Keychain Remotes

[TheCodeMan]

I have a HAI Omni II system. I want to find a keychain remote that will let me do three things, turn on some X-10 spot lights, open or close the garage door, and arm/disarm the HAI system. Can this be done? What equipment would I need?

I am looking at the Skylink automatic garage door closer with keychain remote. That would take care of one thing but I'm not sure how to accomplish the other. I thought about incorporating a power flash with the automatic door closer. That could possibly be used to trigger the lights but I'm not sure about arming and disarming the alarm system.

Obviously, I want to spend the least amount of money I have to. It would be ideal to be able to individually control all three things from the remote, however, I could live with a two or four button and trigger two or more events from the same button push.

Any recommendations?

 

[pete]

how 'bout this six relay RF remote . .

. . shop around, I just followed the first hit at google . .

Pete C

 

[piper_chuck]

I've got a diagram that shows how to hook up a Caddx 8016 to the HAI controller. You can then use something like the Caddx NX-470 4 button keyfob to perform different actions. I don't remember where I found the document, but if you send me your email addy I can send it to you.

I use the NC-470 keyfobs with my Caddx system. Two of the buttons are for arm/disarm. I've got the other two setup to turn on/off differerent sets of lights in the house.

I've thought about automating the garage door, but haven't done that yet. It seems like a momentarily closed (or opened) relay wired into the hardwired door open buttons inside the garage and then connected to the panel would do it, but like I said, I haven't got there yet...

 

[huggy59]

What's to stop the finder/thief of your keys or fob from disarming your alarm AND getting into your house to take your stuff, with your own car, even?

Seriously, removing the layers of security by putting it all on one object is not a good idea. Convenient, yes, secure, no.

 

[piper_chuck]

What's to stop the thief? Other measures that I won't delve into here. Let's just say that the fob doesn't have to disarm everything.

 

[Mike]

What's to stop the finder/thief of your keys or fob from disarming your alarm AND getting into your house to take your stuff, with your own car, even?

Seriously, removing the layers of security by putting it all on one object is not a good idea. Convenient, yes, secure, no.

For one, hopefully you don't put your address on your keys. Second, hopefully you don't leave them in your car where they can be taken and the plates run to find your address.

Otherwise, how would they know where to use the fob/keychain/etc?

If you are being targetted, well that is another story.

 

[piper_chuck]

No address on keys and nope, they don't get left in the car or anywhere else.

Without the fob, my wife has shown that she's unlikely to arm the system when she goes out shopping, etc. So, which is better, a very small risk that someone would find the keys, locate the house and then actually break in, or not bothering to arm the system when leaving the house?

 

[sic0048]

Also, who is to say that someone that found your wife's purse even with ID and keys in it would realize that the key fob would unarm the alarm. It's not like it is written on the key fob.

That being said, you have opened yourself up to a little social engineering with these posts. Again, the overall risk is probably very low, but I'm not sure I would go around talking about your key fobs disarming your alarm. But I also understand you are just trying to help out a fellow user. It's such a fine line we have to walk now...

 

[Steve]

In general I agree with Huggy and would not use a fob based disarm system. I realize this could be debated forever with pros and cons. My real question pertains to

Without the fob, my wife has shown that she's unlikely to arm the system when she goes out shopping, etc. So, which is better, a very small risk that someone would find the keys, locate the house and then actually break in, or not bothering to arm the system when leaving the house?

Does your system support 1 key arming? If so, I can not for the life of me see why your wife would be any more likely to arm with a fob than a keypad at the door. In fact, imho, I think arming via keypad is faster and easier.

 

[thewireguy]

No address on keys and nope, they don't get left in the car or anywhere else.

Without the fob, my wife has shown that she's unlikely to arm the system when she goes out shopping, etc. So, which is better, a very small risk that someone would find the keys, locate the house and then actually break in, or not bothering to arm the system when leaving the house?

why not set the Keyfob to arm only and you have to disarm at the keypad with your code......... she is not going to forget to disarm the system with the keypad beeping

 

[huggy59]

That's the ticket, same as closing the garage door under X10 contorl, but not allowing it to open the same way.

I like that idea.

 

[piper_chuck]

why not set the Keyfob to arm only and you have to disarm at the keypad with your code......... she is not going to forget to disarm the system with the keypad beeping

That's worth a try. I'll see how many times the sheriff gets called before they start billing us.