Home Alarm Systems: What’s New?

Within the last year or so the home alarm system arena has been adding some exciting new technology.  Many alarm companies featured on Alarm System Report have taken advantage of this new technology to make their home alarm system offerings more robust – offering customers extended levels of alarm monitoring and equipment selections.

Perhaps the most exciting advancement in home alarm systems is the addition of Z-Wave home automation products.  Z-Wave is a wireless home automation technology that allows homeowners to easily automate electronic devices in their home either as a standalone system or combined with their home alarm system.  Z-Wave offers products for automating home lighting, door locks, thermostats, audio/visual, and wireless cameras.

Z-Wave devices are compatible with a number of different home alarm system control panels including the GE Simon XT (offered by FrontPoint Security & Protect America) as well the 2Gig! Control Panel (offered by Vivint) to name a few.  You can see a list of Z-Wave products by clicking this link.

Speaking of GE, within the last few months the company has been working on and released a couple new home alarm system Control Panels.  The most recent addition to their offerings is the Simon XTi Control Panel.  The Simon XTi is a combination Control Panel that combines the GE Simon XT and the GE Talking Touchscreen Keypad.  Until recently the Simon models were standard alarm Control Panels with push button control.

The Simon XTi has a touchscreen interface allowing you to easily manage your alarm system and home automation devices with a different “feel”.  A cool thing about the XTi is that it allows for different faceplates.  For those that are concerned about aesthetics with their home alarm system the XTi offers different colored faceplates for homeowners to choose from.  This also gives alarm companies an opportunity to brand their Control Panels in a new and exciting way.

GE is also rumored to be releasing another new Control Panel sometime in the fall adding to the functionality of the Simon XTi.  There hasn’t been much news about the new Control Panel aside from the fact GE plans to release another one.  The Simon XTi is only being offered by a few home alarm companies currently and it doesn’t look like it will be added to many more home alarm system lineups as many companies using the GE brand will be waiting for the newer, and cooler, Control Panel this fall.  More on that in the coming months.

You can take a look at the Simon XTi and play around with an online demo by clicking this link.

Stay tuned to Alarm System Report for more news and notes on home alarm systems.  Also be sure to check out Alarm System Report’s Home Alarm System Reviews if you’re searching for a new home alarm system or are thinking of switching your home alarm system monitoring to a new alarm company.