Re: Question for Robert Bass

Mr Bass:

> > A search revealed you may know the mysterious meanings of the DIP > switch settings for the EMS-100 thermostat.

Sorry, but I don't know the answer. Do you not have the manual?

Reply to
Robert L. Bass
Loading thread data ...

(I couldn't resist the convenient subject. :)

What do you think of the Paradox Digiplex DGP-NE96? It appears that the communications protocol would support my automation requirements, but I haven't seen much about the basic alarm capabilities, e.g., supported zone types. This would be to replace a couple of DSC MAXSYS systems.

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

[smile] I thought at first this was from one of the characters over in ASA.

I've only sold a few of them and I honestly don't know how well it would work for your application. Have you looked at the ELK-M1 Gold? What about the Napco Gemini P9600?

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

| > What do you think of the Paradox Digiplex DGP-NE96? | | I've only sold a few of them and I honestly don't know how well it would | work for your application.

Assume for the moment that it will handle the automation aspect. I have the protocol documentation and it seems to be ok. (Note that I don't want the panel to perform automation functions; I just want zone status change serial output even when the system is not armed.) And I know they have a reasonable variety of zone expanders and other bus-based hardware. So I just need to figure out if it makes for a reasonably flexible alarm panel, in particular with respect to the available zone types. For some reason this kind of information does not seem to be on their web site.

| Have you looked at the ELK-M1 Gold? What about | the Napco Gemini P9600?

I looked at the P9600 a year or so ago and rejected it. I don't remember exactly why. I looked at the M1 Gold more recently and decided that I couldn't decide about it yet. It is still in the running.

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

Yes, it's a pretty decent panel. There's not a lot you can't do with it. They don't spend much on advertising in the States (it's a Canadian firm) so it's not as popular as several other brands. The M1Gold's only down side is it isn't UL listed yet. Otherwise it's a great machine. I sell a lot of them.

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

In article , snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (Robert L. Bass) writes: | Yes, it's a pretty decent panel. There's not a lot you can't do with it. | They don't spend much on advertising in the States (it's a Canadian firm) so | it's not as popular as several other brands.

So, for example, does it have an instant home/away zone type? (Interestingly, the version of MAXSYS I have does not support this type. Its home/away zones have to be followers/interiors or delays.)

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

Maxsys was primarily targeted at the commercial market, hence the lack of certain features. Here's a list of available zone types on the Digiplex:

0 - Disabled (Default) 1 - Entry Delay 1 2 - Entry Delay 2 3 - Entry Delay 3 4 - Entry Delay 4 5 - Follow 6 - Instant 7 - 24Hr Buzzer 8 - 24Hr Burglary 9 - Delayed 24Hr Fire A - Standard 24Hr Fire B - Stay Delay 1 C - Stay Delay 2 D - Stay Delay 3 E - Stay Delay 4

Following are the available zone options: [1] Auto Zone Shutdown [2] Bypass Zone (Default) [3] Stay Zone [4] Force Zone [5] [6] Zone Alarm Type off off Alarm (steady) off on Audible Alarm (pulsed) on off Silent Alarm on on Generates only a report [7] Intellizone [8] Delay before transmission

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

If you're interested in using the Paradox Digiplex and you're a DIY'er I'd suggest you contact Bob Campbell at

formatting link
He installs their panels almost exclusively and will be of far greater help than RLB who quite obviously has never worked with one let alone programmed it. (This isn't a "slam" on Robert by the way although he will no doubt interpret it as such.)

Reply to
Frank Olson

In article , snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (Robert L. Bass) writes: | > So, for example, does it have an instant home/away | > zone type? (Interestingly, the version of MAXSYS | > I have does not support this type. Its home/away | > zones have to be followers/interiors or delays.) | | Maxsys was primarily targeted at the commercial market, hence the lack of | certain features. Here's a list of available zone types on the Digiplex: | [...]

Thanks a lot; that's exactly what I needed to see. Looks like of those types I use with the MAXSYS I'd be losing Auto Verification Fire and 24 Hour Bell/Buzzer. Probably not a big deal compared to the gain. Decisions decisions...

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

Not to further complicate matters (you know I love to do so:)) but have you considered the zone options of the Napco P9600. It's by far the most configurable panel around. What all of the other lack that I really like in the M1 Gold is direct analog zone inputs. You can read actual temperature, RH, soil moisture, fluid motion in plumbing pipes, etc. It's more expensive but not when you start to add all the functionality to some of the others.

Decisions, eh? :^)

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

Yep, I have the manual. But it doesn't seem to know that there is a bank of switches on the back of the stat.

Oh well. I may never find out the mystery of the switches, but it's nice to know that for some reason this thread has been dredged from the depths of the most 'ignored thread pile' and placed into the sunshine for a few brief moments.

It makes me happy to know this thread has gotten some measure of contentment in life.

Reply to
Matt

In article , snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (Robert L. Bass) writes: | > Thanks a lot; that's exactly what I needed to | > see. Looks like of those types I use with the | > MAXSYS I'd be losing Auto Verification | > Fire and 24 Hour Bell/Buzzer. Probably | > not a big deal compared to the gain. | > Decisions decisions... | | Not to further complicate matters (you know I love to do so:)) but have you | considered the zone options of the Napco P9600. It's by far the most | configurable panel around.

Ok, since you ask, I dug up my notes. One problem was that the serial protocol document lacked some of the information required to talk to the panel. I believe that this was discussed, but I never saw a revised protocol document. (I stopped looking about a year ago, though.) The other problem was that there seemed to be no way to program the system to arm/disarm on entry of a numeric code only. You had to hit some special-purpose key.

| What all of the other lack that I really like in | the M1 Gold is direct analog zone inputs. You can read actual temperature, | RH, soil moisture, fluid motion in plumbing pipes, etc. It's more expensive | but not when you start to add all the functionality to some of the others.

I don't really care about those particular features, but the M1 does look good. The serial protocol document seems to be complete and (unlike those from Napco and Paradox) does not induce headache/nausea on extended reading. In fact, I got the list of zone types from that document. I've been meaning to study the M1 in more detail, but, unfortunately, they make that a tad difficult by password-protecting the installation manual...

| Decisions, eh? :^)

I suppose it would be worth checking whether DSC ever solved their problem and added unarmed zone state changes to their serial automation interface. If so I'd be happy to stick with a version of MAXSYS. Anybody know?

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

Dan,

If you want call me during the day on my personal line and I'll have ELK engineering e-mail you the manual. As to the Napco protocol doc you're right. It's incomplete. Anyone wanting to develop an app from it will either have to get help from another developer like Rick Helmke (he's got it) or scope the panel. For most DIYers that's a royal pain.

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

| | If you want call me during the day on my personal line and I'll have ELK | engineering e-mail you the manual.

Is your personal line something other than the 877 number (with which I'm not having a lot of luck :)?

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

Yes. It's listed to my name only. I'll be out the rest of tonight anyway. But I'll be back at work tomorrow morning by 9:00 eastern.

Reply to
Robert L. Bass

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.