First step is to to find out what make is your alarm panel. Open it up and look for markings. ADT typically installs either Honeywell or DSC (Dealers Second Choice) 
The trick is going to be opening it up. The panel is locked and if the old owners had a key they didnāt leave it behind. Given how good they were at leaving keys and manuals Iām guessing they never had one.
Those lockable boxes are quite flimsy. Just pry it open with a screwdriver
Good to know, thanks! I can work todayās frustrations out when I get home!
As it turns out, the key was on top of the box so Iāll have to find other ways to vent my frustrations.
There was a book in there that says Safewatch Pro 3000EN, Entrepreneur 3000EN, Security Manager 3000EN Security Systems Programming Manual and System Information Notes. There was also a sheet of paper listing devices and zones and for some a an 8-digit ālocationā. That seems like it will be useful.
It looks like Iām ready to go from here but Iām not sure where to proceed. Any pointers would be most welcome!
This is re-branded Honeywell Vista 15 or 20 (former ADEMCO). To re-program it youāll need a master (installer) code, which is typically different from the user code.
I found some info on a procedure that may retrieve the installer code. Iāll try that tonight. If that works I should be able to proceed.
The company that sells the ad2pi also sells an ad2usb. I have a mac mini about ten feet from the alarm panel. It doesnāt seem like it would be too difficult to write a small application on the mac to handle the communication with the alarm panel. Not being familiar at all with arduino, that seems less intimidating. The question is: can I make that work well with ST? Can I send status updates into ST from an application on my local network? If not, I guess Iāll need to learn the arduino.
Absolutely. Thatās how it works with DSC alarm panels using Envisalink adapter and AlarmServer software. Search on Github. You may find something similar for the Honeywell.
@geko, thanks again. Your help has been invaluable in helping me get up to speed. Iāll check that out.
I was able to get the installer code so I guess I can move forward. Iāll order the ad2usb and some alarm cable and in a week or so I should be able to start some coding. If Iām not back by spring, send out a search party. 
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I am looking at pulling the trigger and purchasing a smart things kit. My home has a Vista 20P security system installed with all wireless door/window sensors and a few wireless motion sensors as well. I would like to get this working with smart things but had a few questions 1st maybe someone can answer.
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I was looking to go the same route that @craig did, but I see that alarmdecoder.com is out of stock of the ad2pi. Can this be done with the ad2usb instead or would that just add way too much complexity? I have read about using alarm server and the envision device but I prefer this method.
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When doing this with the ad2pi can you still trigger smart things events from the alarm system sensors i.e. if I come home detect presence, disarm alarm, unlock door etc. Or if motion sensor is triggered turn on a light, that sort of thing?
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I have looked at the example code a few people have posted and noticed they only list a few devices in their smart things app rather than I assume all of them. Is this just because you donāt have any need to trigger smart things events with say a window sensor so you just ignore it? Iām just trying to understand how it all works.
Thanks for any advice and suggestions. I am really looking forward to getting started with smart things!
Nate
@njschwartz, Iām attempting to travel the same route you are contemplating. I just ordered the ad2usb last night. If you want to compare notes along the way, let me know!
@linda What route are you planning to use to get pass the messages from the ad2usb to the ST hub? I have been looking at using the REST api but am not sure I am skilled enough to get that working. I am going to do some more research, but I would be more than happy to compare notes and share what I figure out along the way. I am glad to hear there is someone else in a similar spot as I am. Good luck, I look forward to hearing how it goes.
Nate
@njschwartz, thatās the same thing Iām planning. We have a mac mini in our basement that we use for home theater and itās about 10-15 feet from the alarm panel. Iām hoping to write a relatively small app on the mac to send status to ST using REST and accept commands from ST to arm/disarm.
Iāll be learning about 3 things at once here so I expect it will be slow going, but definitely stay in touch. Iāll post my progress reports here also.
I actually have an old Mac Mini, 1st gen I think, that has done nothing but collect dust for the past several years. Maybe I will try it for this same purpose as well. Thatās the part I am not too sure about though is the app that will take the messages from the ad2 and pass them via REST to ST and then take the ST messages and pass them to the system. I think I am going to place my order today though so hopefully we can figure it out!
Nate
@njschwartz, looks like my ad2usb should be here by next weekend. From looking at the installation video it doesnāt look to challenging to hook up. My first experiment will be to see if I can interpret the results coming back for the various types of sensors. Then I was planning to look into the ST integration side of things using some of the existing code as a guide.
I love seeing how there are a number of parallel projects working on same thing but coming up with different ways to it. The other thread on this looks at ADT (honeywell and DSC) panels with envisalink modules and an alarm server running on a computer of some sort. I am actually going to use a Raspberry Pi mounted in the alarm panel to act as the computer to run it but i like the old mac mini idea tooā¦ Think the other path being used it here:
Thanks evreyone
My ad2usb arrived yesterday. Today I got it wired in and amazingly it worked on the first try!
Using AlarmDecoderās software or using the screen program on the mac I can communicate with the panel and see messages flow by. Now to figure out what they meanā¦
Iām trying to work through the details of how this all fits together. The ST docs give me some hints but Iām still a bit vague on the details.
Looking solely at getting events from the Vista to into ST, I think I need:
- An app on the mac that sends status updates as it reads them off the ad2usb using an HTTP call into ST.
- An ST smartapp that handles the REST endpoints called from the previous steps and then updatesā¦
- AN ST device type that has a section in it for each ADT sensor
For the reverse where ST says to arm or disarm the Vista:
- The ST device type implements the commands by sending HTTP requests over to the mac application which translates that into Vista keypresses.
Iāve got a handle on the mac side of things (though I guess Iāll need to deal with oauth which Iāll need to figure out), but the ST side has me a bit confused.
Is my assumption correct about needing both a smartapp and a device type? I see references to something called a device handler but Iām not clear where they get created in the IDE. Is the smartapp I need actually a device handler?
If anyone knows of any example code I can reference that would be tremendously helpful!
Device handler and device type are the same (docs use either term interchangeably). You definitely need a smart app to provide REST endpoints because I donāt think the device handler can do that. Whether you need a device handler depends on your needs. If you want to represent each sensor attached to alarm panel as a proper SmartThings device they yes. If you just want to implement basic arm/disarm/panic functions and receive notifications then no. Iād recommend doing the later first. You can always expand it later.