Cheap Home Security System ($250 all in)

[Indexer]

I know many members have home security systems that are subscription based and this looks like a much cheaper alternative.  Also could be good for rental properties that are temporarily vacant since its easy to move and set up.

Canary
http://canary.is/how-it-works/

I see it as being the Republic Wireless of home security.  Upfront cost is about $250 for the canary, but there are no costs after that. 

It has a wide angle camera, microphones for sound, motion detectors, thermometers, and it sends any important updates to your phone.  You just put it in a high traffic area.  It learns you and your pets to avoid false alarms.  It is programmed to know the sound of breaking glass, when the temperature implies a fire, etc.  It also has a siren. 

[College Stash]

Lol. Sounds like a waste of money, no offense.

[August West]

Lol.  College Stash sounds like a jackass, no offense.

[Indexer]

Well it might be a waste.  I wanted other people's opinions on it.

$250 to prevent break ins/theft seems worth it compared to the cost of most home security systems.  And if your place is broken into and they get away at least you have video/sound recordings for the police/insurance.

I did leave out that when it messages you about something there is an option to have it immediatly call the police, and if you don't respond or ignore within a certain amount of time it will send a message to a secondary person you have listed.

[Cromacster]

$250 to prevent break ins/theft seems worth it

I agree with this statement, but in my opinion this device does not prevent anything.  It has many features which are virtually worthless/unnecessary and I could accomplish the video/audio with an old smartphone I have laying around.  And the old smartphone can text me anytime it detects motion as well.

The best use of your money is going to be ensuring you have good doors with deadbolts, secure windows, and motion sensor outdoor lights.  Some people even suggest planting shrubs under windows.  I don't remember the particular shrub, but it's one thats very itchy and unpleasant to contact, but visually pleasing.

Beyond that keep electronics out of sight, keep your yard maintained, and bring in your mail/newspapers.

[HalfDollar]

I would love to have one. I wouldn't trust it completely and would still take some other precautions.

[Indexer]

I agree with this statement, but in my opinion this device does not prevent anything.

A 90 decibel siren won't prevent anything?   Normally someone breakinging in is already on edge.  90 decibel siren will send most people running. 

On that note.  How do you set an old phone up as a motion detector that will text you?  I've got an old smartphone I don't use anymore.

[Cromacster]

I agree with this statement, but in my opinion this device does not prevent anything.

A 90 decibel siren won't prevent anything?   Normally someone breakinging in is already on edge.  90 decibel siren will send most people running. 

It might send them running, but not before they grab a laptop, jewelry, etc etc.  Most break ins are smash and grab jobs, in and out fast as possble.  Thats why the best bang for your buck is going to be to 1) Make your house look undesirable to break into and 2) Hard to break into.

On that note.  How do you set an old phone up as a motion detector that will text you?  I've got an old smartphone I don't use anymore.

There are several different apps on the google play store.  The only app that I have messed around with is:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pas.webcam

If you set it up with a google voice account it has the ability to text.  You can also use it with the app Tasker or other similar event apps to trigger wifi connected lights, alarms, etc.

[Blonde Lawyer]

I use Simplisafe. I'm not sure what our start up cost was but it is only $14.99/month.  It earned its keep already.  My door was mysteriously opened during the work day.  There was no sign of forced entry so the police think it "blew open" which I think is very unlikely.  Anyway, the alarm went off, the police showed up in less than 5 minutes and were able to secure the house before my pets escaped.  I also like that it comes with a remote control so that I can set it to "away" from upstairs.  We only have motion sensors on the first floor so if anyone got in via a window the alarm would go off before they made it to my bedroom.  My fear is sleeping through a burglar and waking up when it was too late to grab my self-defense.  Now I'll be awake.  It also comes with panic alarms.

[hdatontodo]

I have Simplisafe and pay their higher fee with more alert options.

I do not have my motion detectors active in At Home mode. I do have security film on my windows and extra locks, floor mounted door kick blocks and other things. If you think someone might come into your house, secure it physically first.

[boarder42]

SmartThings or Vera are both better options.  And there is no monthly fee with either of these systems. 

[waltworks]

Go look up the stats on property crime in the US over the last couple decades before you spend any money on a security system.

-W

[latinlover77]

I bought the system below from Newegg for about $220 and installed it myself. Bought this after I had a break in at my home, burglar stealing all HDTVs and some watches.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16881523074

Installation wasn't too bad. The smartphone app that is available  half the time did not work, which is a bummer, but who will actually need to see video footage until there is an incident?

The system works fine and I usually connect a display to it to ensure that its recording. Video quality is good enough. The important thing is to hide the video recorder box in a good spot. In my case, I have it in the attic.

But I have to agree with the person on here that said that investing in quality locks and doors is the best option. I also purchased a steel door to replace the one the burglar kicked in.

Overall, I think for $220, the video recorder was a good investment.

[jba302]

It might send them running, but not before they grab a laptop, jewelry, etc etc.  Most break ins are smash and grab jobs, in and out fast as possble.  Thats why the best bang for your buck is going to be to 1) Make your house look undesirable to break into and 2) Hard to break into.

Can confirm. The largest property loss I saw handling claims was a theft of almost half a million in jewelry. Door was kicked in and a safe was taken in less time than it took for the alarm to activate. So another rule is don't keep all your valuable shit in the same place.

[Cromacster]

It might send them running, but not before they grab a laptop, jewelry, etc etc.  Most break ins are smash and grab jobs, in and out fast as possble.  Thats why the best bang for your buck is going to be to 1) Make your house look undesirable to break into and 2) Hard to break into.

Can confirm. The largest property loss I saw handling claims was a theft of almost half a million in jewelry. Door was kicked in and a safe was taken in less time than it took for the alarm to activate. So another rule is don't keep all your valuable shit in the same place.

Or...if you are storing half a million in jewelry, store it in a safe thats bolted down or too heavy to carry.  Ideally both.  smh.

[jba302]

It might send them running, but not before they grab a laptop, jewelry, etc etc.  Most break ins are smash and grab jobs, in and out fast as possble.  Thats why the best bang for your buck is going to be to 1) Make your house look undesirable to break into and 2) Hard to break into.

Can confirm. The largest property loss I saw handling claims was a theft of almost half a million in jewelry. Door was kicked in and a safe was taken in less time than it took for the alarm to activate. So another rule is don't keep all your valuable shit in the same place.

Or...if you are storing half a million in jewelry, store it in a safe thats bolted down or too heavy to carry.  Ideally both.  smh.

Also a good one. Another good sub-rule is don't have multiple contractors bid on a 100k bathroom renovation with a safe in plain sight in your bedroom.

Maybe simply "don't have half a million in jewelry" would solve all of this.

[Indexer]

So the Canary came in the mail a few days ago.  I have it installed and I like it so far. 

The video is amazing quality and it has a very wide view.  I purposely turned the auto-disable off so my movements would trigger it.  As soon as I walked within its view my phone started vibrating.  The night vision is pretty impressive.  I watched videos on it and it picks up sounds I don't even hear sitting in the same room. 

I know keeping stuff tucked away also works, but if someone does come in I've got them in hi definition.

[paddedhat]

It might send them running, but not before they grab a laptop, jewelry, etc etc.  Most break ins are smash and grab jobs, in and out fast as possble.  Thats why the best bang for your buck is going to be to 1) Make your house look undesirable to break into and 2) Hard to break into.

Can confirm. The largest property loss I saw handling claims was a theft of almost half a million in jewelry. Door was kicked in and a safe was taken in less time than it took for the alarm to activate. So another rule is don't keep all your valuable shit in the same place.

Or...if you are storing half a million in jewelry, store it in a safe thats bolted down or too heavy to carry.  Ideally both.  smh.

Really. If you leave half a mil. in jewelry in a convenient carrying case, even if it's allegedly a "safe", the proper response from your insurer should be. "Regrettably, Mr. Dumbass, we are unable to compensate you for your loss, as you were too stupid to handle your property in a responsible manner".

As for all these claims that alarms don't matter and you need all kinds of locks and other barriers, I disagree. I built homes in a rural area and had them broken into several times. The state police always had the same comment. Burglars pick jobsites first, then unoccupied (second) homes without alarms, third are occupied homes without alarm systems, and very, very infrequently they take a chance on any with an obviously active alarm. Unless you chose to live with bars on your windows and doors, forget securing doors and windows to the point that they can't be kicked in, or busted out of the frame with a J-bar, in more than a few seconds. An un-alarmed house that's "hard to break into" only means that it takes a bigger J-bar, or sledge hammer, and another minute to be inside.

 The alarm is there to help a thief in their decision making process. As in, "do I want something in THIS house so badly that I'm willing to risk the attention the wailing siren and 911 dialer are going to bring to the scene, or should I keep looking for a softer target?

[burly]

So the Canary came in the mail a few days ago.  I have it installed and I like it so far. 

The video is amazing quality and it has a very wide view.  I purposely turned the auto-disable off so my movements would trigger it.  As soon as I walked within its view my phone started vibrating.  The night vision is pretty impressive.  I watched videos on it and it picks up sounds I don't even hear sitting in the same room. 

I know keeping stuff tucked away also works, but if someone does come in I've got them in hi definition.

Hey - I saw it listed and thought the same as you... However, I do have a pitbull and a shotgun by my bed so I'm not sure if I need it, however my fear would be that I wouldn't hear the robber in time to get my self defense... Just curious - how loud is 90db? 

[Indexer]

So the Canary came in the mail a few days ago.  I have it installed and I like it so far. 

The video is amazing quality and it has a very wide view.  I purposely turned the auto-disable off so my movements would trigger it.  As soon as I walked within its view my phone started vibrating.  The night vision is pretty impressive.  I watched videos on it and it picks up sounds I don't even hear sitting in the same room. 

I know keeping stuff tucked away also works, but if someone does come in I've got them in hi definition.

Hey - I saw it listed and thought the same as you... However, I do have a pitbull and a shotgun by my bed so I'm not sure if I need it, however my fear would be that I wouldn't hear the robber in time to get my self defense... Just curious - how loud is 90db?

Well I have a pistol, but the canary is primarily for when you are gone.  It normally deactivates when you are home(when your smartphone is on the same wifi network as the canary), but you can reactivate it if you know you aren't going to be in that part of the house. 

90 decibels is very loud.  Ever been next to a car that has the speakers system enhanced and turned all the way up?  The point at which you get a ticket for that in most places is 50 decibels heard outside the car.  So take a very loud car heard from the outside, and then just about double it.

[DLJ154]

Apply the military strategic concept of defense in depth to protecting your home:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_in_depth

A single obstacle isn't going to prevent anything. A combination of secured doors and windows, motion lights, alarm system, dog, Marine Corps flag outside, and the potential for firepower inside is what deters burglars. After seeing or experiencing enough obstacles, they will likely set their sites on a softer target. It's attrition warfare at its best.

[IamDavin]

I worked for ADT Security for a bit.

One easy way to deter burglars is adding a ADT yard sign and window stickers.  They can be purchased from eBay last time I looked when I was thinking of selling the extras I have. 

I would guess that the yard sign and window stickers make up 60% of the effectiveness of a security system. 

Throw in a dog/firearm, and use a old smart phone as a camera and you should be pretty well covered.  I have been using this app with my old iPhone

https://manything.com

[Sibley]

My theory regarding alarm systems is very simple. If you think you need an alarm system, you don't. You either need counseling to deal with your issues, or you need iron bars on your doors and windows. (Though I would recommend moving.) And I grew up in an area with some problems.

Anyone determined enough can get in. Doesn't matter what you put in place. You just want to prevent the casual guys. You can do that by paying for alarm system, or you can do it by improving your locks, etc.

[Pedro Gonzales]

So the Canary came in the mail a few days ago.  I have it installed and I like it so far. 

The video is amazing quality and it has a very wide view.  I purposely turned the auto-disable off so my movements would trigger it.  As soon as I walked within its view my phone started vibrating.  The night vision is pretty impressive.  I watched videos on it and it picks up sounds I don't even hear sitting in the same room. 

I know keeping stuff tucked away also works, but if someone does come in I've got them in hi definition.

Indexer, can you give us an update on how the canary is working for you?

[Shor]

Apply the military strategic concept of defense in depth to protecting your home:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_in_depth

A single obstacle isn't going to prevent anything. A combination of secured doors and windows, motion lights, alarm system, dog, Marine Corps flag outside, and the potential for firepower inside is what deters burglars. After seeing or experiencing enough obstacles, they will likely set their sites on a softer target. It's attrition warfare at its best.

And then after all that effort to bypass security,
to top it all off you live a minimal spartan life,
and the only thing to take is the food in the pantry.
"Yeesh, if you asked I would've gladly given you beans and rice. Go and fetch a pail of water from the well, tonight we dine on double rations!"

[stoaX]

I have nothing now but at a previous address I used a few indoor magnetic door / window sensors that make a loud alarm if the door or window is opened.  They cost less than $20 at the hardware store.  I had a home security sign in the window by the door so even though there was no connection to a monitoring company it looked like there was and the loud alarm re-inforced that impression.  I wasn't concerned about a break in while I was away, rather I was concerned about it while I was home and wanted the loud noise so I could call 911.

[gggggg]

I worked for ADT Security for a bit.

One easy way to deter burglars is adding a ADT yard sign and window stickers.  They can be purchased from eBay last time I looked when I was thinking of selling the extras I have. 

I would guess that the yard sign and window stickers make up 60% of the effectiveness of a security system. 

Throw in a dog/firearm, and use a old smart phone as a camera and you should be pretty well covered.  I have been using this app with my old iPhone

https://manything.com

The ebay sign/sticker thing is exactly what I did. Never had a problem (knock on wood). I'm a cop, and the smash and run concept is correct. Most in-home thefts are kick door in/break window, grab a few smaller things quickly, and exit. Rarely is there a "clean out" of big things like tv's etc, like is shown in the movies sometimes.

[Metric Mouse]

I have nothing now but at a previous address I used a few indoor magnetic door / window sensors that make a loud alarm if the door or window is opened.  They cost less than $20 at the hardware store.  I had a home security sign in the window by the door so even though there was no connection to a monitoring company it looked like there was and the loud alarm re-inforced that impression.  I wasn't concerned about a break in while I was away, rather I was concerned about it while I was home and wanted the loud noise so I could call 911.

This is my fear as well. I'm insured for stuff taken; I want noise when I'm there.  Those little alarmed door kicks are perfect - and you can take them with you when you travel.

[stoaX]

Go look up the stats on property crime in the US over the last couple decades before you spend any money on a security system.

-W

Is part of the decrease in property crimes due to the change in how people report those crimes and how insurance companies respond to claims related to property crimes?  Years ago if a property crime was committed you called the police on the telephone and reported your losses to the insurance company.  Now if you call the police they tell you to go online and file a report...making it clear that nothing will be done. 

And if you file a homeowner's claim you live in fear of a significant premium increase or having your coverage terminated. When my bike was stolen recently I didn't file a claim for that reason and because the value was less than my deductible.

There's a difference between property crime being down and reporting of property crimes being down.

[waltworks]

Go look up the stats on property crime in the US over the last couple decades before you spend any money on a security system.

-W

Is part of the decrease in property crimes due to the change in how people report those crimes and how insurance companies respond to claims related to property crimes?  Years ago if a property crime was committed you called the police on the telephone and reported your losses to the insurance company.  Now if you call the police they tell you to go online and file a report...making it clear that nothing will be done. 

And if you file a homeowner's claim you live in fear of a significant premium increase or having your coverage terminated. When my bike was stolen recently I didn't file a claim for that reason and because the value was less than my deductible.

There's a difference between property crime being down and reporting of property crimes being down.

Didn't look it up, eh?

Your chances of having stuff stolen are lower (in the US, anyway) than almost anytime in history.

It's worth noting that your chances of being a victim of *any* sort of crime, violent or otherwise, are at all time lows. There is really no dispute about that at all among folks who pay attention to this issue. There's a raging debate about *why*, but the data on crime is compiled from multiple sources (including long-running surveys) not just police reports. So the reporting changes are NOT the story.

-Walt

[stoaX]

Go look up the stats on property crime in the US over the last couple decades before you spend any money on a security system.

-W

Is part of the decrease in property crimes due to the change in how people report those crimes and how insurance companies respond to claims related to property crimes?  Years ago if a property crime was committed you called the police on the telephone and reported your losses to the insurance company.  Now if you call the police they tell you to go online and file a report...making it clear that nothing will be done. 

And if you file a homeowner's claim you live in fear of a significant premium increase or having your coverage terminated. When my bike was stolen recently I didn't file a claim for that reason and because the value was less than my deductible.

There's a difference between property crime being down and reporting of property crimes being down.

Didn't look it up, eh?

Your chances of having stuff stolen are lower (in the US, anyway) than almost anytime in history.

It's worth noting that your chances of being a victim of *any* sort of crime, violent or otherwise, are at all time lows. There is really no dispute about that at all among folks who pay attention to this issue. There's a raging debate about *why*, but the data on crime is compiled from multiple sources (including long-running surveys) not just police reports. So the reporting changes are NOT the story.

-Walt

No I didn't look them up in response to this thread.  Several years ago when reading "Freakonomics" I looked at the FBI website to see the decreases in crime that was a topic in that book.  And I also have followed the decreasing crime rates in my town over the years.  And I agree with you about investing in a home security system - I don't have one. 

Your point about the surveys as opposed to police reports was a good one.  Page 9 of this begins the discussion of the difference between reported and non-reported crime.  Both are down, but it is surprising how in some states there is a big difference between the two and in others there is little difference. 
http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/descrbncvs.pdf