Home Security Blog

As a DIY friendly company we love the Honeywell LT-Cable. For those who are not familiar with the cable it is a prefabricated power supply cable with male spade connectors and a right angle DC barrel plug. The spades offer a clean and easy connection to the screw terminals of your AC transformer. The barrel plug simply plugs into the DC port on the back of your alarm panel. The best part of the device is that it offers an easy way to power cycle your alarm system without dealing with the transformer. Generally the transformer is hidden or screwed into your wall plate so the LT-Cable offers a safe way to disconnect power from the panel without the hassle of the transformer. Now, technically you can disconnect hardwired power to the screw terminals if your system was custom cabled. However we strongly caution against that since you are dealing with live power with your transformer still plugged in. Although it is only low voltage power it can damage or destroy the panel or transformer if you accidentally short it.

As you may have seen in our Honeywell Lynx Touch videos the LT-Cable plugged directly into the DC port which was great. Well unfortunately Honeywell decided to phase out the DC port which we are bummed about. However they did do us a big favor by revamping it to have a pigtail with a DC port adapter. By doing this they essentially made the cable universal. In other words, the cable now can be used as a power connection to any alarm system. Here is why.

The pigtail has two wires on one end that should be landed on the AC or DC power connections of your alarm system. Not all systems have a DC port but they all have screw terminals for custom cabling. On the back side of the pigtail there is a female DC port. This is where the right angle male DC barrel connector plugs into. Instead of removing the male DC plug from the panel now you are removing it from the back end of the pigtail in order to power down. This means a clean, safe way to reboot your system...

By adding this pigtail, the cable will work with any alarm system you want. This is not just limited to wireless self-contained panels like the LYNX Touch. You can now use the LT-Cable to connect the transformer to your wired alarm control cabinets as well! Some panels may require low voltage AC power which does not have any polarity. However on most systems it is low voltage DC so be sure to match the red wire with your positive connection and black with negative.

As a DIY outfit we just wanted to share that this potentially bad news (Honeywell stripping out the DC port on the LYNX Touch panels) really turned into great news! We are now selling the new LT-Cable on our site. The cable is still in-wall rated and remains to be 8 feet long. The photo on the product page will be updated shortly. Check out the release note for a visual on the new cable.

While we wait for Honeywell to release their exciting security system, the Lyric, 2GIG has finally released their anticipated panel, and Alarm Grid is the first DIY outfit to make it available!

If you are one of the many people who have been awaiting the arrival of the much anticipated GC3, then this is an exciting day for you. The GC3 is 2GIG's much needed update to the Go!Control 2, which has been the workhorse of the brand since 2010. In 2011, the panel was unexpectedly awarded "Security Product of the Year" at the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), as well as the "2011 Best Wireless Security Panel" award, and "2011 Best in Show" at Electronic Security Expo (ESX). The all-in-one panel was revolutionary, and the ability to use Alarm.com as the interactive backbone of the 2GIG line changed the way that the security industry does business.

Now, with Honeywell's LYNX line and the coming Lyric, the Go!Control is a still excellent panel in a sea of many panels that have caught up and, in many cases, surpassed its many features, which in 2011 had never really been seen before. The GC3 is a sleek, new panel that is pulling 2GIG back into the much deserved limelight.

The 7-inch, extremely responsive capacitive color touchscreen is a nice touch, as is the information packed display. Featuring excellent Z-Wave controls, much like its predecessor and competing Honeywell panels, the GC3 makes it clear that it is a security system first, but under the surface, it is a deceivingly capable device that allows users the ability to control their Z-wave home automation capable devices as well as the ability to receive updates to its firmware. This modern security system can and will keep up with the times - whatever they may bring.

While you can purchase a standalone panel, we have also made the GC3PK kit available that includes 3 DW10 door and window sensors, a KEY2-345 key fob, and a single PIR1-345 motion sensor, as well as the GC3 system itself. All you will need to add to that kit is a radio that best suits your needs. At the moment, 2GIG has released radios that work with Verizon and AT&T, or, if you're in Canada, Rogers. These simple radios snap into the side of the GC3, making installation incredibly simple and almost exactly as easy as the process of installing a radio in Honeywell's Lyric controller. In all, it seems, 2GIG has made huge improvements over its older systems, as well as making a number of incredible improvements that will make having this security system a delight.

Honeywell's flagship L5200 panel has been discontinued. Since June of 2014, the L5200 has been the lesser, more affordable counterpart to the L7000. At Alarm Grid, the L5200 has been our best selling panel, and we are sad to see it go. Though it is being replaced by a panel that is nearly identical.

When released, Honeywell said that the L5200 would be the last panel they ever released with a POTs connection, although its replacement appears to have included the connection. The main difference between the L5200 and the new L5210, as you can see in the image below, is the smaller screen and the shape/type of the buttons. Honeywell has developed the L5210 to look more like its large-screen counterpart, the L7000. The panel is a sleek looking product, and while the smaller screen may make the unit a bit less attractive than the L5200, it's worth noting that the price of the new panels is between 5 and 10% cheaper.

As of today, Alarm Grid is discontinuing the sale of the l5200 and selling only the L7000 and L5210s. We have also switched out the old L5200 kits, and are now selling the L5210 in kits that are the same as the L5200 kits (Our most popular L5210 kits are the L5210PK-WIFI, L5210PK10-WIFI, and the L5210PK10-WIFI-3G).

For those who have the old, L5200 model, worry not. The systems are effectively the same and all the products that work on the L5200 work on the L5210 and vice versa. If you need help with your L5200 or L5210 system, need communicators, or just have general use questions, please let us know or email us at support@alarmgrid.com.

Alarm Grid's Youtube channel has just hit an incredible milestone. More than 1 million unique visitors have visited the channel and watched the videos. Many of you have been introduced to the very idea of DIY home security through the channel, a fact that we are proud of.

Every month, users are spending more than 100 combined days of their time watching how to do everything from installing a security system to programming 5811 sensors.

The most liked video on the channel is the short, but very helpful video that helps users get out of programmer lockout. It's a small contribution, but before Alarm Grid, information on getting back into programming after you were locked out was nearly impossible to find, not to mention there were no simple demonstrations of it.

If you have seen the videos, you will know that they are some of the most information-packed videos available on the subject of home security products. Sterling has introduced us to an astounding amount of content about everything security system related.

Thank you to everyone for helping us reach this milestone. If you haven't subscribed to the Youtube Channel yet, we would love for you to do it now!

Join the 3,500 other subscribers and get alerts letting you know when we release any new videos.

Recently, we have released a set of videos that review the new Lyric Security system's main unit and contacts. These videos are some of the first videos anywhere of the much anticipated panel. This is the kind of high-quality content we've been delivering, and we promise that we will continue to deliver even more of it.

Honeywell's Lyric thermostat is one of the real gems of their smart thermostat collection. While released about a year ago as a precursor to the coming Lyric security system, the familiar circular design is evocative of Google's Nest thermostat which has been out for some time now and changed the way that we think of smart thermostats. For about a century, Honeywell has been the leader in thermostat technology, and has decided to take that experience into the proverbial boxing ring where they will be taking on Nest.

Introducing features like like Geofencing make the Lyric smart thermostat a cut above the rest, as it allows users to get the most out of their technology by leveraging the now-ubiquitous smart phone. While traditional smart thermostats often "learn" the habits of their users, Honeywell has taken it to a degree of simplicity that makes the Lyric a much more practical device.

It's integration with HomeKit will make the thermostat even more powerful. According to NextWeb, HomeKit compatibility will allow users to "set scenes designed to automate functions," as well as integrate with other HomeKit compatible devices. Simply, as HomeKit becomes better used, Lyric's 2nd generation thermostat becomes a more powerful and interesting thermostat. Honeywell has indicated to us at Alarm Grid, that the Lyric will be made compatible with Total Connect as well, which will mean, very soon that the security system will have a much more powerful WIFI integration with the most advanced thermostat that Honeywell has ever released.

If you are interested in getting email alerts when the Lyric Security System has been released, sign up below!

Alarm Grid's tech support will be closed on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th) and Christmas day (Dec. 25th).

Should you have a pressing technical issue, please email support@alarmgrid.com. Otherwise, please call our office number 888-818-7728 and leave a message. We will get back to you as soon as we get back from the holidays.

Worry not, the central station will be up and running, monitoring your alarm system through the holidays.

We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and hope that it is filled with family and friends.

If you are interested in financing your system, so that you pay for its cost over the next 12 months, then we have some incredible news!

Affirm, the company we have partnered with to offer financing, has announced that they will be offering that financing with absolutely no need to do a hard credit check. What that means is you do not have to worry about your credit score being affected when you apply for financing!

For those trying to figure out whether paying our great rates for monitoring is worth the up-front cost of a system, the ability to pay for that system over 12 months is a game changer. For most, the monthly cost of a financed system + monitoring is going to still be cheaper than paying for ADT or Vivint monitoring. What's more, when you're done paying off your system, you don't have to keep paying the high cost of monitoring.

If you are interested in learning about Affirm, take a look at our information page. You select Affirm at checkout, as a payment option, and you make your payments to them. It is simple, easy, and 100% transparent.

The L7000 kit is the winner of ESX's "Best in Show" in 2014, is being reduced in price. The most popular security system we have sold to date, the L7000 is head and shoulders above the rest. It's large screen supports up to 4 cameras, all the security functions of its high quality predecessors, and a number of robust Z-Wave home automation cameras to boot.

The standalone L7000 unit is now priced $102 cheaper than it was for a 36% reduction in price, while most of the kits are now between 4 and 7% cheaper. In all the savings are pretty excellent, and we're proud to be able to bring them to you. Below is the price chart showing our old price, and our new prices.

SKU	Old Price	New Price	% Reduced
L7000	381.99	284.99	36.43%
L7000PK	369.99	345.99	6.94%
L7000PK-5811	365.99	349.99	4.57%
l7000PK-WIFI	417.99	399.99	4.50%
L7000PK-3G	474.99	449.99	5.56%
L7000PK-WIFI-3G	526.99	499.99	5.40%
L7000PK10	505.99	479.99	5.42%
L7000PK10-WIFI	557.99	529.99	5.28%
L7000PK10-3G	614.99	589.99	4.24%
L7000PK10-WIFI-3G	666.99	639.99	4.22%

For those trying to decide whether to go with an L7000 or an L5200, we have a simple little chart detailing the differences between the two panels. While the L5200 is going to be about $50 cheaper than the L7000, these new prices are bringing it in line with the less powerful unit which might be a great reason to get the L7000 instead of the L5200 even if you don't need all the incredible features of the L7000 immediately or ever. The big screen might be enough to entice you.

The lyric, which will be released sometime during this quarter (we're told) will be our premier, more expensive security system (for updates, you can sign up for our mailing list). So this price reduction should allow users who maybe don't want to pay as much for a

The LYNX Touch series security system sported what has become the most iconic looking glass break detector in the industry. The Honeywell 5853 glass break detectors is a simple device with a small microphone that listens for a thud, then the crash of glass. It is a reliable piece of equipment that looks sleek and blends in well with the decore of any home.

The newer Honeywell SIXGB takes the same reliable technology and wraps it in a new aesthetic. As is the case with any of the new Lyric sensors, the new glass break detector communicates with the panel using secure encryption. The small, sleek sensor looks like any smoke detector an user has in their house and works just as well as any of the older Honeywell sensors. The technology is similar and the product is made with the Honeywell name, which means you know that the hardware is excellent.

The sensor features three hidden LEDs as well that will help an end user know the system's status. The unit features four sensitivity settings that will allow an end user to protect windows that are between 0 and 25 feet away which is the same range as the 5853, and takes a single CR123A battery.

For those that do not like the look of the new sensors, and are not concerned with the encrypted communications between the glass break detector and the panel, the old 5853 will still work with the Lyric security system. In fact, all of the 5800 sensors will continue to work with the new panel, which means that upgrading from an older LYNX Touch panel will not require that anyone purchase new sensors.

If you are interested in getting information on the new Lyric security system, then sign up for our email updates below!

If you are interested in getting email alerts when the Lyric Security System has been released, sign up below!

Update: The Lyric has been released and can be purchased on Alarm Grid.

Honeywell has long been known as the premier producer of security equipment in the United States. Therefore, it's no surprise that the new Lyric security system (coming soon!) is the most full-featured home security and automation controller ever made.

Much like the L5200 or the L7000 (and their predecessors - the L5100 and L5000), the Lyric wireless security system's UI has been given a complete overhaul compared to traditional wired alarm systems. It's new interface and capacitive glass front, give the new system an appearance unlike any that have ever come before it. Reminiscent of the 2GIG's Go!Control, the Lyric has all the best features of the 2GIG's front-end user UIs, along with simplicity of the LYNX Touch's system / sensor programming.

Unlike traditional, self-contained systems, the Lyric is a beautiful addition to any wall - protruding out only 1.3 inches. Honeywell has also streamlined the plastic housing so it's only 8.5 inches in width, and 6.65 inches high. This Apple-like security system has everything you didn't even know you wanted. Honeywell has done an incredible job building the most advanced security system ever sold.

Honeywell has taken a measured approach to building this system. Mimicking many of the best features of the 2GIG system, Honeywell has taken their expertise as hardware manufacturers, learned from the interfaces on the market, and added the best of the best features. The most notable feature borrowed from the 2GIG interface is the use of the 3rd hand, which lets an user work on the system while still being attached to the backplate hanging on the wall.

It's a perfect feature for the DIY-er who is interested in working on their system. Rather than having to dismount the system entirely from the backplate, or cut your finger on a hard to remove backplate (as Sterling has done multiple times).

Unfortunately, in spite of the Lyric being Honeywell's foray into a simple to use, DIY panel, they have eliminated one of our favorite elements of the old LYNX Touch security systems, the ability to use a barrel connector when installing it. Our LT-Cable is one of the simplest ways for an end-user to install the old systems. The Lyric takes a step back from the ease of use of a barrel connector and forces you to connect your power wires to internal screw terminals. While the older LYNX Touch panels (and the 2GIG as well) boast the simple to use DC input connection, the Lyric has eliminated it for inexplicable reasons. Using wire purchased from Home Depot isn't a difficult proposition, but it does make things a bit more difficult to the end user. This is, perhaps, the biggest drawback of the system.

Ultimately, the Lyric is way more compact than any of the LYNX systems before it. Nowhere is it more evident than in the new Lyric's communicators. The Lyric-3G, one of a number of GSMs that will be released for the final product, is a little bit thicker than a credit card. Unlike the older 3GL which protrudes from the circuit board itself, the Lyric-3G is super thin.

Unlike the LYNX security line, the Lyric-3G goes in through the side of the unit. No need for tools, save for what you will need to mount the unit on the wall, to install the GSM communicator.The Lyric wireless security system allows you to simply slip the 3G or CDMA communicator (yes, there will be a Verizon module available!) into the side of the unit with almost no hassle. Also, Honeywell has added a panel feature where you can click a button to turn off the internal power to the GSM so that you can install or remove a cellular communicator without fully powering down the system, which is a really nice addition.

Notice that I have not yet mentioned a Z-Wave or WIFI communicator. Unlike the L5200 or L7000, the Lyric does not have an optional WIFI or Z-Wave module. They are built in! This system is pre-equipped to connect to your local area network and integrate with Z-Wave lights, locks and thermostats. Older systems allowed users to add the L5100-WIFI and the L5100-ZWAVE optionally, which was a nice option, but definitely added complexity and made putting a system purchase together on our site more difficult. Building the WIFI and Z-Wave into the system adds to the usability of this amazing piece of consumer-friendly equipment.

We are amazingly excited to be getting ready to add the Lyric to our line of security systems. We hope you are as well. If you are interested in receiving updates about this coming system, please sign up for our newsletter below!

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Product Announcements

• L5200
• L7000
• Lyric Security System

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