I'm looking at a security and camera package right now. $100 a month with no contract includes all of the equipment and monitoring. Does anyone use them for your home?

Yes i have three cameras from them, door sensors, window sensors, water leak sensor etc installed three years ago and havent regretted it, moms house and brothers house in Katy has it too.

Only downside is it only stores video for 30 days so if something happens transfer to a computer asap to save it

I remember some shady ass white guys w/ Florida plates running through my parents neighborhood and our neighbor hood a few years ago pushing vivent. Several people said they almost had to force them off their front porch

100 bucks a month is obscene, especially for vivent's notoriously crappy cameras. Pay smith thompson $17/mo to monitor your alarm and get your own standalone camera system.

JSKolache said:

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100 bucks a month is obscene, especially for vivent's notoriously crappy cameras. Pay smith thompson $17/mo to monitor your alarm and get your own standalone camera system.

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Even if you want a smarter system $100 is nuts. I have AT&T for $40. AT&T sold their security to brinks, still $40. Haven't decided if we're going to transfer over yet. But the $40 with brinks includes remote access to the system, two doorbell cameras, the iPad style arming device, remote accessible front door lock, and interior camera.

I used to have smith Thompson. Then it sucked for the remote access if you want that capability. Not sure if it's any better now.

Vivint was the worst choice I ever made in my last house. At least you don't have a contract but they are the worst customer service I've ever had. Stay far away!!!

DeBoss said:

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Vivint was the worst choice I ever made in my last house. At least you don't have a contract but they are the worst customer service I've ever had. Stay far away!!!

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I've had them for 15 years without a single problem.

[url] https://www.bbb.org/us/ut/provo/profile/burglar-alarm-systems/vivint-smart-home-1166-4002276/customer-reviews[/url]

Ring. Do it yourself and save $90/month. Yes, there is an initial investment but the best app out there and other integrated equipment available (water sensors freeze sensors, outdoor plugs, landscape lighting bridge, Alexa integration, etc)

Vivent is just a reseller/service provider for alarm.com equipment, unless they've changed in the past few years.

You can buy all the equipment for about a grand and get monitored service for $25/month with no contract.

Payback would be a little over a year with no BS contracts to deal with.

I just know the door-to-door sales guys were relentless. My wife had been pretty clear with her "No" and that we weren't interested, but they continued to ring our doorbell during nap times (intentionally), hang out in front of our house, and harass her any time she answered. They happened to stop by one time when I was home, and I made it clear that they were trespassing, and we'd press charges if it continued. The scowl from the sales guy was pretty satisfying, and thankfully, that put an end to it.

Cancel your brinks contract and they'll offer to do the monitoring for $15 a month. I had to do it when we moved this year and the emails started coming about a month out from my contracts expiration date.

JSKolache said:

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100 bucks a month is obscene, especially for vivent's notoriously crappy cameras. Pay smith thompson $17/mo to monitor your alarm and get your own standalone camera system.

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This is the way. Just get basic monitoring for the house, and use available technology that only requires upfront costs for cameras and equipment.

Get a hub like Samsung SmartThings, or if you're in the Apple ecosystem, use the Home Kit app, and just buy stuff that goes with it. With those, you can add lights and all sorts of stuff, then set triggers for things to happen if conditions are met, and it will also alert you on your phone if you're away.

I have condition set up so when we go to bed until a certain time in the morning, if a camera detects motion, the closest light next to it comes on. If my doorbell button is pushed during that time, a lamp in our bedroom comes on.

You can also set up scenes for when you're gone for lights to go on and off randomly for a set amount of time to mimic being home.

Just note, if you go the Home Kit route, you'll need something like a Apple TV or Home Pod mini to run as the hub. You can get Arlo cameras and all sorts of fun stuff for <$1000 upfront and not be tied to monthly charges or contracts. Trust me, once you're exposed to what's out there and how affordable it is, you'll kick yourself for paying $100+/mo for it. And you control it all with your phone and/or voice.

Are you talking about the Brinks guys? We had one walk up at our old house when we were moving out to try to sell us stuff, and then he came to our new house the next day to try to sell us stuff.

Nope. Definitely Vivint.

My neighbor signed up for this last year. Just like OP, it's pushing $100 a month. They put up a few cameras.. I'm like, I spent $200 for a ring cam at my driveway, I can easily put up several more and an alarm system, be at $1000 and I'm done with it. I could go with a monitoring company for $15 or if I wanted that as well.

Vivant seems like a huge ripoff to me.