Honeywell 6162RF Posts

Just a little while back, we wrote about how Honeywell had introduced the new Honeywell 6162 and 6152 keypads. These new wired keypads have some awesome new features that make programming a little less confusing, and a little more "GUI" (graphical user interface) based. Honeywell is calling the new programming interface VIP and it is only available to users with VIP compatible keypads if their alarm system has the newest 9.18 PROM chips on their Vista 20P and VISTA 15P circuit boards. Honeywell is shipping the new V20P/V15P panels that have the 9.18 chips already installed for those that are purchasing new systems. However, if you are interested in upgrading an existing system to support the VIP programming, you don't need to purchase an entire new system. We offer a standalone VISTA-20P PROM chip and a standalone VISTA-15P PROM chip that you can use to to upgrade the panel without needing to reprogram any settings. Until this week, we were distributing the older 9.12 prom chips that supported Total Connect 2.0 as Honeywell had not released the standalone 9.18 chips. We are happy to announce that as of this week, we do have the new 9.18 PROMs.

While having an updated, state-of-the-art panel is what everyone wants, getting the 9.18 PROM chip is not necessary for everyone. First, check the revision of your system. Then, here are a few things to consider before you jump in and get the new chip set:

What is different about the new revision?

The only difference so far as we have been told between the 9.12 PROM and the 9.18 PROM is the ability to use VIP programming. So before you jump into a new revision, decide whether the VIP programming is something you want. If you have an old 6160 keypad, the answer is simple. You can't do VIP programming. On the other hand, if you have a 6162 keypad, the VIP programming is something you can definitely make use of if you have the right PROM.

Do I need the 9.18 PROM to use Total Connect 2.0?

Nope! The new 9.18 PROMs do support Total Connect 2.0 service, but any system with at least a 9.12 PROM will support Total Connect 2.0 as well. The 9.18 chips won't give you any added Total Connect features as of yet. We'll let you know if that changes.

Will the old communicators work with the new revision?

Honeywell hasn't made any changes to their communicators. So the 15P and 20P communicators that worked for 9.12 panels will continue to work for 9.18 revision panels: GSMV4G, GSMX4G, 7847i, and iGSMV4G

Like Honeywell's VISTA series AUI keypad, the Tuxedo Touch, these keypads feature sleek, rounded corners. While Honeywell has used the old 6160 for years and years, rarely updating their keypad interface, this new keypad marks a new era in Honeywell design as they are moving to a more end-user friendly design. The large backlit display of the new Honeywell 6162 makes understanding what is being done on the keypad much more simple, even for those who are not that familiar with the wired systems.

What's that all mean? This is better for all you DIYers out there! It gives you way more options. If you are more comfortable with a wired system, or simply like some of the added functionality of a wired system over the wireless series panels, such as the L5100, then now is the time to become a home security DIY genius. It will work with any new VISTA-15P or VISTA-20P panel that sports revision 9.16 or higher. The VISTA-21iP panels need to be revision 3.16 or higher and the VISTA-10P panels need to be 4.16 or higher.

The new keypads also come in a variety of choices. For those wanting the voice annunciation features that are built into some of the newer systems like the L5100, the 6162V or 6152V should be your weapon of choice. For those looking to add any of Honeywell's wireless sensors, the 6162RF and 6152RF are where you'll want to look. Like the 6160 and 6150 series keypads, the 6162 is the alphanumeric programming keypad, and the 6152 is the less expensive, fixed-English keypad. Both of them look great and are a better user experience, but only one of them is recommended for programming.

It's an exciting time to be a Honeywell customer, big changes are coming! Honeywell seems more and more dedicated to making sure that end-users have full control of their monitored security systems.