DIY is a rocky road.

Napco doesn't have a 48-zone panel, but the closest match would probably be the Ademco (Honeywell) Vista-20P. Since most users never reach 32 zones, let alone 48, I think that's a reasonable comparison.

A lot of that depends more on the installer than one might imagine. For example, because I'm so familiar with Napco's capabilities, I tend to implement more of those features. I used scheduling on most of my installations. When customers were on vacation I would set their panels to auto-arm all partitions at a certain time each day in case a caretaker should forget to arm.

I also routinely setup a maid's code for clients who employed outside help. The code was controlled by scheduling, allowing the maid access only on her assigned work days.

You only asked about residential jobs, but I programmed almost every commercial installation to auto-arm 30-60 minutes after the normal quitting time. On jobs where the office and warehouse or factory maintained different schedules, I programmed different auto-arm times each day for each partition.

Different strokes. I used Napco's advanced features as a sales tool. Clients would often tell colleagues about the way their new security system arms itself if they forget, turns on the sprinklers if there's motion in the garden after dark (really), etc. I used to get a lot of referrals from those things.

Perhaps you can experiment with some of these things and come up with some of your own ideas. You might find your business growing even better than it already is. You never know if something is going to work for you until you try it.

No problem...whenever you have time.

"Allan Waghalter" wrote in message news:Sa9Bf.3398$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr24.news.prodigy.net... |I got busy. Will answer when things slow down a bit... | Allan | | | "Crash Gordon" wrote in message | news:wTYAf.86$ snipped-for-privacy@news.uswest.net... | > I'm witchya on that. I was just curious as to what Allan meant. | > A lot of times clients *think* they want some feature and then end up | > never | > ever never using it. | >

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| > "Mark Leuck" wrote in message | > news:ubudnWlkgqiDo0nenZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com... | > |I can't think of any, each panel has its own strengths and weaknesses | > | however Ademco is far easier to program | > | | > | "Crash Gordon" wrote in message | > | news:2LUAf.56$ snipped-for-privacy@news.uswest.net... | > | > Like what features? | > | >

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| > | > "Allan Waghalter" wrote in message | > | > news:EGPAf.3275$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr24.news.prodigy.net... | > | > | Ademco might be easier to program, but the Napco is so much more | > | > versatile. | > | > | More features make for more programming. As for me, I would rather | > be | > | > able | > | > | to configure a panel the way my customer wants to use it than be | > held | > to | > | a | > | > | more restricted panel. | > | > | | > | > | "Crash Gordon" wrote in message | > | > | news:4PMAf.106$ snipped-for-privacy@news.uswest.net... | > | > | > Ademco is not a large percentage of my installs...and ya know I've | > | never | > | > | > really had problems with their stuff..at least the few models that | > I | > | do | > | > | > use. | > | > | >

| > | > | > But having said that...at least Ademco stuff easier to program | > than | > | > | > NappyKO | > | > | > :-) | > | > | >

| > | > | > As far as programming goes though, nothing beats DMP for ease of | > | > | > programming...sheesh it's like using an ATM machine just answer | > | > questions | > | > | > in | > | > | > english. Panel of choice for this AARP installer. | > | > | >

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| > | > | > "Russell Brill" wrote in message | > | > | > news:39EAf.4606$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net... | > | > | > | That's what you get for installing Ademcrap..... :-)) hee hee | > | > | > | | > | > | > | "Crash Gordon" wrote in | > message | > | > | > | news:RcDAf.1280$ snipped-for-privacy@news.uswest.net... | > | > | > | >I agree. I've been doing this stuff for almost 25 years and | > | sometimes | > | > I | > | > | > | >have | > | > | > | > to read the manual over and over again...and then STILL have | > to | > | call | > | > | > tech | > | > | > | > support --- who speak with a decidely off-shore accent. Its | > | > | > frustrating | > | > | > at | > | > | > | > times, but its good when you get it right. | > | > | > | >

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| > | > | > | > "Charles Schuler" wrote in message | > | > | > | > news:HqGdnd_lSslXUk_enZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com... | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | "Crash Gordon" wrote in | > | message | > | > | > | > | news:_dqAf.1174$ snipped-for-privacy@news.uswest.net... | > | > | > | > | > Yep they do, and you have to speak Alarmish, a sub-dialect | > of | > | > | > 'Glish. | > | > | > | > | > They're not written for DIYers. | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | They are not written for anybody who knows how to read and | > also | > | > | > trusts | > | > | > | > what | > | > | > | > | they read: | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | Installer code | > | > | > | > | User code | > | > | > | > | Default code | > | > | > | > | Master code | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | In the manuals that I am trying to read, all of the above | > appear | > | > | > with | > | > | > no | > | > | > | > | definitions and are obviously used inappropriately, in some | > | cases. | > | > | > | > Trying | > | > | > | > | to program something as simple as time and date becomes a | > | > | > mind-bending | > | > | > | > | experience. Not because it needs to be ... it's because the | > | hacks | > | > | > who | > | > | > | > wrote | > | > | > | > | the manuals don't themselves understand the terms that they | > are | > | > | > using, | > | > | > | > or | > | > | > | > | perhaps are semi-clever agents dedicated to the demise of | > DIYs. | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | I used to think this sort of thing was only endemic among | > | offshore | > | > | > | > products | > | > | > | > | designed and built by other than English speaking engineers. | > | Now, | > | > I | > | > | > | > have | > | > | > | > a | > | > | > | > | whole new perspective on this issue. | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | I know, I know ... this "stuff" is intended for professional | > | > | > installers | > | > | > | > and | > | > | > | > | they just enjoy the hell out of DIYs hanging out here, | > twisting | > | in | > | > | > the | > | > | > | > wind. | > | > | > | > | My tenacity will prevail, in any case. | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | Maybe I'll put up a website and further illuminate this | > | extremely | > | > | > dark | > | > | > | > | corridor of consumer electronics in the good ole yew ess of | > aay. | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | > | | > | > | > | >

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Something you might also mention is that you don't program the panel except by downloading because either you don't know how or know it is quite slow which is part of this threads debate

Not a slam just an observation from previous posts from you