Surveillance video cameras

                             
                                Changing Times and New Options! - by Carla  Base

When a relative went into the “burglar alarm business” back in 1950, having been a general electrical contractor first, three years before, Louisville, KY had little interest in placing alarm systems in businesses and homes. Now, in 2015, it is commonplace. Many things have since changed. It used to be that people asked him, “Who would want an alarm system?,” incredulously. Beginning with businesses and expanding to the same customer’s homes, he found more and more did. It was definitely a growing business. At first the business owners and wealthier clients such as doctors and lawyers and other professional men and women became customers, installing the hard wired systems that would call over the phone lines using a “dialer” (back in the days before push button phones) machine. A scratchy sound would state that there had been a burglary at a certain address into his own business phone we would answer, and the customer and police would get one as well. If a phone line was ever cut by the criminal, eventually a special device ensured it would alarm anyway, and this was innovative. The alarm business underwent many changes altogether, and presently, there is still a place for the hard wired systems, however the wireless systems have replaced tedious and lengthy jobs in residential settings, cutting down the installation time as well as drilling and threading of wire in rafters, and other things. It has made the industry see an uptick in interest, due to less cost and labor intensive hours, and it is superior in many respects. The panels are more technical and yet more user friendly, due to our evolution into the computer age, and they pack more information in a smaller space, where once huge gray boxes filled with wires had taken up space. As things do change, people now decide to get monitoring with a different company, get different panels with expanded features such as Z Wave Technology where lights, thermostat and music, locks and other systems can be turned off or on with an iphone. This is easy and possible, and not a pain in the neck for customers or alarm technicians. Upgrades are encouraged, and as new technology advances, people can keep up with them, and not regret they have some dinasaur of a system, whereas their friends who just got a new system have dimable lights and locks they can control from their vacation spot. Viewing cameras on their smart phone as well, has wonderful possibilities. Now with new video verification units, people and their monitoring services can both see if the trigger for a passive infrared detector was a large dog or someone entered the house, by seeing frame by frame views and videos of the action as it happens. Police like the definite nature of it because accidents can abort the false expensive and worrisome runs. They also like it very much because if a burglary in progress, they can know it and act on it by zone. If they see where the thief is in the home, it makes them safer in their approach. In communication, they can enter more safely and apprehend the criminal, have his or her photo as evidence corroborating their apprehension at that very moment, and often the customers goods are safe, while the criminal is convicted with good solid evidence. Everyone comes out ahead. Together with outside cameras, you have really truly protected your home, not just sounded an alarm after all your goods were stolen, as in the past. Monitoring is also more sophisticated, with state of the art computer banks of monitoring experts who can see, hear, talk to or alert a bank of individuals of the event if need be. This is a huge help. With a new world of people always on the move with constant communication through the cell phones, they can be instantly contacted, view the footage agree it is an abnormal condition in the home they are viewing and police can be apprehending the criminal all while the person is lying on a sunny beach in Hawaii, and the common person can enjoy this technology as well as the wealthy.

The interesting thing is that in the past, the very first people to be able to recognize the value of alarm systems were the wealthier clients, and they could afford them. Now, sadly, these sponsors of the industry have the oldest of the equipment in their nice homes and businesses. Often they come to us and ask if they can be upgraded to these new features or switch over to the nice wireless systems. Yes, normally you can and you will really enjoy the key fob setting of the alarm as you step outside the building! Remotes and newer features are a dream compared with only the wired systems of the past, though they are a durable system and very sound if installed properly. Sometimes keeping components of the old system can be the very best idea, and a hybrid is a very special alarm system. Instead of dismantling an old system, portions of the stable system you now may have can be used, while new features you love can be incorporated. There is no reason not to! Let us help you with your needs and your desires at Saint Michael’s Security Systems, and offer you updates and upgrades. You may have a beautiful wired system you would like to keep but you wish to get rid of your landline and go wireless and only use your cell phones, but want your home protected still with your original system you love. That is entirely possible and easy to do! Call us anytime and we can help you do this and other things to ensure you have a system that does well for you and that not only meets your needs, but that you can enjoy. Cameras were not always used in the past, but as we all know, without them, general descriptions of criminals is too weak to catch or convict anyone. Camera footage that is clear and sharp day or night in any light is clear and decisive and can alert you even before a break in if reviewed ahead of time, to see individuals lurking or casing the property. Now incorporated as a seamless process in panels, or kept separate, you can hold your security literally in the palm of your hand. Because we are local, we can always upgrade, add features or inform you on new things. We don’t install a unit and abandon you. We want to earn you as our customer and keep you because you want us, not because of complicated contracts and penalty fees, or lengthy contracts that remain expensive even after the system is well paid for over and over again. Our monitoring reflects the monitoring, not payments hidden inside the monthly fee that you may have believed were free parts or free labor. We are up front and honest, and we feel it is the least we can be, especially in the security industry. We above all, are not here to rob you or hide costs. It amounts to the same thing. We have payment plans at our own personal discretion and we will work with you. We even have wonderful new modern ways of paying your bill. You can receive our invoice for monitoring or equipment payments via your email box. When you get our email, you can simply pay by credit card of your choice, thus earning airline points or other type as you like, and we never see your bank numbers this way. You are secure and you don’t even have to show us your information. One quick set up makes it so easy to click and pay us when your bill comes to you. There is less environmental waste and trash in your own can to dispose of as well. Forget the hand written invoices from 1960, the typed ones of 1970, and the ones possibly mixed up in some impersonal computer in the 1980’s. You control it as you may wish to sit in your pajamas and pay your bill at midnight at your iPad. And yet, one of the owners can call you back immediately wherever they are, whenever it might be about whatever problem or question you may ever have about your alarm system, any problem you could encounter or billing issue. Most of us no longer live in a nine to five world. We want to call about a mistake to a company but we need to go to work. We call at lunch time and get a long recording and are told to press a variety of numbers that are of no immediate help, then they are gone for the day. But at Saint Michael’s Security Systems, we have high tech devices and real old fashioned customer service, which sets us way apart. Using only quality components, we have few calls, so give us a ring, anytime! We will answer you!