Smart alarms?

OU812

Having some building work done & suspect we may not be able to get many more contacts on the alarm system (which is almost 15 years old).

So looking to upgrade & wondering if anyone has one? Have hue & nest so anything is hat would hooknin with them would be great.

wexfordman2

I have a smart alarm system, same one for the last 16 years, although I upgraded the hardware about 6 years ago.

Its a comfort alarm system by cytech (cytech.biz) A rough summary of features, and I suppose these would be features that are in addition to standard alarm features such as remote monitoring etc.

1) Ethernet interface for connect and control via smartphone app.
2) Email alert system
3) Interface system to multiple home control systems including zwave, eib,cbus,velbus (i use velbus), smart things (i think) philips hue etc.

The advantage of having smart home features built into your alarm system, is you can program up lots of logic and double up on functionality (for example door relay, and motion sensors etc can doulbe up to also control lights heat etc). You can also create conditions and respnses which are dependent on various status conditins, ie, if alarm is in night mode, then activate lights when PIR is triggered, or if alarm is disarmed, and its disk, then turn on the hall entrance lights, lots of possibilities.

Ideally though, for this system, its something you want to be able to configure/ammend yourself to add and change scenarios etc.

beanian

I recently got a system installed by a fellow boardsie after asking the same question on the Home Security forum. I got a Siemens/Vanderbilt SPC IP Panel.
There is a piece of software you can purchase that will allow you to integrate this panel into your home automation controller.
It exposes the alarm and its sensors & contacts over REST/MQTT meaning you can piggy back on the alarms sensors for your own home automation rules!

Graham

beanian wrote: »

There is a piece of software you can purchase that will allow you to integrate this panel into your home automation controller.
It exposes the alarm and its sensors & contacts over REST/MQTT meaning you can piggy back on the alarms sensors for your own home automation rules!

Very interesting, thanks beanian.

TheTubes

beanian wrote: »

I recently got a system installed by a fellow boardsie after asking the same question on the Home Security forum. I got a Siemens/Vanderbilt SPC IP Panel.
There is a piece of software you can purchase that will allow you to integrate this panel into your home automation controller.
It exposes the alarm and its sensors & contacts over REST/MQTT meaning you can piggy back on the alarms sensors for your own home automation rules!

I've been looking in the Home Security forum a bit recently around the same question. Came across that box.
Did you go with the SPC 4xxx or 5xxx?
Much setup with the box? Did you get the hardware or just the software to run yourself on ubuntu?
From reading the api it seems like you should be bale to poll he different zones and setup rules around them as in if alarm goes off, flash lights ?
Mind if I ask what sort of price the SPC install cost?
I think the extra box is about 200e?

fergalom

TheTubes wrote: »

I've been looking in the Home Security forum a bit recently around the same question. Came across that box.
Did you go with the SPC 4xxx or 5xxx?
Much setup with the box? Did you get the hardware or just the software to run yourself on ubuntu?
From reading the api it seems like you should be bale to poll he different zones and setup rules around them as in if alarm goes off, flash lights ?
Mind if I ask what sort of price the SPC install cost?
I think the extra box is about 200e?

TheTubes wrote: »

I've been looking in the Home Security forum a bit recently around the same question. Came across that box.
Did you go with the SPC 4xxx or 5xxx?
Much setup with the box? Did you get the hardware or just the software to run yourself on ubuntu?
From reading the api it seems like you should be bale to poll he different zones and setup rules around them as in if alarm goes off, flash lights ?
Mind if I ask what sort of price the SPC install cost?
I think the extra box is about 200e?

Have a similar SPC system with the Lundix software - 50 for the software which you can run on any linux system (handy if you already using Domoticz, openhab etc) or you can get his hardware also(220).

Each zone / area is pollable and also any alerts can be picked up (enables you to get push notifications)

Its great for not having to double up on motions sensors, window/door contacts etc

beanian

TheTubes wrote: »

Did you go with the SPC 4xxx or 5xxx?
Much setup with the box? Did you get the hardware or just the software to run yourself on ubuntu?
From reading the api it seems like you should be bale to poll he different zones and setup rules around them as in if alarm goes off, flash lights ?
Mind if I ask what sort of price the SPC install cost?
I think the extra box is about 200e?

I got the SPC 4xxx (not sure the exact variant). I haven't actually integrated it using the lundix software yet. I purchased the software and have my new home automation pc sitting there ready to go but I've just moved house and there isi a million more important things to be done apparently!! :rolleyes:

I got a 12 zone system installed with a few extra upgrades (panel, keyfobs etc) for €1500.

Orion

Would this mean I could set up an alarm system without paying monthly for it to be monitored. So I'd get notified remotely of any intrusion? Doing some renovations/extension next year and was looking at phonewatch and such but if I could do this with just a once off cost that would be fantastic.

OU812

I gather that's the way they work Orion. None of them seem to have a ringer also. It's all digital

Orion

Very interesting. I'll have to look into this some more. Ringers are pointless anyway - everyone ignores them.

beanian

Orion wrote: »

Very interesting. I'll have to look into this some more. Ringers are pointless anyway - everyone ignores them.

My system does have an internal and external bell also. So its exactly like an standard system except I get notifications when it goes off.

Some of the things i'm planning to do once I tie this into home-assistant:

• Arm the alarm at a certain time everynight if it hasn't already been armed and it looks like we are in bed (all windows & doors closed, lights off etc)
• Unarm the system when motion is detected in the landing in the morning and at least one of us is at home
• If alarm is activated and hasnt been turned off either internally or remotely by myself or my wife after X minutes then send a message to other friends or family to alert them
• Holiday Mode:- If we are out of the country where we might not have a data connection send activation notifications to another keyholder (parent, friend etc)
• If motion is detected in the garage and the front door & back door haven't been opened recently alert us even if the alarm is not armed.
• When the alarm is armed to 'Night' turn off the TV, downstairs Sonos speakers, downstairs lights, downstairs rads etc.

I'm sure I'll think of lots more use-cases but I'm looking forward to getting all this setup and seeing some really useful applications

StupidLikeAFox

Gonna jump in and hijack this thread a bit - I am moving to a new house which is wired for an alarm (sensors on the windows) but no panel on the wall. Does anybody have any recommendations for a simple panel which can be wired up, preferably can connect via WiFi, and provide email alerts/ringing capability? Is this possible, or do all the sensors have to be compatible with the smart panel?

fergalom

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

Gonna jump in and hijack this thread a bit - I am moving to a new house which is wired for an alarm (sensors on the windows) but no panel on the wall. Does anybody have any recommendations for a simple panel which can be wired up, preferably can connect via WiFi, and provide email alerts/ringing capability? Is this possible, or do all the sensors have to be compatible with the smart panel?

Best check the Home security systems forum on boards for recommendations but speaking from experience, did something similar and installed a Siemens panel. It needs an ethernet conneciton but thats easily overcome using a homeplug beside the panel.

ted1

Orion wrote: »

Very interesting. I'll have to look into this some more. Ringers are pointless anyway - everyone ignores them.

Asfaik they are part of the criteria for having the standards necessary to appease the insurance companies.

hick

Don't need a ringer outside for insurance, don't have one on my house and had it on the insurance (did have an internal siren built into unit)

I took monitored alarm off my insurance (while maintaining that I had an alarm) what they don't openly tell you is that if you take the discount for a monitored alarm and your house is broken into and the alarm is not on they will drop your claim by up to 40%. So best take the modest increase and tell them it's not monitored so there is no risk of you ever getting your claim reduced, at least from that perspective.

Of course the beauty of automation is that you can get the smart alarm to auto arm which also removes the problem.

I'm currently looking for something for new house, leaning towards the Siemens and SPC app, know a few people with smart things alarm and had a lot of trouble with it. Security forum is good but not really looking at it from a automation or IFTTT perspective