Do you hide your hard drive?

The last few installs that I've done for clients I had them record to a NAS that is hidden in a drop ceiling or somewhere inconspicuous. As Fenderman said, they aren't going to spend the time searching for a PC if the alarm is going off. Some of my clients don't have an alarm system, so I suggested hiding the drive in a drop ceiling in the basement, etc.
 
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pmcross said:
The last few installs that I've done for clients I had them record to a NAS that is hidden in a drop ceiling or somewhere inconspicuous. As Fenderman said, they aren't going to spend the time searching for a PC if the alarm is going off. Some of my clients don't have an alarm system, so I suggested hiding the drive in a drop ceiling in the basement, etc.
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I dont understand folks who spend the money on cams but wont spend 200 bux on a basic alarm...it boggles the mind.
 
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If you have the option then I'd say better to hide it than not.
I've been meaning to set up a permanent secondary recording solution as my PC/server just sits on the floor next to my sub and TV cabinet. In the meantime my setup automatically fires alerts for motion on my property to a gmail account. Even if a thief went the whole hog and cut my phone line the system has enough time to send snapshots and a video from multiple cameras.
My thoughts on a cheap system - using stuff I already have - would be a Raspberry Pi and portable SSD recording snapshots at 1fps.

I don't have an alarm because my wife would never set it and would complain every time got home before me and had to disarm it - she's from the land of high fences, bars on the windows and guard dogs behind your gate. Fortunately the area we live in is not wealthy enough to be targeted for break-ins but also not poor enough to have people hanging around causing trouble. The most action my external cameras usually get is letting me know when that damned cat is in my back garden so I can switch the sprinkler on.
 
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Whoaru99 said:
Mine isn't hidden, per se, but by the time you get to it the odds are great I already have several pictures of who/what's going on.
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I think you're missing the point made by the OP. When they get to it and take it or the internal HD, you no longer have any of those pics (unless you have working SD backup cards in your actual cameras, note the word working here), as your pictures and evidence go with the stolen pc / hard drive / nvr.

xdq said:
If you have the option then I'd say better to hide it than not.
I've been meaning to set up a permanent secondary recording solution as my PC/server just sits on the floor next to my sub and TV cabinet. In the meantime my setup automatically fires alerts for motion on my property to a gmail account. Even if a thief went the whole hog and cut my phone line the system has enough time to send snapshots and a video from multiple cameras.
My thoughts on a cheap system - using stuff I already have - would be a Raspberry Pi and portable SSD recording snapshots at 1fps.

I don't have an alarm because my wife would never set it and would complain every time got home before me and had to disarm it - she's from the land of high fences, bars on the windows and guard dogs behind your gate. Fortunately the area we live in is not wealthy enough to be targeted for break-ins but also not poor enough to have people hanging around causing trouble. The most action my external cameras usually get is letting me know when that damned cat is in my back garden so I can switch the sprinkler on.
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Several alarms have wireless remote controls that allow you to arm / disarm them just like using a garage door opener or gate opener. Yes some might say this compromises security, however, the better ones have rolling code encryption. Is it 100% proof? I'm guessing no. But I've had one for more than 10 yrs and never had an attempt yet. Good door locks go some way to keeping them out and bright LED floods at night time.

As for not taking pc's, I think it probably depends where you live. They used to take pc's over here but not so much anymore, more cash and jewellery and sometimes tv's. It's also going to depend on your physical location within a country / town as to police response times. My neighbour was burgled and the guys doing the burglarising parked their getaway car at the bottom of the drive and walked up laughing and joking so loud, I heard them from inside my house through double glazing from a distance of around 150 feet.They calmly broke in, in full view, switched the lights on, and stole goods even standing at the now lit windows. They then got in the car at walking pace around 20 mins later and drove off. They weren't in the least bit of a hurry or cared who saw them. I'm pretty sure they were armed with several knives and at least 1 hammer (the break in tool) and were prepared to use them. I was straight onto the police before they even got in as I knew my neighbour was away, but on a dark night, out numbered 3:1 with no way to defend myself, plus I'd end up in jail over here for wielding any kind of weapon, I had little choice but to leave it to the police who unfortunately had the nearest car, quite a long way away and arrived just after they'd gone.

I can't give specific advice from my experience on what to do with the pc / nvr, but personally I never think it hurts to air on the cautious side as it's the only item that stands between them getting away and you recovering your items.
 
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Rednick69 said:
Nice. I've never researched alarms and only assumed you had to go through one of those bs companies that charge half a liver.
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Nope. Even if you want the same system that the adt scammers use, you can buy and install your own honeywell system (that is what they do). Though the monitoring is more expensive. What amazon/ring is doing with the monitoring is bringing down the prices making it affordable for everyone. They system and monitoring are so cheap that more folks who were priced out of it before can now have security and piece of mind. The big boys used to charge 45-60 bux a month for cellular monitoring. They are coming down, but no one is near 8.33 a month, which is a reasonable price point for many lower income folks who probably need these systems more those that could afford them. Amazon/ring is still making money on the 8.33, so that tells you what type of insane markup there is on this service.
 
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DSC systems and I think Honeywell can have an Eyez-on internet module that is free for text alerts for alarms


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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th182 said:
DSC systems and I think Honeywell can have an Eyez-on internet module that is free for text alerts for alarms


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This is exactly what I use. DSC + Eyez-on. Eyez-on also offers inexpensive monitoring.
 
th182 said:
DSC systems and I think Honeywell can have an Eyez-on internet module that is free for text alerts for alarms


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ring is free as well if you want to self monitor via the app. DCS and honeywell make great systems but cellular monitoring will cost you more and the installation requires a steep learning curve.
 
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fenderman said:
ring is free as well if you want to self monitor via the app. DCS and honeywell make great systems but cellular monitoring will cost you more and the installation requires a steep learning curve.
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Yeah, DSC is a real pain to install. The easiest system (besides Ring) that I have ever installed is Qolsys. Android based and really robust, better than DSC and Ring IMO.
 
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Mike said:
Yeah, DSC is a real pain to install. The easiest system (besides Ring) that I have ever installed is Qolsys. Android based and really robust, better than DSC and Ring IMO.
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If you find the right vendor like this guy, you can pay as little as 13 for monitoring a Qolsys system, which makes it competitive on that front.
Qolsys IQ panel 2
 
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th182 said:
DSC systems and I think Honeywell can have an Eyez-on internet module that is free for text alerts for alarms


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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There are systems that have it built in. My system, which is an Infinite, which I don't think is made anymore, has telecommunication built in. If the alarm goes off, it rings my mobile phone and an automated voice tells me what is happening ie what has been triggered. Although mine uses the landline, there is a plug in module you can buy that you insert a sim card into that use the cellular network instead, in which case it can use either or both. There's no charge associated with either system for the alert beyond your normal call charges. Although I don't think my specific system is till manufactured, there are other alternatives out there.

One thing to realise with alarm systems is they are graded 1-4 (at least in the UK), which represents the level of security they provide from full commercial use to domestic only. Risk Assessment and Grading of Intruder Alarm Systems | Protecting your Home | SSAIB

Even if the US doesn't use a grading system, it might be possible t look the grade up if sold into the UK.
 
CCTVCam said:
There are systems that have it built in. My system, which is an Infinite, which I don't think is made anymore, has telecommunication built in. If the alarm goes off, it rings my mobile phone and an automated voice tells me what is happening ie what has been triggered. Although mine uses the landline, there is a plug in module you can buy that you insert a sim card into that use the cellular network instead, in which case it can use either or both. There's no charge associated with either system for the alert beyond your normal call charges. Although I don't think my specific system is till manufactured, there are other alternatives out there.

One thing to realise with alarm systems is they are graded 1-4 (at least in the UK), which represents the level of security they provide from full commercial use to domestic only. Risk Assessment and Grading of Intruder Alarm Systems | Protecting your Home | SSAIB

Even if the US doesn't use a grading system, it might be possible t look the grade up if sold into the UK.
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the eyez-on provides much more than what your system does. You can get any system from 1980 to call your phone, thats how they call the central station, yours just has a modification that voices the fault. Most of the old systems can add a cellular dialer as well as an automated communicator like yours that reads the fault and voices it to your phone.
The eyes on module provides full smart control of the unit with no monthly fee rendering devices like yours pointless (though all all systems have add on modules for remote control as well but usually part of a monthly fee). EyezOn - See What Matters
 
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