Training Posts

Alarm Grid is here with a video recap! We have four (4) new videos this time, all featuring myself. We have cellular communicator installation videos for the 2GIG GC2 and GC2e and some videos explaining the use of thermostats on Alarm.com. Let's check out the latest Alarm Grid videos!

Upgrading the 2GIG GC2 to LTE

I show you how to upgrade the 2GIG GC2 to LTE. There are two (2) LTE communicators currently available for the 2GIG GC2. These are the 2GIG LTEA-A-GC2 AT&T LTE Communicator and the 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC2 Verizon LTE Communicator. Upgrading to LTE involves removing the system's old 3G or CDMA communicator and installing a new LTE module in its place. It is very important that you do this before the 3G Sunset to prevent any disruption to your monitoring service.

Installing a Cellular Communicator Into a 2GIG GC2e

I show you how to install a cellular communicator inside of a 2GIG GC2e. The 2GIG GC2e Security System does not come with any available communication path by default. You must add a cellular communicator to get the GC2e monitored. The communicator will connect the system with the Alarm.com servers. Alarm.com then forwards important information, such as alarm events and system trouble conditions to a central monitoring station and/or the end user directly via text message and/or email.

ADC-T2000 and ADC-T3000 Thermostats Work with Alarm.com

I explain how you can use the Alarm.com ADC-T2000 Thermostat and Alarm.com ADC-T3000 Thermostat with the Alarm.com interactive platform. Both the ADC-T2000 and ADC-T3000 are Z-Wave Plus thermostats that pair with virtually any Z-Wave controller or hub. If that Z-Wave hub also happens to be an Alarm.com Security System that is actively being monitored, then the thermostat will be automatically pushed over to the Alarm.com platform after it has been enrolled with the system and the system syncs with Alarm.com.

Adding the ADC-T2000 to an Alarm.com Account

I show you how to pair the Alarm.com ADC-T2000 Thermostat with your Alarm.com account. The ADC-T2000 is a Z-Wave device. Like most Z-Wave devices, when you pair it with your Alarm.com Security System, the device will be automatically pushed over to your Alarm.com account the next time that your alarm system performs an automation sync with the server. You will then be able to control the thermostat remotely through the Alarm.com website and mobile app and include it with Alarm.com Smart Scenes.

You may recall us briefly discussing the Alarm.com Camera Onboard Recording feature when it was announced that the ADC-SVR122 was being discontinued. Today, we're taking a closer look at the feature, what it entails, and how you can get started. Let's check out Alarm.com Onboard Recording!

Simply put, Alarm.com Onboard Recording allows a compatible Alarm.com Camera to record captured footage locally to a micro SD card that is on board the camera. As the camera is connected with the Alarm.com servers, the user can access the footage on the Micro SD card remotely using the Alarm.com website or mobile app. Only footage that is still on the Micro SD card can be accessed. As the camera continues to record and store video, older footage on the card is deleted to make space. You must access and save any important footage on the Micro SD card before it is deleted and lost forever. Many Alarm.com users have found that onboard recording is a nice alternative to using a streaming video recorder (SVR) device.

There are many things to keep in mind when thinking about Alarm.com Onboard Recording. The first thing you should consider is which Alarm.com Cameras support the feature. At this time, there are only three (3). These are the ADC-V515, the ADC-V523, and the ADC-V723. It's likely no coincidence that these cameras also happen to be the premier residential video surveillance options offered by Alarm.com. You may also recall that Alarm Grid took an in-depth look at these same cameras not too long ago. Check out that post here. Remember that you will need a monitoring plan that includes both video surveillance and access to Alarm.com to use any of these cameras. Examples of compatible plans include an Alarm Grid Platinum Level Plan (Self or Full) or an Alarm Grid Video Only Plan. Learn about monitoring plans here.

Once you have a compatible camera, you can then start thinking about which Micro SD card you want to use. The Micro SD card you select cannot have a capacity smaller than 32GB and cannot be larger than 512GB in size, and it should be a high-quality card that has been specifically built for video surveillance. Alarm.com lists the following Micro SD cards as compatible:

• Micron Industrial Memory Cards (Available in 128GB and 256GB)
• SanDisk High Endurance
• WD Purple Micro SD Cards

Additionally, you should check out the following FAQs from Alarm Grid that show you how to install the Micro SD card for each of the compatible ADC Cameras:

• Installing the Micro SD for the ADC-V515
• Installing the Micro SD for the ADC-V523
• Installing the Micro SD for the ADC-V723

After selecting the proper plan, a compatible camera, and a recommended Micro SD card, make sure your monitoring company enables the "Onboard Recording with Smart View" feature on your account. You will not be able to set up the feature on your account until this option has been enabled. Once you have the Onboard Recording feature set up and running, accessing the recorded footage is very simple. You can use the Alarm.com website or mobile app for this task. We recommend checking out our FAQ on Viewing Alarm.com Onboard Recorded Video from an SD Card for more information.

What do you think of the Alarm.com Camera Onboard Recording feature? Would you like to see it become available for more Alarm.com Cameras? Leave a comment down below, and share your thoughts. And stay tuned to the Alarm Grid Blog for more security system news coming soon!

If you have been keeping up with the Alarm Grid blog, then you have likely seen us discussing Alarm.com Doorbell Cameras at some point or another. Today, we're breaking down the three (3) most popular options of doorbell cameras for Alarm.com to help you determine which one is best for you.

The three Alarm.com Doorbell Cameras we will be discussing today include the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770 Video Analytics Doorbell Camera, the SkyBell Slim Line II 720p Doorbell Camera, and the SkyBell Round 1080p WIFI Doorbell Camera. While we can straight away say that the ADC-VDB770 is the premium option here and offers the most impressive features, some users might not need such a loaded device, and they might instead prefer one of the other options. But if you want a quick and dirty answer as to which doorbell camera is the "best", then most security experts are going to steer you towards the ADC-VDB770. Still, there are so many avenues to explore here, that it's really worth looking at the devices from an in-depth perspective.

Before diving into the specifics of each Alarm.com Doorbell Camera, it important to understand one key aspect. Unlike regular Alarm.com Security Cameras, you do not need a true video monitoring service plan to use one single Alarm.com Doorbell Camera device on your Alarm.com account. This is great news for Alarm Grid Gold Plan members with access to Alarm.com, because you can add a single doorbell camera to your account, without having to upgrade your monitoring plan. There are some video "clip limits" to keep in mind, but most users rarely find them to be an issue.

If you go with the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770, you will get 1,200 monthly and 1,200 total clips. For the other doorbell options, it's just 400 monthly and 400 total clips. Most users find 400 to be plenty and they are rarely in danger of reaching their limit. But getting 1,200 clips with the ADC-VDB770 can be a nice bonus. For more information on Alarm.com Clip Limits, please review this FAQ. Please note that if you do use doorbell devices in conjunction with a true video monitoring plan, then each doorbell will count as a full Alarm.com Camera, with its clips counting towards the monthly limit.

One last thing we want to say is that each of the three (3) doorbell cameras we will be discussing today has its own omni-directional microphone, and you will be able to use the device for two-way audio when configured with Alarm.com. This is universal across all three (3) devices, as is getting push notifications to your phone, so we figured we would address that aspect before getting into the individual specifications.

Now, with that out of the way, let's start actually discussing the devices in-depth. We will start with the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770.

If we're looking purely at recording capabilities, the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770 is the clear winner here today, It offers a live recording resolution of up to 1440x1920, though the resolution will often be turned down to prevent any lags or disruptions on a live camera stream due to upload bandwidth requirements. Recorded clips are also available in 1440x1920 resolution. The camera's field of view (FoV) is also quite impressive, at 150° Vertical, 115° Horizontal. It's also the only Alarm.com Doorbell Camera with High Dynamic Range (HDR). Alarm.com also says that it offers "rapid people detection" and a "premium build quality". Infrared (IR) Night Vision ensures that the camera works well in the dark.

But there are a few intangible considerations with the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770 that aren't necessarily factors with the other doorbell cameras shown here. First, the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770 is often marketed for its ability to be used as a "touchless doorbell". You can add on accessories like a "Do Not Touch" Cover, and a "Stand On Mat To Ring Doorbell" Door Mat. It really changes your experience in using and interacting with the device. Of course, you don't have to set up the device this way, you can keep its doorbell button exposed and fully functional. But in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the need for a "touchless" product makes sense.

The ADC-VDB770 is also the only Alarm.com Doorbell Camera at the time of this writing in March 2021 that supports any form of Alarm.com Video Analytics. To be clear, the ADC-VDB770 is compatible with a very limited form of Video Analytics, in which there can only be one Video Analytics recording rule per device. There can only be one (1) Ground Zone recording rule, and only "People" can be set as the trigger. The camera does not have a motion detector, and you are required to set up Video Analytics to get the camera to function how you want. This is where the "rapid people detection" feature comes from.

One interesting "quirk" for the ADC-VDB770 is that it actually has a noticeably more narrow operating temperature than the other doorbell camera devices we will soon be discussing. For cold weather, the ADC-VDB770 is only safe down to -22°F, unless you obtain the "cold weather collar" accessory (sold separately), which will bring the low-end operating temperature down to -40°F. We've never heard of a "temperature collar" for any security system equipment before, but sure enough, the Alarm.com ADC-VDBA-TC is a real thing. The other doorbell cameras do not have an equivalent "collar". They just work in the colder -40°F without an add-on. Meanwhile, on the other end for "hot" temperatures, the ADC-VDB770 Doorbell Camera is listed at a surprisingly low 104°F. We know that many users live in areas where it regularly gets hotter than that. For that reason, you may want to be a bit wary of the device's operating temperature. Meanwhile, the other two doorbell cameras have "higher" operating temperatures of 122°F and 140°F, respectively. You shouldn't run into many issues there. But 104°F may have you sweating as you wonder if your doorbell camera investment can withstand the heat of a hot summer day.

In our experience, we have seen most customers who get the Alarm.com ADC-VDB770 ultimately have good success setting up the Video Analytics feature, and they are highly satisfied with the device's overall performance. But there are some users out there who simply don't care for the fine-tuning and precision setup that comes with Alarm.com Video Analytics.

These users just want a simple doorbell camera that interfaces nicely with their smartphone. Visitors can press the button to ring the doorbell or it also has a passive infrared motion detector that, if enabled, tells the camera when to start recording because someone has walked into the viewing area. If that is the case for you, then we're sure you will be very happy with one of these two (2) alternative options to the leading ADC-VDB770.

The SkyBell Alarm.com Slim Line II Doorbell Camera, also known as the ADC-VDB105X (Satin Nickel) or ADC-VDB106X (Bronze), certainly makes a compelling argument if you are just wanting something slightly more basic but effective as a doorbell camera. We often see this with Alarm.com equipment. Their premium line is fantastic, but then one step below it they have a more "entry-level" option that is actually quite excellent in its own right. And that's really the case with the SkyBell Slim Line II Doorbell Camera. It's a great entry-level doorbell camera, overshadowed by the flashy, high-tech offerings of the ADC-VDB770.

With the SkyBell Alarm.com Slim Line II, you only get 720p live-streaming, and 720p recorded footage. Again, the live-streaming quality can be toned down to adjust for low-bandwidth and whatnot, but 720p is where it maxes out. This is still very clear footage, and you can pair it with the camera's wide field of view (170° Horizontal, 110° Vertical) for some truly excellent results. And you still get features and functions like push notifications on your phone regarding doorbell camera activity. Plus, you get the same great IR night vision capabilities. Overall, you aren't losing out on too much by going with the Slim Line II, so certainly consider it as a viable option. And you can't go wrong with that simple, yet modern rectangular slim design.

Last up, we'll discuss the Alarm.com Round SkyBell, also known as the ADC-VDB101 (Satin Nickel) and the ADC-VDB102 (Bronze). Honestly, there's not much reason to choose this model over the Slim Line II, unless you're particularly fond of the round design. The round model can also achieve a higher live video resolution (1080p vs 720p), though it is still limited to 720p for recorded clips. The camera of the round model offers an impressive 180° Field of View, and the night vision recording range is still about 15 feet in full color. This one doesn't use IR for night vision, so the more ambient light in the area, the better the nighttime images will be. Just like before, you can get push notification doorbell camera alerts on your phone, which is the main benefit of these devices.

Here is a breakdown of the doorbell cameras:

	ADC-VDB770	Slim Line II	Round
Image(s)
Video Analytics	- (1) Ground Zone Recording Rule. - Only "People" Set As Trigger.	None	None
Motion Detection	From Video Analytics	PIR	PIR
Touchless Functionality	Yes (Cover & Mat Sold Separately)	No	No
Streaming Video Resolution	Up to 1440x1920	Up to 720p	Up to 1080p
Recorded Video Resolution	Up to 1440x1920	Up to 720p	Up to 720p
Horizontal Field of View	115°	170°	180° w/ auto-scaling
Vertical Field of View	150°	110°	180° w/ auto-scaling
High Dynamic Range (HDR)	Yes	No	No
Night Vision	Infrared (IR) ~15 Feet	Infrared (IR) ~15 Feet	Full Color ~15 Feet
Microphone for Two-Way Audio	Omni-Directional	Omni-Directional	Omni-Directional
Power Requirements	16-30VAC, 10VA 15VDC, 8W (533mA)	10-36VAC, 10VA 12VDC, 0.5-1A	10-36VAC, 10VA 12VDC, 0.5-1A
Operating Temperature	-22°F to 104°F -40°F to 104°F (w/ Temperature Collar)	-40°F to 122°F	-40°F to 140°F
Operating Humidity	Less than 95% RH, Non-Condensing	10% to 80% RH	0% to 100% Condensing
Clip Limits w/o Video Monitoring Plan	1 Video Doorbell Device Per Account. 1,200 Monthly Clips 1,200 Total Clips Cannot Increase w/o Video Plan.	1 Video Doorbell Device Per Account. 400 Monthly Clips 400 Total Clips Cannot Increase w/o Video Plan.	1 Video Doorbell Device Per Account. 400 Monthly Clips 400 Total Clips Cannot Increase w/o Video Plan.

Have you used any of these doorbell cameras with Alarm.com? Please let us know about your experiences in the comments section below. Also, let us know if there are any other Alarm.com features you would like us to cover in a future blog post. We look forward to hearing from you!

We have some exciting news from Alarm.com. The latest version of the Alarm.com Mobile App for iOS (Version 4.18) will make your enrolled smart locks compatible with Siri Shortcuts. This means that you will be able to control your smart locks with spoken voice commands. How convenient!

If you aren't familiar with Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts, they represent an innovative way to control your system and its integrated accessories using spoken voice commands. Each command is customized so that it performs the exact actions you want. Siri Shortcuts are available for iOS 12 and higher, so make sure your iOS device is on a high enough version before trying to set them up. We very strongly recommend reading this post from a couple years prior to refresh your memory on Siri Shortcuts and how they can be used. Overall, we think the Siri Shortcuts feature serves as a nice alternative to Apple HomeKit, which isn't compatible with Alarm.com or its associated security systems.

From what we can tell, the only way that a Siri Shortcut could control a smart door lock prior to Alarm.com iOS Version 4.18 was to do so indirectly through a smart scene. In other words, the user must create a smart scene that tells a door lock to LOCK or UNLOCK, and then create a customized Siri Shortcut to run that smart scene. Of course, a user would need separate scenes for LOCKING and ULOCKING, and they would need different scenes for each individual lock if they wanted complete control over their entire network of door locks. But with the update in iOS Version 4.18, smart lock control is made much more convenient and more easily accessible.

Thanks to the update, users can now create Siri Shortcuts that deal with locks directly, rather than being part of a smart scene. Each Siri Shortcut can control a single door lock, or a user can control all their locks at the same time with one single command. For a single lock, it's as simple as asking Siri to LOCK or UNLOCK a door based on the name of the lock. For example, you might say,

• "Hey Siri, UNLOCK the FRONT DOOR."
• "Hey Siri, LOCK the BACK DOOR."

Or if you wanted to control multiple doors,

• "Hey Siri, LOCK all the doors."
• "Hey Siri, UNLOCK every door."

Keep in mind that this door lock control for Siri Shortcuts is being made available in Alarm.com iOS Version 4.18. This update isn't available quite yet, but we expect it to be released in the coming days. At the time of this writing, the newest iOS Version we see is 4.17.3. You can check the version you're running by logging into the Alarm.com iOS App, and then choosing the Menu button (three horizontal bars) in the upper-left corner, and then selecting About in the bottom-left, and then About Alarm.com. The App Version will be displayed in white text across the top orange bar.

Remember to check the Apple App Store for the release of Alarm.com iOS App Version 4.18. Then open Settings within the Alarm.com Mobile App to access Siri Shortcuts. That is where you can enable the "Share Activity with Siri" settings and build customized Siri Shortcuts for use with your door locks. Remember that you can only control door locks that are enrolled with your Alarm.com account. Z-Wave door locks work great for this, and we have plenty of options available for purchase on our site if you are looking to get started.

Remember to check out our monitoring page if you are interested in starting monitoring service for access to Alarm.com. And please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you need help getting started with Alarm.com Siri Shortcuts for door locks. We're here to help you get the most out of your door locks and your Alarm.com service.

If you have a hardwired security system with wired sensors, then it's likely you have set up some End Of Line Resistors (EOLRs) with your equipment. Today, we're taking a quick look at these pieces of equipment to explain how they get their name and why they're important for your system.

The simplest way to understand resistors (end of line or otherwise) is that they reduce the flow of electrical current. These devices have many potential uses, but today we will be focusing on how they are used with wired alarm systems to supervise connected sensors. Basically, the presence of an End Of Line Resistor tells a system that no sensors have been tampered with on a zone.

On a wired alarm system, you may have many hardwired zones. If you look at a single wired zone, there can be multiple sensors of the same or similar type connected to it, all in a line. From the alarm panel input moving outward, you will find the first sensor in the line, then the second sensor, and so on, until you reach the final sensor. That sensor is the end of the line. At that last sensor, you will have the end of line resistor (EOLR).

The reason why you have the resistor at the end of the line is because cutting any of the sensors leading up to the last sensor will cause the system to lose track of the EOLR. Basically, by putting the resistor at the very end, the system knows that all the sensors leading up to it are still in-place. The entire line, the entire series, if you will, has its current slowed, or resisted, by the EOLR. Once you either remove any of the connected sensors or attempt to short out any of them, current will then stop flowing through the circuit. The system will detect this and know that, at somewhere in the circuit, something has been tampered with, and the user needs to be informed.

Remember, this is also how the zone works normally. In a circuit where the sensors are normally closed and the EOLR is wired in series at the end of the line, opening a sensor, such as when you open a door, also prevents the system from seeing the resistor, which is what causes the zone to display a fault condition. In most cases, burglary zones will only show a fault when a zone has been tampered with. Rarely will they cause a trouble condition, though in some cases, it is possible to configure a zone especially for this type of behavior.

In many cases, resistors are actually installed at the terminals on the panel. The reason this is a bad idea is that when the resistor is at the panel, a burglar could put a short across any point in a normally closed zone, and the only way the user would be able to detect it would be if they noticed that a particular point on the zone was open, a window for example, and should have been showing a fault, but that no fault was actually being displayed on the keypad. If this happened on your system, would you take notice right away? Granted, this assumes the burglar had access to the system while it was disarmed, and was able to set this up in advance.

The above scenario would imply that the protected premise is a business or a home with a good deal of service personnel coming in and out. We use this scenario just to illustrate why proper resistor placement is so important. This same vulnerability exists on hardwired zones that are programmed as normally closed, or normally open. Though with a normally open zone, the intruder would cut the circuit anywhere between the panel and the first sensor, rather than shorting it.

It should be noted that an EOLR will be wired according to the behavior of the zone type. That is, an EOLR will be wired in Series (in line) for a Normally Closed (NC) zone, or it will be wired in Parallel (across) for a Normally Open (NO) zone. Keep that in mind when configuring the EOLRs for the different zones on your alarm system. And if you have a zone without any connected sensors, then you can still have a resistor at the end of the line, but that "end of line" would just be across the zone terminals themselves. This is a good practice in order to keep up with any unused resistors, in the event that you want to add a supervised wired zone to the system at a later time.

We hope that this quick lesson in end of line resistors may be helpful to anyone who is new with alarms, and perhaps working with a wired alarm system or wired sensors for the first time. If you have any questions about setting up a wired security system, or if you are hoping to learn more about Alarm Grid monitoring services, please send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. We're here to check your emails from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Welcome to the second Alarm Grid video recap of 2021. It has been awhile since our first recap of the year, but we really hope to make this a regular thing like it was before. Technical difficulties have slowed us down, but we're going to be back in the swing of things very soon!

Only two (2) new Alarm Grid videos were uploaded in the past week, both of them on Monday, February 15th. They cover the Alarm.com ADC-T2000 Thermostat and the DSC PG9905 Temperature Sensor, respectively. Both videos featured myself as the actor. We hope to have our other video stars back as soon as possible, but it looks like you may have to settle with just me for the foreseeable future. Expect more videos coming really soon. Anyway, onto the newest Alarm Grid videos!

Setting an ADC-T2000 Back to Factory Default

I show you how to restore an Alarm.com ADC-T2000 Z-Wave Plus Thermostat to its factory default settings. All settings and configurations for the thermostat will be set to the same values as when the device was brand-new and fresh out of the package. You normally only factory default the ADC-T2000 Thermostat if you are selling it or giving it away to someone else. You may also perform a factory reset as a last-resort troubleshooting step if nothing else seems to fix an issue.

Programming DSC PG9905 to Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus

I show you how to program the DSC PG9905 Temperature Sensor to a Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus Alarm System. If your IQ Panel 2 Plus System is monitored with access to Alarm.com, then you can receive alerts for when your PG9905 Sensor is activated. However, if you set up the zone so that reports are sent out for Alarm.com alerts, then you will only be able to configure the PG9905 zone for either high temperature or low temperature alerts. The only way you can have a single PG9905 alert the system for both high and low temperatures is if you set the zone so that it does not report out to Alarm.com. Any temperature thresholds can be adjusted on the system as desired.

Alarm Grid has learned about issues that may arise if you attempt to use an SIA PROM Chip on a Non-SIA Honeywell VISTA Panel. Doing so may prevent connected ECP devices from working properly. Issues may also arise if you attempt to use a Non-SIA PROM Chip on an SIA-approved VISTA Panel.

Before we discuss the issue itself, we will first cover some terminology to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Many Honeywell VISTA Alarm Panels come in both SIA and non-SIA variants. For example, there is the Honeywell VISTA-20PSIA and the Honeywell VISTA-20P, the Honeywell VISTA-15PSIA and the Honeywell VISTA-15P, etc. When you see SIA in the panel's name, that indicates that the alarm panel has been configured to meet various guidelines outlined by the Security Industry Association (SIA) for false alarm prevention. For all intents and purposes, SIA-Compliant VISTA Panels are basically the exact same as non-SIA VISTA Panels, except that the SIA-approved panels have various programming restrictions put into place to prevent false alarms. For example, an SIA-compliant VISTA Panel will not allow you to disable Entry and Exit Delay periods, and they will require you to set a minimum Dialer Delay for the system. There are various other restrictions that we won't cover in this post. Just know that an SIA-compliant system will have various restrictions in programming for the purpose of preventing false alarms.

Meanwhile, the PROM Chip installed on a Honeywell VISTA System sets its firmware. You can easily locate the PROM Chip on your VISTA System's green circuit board. Just look for the small black square chip with the white sticker on it. The white sticker includes version information so the user can identify the type of VISTA System they are using and its current firmware. Users remove older PROM Chips and replace them with newer ones as a means of upgrading their VISTA Systems to support new features. Alarm Grid sells 15P PROM Chips, 20P PROM Chips, and 21iP PROM Chips for Honeywell VISTA Systems. We typically advise replacing a 15P or 20P PROM Chip with less than Firmware Version 9.12, as that is the minimum version needed to support Total Connect 2.0. Likewise, the minimum PROM Chip needed on a VISTA-21iP for Total Connect 2.0 is 3.13. For more information on replacing PROM Chips, please see this helpful FAQ.

Please note that it is only possible to replace a PROM Chip on a VISTA System with a firmware version or PROM Chip version of 2.0 or higher. If your VISTA System shows a PROM Chip version of less than 2.0, then it is not possible to replace its PROM Chip, and you must replace the panel entirely. Also note, that you should never attempt to remove or replace a PROM Chip while your VISTA Panel is powered on. Always power down the panel completely before replacing its PROM Chip.

For the longest time, it was believed that you could use an SIA PROM Chip on its non-SIA VISTA printed circuit board (PCB) without experiencing an issue. For example, if you removed the PROM Chip on a Honeywell VISTA-20P, and replaced it with a WA20PSIA PROM Chip, then it was believed that no issues would occur. The same was believed to be true if you used a non-SIA PROM Chip on an SIA-compliant VISTA board. An example there would be if you removed the PROM Chip on a Honeywell VISTA-20PSIA and replaced it with a 20P PROM Chip. Aside from determining what was allowable within programming, no other issues were believed to occur if you used an SIA PROM Chip on a non-SIA VISTA System PCB, or vice-versa.

But upon further testing, that is not the case starting with VISTA System Firmware Version 9.17 on VISTA-20P Panels. Any Honeywell VISTA-20P PCB (non-SIA) that is being upgraded to Panel Firmware Version 9.17 or higher must have a non-SIA 20P PROM Chip. Likewise, any Honeywell VISTA-20PSIA System PCB (SIA-Compliant) that is being upgraded to Panel Firmware Version 9.17 or higher must have a 20PSIA PROM Chip. If you try to use an SIA PROM Chip on a non-SIA VISTA System (or vice-versa), then it is possible that peripheral devices connected to the system's ECP bus may not work properly. ECP devices for a VISTA System include any wired keypads, any alarm monitoring communicators, and any wireless receivers. This same error is also believed to occur on any Honeywell VISTA-15P (or VISTA-15PSIA) that is being upgraded to Panel Firmware Version 9.17 or higher, though further testing is needed to verify if that is indeed the case.

You can determine whether your VISTA System is an SIA Panel PCB or a non-SIA Panel PCB by checking a sticker on the panel's terminal block. This is a small barcode sticker at the bottom of the terminal block, below the phone line terminals. Check for one of the following messages:

• SAVS20PSIA - Regular VISTA-20P
• SAV20P-SIAP - VISTA-20PSIA
• SAVS15PSIA - Regular VISTA-15P
• SAV15P-SIAP - VISTA-15PSIA

Long story short, if you are using a Honeywell VISTA-20P, VISTA-20PSIA, VISTA-15P, or VISTA-15PSIA and you wish to PROM upgrade it to System Firmware Version 9.17 or higher, then make absolutely sure to use a PROM Chip specifically designed for that particular board. Do not attempt to use an SIA-equivalent on a non-SIA board, or a non-SIA Chip on an SIA-Compliant VISTA board. Mixing an SIA Chip on a non-SIA board (or vice-versa) for 15P or 20P Systems (or SIA equivalents) when upgrading to Firmware Version 9.17 or higher can result in ECP devices not working properly. As long as you use a proper PROM Chip for your system, then no issues should arise. If you are ordering a PROM upgrade chip from Alarm Grid then place your order and be sure to specify which version you need by sending us an email using the email address listed below. If you purchase either the Honeywell LTEIA-TC2 or LTEIV-TC2 or any of our other upgrade kits for VISTA panels, then you will receive all four of the available upgrade chips. Just be sure to select the correct chip for your VISTA PCB.

If you have any further questions about Honeywell VISTA Systems and their PROM Chips, or if you want to learn more about alarm monitoring service for your Honeywell VISTA System, please send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. We're here to answer any questions or concerns you might have. Our hours for responding to emails run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

You may recall that we made a post about a month ago discussing "issues" that have been affecting the IQ Panel 2 Plus and its ability to be used as a secondary Z-Wave controller. We have a rather extreme follow up today, as Qolsys has revealed that the system never supported the feature!

When we released the initial post on the subject, we were not aware of the true" extent" of the issue. We certainly didn't expect to find out that Qolsys never even made it possible for the feature to work. We won't dive super deep into the subject here, as there really isn't much to say, The raw truth is that you cannot use the IQ2 as a secondary Z-Wave controller.

It is possible to add a secondary Z-Wave controller to the IQ Panel 2 and have the IQ2 operate as the primary controller. But you can never make the IQ Panel 2 System a secondary Z-Wave controller. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion that this may have caused. For a more in-depth look at the subject, we strongly recommend reading this comprehensive FAQ that explains the inability of the IQ2 to be used as a secondary controller in much greater detail.

Now, maybe you have explored the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Advanced Z-Wave Settings Menus in glorious detail, just like we have. If you have, then you will know that secondary controller options do exist within the IQ2 menus. Based on that alone, you would think that there must be a way to get this type of setup to work, right? That's the problem. The menu options might be there, plain as day. But trust us, if you try to make the IQ2 a secondary Z-Wave controller, then it will not work,

What we need to do now is focus on the implications that arise from the system's inability to be used as a secondary controller. As a result of the IQ Panel 2 being unable to operate as a secondary Z-Wave controller, the system loses out on potential compatibility with a wide selection of automation hubs. This includes compatibility with Samsung SmartThings, Vera Smart Controllers, Nexia Smart Home Automation Systems, and much more. Seriously, while the IQ2 once had excellent prospects of pairing nicely with almost any centralized Z-Wave hub, those prospects are all but gone.

Fortunately, there are other alarm systems that do not share this same limitation of the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 and IQ Panel 2 Plus. Most notably, we will recommend the Honeywell Lyric Controller. The Lyric has proven on repeated occasions to "play nicely" as a secondary controller. One example can be seen in this FAQ, which explains the benefits of making the Lyric a secondary Z-Wave controller, while also helping users get started. If you are thinking about purchasing a new Honeywell Lyric Alarm System for its excellent versatility in smart home automation, then you may also want to check out this buying guide. Although that particular buying guide was written for the Lyric during a holiday buying season a couple of years prior, it is still relevant in helping new Lyric System users explore their options for getting the most out of the system.

If you have any questions about the Honeywell Lyric or any other popular alarm control panel, or if you want to learn more about our monitoring services, send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. We're here to check your emails from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

One thing we have noticed about the 2GIG GC3e is that it seems to be prone to erroneous Supervision Trouble conditions. This has left some users confused as to why their system zones are not working properly. But luckily, we have some tips to prevent this from happening to you and your GC3e.

Before we give our three (3) tips to follow, let's make sure we're all on the same page by explaining what Supervision Trouble normally refers to. Supervision Trouble occurs when a system does not receive a periodic "check-in" signal from an enrolled wireless sensor. This is usually either the result of the sensor not being able to send out its check-in signal, or the check-in signal not reaching the intended destination of the alarm panel. Some reasons why the sensor might not send out the signal include the sensor being powered down due to a dead or removed battery, or the sensor being physically destroyed. Some reasons why the the sensor's wireless check-in signal might not reach the alarm panel could include the sensor being moved to a new location in the building, or new obstacles, such as thick walls or large metal structures, being added inside the building. Regardless of the cause, you need to make it so that the sensor's check-in signals successfully reach the panel. Once you do that, you can clear the trouble condition. For GC3e users, you can learn how to clear the trouble condition by reviewing this FAQ.

But for the 2GIG GC3e, we have seen Supervision Trouble conditions occur, even when the sensor is powered on, successfully enrolled, and in clear communication range of the alarm panel. The issue seems to be particularly prevalent for the encrypted 2GIG eSeries Sensors that were built specifically for new 2GIG Alarm Systems. The good news is that our research has found that these sensor consistently and reliably work as intended, without causing any Supervision Trouble, as long as you follow some basic principles when using and setting up these devices. In addition to making sure that your sensor is powered on and communicating successfully with your 2GIG GC3e Panel, here are three (3) quick and easy tips to keep in mind whenever you are enrolling or configuring your 2GIG eSeries Sensors with your GC3e.

1) Reprogram from scratch when replacing an old sensor. If you have a sensor enrolled with your 2GIG GC3e, and you need to replace it with a new one, then you should remember to clear or delete the zone first, and then reprogram the entire zone from scratch, this time using the new sensor. Many users will need to do this if an old sensor becomes lost or damaged. While it might seem easier to just go in and remove the enrolled Serial Number for the zone, and then auto-learn the new one, this process has been known to cause Supervision Troubles. It's true that a sensor is identified based on its Serial Number, but you can't just delete the old Serial Number, add the new one, and expect everything to work perfectly. This is even the case if you are deleting a sensor and replacing it with one of the exact same model, for the exact same Sensor Type. Instead, take the extra time, delete the zone entirely, and then program it from scratch. For more information on the process, please review this page.

2) Reprogram from scratch when moving a sensor to a new partition. The same rule applies if you are moving an existing sensor to a new partition. This may be something to keep in mind if you are setting up system partitions for the first time, or if you want to change which zones users on a certain partition are able to control. If you are unaware, the 2GIG GC3e supports four (4) partitions, which are referred to as "Smart Areas", and the feature must be enabled at Q69 of System Configuration. More information on Smart Areas and how to set them up can be found here. Regardless, many users think that they can simply change the Partition Assignment within a zone, while keeping all other zone settings the same, and expect it to then function without a hitch. Unfortunately, it isn't that easy, as not completing this process properly may result in Supervision Trouble. Again, you must clear out the zone, and reprogram it from scratch. The only difference is that this time, you must assign the correct partition number, instead of the one it used originally. Alarm Grid invites you to check out this FAQ on switching GC3e Partition Assignments.

3) Always use the correct Equipment Code for 2GIG eSeries Sensors. The last tip we have involves the use of proper Equipment Codes. Before the rise of encryption, the Equipment Code setting was largely symbolic, and as long as an appropriate "equivalent" equipment code was used when programming a sensor, no issues would likely occur. But since the encrypted 2GIG eSeries Sensors use advanced "two-way" communication, using an incorrect Equipment Code can cause unwanted behavior, including Supervision Trouble. This one is a bit easier to fix, as you can often just replace the improper Equipment Code with the correct one in zone programming. If that doesn't work, then you can take the next step of trying to reprogram the entire zone from scratch. But you should be able to clear the trouble condition as normal once the Equipment Code is correct, based on the eSeries Sensor you are using.

The table below shows the Equipment Codes for 2GIG eSeries Sensors:

If you are an Alarm Grid monitored customer needing help with your 2GIG GC3e, or if you are interested in starting new service with Alarm Grid, please email our technical support team and security system planners at support@alarmgrid.com. We're here to help you from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you haven't been keeping an eye on the Alarm Grid YouTube Channel, then you may have missed the two (2) new videos we uploaded last week. It has been awhile since our last video recap, so we wanted to give these a special highlight. We hope to be back in the studio regularly very soon!

Before we focus on the new videos, we have some good news and bad news. The bad news is that it may still be a few more weeks before we are able to really start concentrating on them again and begin putting them out like we used to. Our Florida office is in a state of flux right now behind the scenes, and while this should have no impact on our ability to provide you with top-quality service, it does impact our ability to shoot, edit, and upload new videos. And once we are back doing videos, keep in mind that it may take us another week or two to really "shake off the rust" and get back in the swing of things. We ask for your patience during this time, and we apologize that we haven't been able to give you the new videos that you have come to expect from us.

But the good news is that we expect new videos to return very soon, with all of your favorite faces, and maybe even some new ones at some point in 2021. We know we're off to a bit of a slow start, but we truly believe that this can be the best year yet for the Alarm Grid Video Team. There are some great ideas sitting in the bin, and we're very eager and excited to put them out. We just ask for some patience as we work to get things set up. It won't be long until you're checking out new videos every week to get the most out of your security system!

With that out of the way, let's take a look at the two (2) new videos we have for you today. These are the very first Alarm Grid videos of 2021, and they cover some great topics. We only had time to get Jorge into the Alarm Grid studio, so he's the star of both of these videos. Special thanks to Jorge and our video team for rallying and putting these together. We know that two videos isn't very much, but we hope that these can at least hold you over until we make a full return to the studio and really begin reminding everyone just what our team is capable of accomplishing. But enough stalling. Here are the newest Alarm Grid videos!

Troubleshooting a Lyric Using Apple HomeKit

Jorge provides some troubleshooting tips for a Honeywell Lyric System that is using Apple HomeKit. The HomeKit integration for the Lyric allows you to receive a limited selection of Lyric System Alerts from the HomeKit platform on your iOS device, and perform various system functions using spoken Siri voice commands. To start using the HomeKit integration, your Lyric System must be activated for monitoring service, as HomeKit functionality can only be enabled remotely by your alarm monitoring company. HomeKit service is usually used to supplement Total Connect 2.0, as TC2 provides greater detail regarding system activity and faulted zones than HomeKit.

Entering Programming On a Partitioned IQ Panel 2 Plus

Jorge shows you the differences that occur when you go to enter programming on a Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus system that has partitions enabled, versus one that does not. Alarm system partitions are used to section off a single system into multiple "areas" that can be armed and disarmed independently from one another. When you have partitions enabled on the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus, you are asked to provide a code before you even access the main screen. The code you enter will determine your level of authority. You will only need to provide a code again if your originally entered code lacks the authority to access a particular menu or setting. But if partitions are not enabled, then you won't need to provide a code unless you attempt to access menu options with restricted access, such as the Installation Menu.