HKC SW812 outputs and GSM alternatives

orion256

Hi,
I'd like to receive a text if my HKC SW812 alarm goes off. I find the price of HKC's own GSM add-on panel to be prohibitive (€300 approx + VAT + installation fee = €400-€450) and so would like to find an alternative. I've no landline (NTL/UPC only) and don't want to pay a monitoring fee. I'm good at electronics and programming and would not be afraid of installing a pre-made module myself once I knew what the outputs of the SW812 were doing. Could someone please tell me:

• are there pins on the SW812 that can be monitored, e.g. what pins, if any, go high/low when the alarm is activated/reset;
• what are the high/low levels (12V or 5V and GND?); can the pins sink/source current and how much?
• Anything else I should know about the SW812 board?
• Is it 'easy' to monitor the SW812 without HKC's own products in a way that would allow me to turn on/off the alarm remotely via SMS?
• Does the installation of any product other than an industry approved one void an alarm warranty or house insurance?
• What products are out there that can monitor the SW812 and text me upon alarm activation?

The ROPAM MGSM add-ons mentioned in another thread seem to be overkill for my requirements. I've thought of building something with an Arduino processor board (http://www.hwkitchen.com/products/gsm-playground/) that would monitor a digital pin for alarm activation and would subsequently send a text.

Or should I just go for the HKC GSM addon that does everything and more and avoid the fuss? By the time I get an alternative product up and running it could be the easiest, less expensive and less time consuming route?

Thanks for any and all advice!

Jnealon

If you have phone line with UPC you could get a normal pstn text unit for less than 1/3 the cost of a gsm unit.

KoolKid

Is there a way to now send texts via UPC line?

orion256

I was talking to HKC in April this year and they were saying that an Eircom phone line was the required hardline as they own the SMS server. Alternative GSM products are hitting up to €200 so maybe I save a bit more and go for the HKC unit, though I would love to DIY it as simply as possible.

Jnealon

You will need to get a stand alone text unit, texecom make a good one.
The texecom unit will let you connect to any type of sms center unlike the HKC unit which will only work with the eircom one.

KoolKid

Does this work even though the text is been sent from a UPC line?

Jnealon

yes

orion256

So do I need the UPC line up to the alarm panel or could it be wifi'd? And does the texecom plug straight onto (or connect directly/easily to) the HKC board? Thanks.

KoolKid

You need to hardwire the phoneline into the digi. The digi will be wired into output(s) on the panel.

orion256

The alarm panel is on the other side of the house away from the UPC line, and there isn't a hardline already wired to the panel. I'd like to stick with just SMS over a regular SIM card so I'm back to the HKC GSM unit or similar. Woudl anyone know what lines to monitor on the panel that could be used as a trigger for an SMS?
Thanks for all the input and ideas.

KoolKid

The HKC digi plugs onto the panel & monitors all conditions.
If using a stand alone you connect to the panel outputs & programme them as required.

ie
Alarm + or -
PA + or -
etc.

altor

orion256 wrote: »

The alarm panel is on the other side of the house away from the UPC line, and there isn't a hardline already wired to the panel. I'd like to stick with just SMS over a regular SIM card so I'm back to the HKC GSM unit or similar. Woudl anyone know what lines to monitor on the panel that could be used as a trigger for an SMS?
Thanks for all the input and ideas.

I would go for the HKC GSM also. I know it is expensive but with this you will have remote access to the alarm plus you can also control lights, heating. It is very easy to install on the 8/12 providing you have engineer access to the alarm.