goals? Deterrent? Watch/record? Catch a thief? Glass breakage and/or entry detection?
For us, we wanted to catch a thief, and to record their actions while onsite. If they hear a siren, maybe they'll leave sooner, maybe not. With a camera and well secured recorder, we'd hope to have a good shot at identifying a thief. Adding battery power and offsite wireless transmission of data helps even further. Pay-as-you go WiMAX services like www.yourkarma.com help keep those costs down.
Also check out www.networkcameracritic.com for an excellent list of 2MP+ PoE enabled IP cameras (they recently reviewed a nifty 10MP fisheye camera). Stay away from the wireless cameras, as they tend to be less reliable than hard-wired (and you'll still need to run power to them anyways).
Computers, sensors, webcams, wireless, batteries, mobile telecommunications networks and big dirty stinking bass speakers.
I've messed around with a few things. It turns out the traditional method gets two things right and one thing wrong. Simple wired sensors are good. Changing batteries in wireless ones sucks. Monitoring is also good. What sucks is the traditional marketing strategy, where you pay $50 / to cover commissions for various middle men and that "low cost" alarm.
There are companies that provide the same monitoring service for about $5 / month. You may already own the alarm system. If not, you can buy a traditional alarm system at low cost. Of course you can also build one with something like a Raspberry Pi.
This is one area where geek hacks don't end up making a lot of sense. China cranks out well designed alarm panels cheap and $5 / month for monitoring can't be beat.
Timothy, Timothy, Timothy. When will you ever learn? "Ask Slashdot" posts belong in the "Ask Slashdot" section so that those of us who choose to filter out those stories can do so. It doesn't work though if you keep posting "Ask Slashdot" stories in other sections.
'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
When you buy physical security for a home what you are paying for is essentially Time.
Given enough time anyone with enough determination will break into your house no matter what. Now how you setup your security all depends on your goals.
Most crimes are done through opportunity that means open windows and open doors so your first course of action is to make sure you lock your doors and your windows. Don't just shut the door as 99% of people do, it makes me sigh when I see how many of my friends install decent locks yet never ever actually LOCK them. If you don't use your keys when you are leaving home you are not using your locks.
Before buying into any kind of "security system" think about investing some of that money in some good quality deadbolts and window locks instead. Then use your locks every time you leave home.
Decent locks will actually make it that much more difficult to break in meaning you have now increased the time it will take to break in. Now is the time for you alarm system to kick in to call the cavalry while the lock quit literally holds the fort. Now depending on your goals you can put the pressure on the burglar by signalling to them that they have been busted, this may be a gamble worth taking if you don't want to spend money on anyone actually coming. On the other hand if you want to try and catch them well then a silent alarm is your friend.
Just installing an alarm system without good physical security (strong doors, door frames etc) will just give some nice footage of your gear being carted out the door that you can watch on your neighbors TV.
Sure you can have your elite alarm system but it's only use will be to record a nice home video of your gear being carted out the door.
I've thought about doing something like this. I'm sure something could be rigged up with a few Raspberry Pis along with sufficient tinkering and script fu.
Setup a number of them with camera modules and wifi adapters. Each camera Pi has a cron job to take pictures as frequently as you want and uploads them to a "master" Pi that acts as a web server for remote access and uploading to a remote server outside your home (in case it's stolen, you have captures to potentially identify burglars)
I know I've seen motion detection utilities available for Linux. Set a cron job to switch on motion detection and alerts overnight. The server Pi could run apache to host a secured, web-based control and viewing system (there's your remote access). This can easily include controls for configuring any part of the system, ie.: toggling motion detection.
Find out your cell phone carrier's SMS email gateway (they all have one) and have it send you a text when it detects motion that breaches your configured threshold.
No, it doesn't have home integration or break-in detection. Maybe there's something that could be done with the Pi's GPIO, but I have no idea.
Anyway ... state of the art / DIY & cheap / easy setup. Pick two.
I highly recommend the Synology disk station or Qnap NAS solutions for IP monitoring.
Both have video monitoring applications with multi-view, recording, web access, email notifications, Android and iPhone applications for monitoring on the go. They support a wide variety of off-the-shelf WiFi or IP based cameras.
In addition each provides cloud sync applications for Windows, Android and iPhone and web access to your photo's, videos, audio and files. You get a DLNA server and with a Linux based OS you are free to install 3rd party applications like Plex, TeamSpeak, the list goes on.
DIY install, no contracts and service as cheap as $15/mo. I use the $25 plan to monitor / arm / disarm from my phone and I get SMS alerts. I'm VERY happy with them.
There are some cheap wireless Chinese systems you can get fairly inexpensively.
Some offer GSM/Cel phone dial out/listen in capabilities, multiple zones, and a variety of sensors: PIR, mag-contact, water leak, smoke detect, gas detect.
They have remote, cel, or panel control.
You can just add stuff until you get all the parts you want.
No monthly fee. You can't have it dial the police directly (legally) but it could call you, you could listen in, and then you could call the police if you hear people breaking in.
http://dx.com/p/dp-60-gsm-home-alarm-system-w-wireless-door-sensor-window-sensor-pir-motion-sensor-black-275911
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/HOT-NEW-99-zones-wireless-GSM-alarm-system-with-LCD-Keypad-voice-Free-shipping-Promotional/453561713.html
I did Alarm installs for a local security/fire protection company for a while a few years ago.
We used DSI and Paradox. DSI is much cheaper and easier to get going. I personally recommend spending a few bucks more and get a LCD keypad (vs LED).
As the parent poster pointed out, commercial panels can be set up to dial out to any number including your cell phone for self monitoring.
One thing to keep in mind is because it is common hardware, in the future you can always have an alarm company monitor it for you. You must be aware they usually require an install fee to reconfigure and properly test the hardware and signaling. Don't think you will save any money vs having them install it for you.
You won't, however, be locked into a contract (36 months @ $30+/mo was normal when I was doing it).
Maybe this is a good time to review some anti-theft tips. Keep in mind the 4 D's:
Deter
Defend
Delay
Deceive
* Install motion sensor lights on the front and back of your house.
* Install a fake camera. For deterrent value, a fake camera will work as well as a real camera, but will cost far less. It should have a bright blinking LED to make it more noticible. You can buy realistic decoy cameras for less than $10 on Amazon.
* If you install a real camera, make sure it is good enough to actually identify the perp. Otherwise, what's the point? Install several fake decoy cameras as well. If the perp is trying to avoid the fakes, he is more likely to be seen by the real camera.
* Put a "Beware of Dog" or "Vicious Dog" sign on the gate to your back yard, whether you actually have a dog or not.
* Put up a security alarm yard sign and window stickers, even if you don't have an alarm system. Yard signs and stickers are available on Amazon, eBay, etc.
* Get some old, well worn work boots, size 14 or larger. Leave one pair on your front porch, and another by your back door.
* When you leave home, leave a radio playing on a talk station. Set the volume so it is slightly audible from outside your home.
* Set up timers to turn lights on and off when you are not home.
* If you have an alarm that frequently goes off accidently, get it fixed. Otherwise your neighbors will ignore it.
* Valuables should not be visible from any door or window.
* Put wood dows or PVC pipe in the slide track of each window and sliding door. These should fit snugly, so they are not easy to dislodge by someone reaching through the broken window. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to remove the stop in case of a fire.
* When not home, lock internal doors. This will prevent an intruder from moving quickly around your home.
* Leave out some decoy valuables, such as an old laptop with no HDD, or some fake jewelry. Decoy valuables should be left in a conspicuous place, but not visible from outside.
* Frost or laminate your garage windows, so a perp cannot see if your car is gone.
* If you have a safe, bolt it to the floor with a bolt that is only accessible from inside the safe. Cut the bottom out of a cardboard box and put it over the safe to hide it.
* If you have a an unused safe or lockbox, fill it with bricks, lock it, and put it in a conspicuous location.
* If you have a second story, don't store a ladder in your yard or shed.
* Trim any trees that can be climbed to reach a second story window, or make sure those windows are secure.
* Use plants with thorns, such as roses, in front of your windows. Keep them trimmed below the window sill, so neighbors can see anyone breaking in.
* Go through your wallet and purse. Do you really need to carry more than one credit card? Write down the account number and phone number for each card, so that you can cancel them quickly if they are stolen.
* Make your possessions easy to identify. Paint the handles of your tools orange or lime green. Laser etch a custom design on the back of your phone or laptop.
* Take photos of your valuable possessions, and record any serial numbers.
* Scan any important documents, and save the images off site.
I was a big X10 user decades go. Did see a much higher than expected failure rate on the modules. But it stopped working for me as I added more and more surge protectors and UPSs to my home. And that is not saying that the transmitters or modules were on surge protection devices. Just having one or two on the same circuit seemed to be enough to damp out the signal, particularly if the xmitter and receiver were not on the same breaker (which pretty much meant they had to be in the same room for me).
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
Material possessions are just stuff... I've managed to accumulate a fair bit of wealth, but feel no need to have a lot of stuff.
Sure, my house is valuable, and it is insured. Nobody is going to steal that anyhow.
My money is invested. When I do spend, it is for charitable causes I want to support, education, travel, and other experiences. No need to collect stuff.
You can't take it with you...
My home security system consists of 6 very large dogs that can roam the entire fenced area around my home. If that doesn't work, I have an assortment of handguns, rifles, and shotguns that will stop any intruder.
Seriously. Just get a few foscams with their IR systems. I have them watching all entrances and exits to the apartment. They send photos by emails whenever motion is detected in the defined grid.l and record the video. Wireless enabled, on a battery.
I wanted to get the fancy schlage remote control lock for our vacation home to be able to give friends a limited access code. So, I figured I needed an alarm system as well to make sure it was working, maybe a camera too... Then I took apart the schlage lock. You could bypass it with a little knife and maybe a dremel if you wanted to go all wild and crazy.
The bottom line is that your security strategy needs to be proportionate to the risks. Reduce risk first, then make a solution that places your home at a competitive disadvantage compared to neighbors when someone is scouting the neighborhood.
Nothing is really secure, and you will go mad trying to make it better. One example-- friend's home broken into, thieves took the dvr for the security system. Cops said it was standard procedure... ADT suggested remote recording for an additional fee...
Piper - http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/piper-smart-elegant-security-and-home-automation
- pan/tilt camera
- two-way audio
- siren
- temp, humidity, ambient light and sound sensors
- zwave hub
- web/iOS/Android
- $240, shipping starts Jan 2014
Canary - http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/canary-the-first-smart-home-security-device-for-everyone
- camera
- microphone and speaker
- siren
- temp, humidity and air quality sensors
- wifi
- $200, shipping starts July 2014
Remington 870 pump. No annual or monthly fees. Easy to install next to bed. Close to 100% effective;
* Carthago Delenda Est *
Been using them for over 5 years, while they are $29.99/month there is no contract. Good web app and android app. They also used to have referral programs, you could choose X% off for you and every person you refer or after 5 referrals you get monitoring free for life, I only have 1 or 2 left to get it free for life. I don't use their camera's as I like my zoneminder setup better. While I wish it had some sort of hook/API for integrating into the rest of my HA, I would rather have the stability and assurance it provides. It runs over your internet connection and has a cellular backup that is currently free for life once you purchase that module. I did my whole house for $450. I like that it sends me a text message anytime there is a broadband outage. Also has other alerts, like AMBER, local crime, weather, ect.... I saw a youtube video that was posted last month that should some sort of integration with their cameras and directv, so you would see a popup on motion detected. I replace the sensor batteries about once a year, costs something like $13 for the batteries on ebay. The console and base batteries are pretty cheap too and I just replaced them yesterday. I searched for a long time for a better DIY system, there was nothing that was far along enough for me to persue. As I am now working on a NinjaBlock integration, I have been looking again, but nothing I have seen gives me the stability that you get from a normal security system.
is my Glock, Mossberg 500 and good home insurance. Thorny rose bushes around the windows and my 3 dogs. Good locks on the doors and a disk encrypted system. Off site backups of everything important and a quality (hidden) floor safe. Oh, and I live in a decent neighborhood. I park my car in the garage nightly. I keep a local alarm company sign in my front yard (I found...cough... it in the yard of a foreclosed house I was working on). I have a 2nd degree black belt in Hapkido.
I do this because by the time the police respond it will be too late.
I developed Hydra Control Freak as a result of a personal security problem I have involving a stalker. It's been evolving over a period of more than 6 years now but for 2-3 years it's been available in product form. I still have problems with the stalker (which is why I'm trying to keep my name out of the main stream a bit) which takes up far too much of my time but it has helped developed the product to be extremely effective.
From a commercial perspective it's been a complete failure, as I don't have the financial resources to market it as product properly and I'm rubbish at marketing (I will be trying to present it from a more grass roots perspective this year targeted more for the self installer). From the perspective of it working as a security device it's extremely effective and it's very flexible. At my place I have a great many cameras and many different kinds of sensors, both wired and wireless. You only need to enter my property a couple of meters and I'm alerted by E-mail alerts, notification systems, wired rows of led lights that blink (One per sensor so I know instantly where people are), piezoelectric beepers and video displays that load up automatically, showing both live and looping event views. At night, the TV turns on automatically as I wired a Phidget to a universal remote control, it switches to the AVI channel and by using a simple javascript program that is subscribed to the websocket interface the HCF provides it dynamically loads the cameras and the looping event view. All I have to do is look at the tv and slam the panic button if it's a bad guy. The system allows you to link devices in the same way over the wan, so I also monitor some clients places via the same system. If someone comes onto their property, their system tells my system, my system loads up their cameras (Triggered by the websocket interface) and my panic button triggers their sirens etc.
The Hydra Control Freak is built as a standalone device into a Sheeva plug. It's written in Java and runs on tomcat7, but I've made it a self contained, plug and play product and not a user hackable product (It supports remote software updates though). It supports the following devices:
* Legacy X10 controller (Started with this)
* rfxtrx433 home automation transceiver from rfxcom (Fantastic for Europe, not usable in the US)
* Phidget I/O controllers, really useful for wired sensors and wired control, can add several of this to one device
* Cameras (Reads MJPEG streams continuously so you have instant alerts with activity that happened prior to the trigger
* http, both inputs and outputs to propagate events, interface to external systems such as iPhone alerting apps and to expand the
monitoring over the WAN
I tried to make this device so that it was simple to use. To this end I don't support a scripting language for programming it's behavior,
rather I have a state machine/event engine with declarative configuration via web-based guis. However, this is also a failure. In the sense
that it appears that this is not really simple for people, you have to be quite geeky to think well in terms of state transitions, although
my most success has been with just non-tech users where I configure the system for them.
The websocket interface is one of the most exciting features I've added recently. Using that and ajax and you can make pretty much any
kind of dynamic display you like. The HTTP actions can pass over handles on the events to remote devices so that the websocket interfaces
there no how to load up the cameras from the source in response to the events. By using HTTPS I can have a small window open on my machine inside the corporate network and my cameras loads up automatically instantly (In addition to the alerts).
SSL hides the websocket
protocol from the firewalls so that it works flawlessly
If you want to know anything more about the product, you should contact me directly at this point. The website is not updating at this time as I consider how I restructure the sales approach. (tech development with updates is continuing however).
Kim
OK, first caveat - this is a UK-based solution, so YMMV if using it abroad...
https://www.alertme.com/how-we-do-it/products-and-services/smart-monitoring/
Subscription is £5 per month ($8?). You have to buy a basic starter pack that contains several motion sensors and contact sensors. Comes with an internet-enabled hub that communicates with their servers to send alerts and receive instructions via their web interface. Also has a SIM and inbuilt battery for sending SMS alerts is the power / internet gets cut. You can also buy various extras such as a UK plugs that you can control via the web interface and therefore dictate when they have power.
I've been using for about 5 years now and am reasonably happy with it.
Just get an Abbra system http://www.home-technology-store.com/home-security/ABBRA-KIT.aspx. You can either send alerts to yourself or some small money to a company like nextalarm http://info.nextalarm.com/. It works with phonelines, voip and GSM.
The best security is preventative. Dont boast about your electronics, shut your blinders and lock the door when you leave the house. You can also move to a less crime infested area. You could also report to the police when you see a crime to help your surroundings.
Raspberry Pi +
Raspberry Pi Camera +
dummy camera http://www.ebay.com/itm/NON-FUNCTIONING-SECURITY-CAMERA-/171187177851?pt=US_Dummy_Cameras&hash=item27db8d097b +
Buck converter http://www.ebay.com/itm/LM2596-USB-DC-DC-Step-Down-Adjustable-Power-Supply-Module-LED-Voltmeter-Needle-/360719055201?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53fc87f961 +
PoE Power Over Ethernet Injector Splitter Adpater Cable http://www.ebay.com/itm/PoE-Power-Over-Ethernet-Injector-Splitter-Adpater-Cable-/390700244783?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af78c9f2f
Please don't even consider Zoneminder (unless you want to develop it). It's hopelessly outdated, has very limited support for modern surveillance cameras, and is more or less useless compared to commercial alternatives. Unfortunately - I really wish there was a good open source alternative
You're better off buying Axis- or Sony-cameras and using their monitoring software.
I have a set of Foscam DVR webcams, powered by IP Cam Pro on an old android phone.
Works great. Motion detection sends me an email whenever any camera detects motion.
If your alarm is a very loud sound system playing an obnoxious song, the police might get called for free, no monitoring. Add another track over the song of people talking and perhaps vomiting noisily, and you are set. They won't show up as quickly as if an alarm had been tripped though, unless your neighbors are important.
refactor the law, its bloated, confusing and unmaintainable.
A shotgun and a dog. Dogs are an organic, renewable resource and shotguns make that sound all criminals know to run from when you chamber a round. Plus, both work without batteries or AC power. If you're that worried about a break in while you're not home, maybe you live in a bad neighborhood and should move. Your insurance would most likely go down once out of the rough neighborhood. The dog would probably be happier, too.
I install alarm for a living. 10 years now. You can buy a Honeywell Lynx touch or GE system with cellular and Wi-Fi/IP communicators and let it email you. They aren't expensive (sub 1000 depending on total points of protection) doors, PIRs, Windows, but you can also do supervisory monitoring as well. Water bugs to alert of standing water in basements, smoke and carbon for life safety. Even AC power failure and low temp alarms.
.
Reduced insurance rate is one thing you can get from an alarm, but then you'd need a professional service. You might think you have an ok from the insurance company by self-reporting a DIY alarm, but when the time comes for them to actually pay you money.. you highly likely don't.
Do you want to prevent burglary? A DIY "be aware of the alarm" is usually laughed at, even if you think it looks "professional". A genuine alarm company sign can sometimes perhaps make a difference, that they go for the neighbor instead, but often it will not. Most people and burglars ignore the alarms (how often do you react when you hear a car/house/shop alarm?) and they are easily disabled quickly, and they know that many houses have a sign even if the service itself expired years ago.
Do you want to alert the police? If they even allow it, be prepared to pay for false alarms (they will happen). But why do you want to alert the police, if they even bother with the alarm do you think they will be there in time to stop the thieves in action? Really? If you subscribe to a good security company service, sometimes they might get lucky and be there in time, but that is a very low probability scenario.
Do you want to have camera evidence of the thieves so the police can find them, and maybe also your stuff at the same time? Many places police put very little effort into investigating crimes like this, but if they do - pictures might definitely help them. Then need really good low-light cameras, with immediate offsite storage. But, beside the satisfaction of perhaps catching the thieves, the chance of you recovering any stuff is slim.
You could use to check on your new housemaid being honest, or have proof if something goes missing while you have workers in your house. Or check on your cats.
I've owned big dogs my entire life, I have never had even an attempted break in despite living in some really rough neighborhoods. Any "security" system will just let you know some hoodie wearing punk broke in and stole your stuff. A good dog makes that never even happen.
Honewell or other real security system purchased from a wholesaler then DIY install it. Alarm installers are not typically very smart, so most people can do what they do, BUT getting a real alarm system with the installation and programming documentation is the trick. Alarm companies try to keep that stuff hidden to protect their dealer network and try and force people to pay for alarm companies.
Also to hide the fact that most do not set up the alarms correctly. I installed my own Honewell Lynx Touch system with the touchscreen, and every other one I have seen installed by "professionals" had the default codes still programmed in them so I could easily get in to disable the alarm.
Do research, pick a popular alarm (Honeywell Lynx Touch L5100) and learn all you can about it before you buy even try to get the installer and programming documentation first. and when you do buy the alarm, be damned sure it is a NEW one that will have a default installer code so you can program it. Used alarms are garbage unless they will provide you with the installer code and 100% refund if the installer code is wrong.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
I use an ELK M1 Gold, which not only serves as a cross-platform security system that lets me mix and match components according to need, but also does a good job of integrating various home automation technologies as well.
$20 a month is a good deal. My cable tv and internet costs me $100 a month. If you have a stable job, you should be able to afford spending at least $20 a month on a home security system.
Try an EnvisaLink 3 from EyezOn and hook it up to a compatible DSC or Honeywell (Ademco/Vista) system.
Self-monitoring (via email/SMS) is free (aside from the upfront cost of EnvisLink and alarm system hardware). Central monitoring is available as well.
Disclaimer: I have an EnvisaLink 3 hooked up to a Vista 20p (ADT Safewatch Pro) system monitored by a ULC alarm facility. ADT kept hiking up rates and wanted $30 per month after the initial system was "sold free". Ashamed to say that I paid a monthly fee for almost 5 years before switching to the EnvisaLink setup. You need to know (to a certain degree) how to program your alarm panel.
Corporate Gadfly
Jonathan Archer: the most beaten up Enterprise captain in Star Trek history
I would recommend to have a sign that reads "Dog on Premises" versus "Beware of Dog" or "Vicious Dog".
The first is neutral language, and depending on where you are located, do not leave you hanging out to dry as much as the latter examples in the event of a dog bite. Some jurisdictions have strict liability regarding injuries resulting from animals, including civil penalties. Do your own research.
Besides, the best home defense is the owner inside armed with a loaded, 12-gauge shotgun. Dogs can behave unpredictably when confronted with an intruder.
I've tried everything over the years. Ultimately, for insurance purposes, you need independent third party monitoring and police notification. I have a mix of things; IP cameras from Axis, DVR cameras from Swann, GE Simon XTi for old-school security sensors and ZWave, and so on. I have found SafeMart (an online reseller who sells the hardware) to be an outstanding source. They also provide service through LiveWatch/Alarm.com at a very reasonable rate. I don't do streaming video through this service however, as I use EvoCam ($30) on my mac for all of my FMV monitoring. I can control my alarm as well as my home automation from my smart phone and I can view all of my cameras using IPCamPro (I think it is $5 or so). I don't like the fact that a third party monitoring service has access to my home security system (disarm, unlock, etc.), but in their infinite wisdom the insurance industry has decided this is safer.
Down here it is usually enough to just leave a sign on the door that says something like this.
Hay Bubba, better wait on tha porch till I geet back. Jest run to the store for more ammo. I ain't fed the dogs yet and them are locked inside and hungry so u better stay on the porch.
WOULD YOU WANT TO GO IN AFTER READING THAT?
Did I leave the oven on?
I'm becoming more and more disappointed in home security systems. And this just makes it worse. "smart" home monitoring systems seem to provide all of the features that security systems were designed to eliminate long ago.
Did I leave the oven on?
The whole purpose of an alarm system isn't to be able to monitor my own home.
Did I leave the oven on?
The purpose of an alarm system isn't to be able to check on my posessions, children, dog, or delivery man.
Did I leave the oven on?
The purpose of an alarm system, is for someone else to monitor my home.
Did I leave the oven on?
The purpose of an alarm system is specifically to NOT worry about my home when I'm away.
Did you leave the oven on?
Constantly caring (i.e. worrying) about my home when I'm away means that I'm not really away. That's always been considered an O.C.D. disorder -- not being able to let go and relax. I have an alarm system. If someone trips it, the monitoring company will call me. So long as the monitoring company doesn't call me, I'm happy on vacation. "Piece of mind" doesn't come from checking every ten minutes. It's comes from not checking at all.
If you're going to build your own alarm system, make sure you put a sensor inside the oven.
Had a break in because I left a window open and it's fairly obvious when I'm at work. Got a basic alarm with monitoring service, not great but it came with window warning stickers. I don't have 100% coverage of the living space, but good enough that it's likely to trip if there's a break in. I sometimes think I should add more sensors, but I think the stickers are really the best feature.
The alarm system uses the Internet for primary communications with cellular backup. Make sure you have a belt and suspenders monitoring solution.
I used to dispatch for an independent (UL Listed) monitoring company back in college. We had contracts with many alarm installers, and allowed them to re-brand our monitoring services at their own. Their customers were paying $30+ dollars a month to them, and we were charging the installers half that. If you can find a dispatch center in your area, many offer monitoring directly at a reduced rate.
The alarm system industry is sort of this mystical cabal that tries to keep everything secret so you can't do your own system, but it's not so hard. The good thing about using a conventional alarm is they are tried and true and the sensors are cheaper than e.g. Z-Wave or other custom systems.
I recommend DSC, the PC1832 (or larger) system is great. You can go wireless easily, though like anything wires are better but they're much harder to deploy around a house unless you're pre-wired. I went _all_ wireless.
Buy the panel and wireless bridge and all the door plungers, window sensors, motion sensors, etc... you need. You can also get things like flood sensors and glass break sensors, smoke alarms, etc... There are instructions online for how to set it up, it's not so hard.
Then buy a MicasaVerde Vera. You can connect it to the DSC with a little card called an Envisalink. This puts your DSC system online. Unless you have a hardened bunch of TV burglars out to steal the mona lisa from your house this probably isn't a big deal, but you should put some time into securing your home network for sure.
Between the DSC, Envislink, and the Vera your options are endless for home automation. I use an _awesome_ and free app called AuthomationHd that lets me view cameras, all my Z-wave automation, and every alarm sensor from my tablet. I can arm/disarm locally/remotely, etc.. Tons of other options in that space too.
Unfortunately, works only when there is somebody at home :(
I totally agree with those who say that the traditional alarm systems are primarily for the insurance companies. Lower quotes and simpler claims.
I have a good alarm system. Of course installed by an alarm company and, of course, hugely overpriced, even while I believe I had a decent deal on it. And it is certified etc. And it is a wireless one (100% cellular). And I did put enough stickers and labels to make sure the potential intruders understand that. The primary purpose of the alarm system is to scare off the regular bulgars, the amateurs who hope to steal something - whatever they can find. I do not poses any real valuables so I doubt it would be interesting for more professional thieves to visit me. For others - I want them to know that there will be noise when they break in and there is no line to cut so the police will be alerted. Yes, the noise will probably stop once they destroy the siren, but it takes only few seconds for the alarm system to send the signal over cellular network and it is impossible to find it that quickly to disable. Again, for an ordinary bulgar, not someone who is targeting that home specifically. And once the signal is sent there is a chance that if the police crew is eating doughnuts nearby they actually may be there in few minutes.
Now about the DIY system. I am playing with home automation, Insteon etc. It is one of my pet projects to create a "smarter home" that would also go further in terms of protecting itself. By no means I am planning to replace the "certified" system - because of the insurance. I would like to put more motion sensors and cameras outside to have a kind of "early detection". I want to make sure that whoever approaches the house is aware that he has been detected, watched, filmed and someone may be alerted about his presence. This may discourage many people. Same for the "away from home" mode. I have enough smart light switches at home to set up a scene that will turn the lights on and off in such a pattern that one might think there is someone at home while we may be away - at least unless they spend enough time on surveillance.
I think the ideal system is the one that would alert me over my mobile phone ASAP, even before someone breaks into the house. So I can look at the external and/or internal cameras and see what is going on around the house. After that it is up to me to act. I can call the police. I can call my neighbour to look outside and call the police. I can remotely turn on the lights and even trigger the real alarm if needed.
From the parent..."If you have a landline, you can hook it up to this panel and have it call your monitoring-company-of-choice when an event trips. If you don't, you can get wireless addons which call them via cell-phone."
Uverse, Comcast, Ooma, MagicJack, etc. all use VOIP. Instead of installing a new system, I converted my landline based system into something that can be used over an Internet connection using a NextAlarm Broadband Adapter:
http://info.nextalarm.com/help/abn-install
Since my alarm system was hooked into a now dead copper pair nowhere near the access point, I also used a wireless bridge. NextAlarm monitors for $17.99 a month, or you can monitor your own for $9.99. It sure beat the hell out of Guardian who wanted over $50 per month.
I installed a Simplisafe system three months ago and am quite happy so far.
At some point I'll have to replace a bunch of batteries, but I'll take that as a trade over putting in a lot of wiring. Some of the screws to attach sensors to walls are a bit small (I would avoid the double-sided tape). But that's it for nits to pick. The basic design and engineering are really good. Instalation and setup were easy.
I have the $20/month monitoring that includes e-mail alerts. The monitoring works.
It satisfied the home insurance folks.
It communicates with the monitoring service by cellphone, which is more robust and secure than landline or internet, and has a battery backup -- when I'm away, I find out about power blackouts because it sends me a little e-mail whenever the power goes out.
There is a system called Sam c5. It sends texts to my phone and has no monitoring fee. I only pay 3 pennies if the alarm goes off, and that never happens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk_2-ib3ENc
ALL that matters is if the monitoring company is licensed in your state (most states requires this in the US), and UL Rated. If it is UL approved service, you have the proper permits, etc then you will have ZERO problem with claims. If your insurance company bitches, take them to the state insurance board in your state, they'll cry uncle in approximately 5 seconds flat.
Here are some other things to know. UL Rated monitoring should cost NO MORE THAN $9.00 a month, if you pay more you're getting gouged. NEVER EVER EVER IN A BILLION YEARS sign up with people like ADT where you'll pay some ludicrous fee like $45 a month, plus a land line, plus MORE if you want to use wireless. Don't EVER sign a contract, you can get $9.00 UL monitoring on a pay-as-you-go basis.
The big firms will try to 'give you' all sorts of 'free' equipment to induce you to their overpriced service, its not worth it. ADT might give you $1500 worth of stuff, but they'll lock you into an expensive 3 year contract, and there WILL be hidden fees, little extra things you won't get that you need, etc, so by the time your done the cost will be very significant AND you're still overcharged.
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem." -- Jefferson
Very simple, very cheap, no false alarms, and unless you're home invaded by murderous thugs it WILL be effective. Even you ARE home invaded by murderous thugs it will still probably pay off! Everywhere I've lived when I've talked to any law enforcement about home security that's their advice, get a rotweiler, they really do work. They're also a lot cheaper to feed than a kodiak, and probably legal pretty much anywhere.
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem." -- Jefferson
Modern IP surveillance systems can use cameras for facial recognition, motion detection, etc.
You can have a camera recognize that there is a face, and then see if it is Your face. If it's not Your face, it will send You a text message (by eMail.)
These systems can also read inputs from home alarm systems, so when the front door opens, it can send You a message.
These systems can also output to a home alarm system, so if you need to use XYZ alarm for some reason, You can wire into that.
Of course, a criminal will look to damage the alarm systems / camera system, so You (have to put up with the crooked companies that deal with the NSA and) upload the data in real time to a cloud server.
One word of advice: EVERY camera should be enclosed in a metal box, with only the lens showing. I have had too many other cameras destroyed. EVERY part of the system (especially cables) must be secured against someone with physical access to that room who wants to destroy it.
Great list of ideas!
I installed a few *LOUD* sirens inside my house. If they go off, nobody will stay inside - much too loud!
Look up ELK-45 or ELK-SS36.
One in the heater return-air duct. One behind the refrigerator. One in crawlspace under house.
Forget about police monitoring. When these sound, no burglar can stay in the house without covering his ears.
12 volts from your alarm panel is enough to drive 'em.
I've been using kmotion http://code.google.com/p/kmotion2/downloads/list, built on the motion package. but the author has found real work and work seems to have stopped on version 3.
Mal's Content http://malcontent.malcolmcampbell.org
All the 'off-the-shelf' individual components are there to put together a very sophisticated DIY security system that would surprise security experts ... it's how you align their interaction.
The more creative the better it can be ... think about.
My house has an existing alarm system that must be 10 or 15 years old. It's not flashy - it just monitors each zone and sounds an internal and external alarm/strobe when tripped. The alarm system is not monitored by any alarm company.
After being burgled early last year, I decided the alarm needed to be monitored, but I wasn't going to pony up a monthly subscription (and likely a whole new panel) for the privilege. Instead I wired up the strobe light output to an optocoupler and an Arduino (the strobe is still connected). The Arduino is then connected to my server PC, which monitors the serial port. When the alarm is tripped, the strobe goes on, the Arduino sees the input change, and sends a message to the PC, which in turn emails me.
I recently added SMS notification with a cheap, pre-paid Blackberry looking mobile phone knockoff by ZTE (in the event the internet or email server is down). It has a USB diagnostic/debugging serial port available, which uses standard AT commands. Now if the alarm is tripped an SMS is sent using a command line tool called SendSMS. The cost for the phone credit is $30 for 6 months, or $5 a month.
All of this is linked together with a little application I wrote that monitors the serial port, and some batch files.