DSC + Envisalink + z-wave sensors integrated ?

Plugins & Plugin Development DSC Alarm System
#1

Hi

I’m trying to understand whether the DSC plugin is able to interact with the alarm panel by adding let’s say z-wave sensors as an extend to existing wired sensors/zones. I mean can I use this setup as an integrated environment for all my devices no matter if they’re connected on my DSC panel or my VeraPlus ?

I’m not asking about “how to” but just a confirmation that this is viable.

Thank you very much

#2

alarm system is a separate system.
vera is a separate system
plugin allows vera to see and minimally control DSC alarm system.
and because vera can “see” the alarm system, you can automate based on what it see’s.
i.e if you have alarm door sensor.
door opens - sensors sends signal to panel - panel to envisalink - evlink to vera - vera automates (or whatever you want)

you can basically arm/disarm from vera, but you can’t program the DSC or anything like that from vera.

this does not work in reverse.
the DSC does not see what’s on the vera. so if you have a zwave motion sensor, that will not been seen by the alarm. it may be possible to enable your alarm siren from the vera, but i’ve never looked into doing that.

#3

Thank you very much for the analytic feedback,

Based on what you describe, is a scenario like the following possible ?

  • DSC panel arms and informs Vera
  • Vera runs a scene and puts itself in Away mode (or whatever level)
  • Vera senses an intrusion and triggers the siren (this is not tested as u mention but maybe somebody else may confirm)
  • Vera user seizes the siren changing DSC/Vera status to non-armed ? or sending a series of digits ? can we send digits to DSC ?

Thank you very much again for your time !!

#4

[quote=“rmitsos, post:3, topic:193878”]Thank you very much for the analytic feedback,

Based on what you describe, is a scenario like the following possible ?

  • DSC panel arms and informs Vera
  • Vera runs a scene and puts itself in Away mode (or whatever level)
  • Vera senses an intrusion and triggers the siren (this is not tested as u mention but maybe somebody else may confirm)
  • Vera user seizes the siren changing DSC/Vera status to non-armed ? or sending a series of digits ? can we send digits to DSC ?

Thank you very much again for your time !![/quote]

as i mentioned they are (& should be) 2 fully functioning separate systems
so unless i’m mis understanding you, vera doesn’t need to sense the intrusion and sound the alarm, the DSC would already be doing that.

so to each of your points

  • yes
  • yes
  • see comment above (if you had a 2nd zwave only siren, then yes vera could set off that 2nd siren in addition to the DSC’s siren going off)
  • this i’m a little confused as to when you say “user seizes the siren” - you can via the arm/dis arm part of the plugin send a PIN to the DSC from vera
    example, you press arm in the imperihome android app, it asks for your DSC pin. it then sends this to the vera → evlink → panel
    same with disarm.
    you can also set a scene to send your pin.
    so for example if you want your DSC to be armed every night at 9pm, you can create a scene in vera to fire off very night at 9pm sending the ARM command with your PIN.
    etc
#5

Yeap I was not clear enough when saying “vera senses an intrusion…” I meant a z-wave only alarm.

I missed a bit your point “vera could set off that 2nd siren in addition to the DSC’s siren going off”. Does it mean that it may be viable a z-wave only alarm to initiate the siren ?

Thank you again for you patience …

#6

i think most ppl wouldn’t depend on vera as a dedicated alarm system.
anything it controls has to be consider a convenience, but if it doesn’t work it’s not the end of the world type thing.
that’s why i’ve kind of stressed the the whole 2 separate systems things.
the alarm will 99% work (save power/battery outage) but it’s very dependable.
unfortunately the vera is not. so if your worried enough about needing an alarm then depend on the DSC but use the vera for
automation and convenience. you can extend the alerting with zwave sirens, but you’d need to be okay with them not going off.
if your not, then hard wire some directly to the DSC.

To be fair to vera, my Vera plus setup has been mostly dependable most of the time with most of the things.
but others clearly don’t feel the same.