Advice on wireless alarm for apartment

[[email protected]]

Hi,
A friend of mine is looking for a decent alarm for his apartment.
I checked on the 'net and see a Motorola at Radio Shack, and he has
heard about ITI and Visonic. Can someone give a good recommendation?
He wants an alarm with some kind of reporting, that will call him on
his cell if it's activated, and also has a decent web-cam for
monitoring/recording.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Rich

 

[Jim]

Hi,
    A friend of mine is looking for a decent alarm for his apartment.
I checked on the 'net and see a Motorola at Radio Shack, and he has
heard about ITI and Visonic. Can someone give a good recommendation?
He wants an alarm with some kind of reporting, that will call him on
his cell if it's activated, and also has a decent web-cam for
monitoring/recording.
   Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Rich

Don't use Rat Shack equipment for anything. If he's going to install
it himself, he/you should go on line to some of the DIY suppliers and
see what they offer. Most of the people here are installers. We can
give you some advice but you'll have to get the nitty gritty from
whomever you buy your equipment from. There are a few good, relatively
inexpensive systems that are fairly easy to install. But most are
manufactured for professional installation. That's why, if you're
planing on doing it yourself, you should contact some of the various
suppliers to see which will offer you the best asstance.

 

[cam35pilot]

Don't use Rat Shack equipment for anything. If he's going to install
it himself, he/you should go on line to some of the DIY suppliers and
see what they offer. Most of the people here are installers. We can
give you some advice but you'll have to get the nitty gritty from
whomever you buy your equipment from. There are a few good, relatively
inexpensive systems that are fairly easy to install. But most are
manufactured for professional installation. That's why, if you're
planing on doing it yourself, you should contact some of the various
suppliers to see which will offer you the best asstance.

Thanks Jim,
He's a MS certified network engineer, so I'm sure that he can
handle it. He said he's going to buy the GE Simon 3, after doing some
internet research.
Best,
Rich

 

[Crash Gordon]

His MS certification won't help much, nor will GE. But the GE is a better
choice than Radio Shaft




| > On Mar 14, 8:33?am, [email protected] wrote:
| >
| > > Hi,
| > > ? ? A friend of mine is looking for a decent alarm for his apartment.
|
| >
| > Don't use Rat Shack equipment for anything. If he's going to install
| > it himself, he/you should go on line to some of the DIY suppliers and
| > see what they offer. Most of the people here are installers. We can
| > give you some advice but you'll have to get the nitty gritty from
| > whomever you buy your equipment from. There are a few good, relatively
| > inexpensive systems that are fairly easy to install. But most are
| > manufactured for professional installation. That's why, if you're
| > planing on doing it yourself, you should contact some of the various
| > suppliers to see which will offer you the best asstance.
|
| Thanks Jim,
| He's a MS certified network engineer, so I'm sure that he can
| handle it. He said he's going to buy the GE Simon 3, after doing some
| internet research.
| Best,
| Rich
|

 

[alarman]

He's a MS certified network engineer, so I'm sure that he can
handle it.

<sigh>

js

 

[Jim]

Thanks Jim,
   He's a MS certified network engineer, so I'm sure that he can
handle it. He said he's going to buy the GE Simon 3, after doing some
internet research.
Best,
Rich

Rich, I'm going by experience here, so don't take offense. I don't
know if you have a techinical background or not but it's usually the
hands on technical guy who can do this sort of thing with out much
help. As much as you might think your engineer friend might know about
networks and things of that nature, unfortunately they usually fall
into the same category as electricians who've never installed an alarm
system, but think they can because they know about wires and
electrical circuits.

He's chosen one of the cheapest, least capable systems available. On
the good side, he's probably chosen something that he's capable of
installing, with some help. You see, most people who want to install
their own systems think that the instructions are going to be written
in detail from A to Z. They are not.
They are written with the intention of the system being installed by
people with experience in the technicalities and the knowledge of the
jargon and nomenclature of the installation trade .... not to mention
the peculiarities specific to each manufacturer.

Good luck.

 

[cam35pilot]

Rich, I'm going by experience here, so don't take offense. I don't
know if you have a techinical background or not but it's usually the
hands on technical guy who can do this sort of thing with out much
help. As much as you might think your engineer friend might know about
networks and things of that nature, unfortunately they usually fall
into the same category as electricians who've never installed an alarm
system, but think they can because they know about wires and
electrical circuits.

He's chosen one of the cheapest, least capable systems available. On
the good side, he's probably chosen something that he's capable of
installing, with some help. You see, most people who want to install
their own systems think that the instructions are going to be written
in detail from A to Z. They are not.
They are written with the intention of the system being installed by
people with experience in the technicalities and the knowledge of the
jargon and nomenclature of the installation trade .... not to mention
the peculiarities specific to each manufacturer.

Good luck.

What would a better system for an apartment be? I mean, he has
insurance, and just wants a reasonbly-priced system that will notify
him via cell-phone if some kids are breaking in. What are your
suggestions?

 

[Crash Gordon]

It may call him on his cell, but he'll have no idea what it's saying unless
he understands alarmglish.


| >
| > > Thanks Jim,
| > > ? ?He's a MS certified network engineer, so I'm sure that he can
| > > handle it. He said he's going to buy the GE Simon 3, after doing some
| > > internet research.
| > > Best,
| > > Rich
| >
| > Rich, I'm going by experience here, so don't take offense. I don't
| > know if you have a techinical background or not but it's usually the
| > hands on technical guy who can do this sort of thing with out much
| > help. As much as you might think your engineer friend might know about
| > networks and things of that nature, unfortunately they usually fall
| > into the same category as electricians who've never installed an alarm
| > system, but think they can because they know about wires and
| > electrical circuits.
| >
| > He's chosen one of the cheapest, least capable systems available. On
| > the good side, he's probably chosen something that he's capable of
| > installing, with some help. You see, most people who want to install
| > their own systems think that the instructions are going to be written
| > in detail from A to Z. They are not.
| > They are written with the intention of the system being installed by
| > people with experience in the technicalities and the knowledge of the
| > jargon and nomenclature of the installation trade .... not to mention
| > the peculiarities specific to each manufacturer.
| >
| > Good luck.
|
| What would a better system for an apartment be? I mean, he has
| insurance, and just wants a reasonbly-priced system that will notify
| him via cell-phone if some kids are breaking in. What are your
| suggestions?
|

 

[Robert L Bass]

It may call him on his cell, but he'll

have no idea what it's saying unless
he understands alarmglish...

With the addition of a voice/pager dialer
most systems can notify the homeowner
of an alarm. Some units will notify as
many as eight persons and can differentiate
up to four conditions (e.g., burglary, fire,
freeze, flood).

These are not as effective as central
station monitoring but for people whose
police departments are so far away (country
homes) or so inept (Bridgeport, CT) that
monitoring is of little value they can provide
some measure of security.

I don't have exact figures but I'd estimate
about 10 to 20% of my DIY clients use a
voice/pager dialer.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

 

[cam35pilot]

With the addition of a voice/pager dialer
most systems can notify the homeowner
of an alarm. Some units will notify as
many as eight persons and can differentiate
up to four conditions (e.g., burglary, fire,
freeze, flood).

These are not as effective as central
station monitoring but for people whose
police departments are so far away (country
homes) or so inept (Bridgeport, CT) that
monitoring is of little value they can provide
some measure of security.

I don't have exact figures but I'd estimate
about 10 to 20% of my DIY clients use a
voice/pager dialer.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate your input. I'll pass this on to
him. My apologies also for my less-than-warm remark to the wise-guy,
I'm down with the flu, so it's hard to be patient when trying to help
someone else out when you feel this lousy.

Rich

 

[Robert L Bass]

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate your input.

You're most welcome.

I'll pass this on to him. My apologies also for
my less-than-warm remark to the wise-guy...

I must have missed that post. Less-than-warm
is nothing compared to some threads. I doubt
anyone will take offense.

I'm down with the flu, so it's hard to be patient
when trying to help someone else out when
you feel this lousy.

Having gone through some pretty serious
medical problems this past year, I understand
how you might get a little testy. Hope you
feel better soon.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>