Integrating Intrusion, Fire, Video and Home Automation

I’m investigating how to set up a system that provides intrusion detection, fire, video surveillance and home automation integration. Some choose to install Video Management System software on a computer and store video locally which they access directly when remote over their own broadband connection without requiring a cloud provider. These systems can also send alerts to the remote user. Many seem to choose this option for privacy not wanting to store video on a cloud provider platform. But I have not figured out how that could be integrated with an alarm panel and home automation.

Is there a dual path communicator where you pay the carrier and that will call your own cell phone or must it go through a service provider such as alarm.com?
Does home automation integration with an alarm panel also require subscription to a service such as alarm.com?

If I’m going to self monitor anyway why do I have to utilize a cloud provider like Alarm.com? Or has someone figured out how to truly self monitor with no third party platform required?

Is there a dual path communicator where you pay the carrier and that will call your own cell phone or must it go through a service provider such as alarm.com? Does home automation integration with an alarm panel also require subscription to a service such as alarm.com?

If I’m going to self monitor anyway why do I have to utilize a cloud provider like Alarm.com? Or has someone figured out how to truly self monitor with no third party platform required?

suretyDIY is an Alarm.com service provider and all panels we support utilize Alarm.com for the back-end communication. Unfortunately we cannot provide technical assistance for incompatible products typically.

Generally speaking, professional alarm monitoring equipment is designed for communication through professional alarm services and central station receivers. They transmit coded messages across a primary cellular connection.

You cannot typically use a cellular connection without a data charge of some kind (included in the monthly charges)

Some choose to install Video Management System software on a computer and store video locally which they access directly when remote over their own broadband connection without requiring a cloud provider. These systems can also send alerts to the remote user. Many seem to choose this option for privacy not wanting to store video on a cloud provider platform. But I have not figured out how that could be integrated with an alarm panel and home automation.

Can you be more specific regarding the video system you are looking to integrate?

Some integration can be in the form of I/O triggers for cameras or stand-alone video system. This won’t be nearly as robust as Alarm.com video, but may be an option if you are not looking for the benefits of cloud video.

Regarding privacy, only users created by you under your primary Alarm.com account login can view video clips. Neither Alarm.com nor suretyDIY reps have any access to view the video. We can only see if the clips exist in the form of dated entries.

I still want to use the PowerG sensors for fire/door/window but read that motion detection has high false positives and no visual confirmation whereas many of the new video management systems have very advanced motion detection algorithms built in e.g. tripwire, taken object, left object, etc. With Alarm.com you can only use Alarm.com cameras which seems very limiting and they don’t have the advanced features. It seems using a camera with advanced motion detection would be better than motion sensors or even image sensors though I understand PowerG image sensors are compatible with Alarm.com. I’d like to be able to integrate an on premise video management system (VMS) with the alarm panel so when the camera detected motion it would trip like a motion sensor. Main reason being the alarm system has dual path communication whereas even though the on prem VMS can alert through the internet --if the internet is down you won’t get the alerts.

With Alarm.com you can only use Alarm.com cameras which seems very limiting and they don’t have the advanced features.

While it is true that if you plan to utilize the Alarm.com cloud video service you will need to utilize Alarm.com compatible cameras, that does not mean there are no advanced features. Video motion detection allows you to control sensitivity of detection and window size percentage as well as creating tripwires for detecting said video motion.

Additionally, the new Alarm.com Video Analytics offers virtual tripwires and fenced-in activity zones, as well as more fine tuned video object detection. This requires the Indoor Fixed w/IR (ADC-V522IR) or Outdoor Wireless (ADC-V722W) cameras and will be available through Surety soon.

...than motion sensors or even image sensors though I understand PowerG image sensors are compatible with Alarm.com.

PowerG image sensors are not currently compatible with Alarm.com.

I’d like to be able to integrate an on premise video management system (VMS) with the alarm panel so when the camera detected motion it would trip like a motion sensor. Main reason being the alarm system has dual path communication whereas even though the on prem VMS can alert through the internet –if the internet is down you won’t get the alerts.

Alarm.com IP cameras do not directly communicate with the panel, they communicate with Alarm.com via the web and would not communicate via cellular.

Additionally, the 24/7 Video add on used with the Alarm.com SVR 100 and 122

This offers 24/7 recording, automatic remote accessibility, mobile app compatibility, as well as cloud management.