I’ve been looking at different security systems recently, and Cove Security caught my eye. But I don’t want to deal with monthly fees or have it automatically call the police. What I’m looking for is something that lets me record, arm, and send alerts to my phone. Does anyone know of good products or brands I should check out?
I’ve got Eufy and Reolink at home. Not sure if they’re the best, but I’ve set up a bunch of Eufy stuff—cameras, sensors, etc.—and it was super easy. I also use a Reolink doorbell, which works great. I’m thinking of adding more Reolink gear.
But the big thing is, what exactly are you trying to secure? If it’s just for basic alerts when someone passes by a camera, Eufy’s solid. But it’s not like Fort Knox.
My partner’s neighbors went through a home invasion back in the day, so we’ve got a more complex setup. We use multiple systems with backup recording locations. Eufy and Reolink are just part of it, but they work well.
One tip—check with your insurance. You might get a discount for having security gear, and that could guide your choice.
For self-monitoring, the old DSC PowerSeries with an Envisalink is hard to beat. If the Envisalink is a bit too expensive, you can build something very similar that works with Home Assistant for around $10. You can check out the DSC Keybus Interface on GitHub if you’re up for it.
@HyperSphinx
Getting new sensors for the PowerSeries is getting tough for us dealers, honestly. I’d suggest the DSC Neo with a TL280RE ethernet communicator. It’s a bit tricky to set up, but I’ve helped folks on this forum before and it works great. You can use the ConnectAlarm app with no monthly fee. I’ve been using it in my place in Southern Cali without any issues—don’t listen to the tech support folks who say the app doesn’t work in North America!
A monitored alarm system saves me 10% on homeowners insurance, so that more than covers the monitoring fee. Worth it in my opinion.
But if you want to go DIY, you can still grab a DSC 1864 for cheap and pair it with Eyez-On. They even offer monitoring for like $12–13 a month if you ever want to add it later.