Hi folks, I’m looking for experience based advice for a new home security system.
Currenly I have a 30 year old wired internal cover only door/window/motion sencing system,
i.e. it only alarms in the case of an actual break-in event.
I’m looking to replace it with a modern wireless camera/doorbell sytem that records video of outside movements over the house frontage/garden including a double car standing and the rear of house/garage/patio/garden area.
I prefer something without a subscription type package, but am open to suggestions.
I can also recommend Eufy. My S220 video doorbell works very well with no subscription required. I get 6 months between charges, but this will obviously depend on activation traffic.
Full SimpliSafe system here.
5 cameras (inside and out) movement sensors, door sensors, smoke alarms and 24 hour monitoring.
All wireless and very easy to setup. They also have a hardwired doorbell camera system as well.
Excellent system, very happy with it.
I’ve also used Eufy products with no issues. Images are good and user review of recordings is easy. Great that it is non-subscription. All connected through a separate home wifi network not my primary network.
Both I and my son went for Eufy after the Ring doorbells went on the fritz, Been pleased, but if you are in a high traffic area, it’s best to get it wired in.
+1 for Eufy. Had a couple of issues and doorbells easily swapped out via their support hotline. Got 2 covering the house and they require charging every 3 months? No subscription was key to me. I ended up getting a homebase3 on a deal and stuck an old 1Tb HD in it. I think that HD may take 1000 before its full.
We have Eufy cameras used for wildlife in the back garden, and indeed, they are picking up our visiting fox cubs even as I am typing this. Daughter #2 has a Eufy system for home security. Both seem to work pretty well.
Indeed. Ring doorbell fully disabled by wifi blocking so it didn’t record the theft of a vehicle on the drive achieved in near silence using signal boosters to open those lovely electronic doors.
Even prior to this my perspective was that such things are, like electronic key fobs for cars, a solution to a problem you don’t actually have. Car security should be entirely unconnected.
Cars need to be protected by physical security devices e.g. Disklok.
Trackers can quickly alert you to a car going missing and they don’t use wifi that can be blocked.
I have a Disklok, Pedalok (brakes are locked on) and an electronic immobiliser on my Cosworth. And it’s in the garage.
I’ve never understood why people want this stuff and to see what’s going on outside. If I was away and got a message that my house was being broken into it would ruin my holiday. It seems like a weird kind of paranoia, where we must protect ourselves from ‘bad people’ out there. We have no alarms, cameras, tripwires, elephant traps or annoying lights that come on when a mouse passes by, and long may it continue.
Local police noted to me that such things offer zero protection to the householder. They simply show what has already happened and thus are not preventative. They are recommended by the police precisely because they offer all that other data though.
Indeed they went further and noted that having such a device basically says “the owners of this property are out sufficiently that they feel the need for this device” as opposed to an ordinary doorbell which even when rung tells a visitor nothing. Are you in, hard of hearing or simply declining to answer?
After recent events I’m astonished our neighbours have kept theirs. They don’t yet see that of four houses with cars on the drive at various times theirs was the one which said “we’re you’re best bet.”
We recently changed our ancient and error prone alarm system for an ADT system. It was clear to us, and confirmed by the ADT adviser, that CCTV/doorbell cameras etc really provide no additional security, only a bit of functionality when you go to the door, or when somebody calls in your absence (usually with a parcel).
It may be that if yours is one of few houses in the street with obvious CCTV then an opportunist may go elsewhere, equally they may identify you as one with something to protect. ADT could have sold us the kit with our package so had every reason to suggest otherwise.
It is not hard to avoid detection/identification on domestic CCTV or doorbell systems if a thief is remotely ‘professional’. Few recordings give sufficient information to be of value after the incident, and as a preventative I think they add very little. We spent our money discreetly protecting and securing access points to the two buildings that comprise our property. This would make ingress harder, and also hopefully alert us to a break-in to one building if we were in the other one. None of this will deter someone who is really targeting our property.
Note domestic burglary rates in the UK are in a long term declining trend from the 1960-70’s. Not the picture we are sold perhaps.
The doorbell and camera actually are wired and similarly talk to the main control panel somewhere in the house via a data cable in the wall. But, the auxiliary handset with video screen is wireless and of course you can use the Panasonic app on your phone instead.
There’s pretty good Iow distortion of the centre of vision with good fishye on the peripheral to give a wide angle of visibility. I find the compromise of wireless terminals with a wired main control unit and camera (which can’t be jammed) to be a good one
Interesting to see some posts questioning the need for camera or other types of security, it’s one direction I was thinking when I originated this thread.
I need to do something with my old system, the annual contract is a waste of money and I know it needs a new battery, so that is getting junked whatever.
My OP question should have included, ‘do I actually need a security system’.
Low crime area, practically zero crime on my 30 house ‘Close’ road in the last 30 years and I have high security doors, locks and windows.
I’m beginning to talk myself into its not needed.
My understanding is that things like double-glazing and multi-point locking doors are now major deterrents to the opportunist burglar (when compared to 60/70/80s, when doors could be lifted out of runners and external window rubbers easily popped).
A theme in my area appears to be where incidents arise post works to a property and/or the occupiers use social media, the latter perhaps advertising their absence/routines, and any valuables they may possess. It’s also the case that there’s much more foot and vehicle traffic in many areas now, which can work both ways in offering protection of a sort.
