Using existing Home Security System (Honeywell, Vista, etc) Sensors with Smartthings

[geko]

You’re right, this is the most basic and simple way to integrate alarm panel with ST. It’s been suggested before in several related threads. See for example,

Connect Existing Security System to Smartthings

If your alarm panel has programmable outputs (most do), you can use those to feed alarm panel status (armed/disarmed/alarm) to SmartThings either using ShieldThing or ZWave door sensors with wire terminals and a couple of relays. You won’t be able to get status of individual zones, but this is the simplest integration possible.

Most alarm panels have two programmable IO terminals. You can also use the second one to tell ST when the alarm is armed (output) or you can have ST to trip your alarm (input).