News Posts

Until now, only alarm systems manufactured by Resideo, Honeywell Home, or Honeywell could be used with Total Connect 2.0. That changes with the new LTEM-P Series communicators. Some DSC and Interlogix panels can now be connected to and used with TC2. A supplemental wiring guide is provided.

The LTEM-PA AT&T LTE Communicator, and the LTEM-PV Verizon LTE Communicator available from Resideo can be used to send alarm signals on behalf of all the same VISTA panels that were compatible with the older AlarmNet communicators such as the Honeywell LTE-IA, and the Honeywell LTE-IV. In addition, certain versions of some of these panels can also be used with Total Connect 2.0 Remote Services when one of these communicators is attached to it.

With the release of the LTEM-P Series communicators, DSC PC1616, DSC PC1832, and DSC PC1864 panels can support both reporting through the communicator when it is connected to the panel's keypad bus and integration with Total Connect 2.0. In addition, Interlogix NX8E, NX-4V2, NX-6V2, and NX-8V2 panels can also be used with the LTEM-P Series communicators to both send signals, and integrate with TC2.

With the DSC PC Series panels, this is purely a keypad bus connection. The communicator's RX, TX, and Ground terminals will connect to the DSC panel's Green, Yellow, and Black keypad bus terminals. On the Interlogix NX Series panels that are supported, there is a connection to RX on the communicator from the terminal marked DATA on the panel's keypad bus. COM from the NX Series panel will connect to GND on the Communicator. In addition to this, the LTEM-P Series communicator will require a Resideo PRODCM Dialer Capture Module, which will connect to the panel's Tip and Ring terminals. The PRODCM will be installed inside the communicator. Panel signals are sent via the PRODCM, and Data Bus information for Total Connect 2.0 is sent from the bus.

There are some programming options that will need to be configured properly, for example the NX panel must be set to report in Contact ID format. In fact, all signals for both panel types will be sent to the monitoring station using Contact ID. The wiring connections should be made while both the panel and communicator are powered down. The alarm panel is powered up first, and all troubles, faults, and alarms must be cleared. Once they are, power up the communicator and it should begin to scan the panel's bus for zone information. This process can take up to ten (10) minutes.

This is not meant to be a step-by-step guide to setting up this feature, it's just an introduction to the feature for those who may not be aware that it is available. We offer an FAQ for using the DSC panels with TC2 here. If you have one of the compatible DSC or Interlogix panels, and you are considering using it with one of the LTEM-P Series communicators, check out the Resideo LTEM-P Series Installation Guide, the Resideo Supplemental Install Guide for Non-VISTA panels, and for those using a compatible Interlogix NX-Series panel, also check out the Resideo PRODCM Install Guide. We have not yet had an opportunity to create our own in depth FAQs for this process on the Non-VISTA panels, but we will get to those in the near future.

Have any thoughts about Resideo and Honeywell Home finally embracing the use of their communicators with competitor's panels? They offered a dialer capture module in the past, but it installed outside the communicator and was somewhat unwieldy. Leave a comment below and tell us what you think. We always look forward to hearing from our readers!

From the beginning, ever since place-based services have become a staple of alarm-based remote access, Alarm.com has provided a better experience than their closest competitor, Total Connect 2.0. Recently, they announced they will be rebranding, with a name change from Geo-Services to Places.

Geo-Services, soon to be re-christened Places, allows a user to create a geo-fence around any location, and then create rules for their panel and their other automation devices based on that geo-fence. For example, you could create a rule that tells the system when your iOS or Android device enters the geo-fence, turn on the porch light

Alarm.com users with Master Control, Full Control, and Custom with Notification Settings enabled can configure Places. The feature can be enabled from the customer app by selecting Menu > GeoServices > and setting the feature to enabled:

You'll be prompted to go to your devices Location Settings and choose to Allow Always in order for the Places feature to function correctly even when the Alarm.com app is not in use. Once the feature is enabled on one or more devices, you can then create a geo-fence. One of the changes that is coming in early November is the ability to manage geo-fences from the customer app. Previously, the ability to configure this option was only available through the Alarm.com website.

Since this change hasn't actually been implemented yet, there is a chance that the menu options mentioned and shown above may change. Geo-services is included in every Alarm.com plan, and there is no additional charge to enable it. Geo-services uses the phone and WIFI networks to determine the location of the geo-services enabled device, rather than the built-in GPS. This is because using actual GPS consumes a lot of battery, but for this reason, location accuracy suffers. It can be off by as much as 3km, although that's not something we've experienced personally. Also, there is a tiny amount of cellular data used when WIFI is not available. About 100 bytes of data or less per geo-fence crossed.

Available Rules and Reminders For Geo-Services

This is just a brief overview of this excellent Alarm.com feature that you may have, but may not be using. Be on the lookout for some possible changes to this feature early next month. If there are substantial changes, we'll be sure to keep you in the loop! Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts about this, or any other alarm features. We look forward to hearing from you.

Alarm.com video customers have another great weapon in their defensive arsenal. It's called Perimeter Guard™ and it works like this. Customers with video analytics enabled and using compatible cameras can program those cameras to flash their LEDs and make noise when an intruder is detected.

All that is required in order to enable this feature is an Alarm.com monitoring plan with Video Analytics enabled. Any Alarm Grid customer who subscribes to a monitoring plan that supports video can have this feature enabled. We don't enable Video Analytics by default because we pay more for it, but we don't charge more for it. But if you want to utilize this feature we're happy to enable it for you. Both of our Platinum plans, as well as our stand-alone video plan support this feature.

The list of cameras that can be used with this feature is always growing. Basically, the camera needs to have either a visible LED or a speaker with which to make noise on. Currently, the cameras that support Perimeter Guard™ are (updated 4/23):

• ADC-V724 on firmware version 0.6.1.387+ (supports LED and Audio Alert)
• ADC-V523 on firmware version 0.6.1.387+ (supports LED and Audio Alert)
• ADC-V723 on firmware version 0.6.1.387+ (supports LED only)
• ADC-VC727P all versions (supports LED and Audio Alert)
• ADC-VC827P all versions (supports LED only)
• ADC-VC847PF all versions (supports LED only)
• ADC-VC728PF on firmware version 0.6.3.601+ (supports LED and Audio Alert)
• ADC-VC838PF (supports LED only)
• ADC-VDB770 on firmware version 02199+ (supports LED and Audio Alert)

With Video Analytics enabled and a compatible camera, the only other thing required is to set up a Video Analytics rule for each compatible camera. This is one of those features that you set, then forget. Get the setup correct, and then it'll take care of itself!

To set this feature up through the Alarm.com Customer Website, follow these steps:

1. Log into the website. Go to www.alarm.com/login and using your Alarm.com credentials log in, completing any 2-factor authentication required.
2. Click Video
3. Click Recording Rules
4. Create or Edit Rule. You can either click the pencil icon to add this feature to an existing Video Analytics rule for a compatible camera, or you can Add a new rule. To see how to create a rule using Video Analytics, check out this informative FAQ. Verify that the initial Video Analytics settings are properly configured, then click Next.
5. Choose response. In the Activates section choose the audible and visible response desired:
   
   • Camera LED response. Click to toggle the Camera Status LED to Enabled if you want the LED to respond when activity is detected. There is a Duration drop-down, select how long you want the LED response to last.
   • Camera Audio Alert. This option is only available on cameras using the 2-Way Audio feature. Click the Camera Audio Alert toggle to enable an Audio Alert. There is an Audio Sound dropdown menu. Select the type of sound you want the camera to make.
6. Click Save

To set this feature up through the Alarm.com App, follow these steps:

1. Log into the App. Open the Alarm.com app and using your Alarm.com credentials log in, completing any 2-factor authentication required. Click the Menu icon in the upper left.
2. Tap Video from the available menu. Then tap the Gear icon.
3. Tap Recording Rules
4. Create or Edit Rule. You can either click the pencil icon to add this feature to an existing Video Analytics rule for a compatible camera, or you can Add a new rule. To see how to create a rule using Video Analytics, check out this informative FAQ. Verify that the initial Video Analytics settings are properly configured, then click Next.
5. Choose response. In the Activates section choose the audible and visible response desired:
   
   • Camera LED response. Click to toggle the Camera Status LED to Enabled if you want the LED to respond when activity is detected. There is a Duration drop-down, select how long you want the LED response to last.
   • Camera Audio Alert. This option is only available on cameras using the 2-Way Audio feature. Click the Camera Audio Alert toggle to enable an Audio Alert. There is an Audio Sound dropdown menu. Select the type of sound you want the camera to make.
6. Tap Save

It's that simple! Once you have this configured, using the advanced video analytics available through Alarm.com, the rule will take care of itself. The idea is that the flashing LED and the audible sounder will scare away an intruder before they ever make it to your home. It's a pound of prevention to ward off a ton of regret.

What do you think about this Alarm.com feature? Have you used it and had experience with it? Do you think it's something you'd like to give a try? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We love to hear from our readers.

Alarm Grid has obtained an extremely limited supply of the brand new Resideo IPCAM-WOC2 WIFI, outdoor, 1080p camera, compatible with Total Connect 2.0. After the announcement in March, 2021 that the IPCAM-WOC1 was discontinued, Resideo and Honeywell Home were left with no outdoor camera option.

Our blog in March announced that the Honeywell IPCAM-WOC1 would be discontinued. At the time, we didn't know why the camera was being discontinued. There wasn't a lot of information available then about why it was discontinued, or whether there would ever be a replacement. With Alarm.com releasing new variations of their cameras at a fast and furious pace, we were left to wonder what Resideo was thinking.

In July, 2021, we passed on to our readers that either the IPCAM-WOC1 (also sometimes referred to as the Lyric OC1) would make a return, or if not a return, that it would possibly be replaced with something very similar. It came to light that the reason the outdoor camera had been discontinued in the first place was that certain components involved in its production were no longer being produced.

Resideo was unable to source those same components elsewhere, so they are preparing to release the IPCAM-WOC2. This camera is technically not even released yet, so we don't have official documentation, with the exception of a Quick Install Guide, which frankly, contains several errors. For starters, we know for a fact that the image of the camera and its components used in the guide is incorrect. This document, much like the camera itself, will soon be receiving a face lift.

Some of the things that we know are updated in the IPCAM-WOC2, as compared to the IPCAM-WOC1 are: The Bluetooth Antenna is internal on the IPCAM-WOC2. It was external (part of the big wiring bundle) on the IPCAM-WOC1. The WOC2 will support Audio Analytics, with intelligent sound detection. The WOC1 did not support audio. The IPCAM-WOC2 comes with a 16 GB MicroSD card pre-installed, the IPCAM-WOC1 came with a 8 GB card. These are just a few things that we know about, when the full specs are released, we will update our product description with the full gamut of features and specifications.

If you've been waiting to get your hands on an outdoor 1080p camera that's compatible with Total Connect 2.0, now is your chance to pick one up. Given all the supply chain issues revolving around the global chip shortage, this is one of a handful of products that we know is currently in stock. But you had better hurry, because supplies are extremely limited. Once the units we have in stock are gone, we will likely have to wait for the full product release before we can offer any more.

We've actually heard this before. In December of 2020, we reported that Alarm.com would begin phasing out support for Edge Legacy in February of 2021, with support for that browser ending in April. However, apparently, those plans were thwarted and the new deadline is now on the horizon.

So, what is Edge Legacy, anyway? Well, when Windows 10 first launched back in 2015, Edge Legacy, then called Microsoft Edge was a part of that browser package in the same way that Internet Explorer had always been a part of the prior Windows releases. The original Edge was a HTML-based browser that Microsoft hoped would change the game for them, however, it was universally panned. I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Hated it!"

In January, 2020, Microsoft re-launched Microsoft Edge. This new version is built on Chromium, which is an open-source browser platform that was originally launched by Google, and serves as the backbone of Google Chrome as well as Opera, and Vivaldi. Since it's open-source, anyone can take it and make what they want with it.

Now that Microsoft has "embraced" Chromium, all modern browsers use open-source base platforms. Also, the use of Chromium means that the new Edge works with Chrome extensions. One of the big changes with Microsoft Edge is that it gets updated regularly and automatically, as opposed to updates being rolled out bundled with Windows updates. Microsoft stopped supporting Edge Legacy as of March 9, 2021.

So, back to Alarm.com and their announcement. Beginning Monday November 1, 2021, if a user logs into Alarm.com using either the Edge Legacy or the Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) browser, they will receive a pop-up message suggesting that they switch to a more up-to-date browser. They will continue to be able to log in using the current browser for the next two (2) months. After two (2) months, January 1, 2022, Edge Legacy and IE11 will no longer be supported for use with Alarm.com.

It is suggested that users choose Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge (the newest version) when accessing Alarm.com. Any of these compatible browsers on the most current version should provide a good, quality user experience when using Alarm.com. If you're not sure whether you have the Edge Legacy browser, or the Microsoft Edge browser, you can see the difference in the logos below.

So, what do you think about this announcement? Will it affect you or anyone you know? Some users, those that are resistant to change, may run into some issues with this. If you happen to be the technical support friend or relative everyone calls when they have a problem, you may hear about it. Let us know what you think in the comments below. We enjoy a robust dialogue with our customers!

The new ADC-V724 is the first camera from Alarm.com to offer 2-Way Audio in addition to 1080p HDR video, and IR night vision. With the integrated mic and speaker, you could easily have some fun with the neighborhood trick-or treaters while still protecting your property from vandals.

We all know that house in the neighborhood where the owners go all-out for Halloween. In some cases, it's like a haunted house attraction where, instead of having to pay to get in, you get candy if you're brave enough to get to the door. The Alarm.com ADC-V724 could help you make your house the one everybody's talking about this year!

Don't get me wrong, this camera is great all year. It just happens that it's being released at this time of year, which is fortuitous. Because, maybe you're not that house, maybe you're the other house. The one where the inhabitants turn all the lights off and pretend not to be home because they forgot to buy candy. Maybe you're in for some tricks because you don't have any treats. Well, the ADC-V724 has you covered there too. With one of these installed, you can sit inside and watch your property. If anyone shows up to play tricks, you can politely tell them through the camera that they should skip your house.

The ADC-V724 has an improved mount over previous versions of Alarm.com cameras, for better long-term stability. It also has an easier to reach Micro SD card slot, in the event you want to take advantage of the Onboard Recording feature. The minimum capacity for a Micro SD card is 32GB, maximum is 512 GB. No Micro SD card is included with the camera. It also allows you to take advantage of the full suite of Alarm.com Video Analytics, which is a powerful tool for eliminating unwarranted video captures. The ADC-V724 offers High Dynamic Range (HDR) for better light/dark contrast in low-light environments, and can work with either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz WIFI. With the built-in microphone, audio is included in recorded clips. When it comes to providing evidence to the police, audio is often just as important to them as video evidence, so this is a great added feature.

The speaker and Micro SD card slot can be seen in this image:

What do you think about the Alarm.com ADC-V724? Are you in the market for new indoor/outdoor cameras? Will you be going all-out for Halloween, are you the house with no candy, or somewhere in-between? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. If there's something you'd like to see us cover in our blog, you can let us know that as well. See you next time, until then as always, stay safe!

Resideo Technologies recently released a technical notification (TN #69) outlining an issue with the CELL-ANT3DB External Antenna kits. It seems that for some time, these kits have included an incorrect mounting bracket. Without the correct mounting bracket, proper mounting is not possible.

Update provided by Resideo!

The Resideo CELL-ANT3DB External Antenna kit is an outdoor rated antenna kit that supports a number of different cellular frequency bands. In addition to simply moving the antenna from the mounting location of the radio to a location outside, the CELL-ANT3DB also provides up to 3dB of signal gain to improve cellular reception for the AlarmNet communicator.

To resolve this issue, Resideo has released the technical notice listed here. All current stock has been called back and reworked to have the incorrect bracket replaced with the correct one. If you are purchasing a new CELL-ANT3DB, you can check the barcode sticker on the box. If there is a Green Dot on this sticker, the product has been through the rework process and has the correct bracket.

Image showing a reworked product with the Green Dot clearly visible:

If you recently purchased a CELL-ANT3DB from Alarm Grid and you believe your product has the incorrect bracket, contact us at support@alarmgrid.com and we will verify whether your product is affected, and will arrange to have the correct bracket shipped to you if it is. The information in the technical notice is lacking a bit, so in addition we've contacted the product manager to see if we can get some more data on either date codes affected, or images that show us what the incorrect bracket looks like, as opposed to the correct bracket. We will update this post with more information when/if it becomes available.

Update September 28, 2021

We heard from Resideo today that this issue affects a very small number of units. This error occurred on only three (3) days of production. Date codes E215, E222, and E223 are the affected production days. You can see the date code in the image above. It shows E256. If you purchase a CELL-ANT3DB Kit with one of the affected date codes, and the box has the green circle sticker mentioned and shown above, then your product is good to go. If you purchase a product with date code E256 or later, whether it has a green dot or not, the product is also good. If you purchase a product with date code E215, E222, or E223, and it does not have the green dot sticker, then you need to request a replacement mounting bracket.

Update: All US versions of the Qolsys IQ Panel 4 are now available, and the links for each panel type, along with a description of each, are available below!

Qolsys announced several new products at ISC West in August. However, product availability, including for the IQ Panel 4, has been nil. We now have one iteration of the panel that has limited stock available. The Qolsys IQ Panel 4 with Verizon LTE and Interlogix/GE SRF support in White.

The Qolsys Roadmap for product releases got a little rocky this year. We expected the Qolsys IQ Hub in the late Spring, with the Qolsys IQ Panel 4 to be released in the late fall. That's understandable with all the things that have been going on. What with the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the recent global chip shortage, we consider ourselves fortunate to be seeing stock on existing products, let alone newly announced ones.

At this time, we have limited stock available on one specific version of the Qolsys IQ Panel 4. This is the panel with built-in WIFI, a Verizon LTE cellular communicator, and support for both PowerG and Interlogix/GE and Qolsys 319.5 MHz wireless devices with the panel in White. Eventually, there will also be another version with these exact same specifications, but with the panel in Black.

As the rollout continues, and the component availability and manufacturing bottleneck abates, we will eventually see several other variations of this panel become available. You can see a list of all of them below:

Qolsys IQ Panel 4 Variations

If you click on any of the links above for products that aren't yet available, they will show up as discontinued on our site. Once they become available, we will blog again, and those links will become live. This way, you can come back to this post at any time and check availability on whichever panel variation you happen to be interested in.

In addition to the options shown above, the Qolsys IQ Panel 4 currently uses the same User Interface (UI) as the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. Eventually, they will offer a new look, and users will be able to choose between the new or the existing look. The panel has an 8 MP camera, which can be adjusted for tilt, increased signal range for all wireless cards that are built into the panel, more advanced speakers, three microphones, and many more hardware upgrades.

For those who may not know, Qolsys sought to make it easy to replace an existing panel that uses wireless sensors, without having to replace all of the sensors as well. So if you currently have an older Qolsys panel, or an Interlogix or GE panel, all of which used 319.5 MHz wireless sensors, then you would want to choose the corresponding Qolsys IQ Panel 4 in the color, and with the cellular communicator that best suits your needs.

Honeywell 5800 Series and 2GIG wireless both use 345 MHz wireless sensors. 2GIG has a lineup of encrypted sensors that also operate at 345 MHz, and those sensors will NOT be compatible with the Qolsys IQ Panel 4 that supports this frequency, but most other uni-directional 345 MHz wireless devices that work with either of these two product lines should also work with the Qolsys IQ Panel 4.

Older DSC panels used wireless sensors in the 433 MHz range. As you can see from the chart, there will also be a version of the IQ Panel 4 that supports these devices. DSC is also the manufacturer of PowerG wireless devices. All of the IQ Panel 4 variations will support PowerG. The idea being, once you replace the older panel, and begin to utilize the older RF sensors with the new Qolsys IQ Panel 4, if you need to replace the older devices, you can choose to replace them with the same older model sensor, or you can replace them with a PowerG version, which supports 128-bit AES encryption, and will have a range up to 4,000 feet with the IQ Panel 4. You can read all about why we love PowerG so much in this earlier post.

Qolsys released an RF Compatibility Document for firmware version 2.6.0. Both the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus, and the IQ Panel 4 will use this firmware. This is the base version for the IQP4, so any devices listed on this document as compatible have been tested by Qolsys engineering and are known to work. Uni-directional devices (those that only transmit to the panel, but don't receive any information from the panel) that are not on the compatibility list may or may not work. Bi-directional devices such as the Honeywell 5800RL, 5800WAVE, or 5828 will definitely NOT work.

Alarm Grid is excited to announce we are now offering certain Qolsys products at a lower price. Price reductions occur from time to time, and we're always happy to pass those savings on to our customers. The products we'll be talking about today cover a wide range of uses. Let's take a look.

The Qolsys Hardwire 16-F: This wired to wireless translator for 319.5 MHz panels sets the Gold Standard for these types of devices. With support for up to 16 wired zones, including one 2-wire smoke zone with up to ten (10) smoke detectors, 500 mA of power for devices such as motion detectors, and a 500 mA siren relay compatible with panels on RF PIC Version 11.1.4.G2 or higher. The Qolsys Hardwire 16-F is one of the most versatile expansion modules we've ever seen.

Qolsys IQ Carbon: The Qolsys IQ Carbon transmits at 319.5 MHz and is compatible with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 and Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus as well as older Interlogix/GE Simon panels. The Qolsys IQ Panel 2 and IQ Panel 2 Plus come in several different varieties, so be sure your panel supports 319.5 MHz wireless sensors before purchasing the Qolsys IQ Carbon. These panels customarily come in a box with a gold edge.

The IQ Carbon should be used in homes with a high chance of Carbon Monoxide gas build-up. CO gas is odorless and colorless, and is formed whenever carbon-based fuels are not burned efficiently. Carbon-based fuels include coal, oil, natural gas, and even wood. Homes with gas furnaces, gas appliances, fireplaces or portable gas heaters should definitely have properly placed Carbon Monoxide detectors.

Qolsys IQ Dimmer: The Qolsys IQ Dimmer is a Z-Wave plug-in on/off dim capable lamp module. It supports 120VAC/60 Hz and operates at 908.42 MHz, the Z-Wave frequency used in the United States. It can support the equivalent of 2.5A, 300W incandescent, 65W dimmable CFL/LED. If you plan to use this device for dimming, be sure that the bulb being used also supports light dimming. Although this is a standard Z-Wave device, rather than Z-Wave plus, it might be useful in a location where you need to add a device where you aren't concerned with range, and you know that the device won't need to act as a repeater. Although this device WILL repeat Z-Wave signals, it will do us using standard Z-Wave limitations.

Qolsys IQ Siren: The Qolsys IQ Siren uses standard Z-Wave technology, allowing a user to easily add a remote siren that produces up to 105dB siren sounds. This device plugs into any standard outlet. It is then paired with the alarm panel. On Qolsys panels, that's all you have to do. Once the siren is paired as a Z-Wave device, it will automatically follow the alarm sounds from the panel by default. The IQ Siren can also be used on other Z-Wave compatible panels, but may require additional programming in order to sound upon alarms on those panels.

Qolsys Image Sensor: The image sensor is a motion sensor with a still camera built-in. This affordable device just got even more affordable! For situations where you want to be able to see what's going on, but you don't want to add a full video system, the Qolsys Image Sensor is perfect. In conjunction with Alarm.com and the right monitoring plan, you can use the Image Sensor to peek-in and see what's going on at your home or business. You can set it up so that you receive an image capture upon the panel being disarmed, or when motion is detected in an area after a long period of inactivity. It's great for making sure the kids got home from school safely, or just to check in on your dog or cat who may be home alone.

You may have noticed, particularly if you have attempted to purchase an alarm communicator in recent months, that a lot of products are on backorder. This situation is related to the global chip shortage that has recently made headlines for disrupting the automotive industry.

Microchips can be found in just about everything, from ATMs to pacemakers, and in such varied products as smart pens and running shoes. Human beings love to rev up their traditionally low-tech devices in order to improve their usefulness, or at least their perceived usefulness. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the chips required to make some of these improvements are currently in short supply.

The automotive industry was both a cause, and a victim, of the global chip shortage. According to TechRepublic.com, due to COVID-19, automotive manufacturers were required to shut down in 2020 along with most other businesses. But rather than take delivery of the chips they'd already ordered, they decided to cancel those orders. Chip manufacturers were forced to either pivot, or get stuck holding the bag.

Fortunately for them, the shutdown meant that a lot of people were now working and attending school from home. The need for both online access and cloud computing went through the roof, as did the sale of computers, tablets, and laptops. Add to this a huge rollout of 5G smartphones and the folks manufacturing and selling chips were recovering pretty well.

Fast-forward to 2021, the automotive manufacturers have gone back to work, but the chip producers who were forced to pivot away from them have not really been incentivized to do what it takes to increase their supply. To do so would require a major investment in building more foundries for chip production, with no guarantee that they would see the necessary return on that investment. The chip manufacturers seem to be saying, "Poor planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on our part." So, as long as demand outstrips supply, we're likely to see shortages of any device that requires a chip. Alarm panels, communicators, peripherals such as expansion modules, the list goes on.

Experts in the chip manufacturing industry have provided various estimates as to when the chip shortage may abate. None of those estimates are within 2021. The CEO's of a couple of chip manufacturers, and an automotive industry insider were quoted in Popular Science this past August saying that they expect the shortage to last into 2022, and most likely beyond that, into early 2023. Until equilibrium is reached between supply and demand, expect to wait for some items, and to pay more for others.

Have you been affected by the global chip shortage? Are you waiting for an item that's on backorder? Leave us a comment and let us know how you're dealing with the shortage, or if you're not bothered by it at all. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Drop us a note, start a conversation or just say hello!