Help Choosing The Right Panel With Gsm

[mrbill]

While i'm not 100% against a professional install - my needs are fairly simple so i'm going down the DIY route.  I essentially want a bells only as a deterrent.  If someone breaks in smashes/grabs and scarpers - fine and well.  I just don't want someone to have the run of my place while i'm on holiday.

There are so many options out there - many of which look sub-standard - so I thought I would ask the pro's for advice

 

My requirements are:

 

1)  Wireless (but a hybrid of wireless/wired would be nice)

2)  Separate keypad - wired or wireless (as long as wireless is "reliable" and the keypad is the device which makes any/all beeping noises.  I want to stash/hide the 'brain' somewhere more secure.

3)  Connectivity - but not PSTN.  I'd prefer GSM, but i'd consider IP/Ethernet if it is fairly configurable.  I'd like to be notified of alarms via SMS and also be able to switch the alarm on/off remotely.

4)  I don't necessarily want switch contacts on the doors - so if I could configure a PIR as an 'entry' zone that would be good.  I'm thinking this is standard stuff, but i thought i'd ask.  I don't intend on using any remote fobs, or card entry systems - just a PIN to disable/enable.

5)  Wife friendly asthetics - particularly the PIR's.

 

Ideally, i'd like something integrated - particularly the GSM side.  I have seen some fairly inexpensive alarms out there which do this - but they look cheap and nasty from China.  I don't mind spending a bit more for reliability and quality - but not OTT.  I'm probably only going to have a total of 5 or 6 PIRs

 

I've had a look at scantronic, texecom, visonic, and of course some of the cheap/nasty chinese stuff (like the stuff from an online shop called ultrasecuredirect). 

[al-yeti]

What price would you consider cheap?And what's your budget

[datadiffusion]

If you just want a deterrent - buy a blank box from ebay, preferably 2nd hand with a real

name on. Or buy a £99 Yale kit and sell the rest other than the bellbox.

 

My advice really is that simple, as there is no point having to maintain, install and support

essentially a rubbish system.

 

The cheap, nasty Chinese stuff is exactly as you say. I wouldn't trust it to guard a cat.

 

And as you say if someone still wants to break in, they will. That's my honest, genuine advice.

[norman]

Bad day DD?

[datadiffusion]

No, not a bad one as it happens.

 

That's always my genuine advice to someone who wants a 'deterrent'.

 

Why waste time and effort on paying, maintaining, and installing a **** system when a decent bell, at the right height

and a flashy LED will put off 98% of burglars?

 

I don't have anything against DIY per-se, but when the design spec is a 'deterrent', I always say the above.

[mrbill]

Well, realistically, all alarms are a deterrent to one extent or another.  Any determined thief will overcome any security measures you might put in place.  Just look at what happened at Hatton Garden.   I want something to let any potential burglar know that he is not welcome once he's inside, and he needs to go quick, and send me a message so i'm aware that the alarm has gone off.

My budget - maybe 300 pounds - but if it takes 500 pounds and ticks all the boxes (plus some I may not have thought of) then so be it.  I didn't say I wanted a rubbish system - I just pointed out that the ones i've seen with integral GSM appear to be rubbish.  I'm hoping some kind person here might be able to point me to a system which is not rubbish (or less rubbish) at my price point with the features I want.  If it is not possible - what is the price point for such features?

 

The Texecom premier appears to have some of the features I need, albeit with addons, - though reading through past posts here, some people hate them

Thanks!

[al-yeti]

Richochet kit or enforcer may suit you

[datadiffusion]

Just look at what happened at Hatton Garden.

 

It wasn't specified correctly is what seems to have happened, this case only highlights what I'm trying to say tbh.

 

In the event, they too would have been just as well off with a dummy box. Had it been properly specified, the police

probably WOULD have attended and would not have taken 'no' for an answer having a look inside.

 

Texecom Premier will probably suit your needs and more, but then we come on to the old argument of how many weekends do you want

to spend learning and installing it before you may just as well have paid someone?

Edited April 9, 2015 by datadiffusion

[sixwheeledbeast]

I think your budget will be tight buying pro gear to tick all the boxes.

Also bear in mind pro gear generally comes with no manuals and will be complicated to setup.

Private reporting which isn't polled is useless if the signalling path fails.

Also I would always fit a contact on the entry door, and go wired wherever possible.

 

Best recommendation is to have some approved companies quote for a system.

[al-yeti]

I think your budget will be tight buying pro gear to tick all the boxes.

Also bear in mind pro gear generally comes with no manuals and will be complicated to setup.

Private reporting which isn't polled is useless if the signalling path fails.

Also I would always fit a contact on the entry door, and go wired wherever possible.

Best recommendation is to have some approved companies quote for a system.

Approved for what? Urn ?