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[RCaddict]

Frankly, the main reason for the security system is to be alerted if one of my princesses decides to flee the castle..... Dave

Well. That's a new angle. I was only thinking of break-in protection not break-out   

My kids already using garage code pad as a primary entry and exit to go to school and back so they do not have to take a house key. It works fine. And I am happy garage door opener has a rolling code system. I would love if I can use same key pad to enable and disable the security system. I really like GE Simon3 system's ability to have multiple codes and call my cell phone if a code is not used within given period of time like a kid getting late to come home.

I love DIY. That's the reason I am talking here. But in case of family security DIY should not compromise the safety too much.

I enjoy the flexibility of being able to program multiple access codes for various family and friends with my alarm system without compromising the master code.

So you have a professional alarm insted of X10 DIY alarm.

[tom j]

Guess what?

I Googled DAK Catalog and here's the site that came up: http://www.dak2000.com/

Apparently DAK Industries is still alive and well.

Wow who would have tunk it, now that logo really brings back memories!

Tom j

[steven r]

I enjoy the flexibility of being able to program multiple access codes for various family and friends with my alarm system without compromising the master code.

So you have a professional alarm insted of X10 DIY alarm.

Yes.

[RCaddict]

Thanks. I am set for professional alarm then. I need some help in selection process.

I live in safe neighbourhood so I think monitored alarm is a overkill. I will settle for a unit that can call me in case of an emergency for now. I still love to retain some DIY flexibility so system that can interface X10 for automation would be nice.
Primary requirements.
1. Main console with dialler that can call user program numbers should be hiddenaway in a closet.
2. Remote siren.
3. Remote keypad
4. X10 interface to operate lamps ext.

I found GE Simon3 can do this things but not sure it's dialler can deliver a message in plane English or X10 interface work out of the box. Are there any other Alarm system that can do this?

[steven r]

Thanks. I am set for professional alarm then. I need some help in selection process.

I live in safe neighborhood so I think monitored alarm is a overkill. I will settle for a unit that can call me in case of an emergency for now. I still love to retain some DIY flexibility so system that can interface X10 for automation would be nice....

Don't be so fast to rule out a monitored alarm. It will reach you much faster than a neighbor and the monitoring services know the difference between a burglary and a fire. In addition they can call the police in a distress situation if you are forced to deactivate an alarm. Most alarms have a distress code that silences the alarm but still signals for help. Also some cities strongly encourage some form of monitoring. e.g. Fines for repeat false alarms. If your retrofitting a home, you most likely will find it inconvenient to wire to every window. Suppose a battery fails in one of your wireless sensors fails.

A lot of alarm systems can provide an output signal that can be used to trigger a powerflash interface. A powerflash interface can flash all your X10 lights on one house code independent of your computer, AHP or having to run macros in your CM15A.

The best alarm advice I can give you is stay away from the companies that snare you with a low price install only to rape you with their monitoring contract. e.g. Many of these well known names install a system for $100 or so but provide the monitoring service for $25+ a month. In addition, the control boxes they provide are proprietary and rarely can be programed to be monitored by any other service.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

RCaddict,

steven r asked me to chime-in here since he knows I work for an alarm company.

He is quite correct about the "$100 Specials".  They are akin to the "free cell phones", nothing but a ploy to get the salesman's foot in your door.  Usually you find that the "deal" is inadequate for your needs and what will actually work for you is significantly more money down and more money a month.  Not to mention the monitoring and / or maintenance contract that sticks you with a multi-year term, many of which self-renew (sometimes for several years at a time) if you don't send cancellation notice far enough in advance of their renewal date!

While several manufacturers claim their alarm systems interface with X10, most do no more than what a X10 Powerflash module does.

Most alarm systems I have heard of are designed to communicate with a monitoring station which will require a monthly fee.

The only one I can think of, off the top of my head, that might meet all of your stated requirements is the Elk model M1 (brought to you by the same people as the Elk ESM1 X10 Signal Meter!).  It has Voice Dialer capability and (with the addition of a PSC05 or equivalent PLC interface) can send X10 power line commands!  You can find out about the M1 at: http://www.elkproducts.com/.  IMHO if you plan on spending the bucks anyway, the Elk M1 should make any self-respecting X10 DIY'er types drool until their socks are soaked!   

P.S.
Before anyone asks, no, I haven't managed to get an Elk M1 to play with, but based on the information available, I certainly would if I could!

[RCaddict]

Thanks. Yes ELK M1 seems to have everything. But ..... I am can't forget GE Simon3.....It is like first love. I liked the features instantly. Reputed brand, Voice assisted setup and operation, inexpensive system & accessories, programable dialler can call me or monitoring station so I have option of signing up with monitoring later, X10 compatibility. I can buy the basic system and expand. Ge will be their for long time. They have good customer service too I heard.

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1504#a1

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1429
http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6223

What is your honest assessment of this system?

It seems all these systems are X10 compatible and has ability to dial private phone numbers or monitoring station!
http://www.safemart.com/compare.htm

[RCaddict]

Wow it is so quite here    Sometimes silence is the answer 

[dave w]

Guess what?

I Googled DAK Catalog and here's the site that came up: http://www.dak2000.com/

Apparently DAK Industries is still alive and well.

Wow who would have tunk it, now that logo really brings back memories!

Tom j

Back in the 80's DAK was the coolest...

How many old timers ordered the Regency Electronics "Regulator" system from DAK? Not quite "smart home" but the Regulator controller could program about 100 timed events and the module had 100 unit code and 100 house codes with the first 16 compatable with X10. I still have a few of the modules.
Yeah I miss DAK.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Wow it is so quite here    Sometimes silence is the answer 

Sorry, I have little to input about the Simon.  It does appear to have some good features, although somewhat limited compared to the Elk (hey, you get what you pay for!), I guess the basic question is; "Does it work for you?" 

Yes, GE has been (and probably will be) around for a long time.  That said, the real question is; "Will the Simon be around?"  Like many companies, including Honeywell, GE has a habit of buying up other companies and their technologies.  Sometimes this is because it is cheaper for them than creating the technologies for themselves, and sometimes it is a blatent move to squash the competition!  The Simon alarm systems were an ITI product (possibly originally someone else's as ITI was playing the same game before GE bought them!  It is so hard to keep track anymore.) and many ITI products have been discontinued by GE.  GE also bought Moose (or maybe they bought the company that bought Moose  ) and many, if not all, of the Moose products are now discontinued.

Oh, yeah, the guy that started Moose (and later sold it) is the guy behind Elk!   

Confused yet?     Welcome to the club!      

[RCaddict]

Thanks for input.

Yes you don't know who owns it or who makes it any more.
That's why product loyalty is a thing of the past and companies go bankrupt overnight.
When company value is determined not by product or services but bogus and highly manipulated (leaveraged -wallstreet term) stock value this is what happen. 

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Thanks for input.

Yes you don't know who owns it or who makes it any more.
That's why product loyalty is a thing of the past and companies go bankrupt overnight.
When company value is determined not by product or services but bogus and highly manipulated (leaveraged -wallstreet term) stock value this is what happen. 

Ain't that the truth!   

[tom j]

Thanks. Yes ELK M1 seems to have everything. But ..... I am can't forget GE Simon3.....It is like first love. I liked the features instantly. Reputed brand, Voice assisted setup and operation, inexpensive system & accessories, programable dialler can call me or monitoring station so I have option of signing up with monitoring later, X10 compatibility. I can buy the basic system and expand. Ge will be their for long time. They have good customer service too I heard.

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1504#a1

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1429
http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6223

What is your honest assessment of this system?

It seems all these systems are X10 compatible and has ability to dial private phone numbers or monitoring station!
http://www.safemart.com/compare.htm

Yep Elk is a Premo system but DSC is a less expensive alternative, that's the system I'm currently working on putting together. It offers the ability to use wireless components in areas that might be difficult to wire and has support for x10 devices it also has a telephone module that allows you to call into the unit and check the status of the system operate your x10 lighting and appliances and has a vocabulary of about 300 words O-YEAH! The last one even has a touch screen included I like that!! see links below for details. Tell me what you think!

Tom j

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1044

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=435

Touch Screen Model
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1396#a1
http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductZoom.asp?productID=1159

[RCaddict]

That is a very good system but problem is most of these systems are designed to call monitoring centers only in case of alarm and deliver coded info. Some advertise as secondary user dialling capability but this is actually text messages or brief event trigger notices only.
Only few has capability to call user phone numbers and inform the alarm condition in plain English and let the user to listen-in. Systems with compulsory monitoring are generally less expensive because they make money mainly from monitoring so subsidise the system cost. Like inkjet printers! They give the printer free because they can recover the cost from ink cartrages in no time!

But fortunately due to pressure from DIY market like X10 manufactures like GE coming up with new DIY consoles like Simon that has complete user control and monitoring.

[tom j]

That is a very good system but problem is most of these systems are designed to call monitoring centers only in case of alarm and deliver coded info. Some advertise as secondary user dialling capability but this is actually text messages or brief event trigger notices only.
Only few has capability to call user phone numbers and inform the alarm condition in plain English and let the user to listen-in. Systems with compulsory monitoring are generally less expensive because they make money mainly from monitoring so subsidise the system cost. Like inkjet printers! They give the printer free because they can recover the cost from ink cartrages in no time!

But fortunately due to pressure from DIY market like X10 manufactures like GE coming up with new DIY consoles like Simon that has complete user control and monitoring.

Well yes and no you can actually get monitoring through the home security store for 8.95 a month!! now that's an amount almost anyone can afford. They don't service any units they simply provide monitoring and I recently found out the company they're dealing with has been around close to thirty years, well anyway that's the route I plan on taking.

Tom j

http://monitoring.homesecuritystore.com/