I don’t have the option for local at this time as there is no stationary computer to connect that all up to. I was considering ring as an option... how is the integration with hubitat? How are the cameras themselves in terms of quality?
Does anyone else in your neighborhood have a security system?
Which installers did they use? Were they happy with them?
It sounds like you could benefit from the expertise of someone that does this for a living. That is something one should expect to pay for, i.e. someone else’s time and expertise.
The only good way to know if any one pro is the best or swindling you (more likely somewhere in between) is to try to compare estimates and reviews/references from other customers.
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Camera's are good. I have a Ring Pro doorbell that is powered, and a stick up cam that is battery powered. Nice thing is we have them linked into the Alexa Show, but it does sometimes take 5-10 seconds to show, since it goes to the cloud and back.
The alarm system/sensors are easy to install on your own.
I don't have the integration setup yet with Hubitat. I've had some challenges with 2.2.5/2.2.6. Once that calms down, i may try that out more. I guess i haven't seen a big need to integrate it, except having some of the ring alarm door sensors triggering some actions locally with my devices. I arm and disarm through alexa/app.
I don't have any cameras but I am running a Hubitat integration with an Envisalink module on a Honeywell Vista 20P
There are 2 integrations.... See the following thread....
Option #2 uses a nodeproxy integration with a Raspberry PI. I had this running on Smarththings on a Windows PC. To be quite honest It is a little complicated to install, or at least it was for me. It took me some time to get it running on Smartthings. That is why I am currently using Option #1, which is a native Vista/DSC integration using Telnet. The issue with this one is it that the Telnet integration can be quite chatty. I got around this by setting it up on a dedicated Hubitat hub and connected the 2 hubs using Hubconnect. This works fine for me.
So you have 2 choices...whichever works for you.
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That panel has been around a long time and does not require anything special to install. I would also look into a DSC panel which has better networking integration before you decide.
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I've just set this up over the last month or so and I'm really impressed with the integration. The sync between Ring and HSM is very easy and the integration pulls all of your devices into Hubitat. It's been rock solid for me.
Oh, and MUCH less expensive than $7k and you can install yourself very easily. Plus, if you use Amazon Alexa stuff it hooks you up with Alexa Guard which includes listening for glass breaking, voices, etc. when you're away and hooks in seamlessly with Ring. I went with the professional monitoring, too, since it's only $100 / year. You can also get the First Alert Z-Wave Plus Smoke / CO alarms that work with Ring.
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Sounds like the Ring to Hubitat integration is easier to accomplish than the Honeywell Vista / DSC integration to Hubitat using Envisalink. This makes sense since the Ring devices, or at least the Ring Alarm Contact Sensors (G2) that I have, are Z-Wave.
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The integration doesn't use Z-Wave, it sets up websocket connections to get the status from Ring. The Ring devices are all paired to the Ring hub via Z-Wave but not paired to Hubitat at all (directly) only via virtual devices that are updated as they get events across the websocket connection.
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I have a Vista 20p since forever.
If you have some time, purchase the unit and the sensors yourself and dig the pdf/Internet to learn how to program it. Vista is quite challenging in term of programing (and I obtained last year a quote from a company who offered me to change my contract from ADT to them: they abandonned when I told them that I have a Vista 20 + extra relays).
I added a cellular-pstn gateway to mimic a landline phone and voilĂ , done
The challenge is there but for 7000$ (you can purchase the unit + sensors for probably 500$), worth the price (except if your salary is in the 6+ numbers).
Salary is most definitely not 6 figures... only in my dreams 
this is good to know and I’ll definitely look into this as a possibility. Thanks!
Thanks! I’m all about ease of management so I’ll do some more research for dsc and see if that may work better for me thanks
Definitely not ready to delve into raspberry oi territory just yet so if anything option 1 would be the way to go for me.
Does live picture for cameras show up in dashboard? If not, it’s not a deal buster. Just curious.
Also, for those who responded and have used ring. Can you only view live in real time without paying for a subscription or is there an option for recorded video playback for a certain period of time?
Unfortunately no. You can get live video from Ring in Alexa devices, though.
I believe there's a trial period for saving the videos, but you have to have a paid plan to have cloud storage of videos after that.
There are a couple ways to make this work, yes. Depending on your IP cameras and other details of your setup, it can take a little or a lot of work.
For the Ring cameras?
Ah I misread. I was referring to standard IP cameras, my bad.
You will be ripped off in a huge way if you pay $7k for a security system.
If you can install home automation, you can install a security system. I highly recommend the QolSys IQ2+ panel. You don't need anything wired except for the power supply. Use PowerG sensors. They have great range, probably the best encryption you're going to find for alarm sensors and they're no more expensive than most other alarm devices.
A system as you described, except for the cameras, should cost you under $1000, you could install it yourself in an afternoon and you would have as good a system as any professional would install.
In a previous life I used to install security systems. It was a whole different ballgame when things were hard wired. Installation costs could and often did exceed the cost of the equipment. That's no longer the case, and wireless alarm sensors are very reliable. Vista panels are pretty good but the QolSys is arguably the best and most full featured alarm panel out there today.
If you decide to go that route, I've written a driver for HE that receives events for alarm sensors and arming status from the QolSys panel and also allows you to arm and disarm it via HE if you want. It needs some polishing before I publish it but works great.
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Tell me more about the “little work” version for IP cameras please? Any recommendations for cameras and/or setup? I’m not glued to ring just yet. Still considering all my options.
