Recommendation - Domestic Intruder Alarm

Irish Traveling

Hi All,

Looking for a bit of advise on most suitable alarm system for my needs. I was in the industry but it’s more than 20 years ago, and I’m sure things have moved on since then! The design criteria for my install is as follows:

At a high level I am looking for:
- Minimum 6 zones, with 2 fire
- Wired but would like the option of using wireless add-on (skylights not wired)
- Access control for main driveway gate only (not essential)
- GSM, IP/APP features
- Option for additional I/O’s if I decide in future to trigger lights etc..
- Option for CCTV integration for future. (Not essentail)

Any advise on recommended systems would be appreciated.

Thanks.

D.

kub

Can you recall what panels you worked on back in the day ?


Does the Scopetronic Vista 5 or Homeguard, HKC 6/10, Aritech CS350 ring any bells ( pardon the pun ) ??


If you have any recollection of any of those then I would think that the HKC 10/270 is probably the most suitable for you.

machiavellianme

If you are comfortable installing etc, take a look at the Ajax alarm system. It has a lot of automation possible and is raved about on the Home Automation forum.

kub

machiavellianme wrote: »

If you are comfortable installing etc, take a look at the Ajax alarm system. It has a lot of automation possible and is raved about on the Home Automation forum.

As a professional security system installer with 30 years experience i have yet to be impressed by the actual level of security that these home automation type alarm systems offer.
Note the use of the words security and alarm, there is a difference.

machiavellianme

kub wrote: »

As a professional security system installer with 30 years experience i have yet to be impressed by the actual level of security that these home automation type alarm systems offer.
Note the use of the words security and alarm, there is a difference.

The home automation element was added on the later models but it is a professional grade alarm system (and doesn't come cheap). It's a lot more innovative than HKC or GSD etc. and looks sleek and modern rather than made from Fisher-price material (GSD I'm looking at you). It also polls a heck of a lot faster than hck, has 4G, Wi-Fi or ethernet connectivity straight out of the box and includes things like fire and flooding protection.
Take a look at them. You might be pleasantly surprised. Things have changed a lot over the last 30 years. I'll bet you've thought the same about many newcomers along the way and learned that some are good and long lasting, some are less so.
I believe HomeSecure.ie also use their rebadged alarms as part of their own security offering.

kub

machiavellianme wrote: »

The home automation element was added on the later models but it is a professional grade alarm system (and doesn't come cheap). It's a lot more innovative than HKC or GSD etc. and looks sleek and modern rather than made from Fisher-price material (GSD I'm looking at you). It also polls a heck of a lot faster than hck, has 4G, Wi-Fi or ethernet connectivity straight out of the box and includes things like fire and flooding protection.
Take a look at them. You might be pleasantly surprised. Things have changed a lot over the last 30 years. I'll bet you've thought the same about many newcomers along the way and learned that some are good and long lasting, some are less so.
I believe HomeSecure.ie also use their rebadged alarms as part of their own security offering.

Ok I appreciate what you are saying and indeed I respect it, but can an ajax system be configured so that if I wanted a system made of perimeter detectors as in inertia shock sensors and contacts to my external windows and doors, that will detect an intruder before they are actually in my home, is it capable of that ?

What CS protocol has it got?
Can I hook up a 3rd party GSM such as CSL dual com or indeed a military spec radio communicator to it ?

I find a systems ability to transmit an actual intruder/ panic/ fire signal more important that this polling business, granted polling is doing a job, but if polling stops is it because the ESB is off or is it because someone has done something to interfere with some of those communication paths you mentioned. ( obviously this is a public forum and I do not want to be giving anyone ideas )

machiavellianme

kub wrote: »

Ok I appreciate what you are saying and indeed I respect it, but can an ajax system be configured so that if I wanted a system made of perimeter detectors as in inertia shock sensors and contacts to my external windows and doors, that will detect an intruder before they are actually in my home, is it capable of that ?

Yes, it has all typical alarm components including shock/inertia and contact sensors for external perimeters along with the usual IR motion detectors internally which you can get a camera option for if you want and tripwires for secondary triggering. They also have external motion detectors with logic to rule out large pets.

kub wrote: »

What CS protocol has it got?
Can I hook up a 3rd party GSM such as CSL dual com or indeed a military spec radio communicator to it ?

No idea what CS is but there are bridges to use 3rd party devices. Why would you want a 3rd party GSM when it has dual sim backup to ethernet/WiFi?

kub wrote: »

I find a systems ability to transmit an actual intruder/ panic/ fire signal more important that this polling business, granted polling is doing a job, but if polling stops is it because the ESB is off or is it because someone has done something to interfere with some of those communication paths you mentioned. ( obviously this is a public forum and I do not want to be giving anyone ideas )

It transmits the signals for alarms instantly, just like any other system. Obviously you need to have data on if receiving on your phone. Text messages and diallers are also on the way. If the Esb drops out, it notifies me of that too. I honestly couldn't find any features that the gsd or hkc had that ajax didn't, that I deemed necessary for my security needs. I had 2 different site surveys who largely specced the same thing that I had installed.

kub

machiavellianme wrote: »

Yes, it has all typical alarm components including shock/inertia and contact sensors for external perimeters along with the usual IR motion detectors internally which you can get a camera option for if you want and tripwires for secondary triggering. They also have external motion detectors with logic to rule out large pets.

That is the first such system that I have come across that has the offering of proper perimeter detection.

machiavellianme wrote: »

No idea what CS is but there are bridges to use 3rd party devices. Why would you want a 3rd party GSM when it has dual sim backup to ethernet/WiFi?

Well if their GSM unit is as good as the CSL dualcom unit, that sure would be very impressive.
My apologies for my CS terminology, that is short for Central Station as in a professional monitoring station rather than just landing on a mobile device with the person hoping for the best.
When you say bridges, are these devices that will provide dry contacts ?

machiavellianme wrote: »

It transmits the signals for alarms instantly, just like any other system. Obviously you need to have data on if receiving on your phone. Text messages and diallers are also on the way. If the Esb drops out, it notifies me of that too. I honestly couldn't find any features that the gsd or hkc had that ajax didn't, that I deemed necessary for my security needs. I had 2 different site surveys who largely specced the same thing that I had installed.

Well one obvious feature that HKC have that Ajax does not yet have is it can notify via App and SMS to people who only want self notification, this can of course be important when they are in rural areas or in places with limited mobile coverage where there mey not be 3g coverage available

machiavellianme

Not sure on the precise the protocol, but Sur-Gard and SIA are referenced.

Irish Traveling

Thanks all for the response to date.

I’d rather go with a majority hardwired system. While I’m sure modern wireless are very reliable, I was always of the opinion that wired are more reliable and require less maintenance.

Also, how long will the likes of Ajax been around? With HKC, like MK electrical components etc, I’d have more confidence that in 10 years time I’ll still be able to get parts etc. (I open to be correct on this opinion!)

Thanks again.

Darragh.

machiavellianme

Siemens had very decent wired systems when I was looking. Quite industrial looking hardware but robust and had a decent rep from anyone I asked.