DIY Home Security Monitoring

Del2005

Not too sure if correct fourm, but was the closest I could find. Mods please move if needed.

I've just moved into an apartment, can't get BB over the phone line so I have to use the estates cable company. I have an alarm but because of the lack of an Eircom line I can't monitor it and I don't want to pay line rental for a phone I won't be using.

I contacted HKC and they said that the alarm won't TXT with a digi dialler using VOIP and they had no idea when it would.

Is there any way I can setup a system, with a PIR and extra hardware, to page me if someone breaks in. I've searched the web and can't find any usefull info.

I found this from Motorola USA http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/home_monitoring.asp
but I can't find it on the Irish site. Would this work here?

Has anyone set-up a monitoring system using their BB? I know that it isn't 100% reliable due to power failures etc, but I want to avoid spending EUR400+ on a GSM dialler if I can.

bushy...

A GSM dialler would probably be your best option , maybe a bit of ferretting around you mind find one on the web somewhere (a lot) cheaper ?

ST

You might be able to get a voice dialler working on the VoIP line.

Either standalone or built into a panel.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=98220&doy=2m3

(not sure if the above is standalone or not.)

wexfordman

Hi,

I have such a set up, with a self monitored alarm system. I use my voip line (blueface), which is delivered over wireless broadband and it works fine for over a year now.

The alarm system I have is called a comfort alar system, it is a reasonably high end one, but because it uses tones (dtmf) for sending and receiving messages over the phone line, it works fine.

You might want to consider a wireless alarm system with dialer (or as previous poster said, you could try a gsm adapter either, but a bit pricy I think).

Have a look at:-

http://www.letsautomate.com/index.cfm?&Nav=Security&

there are three different systems on the above link. The comfort will definately work, I am fairly sure the sc8000 will work also (ask the retailer), and I see no reason why the 3rd system wont work.

Regards,
Wexfordman

Del2005

Thanks for the replies. The problem is that I already have an alarm, which I got for free:D , and don't want to buy a new one if I can avoid it. I have the digi dialer for the alarm, but again I don't want to buy an ATA and then find out that the alarm won't connect to it.

Does anyone know if it's possible to have 2 alarm cpu's at the same time? If I get the comfort alarm controller that Wexfordman has, and then just use that as a slave to my main alarm to contact me of alarm events. Or would I just be better off using the Comfort and ditching the HKC unit?

I found this GSM system on Ebay, would it be any good?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260084225115&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

ST

Del2005 wrote:

Thanks for the replies. The problem is that I already have an alarm, which I got for free:D , and don't want to buy a new one if I can avoid it. I have the digi dialer for the alarm, but again I don't want to buy an ATA and then find out that the alarm won't connect to it.

Was the HKC panel sending you a SMS or was it communicating with a Central Station, who called you when the alarm went off?

Del2005 wrote:

Does anyone know if it's possible to have 2 alarm cpu's at the same time? If I get the comfort alarm controller that Wexfordman has, and then just use that as a slave to my main alarm to contact me of alarm events. Or would I just be better off using the Comfort and ditching the HKC unit?]

You're better off having only one. You could connect the HKC to the Comfort, but you would have to remember to make sure both were set when going out.

Del2005 wrote:

I found this GSM system on Ebay, would it be any good?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260084225115&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

Reading the spec it looks like it should work, as to the quality and reliability, who knows?

Del2005

Was the HKC panel sending you a SMS or was it communicating with a Central Station, who called you when the alarm went off?

I never had the land line long enough to wire the dialer into it. I'm just looking for a way to get an alert without a land line. I don't want to buy an ATA for VOIP and then find out the alarm doesn't work with it. I rang HKC and they said that their digi dialer won't work on VOIP and that a system that would was a long way off.

Haven't had an alarm yet(touches wood). But I don't want just an other dumb alarm going off all day, I'd rather be able to investigate/reset if it goes off.

By the looks of things I'm going to have to get a new alarm:(

ST

Something like this might suit, don't know how much they are or where to get one though.

http://www.dualtech.se/Files/Product%20sheet%20RC60SMS.pdf

It should interface to your existing Alarm System.