Gadgetory

there's a time and a place for a traditional home security system maybe have a nice big place filled with all the cool gadgets that Cena has convinced you to buy over the years but for the rest of us paying to have a security system installed isn't worth the money for renters is pretty much impossible Donal Bell and in this top five I'm counting down the best of the new breed of do-it-yourself home security systems handpicked by CNET associate editor Reich wrists starting things off at number five opt length security triple shield $350 gets you a deluxe package of two night-vision cameras and a smattering of motion sensors and contact sensors and panic sirens there's also $199 version that tosses out the cameras but without the creepy thrill of night vision what's the point the real downside here is a monthly fee $19.99 a month for someone who has a hard time parting with eight dollars a month for Netflix $20 is a hard pill to swallow at number four viper home sounds like an animal planet reality TV show but it's actually a more affordable alternative to a plink the system starts at $229 and requires no monthly fees however if you actually want to stream your home security camera to your smartphone that's going to cost you $9.99 a month still a better price and uplink and if that name sounds familiar this is the same Viper famous for their car alarms so not only will you get an app to monitor your home but also keep track of your car coming in at number 3 I smart alarm $199 for the basic package of sensors and alarms or $350 for a system with a video camera it's not cheap but there are no monthly fees with the system that's huge you press that out over years and you're saving hundreds of dollars now we weren't thrilled with a video camera the extra $150 that it will cost you expect to spend untold amounts of your patience as well getting it to run smoothly overall though the system is a great value with a range of features that rival even the subscription options at number two simply safe as much as I hate the idea of a monthly fee this one might be worth it or nine months to get this thing up and running but that fee pays for a security firm to monitor your home 24/7 so if the alarm goes off a human being will actually give you a call and if necessary call the police now you won't find that feature on any of these other systems now for the upfront hardware cost there are a range of packages ranging from $229 for the starter kit all the way up to a five hundred $19 deluxe system but for all the simply safe packages none of them offer a security camera then again I'm not sure if I want a security firm to have a night vision view of what goes on in my house so that brings us to our number one choice for DIY home security Piper this one is a $239 all-in-one system with a built in camera and no fees it monitors temperature and humidity motion light and sound it has a built in 105 decibel siren that is painfully loud and my favorite feature two-way audio communication if someone breaks into my place to steal my things I want to be able to have a conversation with them or at least have the pleasure of insulting them in real time so there you go five DIY home security systems that are affordable enough to give anyone's an extra peace of mind for more information check out our DIY home security roundup over on SEANET and for more top 5s from me top 5 cnet.com I'm Donnell bell thanks for watching