[stearns]

While I have never used their security systems, I have had luck with some of the other home automation products from the company "X10." I also know they have real people you can talk with or chat online with through their website, who helped me with some minor home automation I did a couple years ago. Might be worth a look if you want to build a system using components (they have kits too, but I just picked the different stuff I wanted, it all worked together)