Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
74 of 75 people found the following review helpful.
great DIY system,lots of options
By TJ
I reviewed systems for 6 months online before deciding on this system.I wanted one,that had a lot of options & different sensors,and that would work with my high speed connection.I bought:1 GE xt control,with backup battery1 phone line hookup2 wireless door sensors(for entry doors)4 wireless door/window sensors(to use with window sensors)16 2 wire magnetic window sensors(all my windows)3 motion detection sensors(upstairs & basement)1 external alarm speaker (outdoor or indoor type)1 roll 250 feet alarm wire 2 wire(you'll need for window sensors)1 wallmount wireless fob(for arming & disarming from a master bedroom)2 car keyfobs( for car keys,to arm & disarm alarm)1 DVD GE XT setup & installation(can get from safemart.com)2 alarm signs & stickers(another security thing,that'll let a perp no wrong house to mess with,cheap to buy)2 dummy cameras(nice to have around entry doors,another nice security measure,cheap to buy) after getting everything I set all items on kitchen table,got DVD and watched it real good and took notes,This DVD will cost you 30 bucks,but very valuable as setup will be a breeze after watching it.I setup a front & back door wireless alarm inside the top of the door and made it no delay-instant alarm,when alarm is activated.the smoke detector i put on the main floor,and made that a no delay instant alarm.then setup the wireless window sensors,which 1 wireless sensor can be wired to cover 4 windows,which you need alarm wire to do.I did all my windows and was able to save some money by not buying a whole bunch of wireless window sensors(which you could go that route if money is no option).The DVD will show you how to wire these up to make it easier for you. then put in the wallmount keyfob in the bedroom so i could arm/diaarm when i go to bed.Then i mounted the motion sensors around the house in main areas & basement.motion detectors were just optional, but i wanted extra blanket security in my home. You then need to run your phone line into your phone jack,or if you have high speed internet theres optional devices you can do there,and aftermarket companies that will assist you there.you'll need to pay a monthly or annual fee.You can also just set it up to call your cellphone,or directly to the police.I then ran a external outdoor speaker and mounted that in another room away from the control module(the GE control module has a ear piercing alarm built in as well).This is nice when a perp breaks in it will be ear piercing loud.You can also setup as a silent alarm,to sctually call directly to you or your alarm company. I Then mounted the control module to a wall in another room,but center located to pickup all the wireless items.At first it seemed a lil confusing setting up the names,and each alarm sensor,but after doing 1 or 2,it was a breeze.You trip your wireless sensor,then the control module detects it.then you can name is like front door,back door,main room,bedrooms,basement ETC...,this is where you can also setup what level you want your sensors to be.rear door i made it instant as its not used much,motion sensors are all instant as well.front door & windows i give a 30 sec. delay,to allow enough time to lock the house and leave.there is a ton of options that you can set this this up.You can even get make this a silent alarm so a perp doesn't even know you have a alarm.I setup a couple dummy cameras, and put 2 security signs in my yard & stickers on a few windows for an added security measure. This DIY GE xt alarm system will seem a lil complicated without the aftermarket DVD,but with it setup and operating will be a breeze.You'll want the owners manual as well as a reference when setting it up as well. I love my alarm,and its peace of mind when i go to bed at night & leave my premises.In todays age things our getting a lil rougher,and people more desperate.No one likes to be a victim,so protect yourself and get something like this.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
A Solid Unit With Some Quirks
By fattirebs
First of all, do not expect to get the same unit that is in the picture. It is misleading, as what is shipped is the newer model. The good news is that the unit comes with the latest and greatest firmware, Rev. 1.4, so you will be able to use one of the new fancy two-way LCD touchpads with the control panel.The kit is pretty darned complete with everything that you'd probably need to set up a small apartment. But if you're doing a house installation, you'll definitely need more sensors, readily available on Ebay for dirt cheap. The kit comes with a DVD which instructs you on how to operate the system. There are two other sets of instructions that accompany the kit, but I didn't find everything that I needed there, so I drummed up a couple more pdf instructions on the web, which were easy to find.The setup was pretty much a snap, except I was having issues with the system calling out to my cell phone. At first, I was thinking that it might be because I'm using VOIP, but that shouldn't have been an issue if I selected "voice dialer". I was baffled and tried all sorts of configurations, until I found something on the Internet that clued me into my mistake. There are two ports on the back of the panel- one is an RJ31 jack and the other a RF45. Being a network engineer, I just figured that the unit had some sort of disabled broadband function. If you look more closely, you'll find that the smaller jack is labeled "phone", while the larger jack is labeled "line". So, to make a long story short, the phone cable (even though it's small) goes into the big port. As soon as I did that, the alarm notified me of the tripped sensors, when I tested it. Voilà!As I mentioned, I'm using VOIP, so I'm still shopping around for central monitoring solutions. Most companies will sell you an appliance to match their specific services, and then you pay the ongoing monthly. There is always the GSM cellular module that you can buy for the panel, but it's kind of expensive, plus you have to pay for another cell phone line.All in all, the system is quite handsome and it's features are robust. It's extremely expandable. There is nothing cheap about this system- it's definitely high quality all the way!
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
Easy to set up with a lot of options to suit any installation!
By Chris W
For those who can't follow cooking recipes or simple instructions perhaps it may be too difficult for you and if so go to [...] and get a pre-programmed system for another [...]$. For anyone else who isn't challenged this is a great system that gives you quite a few options if you consider all the devices that are compatible.It took me about 2 hours from start to finish to install the telephone, power, and about 12 wireless detection devices. I purchased at safemart and they do support the device as well as being very helpful, I highly recommend.This can sync up with your thermostat, lighting, internet monitoring...etc.Instead of paying [...]$ a month through Brinks/ADT/Gaurdian you can get independent monitoring which is exactly the same. I highly recommend this and feel confident with my purchase.
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WansView Wiress / IP camera
Junk!
