Radionics D7212 logging

Xartle wrote in news:38c016f8-6695-4d70-aaa8- snipped-for-privacy@t1g2000pra.googlegroups.com:

You can use the DX4010i module nowadays to do the same thing. Get RPS and just download it out of the panel over the DX4010i module. DX4020 is an ethernet interface which might serve your needs. With either of them you should be able to pull the log via RPS fairly easily. You can also use a parallel printer interface and print the log out or view it from the keypad by pressing 9-9-ENTER.

Logan

I don't know much of anything about Radionics but if things hold true to form...... if you don't have one of their exclusive programers, and the dealers programing code, you can't do anything.

Radionics was way ahead of it's time and was a popular product for some time, a number of years ago. The bad thing about it was that the whole idea behind the Radionics product line was exclusivity. Which means that only the installing dealer or in some cases any (Radionics) dealer could install and service their products. Radionics would not help any dealer who did not install their products. It seemed to me that mostly (but not all) dealers who thought they could "capture" their customers with the exclusive dealer requirements, would use the Radionics line. You are probably "captured" and if you don't know who the original installer was, you're SOL. If you do know who he is, it's not likely he'll give you access to the programing free of charge nor will you have access to the dealer programer needed to make changes. Besides, their panels are not very popular now days. They never did much to upgrade their capability as the industry caught up and surpassed them.

sad but true (mostly)

at least it's a 7212 and not a 7112 (the panel that almost killed them...imo)

Well, good info but obviously not what I was hoping to hear... :) Looks like I'll either need to go with Logan's solution and buy extra hardware or pretty much just forget about it. Would it make more sense to replace the whole thing a more friendly and modern panel that can use the same sensors since I'm looking at buying hardware anyway?

Xartle wrote in news:347b7c03-e26d-40ec-8437- snipped-for-privacy@o40g2000prn.googlegroups.com:

You have a couple of options. There is a way to recover from a locked panel using a handheld programmer, so you don't have to toss the panel to get it reprogrammed, assuming its even locked. Second, panels are pretty cheap, especially the 7212 panel. I had a guy offer me a new 7212GV2 for $150 with some extras and I turned him down. The serial interface you would need isn't that hard to get, if you are willing to wait around on ebay for a while. The 9133 or the 4010i will both work, one is just newer than the other. This place actually has new modules for about $70.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish with this? Odds are there is probably an easy way do it. Something else I didn't mention was to just download the log via a phone line using RAM or RPS. Someone has a copy of RPS on ebay right now for $150 which could do that, no extra hardware needed except for an old serial modem. Also, no programming is needed, but you will need the RAM password. The download process can be automated to run on a schedule if you wanted it to.

As for Radionics, now Bosch, I think they have kept up with the times pretty well. They continue to update their product line and capabilities while retaining backward compatibility with older equipment. You can still use an original POPIT from the 1980s with a new 9000-series panel. Some of their stuff is proprietary, as is the case with almost all vendors, but it is of high quality and you'll probably never need to replace during the lifetime of the facility you are securing if you stick with Bosch. I'd try to avoid a refit with another vendor if you can avoid it. Their offerings are flexible and there about a half a dozen different ways to do just about anything with them, some of which are rather arcane, but its what makes them so versatile.

...and if you figure out what Radx stuff you may need please post back here...I have a bunch of old NOS Radx stuff that my wife would love for me to get rid of.

The short answer is I'd like to do my own home automation and alarming. The alarm system has all the information I need to automate all the computer controlled gizmos I already have. It has just proven to be more of a struggle than I had expected to get that information out of the 7212. I actually already have most of the software written, I just need a way to fetch states or watch for changes. I have the feeling I started in the wrong place.

I guess I'll keep an eye out for the D9133 on ebay since there seems to be a huge price difference between the 9133 and 4010i. I see one auction where a lot of 20 D9133's went for $32 so that seems like the clear price winner.

If I end up failing with all this I suppose I'll just get a phone line and go back to the old dial up way of doing things but it just seems sort of archaic to have to get a phone line just so I can have my alarm can have dial up. :) But at least I'll have a working alarm system...

Thanks

~Seth

Xartle wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@r15g2000prd.googlegroups.com:

Ok, I kind of thought you were looking to do some kind of automation thing as opposed to just wanting to review log files. Get one of those serial interfaces, it is meant to do exactly this. Then call Bosch tech support, tell them you want the interface specification for the serial interface module that you bought. They will give you some BS about an NDA and some other stuff. I started to do this a while ago, but decided against for other reasons. Once you have the specification and serial box in hand, you can go to town with it and automate just about any function on it. You can even use Octorelays that interface to the panel to control stuff around the house. I can't speak for other alarm vendors, but the Bosch/Radionics system is definately designed to be connected to an automation system. Bosch had PC9000 which is a whole building automation system which is now known as BIS, building integration system. When I was researching this a while back, I found several companies who had written support in for Bosch panels in home automation software packages so it is clear that third parties can connect into the panel. As an aside, you might want to upgrade your panel if you decide to get serious with this. The 7212 only supports 40 input points on a single expansion bus. It doesn't support any door access control and relay outputs are somewhat limited in number. 7412 and 9412 panels can be had cheaply enough, new and used, on ebay and elsewhere. The 9412 supports 8 doors, 129 relays, and 248 points. The 7412 supports 2, 40(?), and 75 respectively. Hands down the coolest part of the 9412 is the door access control, you can use HID rfid cards to control doors and you can control them remotely via your automation interface if you decide to do that.

I'd be interested to see what you end up doing with all of this so keep the group posted.

snipped-for-privacy@r15g2000prd.googlegroups.com:

No problem, I'll definitely post back once I find the hardware and do the NDA thing. I really appreciate all the help.

And if anyone wants to offload a D9133 at ebay-like prices, I'm in the market now. :)

Thanks again! Seth