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Technology for the home

Elvey advises on appropriate technologies for residential security.

Man’s needs as interpreted by Abraham Maslow are illustrated as an ascending pyramid, on which physiological requirements sit on the largest and most fundamental level, followed by personal security.

Yet, fundamental though security might be to a person’s ability to function optimally and happily, it unfortunately cannot be guaranteed by the police in today’s crime-beset world. On the back of rising levels of robbery and other property-related crime, people have to assume responsibility for their own security as well as that of their families and their property, says Elvey Security Technologies.

Elvey is regularly called upon to design systems for residential estates, according to national sales manager Ingo Mutinelli. “Many people think that these estates with their high walls, electric fences and secured entrances, are impenetrable,” he says. “However, countless victims will attest to the fact that even homes on residential estates need security systems.”

Considering the lightning speed with which criminals operate today, he is not in favour of a general-purpose mechanical security system with detectors inside the building. He explains: “By the time the monitoring station receives the intrusion alarm signal from the property in question, the house breakers are already inside and the home-owner has little or no time to react to the threat.”

Rather, he advocates the installation of one of his company’s most popular products, the DSC 9045 wireless alarm system.

Says company CEO Jack Edery: “In the current economic climate, installers are under intense pressure to maintain their bottom lines. This can be done by hiking their prices, which is not ideal, or by increasing their volumes of installations, a far better option. This self contained wireless security system is at least 30% quicker to install than other similar products on the market and it is also much simpler since it does not require cabling, and drilling is minimal.”

Another advantage of this system is that it has all the components typically found in a traditional alarm system’s control panel, built into the stylish keypad.

Protecting the perimeter

For perimeter peace-of-mind, Mr Mutinelli recommends a product such as the wireless, battery-operated BX-80NR from Optex. Specifically designed to be centrally wall-mounted, its long, narrow detection capabilities make it possible to protect the perimeter with a multilayered, horizontal barrier that detects intruders before they break in. It also boasts an intelligent, size-judging function that allows it to discriminate between large objects such as human beings, and small creatures such as pets or birds within the detection area, thus eliminating false alarms. The beauty of such a system, says Mutinelli, is that despite the sleek, slender appearance of both the keypad and boundary detector, which blend seamlessly into the existing décor and environment, it does not compromise on security.

Keeping pace with your alarms

For the technology-savvy resident who wishes to receive alarm triggers via SMS, Mutinelli suggests incorporating Bentel’s GSM/GPRS wireless alarm communicator into the system. In the event of an alarm, he explains, the communicator will operate as an SMS dialler, capable of automatically dialling up to eight pre-programmed telephone numbers to deliver an alarm message.

Using the same technology, owners will be able to arm and disarm their systems via their cellphones. As an added home automation and environmentally friendly option, the communicator has an extra output which allows end-users to switch their geysers on or off via SMS messaging through their cellphones.

Another must-have security product for residential estate dwellers is video verification. Seamlessly integrated into the alarm panel, the unit requires just a computer with Internet connection and the correct software in order to be able to provide video transmission.

In areas where telephone lines or internet are not available, videos can be transmitted through cellular phone, a boundary-less application capable of sending video verification clips and event notification to various recipients. “Another huge plus,” he points out, “is that the unit has a built-in sequential switcher, which allows the home owner to monitor protected areas and switch between channels like a conventional CCTV system. What is more, there is no need to buy special cameras as the video verification unit integrates with most CCTV equipment and will immediately communicate with the monitoring station in the event of video loss.”

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