What Touchscreen Keypads are Compatible with the Honeywell VISTA 20P?

The touchscreen keypads that are compatible with the Honeywell VISTA 20P are the Honeywell Tuxedo Touch and the Honeywell 6280. Both can be used for general arming and disarming and deep level programming through Console Mode. But only the Tuxedo Touch adds Z-Wave control for the panel.

Many users want to add a touchscreen controller to their VISTA Series Systems. A touchscreen keypad can be much more inviting and user friendly than a standard pushbutton keypad. Fortunately, there are two compatible touchscreen keypads available for the 20P System. These are the Tuxedo Touch and the 6280. One thing to keep in mind though is that the the Tuxedo Touch and the 6280 are both considered Advanced User Interface (AUI) devices. The VISTA 20P only has four (4) AUI address slots available. The Total Connect 2.0 platform also takes up one of these AUI slots. So if you have TC2, you can only add a maximum of three (3) touchscreen keypads to your 20P.

The Tuxedo Touch WIFI is currently the most advanced touchscreen keypad available for a VISTA Series Panel. This device provides a colorful and inviting interface that is more inviting than a pushbutton keypad. It provides all the tools you need to arm and disarm your system and conveniently bypass sensors. You can also program the system using its Console Mode. This feature allows the Tuxedo Touch to operate as an Alphanumeric Keypad for deep level programming. The Tuxedo Touch also operates as a Z-Wave controller, which allows you to start using Z-Wave devices with your system. You can also use TC2 to control Z-Wave devices if you have automation enabled on your account. Another benefit of the Tuxedo is that it provides a 4-day weather forecast.

The Honeywell 6280 is exactly the same as the Tuxedo Touch, except that it lacks two (2) distinct features. With the 6280, you do not get Z-Wave functionality, and you also do not get the 4-day weather forecast. But other than that, the 6280 is basically the same. You still get the ability to arm and disarm the system and bypass sensors as needed. You can also use Console Mode for deep level programming. If you don't require the smart home automation functionality of the Tuxedo Touch, or if you don't want the 4-day weather forecast, then the 6280 might be your best option. You might also want to get a 6280 if you already have a Tuxedo Touch, and you don't require a second Z-Wave controller.

Many users choose to use a Tuxedo Touch of a 6280 as their primary system keypad. This is usually fine, as the Console Mode feature allows users to perform deep level programming. But there is one very important thing to keep in mind if you decide to go with just a 6280 or a Tuxedo Touch. Neither of these keypads can be used to backdoor the system in the event that you are locked out of programming. This is because you cannot load Console Mode fast enough during the boot-up process. For that reason, you might want to keep a 6150 or a 6160 Keypad on hand in case you ever need to perform the backdoor method.