Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
What kind of system did they leave behind? Was it a Safewatch or a Command system? If it’s Safewatch, you can reuse most of it. If it’s Command, you’ll have to start fresh.
Surety is a great option! The equipment is really good, and you can choose to self-monitor if you want.
EvansBrown13 said:
Surety is a great option! The equipment is really good, and you can choose to self-monitor if you want.
I’ve been checking out their website. Do you have any tips on how to pick the right equipment?
EvansBrown13 said:
Surety is a great option! The equipment is really good, and you can choose to self-monitor if you want.
I’ve been checking out their website. Do you have any tips on how to pick the right equipment?
Surety is really meant for people who like doing things themselves. I just ordered from them but haven’t installed it yet. They don’t have a support phone number, but they answer questions online pretty fast, usually within an hour.
Alarm Grid uses the same hardware (alarm.com) but has a more traditional support setup with a customer service line. Both companies offer monitoring without contracts, but I went with Surety because it’s cheaper and I enjoy messing with the tech side of things. Both are solid choices, and a lot of local companies use the same gear too.
Are the cameras and wiring still there? My setup uses PoE cameras with Blue Iris software running on a computer in the shed. Blue Iris supports tons of different internet cameras and costs $40/year. I can tweak things as much as I want without involving anyone else.
Nathan said:
Are the cameras and wiring still there? My setup uses PoE cameras with Blue Iris software running on a computer in the shed. Blue Iris supports tons of different internet cameras and costs $40/year. I can tweak things as much as I want without involving anyone else.
ADT usually uses Wi-Fi cameras with wired power, so the wiring may not be all that useful besides pulling it through.
Check out Dahua or Reolink PoE NVR setups. They’re solid.
Cameras aren’t security! People are relying too much on surveillance and not actually protecting their homes. It’s crazy how cameras have taken over the security market. Now it’s all about having footage of your house being robbed instead of preventing it. Fires happen too, and cameras won’t help if your home is burning and you don’t have fire monitoring.
Palmer said:
Cameras aren’t security! People are relying too much on surveillance and not actually protecting their homes. It’s crazy how cameras have taken over the security market. Now it’s all about having footage of your house being robbed instead of preventing it. Fires happen too, and cameras won’t help if your home is burning and you don’t have fire monitoring.
You seem to know what you’re talking about. I’m taking care of my parents’ house for a while. They don’t have any security system. Should I just go with ADT or do you have better recommendations?
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Avoid ADT. The wiring is the only thing worth keeping. Get a Reolink camera and NVR kit for about $350, and you’ll never have to pay a monthly fee again.
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Avoid ADT. The wiring is the only thing worth keeping. Get a Reolink camera and NVR kit for about $350, and you’ll never have to pay a monthly fee again.
I agree! If you already have Ethernet cables in place, definitely go with Reolink PoE (Power over Ethernet). I’ve had mine for a while and love it. The cameras have AI detection for people, vehicles, and animals, which stops it from going off every time the wind blows. Wi-Fi might seem easier, but you’ll deal with connection problems forever. With PoE, I can stream 4K live video all the time, something my friends with Wi-Fi cameras can’t do. The Reolink app is free, and you can use it on your phone or computer.
Melanie said:
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Avoid ADT. The wiring is the only thing worth keeping. Get a Reolink camera and NVR kit for about $350, and you’ll never have to pay a monthly fee again.
I agree! If you already have Ethernet cables in place, definitely go with Reolink PoE (Power over Ethernet). I’ve had mine for a while and love it. The cameras have AI detection for people, vehicles, and animals, which stops it from going off every time the wind blows. Wi-Fi might seem easier, but you’ll deal with connection problems forever. With PoE, I can stream 4K live video all the time, something my friends with Wi-Fi cameras can’t do. The Reolink app is free, and you can use it on your phone or computer.
Exactly! And don’t forget, you can get a Wi-Fi jammer for around $350 online (legal to own, but illegal to use). Burglars are using them to disable Wi-Fi cameras before breaking in.
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Brinks home security has worked well for us.
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Brinks home security has worked well for us.
Please don’t suggest Brinks on this forum, lol.
SecureNestNetwork said:
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Brinks home security has worked well for us.
Please don’t suggest Brinks on this forum, lol.
K
SecureNestNetwork said:
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Brinks home security has worked well for us.
Please don’t suggest Brinks on this forum, lol.
Who would you recommend instead?
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Go with UNIFI. Get a Dream Machine with a big hard drive, and add cameras and Wi-Fi mesh. You get way more than just a security system, and there are no monthly fees.
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Go with UNIFI. Get a Dream Machine with a big hard drive, and add cameras and Wi-Fi mesh. You get way more than just a security system, and there are no monthly fees.
I’ve tried Unifi, but the cameras are overpriced, the daytime quality is so-so, and the night-time quality is really lacking. They also have security issues and are proprietary. Their $300+ doorbell is a joke with bad notifications and low image quality. No thanks.
H.WHITE said:
Sarahkey said:
Hi all,
I just bought my first home, and the previous owners had ADT cameras set up. They quoted me $50 a month for monitoring, which seems high to me, especially with a 3-year contract required. I’m looking for a more affordable option that doesn’t lock me into a contract. Has anyone used a security system they liked? Would appreciate any recommendations!
Go with UNIFI. Get a Dream Machine with a big hard drive, and add cameras and Wi-Fi mesh. You get way more than just a security system, and there are no monthly fees.
I’ve tried Unifi, but the cameras are overpriced, the daytime quality is so-so, and the night-time quality is really lacking. They also have security issues and are proprietary. Their $300+ doorbell is a joke with bad notifications and low image quality. No thanks.
I only paid $129 for the 5G bullet camera, and it works way better than the first-gen stuff they sold during COVID. I don’t use the doorbell or access control, but the mesh Wi-Fi is great, and the control software is top-notch. Not sure why you’re having issues.