Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] Alarm suggestions Dan Carrington Tue, 08 Sep 1998 21:34:27 -0700

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Personally, I do use it and I love it.  I don't have hardwired at the
moment (renting) but future hookups when I ever get a house of my own,
look out.  I am going to hardwire as much as I can and get away from
many of the wireless things that I am using.  Save on batteries at
least.  

Dan Carrington



Steven Wegman wrote:
> 
>         Why don't people use the Inovonics panel (48 zone, hard wired and
> wireless).  This panel works well with ECS for DOS (two-way communication).
>  According to Mark, the code for the Inovonics panel is also built into ECS
> for WIN, but he has not tested it, and thus, does not "advertise" it.  I
> have not had the time to install ECS for WIN to see if it truely does work,
> mainly because (due to a past crash) I have no more installs left, and do
> not wish to "lose" the last one.  At some point, (after I return from
> CEDIA) I will contact Mark about this.
> 
> Steve Wegman
> 
> At 01:54 PM 9/8/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >Thanks for the info Terry.  I am going to look further into Napco
> >Gemini.
> >
> >Dan Dubay
> >
> >>>> Martin Terry <Martin.Terry@mail.tribnet.com> 09/08 11:29 AM >>>
> >Dan, sorry it took so long to reply to this, but I've spent most of
> >the
> >weekend running cables in my house.
> >
> >Looks like the DSC 832 will not pan out as well as I had hoped.  The
> >serial connection works fine and I can see how the transfer is being
> >made however there are two things that make it basically unusable with
> >ECS.
> >
> >1. You have to initiate the serial connection from a kepad with a
> >code.
> >2. While the serial connection is active the keypads are completely
> >locked out!
> >
> >Oddly enough, dial up into the panel does not have to be initiated
> >each
> >time as the serial connection. I'm still working on the wiring but I
> >plan on seeing if I can dial up and query the panel for a few
> >statuses.
> >This however would take too long for any real time interaction.
> >
> >I can still arm/disarm the panel from ECS with a relay closure by
> >setting up the panel with a keyswitch zone. I can also read the armed
> >status with a digital item. I cannot however determine these via the
> >serial port due to the problems noted above.
> >
> >Oh well, it was a fun exercise!
> >
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From:        Daniel Dubay [SMTP:ddubay@umich.edu]
> >> Sent:        Wednesday, August 26, 1998 4:48 PM
> >> To:  ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org
> >> Subject:     Re: RE: RE: [ECS] Alarm suggestions
> >>
> >> Hello Terry,
> >>
> >> The Serial analyzer software you have sounds pretty good.  I've
> >> recently heard some good things about this DSC system.  When you
> >> figure
> >> out the comand set can you attach a copy to the email?
> >>
> >> What do these intercoms look like.  sounds like a nice way to give
> >ECS
> >> voice.  Where are you buying your equipment from?  Thanks for the
> >> info.
> >>
> >> Dan Dubay
> >>
> >> >>> Martin Terry <Martin.Terry@mail.tribnet.com> 08/25 11:42 PM >>>
> >> Well, since it connects to the PC's serial port, I am guessing it is
> >> using ASCII to communicate.
> >>
> >> I've already ordered the unit, and I have the software provided by
> >> DSC.
> >> I plan on connecting a serial port analyzer, using the software to
> >get
> >> status, see what ASCII codes are sent to the device, and what ASCII
> >> codes are returned and how these codes translate (armed, alarm,
> >etc.).
> >> I
> >> do this for all the functions I'm interested in controlling via ECS.
> >>
> >> So far things look promising. It appears there is an initial
> >> "handshake"
> >> between the software and the unit, but the docs state that once that
> >> has
> >> occured there is no timeout of the serial link, meaning once you've
> >> logged in, you don't have to do it again unless you log out.
> >>
> >> One of the cool things about this unit is that everything is
> >software
> >> controllable, including all the ancillary cards like the intercom
> >card
> >> I'm interested in. Using a "broadcast mask" function, I can pick the
> >> stations I want to receive an announce, send the announcement via
> >ECS,
> >> then turn on all the stations again.
> >>
> >> You can even answer the phone directly from the intercom. You can
> >also
> 
> >> send text to the 32 chararcter LCD keypads.  Lots of cool stuff.
> >>
> >> Unless there's some incredibly tricky timing involved in the
> >protocol,
> >> this should be a piece of cake to reverse engineer.
> >>
> >>
> >> > -----Original Message-----
> >> > From:      Daniel Dubay [SMTP:ddubay@umich.edu]
> >> > Sent:      Tuesday, August 25, 1998 1:39 PM
> >> > To:        ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org
> >> > Subject:   Re: RE: [ECS] Alarm suggestions
> >> >
> >> > Terry,  I have easy access to Gemini and it has the features I
> >want.
> >> > I
> >> > can get a good price through Home Controls dealer program.  I
> >would
> >> be
> >> > interested in looking at the DSC system.  Is it available through
> >> ADI?
> >> >
> >> > Either way we need a protocol to work with these systems.  ECS
> >needs
> >> > to
> >> > know the commands to send to the system.  I don't know if your
> >> serial
> >> > analyzer can monitor commands sent by proprietary software?
> >> >
> >> > Dan Dubay
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > >>> Martin Terry <Martin.Terry@mail.tribnet.com> 08/24 1:25 PM >>>
> >> > Thanks for the Input Dan. Why are you going with the Gemini may I
> >> ask?
> >> > The DSC unit supports a serial link to PC and although I haven't
> >> found
> >> > the protocol, I do have their software and an serial analyzer :)
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > > -----Original Message-----
> >> > > From:    Daniel Dubay [SMTP:ddubay@umich.edu]
> >> > > Sent:    Monday, August 24, 1998 7:35 AM
> >> > > To:      ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org
> >> > > Subject: Re: RE: [ECS] Final CID questions
> >> > >
> >> > > Hello Martin,
> >> > >
> >> > > I prefer a stand alone system.  One of the principals of
> >> > > professionally
> >> > > integrated systems is to use stand alone subsystems.  Although
> >ECS
> >> > is
> >> > > very stable, I sometimes cause instability with my own changes.
> >> > >
> >> > > I am considering the inovonics hardwired system (only six
> >inputs)
> >> vs
> >> > a
> >> > > Napco Gemini system (not directly supported by ECS).  I am
> >trying
> >> to
> >> > > obtain their protocol.
> >> > >
> >> > > Dan Dubay
> >> > >
> >> > > >>> "Michael David" <michael@michaeldavid.com> 08/23 9:48 PM >>>
> >> > > Hi Martin!
> >> > >
> >> > > I use ECS as my alarm system, with hardwired sensors connected
> >to
> >> my
> >> > > digital
> >> > > inputs, and Inovonics wireless transmitters sending signals to
> >the
> >> > > Inovonics
> >> > > receiver that's supported by ECS.  Works great.  I have yet to
> >> think
> >> > > of
> >> > > any
> >> > > reason to go with a stand-alone system.
> >> > >
> >> > > Cheers!
> >> > >
> >> > > Michael David
> >> > > michael@michaeldavid.com
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > -----Original Message-----
> >> > > From:    Martin Terry [mailto:Martin.Terry@mail.tribnet.com]
> >> > > Sent:    Sunday, August 23, 1998 1:35 PM
> >> > > To:      'ecs-list@vancouver.ml.org'
> >> > > Subject: RE: [ECS] Final CID questions
> >> > >
> >> > > Hi All,
> >> > >
> >> > > I'm thinking of buying a DSC 832 alarm system and it's optional
> >> > > intercom. Anyone out there have experience with this unit? I'm
> >> > > currently
> >> > > thinking of ways to interface the alarm status with ECS, but it
> >> > looks
> >> > > difficult at best.
> >> > >
> >> > > I do think interfacing with the intercom should be easy enough.
> >> > >
> 
> >> > > What are you folks doing in this reguard? I realize there's a
> >> brand
> >> > of
> >> > > alarm already supported by ECS but how's it compare in price to
> >> the
> >> > > DSC
> >> > > unit (which I consider dirt cheap, <$200 for the panel and 1
> >> > keypad).
> >> > >
> >

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