Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] NAPCO Support Scott Danks Fri, 04 Feb 2000 15:30:05 -0600

---

 Fri, 04 Feb 2000 15:30:05 -0600
Well, all I've got to say is that this convinced me to replace my unit with one of these.
 And I need to say thank You, Mark,  for coding this.  I know you put in lots of hours
fixing things that we users *wish* to see, and I dont use all of the whiz bang things,
but some mean more to me than others.  Our local TV channel 6 in Tulsa, Ok,  did a segment
on smart homes, and showed what one did.  ECS is so far above that!  It was a turnkey
all in one system that just did lighting and security and hvac.  The voice was pre-recorded
and hard to understand.  I would invite them to my house, but I really don't have more
than the phone messaging, and the lights and x10 stuff setup.  When I get the external
sensors going I may reconsider.  I would like to have remote capabilities and a few
other sensors working first.  My suburb of Broken Arrow, Ok has no adsl, no cable modems,
and the callerid doesn't pass the names on, just the phone numbers, for which I pay
$7.00/ mo extra.  This just takes lots of money.  I will be replacing my DSC alarm system
with the Napco model.  I wish there was a repository of ideas for home automation. 
I have been gathering ideas for some time, from different sites and systems.  But I'm
always looking for new and different approaches to HA.  Thanks again for all you do
Mark.

>>> Mark Gilmore <omnip@usit.net> 02/04 2:07 PM >>>
How long did it take me to integrate the NAPCO ?: >40 hours
How much was I paid for this effort: $120
How much did I charge ECS customers for this support ?: $0
How many additional sales has this support generated ?: 0
That comes to about $3/hour.
Perhaps I should spend another week researching/documenting
the intimate details of every NAPCO status message.
-- 
Mark Gilmore
Omnipotence (ECS home automation software)
http://www.usit.com/omnip 
423-745-0026


Bill Walters wrote:
> 
> I just spoke with the security dealer where I got my Gemini 3200 panel.  He
> said that the HA kid has no documentation as to protocal, etc of the panels.
> That NAPCO does not provide any documentation to end-users on their Home
> Automation interface.  They do (did?) provide a Home Automation "Developers"
> information package for software developers.  Their (NAPCO's) logic is that
> if they provide such documentation to developers, who integrate support into
> their package, then the end user doesn't have to worry about anything.  Not
> so for us ECS users.
> 
> At any rate, he has already contacted NAPCO and requested this "Developers
> information package" (whatever that is).  He said that when he got it, he'd
> copy it and send me a copy.....  however long that takes.
> 
> I'm off on a 3 day trip and will return Sunday PM.
> 
> Bill

---