What security system to get with ISY

[ulrick65]

I am wanting to go down the road of a DIY security system to go along with my ISY Insteon system I am working to complete.

 

Any suggestions on what to get? Nothing in the 1,000's of dollars range mind you... ISY and Insteon type budget! I want something that will integrate nicely, have expandability, wireless capability, voice announcements, etc.

 

Elk seems like a good thing...but I don't know much about security systems yet.

 

Thanks.

 

Eric

[MikeB]

As of today the Elk is the only security system able to be armed/disarmed from the ISY. It's also an excellent choice - lots of capabilities, and very well supported in the DIY community.

[ulrick65]

As of today the Elk is the only security system able to be armed/disarmed from the ISY. It's also an excellent choice - lots of capabilities, and very well supported in the DIY community.

 

I assume you have one Mike, I read about your Halloween project and you mentioned the ELK-124 sound module. Can you (or anyone else) give me any pointers on how to get started with it?

 

I would like to have wireless sensors so I don't have to run wires all over the place. However, it seems that it only supports the GE sensors...I dont know if that is good or bad? Is wireless a good approach? If not, how do you go about installing sensors in a finished house in any easy fashion? I got my start as an Electrician...moved into Electrical Engineering from there...so I know how much fun it is to fish wires inside walls!

 

I am not clear if the ELK M1G is wireless capable out of the box or if you have to purchase the wireless expander. I thought maybe it could do some wireless zones out of the box with the expander.

 

I want the ethernet module so I can connect via network and I assume this is how the ISY talks to it as well?

 

Do I need a PLM or PLC in order for it to communicate with Insteon or do I just let it talk directly to ISY?

 

Any other modules I should buy for it right off the bat that you know I will need?

 

What about keypads...is one better than the other?

 

I've been eyeballing your touch screen software for a while. It appears to me that the ELK can work with that touchscreen as well...is that the case?

 

Thanks for the feedback. I know this is not an ELK forum, but I wanted to make sure it is ISY capable...and this place is more Insteon knowledgable than anywhere else in my opinion!

[MikeB]

I assume you have one Mike, I read about your Halloween project and you mentioned the ELK-124 sound module. Can you (or anyone else) give me any pointers on how to get started with it?

 

I do have an Elk M1 security system, but I don't currently integrate the Elk-124 with it - I run the Elk-124 standalone. I'll help as best I can, but to be honest I'm not nearly an Elk expert. You might want to check out www.cocoontech.com - there are many members of that forum with heavy Elk experience.

 

I would like to have wireless sensors so I don't have to run wires all over the place. However, it seems that it only supports the GE sensors...I dont know if that is good or bad? Is wireless a good approach? If not, how do you go about installing sensors in a finished house in any easy fashion? I got my start as an Electrician...moved into Electrical Engineering from there...so I know how much fun it is to fish wires inside walls!

 

I know many people use wireless sensors with varied success. I personally prefer hardwired whenever possible. I paid an alarm company to wire the motion, door and window sensors in my home. I feel the price was reasonable and worth it, and though I might have been able to do it, certainly not with the efficiency that they were able to. Most wires were run through the attic and/or basement. Wires ran between the floors via a stacked pair of closets (1 on each floor).

 

I am not clear if the ELK M1G is wireless capable out of the box or if you have to purchase the wireless expander. I thought maybe it could do some wireless zones out of the box with the expander.

 

You would need the wireless expander.

 

I want the ethernet module so I can connect via network and I assume this is how the ISY talks to it as well?

 

Correct.

 

Do I need a PLM or PLC in order for it to communicate with Insteon or do I just let it talk directly to ISY?

 

It communicates directly to the ISY via the ethernet connection. The only PLM you need is for the ISY to talk to your Insteon devices (which I assume you already have).

 

What about keypads...is one better than the other?

 

I personally prefer the look of the ELK-M1KP2 and ELK-M1KP3. The KP3 has a plastic front cover to hide the keys, so offers a cleaner look some might prefer. I think the ELK-M1KP is quite ugly.

 

I've been eyeballing your touch screen software for a while. It appears to me that the ELK can work with that touchscreen as well...is that the case?

 

Yes - our touch panel software for the Nokia (and PC) can arm and disarm the Elk through the ISY! Here is a screenshot:

 

http://www.interfacego.com/products/nk8 ... /nk8-9.jpg

 

 

Thanks for the feedback. I know this is not an ELK forum, but I wanted to make sure it is ISY capable...and this place is more Insteon knowledgable than anywhere else in my opinion!

 

While I wish the Elk/ISY integration was a bit more full-featured, the Elk is currently your only option that I'm aware of if you want to integrate with the ISY. Hopefully more and more people will be interested in this integration which might give UDI incentive to add additional functionality.

 

Good luck!

[ulrick65]

Thanks for the feedback Mike, much appreciated.

 

I sure want one of those touchpads...maybe Santa will be nice to me this year and get me one! Probably not though... Santa doesn't think I need to play with toys, she thinks this whole home automation thing is a waste of time and money! Silly Santa...

 

She does want a security system though...so the Elk may be in the cards in short order!

 

Thanks.

 

Eric

[MikeB]

Santa doesn't think I need to play with toys, she thinks this whole home automation thing is a waste of time and money! Silly Santa...

 

LOL! Gotta hit on those things that she might find useful. My wife loves KPL scene buttons that set room lights to specific levels with one button press. She loves the "whole floor / whole house off" buttons we use before we leave and before bed. She loves the automatic nightlight scenes I setup for our kids bedrooms. She loves the remote control of our lights from our bedroom and theater room. She loves how the holiday lights turn on and off automatically around the house.

 

In my experience, once you setup a few things that she likes, she's much more accepting of the more oddball things that she normally couldn't care less about.

[ulrick65]

Good points. I guess I need to get finished with the hardware installs of all these switches and keypads and get into some of that scene creation. Right now, other than turn on all the outside lights at once, I haven't done much to impress her!

 

Eric

[zyll]

I moved a few months ago and had to make this decision, and ended up installing a DSC PowerSeries alarm system. I've connected it with their IT-100 serial module to my home server, which is running MControl to interface with the ISY-99.

 

I went this route because I am already running a home server, and between that and the ISY-99 I already have all of the automation control I need - I didn't want/need the capability or complexity of the ELK system. It was a lot cheaper, too!

[ulrick65]

Thanks for the info zyll, I will check that out as well.

 

I have found everything I need to get for the Elk...right around $1,100 without buying any sensors, so a bit on the high side.

 

Eric