Questions from someone new to security panels

[cheeryfool]

Cheeryfool, I assume you leave adt when you finish the contract? It's pretty hard here to get out of security company contracts . If you're out of contract just use your adt panel. They are usually ademco/Honeywell >> dsc. If you want easy guide way to reprogram the panel just call alarmrelay sign up for their 1 yrs service, $9/mo, and they will walk you through over the phone on how to reprogram your existing panel.


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Tom

Thanks for this. Yes, I am out of contract and just checked the current monthly - $67 &%*%$! I am sure I could get that down to under $50 with negotiation AND signing a new contract, but that's still robbery and I am over it.

Unfortunately, my panel is a GE Concord Express, which has no means of integration to HS, unlike the GE Concord 4 and most panels from Honeywell, DSC etc. Yes, I believe it will work with AlarmRelay's device, but I really want integration with HS, so I need to look at something new. Hoping that I will be able to re-use some sensors and some wiring.

I also, really want wired motion sensors throughout the house, which will be a bit of work, but 6 years in (and about 2,500' of LV cabling), I have figured out concealed routes to virtually every location. I only have 2 free wired zones remaining on the existing panel also.

Cheers
James

[mikedr]

Holy crap is that expensive! I'm paying $48/month for a full-blown Alarm.com setup with Guardian.

I'm going to be replacing that with a DSC system. I have a router that fails over from cablemodem to LTE already (Cradlepoint), and I pay AT&T $20/month for the LTE. So I figured I'll do alarm monitoring over IP.

Since I"ll be buying the EnvisaLink anyway, I figured I'll go with their EnvisAlarms service, $9/month.

I just want bare bone alarm monitoring, and do all the other stuff I was doing with alarm.com through HS.

Tom

Thanks for this. Yes, I am out of contract and just checked the current monthly - $67 &%*%$! I am sure I could get that down to under $50 with negotiation AND signing a new contract, but that's still robbery and I am over it.

Unfortunately, my panel is a GE Concord Express, which has no means of integration to HS, unlike the GE Concord 4 and most panels from Honeywell, DSC etc. Yes, I believe it will work with AlarmRelay's device, but I really want integration with HS, so I need to look at something new. Hoping that I will be able to re-use some sensors and some wiring.

I also, really want wired motion sensors throughout the house, which will be a bit of work, but 6 years in (and about 2,500' of LV cabling), I have figured out concealed routes to virtually every location. I only have 2 free wired zones remaining on the existing panel also.

Cheers
James

[tamu]

No problem, glad to help. I think you will find programming the panel with the software to be a much easier task. I programmed some of my DSC panel with the keypad, and I quickly looked for an alternative. If I installed these panels everyday, then it would probably be second nature...

On the external panel, good idea. Thanks

I'm currently setup with a DSC PC1616 v4.1 board. I also have a PC5950 two way audio board. It took us a while to get the PC5950 setup via the keypad a couple of years back.

I'm about to swap out the PC1616 with an 1832 v4.6. I have the serial adapter/cable, just need to get the DLS software somewhere. My question is...how easy is it to do a panel swap with the software? I read you can do a config backup of the board, I just don't know if a restore to a brand new panel is supported.

Thanks

[sparkman]

I'm currently setup with a DSC PC1616 v4.1 board. I also have a PC5950 two way audio board. It took us a while to get the PC5950 setup via the keypad a couple of years back.

I'm about to swap out the PC1616 with an 1832 v4.6. I have the serial adapter/cable, just need to get the DLS software somewhere. My question is...how easy is it to do a panel swap with the software? I read you can do a config backup of the board, I just don't know if a restore to a brand new panel is supported.

Thanks

I posted a link to DLS in post 24 of this thread. Yes, you can use it to restore to a new panel.

Cheers
Al

[tamu]

I posted a link to DLS in post 24 of this thread. Yes, you can use it to restore to a new panel.

Cheers
Al

Thanks, I was looking into this more. It looks like power series v4.1 panels require DLS2002 software.

[sparkman]

Thanks, I was looking into this more. It looks like power series v4.1 panels require DLS2002 software.

NP. I thought the DLS software was backwards compatible. I may have a copy of 2002 somewhere if it doesn't work.

Cheers
Al

[tamu]

NP. I thought the DLS software was backwards compatible. I may have a copy of 2002 somewhere if it doesn't work.

Cheers
Al

I was reading some conflicting stuff. I installed DLS 5 from your link and manually searched through the panel types and did see v4.1. I should be good to go.

[bdraper]

I was reading some conflicting stuff. I installed DLS 5 from your link and manually searched through the panel types and did see v4.1. I should be good to go.

Good deal, glad you got it sorted out.

[tamu]

Thanks for the help. I was able to swap the 1616 with the 1832. I found a dsc help page as well http://dlshelp.dsc.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

[cheeryfool]

Holy crap is that expensive! I'm paying $48/month for a full-blown Alarm.com setup with Guardian.

I'm going to be replacing that with a DSC system. I have a router that fails over from cablemodem to LTE already (Cradlepoint), and I pay AT&T $20/month for the LTE. So I figured I'll do alarm monitoring over IP.

Since I"ll be buying the EnvisaLink anyway, I figured I'll go with their EnvisAlarms service, $9/month.

I just want bare bone alarm monitoring, and do all the other stuff I was doing with alarm.com through HS.

So, finally got around to the ADT call. In fact they called me as they wanted to perform a free upgrade to my cellular unit as it's 2G only and they're saying that it needs to be 3G soon to continue service.

Here's an abbreviated and paraphrased version of the call, when I requested cancellation:

Me: Can you confirm my contract status please? [This was a ploy to have them officially confirm that the contract was expired, which I knew already]
ADT: You are out of contract, on a month-to-month basis
Me: I'd like to cancel my service please.
ADT: Why is that sir?
Me: It's daylight robbery
ADT: Would $59:99 change your mind? [currently $67.99]
Me: No
ADT: Don't forget your fire monitoring and insurance discount
Me: I plan on switching to a ~$10 service that provides both of those
ADT: Would $49:99 work for you?
Me: Is that close to $10 in your mind?
ADT: [without answering or skipping a beat] How about $39.99?
Me: You seem to be mis-understanding me. I wish to cancel my service
ADT: Can I tempt you to $29.99?
Me: No thanks.

End result: 30 day notice period, which, given that I have no contract, I don't think is enforceable either, but I couldn't be bothered at this point to fight it.

I hear they are notorious for failing to actually cancel service so I have a record of the call, the associate's Name, ID number and location. We'll see.

Will almost certainly need to ask a bunch of Qs to Randy (with his very recent DSC experience) and the rest of this amazing community.

Wish me luck

Cheers

[TomTom]

So, finally got around to the ADT call. In fact they called me as they wanted to perform a free upgrade to my cellular unit as it's 2G only and they're saying that it needs to be 3G soon to continue service.

Wow, how they dropped from $67 to $29! Man!
The reason they do that is to keep you, then in a few months do a slight increase, then a bit more, etc... Most us are too busy to call and cancel or argue about these incremental increases.

Yup, AlarmRelay.com , Alarm.com are all really cheap. My current project for my vacation home is to do z-wave security(I know, controversial- but had too). Using Blade's BLSecurity as the front end and brains - it is pretty Amazing!!

[cheeryfool]

Yes, it's worse than cable TV and mattress shopping! I was thinking AlarmRelay.

[TeleFragger]

I have been following this thread with interest as I have been contemplating for a long time ditching my expensive ADT contract and my current panel cannot be 'integrated' - GE/ITI Concord Express.

best thing I ever did... dump ADT.. before I knew things... $36/m for service plus $ per device insurance.. I didn't know the stuff didn't break!!!! so was paying like $65/m.... forget that...

love my concord 4.. however having weird issues with getting concord 4 plugin going and I have never had a problem with that... weird...

[mikedr]

I hate the cancellation phone call. I just lie.

When we wanted to cancel DirecTV, I cheerfully called and said that we were moving to Japan, and needed assistance with hooking up service there. Feigned surprise and shock that there was no way to get DirecTV in Japan. ("Even if I use a US billing address?"). When they determine that you are a lost cause in this respect, you actually break through the barrier and speak to a Human Being. And cancellation occurs quickly.

[TomTom]

I hate the cancellation phone call. I just lie.



When we wanted to cancel DirecTV, I cheerfully called and said that we were moving to Japan, and needed assistance with hooking up service there. Feigned surprise and shock that there was no way to get DirecTV in Japan. ("Even if I use a US billing address?"). When they determine that you are a lost cause in this respect, you actually break through the barrier and speak to a Human Being. And cancellation occurs quickly.

Oh Master MikeDr, I give praise to your wisdom! I'm using this from now on. Love the line " even if I use a US billing address" Love it!!


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