I have quite a vast existing home automation system which currently uses the DSC IT-100 to talk to my alarm control panel. Using the integration with my Home Automation system (Homeseer) I can control the panel remotely, Arm/Disarm and get status of all the doors and windows, as well as receive alert and perform other actions based on an intrusion.
I’d also like to know if there are any plans to support the DSC Alarm system integration modules. DSC alarms are extremely common as they were and have been used by companies like ADT for several years, and many houseshave DSC systems including window contacts, smoke alarms, sirens and door contacts already installed. Many current Home Automation systems such as Homeseer, Mi Casa Verde and others have modules built to support DSC alarm integration using one of two modules they provide.
and IT-120-Ethernet(http://www.dsc.com/index.php?n=products&o=view&id=23) that support system integration with the DSC panel and can be used to Arm and disarm the alarm as well as provide feedback on whether zones are open or closed and send messages on intrusion.
The advantage of all of this for me - Is I already have sensors in every door and window to tell when they are open or closed as well as glass break detectors. Using this system I essentially “self-monitor” I get SMS/twitter/email alerts if there is an intrusion and I use other sensors (RFID) to monitor proximity to Arm/Disarm the alarm.
I’d really love to see support for at least the IT-120 so that those of us who have existing DSC alarm systems could use them with SmartThings.
Glass break detectors would be great to have. If you find anything let me know!
I’m torn on how to use the existing devices to serve as an alarm system. The open/closed will work great for doors - but is the multi sensor sensitive enough to work as something that could detect glass breaks?
This is why I would like SmartThings to support one of these DSC integration modules. Currently all my door and window open sensors as well as glass break detectors (http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/product_info.php?cPath=56_69&products_id=3495) are hardwired to my DSC alarm system. It was originally installed in the house before I bought it and was a monitored security company alarm. It is a DSC - 1616. I no longer have it monitored by a service, since through the use of the IT-100 module, I have it connected to my home automation system (Homeseer - www.homeseer.com). I now am able to send my self SMS/Tweets/Emails to phone when an intrusion is detected (or other alerts such as fire via smoke detector), as well as respond in the house via speakers to play sirens AND custom spoken notifications that warn an intruder that the police and house owner have been notified of their presence, and they are being recorded via camera)
With my current system - it ties into the existing alarm system and I can monitor the open/closed status of door and window sensors, and Arm and Disarm the alarm.
If SmartThings were to support the DSC integration modules, it would allow for any of us that have DSC alarms
I am thinking alarm integration into multiple existing security systems is going to be the goal. Most systems have several zones that we would want to interact with a Smartthings module to provide information from the existing alarm system.
In this case when an existing sensor is tripped your panel already lights and alarms. To me it seems like a matter of leeching off these to provide the status to the Smartthings module.
Lucas, you are correct. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people out there with existing alarms, and compatibility with common manufacturers integration modules gives us full control over the alarm. That is what I do now with my existing system and would love to see this happen with SmartThings.
Just in case Smartthings is looking at this post, here are some of the common household alarm integration systems and their integration modules:
DSC - IT 100 and IT120 - I linked to this and explained it earlier http://www.dsc.com/index.php?n=products&o=view&id=23 - IT 100 is serial and is more widely used, so seeing some sort of serial interface to the SmartThings hub would be awesome.
New homeowner here. My house is prewired for security, but I haven’t installed any sensors or panels yet. Clearly since the wires are there, I should use them. Is there a particular panel that is out right now that would be easiest to integrate with SmartThings? It would be nice if it supported ample wired and wireless sensors. The closest thing I’ve found is the 2GIG CTRL2, but while it has 48 wireless zones, it only has 2 wired ones. Micasaverde also has a list of panels people have integrated to their hub, but they all appear to require some sort of usb or serial adapter as well as a special software plugin.
What I’d really like is a “SmartPanel” experience:
Hub automatically recognizes and can pair with panel
Can hook up wireless zwave/zigbee sensors, or use regular wired sensors
Can view status and control security from SmartThings Mobile
SmartApps can trigger actions based on my alarm status (e.g. run a siren at my office if my home alarm goes off)
Will I have to wait for a SmartThings/Alarm Company partnership to get this, or could this be done with what’s out there already? I hope my house doesn’t get burglarized while waiting for a solution
in the other thread I am going to connect a NCD 48 wired input zone panel to smartthings, watch this space. if you find a better way, I’d been keen to install it in my house too.
I don’t think it will take an Alarm company, because I don’t think they will do it. Companies like ADT and Vivent, et al. are all jumping on the bandwagon to design and offer their own home automation services. So I think its probably in the best interest of the Alarm system manufacturers not to compete with their largest buyers.
I think it will take either the SmartThings team or one of us makers to integrate with current integration modules offered by alarm manufacturers.
It sounds kind of paranoid, but the reason I never connected “monitoring services” is because with the integrations I could monitor it myself, and control it myself, not have to pay someone every month, and avoid false alarms.
I really think this is a pretty huge opportunity space for SmartThings, as a lot of people’s homes are prewired with existing systems.
I agree it’s probably on the SmartThings team or the makers… and I’m hoping there is something created for the HAI (Omni Pro 2) system that my home has in it.
I know this is not what you are looking for (or what I am looking for either)… but until I get time (or someone else does) to integrate my Ademco (Honeywell) alarm system with SmartThings… I put a multi-sensor on top of my alarm siren. When the alarm/siren goes off it makes the multi-sensor go active and can thus send me a text. I know you have no control over the system, but it’s better than nothing…
Smartthings has quite a list to work on so I am afraid unless this becomes a community effort much wont move on this. My system has a serial port but I was thinking about working with the keypad since all zones are displayed there. If this does not work I am going to move to the control board and see if I can “leach” off the inputs and try not to reinvent the wheel. I am very weak on the programming side though
