Elk M1TWA listen-in capabilities

I understand that the Elk TWA can be used to listen in to your home using optional microphones via the telephone. Can anyone tell me if it can be used as a listen-in device without the telephone? I know that ekeypad and m1togo have no such capability and ekeypad's Jayson has told me that Elk has not released a programmer API for the device.
 
Is this true? Is there no way other than telephone to listen in with the Elk?
 
Mike.

That's all I'm aware of. I believe the CS can also utilize the listen-in capability; I'd assume this is done via telephone as well (assuming it's connected).

There needs to be a way to create the DTMF tones to keep the M1 happy and a portal to get the audio out of the network/M1. Phone line it is, unless Elk works with a 3rd party cell company/device to get it out there like Honeywell's.

I have a couple of cameras that have mics and can be accessed in ekeypad. Right now the listen-in function does not work in ekeypad but I contacted Jayson and he says that it is in the works.
 
Mike.

Mike, check out THIS thread that deals with how to use a relay with the M1TWA for announcements both from Elk and a home automation system.  I use this system to input announcements and .wav files from CQC into my three M1TWA zones.
 
Post number 8 in that thread details the pin out of J1/J2 and J3/J4 and notes from ELK customer support that "When any or all of the three outputs (Out7 = J3/J4-pin 12, Out8 = J3/J4-pin 11, Out9 = J3/J4-pin 10) are ON and output 10 (J3/J4-pin 9) is OFF, the signal from the mic(s) will be present on J1/J2-pin 7."
 
I'm in way over my head with this suggestion, but since the mic signal(s) are evidently present on J1/J2-pin 7 when one of the outputs is turned on (and output 10 is off), I wondered if it would be possible for you to tap into J1/J2 pin 7 and send the mic signal(s) wherever you want to use the listen in function.  I don't know if you would need to amplify the signal since I would assume that the signal goes from the M1TWA to the M1 where any amplification for the telephone connection takes place.
 
It might be worth a try depending on how you want to use the listen in function of the mics other than by telephone.
 
Good luck!
 
 

TurboSam said:

Mike, check out THIS thread that deals with how to use a relay with the M1TWA for announcements both from Elk and a home automation system.  I use this system to input announcements and .wav files from CQC into my three M1TWA zones.
 
Post number 8 in that thread details the pin out of J1/J2 and J3/J4 and notes from ELK customer support that "When any or all of the three outputs (Out7 = J3/J4-pin 12, Out8 = J3/J4-pin 11, Out9 = J3/J4-pin 10) are ON and output 10 (J3/J4-pin 9) is OFF, the signal from the mic(s) will be present on J1/J2-pin 7."
 
I'm in way over my head with this suggestion, but since the mic signal(s) are evidently present on J1/J2-pin 7 when one of the outputs is turned on (and output 10 is off), I wondered if it would be possible for you to tap into J1/J2 pin 7 and send the mic signal(s) wherever you want to use the listen in function.  I don't know if you would need to amplify the signal since I would assume that the signal goes from the M1TWA to the M1 where any amplification for the telephone connection takes place.
 
It might be worth a try depending on how you want to use the listen in function of the mics other than by telephone.
 
Good luck!

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That is interesting but in order to get the twa microphone signal to the internet like I want to do I would have to capture the twa line level microphone signal and direct it to another device that could communicate it to the internet. It is much easier to just use the microphone in the IP ready camera.
 
There is a bonus to using the camera as a listening device, if the elk goes down it may still be running.
 
Mike.

Be careful if you intend on using cameras, audio and any form of recording or similar. While it's "neat", for the purposes of security, it's a quick way to ensure any portion of evidence or similar that you may have gathered is completely inadmissible in court, not to mention may result in charges being levied against yourself.

DELInstallations said:

Be careful if you intend on using cameras, audio and any form of recording or similar. While it's "neat", for the purposes of security, it's a quick way to ensure any portion of evidence or similar that you may have gathered is completely inadmissible in court, not to mention may result in charges being levied against yourself.

Click to expand...

Only in America.......My cameras are inexpensive Foscams and don't record at this point but it is a comfort to be able to look and listen in. They are capable of sending snapshots via email on motion which is cool.

Only when it comes to the wiretapping laws. unfortunately, what applies to certain cases means the same applies across the board. Can't hand-pick what laws apply to which and where.

In Texas, only one party needs to be aware of the recording for it to be legal.  In the case of security cameras on private property, that would normally be the resident/tenant.  Here in Texas suspects do not have any right to privacy unless they are meeting with their legal counsel.

I put together this audio setup whereas I wanted Elk announcements AND my own sounds to play over the same speakers automatically, switching between the two as needed.
You can see my schematic using the M1TWA, Elk 124, and SP12 speakers at  http://cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=685&file=max
 
It does not make clicking noises or sound cut off. Nor can it damage the ELK Output 1 or the TWA with impedance mismatches or amp overloads. It just works nicely. Running almost 2 years without a hitch.