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HTI+ Home Technology Integrator & CEDIA Installer I All-In-One Exam Guide Authors: Gilster R., Heneveld H. Published year: 2003 Pages: 180-181/300 |
Some security systems can be programmed to call a phone number (residence, friend, cell phone) when the system goes into alarm, but this does not notify or dispatch the police. This system depends upon someone answering the call at the time it is received, listening to the message, and responding immediately.
Some homeowners prefer to have someone outside the home monitoring their home security system because it gives them the assurance that there is always somebody to summon help when there is a break-in or an emergency. This involves a recurring monthly fee. For these homeowners, there are two basic types of external security services available:
Alarm monitoring
Remote viewing monitoring
Alarm monitoring services are usually connected to a home through an RJ-31x connection that places a call to the service’s monitoring system and communicates digitally, whenever the security system is breached and an alarm event is triggered, regardless if an alarm sounds in the home or not. The connection to the monitoring company can also be through a cell phone or long-range radio. Some security systems allow for the monitoring service staff to “listen-in” through the security keypads in the home. The security system may even provide two-way voice communication between the monitoring service staff and the occupants of the home.
Some companies will work with the installer and the homeowner to design a security system that best provides the security level desired and then contract for the alarm monitoring services for that system. Most, if not all, city and county police and sheriff departments no longer provide alarm monitoring and security review services and only respond to calls from security monitoring services. Many municipalities also have a policy of charging the homeowner for repeat false security alarm calls.
The upside to alarm monitoring services is that they are always there—24/7—and are to respond immediately. The downside is that because they are off-site, and especially in cases when the homeowner is away from home, they can dispatch the police or fire department to investigate the cause of an alarm. Should the problem be caused by something other than an intruder, such as a branch blown through a window or an alarm caused by an electrical fault, the homeowner can be charged a fine for a false alarm.
Another type of residential security services is remote access monitoring services, which use surveillance cameras and microphones to monitor a home’s interior and exterior for unauthorized access or presence.
| Note |
See Chapter 35 for more information about the types of service provide by monitoring services. |
A home security system can be either “reactive” or be interfaced to a home control system and be “proactive.” A security system provides protection on two levels: interior and perimeter. Interior protection systems include detecting and sounding alarms in response to events inside and outside a home. The function of interior detection is to protect a home’s occupants and contents from intruders. The purpose of exterior or perimeter protection is detecting intruders in the area around a home before they attempt to enter the house.
A residential security system links to its sensors, detectors, alarms, and control units using either radio frequency (RF) signals or wire or cable runs. Wireless RF-based systems don’t require unit-to-unit wiring. Wireless security systems can be completely wireless RF-based systems or interfaced to wired systems. Hard-wired systems must be pre-planned so that the appropriate cabling can be installed during the pre-wire phase of a new construction or a remodeling project.
A hard-wired system directly and physically connects the components of the system—the contacts, sensors, and so forth—to the main unit with a cable or wire. The primary benefit of the hard-wired approach is, unlike a wireless system, a hard-wired system is significantly less sensitive to electromagnetic and RF interferences , especially if the system’s wiring is properly installed to avoid interference sources.
Common devices and features of a residential security system include a control panel, a RJ-31x interface, multiple zone inputs, alarms, window or door contacts, a remote control, and a keypad controller. An important feature on systems that support alarm monitoring is an RJ-31x interface .
Two basic types of external security services are available: alarm monitoring and remote video monitoring.
Which of the following is not a common feature of a residential interior security system?
Access control
Intrusion detection
Perimeter intrusion detection
Smoke or fire detection
What communications technology is used by a truly wireless system?
PLC
HomePNA
Cat 5e
RF
A security system integrated into a home system controller is said to be
Intrusive
Preventive
Proactive
Reactive
What type of alarm only notifies a monitoring service that an alarm event has occurred?
Silent alarm
Local alarm
Digital alarm
Zone alarm
What device is used as the homeowner ’s primary interface to a security system?
Control panel
Keypad
Remote control
Personal computer
What is the specialized connection used in security systems to seize a telephone line for purposes of notifying an alarm monitoring service of a security breach?
RJ-11
RJ-12
RJ-31
RG-6
What type of sensor is used to detect the opening or closing of a door or window?
CO sensor
Glass-break sensor
Contact sensor
PIR sensor
If a homeowner wishes to have an outside party take action on security and alarm events that are triggered, the type of firm contracted would be a
Remote monitoring service
Alarm monitoring service
Remote alarm management service
Alarm security service
Which of the following is not a form of a security system’s interior protection?
Someone moving about inside a home
Someone breaking into a cabinet, cupboard, or the like
Smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide gases
A door opening
Which of the following is not a protection provided in a perimeter security system?
Access control
Smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide gases
Glass breakage detection
Screen breakage detection
C. Interior systems, which should be obvious from its name , include all security measures placed inside a home. The other choices are all typically included in an interior security system.
D. Radio frequency (RF) signals are used by wireless systems to communicate. X-10, which is a form of wireless system, uses existing powerlines to communicate; Cat 5e is a networking cable standard; and HomePNA (Home Phoneline Networking Alliance) is a standard for communications over interior telephone lines.
C. Security systems that are integrated into a home automation control system provide proactive security.
A. This alarm doesn’t sound an alarm locally, but notifies the monitoring services. An audible alarm can also notify services although it also sounds an alarm. A local alarm sounds a siren or bell without notification action. The term digital alarm is erroneous; a digital dialer is the mechanism used to notify the monitoring service.
B. Regardless of the system type, hard-wired or wireless, the homeowner’s interface to a security system is primarily through a keypad. However, a PC can be used with most hard-wired control panels and a remote control can be used to activate or de-activate the alarm system.
C. Actually, the connection is an RJ-31x. RJ-11 and RJ-12 are one-and two-line telephone line connectors and RG-6 is a coaxial cabling standard.
C. This sensor detects that it has been either opened or closed, depending on whether it is set to Normally Open (NO) or Normally Closed (NC). A CO sensor detects carbon monoxide gas; a glass-break sensor detects the sound of breaking glass; and a PIR (passive infrared) sensor is a motion detector.
B. A remote monitoring service performs video surveillance on a property and the other choices are just plays on words.
D. Detecting an exterior door opening is a part of a perimeter security system.
B. Smoke, fire, and CO detectors and alarm systems are classified as components of an interior security system.
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HTI+ Home Technology Integrator & CEDIA Installer I All-In-One Exam Guide Authors: Gilster R., Heneveld H. Published year: 2003 Pages: 180-181/300 |