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Recommendation for Home Security provider

5K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  PlainDoll 
#1 ·
Hello All:
Can you please recommend which provider I can select for my home security system (Rogers or ADT or AlarmForce or other) ?
(Note: I subscribed ADT Focus 35 system many years ago and cancelled voluntarily after staying with them for 7 years)

Here are my requirements:
1) 24/7 home security/monitoring for any break-in/intrusion event.
2) Front and backyard day/night video camera with motion detection and notify to monitoring station operator and smart phone
3) In our absence if any break-in/intrusion happens security guard and police authority is dispatched immediately
4) All basement windows are protected under contact alarm sensors
5) All main floor doors are protected under contact alarm sensors and motion sensors
6) All children and master bedrooms are protected with glass breaking alarm sensors
7) All motion detected video clips are recorded and in a remote storage (cloud)

I don't need:
1) CO, Smoke and water leaking sensors (I already have CO and Smoke detector installed)
2) Front door lock/unlock operation by smart phone
3) Smart light to be operated remotely by phone
4) Door bell camera (it doesn't function properly in norther Ontario's winter)

Please give your suggestion, advice, recommendations.

Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
Alarmforce is now run by Bell BTW (at least in canada)

1) Any of them with the monthly service should provide this. I think all of them provide notifications now (via text, email, etc options)
2) This may vary by provider. Bell/alarmforce has both indoor and outdoor cameras. Not sure on ADT (really doesnt show/say what hardware they use). Rogers unfortunately while they say they COULD be outdoor.. i wouldnt really trust them unless they are well sheltered. I think all of them do provide where you can be notified when there is motion (and record video clips, etc).
I know that rogers you CAN NOT have it trip the alarm/contact monitoring station, etc. I think due to the cases of that its too easy to trip. Especially if you have them mounted outdoors. I have other outdoor cameras, and I turned off the notifications on them... as I was getting 10-20 notifications a day for garbage.. were it would pickup wind blowing the plants in the front garden, or a squirrel, etc.
I know with rogers you can tie the cameras with other events.. so you could have it whenever the alarm is triggers, have all cameras record, etc.
3) Not sure if any of them do IMMEDIATE dispatch. Most will try and contact through the device first. I know rogers connects to the pad and trys to get the emergency code from the person. (I have had to use this myself when the touchpad went unresponsive once)
4) Should be more than do-able with most systems I would think, unless they have a limit with the # of sensors. On rogers, I have 7 sensors running right now (2 doors and 5 windows) but sure can do more.
5) same as above. And systems should support a whole number of motion sensors just fine.
6) Rogers and bell both use the break sensors.
7) not sure on the others, but would assume are all cloud stored, at least kind of? Rogers, they are stored on the pad itself locally. But are fully accessible from anywhere else via the app/site (as long as your house has power/internet).


Can only speak in generalities of what I know of the other systems (from others having them, whats online)
But I myself have had the rogers one since about when it came out. If you have any rogers specific questions, feel free to ask.
 
#3 ·
Hello gdkitty:
Thanks for the detail and analytical comment and feedback.
ROGERS and ADT both have 'mixed' reviews from users in regard of response and customer support.

Regardless, as I have very limited options to choose a provider, now thinking of ROGERS' system (hardware includes: monitoring keypad, 2 cameras, 3 doors sensors, 3 indoor motion sensors, 3 glass breaking sensors, 1 door lock, 1 smart light). Even though they push for Thermostat, CO, Smoke Alarm and Flood Detector, I opted them out because, I have all except flood detector.

On top of ROGERS' system, I am also planning to install my own 'private video surveillance' with cloud recording.
 
#4 ·
I have had no issues myself with Rogers. Never had to have a responder itself out, so cant comment on that. But generally pretty quick on response times otherwise.
IE: My mom came over to feed the cats, and forgot the alarm :p So it went off, and they talked to her, but didnt know the code. I got the notification right away, and by the time I had pulled the contact # up on my phone, they were calling me to inquire. (as my mom was able to give them like pretty much all my other details, etc).

I currently have 2 cameras from rogers, I use them for internal stuff. One of them is pointing at the front door, its got a rule set up that records based on the door sensor opening.
The other is pointing down the hall at the moment.

I have a separate cloud/local storage based system for my outdoor ones.
 
#5 ·
Hello gdkitty:
Thanks again for the reply.
Could you please recommend any or some cloud services I could subscribe for my own 'video surveillance' ?
One of my neighbours is using outdoor RING camera and he told me RING has a cloud recording facility costs US$30 per year per camera for max 60 minutes of loop recording (that cloud service also provides recording for unlimited numbers of RING cameras at US$100/year)

Do you have any comment on RING camera and their cloud recording service ?

/j
 
#6 ·
I myself am using ARLO Pro cameras.

Worth taking a look at the ARLO thread on here for some more details/comparisons.


Short form of it, I went with the arlo for these reasons:
- Wireless. So no wiring needed for data. Are battery powered by default, but you can wire power them if power is there.
- Live view. Much like any of them, give you live view from anywhere with internet, via computer & mobile
- 7 days cloud recording. Other than getting a full DVR unit (usually wired cameras, etc), most of the new wireless ones tend to only have live view or maybe 24 hours recording included without paying for subscription fees. Beyond that on the arlo, you can plug in a USB key/hard drive into the base unit to have it archive X many days/months back. (dependent on the drive size). you can pay for a sub if you want more (though for say like 24/7 cloud recording, some of the other cloud camera systems may be cheaper.
- Audio recording. I was surprised, they have some REAL clear audio on them. I mean it picks up crickets outside clearly.
- 2 way audio. While myself have never really used it.. it does offer two way voice communications. So i guess could use much like a RING for talking to someone... though no way of knowing if they rang the doorbell... unless you had it notify you every time there was any activity on that camera, etc (which you can do on it)
 
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