Re: Never had an alarm before but...

[Alarm Guy <Alarm@xxxxxxx>]

brumac@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> I've not had much luck finding a place on the internet where I
> can read reviews of the different types of system, reviews of
> monitoring companies etc.
>
> Does such exist?  If so, where?

I'm not in the alarm business.  I know a little about some makes and
models because I've actually installed them for my own use.  I can
understand that there probably isin't an internet resource for info
and reviews of various makes/models - it's not a very common consumer
item.  I'm also in Canada (Ontario).

> Can't I just by the best hardware, install it myself and pay
> somebody to monitor it?

Yes you can.

You will probably have to buy an alarm panel and sensors from an
"authorized" dealer.  I would recommend that you obtain a DSC model
1550 panel, metal enclosure box, 12 volt sealed lead-acid battery,
door switches and (if you need them) infra-red motion sensors.  The
sensors will probably cost $30 each, the door switches maybe a buck or
two each, the panel, box and battery maybe $300, and the keypad maybe
$100.

Here is some info about the 1550:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/equippre.htm

Note that DSC is a Canadian company.

Just go through your phone book under alarm or security and make it
clear you just want to buy the hardware.  I'm sure they will try
really hard to sign you up for a monitoring service.  They might even
tell you that they won't sell you the hardware unless you sign up with
their monitoring service (in that case I'd just drop the phone and
call someone else).

Also note that you don't have to pay a monitoring company to monitor
your alarm system.  You can program the alarm panel yourself so that
it will call 1 or 2 phone numbers when the alarm goes off.  When it
calls a number and you answer it, you will just hear silence.  If you
hang up, it will try again (sometimes 10 times or more).  I'm speaking
specifically about the DSC 1550, but other types probably do the
same.  You could, for example, have it call your cell phone, a work
phone number, etc, and therefore completely do away with the monthly
monitoring costs.

What you won't be able to do in that case is get any information about
what zone is causing the alarm - but once you reach the location and
look at the keypad you can easily find out what zone caused the
alarm.  It's really not necessary to know (at the time the alarm is
activated and you are being called) what zone is causing the alarm.

> Surely if I can build computers, I can install other electronics.
>
> Or is there more to this than I can even imagine?

It's very easy to hook these units up, wire up the sensors, etc.  If
you can wire up a door bell, then you can wire up a motion detector
and door switch.  You will just need to run ordinary 4-wire telephone
wire to every door switch and motion detector.  You can buy a box of
telephone wire from Home Depot for $50 for 500 feet.

Feel free to ask more questions.