Key Fob's

[programmergeek]

I bought the elk key fob's but they look big and bulkey compaired to the normal key fobs that I am use to seeing. Is there another key fob system that is not to expensive that will work with the elk with smaller fobs? Also a finger print scanner would be an alternitive.

 

[AutomatedOutlet]

I bought the elk key fob's but they look big and bulkey compaired to the normal key fobs that I am use to seeing. Is there another key fob system that is not to expensive that will work with the elk with smaller fobs? Also a finger print scanner would be an alternitive.

When you say keyfobs, I assume that you are really talking about the readers.

There are a lot of choices. You can find a lot of them HERE including one that requires a fingerprint.

 

[gatchel]

Any 26 bit HID compatible Wiegand reader should work with the Elk.

 

[pete]

I bought the elk key fob's but they look big and bulkey compaired to the normal key fobs that I am use to seeing. Is there another key fob system that is not to expensive that will work with the elk with smaller fobs? Also a finger print scanner would be an alternitive.

I use a KeyFob / Receiver made by Street Smart (Honeywell) . . not sure about elk intergration, but you can use it to trip inputs and write rules to act on the trigger . . they have a few models available . . google "street smart" . .

Pete C

 

[racerx90]

If you have the ITI/Caddx NX Wireless board (NX-448E/548E) on your Elk, then you probably can just use the ITI/Caddx NX-470 4-button keyfob. It's pretty small and please correct me if I'm wrong (since I don't own an Elk system myself, but I do know the ITI wireless board works with that system), but it should work just fine with the Elk given it will be interfacing the correct wireless board.

I use 3 of them with my system and they work great. There's even a delay for holding down the button to make sure you don't accidentally arm or disarm the system.

 

[Photon]

For those that use the Elk receiver, the M1XRF manual warns against SAW transmitters and specifies crystal transmitters. It specifies "Four Button Keyfob Transmitter GE Part # 60-606-319.5, or equivalent."

That said, it seems a lot of folks use the NX-470, a SAW technology transmitter. Everyone's favorite supplier, AO, lists the NX-470, but I don't think they have the crystal transmitter. As I expect to begin my Elk adventure very soon and it includes several keyfob transmitters, I welcome comments from those of you that use the NX-470 with the Elk M1XRF wireless Receiver. They certainly are less expensive than the crystal transmitters's I've found.

As long as the NX-470 can arm and disarm the Elk from the car when it is 50 or so feet from the garage door, I can sell this to my better half. As it rarely gets over 120 degrees F in my garage attic, I expect to mount the receiver up there for the best range.

 

[Spanky]

The SAW transmitters tend to jump around the center frequency and can jump out of the pass band of the ELK receiver.

The SAW transmitters do work with the ELK Receiver, but keep in mind that it could jump out of the receivers pass band when transmitting and not work when you need it most. This can be seen more on transmitters at a far distance from the receiver where the signal is weaker.

 

[Steve]

I use the 470 as a Garage door xmitter (replacement for the stock button) because it gets me better range. It has never missed a beat, but I agree, I would not use a saw xmitter for a security application unless it was the only possible choice.

 

[Stinger]

I haven't done much research at all on Home Automation in the last year, but is there anything relatively inexpensive (under $500) that is turnkey in terms of the readers and keyfobs (or RFID) on the market? Now, when I say turn key, I mean something that easily plugs into a HA system whether it be an Elk, or <gasp> a very old Stargate system.

 

[paulw11]

I haven't done much research at all on Home Automation in the last year, but is there anything relatively inexpensive (under $500) that is turnkey in terms of the readers and keyfobs (or RFID) on the market? Now, when I say turn key, I mean something that easily plugs into a HA system whether it be an Elk, or <gasp> a very old Stargate system.

What do you want to achieve with the system?

You can connect a Weigand proxmity reader to the Elk M1 keypad. There are a couple of Elk branded readers available for under $100, one that goes inside the keypad and an external reader. Weigand is a very common standard for access controls so you can also use readers from HID, Motorola etc. Once the reader is connected you can then use Elk M1 rules to take an action when a card/keyfob is presented. This action may be to arm/disarm the system, operate a relay to unlock a door or any other action you can program.

Paul

 

[Stinger]

I haven't done much research at all on Home Automation in the last year, but is there anything relatively inexpensive (under $500) that is turnkey in terms of the readers and keyfobs (or RFID) on the market? Now, when I say turn key, I mean something that easily plugs into a HA system whether it be an Elk, or <gasp> a very old Stargate system.

What do you want to achieve with the system?

You can connect a Weigand proxmity reader to the Elk M1 keypad. There are a couple of Elk branded readers available for under $100, one that goes inside the keypad and an external reader. Weigand is a very common standard for access controls so you can also use readers from HID, Motorola etc. Once the reader is connected you can then use Elk M1 rules to take an action when a card/keyfob is presented. This action may be to arm/disarm the system, operate a relay to unlock a door or any other action you can program.

Paul

I would like it to just be able to send triggers, possibly through a digital input to my automation system, and I would imagine that I'd need a different output from it for every "user". Essentially, looking to see how the proximity detection market has grown while I've been out of the loop. MS has a great home automation tour that they offer to partners, press and such that demonstrates the technology.

An example would be coming home, walking in the door, it would play all of my messages that I received while gone. The only technology I need to have is the reader and transmitter, the regular automation system would handle the rest based on the triggers. I wonder what the correct number of readers throughout the house would be, and what the typical range is of them. I'll need to look at the ones people mentioned earlier in the thread.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[paulw11]

I would like it to just be able to send triggers, possibly through a digital input to my automation system, and I would imagine that I'd need a different output from it for every "user". Essentially, looking to see how the proximity detection market has grown while I've been out of the loop. MS has a great home automation tour that they offer to partners, press and such that demonstrates the technology.

An example would be coming home, walking in the door, it would play all of my messages that I received while gone. The only technology I need to have is the reader and transmitter, the regular automation system would handle the rest based on the triggers. I wonder what the correct number of readers throughout the house would be, and what the typical range is of them. I'll need to look at the ones people mentioned earlier in the thread.

Thanks,
Tom

Hi Tom,

The weigand readers that connect directly to the Elk keypads would require you to swipe a card or keyfob about 5 cm away from the reader but you could then trigger a relay or send a string on a serial port based on which user's card/fob was presented.

You could also connect the CheaperRFID devices mentioned in this thread to a serial port on your Elk or Stargate. These devices send a 4 character string for every transmitter that they can currently "see". This is more like the Microsoft demonstration where you can actively track people throughout your house (if you have enough receivers).

Paul

 

[pete]

I would like it to just be able to send triggers, possibly through a digital input to my automation system, and I would imagine that I'd need a different output from it for every "user". Essentially, looking to see how the proximity detection market has grown while I've been out of the loop. MS has a great home automation tour that they offer to partners, press and such that demonstrates the technology.

An example would be coming home, walking in the door, it would play all of my messages that I received while gone. The only technology I need to have is the reader and transmitter, the regular automation system would handle the rest based on the triggers. I wonder what the correct number of readers throughout the house would be, and what the typical range is of them. I'll need to look at the ones people mentioned earlier in the thread.

Thanks,
Tom

. . the Keyfob/Receiver I mentioned previously is the WAR6 which has six form C relays and a four button remote . . you could have each user assigned to a different button . . or if you need more than that can accomodate, you could use multiple 'Code Encryptor 2' units, one for each user . .