Hello from Spokane

[cougarpride]

Hello everyone,

I have spent the last couple of months researching what I want to do on my house as far as HA and security. This community has provided some good reading material and given me lots to think about.

I have decided to start with an Elk system and eventually expand it to include some insteon stuff and maybe some cameras. I am still undecided as to whether I am going to go with the M1G system or the EZ8, I need to decided soon. The one thing that I do know is that I am going to get the Elk ethernet module so I can control things from my phone, because that is pretty cool. I am also going to go with mostly wireless sensors around the house just for ease of install.

It will definitely be a work in progress of a year or so to get everything that I want installed. I expect to spend a lot more time on the forum in the future.

 

[electron]

hi cougarpride, welcome to CocoonTech!

If you don't care about controlling your ELK M1 via phone, or the voice announcements, then you might be pretty happy with the EZ8. As for the wireless sensors, if you can hold off, I would wait until ELK starts shipping their new 2-way RF stuff, it looks very promising, and should outperform the GE based stuff.

 

[cougarpride]

Thanks for the information! I have been thinking about if I would use those two features since they seem to be the most significant differences. I think I have convinced myself that those aren't important to me so I am leaning towards the EZ8.

I did read the stuff on the front page ELK 2-way RF stuff that is coming out. That is another reason that I have been dragging my feet a little bit and I haven't ordered anything yet. I don't want to buy something and then have them release a neat new technology a couple of months later. I hope they release some of the stuff soon so I can know if I want to go that way.

 

[electron]

The new RF stuff should be available in the next few months, so I would definitely wait for that. That said, you can run both the existing M1 RF receiver and the new 2-way M1 RF transceiver simultaneously, so it's pretty easy to migrate, assuming you can deal with the cost.

The EZ8 is a very capable system (had one myself for a while) but there are some other differences as well (such as the # of inputs, type of connectors, the need to buy a serial port interface just so you can talk to the panel with a PC). Here some more useful links discussing the differences:

http://www.elkproducts.com/product_family_overview.html
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8948
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15846
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4376
http://www.cocoontech.com/portal/articles/guides/home-security/35-an-introduction-to-the-elk-m1-gold-and-ez8-platform

 

[video321]

I'll throw in my 2 cents on the M1G vs. EZ8...

-Having 2 alarm outputs on board is great (inside/outside).
-onboard serial adapter.
-output voltage (the EZ8 is listed at only 10mA - seems quite low).
-voice announcements - at this point in my still growing install I can say I'm glad I have voice announcements for the sole purpose of monitoring what my kids are up to; I put doors and certain windows on voice chime so I know what they open. I'm also adding a contact to the fence gate.

I was looking at the EZ8 before purchasing myself. However when you start to add up the cost of input expanders, serial expanders, and what you loose I chose to get the M1G and be done with it.

 

[cougarpride]

Dan,

Thanks for the links, I had read a few of those post but not all of them. That is good to know that both systems can be run at the same time, it sounds like the initial offerings will be fairly limited on the new two way stuff, but I am sure that they will have some really nice stuff in the next couple of years.

video321,

Thanks for your input. I did not consider the advantages of having two different alarm zones, that may be useful. I did do some thinking about the lower output voltage that the EZ8 has, but I wasn't sure what I would use those for yet so I couldn't say that the 10mA wouldn't work for me. Also, the way that you have your voice anouncements set up actually sounds pretty useful. I may go with the M1G just for that option...