DS10A's or ADT/Ademco

[dhayner]

Please don't kill me for posting here... but I'm seeking answers from a broad range of users and possible applications....

So, I have just cancelled my $42/mo overpriced ADT service. I own the equipment in here, and posted before about wanting to hook HS2 into it.

I know there's a plugin that's either in development or considered final for interfacing an ADT panel to HS2... plus the cost of an AD2USB device. There's $45+$80 at last (old) check...

I have two options currently -
-- I have a dual RFXCom and 8x DS10A's. I would need probably 6 more to cover all the house openings (cheap, ~$4 ea sometimes)
-- I could forget that & spend $80 (?) on the AD2USB ++ $45 on the plugin, and wire up my existing panel. While most sensors are wired, a few are wireless, plus 1 motion detector that I might not use anyways since I don't think it's pet-ready.

Do any of you use DS10A for total home security? Are they reliable enough? I'm getting nearly 100% reliability in the house, and about 70-30 on a couple I have just outside the house walls (gate decent, mailbox at the road=poor)

Thanks for your advice....
DH

[Uncle Michael]

Whether abandoning your dedicated security system is a good idea depends on many factors including why you have one at all and your tolerance for risk. In some places, just having the sign is enough to deter a break-in. In other places, professional thieves are not hindered at all by a security system. They're in and out long before the police respond. What do you want your security system to do?

If your primary goal is to let HS know if a door is open or not, then DS10s are a good choice. If you are looking for a discount on homeowner's insurance, then the ADT may be more persuasive. If you are looking for a reliable system to notify you or the police of a break in, keep in mind that PCs have a nasty tendency to hiccup at the most inopportune times. In my case, I see my security system and monitoring service as most reassuring should there be a fire, especially if no one is home.

Regarding DS10 reliability: You already have experience. What additional input are you looking for?

Other alternatives: Since you already have the house wired. You could replace the panel with one that interfaces to HS more easily and cheaply. I'm sure you also realize there are monitoring services that cost far less than what you've been paying.

[Czechmarty]

Very good points Mike. I live in quiet area (knock knock knock!!! ) so my security is more to let everybody in house knows that door/windows is open. I use many DS10 and only failures what I got happen when kids take the batteries out and use them in their music players....
If you mount them far from receiver then you might want to tune the frequency to make sure it is as close to 310MHz as possible, but other then that they work just fine.
Marty

[jkarney]

I for one recommend that you stay with your Ademco panel for your home security system (it's already bought and paid for) .

Take the plunge and get the AD2USB and the Vista Alarm plug-in; this I consider is a rock solid integration solution with HomeSeer and an Ademco Vista security panel.
I have a ADT Safewatch Pro 3000 which is basically a Vista 20P. I installed the AD2USB and Vista Alarm plug-in and have had no problems at all. This integration has added so much to my HS automation system. I'm extremely please with this solution.

IMHO if you want a solid solution that is money well spent get the AD2USB and Vista Alarm Plug-in.

Cheers

Jim

[TeleFragger]

i would stick with the alarm..... I too had ADT and dropped them.. I was at $48.and change... a month..

I bought a concord 4 alarm... if you search concord 4 and find a post by me about it... you would read it all... im not trying to get you to buy a concord 4 but my point of an alarm system in that can be added into HS is a nice deal instead of ds10a's... yeah they work as I know others are doing this...

but with my concord 4 I have 9 door/window sensors, 1 water sensor, 3 smokes, 2 carbon, 2 basement window bars.... when I talked to ADT to see what they could do on replacing my alarm (had the caretaker safewatch from 1994) the guy said a concord 4 would drop in and work with everything but the keypads...... so I did it...

soo glad...

good luck with your choice.....and keep us posted...

[stamatis]

One question...
I use in my house ADT DSC Power 864, Model # PC5020 security system.
Can i use this security system with AD2USB and the plugin with HS?
or change my security system to make it combatible with rfxcom and HS?
Thanks in advanced...
Stamatis

[mnsandler]

One question...
I use in my house ADT DSC Power 864, Model # PC5020 security system.
Can i use AD2USD and the plugin with HS?
or change my security system to make it combatible with rfxcom and HS?
Thanks in advanced...
Stamatis

the AD2USB is for honeywell/ademco vista panels.

is your system compatible with either of the DSC plugins

[stamatis]

Thank you very much !!

Thank you very much mnsadler...
One more question model pc5020 is compatible with this plug in ? or only
... Note: Requires PC interface model 5401 or IT100 for Power series panels and PC interface model 4401 for the MAXSYS panels.
Thanks in advanced...
Stamatis

[mnsandler]

Thank you very much mnsadler...
One more question model pc5020 is compatible with this plug in ? or only
... Note: Requires PC interface model 5401 or IT100 for Power series panels and PC interface model 4401 for the MAXSYS panels.
Thanks in advanced...
Stamatis

i don't know the answer, i would post/search in the DSC forum and see what you find

[stamatis]

[stamatis]

It 100 interface for dsc power864

Finally PC5401 is old. New item that do the same is IT100
I have ordered it today from a company in Greece.

From internet:
Manufacturers Number: DSC-IT100

Description: DSC SERIAL INTERFACE

Application: SERIAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALARM PANEL AND COMPUTER OR OTHER SERIAL DEVICE

Rating: DB9 SERIAL PORT
Color: GREEN CIRCUIT BOARD
Weight(gr): 200


Details:
NEW AS OF JULY 2007,NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE DIFF IS BETWEEN THIS AND
THE 5401 MODULE, THEY ARE BOTH 9 PIN SERIAL, COMBUS DEVICES
Pricing:
1-6 7+
$C 111.81 107.51
$US 101.75 97.83
EURO 67.09 64.51

Prices F.O.B. Markham, Ontario, Canada

[mgonzales100]

Please don't kill me for posting here... but I'm seeking answers from a broad range of users and possible applications....

So, I have just cancelled my $42/mo overpriced ADT service. I own the equipment in here, and posted before about wanting to hook HS2 into it.

I know there's a plugin that's either in development or considered final for interfacing an ADT panel to HS2... plus the cost of an AD2USB device. There's $45+$80 at last (old) check...

I have two options currently -
-- I have a dual RFXCom and 8x DS10A's. I would need probably 6 more to cover all the house openings (cheap, ~$4 ea sometimes)
-- I could forget that & spend $80 (?) on the AD2USB ++ $45 on the plugin, and wire up my existing panel. While most sensors are wired, a few are wireless, plus 1 motion detector that I might not use anyways since I don't think it's pet-ready.

Do any of you use DS10A for total home security? Are they reliable enough? I'm getting nearly 100% reliability in the house, and about 70-30 on a couple I have just outside the house walls (gate decent, mailbox at the road=poor)

Thanks for your advice....
DH

I was in a similar situation as you a month ago. I was paying ADT way too much a month plus my alarm system was not integrated with HS. I replaced ADT with another monitoring service plus I purchased the AD2USB and Vista plugin.

Integrating my alarm system with HS is one of the best home automation decisions I have made. The plugin is sound and the developer continues to makes improvements.

[TeleFragger]

The plugin is sound and the developer continues to makes improvements.

that is key... I know piperpilot has been busy and the concord 4 is free.... but nothing has changed in the plugin

[stamatis]

Two DSC Power864 panels can control them by 1 hs plugin?

I have 2 DSC Power864 panels (with 2 it100) in my home. Can i use 1 hs with DSC plugin to control them (2 plugins or 2 homeseers) ?

Thanks in advanced
stamatis