Honeywell Lyric Alarm System Posts

Alarm Grid has been beta testing the Lyric Controller for about 6 months now, letting users install it on their own using their DIY resources.

“We were the only DIY company to test and release the Lyric to end users. And our users have loved the system,” said Sterling Donnelly, President of Alarm Grid. “Even though the system is more advanced than any other system Honeywell has released to consumers, our videos and FAQs have made the installation process a breeze for anyone who wants to take advantage of the new features of the Lyric.”

In a unusual move, Honeywell announced the new system in January 2015 at CES. The buzz surrounding this new, modern, HomeKit compatible system was astounding. “The day that Honeywell made their announcement, we started getting inquiries,” said Joshua Unseth, Alarm Grid’s director of marketing. “We wanted to make sure that everyone who wanted to get a Lyric was able to as soon as they were released.”

Alarm Grid made good on that promise, releasing the Lyric some 5 months ago. “Since we released the system, it has become our most successful launch to date,” said Unseth. “The system has sold better than the L7000 and L5210 combined, and the response by the do-it-yourself community has been astounding. Our users love the Lyric.”

Needless to say, there are a number of features that make this panel different than any other security system ever developed. Most notably, perhaps, is the way the wireless sensors, themselves, communicate to the main board. While previous systems had been developed allowing one-way communication between the mounted sensors and the panel, Lyric’s SiX sensor technology, allows for two-way, fully encrypted communication between the panel and the sensors. This means that sensors themselves can receive firmware updates and that the communication between the Lyric and its sensors is uninterruptible. Moreover, for those that have invested in the older 5800 Honeywell technology which was standard with all wireless systems before the Lyric, the sensors are backwards compatible.

“Users can upgrade their old system without having to buy all new sensors,” said Donnelly. “They can get all the functionality of their old sensors, and the new functionality available as part of the Lyric at a really affordable price.”

To date, the Lyric was only available to dealers who were approved by Honeywell, which meant that the panel was difficult to get. But now that it has been tested for some months in the field, Honeywell has opened up the distribution of the system to all dealers. “We hope that the work we did with the Lyric will help other dealers deploy this state-of-the-art panel successfully,” said Unseth. “We have worked with Honeywell closely to suss out some of the early software problems that the panel suffered, and Honeywell has been extremely responsive in rolling out updates. We think that our partnership has been extremely beneficial to the project, and are excited to see the Lyric end up in the hands of more and more consumers.”

When asked if there were any features that end users would dislike, Unseth said, “the Lyric lock program will allow companies to lock end users into their service. If an end user wants to unlock the panel, they really can’t. We recommend that end users ask their alarm technicians if their company locks the panel when it is installed. Get in writing that they do not or will not. We never lock panels,” said Unseth, “but we understand why companies do. Companies work hard for their accounts, and unscrupulous companies will often try to swoop in and steal customers. That said, customers should do what they can to retain control of their options for monitoring. One way to do that is to politely ask their dealers not to lock their Lyric controller after the installation.”

“We strongly believe this is going to be the most popular DIY panel of the next 5 to 10 years,” said Donnelly. “It’s easy to install, it provides a unprecedented level of security, and it looks really good on the wall. For those looking to get this system affordably, or to upgrade their old system, give us a call, we would love to help them get the best security system on the market at a cost they can stomach.”

Alarm Grid provides resources on YouTube, and encourages anyone with questions to email them at support@alarmgrid.com.

There are two ways of viewing video from a Honeywell Total Connect 2.0 Camera.

Honeywell has released its own wireless, WIFI enabled, ip cameras. They are called IPCAMs and come in a variety of models for different applications. Honeywell currently offers three models of their IPCAMS. The IPCAM-WL is an indoor, low light camera. The IPCAM-PT2 is a pan-tilt camera that can be manipulated remotely through Total Connect 2.0, a WIFI enabled Lynx Touch or Lyric panel. The IPCAM-WO is a rugged camera that’s rated for outdoor use. All of the cameras are able to communicate over WIFI. IPCAMs can be used as standalone devices with or without an alarm system; their communication goes straight to the internet. IPCAMs also have an Ethernet jack on the back of the unit to be able to connect to a hardwired network.

There are three ways to connect IPCAMs to an IP network. The easiest method to connect is to use the WPS function. First, WPS needs to be enabled at the router supplying the WIFI network. Typically this can be done by pressing a dedicated button on the outside of the unit or by enabling WPS through the router’s web enabled GUI. After enabling WPS at the router press the WPS button on the back of the camera. The camera will automatically connect and configure itself to the WIFI network. For customers whose router doesn’t support WPS, Honeywell has released a device called the WAP that connects IPCAMs to the WIFI network using WPS. This device connects to the local router with a patch cord and has its own WPS button. With the WAP connected via Ethernet to the router, enabling WPS through the WAP and to the IPCAM allows the IPCAM to connect to the WIFI network. Lastly, in the event that WIFI isn’t going to be used, the cameras can simply be plugged into an Ethernet network with a patch cable.

IPCAMs are able to be viewed live at a Lyric panel or Lynx Touch panel that has a WIFI module installed, as long as the panel and IPCAMs are on the same WIFI network. The L5210 is able to view 2 cameras simultaneously where the L7000 and Lyric can view up to 4 cameras. IPCAMs live streams can also be viewed through the Total Connect 2.0 app. In addition to being able to view live streams, users can also configure IPCAMs to automatically record 10 second clips when a motion event occurs within their view. Up to 500 clips save to the cloud and can be watched, exported, downloaded and deleted through Total Connect 2.0. Users can also select email addresses to have motion events sent to as soon as a video event is captured.

If you are looking for the most advanced security system on the market, Alarm Grid has finally begun selling the Lyric Controller. This much-anticipated panel has been on the market for only a few hours now, and Alarm Grid is the first home security company to be selling it online!

In addition to the Lyric Controller, Honeywell has released a number of their encrypted peripherals, such as the SiXCT, the SiXPIR, the SiXFOB, the SiXSIREN and both the Verizon and the AT&T cellular communicators.

As has been the case with all our security systems, we are selling Lyric kits at a slight discount for those that need specific pieces to come with their Lyric's. There are a number of pieces that are not yet quite available. The Lyric LKP500 keypad, the SiXGB, and the SiXSMOKE, are still not in inventory, though we do anticipate getting them in soon. If you are ordering a Lyric, you can certainly add these items to your cart, but we want you to know that we're not shipping them until Honeywell gets some to us.

Also worth noting, we have a very limited quantity of the Lyrics and we've been told that we won't be re-supplied for a couple of weeks. We're selling them on a first-come-first-serve basis. So get your system today before they're all gone.

For those who are a little bit intimidated by the idea of installing the system, luckily for you, we have a series of great Lyric security system Installation videos you can watch! While you're there, make sure to hit subscribe. :)

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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