I just stumbled across an article about someone (Who will remain unnamed) within the security alarm industry and his move over to 2gig technologies. This prompted me to do a little research on the company. It seems the gang over at APX are using it so it must be crap... or at least cheap.
Cheap does not always mean bad so I looked a little further. Well, first of all, the security alarm portion of the 2Gig Go Control system is completely wireless. Not good touchscreen or not.
Looking a little further, 2Gig is touting the 2 gig technologies Go Control as a complete home automation system stating "Make any home a smart home." I will be the first to admit smart home technology is highly overpriced for what it is. The thing is, cheap Home Automation "Solutions" such as the 2Gig Go Control bring back nightmares of X-10 and what they were trying to do.
So what is the 2Gig Go Control you ask. Well, from initial review, I see it as nothing more than a souped up DSC Alexor, GE Simon, Paradox Magellan, Alarmforce, Honeywell Lynx, Snif or any of the other wireless wannabe security alarm system pieces of trash. I really wish the alarm manufacturers would get a grip on reality and realise security alarms are serious business. Security alarm systems are not toys, security alarm systems need to be able to withstand the attack of a potential intruder. A transistor radio sized box mounted on the wall by the front door and containing the entire 'Brains' of your security system is not real security. I don't care how fancy you make it and how many functions it can do, this type of wireless 'security alarm system' is just a fancier toilet alarm. It just looks a little nicer before the would be intruder steps on it, rendering the 2gig technologies Go Control home automation security alarm control panel totally useless when compared to its' hardwired counterpart.
Sorry guys, I did take an honest look at the 2gig Go Control security alarm system and just do not like it, even with the cheesy little touchscreen and online demo. I will continue to stick to hardwired security alarm systems as well as automation systems. When it comes to wireless and security alarm systems, I firmly believe it should only be used for systems which much be portable as well as cellular communications to the monitoring station. Of course, cellular communications uses a completely different type of wireless. If this technology was deployed in security alarm system sensors, they would be financially out of reach for consumers. So to those mooks and boneheads who like to use cellular phones as a defence for wireless security systems... get a grip.
Controlling lighting via wireless is not as bad, but that is only because lighting does not tend to be mission critical. So what if a little interference stops your lights from being able to be remotely turned on. It is not as if you are relying on this function to contact the fire department if your house catches on fire, or notify the police if you are being broken into.
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I am considering this system but people either love it or hate it. I need to protect my home and pets from a mentally ill family member that wants to kill and harm us so having fire built in the system is crucial. We are just average people that can't spend a fortune but are looking at spending $1K-$2K. What is your opinion on what is best?
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that I aggree with what you have stated. I was in the Alarm industry from 1991 to 2009 and have seen it all. From the days of RF commander to this. They just don't seem to get it with regards to people kicking the front door in and ripping the keypad, or in this case the "brain" off the wall. I would also like to state that the industry in my opinion is a bit of a scam. Most companies sell a phone line based monitoring that can be defeated on the side of the house by opening the little phone box and cutting the wire. What I would like to see is a company step up and make a true hybrid system in which comunicates both phone line and digital cell line for a REASONABLE RATE. Also stop putting the main brain of the system with the keypad. Any crackhead of the street will be stupid and in this case smart enough to rip the first thing they see making noise of the wall. The benifits of monitored alarm systems is to deture, limit time, and notify, not prevent. I'm sure that there is a hybrid system out there that meets my wish list but I have not seen it in Canada yet. Cheers
ReplyDeleteDo You ever recommend an alarm system?? or can you? I'm about to take the plunge, but only every see negative things on your blog. Please tell me which system you recommend.
ReplyDeleteHaving suffered for years with the flaky nature of X-10 I hate to see the industry head down THAT path. That being said, I am currently with AlarmForce and have two questions:
ReplyDelete1) What aftermarket wireless sensors can I buy that will work with the system?
2) Will AF know that added on sensors & do they care?
Thanks for any help you can provide. I rarely run across a subject that I can't find out about with an internet seach. But finding out what AF uses for wireless tech seems to be locked down.
Regards,
Marz
Cleveland,OH
It's obvious by your lack of technical evaluation that you should not give opinions about something you know nothing about! Have you even seen a real 2gig system?
ReplyDeleteThese companies claim to offer the latest technology and that only their products do this stuff. Beware from the start. Facts 1) vivint/apx c/f bbb rating which says a lot 2) 2gig doesn't make the system, they just market it and designed it using some company in china make. Vivnt owns 2gig so they try have us believe it's the latest and everything is old school but their system. 3) if put a vivint 2gig system in homeowner is stuck using them if unhappy adt and many other central stations won't monitor their system.
ReplyDeleteyes, Marzen, I have. Fact of the matter is, Wireless is crap whatever brand or flavor in comes in. Wireless security alarms are simply a way for alarm companies to put in more systems faster and get more monitoring accounts. As for 2G and alarms.com (Who seem to keep trying to spam this blog) is they charge extra for features which would be included in pretty much all internet accessible security alarm systems (Hardwire or wireless) HAI, Elk, Paradox and even DSC hardwire alarm systems provide remote access into the system without having to pay any extra monthly fee's. The same goes for video monitoring, who ever heard of paying extra every month just to be able to access a wireless web cam in your home... Oh ya, Telus tried that a number of years ago.
ReplyDeleteFunny how Rogers is jumping back on the security alarm bandwagon. Remember Canguard, after accumulating a bunch of accounts, Rogers sold all the clients off, leaving them with crap systems
Kim, sorry I did not rely earlier. There are so many spam posts by APX (Now VIVINT), Alarmforce (Although Joel has slowed down because they know it is pointless) as well as several other installers trying to capitalize on the popularity of this blog.
ReplyDeleteAs far as reliable systems. I am really trying to stay away from promoting any particular product as that just results in a biased opinion and kills the reputation of a blog such as this.
I would go for a hardwired alarm and maybe some sort of video surveillance system. It is really hard to think of a way to protect someone from killing themselves. I know there are fall alarms that send a signal if the person falls.
The most important thing about choosing a security alarm panel is to look at the quality. Made in China is generally a bad thing. Wireless is not good either, but in certain situations such as medical alert systems where a pendant is required there is no choice. You can always have a separate wireless transmitter connected to a hardwire alarm for that.
Again, sorry for not getting into specifics, but promoting any one product over another, although valuable, is not the intent of a non-commercial blog.