Honeywell VISTA-50P

The Honeywell VISTA-50P is an alarm control panel in the VISTA Series family of Honeywell alarm control panels. As the VISTA-50P is an older alarm control panel, it lacks compatibility with some of the newer more advanced features like AlarmNet’s Total Connect service and the Honeywell Tuxedo Touch or Tuxedo Touch WIFI keypads. However, it is a solid option for someone that needs more functionality than the VISTA-15P or VISTA-20P but doesn’t want to get into the more complex VISTA-128BPT or VISTA-250BPT commercial alarm control panels.

The VISTA-50P alarm control panel supports (9) standard hardwired zones right out of the box and is expandable up to (87) total zones. You can also set up a maximum of (8) different partitions if you have areas throughout your home or business that you would want to be able to arm separately from other areas. There is even a polling loop that provides both power and data if you want to use V-Plex devices with your VISTA-50P. The additional hardwired zone, multiple partitions and ability to use V-Plex devices are all advanced system features that most residential applications would not need or want. However, if you do require any of these features, the VISTA-50P may be the perfect alarm control panel for your alarm installation.

You can use fixed English alarm keypads like the 6150 or 6150RF to control your VISTA-50P and do basic system programming. However, for advanced programming like setting up zones, you will need at least (1) alphanumeric alarm keypad like the 6160 or 6160RF. If you go with the 6150RF or 6160RF keypads, you will also have the added advantage of wireless zone capability as they have integrated wireless receivers. The 6150RF supports up to (16) wireless zones and the 6160RF supports an unlimited amount of wireless zones but you can only use up to (26) wireless zones with your VISTA-50P. Of course, you can also add a regular wireless receiver like the 5881ENL, 5881ENM, or 5881ENH if you don’t choose to go with a keypad that includes a wireless receiver.

Please note that the Honeywell VISTA-50P does not support ECP mode with any of the AlarmNet alarm monitoring communicators. Therefore, if you add the 7847i internet alarm communicator, the GSMV cellular alarm communicator or the iGSMV dual path alarm comunicator, you will need to use the more limited 4204 or trigger mode for alarm communications. Therefore, your central station will not get full Contact ID information and you will not be able to sign up for AlarmNet’s advanced Total Connect interactive service. This is a major disadvantage of going with a VISTA-50P as Total Connect is the future of alarm monitoring communications. If you don’t care about alarm monitoring, this disadvantage will not affect you.