myhome247 security review

The trouble with most home security systems is that the people most likely to pay attention to an alarm that goes off are the owners. And most burglaries take place when you're out of the house.

Myhome247's home monitoring system is a security system with a difference - instead of relying on an alarm as deterrent, it uses your broadband connection to let you to monitor what's going on at home yourself when you're away.

The starter kit supplied for review is pretty basic: you get one gateway box, a Panasonic BL-C1 network camera and a single wireless magnetic door sensor. Set up is simple: hook the gateway up to your network and register it with the myhome website; after this you simply log onto the device's built-in web server to add the network camera and wireless door contact.

The really clever stuff, however, takes place on the myhome website. The system comes with a 5MB remote access account (this must be renewed after two years for £5.95 per month), from which you control and view the status of your security system. Both door contact and network camera can be set up to send email and SMS alerts whenever the door is opened or motion detected.

The network camera can also be set up to capture brief clips or pictures when it detects motion, and you can view live video, too. All the video and pictures are stored in the event archive on the myhome website, so you don't have to leave a PC on at home while you're away either.

More is this system's potential for expansion. All sorts of additional sensors are available from the myhome website, from temperatures gauges, flood/leak sensors and alarm sirens (£15 to £31 each), so you can really go to town if you want.

There are even light switch and plug socket controllers, so you can turn things on an off remotely, and a Java app for Windows Mobile lets you control the whole system from a handset.

For £213, the basic package is a decent investment. The problems come when you inevitably want to expand the system: adding any further devices requires an extra £5.95 a month subscription, which strains the boundaries of good value.

If the package had included more than one door/window sensor and the facility to add further devices for a one-off fee, we'd have no hesitation in recommending it. As it is, we can't see it having any more than niche appeal.

Author: Jonathan Bray