Concerned about possibility that savvy intruders may initially seek to damage base station prior to actual robbery

@ oapaz

Thanks for posting! The Base Station is only vulnerable during the entry delay countdown, which is defaulted at 30 seconds. However, you can lower that time all the way to 1 second! About ten seconds is a common setting for most people who mostly use their keychain remote or have the keypad close to the door they use most, and it would be very difficult for even a savvy burglar to break in, locate the Base Station (as it makes no sound and emits no light during the entry delay countdown) and destroy it before the siren sounds. The emergency signal is sent right before the siren sounds!

Ryan K.
SimpliSafe Home Security

After receiving the system last summer, I centrally placed/sealed the base station in my attic behind the knee walls of my [smallish] 1 1/2 story home. Everything works perfectly, and it would take someone about 10 minutes to get access to the base station EVEN if they knew exactly where it was located. I disabled all sounds/lights from the base station. It functions as a "control panel", similar to the older or more traditional alarm systems. I use the (painfully, painfully, painfully loud) 'aux alarm' in a central part of my home. I only need to access the Base Station when I add a component etc.....so it is out of sight and safe from the kids too.

For my situation, it is the most rock solid/tamper proof security system that one could build for the cost. No wires to be cut, and the cellular signal reaches the monitoring station in about 1-2 seconds.

Of course, this situation works well for me, but your layout may not permit this. I searched/planned for about 8 months before I found what i was looking for (Simplisafe). My other option, was to build up a wireless system with Honeywell or GE alarm components, but that type of ala carte system gets to be about $1500.-$2500. for just the hardware, then the monitoring service gets astronomical [and flakey!] when cellular modules, etc. are added. Simplisafe is designed to be wireless, whereas those other systems are often times hybrids of wired and wireless layouts....AND most importantly, I suspect the other systems that mostly all use those little "watch batteries" do not get near the RF signal strength to penetrate walls, floors etc that the larger, more powerful Simplisafe lithium batteries use. Thus, the other systems will require wires, drilling and fishing them for hours and and hours.....and then the drywall repair work.

It helps that I'm an industrial designer and I have the knowledge to look at products/hardware with a more "future proof" and economic mindset.

Draw a floor plan of your house and layout your system and think about it inside and out first!

....I would also mention that an old fashioned wired/telephone line dialing type alarm system can very much protect you, your family and property too......but the cost and [almost criminal] contracts that they put you in.....you would be better off to let a burglar clean you out from time to time than the cost that the ADTs, Habitec, etc. will put on you.....

I suspect the Simplisafe model will be copied (and refined) as the old alarm industries fade away......think about the milkman.....

Ryan,
You mentioned the entry delay can be lowered all the way down to 1 second. But when I am in the advanced settings the lowest entry delay is 30 seconds for Away Mode and 5 seconds for Home Mode. Is my system older than what you are referring too?

@ fred man

Thanks for posting! I will contact you via email!

Ryan K.
SimpliSafe Buglar Alarms