Alarm integration

Other Devices & Integrations Door Locks & Sensors
1

First, let me just say that, while I understand that Vera can do alarms, it’s widely understood that it’s not the best option. That being said, I don’t really understand why there is not a dedicated section to getting third party systems to work. Some tutorials, some do and don’ts, what will and won’t work, etc. There seems to be a one major direction people go, and that seems to be DSC. But even with that, there seem to be many different combinations of what will work, and many steps to fully integrate it.

I don’t want to leave Vera, for the most part it works for me, but at this point, there isn’t a user friendly option to add a good alarm system to Vera. And, Vera is no longer the only free service for automation. As more options become available, I would think it would more important now more than ever for Vera to either implement an alarm system into Vera like the all in one DSC Touch, or provide good documentation for third party implementation.

Now that I’ve bitched, would anyone feel inclined to put something together?

Some questions that seem so simple, but I can’t find the answer to.

Like, is there really not a wireless alarm or tilt sensor that will work with the DSC options that we have, witch seems to be simply the 1616, 1832, or 1864?
Is there a way to go fully wireless, or do I have to have some form of cable to fully integrate a system into Vera?
Do certain keypads replace the requirements for add on cards for zones?

Hopefully you can see where I’m going with this. I’m sure that most of the answers are on here to some extent, but I don’t trust the answers because it seems some hardware has changed over time.

Bottom line, I feel that Vera was pretty good for the average Joe to plug and play basic things like doors and lights. But, I don’t feel I can install an alarm system without making expensive mistakes or finding the simplest way of doing it.

2

[quote=“Tulex, post:1, topic:194086”]First, let me just say that, while I understand that Vera can do alarms, it’s widely understood that it’s not the best option. That being said, I don’t really understand why there is not a dedicated section to getting third party systems to work. Some tutorials, some do and don’ts, what will and won’t work, etc. There seems to be a one major direction people go, and that seems to be DSC. But even with that, there seem to be many different combinations of what will work, and many steps to fully integrate it.

I don’t want to leave Vera, for the most part it works for me, but at this point, there isn’t a user friendly option to add a good alarm system to Vera. And, Vera is no longer the only free service for automation. As more options become available, I would think it would more important now more than ever for Vera to either implement an alarm system into Vera like the all in one DSC Touch, or provide good documentation for third party implementation.

Now that I’ve bitched, would anyone feel inclined to put something together?

Some questions that seem so simple, but I can’t find the answer to.

Like, is there really not a wireless alarm or tilt sensor that will work with the DSC options that we have, witch seems to be simply the 1616, 1832, or 1864?
Is there a way to go fully wireless, or do I have to have some form of cable to fully integrate a system into Vera?
Do certain keypads replace the requirements for add on cards for zones?

Hopefully you can see where I’m going with this. I’m sure that most of the answers are on here to some extent, but I don’t trust the answers because it seems some hardware has changed over time.

Bottom line, I feel that Vera was pretty good for the average Joe to plug and play basic things like doors and lights. But, I don’t feel I can install an alarm system without making expensive mistakes or finding the simplest way of doing it.[/quote]

I am not sure what your first question here is. I will say that wireless sensors have problems. Less than hard wired sensors. Wireless anything is prone to miscommunication and battery issues unlike hard wired systems. If you do not have an option to hard wire your alarm system, then you will have these problems sooner or later.
DSC and other manufactures do make tilt sensors for its receivers.

Yes, you can go full wireless with your sensors. You will still have to install the panel and wire the power supply, keypad and optional siren.

Yes, DSC has options for extending zones with their keypad’s.

If you want a security system to work in conjunction with your Vera, I recommend getting a 1616, 1832, 1864 and a zone expander to cover the number of zones you want to have and a Envisalink EVL-4 and integrate it to your Vera.
If you want go wireless or wired with your sensors, that is your choice. If you decide to go wireless, make sure you get a keypad that has a wireless transceiver in it. The “RFK XXXX” have this.

We have more information on this and kits just for this purpose on our site.

3

Thanks for the reply. I remember seeing some of your videos and thinking that is what this site needs. DSC and DSC with Vera are two different things, yet there isn’t a lot of info that sorts it out.

My first question should have said wireless siren, not wireless alarm, so I can see how confusing that was. If there isn’t a wireless alarm, is there a wireless keypad or add on that it can be wired to? I want the main system in an office, but I want the siren in another part of the building. While it’s not that far, running a wire would be an issue. I will have a keypad of some sort out in the part where the siren would be, as there is an entry point there.

As for the tilt sensor, I can only find DSC tilt sensors that work with other DSC series, not the power series.

I understand having to wire the power supply. But I’m hoping for a full wireless system as far as keypads and connecting to the pc.

If I extend the zones with a keypad, does that become the zone expander, or is that something different?

I definitely want to eventually connect the two systems, so I would be going with the EVL.

I also noticed that there is a version 4.6 of the power series that is required for certain keypads to function fully. Is that the standard version now, or are there different versions available?

4

[quote=“Tulex, post:3, topic:194086”]Thanks for the reply. I remember seeing some of your videos and thinking that is what this site needs. DSC and DSC with Vera are two different things, yet there isn’t a lot of info that sorts it out.

My first question should have said wireless siren, not wireless alarm, so I can see how confusing that was. If there isn’t a wireless alarm, is there a wireless keypad or add on that it can be wired to? I want the main system in an office, but I want the siren in another part of the building. While it’s not that far, running a wire would be an issue. I will have a keypad of some sort out in the part where the siren would be, as there is an entry point there.

As for the tilt sensor, I can only find DSC tilt sensors that work with other DSC series, not the power series.

I understand having to wire the power supply. But I’m hoping for a full wireless system as far as keypads and connecting to the pc.

If I extend the zones with a keypad, does that become the zone expander, or is that something different?

I definitely want to eventually connect the two systems, so I would be going with the EVL.

I also noticed that there is a version 4.6 of the power series that is required for certain keypads to function fully. Is that the standard version now, or are there different versions available?[/quote]

As far as I know there is not a wireless siren to use with your DSC panel, again dead batteries would make it useless.
You can get a Z-Wave siren to use with your Vera and then make a scene to trigger it when the alarm is triggered.
Keep in mind, you can always mount the keypad on the alarm panel for programming purposes and then use wireless tablets / mobile devices and third party apps like Imperihome to control your alarm system.

The RFK keypads have a wireless transceiver to include the wireless sensors to your alarm system. This does not increase the number of zones. To do that you will need a zone expander.

The latest 1616 panels we have been getting have been with 4.6 so I can assume this is now standard.

5

DSC does make and indoor and outdoor wireless siren. Model WT4901 for the indoor and WT4911 for the outdoor with built-in strobe. In order for either to work you must have a 2-way wireless receiver module TR5164-433.

Also the advice that you need to add a zone expander in order to add more wireless zones is incorrect. No zone expander is needed you just need to enable each zone for which ever partition you are using. In some cases having a zone expander installed and then having a wireless device programmed to a zone that the expander is addressed for will cause issues.

6

A zone expander increases the number of zones. I did not mention wireless zones.