I want to go with one of these systems. I'm not happy that they make you sign up for 3 years without a trial period. I freely admit I know nothing about these. Can someone with no affiliation to any of these please give me some advice as to which is the best option? Would I still need window bars with these? I was just told that a first floor tenant had someone try and break into his apt. the last few nights, and I want to protect my home, and make him feel secure.
Any help would be much appreciated. Please, no sales pitches!
Definitely not Brinks, unless you want to buy a whole new system if you're not happy with them later. Their equipment is proprietary - cannot be taken-over.
Dunno much about Slomin.
ADT at least their equipment can be taken over if your not happy..but only after your initial term expires because the DO excute their contracts to the letter. No outs there.
Personally... find a good local small company that's been around a while and get a couple of bids. With the big boys you're just a number and RMR to their bean-counters. You'll never see the same tech twice and you'll be explaining your problem (if you have one) to 20 people before any action is taken.
| > ADT at least their equipment can be taken over if your not happy..but only | > after your initial term expires because the DO excute their contracts to the | > letter. No outs there. | >
| > Personally... find a good local small company that's been around a while and | > get a couple of bids. With the big boys you're just a number and RMR to | > their bean-counters. You'll never see the same tech twice and you'll be | > explaining your problem (if you have one) to 20 people before any action is | > taken. | >
Also, if Slomins is being considered, that means the OP is in the NY tristate area in which Napco is very popular. It would seem that a popular panel would be one more likely to be able to be taken over, rather than changed, should the OP decide to change alarm companys.
For some reason, people have a problem programing them, so they think no one can.
Even though both Napco and Ademco, were based in the NY metro area, Napco was the most popular panel by far, for many, many years. It may still be, but I don't know.
In other areas of the country, some people have never even heard of Napco. I'd guess thats attributable to the fact the ADI has more area covereage than the Napco factory reps have.
ADT has the best overall customer service, and doesn't mind if you decide to use your system as a non monitored system only after your commitment with them is satisfied. Their Safewatch Pro 3000EN is an Ademco Vista20Pv2 that cannot be downloaded via standard compass. You can however hand program it, or swap the board, and all wireless devices if any, are fully compatible.
Brinks is the complete opposite of ADT. They have a real borg mentality, and will shutdown your system in a heartbeat, and refuse to service your system unless you sign up for another long term contract. To use your system as a local, you have to pay them $500 more, and thats if you catch them on a good day. Nevermind that you have had your service with them for several years. Nevermind that the installing dealer already paid them for that equipment. It's all a numbers game to them.
Slomins is a company that offers home security as a sideline...do you really want to use a company that primarily sells home heating oil to install a security system in your home? Most of their installations are the basic 3 door, 1 motion, lick it and stick systems. That is not security or peace of mind. I have seen companies like Slomins sell off alarm divisions once they find a sucker (ADT for the most part), or decide that their attrition rate is getting out of control, and try to pawn it off to Wayne Hizinga...yeah Wayne, I still remember you! :)
The P1632 and bigger are kind of a pain to program fromt he keypad, but P800 and P801 are the easiext panels to program of any I have done. On the flip side I hated the Magnum Alert panels.
Going back to pre 800 days...no never liked Napco.
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| > | > Dunno much about Slomin. | > | >
| > | > ADT at least their equipment can be taken over if your not happy..but | > only | > | > after your initial term expires because the DO excute their contracts | > to | > the | > | > letter. No outs there. | > | >
| > | > Personally... find a good local small company that's been around a | > while | > and | > | > get a couple of bids. With the big boys you're just a number and RMR | > to | > | > their bean-counters. You'll never see the same tech twice and you'll | > be | > | > explaining your problem (if you have one) to 20 people before any | > action is | > | > taken. | > | >
| > | > R. | > | >
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| | | | -- | Posted via a free Usenet account from
OH...it's THAT Slomins...I thought the name sounded familiar...oil trucks!...been a long time since I lived back east.
Wayne was he the Blockbuster guy?
| >> Jim Rojas | >>
| >>
| > What's wrong with off the shelf products? | >
| > Better than proprietary ...... wouldn't you say? | >
| > Also, if Slomins is being considered, that means the OP is in | > the NY tristate area in which Napco is very popular. It would seem | > that a popular panel would be one more likely to be able to be | > taken over, rather than changed, should the OP decide to change | > alarm companys. | >
I teach DIYers how to program Napco panels all the time. This stuff is much simpler than some folks might like you to believe. Any primate can learn how to install an alarm system. The wiring is simple, mostly 2- and
4-wire. The sensors screw to the wall or get inserted in a hole drilled in a door casing. Most don't require any adjustments at all. The panel hook-up is simple stuff, too. Anyone with a modicum of tool skills and a bit of patience can do it. There's a schematic drawing showing which wires go where (many panels even say which colors to use).
Programming Napco's larger panels is best done using their software. You can download it for free. I usually need 20 minutes or so to walk a new user through programming a P3200 or P9600 panel. Once you've done a few of them it's like riding a bicycle. Even Mark Leuck can do that. :^)
This week I showed a first time DIYer how to install and configure an ELK-M1G home automation system. These are far more advanced than anything most alarm installers do. The wiring and installation is largely the same as alarms. The programming and the number of options are more complex though. It took me just over an hour to walk him through programming the panel.
I must agree with the above poster. Even I can do it. I can't say for sure whether he can though. :^)
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