Plug
& Play (and then relax).
If
you are looking to install a home security system, but are really put
off by the thought of drilling holes throughout your house and having
to remember a complicated operating system, rest easy. There is an
alternative to the heavy-handed house alarm, and it's one you can
install yourself in minutes. We protect our gaff with the miGuard
A105 Wireless Plug & Play Alarm.
The
fact that a house intruder alarm system can happily sit within a box
about the same size as the one your phone came in, is pretty
remarkable. The miGuard A105 Wireless Plug & Play Alarm is
refreshingly compact, consisting of just five small elements which
are independently powered and connect to each other wirelessly.
Seriously, set up is as easy as plugging the base unit directly into
a free socket and then, by way a quick press of a button, pairing the
other gadgets to it.
Included
in the kit is the aforementioned base unit, two key fob-sized remote
controls, a motion sensor, and a door/window sensor, as well as all
the sticky mounts you need, and instructions. The base unit is the
hub of the entire system and is also where the loud alarm siren
issues from. When triggered it will wail like a banshee and also
flash a bright blue light. This is therefore a deterrent to the
would-be burglar, and also a wake up call to the home owner.
The
motion sensor is also very compact and discreet, and once installed
somewhere in a room (you don't have to stick it to a wall; it has a
flat bottom so can be left to stand on a surface if you prefer) it is
ready to detect motion. We really like the ball-joint bracket that
accompanies the motion sensor, allowing you to focus it upon a
particular area, despite the 110 degree field of view.
The
door/window sensor is even easier to set up. Both the larger
transmitter part and the smaller magnet have self-adhesive panels on
the back, you can stick them firmly into place on your door, windows,
patio doors, or biscuit cupboard. Installation is as simple as
setting them about 1cm apart, so whenever they are separated while
the system is armed, the alarm will sound. We found the sensor to be
nicely sensitive and very quick at getting the message to the base
unit.
The
two included remote controls are all you need to operate the system
- no complicated button panel here. They are a lot smaller than we
were expecting (nicely demonstrated alongside a LEGO minifigure for
scale) meaning you and your partner can each clip one to your
keychain, or leave one about the house. Despite having only four
buttons, a lot can be achieved with the remote to set the system to
different modes. Whereas a simple press of the closed padlock icon
button will arm the system, pressing the 'stay' button first before
the padlock will arm the system silently, muting the loud bleep. You
can also set the base unit's light to come on, providing a handy
night light, and also – depending on how you set up the paired
accessories – set modes whereby some sensors are disarmed while
others still continue to operate.
The
uses for the miGuard A105 Wireless Plug & Play Alarm are pretty
much endless. It features everything you'd expect from a full-blown
house alarm system, but scaled down both in terms of sized and
complication. It would be perfect for a small business renting their
work space, a garage or outhouse that is removed from the rest of the
house, a student flat, or indeed any rented accommodation where you
might not be able to install a wired system.
It's
so small and so damned easy to set up that we'd recommend getting
one, even if you already have an existing system. The combination of
the base unit and door/window sensor could be used on absolutely
anything, even internal doors and cupboards (we weren't joking about
the biscuits). This is a well-built system with bags of potential.
£69.95
Available
from: Maplin,
QVC
and
Response
Electronics