
All these services are coming together that we couldn’t do before. 2016 really pushed the envelope for integration, I believe. ”Rehman, like a growing number of his residential dealer peers, has started calling his business a “residential integrator” because of the growing complexity of Internet of Things residentially often referred to as smart or connected home that are increasingly included in a residential security system. “We are in the smart device technology now. Everything has to be app operated. In that scene we do end up working with a higher tier of clients that look for that marriage between systems. They are looking for customization. They don’t
want a gold, silver or bronze package. They want something different than the Jones across the street. ”Despite near unanimous agreement that 2016 was significantly up, at least one study in the residential security space shows it was actually a small increase and that the improvement really began in 2015,
says Tricia Parks, founder and CEO, Parks Associates, Dallas. “2015 was a good year for the residential security industry; so was 2016.
The night vision is similarly clear with eight infrared LED sensors, and the camera comes equipped with two way audio. Not only does two way audio let you speak to whoever you’re recording, which can be an easy way to talk to family members from afar, but it’s also a
great way to scare away intruders as a last ditch effort. You’d be scared too if a disembodied voice came screaming out at you to get out of their house!On a more negative note, the camera’s night vision wasn’t quite as clear as I’d like it to be. While the box said you’d be able to see for 15 feet, things got blurry for me at 10. However, I am quite pleased with the camera’s two way audio and smart platform integrations, which include Amazon Alexa, Fire TV, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. It’s hard to find a camera that integrates with Apple HomeKit, as its one of the less popular smart home automations, so I like that the Circle 2 really gives you options here.

See a more in depth Vivint review here. ADT is a well known household name, but what makes it one of the best home security systems?It’s the service and availability, along with the reliability it provides. There are multiple centers for monitoring ADT alarms all over the country, so the chance of an outage is very low. There’s also 140 years of experience backing the company, so you know it has been around long enough to know how to provide customers with what they want and need. Phone and email support are provided on a 24/7 basis, and it’s possible to get an installation completed on the
same day. You can also expect $500 off your insurance deductible in case you get broken into while you have ADT monitoring installed. Here’s a quick summary of their pros and cons:You can control your garage door, lights, locks, and more right through your cell phone. There’s no relocation option if you need to move, so ADT works best for established homeowners who are going to be at the same location for a longer period of time. The franchise nature of ADT can also
mean that you’ll find a somewhat inconsistent level of customer service and support depending upon where you are based, and that can be frustrating when you are used to receiving good service, but move somewhere else, and suddenly have poor service. On the whole, though, most ADT franchises are very good with customers, and are committed to providing a high level of quality and value for everyone who contracts with them. It’s a DIY installation system, so you don’t have to take the time out of your busy life to wait for someone to come hook things up for you.