Home security systems continue to evolve with the time, but does they also become more affordable?

SARASOTA (WWSB) - Are you willing to put a price on piece of mind when you leave your home?

In today’s age, home security systems can be as intricate as infrared and laser technology or as simple as “do-it-yourself” cameras.

Law enforcement is calling Ring and systems like it the new age “digital neighborhood watch,” but it’s just one of may options.

“It says someone is at your front door,” showed Lieutenant Robert Andrews as he looked at his Apple watch. "There he is, walking up.”

As a father and homeowner. it’s video surveillance that gives Andrews a feeling of protection.

“It gives me a great sense of relief, knowing I can stay connected," he said. "Like this morning, when you have service providers at your home, you weren’t expecting them, they knock on your door and ring your doorbell, and boom you can talk to them through the app.”

As a Lieutenant for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, it’s a useful tool, too.

“It [helps] us as law enforcement," Lieutenant Andrews said. "Like if we have an area that got saturated by a bunch of car burglaries, we can put a request out to people that says hey, this area was affected, can you send us any video or suspicious persons in the area to help us with the investigation?”

For example, a car burglary recorded on Ring surveillance clear as day, in the middle of the night.

The homeowner can send that video to deputies and post it on the NextDoor application linked with Ring to warn his neighbors down the street.

"It’s taking neighborhood watch and making it in a digital platform, which is precisely what we wanted,” said Lieutenant Andrews.

Ring offers this security for as low as $179 each camera. but is it at the cost of your privacy?

“The way they’re set up and the broad angle that they’re able to view, you’re not only looking out for your own property, but you’re looking out for other people’s property as well," explained Deputy Chris Ralston, with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

He said at least for him, it’s worth the extra sets of eyes.

“Neighbors who are good neighbors and look out for each other want to know and they want the other neighbor looking out for them as well if something suspicious is going on outside on their property," said Deputy Ralston.

Some neighbors might prefer a company that’s been well established.

"You want to rely on something that has already been proved that it’s really accurate. ADT has been in the business for 144 years.

Long enough to be named “American District Telegraph," but ADT said it’s evolving with the times.

Shock sensors, motion detectors, video monitoring and more.

“Now, the technology has grown so fast that now you don’t even need a cable, we have wireless,” Braulio Gonzalez, ADT home security technology dealer in Sarasota. "We have the shock sensor contacts, so if you open a window, it creates a signal and because it’s electricity, it goes so fast it only takes a couple of seconds for ADT to know something is happening in your home.”

Perhaps the biggest difference for as low as $27.99 per month, ADT immediately calls police and sets off an alarm.

“What happens if when you open the doors, you hear the alarm system going beep, beep, beep? You’re gonna close the door [if you’re a burglar] and say, I’m gonna go,” Gonzalez explained. "You can watch video online and you can search for home burglars. and you can see every time the alarm sounds, people come running out of the door.”

But what if you want to ensure they can’t even make it that far?

"Our clients are some of the most notables in the United States, so they require a little bit higher level of security,” said Mark van den Broek, CEO and President of SmartHouse Integration.

SmartHouse Integration enables the many systems in your home to work together for comfortability, energy efficiency and security.

“If you walk in your front door and it’s dark out, we can have the lights turn on automatically,” explained van den Broek. "Or if there’s a fire, the security system will set off the fire alarm, but then turn off the fans and the climate control and the HVAC units and we’ll flash the front lights so the fire department knows that’s the house they’re going to..”

Full monitoring for their clients, to include burglary, leak and gas detection.

“Our cameras also have the ability to let our homeowners know the minute someone crosses a trip line or steps on the property," said van den Broek.

That monitoring for as low $24.95, but how advanced can this get?

“We have infrared beams and flir detection, infrared detection for surrounding areas," said van den Broek. "We have a lot of clients that are on the water.”

For them, setting up aqua security. “So that if they attack by sea, we’ll know about it,” he said.

The add-ons are endless.

“Actually built into our touch screens is Alexa and Google as well as complete facial recognition,” added van den Broek.

“Wiring homes for the future,' and this top age security for a pretty penny.

To learn more about SmartHouse Integration, click here.

To learn more about ADT, click here.

To learn more about Ring, click here.

For a list of

Copyright 2019 WWSB. All rights reserved.