I want to pay for monthly monitoring and the Qolsys IQ4 is often recommended but my understanding is that I’d need to convert the hardwired sensors to the wireless signal the IQ4 needs, so wouldn’t that somewhat defeat the purpose of avoiding the sensors getting jammed?
The IQ Pro accepts wired sensors directly but I’m seeing a lot of comments about them not working great / having quality control issues. Anyone have a good experience?
The DSC then looks like the next best option though my only hesitation is the keypad looks very basic and not flashy / iPad-y like the Qolsys but maybe that’s a feature and not a bug. I’m not even sure if we actually need physical keypads around if we can just our phones, but I suppose it’s better to have at least 1 keypad (by the garage?) as a backup option.
I expect to be running various automations with Home Assistant so will have a separate system that will integrate with my Alarm.com setup and don’t expect to need the smart home stuff that the Qolsys offers.
Elk e27 has been a decent system in my experience. It isn’t fully fleshed out yet so there is still a lot of features being added still, but if you want the touchscreen with hardwired sensors it is an option. Not sure about it working with alarm.xom though.
@Aaliyah
Also power g prevents RF jamming. PowerG Sensors use a technique known as Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) to overcome any RF jamming attacks that could prevent other wireless sensors from communicating properly. This is one reason why PowerG Sensors are extremely reliable.
@Henry
With all due respect I think that’s the case now but leaves the possibility for jamming… just a matter of time. Since I’m already doing the work of hardwiring these sensors I might as well not take the chance with the wireless part, but I can see it’s still a very compelling solution for the foreseeable future for those who don’t have the same luxury.
Currently have a DSC Neo in a new build and it works fine. If I did it all again now I’d go with an IQ Pro just for the more modern integration with home automation. I haven’t heard any bad things about IQ Pro. It’s a DSC Neo with an IQ4 strapped to it basically.
Home automation separately.
That’s my opinion and what I’ve done.
So what if I have 3 separate apps.
Everything works falsely. I pay no money on cameras or home automation yearly or monthly.
I add what I want when I want.
I pay only for alarm.com because I won’t use alarm unless it’s cellular only.
Don’t go with DSC Neo if you’re using Home Assistant. Neo has a proprietary bus and won’t work with things like Envisalink. I’d recommend a Envisalink Uno board (based on DSC power series) or a Vista 20P by Honeywell with an Envisalink Duo module for cheap IP+LTE monitoring. I have a Vista 20P and Duo module personally and it’s awesome. Use it with Home Assistant plus have dual path monitoring (IP+LTE) for $13/month, fully UL compliant.
Edit: love the downvotes for pointing out something that’s true with the Neo.
@Braxton
Qolsys can be interfaced with Home Assistant via the QolsysGW HACS integration. UniFi has a native HA integration to interface with Protect. I don’t know of any alarm monitoring services that monitor video feed. I just have sensor / alarm system monitoring. To answer your question, don’t go with alarm provider cameras. Use your own camera system and if you want to use it with your smart home, use Home Assistant for that.
Braxton said: @Nolan
Thank you. And given that Qolsys work with Power G+ sensors, do you still recommend running wires?
I have a 1925 home that I’m moving in soon
Definitely. Wired anything is better than wireless. Edit: didn’t realize you weren’t OP haha. If you have to go wireless it’s fine, I was thinking about that OP was building. My bad.
@Nolan
OP chiming back in here - tracking and appreciate the extra context in the thread (and sorry you’re catching downvotes … people are dumb). One more Q for you - do you have any keypads you recommend for the Vista 20P? Or are you just relying on doing everything through the Home Assistant app?
@Aaliyah
6290W is good if you want a standalone keypad. You could also mount an Android tablet and make sure HA is secured to use as a keypad. Personally i’d make sure you have an actual keypad by the main entrance and the master bedroom. Just in case HA goes down or some other issue.
