I just had a new house built by Lennar homes, and it turns out they pre wired the entire house with door/window sensors.
They did not however include an alarm interface device.
From what I’m reading, it seems the DSC system is recommended. I’m no idiot when it comes to tech/networking, but no alarm guru either.
I am eying the DSC power series with the nice touchscreen interface, but looks like there are several models to choose from.
What is the best DSC touch panel system to get that easily integrates with mi casa verde? Does anyone have any install links/features I could expect from integrating this into my vera?
I would go with an 1864 panel, a PTK5507 touch screen (I have both of these), and also if you want the best selection of wireless devices that can be added like either keyfobs, RFID tags, extra zones, smokes etc, leak sensors etc, then get the new two way transceiver:
One more question. They wired a spot for main to my master closet, wired a panel spot in my Laundry room, and another in master bedroom.
I would like one panel in my master only. Do you think that would work, or do they somehow usually wire the spots in series. Such thatvlaundry room is main or something?
To integrate it with Vera, you’ll need to buy an EVL 3 interface:
The Keypads spots are normally all home run back to the where the main panel circuit board would be fitted. Keypads and interface such as the above EVL3 are run in parallel with the circuit panels main interface bus normally (called keybus), so it wont matter if you don’t fit all the available keypads.
Thanks! That EVL3 looks like it is a pci type slot. You just use a couple of the little 18 ga wires to connect that to the PC1832NK right? How does that integrate with the vera? Vera look for it by IP?
If I want to do wireless motion sensors, do I have to buy yet another card to enable that to do wireless?
Yep it’s just a small circuit board that you connect with 4 wires anywhere on the keybus which can be near or far away from your panel. It’ll use the same type of wire that they installed for your keypads, but you can use CAT 6 or something like that if you like.
You then just need to network it to your Vera (use a static IP or static DHCP reservation though for obvious reasons).
If you can’t get Ethernet to it from where your Vera is, then some people have bridged them with power line networking or wifi bridges.
If you check out the “programming” sub forum, there’s a whole sub board for DSC in there with all these topics already.