Home security system advice 2024

[Cray Paper]

I searched to see if there were any recent posts regarding this and the last post I could find was from almost 2 years ago. Please punt this thread if there is something more recent.

We have a decent ADT system on our home that is almost 3 years old, cameras covering the front and back of the home, sensors on the windows, a couple of glass break sensors inside etc. The cameras aren't great at night and I would like to add a couple more to cover gaps in the system. The original contract was up last year and ADT has kept trying to raise the monthly costs, got them to lower it a year ago but am able to get out of the contract now. Monthly costs right now is about 70.00.

If anything happens while we are home, I am confident the intruders will immediately regret their decision to break in to our home and will be fortunate to be able to see the following day. That said, we have found that it is nice to review camera triggered events. People checking to see if my work truck is unlocked, local tom cat that likes to come in through the dog door and piss on things in the house, raccoons that have come in and ate the dog food then started ripping open the bread bag and chowing down on the kitchen counter, the kids parking in front of the house and having sex in the private park across the street etc. Also have had bears, coyotes and bobcats in our neighborhood recently, nice to know if they are on our street.

I am looking to replace the ADT system to eliminate the monthly fees and have higher quality cameras. The existing cameras are hardwired for power. I wouldn't mind having a dedicated server in the home to store the data. Need a system that is capable of notifying us for camera or door bell triggers and have the ability to adjust the camera trigger range and provide good night vision. Not looking for a monthly subscription, would rather pay more up front and own the storage.

Any recommendation's would be appreciated.

 

[fishing fool]

@Wmc

 

[Andy B.]

Lots of guns and dogs!

 

[Gelcoater]

Lots of guns and dogs!

Did someone say Fuck around and find out?

 

[Dunerking]

I installed a Ubiquity system a few years ago and have been very happy

 

[CLdrinker]

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Costco sells like a 12 or 16 camera hardwired system with a DVR for recording.

That might be up your alley.

 

[satellitemike]

Following, kind of in the same boat, want to buy and own my own equipment.

 

[DRYHEAT]

### SMART ASS ANSWER ALERT ###

If you need a security system, you need a new neighborhood.

 

[JFMFG]

### SMART ASS ANSWER ALERT ###

If you need a security system, you need a new neighborhood.

lol. Not always the case man. My parents live in one of in my opinions nicest parts of chino hills 5 or so years ago a few houses down neighbors got robbed while they were home. Tied up the old man wife and kid like the movies. Not sure who found them. All alive thank god but it was in the chino champion

 

[samsah33]

Most alarm companies lease, but try talking to a local place and negotiate an outright purchase. When I got mine, I was able to buy the installed system system outright and avoid the monthly lease payments. I did agree to use them for monitoring for like 3 years and after that they gave me the code so I could shop around for monitoring. They were the cheapest so I stuck with them...

Watching this post though since I'd like to upgrade to something more modern...

 

[lbhsbz]

I fail to see to the point of cameras. All they do is get me more pissed off, because now I can see what happened, but still can't do anything about it. I've captured a lot of events on my cameras, not a single piece of footage has been of any use. Why bother?

 

[RadMan]

I’ve always wanted a setup where you could get the cars license plates, coming and going, alley and street for instance where I lived in Dallas. Nice neighborhood, shit would happpen, nobody ever had a license plate but often times could see the car driving and stopping by on camera. I spent a lot of time in my garage off the alley, cars that didn’t belong would sometimes take a slow cruise looking for shit late at night, daytime too. Caught a bike thief once with the cops at the school who I bordered. Daylight, I closed off my end of alley with a car. The other end was fuked from school pickup traffic. Walked down and told the cops, busted, bikes returned to owner.

 

[Bobby V]

### SMART ASS ANSWER ALERT ###

If you need a security system, you need a new neighborhood.

Ha Ha..My ADT system also has a fire alarm feature.

 

[DRYHEAT]

Ha Ha..My ADT system also has a fire alarm feature.

Why does the sprinkler man need an alarm? Should the fire already have been put out?

 

[Bobby V]

Why does the sprinkler man need an alarm? Should the fire already have been put out?

Ha ha Water damage.

 

[lbhsbz]

I’ve always wanted a setup where you could get the cars license plates, coming and going, alley and street for instance where I lived in Dallas. Nice neighborhood, shit would happpen, nobody ever had a license plate but often times could see the car driving and stopping by on camera. I spent a lot of time in my garage off the alley, cars that didn’t belong would sometimes take a slow cruise looking for shit late at night, daytime too. Caught a bike thief once with the cops at the school who I bordered. Daylight, I closed off my end of alley with a car. The other end was fuked from school pickup traffic. Walked down and told the cops, busted, bikes returned to owner.

Plates or car is probably stolen, so that wouldn’t get you anywhere either.

Until it becomes legal to shoot on site anyone caught stealing, vandaliizing, or breaking in…nothing will change

 

[Spot]

The option you are exploring is do-able, just more expensive up front.

You just need to contact a low voltage company that installs residential camera systems. They can usually set you up with a stand alone alarm system too. Both these systems your will monitor personally. This will include excellent cameras and an alarm system that notifies you of activation instead of a 3rd party company like ADT.

 

[Gelcoater]

I fail to see to the point of cameras. All they do is get me more pissed off, because now I can see what happened, but still can't do anything about it. I've captured a lot of events on my cameras, not a single piece of footage has been of any use. Why bother?

It’s been a few years now.

Was at work at Eliminator when Kenny Smith the service manager’s phone starts lighting up.
His camera and motion sensors showed someone walking up to his door and take a box off the porch. Was a new turbo for his Mini Cooper that failed.
The cams got a look at the vehicle and a partial plate.

Went home, called the cops, they came and looked at the footage.
Kenny went back to work.

That night a while after he was home the cops knocked on the door.
With his turbo in hand.
They busted the thieves in a motel a few miles away. Got Kenny’s stuff and the stuff of others that has been robbed.

I suppose it would matter where the cams are, and how clear an image they can provide?
But they can be helpful.

 

[Cray Paper]

Most alarm companies lease, but try talking to a local place and negotiate an outright purchase. When I got mine, I was able to buy the installed system system outright and avoid the monthly lease payments. I did agree to use them for monitoring for like 3 years and after that they gave me the code so I could shop around for monitoring. They were the cheapest so I stuck with them...

Watching this post though since I'd like to upgrade to something more modern...

I paid for the system and install up front, we rarely set the "alarm" as we live a nice, secure neighborhood and have retired neighbors on either side of us. Retired neighbors are the best option for security, they just don't hear very well

We rarely set the system to alarm when we are not home, so mainly we use it for looking back at the recorded video to see what happened.

 

[BabyRay]

Most alarm companies lease, but try talking to a local place and negotiate an outright purchase. When I got mine, I was able to buy the installed system system outright and avoid the monthly lease payments. I did agree to use them for monitoring for like 3 years and after that they gave me the code so I could shop around for monitoring. They were the cheapest so I stuck with them...

Watching this post though since I'd like to upgrade to something more modern...

I used a local company, and a lease was never discussed. I did sign up for their monitoring service though, via alarm.com.

I fail to see to the point of cameras. All they do is get me more pissed off, because now I can see what happened, but still can't do anything about it. I've captured a lot of events on my cameras, not a single piece of footage has been of any use. Why bother?

Our cameras alert us if there is any motion around the exterior of our house when the alarm is armed. I like the idea of an early warning if I’m home. Our next-door neighbor has a similar system, and he was ready with a gun when a burglar tried to enter. BTW, the guy ran, but our neighbor alerted the entire neighborhood via text, and another neighbor ran him down with his truck, and three others held him for the police. We have good neighbors.

 

[ChumpChange]

lol. Not always the case man. My parents live in one of in my opinions nicest parts of chino hills 5 or so years ago a few houses down neighbors got robbed while they were home. Tied up the old man wife and kid like the movies. Not sure who found them. All alive thank god but it was in the chino champion

Yep. They’re hitting La Verne hard as well. All the way up the hill into the gated communities. Nowhere is safe.

 

[JL95]

Yep. They’re hitting La Verne hard as well. All the way up the hill into the gated communities. Nowhere is safe.

Messages like this every day make it harder to play this game of CA

 

[stingray11]

Night owl system, $400 no monthly fee. Sends notification to your phone of any movement. Phone beeps and you can look at recorded movement. You can also hear and talk through the cameras.Wireless cameras but you just have to power them with 110 volts.

 

[Angler]

Ha Ha..My ADT system also has a fire alarm feature.

Maybe install fire sprinklers? Let me know if you need a quote.

 

[Waterjunky]

WE did blink cameras here a year or so ago. has worked out fairly well.

My neighborhood is more of the "need to borrow a backhoe?" sort.

 

[pwerwagn]

I have WYZE cams. They are cheap and always work. The only gripe I have is when I got them, motion triggered a ~15 second or so video that was uploaded to my account/cloud free. Now all they let you see for free is a snapshot. Obviously, the real feed i can see as much as I want.

 

[Cray Paper]

Lots of guns and dogs!

We have both, the dogs are pocket dogs, the guns are not small or scarce. Not looking for an aggressive dog that could / would expose us to a lawsuit. Had family members with Pit Bulls and Rottweilers that went sideways with no notice on friendlies and they had to deal with that in court, I am not interested in going down that path.