Subject: From: Date:

Re: RE: RE: RE: [ECS] Alarm suggestions Daniel Dubay Wed, 09 Sep 1998 14:55:14 -0400

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Hello Steven,

I went to CEDIA last year and had a great time.  I'm jealous I'm not
going this year.  Let us know some highlights.

The main problem with inovonics for me is that it has only 6 hardwired
ports.  I want complete hardwire.  If Napco Gemini doesn't work out I
will probably get it anyways and see if it works with ECS windows.

Thanks
Dan Dubay

>>> Steven Wegman <swegman@erols.com> 09/09 12:03 AM >>>
	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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