Home security w/o monitoring
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Home security w/o monitoring
Would like to self-monitor w/o paying any monthly fees.. Two systems I am looking at is the Qolsys IQ Panel and PROA7Plus Panel. But I "think" there is a monthly fee. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
Jim
Thanks
Jim
CircuitBreaker
voted this post useful.
#3
Group Moderator
I don't know the products you mentioned but a alarm dialer can be programmed to call any number. It doesn't have to call a paid service unless your using a proprietary/brand that is locked to only call their service.
#4
Member
I know the QOLSYS fairly well and the other not at all.
The IQPanel 4, the latest, seems to perform adequately and is a better panel than its immediate predecessor the Panel 2+ in terms of reliability.
There is a newer, “less featured” version of the IQ4 coming soon but I have not had the chance yet to play with one.
As a smart home hub it is pretty decent for using Zwave products such as lights, locks and thermostats, etc. If you have Control4 at home it can be integrated to it and managed via Control4
The only thing that bugs me about the Qolsys line is the sensors. Their door/window contacts, IMHO, suck big time. They frequently go into comm loss even when deployed 20 feet away in places where other sensors work just fine. For that reason, when I install one I always spec PowerG sensors which are also read by the panel thanks to the included daughter card for that frequency. The rest of the sensor types work fine whether Qolsys or PowerG. If your house has over 1800 sq ft of living space, forget the Qolsys door sensors and use PowerG sensors for those.
Nice thing about the IQ line is if you have existing sensors from Honeywell or DSC you can buy a specific IQ that handles those frequencies without the need for a “translator” or takeover module. There is a module for incorporating hardwired sensors.
As to self monitoring with it, without Alarm.com service you won’t have an app to control it, so all control will be at the panel or via Control4. You can get Alarm.com without having a monitoring service
The IQPanel 4, the latest, seems to perform adequately and is a better panel than its immediate predecessor the Panel 2+ in terms of reliability.
There is a newer, “less featured” version of the IQ4 coming soon but I have not had the chance yet to play with one.
As a smart home hub it is pretty decent for using Zwave products such as lights, locks and thermostats, etc. If you have Control4 at home it can be integrated to it and managed via Control4
The only thing that bugs me about the Qolsys line is the sensors. Their door/window contacts, IMHO, suck big time. They frequently go into comm loss even when deployed 20 feet away in places where other sensors work just fine. For that reason, when I install one I always spec PowerG sensors which are also read by the panel thanks to the included daughter card for that frequency. The rest of the sensor types work fine whether Qolsys or PowerG. If your house has over 1800 sq ft of living space, forget the Qolsys door sensors and use PowerG sensors for those.
Nice thing about the IQ line is if you have existing sensors from Honeywell or DSC you can buy a specific IQ that handles those frequencies without the need for a “translator” or takeover module. There is a module for incorporating hardwired sensors.
As to self monitoring with it, without Alarm.com service you won’t have an app to control it, so all control will be at the panel or via Control4. You can get Alarm.com without having a monitoring service
#5
Member
Just as an FYI...I was discussing alarm systems with my State Farm agent recently. She said State Farm offers a "substantial" discount on homeowners insurance if you have a monitored alarm system, but only for a monitored system. I didn't pursue what "substantial" was, but it might be worth checking into before you commit to non-monitored. If State Farm offers a discount, others probably do as well.
Norm201
voted this post useful.