Also looking for control panel

[MartyO]

I've never done this but I'm willing to try installing a security system.

Place has three levels, finished basement with walk out to back, main level (front door and door from garage), upstairs with 3 bedrooms.

looking at Honeywell vista 10p, 15p or 20p, advise appreciated.

 

[whoslooking]

First thing is don't buy honeywell camera's or Alarm systems they are crap look at the dahua or Hikvision cameras better value and quality.
Texecom make good quality wireless systems that are easy to install.

 

[MartyO]

First thing is don't buy honeywell camera's or Alarm systems they are crap look at the dahua or Hikvision cameras better value and quality.
Texecom make good quality wireless systems that are easy to install.

I plan to have separate alarm and camera systems. Why is vista crap? Cameras I already have figured out. Appreciate your advice.

Alarm will have motion sensors, door sensors, ect hardwired as much as possible. With connection to police when armed.

 

[zero-degrees]

@MartyO

I have used both Honeywell Lynx wireless systems and Vista 20p and have had WONDERFUL results with both. I have never personally had an issue with the Lynx systems (5100 and L7000) nor the 20p system (mult panels, door, window, smoke, co2 sensors) for both the lynx and 20p wired systems.

Also as you cited - run the home security/video system separately. The integrated video systems in alarm systems just are not the same quality as a stand alone HIK system.

Being a novice as you say you've never done this I would recommend a Lynx wireless system for your alarm, and a hardwired camera system with a POE built in NVR. You can hard wire the main alarm panel either standard phone (POTS), a network line for IP monitoring, or you can have a wireless module, or a cellular GSM module. Personally I run a Cellular module with ethernet connection as well.

 

[whoslooking]

The products are dated technology, the vista's range has been going over 15 years and over priced.

 

[MartyO]

@MartyO

I have used both Honeywell Lynx wireless systems and Vista 20p and have had WONDERFUL results with both. I have never personally had an issue with the Lynx systems (5100 and L7000) nor the 20p system (mult panels, door, window, smoke, co2 sensors) for both the lynx and 20p wired systems.

Also as you cited - run the home security/video system separately. The integrated video systems in alarm systems just are not the same quality as a stand alone HIK system.

Being a novice as you say you've never done this I would recommend a Lynx wireless system for your alarm, and a hardwired camera system with a POE built in NVR. You can hard wire the main alarm panel either standard phone (POTS), a network line for IP monitoring, or you can have a wireless module, or a cellular GSM module. Personally I run a Cellular module with ethernet connection as well.

Zero thanks for post, I will look at Lynx and might ask some questions. I feel uncomfortable with alarm system having wireless triggers. I have many wifi cameras running which I am comfortable with because the don't trigger the police.

 

[MartyO]

@MartyO

I have used both Honeywell Lynx wireless systems and Vista 20p and have had WONDERFUL results with both. I have never personally had an issue with the Lynx systems (5100 and L7000) nor the 20p system (mult panels, door, window, smoke, co2 sensors) for both the lynx and 20p wired systems.

Also as you cited - run the home security/video system separately. The integrated video systems in alarm systems just are not the same quality as a stand alone HIK system.

Being a novice as you say you've never done this I would recommend a Lynx wireless system for your alarm, and a hardwired camera system with a POE built in NVR. You can hard wire the main alarm panel either standard phone (POTS), a network line for IP monitoring, or you can have a wireless module, or a cellular GSM module. Personally I run a Cellular module with ethernet connection as well.

With respct to Lynx, if you already have a wired Honeywell motion sensor, how to get it to work with Lynx control panel?

 

[zero-degrees]

@MartyO

You can use wired contacts with the Lynx Touch systems. There are terminals on the board where you can install single wired zones using an included resistor. Also if you need/have additional wired zones Honeywell offers a product (5800C2W) that will give you an additional 9 wired zones into your wireless Lynx Controlls.

 

[MartyO]

@MartyO

You can use wired contacts with the Lynx Touch systems. There are terminals on the board where you can install single wired zones using an included resistor. Also if you need/have additional wired zones Honeywell offers a product (5800C2W) that will give you an additional 9 wired zones into your wireless Lynx Controlls.

Does the 5800C2W communicate wired or wirelessly with the Lynx control?

 

[zero-degrees]

Does the 5800C2W communicate wired or wirelessly with the Lynx control?

It transmits wireless back to the Lynx Control panel. The thought is that if you have a hardwired home all those wires go to the garage/storage room/utility room. You would place the 5800C2W box there and connect all your wired zones. The 5800 then transmits all that information to the touch panel/control unit where ever it is placed. I understand your concern about wireless, however this technology is sound. If it was not companys like Honeywell (Ademco) would not be using it because of the liability. In the end the main panel will still transmit to the police/fire/monitoring station the SAME as your wired panel would either Cellular, POTS (hardline phone), Wireless via internet, or IP via ethernet/internet.

 

[MartyO]

First thing is don't buy honeywell camera's or Alarm systems they are crap look at the dahua or Hikvision cameras better value and quality.
Texecom make good quality wireless systems that are easy to install.

Out of curiosity, what wireless technology do the wireless texecom sensors use? zigbee, z-wave or something else?

 

[MartyO]

Ricochet ???

 

[MartyO]

It transmits wireless back to the Lynx Control panel. The thought is that if you have a hardwired home all those wires go to the garage/storage room/utility room. You would place the 5800C2W box there and connect all your wired zones. The 5800 then transmits all that information to the touch panel/control unit where ever it is placed. I understand your concern about wireless, however this technology is sound. If it was not companys like Honeywell (Ademco) would not be using it because of the liability. In the end the main panel will still transmit to the police/fire/monitoring station the SAME as your wired panel would either Cellular, POTS (hardline phone), Wireless via internet, or IP via ethernet/internet.

I don't think cellular and Ethernet can both be installed on same system, I read that on the 7000 unit???

 

[zero-degrees]

@MartyO you are correct, with the L7000 you can have WiFi (IP) as a primary connection and GSM (Cellular) as a secondary/backup. The L7000 did away with the POTS option however the L5100 supports POTS as well as your choice of Wifi, Ethernet, 3G/4G. My apologies if I caused confusion above as I just listed all possible configurations the 5xxx series 7xxx series and Vista series all support some or all of the connection options. Personally I still have the 5100 panels with 4G/cellular support and the 5100 wifi module. If there is a wireless/internet issue the system auto rolls to the 4G connection.

 

[blake]

First thing is don't buy honeywell camera's or Alarm systems they are crap look at the dahua or Hikvision cameras better value and quality.
Texecom make good quality wireless systems that are easy to install.

Honeywell security products are some of the best on the market! The only products I can't speak for as I haven't used them yet is their video confirmation cameras. The Vista series panels are tried and true and the backbone of the security industry. I still run a Vista 20P that I've had since 2004.

 

[whoslooking]

After the above comments, , I can tell your in the US as Honeywell products including the vista's range don't comply anymore to standards needed in the UK and in fact the last company I new that used them was SECOM, Honeywell took using Ademco Microtec's Galaxy Range which also has been around since 1995 but that is much better product but is OEM!
We have really tough standards on security products in the UK, with both British and European standards to comply with unlike the US.
I speak from work for both British and US companies.

 

[MartyO]

After the above comments, , I can tell your in the US as Honeywell products including the vista's range don't comply anymore to standards needed in the UK and in fact the last company I new that used them was SECOM, Honeywell took using Ademco Microtec's Galaxy Range which also has been around since 1995 but that is much better product but is OEM!
We have really tough standards on security products in the UK, with both British and European standards to comply with unlike the US.
I speak from work for both British and US companies.

Could you briefly list the top 3-5 standards that British companies comply with that the US doesn't comply with?

 

[whoslooking]

It's put into grades and Classes of system these days, but the problems are the regulations on installation design, level of false alarms per rolling 12 month period, (3) double protection on all devices (tampers), confirmed alarms the use of junction boxes with tamper protection and expanders, external use in out buildings of Pir's.
Termination of cabling, cable entries,
The use of system tags on fobs to setting, debounce timers, standby battery rates and sizes of batteries in both internal and external Sounders.
Full employment history of all staff, no criminal convictions

The list goes on and on, most of the US equipment is not designed to comply, but some brands are like TEXECOM and Pyronix and Ademco Vista just doesn't and can't

 

[MartyO]

whoslooking, thanks for your posts and advice, I'm somewhat conflicted by your last post, do your complaints about US companies cover residential systems or is it more geared to business installations?

 

[whoslooking]

No, its not the US companies but the levels that the British standards have made the manufactures step up in the quality of product and reliability, the point is its a shame the products we now see as the norm in the UK, are not mirrored across the pond, and they still try to pass off a low qraded product.

You should see the crap I have had to fit on one project, as it's the only equipment approved by the US department of state, we haven't used kit like this in the UK for over 20 years.