Portable alarm system

[LuvOrlando]

I called ADT for info on a system for an apartment, it’s not the same as what goes in a house anymore. I already have cameras so I was looking for actual alarms that call out and thought I’d see if anyone has a system they like. USAA has a discount but I’m not sure it’s a good deal, opinions would be helpful.

 

[Alesia]

I recommend looking into simplisafe

 

[Searc]

We have Arlo.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I recommend looking into simplisafe

I will thanks!

 

[LuvOrlando]

We have Arlo.

I do too but it’s so unreliable, it seems every year at this time they start acting up and getting buggy to push me to upgrade. It took me 2 hours yesterday to get them to open up one set. I haven’t had the patience yet to deal with them for the other set. I was thinking maybe another brand alarm would be good for backup

 

[Searc]

I do too but it’s so unreliable, it seems every year at this time they start acting up and getting buggy to push me to upgrade. It took me 2 hours yesterday to get them to open up one set. I haven’t had the patience yet to deal with them for the other set. I was thinking maybe another brand alarm would be good for backup

I haven't had any issues with ours. What do you mean, pushing you to upgrade? I haven't had any contact with Arlo at all, I do everything through the app.

 

[tvguy]

I recommend looking into simplisafe

Simplisafe is good, and there are a number of independent alarm companies across the country that install the same wireless equipment. Check around in your area. Just make sure your landlord allows an alarm. If you have cameras I hope you cleared those with the landlord. And if your community requires an alarm permit, that would be on you.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I haven't had any issues with ours. What do you mean, pushing you to upgrade? I haven't had any contact with Arlo at all, I do everything through the app.

I’ve had it about 5 years, around the holidays the cameras start disconnecting randomly, base station needs to be reset often. I bought a 4th camera but it wouldn’t work even though it says it supports 4 so I needed to get the second base. Used to be the cameras would stay in and drain in about a week, totally software. Whenever I call to get help (5 years ago or today) they invariably mention how it’s because I’m on a basic plan & it would be ok if I got the better plan but eventually things go back to normal. It’s not the end of the world but it’s a nuisance, I invested so I keep it but I wouldn’t do it again.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Simplisafe is good, and there are a number of independent alarm companies across the country that install the same wireless equipment. Check around in your area. Just make sure your landlord allows an alarm. If you have cameras I hope you cleared those with the landlord. And if your community requires an alarm permit, that would be on you.

I didn’t know about the permits and all, also didn’t know about needing an ok for a camera in a community. Is this common? Do you think needing the ok is why ADT created a mobile system?

 

[tvguy]

I didn’t know about the permits and all, also didn’t know about needing an ok for a camera in a community. Is this common? Do you think needing the ok is why ADT created a mobile system?

I don't know how many communities require alarm permits. My parents had an alarm for years and had to get a permit about 35 years ago. I can't speak to communities, but landlords certainly could have a say in a rental unit. Not familiar with ADT's mobile system. My daughter is in a different city and has to have a permit for the alarm, She has cameras too and the installer made her sign a waiver acknowledging that the cameras were set to only capture her property, and public areas, not over a neighbor's fence. Her community asks....but does not require....that people with cameras that are recorded register them in case they need to review them if something happens

 

[LuvOrlando]

I don't know how many communities require alarm permits. My parents had an alarm for years and had to get a permit about 35 years ago. I can't speak to communities, but landlords certainly could have a say in a rental unit. Not familiar with ADT's mobile system. My daughter is in a different city and has to have a permit for the alarm, She has cameras too and the installer made her sign a waiver acknowledging that the cameras were set to only capture her property, and public areas, not over a neighbor's fence. Her community asks....but does not require....that people with cameras that are recorded register them in case they need to review them if something happens

Ok thank you so much, I’ll call the office tomorrow.

 

[Searc]

I’ve had it about 5 years, around the holidays the cameras start disconnecting randomly, base station needs to be reset often. I bought a 4th camera but it wouldn’t work even though it says it supports 4 so I needed to get the second base. Used to be the cameras would stay in and drain in about a week, totally software. Whenever I call to get help (5 years ago or today) they invariably mention how it’s because I’m on a basic plan & it would be ok if I got the better plan but eventually things go back to normal. It’s not the end of the world but it’s a nuisance, I invested so I keep it but I wouldn’t do it again.

Wow, that is so different from my experience. I wonder if the age of the equipment has anything to do with it? I went with Arlo instead of Ring because there is no additional monthly charge. You buy the base/cameras and that's it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Wow, that is so different from my experience. I wonder if the age of the equipment has anything to do with it? I went with Arlo instead of Ring because there is no additional monthly charge. You buy the base/cameras and that's it.

I’m guessing you’re a newer owner so there’s nothing in it to upsell for service, but it’ll eventually happen.
For the first two years it was relatively uneventful. Then, as soon as they started the new camera models and upgraded service, all of a sudden I wasn’t able to turn my cameras off and the batteries would drain within days. The Internet was full of complaints about the lithium batteries being defective but I don’t think that’s what was happening. The thing is that they work perfectly fine 99% of the time but when things go wrong they are invariably related to software which seems like a pretty simple fix and they try to tell me it’s hardware and then I need to buy a new camera which doesn’t make sense based on what was happening every time and the fact that I still have all the originals at this point. I did buy a new one once which didn’t seem to change anything.
So my most recent situation what was happening was I decided to use the two other cameras compared to the three that run on my first base. When I pulled them out of the drawer and hooked them up to the 2nd base I could see both cameras were working, they were flashing blue with new batteries but I could only see the images of one of them. Weird thing is when I opened up the library I could see that the images were going to the library independent of me but I couldn’t get control. The system prompted me to drop out of legacy and go into the new app which I did but there the second was completely invisible but I was able to move between the two apps so I can still see the old library & that my camera worked. Odd right? So I I stayed on the phone with customer service at least two hours with the guy cycling me out of turning stuff on turning it off plugging it in syncing it up trying to get me to buy a new camera and an upgrade in service. I was completely annoyed and told him that I was probably going to hang up the phone with him and call ADT about getting their cameras and a whole new system and selling it on eBay and then magically he figured out what was wrong. Everything works now.

For the most part it does what I want it to do which means it tells me if there are packages outside, lets me check in on my dog if I’m having a long day - i’ll even protect it in a birdfeeder and put it outside to keep an eye on my dog if I think he’s not feeling well or something like that and It tells me if my kids remember to shut the garage door when I’m traveling. The business side is just kind of shady so I don’t really trust it to the point I would put it anywhere near the bedrooms or anything like that.

I guess it’s a situation where I don’t love it but I don’t hate it, so while I wouldn’t get any new pieces I’m also not throwing it out.

 

[Searc]

I’m guessing you’re a newer owner so there’s nothing in it to upsell for service, but it’ll eventually happen.
For the first two years it was relatively uneventful. Then, as soon as they started the new camera models and upgraded service, all of a sudden I wasn’t able to turn my cameras off and the batteries would drain within days. The Internet was full of complaints about the lithium batteries being defective but I don’t think that’s what was happening. The thing is that they work perfectly fine 99% of the time but when things go wrong they are invariably related to software which seems like a pretty simple fix and they try to tell me it’s hardware and then I need to buy a new camera which doesn’t make sense based on what was happening every time and the fact that I still have all the originals at this point. I did buy a new one once which didn’t seem to change anything.
So my most recent situation what was happening was I decided to use the two other cameras compared to the three that run on my first base. When I pulled them out of the drawer and hooked them up to the 2nd base I could see both cameras were working, they were flashing blue with new batteries but I could only see the images of one of them. Weird thing is when I opened up the library I could see that the images were going to the library independent of me but I couldn’t get control. The system prompted me to drop out of legacy and go into the new app which I did but there the second was completely invisible but I was able to move between the two apps so I can still see the old library & that my camera worked. Odd right? So I I stayed on the phone with customer service at least two hours with the guy cycling me out of turning stuff on turning it off plugging it in syncing it up trying to get me to buy a new camera and an upgrade in service. I was completely annoyed and told him that I was probably going to hang up the phone with him and call ADT about getting their cameras and a whole new system and selling it on eBay and then magically he figured out what was wrong. Everything works now.

For the most part it does what I want it to do which means it tells me if there are packages outside, lets me check in on my dog if I’m having a long day - i’ll even protect it in a birdfeeder and put it outside to keep an eye on my dog if I think he’s not feeling well or something like that and It tells me if my kids remember to shut the garage door when I’m traveling. The business side is just kind of shady so I don’t really trust it to the point I would put it anywhere near the bedrooms or anything like that.

I guess it’s a situation where I don’t love it but I don’t hate it, so while I wouldn’t get any new pieces I’m also not throwing it out.

Ours are exterior only and we were informed the old app would not work after a certain date so we switched over with no issues. I've had no problems with mine for almost a year and they do exactly what I bought them for ~ monitoring the exterior of our house.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We used Frontpoint when we had a system in our old home. Crime was bad in the area and our older system (installed before we bought the house) crapped out. That one was a wired system. Frontpoint was a wireless system based on cell phone (not my cell phone, the company's cell phone system). Most of the wireless systems are cellular based. I bought the equipment, installed it all myself and called the company to activate it. I could have had several contracts, I took the one that gave me access through my cell phone. We had multiple doors and windows ( sets of French doors, multiple doors to the outside, storage areas), so we had many sensors. Also had breakglass sensors, smoke detectors, motion detectors.