Help for a security newbie

[BrettS]

I just moved into a new house and I've never had a security system before. This house came with one and I've done a bit of research and I know what I want to do, but I'm not quite sure how I need to get there. I'm hoping you guys can help.

To start with, I'm living in a three story townhouse. It came with a DSC PC1616 panel (installed in the master bedroom closet on the third floor), one keypad (near the garage entry door on the first floor), and magnetic sensors on all of the windows and doors. The magnetic sensors are all homerun to the panel, but at the panel they're wired together to form four seperate zones.

Now for what I'd like -

I use homeseer 2, so I'd like something that can integrate with that. From what I could see, at least some of the DSC panels will work with homeseer, but I don't know if the PC1616 is one of them. If it does work with Homeseer, which computer interface do I need?

I'd also like to be able to have the system monitored over IP as well as phone. It looks like DSC makes an IP interface, but I'm not sure if this would do what I need.

Finally, from what I've seen it looks like it would be a good idea to add a glass break sensor and a motion detector on the first floor. I'd also like to add a sensor to be able to tell if the overhead garage door is closed as well as do something with the smoke detectors. Right now the smoke detectors are wired together, but they're not connected to the alarm system. Given that all of the above would be retrofit and that it's a three story house with no basement, it's not going to be easy to run any new wire, so I'm thinking I'm going to need to go wireless for all of the new stuff.

Any suggestions for me about how to accomplish what I want? Is it worth sticking with the DSC panel that I have or should I consider something else? I've looked at the elk systems and they look great, but I'm not sure if it's worth the additional cost. Anything else I should consider?

Thanks much,
Brett

 

[Steve]

Elk is only worth the additional cost if you need or want the features it will offer. If your existing panel will interface to HS and HS is ok for you for all of your automation, etc then you are set. If you need to change panel then you need to weigh the pros/cons of a cheap alarm only panel to interface with HS or a panel like Elk that can take alot of the HA features and use HS to supplement.

 

[GraysonPeddie]

Yeah. I'd recommend Elk over any alarm-only panels. You get a lot of flexibility on what you can do with Elk M1 Gold automation/security system.

 

[BrettS]

What *does* the elk do? Is there a good description of it's additional features somewhere? I haven't really been able to find anything.

Thanks again,
Brett

 

[DavidL]

What *does* the elk do? Is there a good description of it's additional features somewhere? I haven't really been able to find anything.

Thanks again,
Brett

Brett, The ELK (and HAI) are not just security panels, but also automation controllers.

They can connect to additional control subsystems like HVAC, audio, lighting, etc. that a conventional dedicated security panel cannot.

They also control event and timing control of when things turn on or off and under what conditions.

If you are using Homeseer, than a lot of this is redundant to what Homeseer can also do.

When you blend HS and a HS supported automation controller (like the ELK), then you get to choose what logic you want to run on which platform. And, what hardware plugs into which controller (the PC via USB / serial - or the ELK's hardware interfaces).

With this additional capability and choice, also comes "confusion" on what to do where and how. Not insurmountable confusion, as many are doing just that and can provide much assistance on both this forum, and Homeseer's (not to mention CQCs and Cinemar's as those users are doing the same with the software equivelents to Homeseer).

The ELK does also have available a touchscreen user interface. Homeseer has a couple of variations that are much more capable, including my obvious favorite of MainLobby

 

[jwilson56]

I just recently got an Elk and have it hooked up with Girder 5 via a new plugin. I moved all my lighting to it now. My Netremote GUI interface will have all the security and lighting control and status on it.

The Elk has great potential.

John

 

[BrettS]

I guess I'm still confused about this... is there anything I can do on the elk that I couldn't do in homeseer? From what you're saying it sounds like the elk is a decent automation controllor in it's own right, but it sounds like homeseer is probably as good or better. If the elk would simply duplicate functionality that I already have in homeseer then I'm not sure it's worth spending the money.

Do you have an example of what I could do with an elk and homeseer that I couldn't do with homeseer alone... or something I could do better with the elk?

Thanks again,
Brett

 

[Steve]

They are completely different animals with somewhat overlapping capabilities. The M1 can not do everything HS does on its own and HS can not do everything the M1 does on its own.

First question? Do you want to have automation rules based on Security functions. Something like "When the system is armed in away mode, turn of the t-stat" or something like that? If you do, then you need communication between the two. Remember, the M1 is primarily a top notch security panel with some good automation capability (thats the part that overlaps with HS somewhat). But, the M1 can not do everything on its own, it can not do text to speech, it can't do caller id and other types of phone interfacing. That is where the software based packages do what the M1 can't. You can also debate the argument of a solid state panel being more reliable than a pc based solution (that gets into a religious/political debate). On the flip side, HS does not do security, or anything hardware based without 3rd party hardware devices. So if you want inputs/outputs, etc you need to add that to the pc for HS to control, and then you need all the right drivers for HS to control them. With the M1, its hardware based, so all the I/O, etc just wires together and the 'drivers' are essentially built in. You just write rules within the M1 to control it.

So, if you have a security panel that has some interface capability and there is a HS driver (I guess their terminology is plug-in) for it, then you probably don't need an M1. Lighting. T-Stats, etc can easily be handled by either. But if you want security, and tight integration with the automation and your panel does not support it, then you should maybe consider an Elk.

My personal philosophy is to have a capable hardware panel like the Elk, and use something like HS (especially if you already own it), CQC or Mainlobby to supplement the functions. For me, that choice is based on a good graphical design system for creating touchscreen interfaces. Something like CQC or ML will give you that capability as well as the incidentals that the M1 does not support directly. Is there overlap, sure, but redundancy is a good thing. You can choose where to have your primary control and have a backup. For example, if you had say primary control of lighting in HS and the pc failed, then the Elk can take over, or vice versa.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[BrettS]

Hope that helps a little.

Thanks Steve... that helps a lot. I definitely want integration between my automation system and my security system. Right now my system is pretty basic and from my research into the Elk I don't think it would really buy me anything that I couldn't do with homeseer and a basic panel (at least nothing that I'd want to do). I'm still trying to verify that my current panel will be supported by homeseer, but before I spent money to get the serial interface for the panel and the homeseer plugin I wanted to see if that money might be better spent upgrading to an Elk system.

At this point, assuming my current panel will integrate well, I think I'll save a bit of money and pass on the Elk. I'll probably re-visit this in a few months when I know more about the security side.

Thanks again,
Brett

 

[Ranger Digital]

Bravo Steve for your recap. Well done.