DSC PC5401 serial interface support

[cslee]

Hello,

I'm just new to ISY-99. Just bought one. I like what I read. I have a DSC Alarm system and I have a PC5401 serial module that provide a serial interface to the system. Is there someway I can plug that in to the Port B of IS-99/IR PRO and has ISY monitor messages to get status of alarm panel. That 's all I want to do right now. I want to detect door/window openings, motion sensor and alarm activation/deactivations. The messages are very simple, ASCII text. Look at this for details http://www.baranharper.com/pdfs/pc5401-dev_guide.pdf

 

If that's possible, then at least some of us with DSC alarm panels can be more automated. I cannot afford to upgrade my panel to ELK now

[Michel Kohanim]

cslee,

 

Thanks so very much for your order and feedback. We would love to make ISY more integrated with other products and we have been thinking of opening up that port for communications with other devices but here are my personal observations:

Considering that our programs are based on the events that we know of thus the concept of detecting door/window openings, motion sensor and alarm activation/deactivation becomes a programming effort on our part because we do NOT know anything about them. It could be contended that we could simply pass along messages and then the programs could simply do a pattern matching based on the received messages but, even this, causes a little bit of a problem:

Different devices have different means of representing messages some of which are variable length messages with EOT characters. Do we then have to provide the means of specifying message characteristics?

 

DSC, it seems, also has a network (DPWS) device which can be used to communicate with the DSC panels. Don't you think that would be a better route?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Hello,

I'm just new to ISY-99. Just bought one. I like what I read. I have a DSC Alarm system and I have a PC5401 serial module that provide a serial interface to the system. Is there someway I can plug that in to the Port B of IS-99/IR PRO and has ISY monitor messages to get status of alarm panel. That 's all I want to do right now. I want to detect door/window openings, motion sensor and alarm activation/deactivations. The messages are very simple, ASCII text. Look at this for details http://www.baranharper.com/pdfs/pc5401-dev_guide.pdf

 

If that's possible, then at least some of us with DSC alarm panels can be more automated. I cannot afford to upgrade my panel to ELK now

[cslee]

michel,

Just passing along ascii strings would be a big step forward. However, there need to be some string manipulation operations to make is useful.

 

E.g.

If Port B.RX == 609013**

THEN

Zone.13.Open is TRUE

 

If Port.B.RX == 610013**

THEN

Zone.13.Open is FALSE

 

If Port.B.RX == 6521**

THEN

Partition.1.Armed is TRUE

 

 

 

One can build a whole set of the for each zone. There must be something to tell us that a byte has been received. So that this routine can loop until the FIFO is empty.

 

I dont know how much the DWPS module for DSC cost, but this PC5401 is only about $50. So it's cost effective.

[DEGoodrich]

I would love to see this too!

I have this module installed.

I have given up on Escort/X-10/EZIO mess.

[Michel Kohanim]

cslee,

 

Got it. But, this will only work for ASCII based input/output. How about others?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

michel,

Just passing along ascii strings would be a big step forward. However, there need to be some string manipulation operations to make is useful.

 

E.g.

If Port B.RX == 609013**

THEN

Zone.13.Open is TRUE

 

If Port.B.RX == 610013**

THEN

Zone.13.Open is FALSE

 

If Port.B.RX == 6521**

THEN

Partition.1.Armed is TRUE

 

 

 

One can build a whole set of the for each zone. There must be something to tell us that a byte has been received. So that this routine can loop until the FIFO is empty.

 

I dont know how much the DWPS module for DSC cost, but this PC5401 is only about $50. So it's cost effective.

[ronbo]

I too would like to see this supported. I would Like to use it with the Ademco

Vista 128BP panel which also works on ascii strings. Perhaps you could allow a few options such as

 

EOT character

Return ASCII or HEX representation.

 

Seems it could be done in a basic fashion that would require a little more programming on the users part but would make it a more generic interface.

 

Another approach could be to have the ISY maintain a table of the strings we wish to be notified on. This table would have to allow for wild cards in the string

[upstatemike]

Generic ascii would be very useful. I would use it to do my integration with stargate instead of using X10 as I do now. Stargate lets you define ascii out strings programmatically so straight pattern matching is all I would need.

 

It would be nice if ascii out from the ISY was supported as well. ascii out could be free form or pre-defined strings you pick from a table/list. Stargate can handle anything up to 32 characters.

[Algorithm]

Generic ASCII would be satisfactory, yes. I've asked for this from the beginning, in order to interface my Ocelot. The Ocelot also allows user-defined ASCII output strings, so pattern matching would be good.

 

The Ocelot also accepts ASCII input, but only in very rigidly formatted strings, so in that way is more limited than the Stargate. However, free-form or pre-defined strings would work here as well, as long as they can be made to conform to Ocelot's requirements.

 

It seems that generic ASCII (perhaps with wildcards, selectable EOL characters, and HEX representation) would go a long way to handling many devices out there, including those which have been mentioned in this thread.

 

The problem, though, is that the ISY's second serial port is there specifically for emergency recovery, should the user not be able to reach the ISY via IP (including telnet). And I think that Michel may be reluctant to in any way impede that capability, and rightly so. So in order for this to work, we would need to come up with a way for that second serial port to serve a dual purpose, without compromising its primary purpose.

 

One possibility might be to have ISY power-up in the recovery-port mode, and only switch to user-port mode upon a specific ISY program command, which would need to be defined. That command could be issued in a user's program, for those who wish to use it. For those who don't, the ISY would simply remain in its current recovery-port mode. Such a command could could be placed in a user's program which was set to run at reboot, so that after a reboot the ISY could again communicate with a user-defined device.

 

In order for recovery to take place, the ISY could be configured in firmware to never switch to user-port mode if no PLM was detected. Then, should the user need to effect emergency recovery, he could simply power down ISY, disconnect the PLM, and then reboot.

 

That's just one idea. Perhaps some better ones will be forthcoming.

[Chris Jahn]

JAJ,

 

What you have described is basically how this would be implemented; a low-level ASCII interface with some level of pattern matching. The serial port would revert back to the standard shell if the ISY was restarted in "Safe Mode".

[ronbo]

Chris,

 

Do you mean "will be implemented" or "would be implemented"

 

lol

 

Ron

[Chris Jahn]

Chris,

 

Do you mean "will be implemented" or "would be implemented"

 

lol

 

Ron

 

Currently this is "would be implemented" but is likely to be done in a future release.

[speacock]

While poking around the Elk site I found this converter. Converting serial to telnet might allow the DSC to interact with the ISY without requiring the serial port be tied up.

 

http://www.elkproducts.com/products/elk-ip232.htm

 

Sean

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Sean,

 

Very interesting indeed! We are working on a solution that allows serial communications with ISY. The only missing piece which we are designing is Triggers 2.0 which would allow ISY Programs to be written for ASCII patterns/strings.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

While poking around the Elk site I found this converter. Converting serial to telnet might allow the DSC to interact with the ISY without requiring the serial port be tied up.

 

http://www.elkproducts.com/products/elk-ip232.htm

 

Sean

[cslee]

I've found a DSC device TL150. It has web access to the DSC panel. I'm still looking for more information. But basically it allows for virtual keypad. Wondering if ISY can support it. Here's a product spec sheet http://www.alarmsuperstore.com/dsc/alar ... tsheet.pdf

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello cslee,

 

This seems to be just what we needed. My only concern is the 128 bit AES encryption. If you find more information about the protocol and features, please do post it so that we can investigate it for development.

 

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

I've found a DSC device TL150. It has web access to the DSC panel. I'm still looking for more information. But basically it allows for virtual keypad. Wondering if ISY can support it. Here's a product spec sheet http://www.alarmsuperstore.com/dsc/alar ... tsheet.pdf

[ronbo]

Michel,

 

The link below is for an internet connection manual that works with the honeywell vista controllers

 

http://www.security.honeywell.com/hsc/p ... 92291.html

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello ronbo,

 

Thanks so very much ... do you know what else we need to test one of these? And, do you know where we can order one?

 

Thanks and with kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

The link below is for an internet connection manual that works with the honeywell vista controllers

 

http://www.security.honeywell.com/hsc/p ... 92291.html

[jonjonbear]

Hello,

I'm just new to ISY-99. Just bought one. I like what I read. I have a DSC Alarm system and I have a PC5401 serial module that provide a serial interface to the system. Is there someway I can plug that in to the Port B of IS-99/IR PRO and has ISY monitor messages to get status of alarm panel. That 's all I want to do right now. I want to detect door/window openings, motion sensor and alarm activation/deactivations. The messages are very simple, ASCII text. Look at this for details http://www.baranharper.com/pdfs/pc5401-dev_guide.pdf

 

If that's possible, then at least some of us with DSC alarm panels can be more automated. I cannot afford to upgrade my panel to ELK now

 

This is the only thing that held me back from switching over. I have been using homeseer for years, and my DSC alarm connected via the PC5401. With HS I can do many functions both based on HS functions and alarm actions and status. DSC is a very popular alarm system too btw..It's just too important to me to have alarm interfacing to lose that feature. HS new hardware controllers have four serial ports. But of course they are more than double the price too..

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello jonjonbear,

 

You are 100% correct and we would've loved to have you as one of our customers. All I can say is that we are working on it, priority is medium, and that we should have it ready by next year.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Hello,

I'm just new to ISY-99. Just bought one. I like what I read. I have a DSC Alarm system and I have a PC5401 serial module that provide a serial interface to the system. Is there someway I can plug that in to the Port B of IS-99/IR PRO and has ISY monitor messages to get status of alarm panel. That 's all I want to do right now. I want to detect door/window openings, motion sensor and alarm activation/deactivations. The messages are very simple, ASCII text. Look at this for details http://www.baranharper.com/pdfs/pc5401-dev_guide.pdf

 

If that's possible, then at least some of us with DSC alarm panels can be more automated. I cannot afford to upgrade my panel to ELK now

 

This is the only thing that held me back from switching over. I have been using homeseer for years, and my DSC alarm connected via the PC5401. With HS I can do many functions both based on HS functions and alarm actions and status. DSC is a very popular alarm system too btw..It's just too important to me to have alarm interfacing to lose that feature. HS new hardware controllers have four serial ports. But of course they are more than double the price too..

[Romany Brown]

I also have a DSC panel with a PC5401 interface and would like to be able to connect it.

 

but

I really like the product as it is and would hate to see firmware development stall in attempts to accomodate a bunch of serial protocols.

 

What I'd like to see is the ability to use some isy standard protocol on the serial port. If this were the case, an external device could communicate with it and perform one or more translations to other devices. I could build a box with one serial port for communication with isy and other serial/ethernet ports for communication with other devices.

 

If you try to do it all in one box, it'll get messy, more complex, and price will go up.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello Romany,

 

You are 100% correct and that's precisely what we have in mind: a networked device which communicates with your ISY (plug and play) over the network.

 

Do you have experience with hardware/firmware design?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

I also have a DSC panel with a PC5401 interface and would like to be able to connect it.

 

but

I really like the product as it is and would hate to see firmware development stall in attempts to accomodate a bunch of serial protocols.

 

What I'd like to see is the ability to use some isy standard protocol on the serial port. If this were the case, an external device could communicate with it and perform one or more translations to other devices. I could build a box with one serial port for communication with isy and other serial/ethernet ports for communication with other devices.

 

If you try to do it all in one box, it'll get messy, more complex, and price will go up.

[Romany Brown]

Michel,

 

Sounds great. I wonder if the new device will be more like a seperate configurable ISY or much less featured?

 

Do you have experience with hardware/firmware design?

 

Yes, I do both for my job as an electrical engineer. I work for myself as a contract engineer.

 

I'm not sure that I could design a device like the ISY by myself, but it would be fun to try. If you did all the hardware and firmware for the ISY, I'd say that you're a couple of notches above me technically.

[gregoryx]

I could build a box with one serial port for communication with isy and other serial/ethernet ports for communication with other devices.

 

Elk uses something exactly like that to communicate with the Russound whole-house audio stuff via IP. (that's a link)

[G W]

So... what we need is an Ethernet <-> Serial black box.

[Michel Kohanim]

Romany Brown,

 

If you are interested in helping us, please contact me at tech@universal-devices.com . I would sincerely appreciate it.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

Sounds great. I wonder if the new device will be more like a seperate configurable ISY or much less featured?

 

Do you have experience with hardware/firmware design?

 

Yes, I do both for my job as an electrical engineer. I work for myself as a contract engineer.

 

I'm not sure that I could design a device like the ISY by myself, but it would be fun to try. If you did all the hardware and firmware for the ISY, I'd say that you're a couple of notches above me technically.