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[WildBill47]

If you look at my posts on the DS-7000 mod I did to remote control non-security X-10 devices you can get a good idea of what my first mod design was all about. I did notice a general disinterest in this mod which surprised me a little since I have been hearing people talk about and ask for dry contact additions to the Protector Plus for ages.

While chatting on the chat board with some long time X-10'ers they brought up some very good point I had not considered, the mod I designed is complex, at least for someone who has never soldered before, or built a circuit, or opened a X-10 device so they suggested a few things but the best thing was to ask YOU what you might want in a mod for a DS-7000 and to make it easier.

I can easily make my mod to be triggered off of just a LED coming on with a light detector, this would eliminate the need to open the DS-7000 and preserve the warrenty on it, I can also make it do a number of things so I will list a few and then ask folks interested to provide feedback, if there is enough interest I will whip up one or more variations that seem the most popular:

First, in this mod there would be no soldering required, it can still use any LED on the DS-7000 and the functions of the relays can vary a lot, so first some questions: (Please note that as the "feature" list increases so does the cost)

1. If I use a light sensor to "see" the LED it will have to cover the LED, if you wanted a mod would you want another LED on the covered LED to be on if the DS-7000 LED is on, thus allowing you to see the covered LED state (on/off)?

2. Would gluing the light sensor be acceptable or would you prefer somthing like double-sided sticky tape?

3. Would a set of Dry Contacts be all you wanted, basically a switch you would have a couple of terminal screws on a separate box that closed and opened depending on the DS-7000 LED being on or off?

4. Would you want the the LED ON/OFF to be able to send X-10 commands as my current mod does?

5. Would you want the dry contacts to stay closed / opened as long as the LED was on/off, be switchable, that is closed when the LED of off and open with the LED is on, and/or would you want a variable time the contacts stayed cosed or open?

6. How much power would you want the relay contacts to handle, it could be low voltage/low current or line voltage (120VAC/15A) or both?

7. What other idea's do you have about things you would like the DS-7000 to be able to do based on one or more of it's Zone LED's being on, I will list a few things you could do below to get the idea's flowing:

 - Dry contacts, closed as long as the light is on, open as long as the light is off:
    -- Connect to another Alarm System to trigger it
    -- Tell you that your garage door was open or closed
    -- Tell you if the system is currently armed
    -- Tell you if the alarm had been triggered since you set it
    -- Trigger a water or gas shut off valve if the zone was hooked to a water or gas detector
    -- Trigger a strobe instead of a siren

 - Dry Contacts, Double-Pole, High Voltage
   -- Turn on/off and 120VAC/15A thing

 - No Dry contacts, but control an X-10 remote that could send any X-10 ON/OFF command (House/Unit Code)

OK, well if there is any interest please post here and I'll see if anything looks interesting to make, I would make it so all you needed to do was mount the LED light detector on the DS-7000 without having to open it, there would be no soldering, no electronics to mess with, it would be self-powered either from a battery or wall wart or both.

Thanks   













 

[Kramer Chins]

WildBill47 ,

  Your mods and ideas always hold my attention !! I will have to think on the ideas you listed and get back with you....

One thing I would like to see (and I'm sure it would be a very complex mod, if even able to be done with the DS7000).. And I know other members/users have mentioned this in the past..... It would be nice if there was a way to get the Auto Dialer to let you know which "Zone" has been tripped when it calls you. This way you could door/windows sensors, Fire/Smoke Detectors, Water Leak Detectors, etc. all on the same DS7000. And would know if you should call the Fire Dept, Plumber, Police, etc...
  I currently use 2 DS7000's. One for Doors and Windows and the second for Smoke and Fire, and the only way to tell the difference is by a different recording. But if I wanted to add a Water Leak Detector to my second unit and got a call from it I wouldn't know if it was a fire or a water leak.......


    Keep Up the Awesome Work !!!!!

[hawk1]

I don't know a hole lot about this dialer, but once it dials can you listen in to your home?  If so you could setup a macro or PCC or even BVC to announce which one it is (fire, water, theft, etc...) while you listen in.  Just a thought.

[Kramer Chins]

I don't know a hole lot about this dialer, but once it dials can you listen in to your home?  If so you could setup a macro or PCC or even BVC to announce which one it is (fire, water, theft, etc...) while you listen in.  Just a thought.

That is a good idea hawk... 


But a Zone Announcement would still be nice

[HA Dave]

My BVC software listens to the PLC signals and detects [hears] the "all lights on - all units off" signals of the DS7000's alarm. In reaction BVC yells its own alert/warning. I really like this somewhat recently added BVC feature. Whereas I don't think I would want my alarm system completely dependent on a computer... software can add some nice extra features. 

Maybe a software solution that would send a text message or email to your cell phone (after a short delay to allow for a DS7000 phone call). That could describe the zone.. or even exact door, window, or motion sensor (using the On Alert AHP Plug-in).

Of course... I am not a programmer myself. But we seem to have a few on the forum.

[WildBill47]

WildBill47 ,

  Your mods and ideas always hold my attention !! I will have to think on the ideas you listed and get back with you....

One thing I would like to see (and I'm sure it would be a very complex mod, if even able to be done with the DS7000).. And I know other members/users have mentioned this in the past..... It would be nice if there was a way to get the Auto Dialer to let you know which "Zone" has been tripped when it calls you. This way you could door/windows sensors, Fire/Smoke Detectors, Water Leak Detectors, etc. all on the same DS7000. And would know if you should call the Fire Dept, Plumber, Police, etc...
  I currently use 2 DS7000's. One for Doors and Windows and the second for Smoke and Fire, and the only way to tell the difference is by a different recording. But if I wanted to add a Water Leak Detector to my second unit and got a call from it I wouldn't know if it was a fire or a water leak.......


    Keep Up the Awesome Work !!!!!

Yes I have long ago suggested to X-10 that an idea upgrade to the 7000 would be that it told you what zone triggered it when it called you, also I would like to have the ability to have different messages for different zones, and finally be able to assign 1 or more zones to specific phone number.

The problem with all of these is that you only have two ways to approach it, make a completely searate dialer that had the added functions built in or get access to the DS-7000 microcontroller software. The first way is easy enough to do but costly, it would likely cost more than the DS-7000 itself, and the second method would require X-10 to release access to their code and I don't see that happening.

A nice start would be for x-10 to just start the message, Zone X has been triggered...pause...then play your standard message.

I have looked at making my own dialer and voice message add on for several years and just can't bring the price point down to make it worth to do, for X-10 to do it I bet it would be under 25 bucks in cost, so they might have to sell the 7000+ for 100 bucks instead of 50...