Which security system do I want?

trasko

Member
First, I'll apologize up front.  I know this question gets asked a lot.  I've done a lot of research and just can't figure it out.  I think I want something that must not be common.

It seems like the Elk M1 and HAI OmniPro are both very popular and very powerful.  I know I could do anything I want to do with them but it seems like the cost to get started is high and I may need to add in expansion boards to get what I want. 
 
Here is what I want:
 
Phase I:
* Simple security system with 2 door sensors and a motion sensor.
* A little "code box" where you punch in the security code to arm/disarm the alarm.
* Beeper for doors opening, etc
* Exterior siren (I actually have a siren in a box from another project)
* Ability to send notifications by the internet.
 
Phase II:
* Additional sensors; glass break and more motion
* Additional "zones" (?? this might not be the term).  I'd like to put motion sensors on exterior paths and get a specific chime when they are tripped
* Control of alarm via internet (and smartphone)
 
 
I think what is happening is that I want a very simple alarm but I want "control by internet" which is seemingly a very advanced (or expensive) feature.  A little background about myself: I have a computer science degree and have worked as a programmer and as a sys admin.  Firewalls, vpns, DNS and software are not a problem for me.  Getting signals across wires into a control panel and interfacing with that is the big problem.

Is there a system that is right for me?  
 
You might want to check out models like the Honeywell VISTA series.  They run from pretty basic to pretty advanced and are in the $150-$300 range. You can find many of the accessories like keypads on ebay pretty cheap.  Many of the better models offer Internet connectivity, but you can sometimes add this to the lower models as well.
 
Awesome!  The EVL-3 is exactly the piece I was missing.  I've ordered a Vista 20P and EVL-3.  We'll see how it goes. 
 
Back
Top