Using 2GIG Sensors With a Lyric System

Hey, DIYers. I'm Jorge from Alarm Grid here, and today we're going to be working with the Lyric system and 2GIG sensors. So a lot of people have the question, if 2GIG sensors are compatible with the Lyric system. The answer to that is yes. However, your Lyric system does need to be on at least firmware version MR3, right? Right now, the current available firmware version for the Lyric at this moment is MR7. So if you bought a new Lyric, the system is more than likely on the firmware update, but again, you can always easily check that in the System Settings. So basically, just to touch base on this, right? So Honeywell sensors transmit at at 345 megahertz frequency and so do the 2GIG sensors. So one would automatically assume that, hey, since they both use the same frequency, 345 megahertz, why won't the 2GIG sensors work on any Honeywell systems that also have a wireless receiver? For instance L7000. The L7000 is a system that also works with 345 megahertz Honeywell frequency sensors. The thing is, the 2GIG sensors up to this point used to only work with the 2GIG GC2 and the 2GIG GC3, which are these two panels behind you right here. Now, the reason for that, it's not that the 2GIG sensors are encrypted, it's just that they didn't have the open communication format that the Honeywell sensors have. So they were a little more difficult for the Honeywell systems, the 2GIG sensors, they made it harder for the panel to communicate to them, which is why they weren't compatible. But if you now have a Lyric system, and you're on at least firmware version MR3, then you can actually use 2GIG sensors. And I'm actually going to demonstrate that today. So two of the most common sensors that we have-- we actually have these in our kits-- are the 2GIG VERSA sensors. These are the ones that come in most of our kits, and then we also sell separately the 5800 mini sensors, which we actually have a little label on this one so we don't get confused. Why? Because they look exactly the same. They're actually manufactured by VERSA. These are VERSA 2GIG sensors. These are Honeywell 5899 minis. And I'm going to go ahead and open them up for you just so you guys can see the inside, and you guys can see the difference. But they're exactly the same. They both have the two lights at the top, the blue light to indicate whenever the magnet's in contact with the read switch, and then the green light to show you whenever the sensor is transmitting a signal. All right? So I'm just going to open up both of these sensors for you. And you're going to see that they're pretty much the same, except the inside of the sensors are different colors. You're going to see that the Honeywell one has a red circuit board, and you're going to see that the 2GIG one has a yellow circuit board. Give me just one moment. And again, it's not anything you have to zoom into or anything. You can actually pretty much tell the color right away as soon as you open the sensor. It's a pretty big difference. Give me just one second. This one's pretty hard to open right here. Easiest way to open these sensors, get a small little flathead, stick it in the little cracks that are on the edge of the sensor and then just twist it. And it should just pop right open. All right. So you'll see that the Honeywell one has a red background. It also has a sticker in the middle with the serial number. And then you'll see that the 2GIG one, has a yellow circuit board. Yeah? And again, it also has a sticker with the serial number on it. So the only difference is the color of the circuit board. But they're both made exactly the same. All right. So now that we've actually taken a look at the inside of the sensors, again, both of these will work with the Lyric as long as you're on a good firmware version, which is MR3. That's the minimum one that you need to be on. So let me go ahead and put the covers back on here now, because I'm going to show you guys that they actually learn in. All right? The covers just snap on. And again, this goes for any 2GIG sensor. It's not just these sensors. If you guys have motions, if you guys have glass breaks, smoke detectors, any 2GIG sensor will work with the Honeywell Lyric. One thing that will not work with the Lyric are the 2GIG keypads. Right? So you can't get a 2GIG keypad and learn that into the Lyric system. Right now, we're only referring to sensors, all right? So only the security sensors, doors, windows, glass breaks, smoke seals will work with the Lyric system. I'm going to show you guys now that these both are exactly the same kind of sensor, and they both program in the same way, right? I'm just going to do this real quick. You go to Tools, you enter in the installer code. Mine is defaulted at 4112. Yours could be different if your company has changed it. I go to Program, Zones, Add New. I'm going to hit Serial Number. I'm going to get a magnet, and I'm going to go ahead and auto learn my sensor in by tripping it three times. [BEEP] So you heard the first beep. [BEEP BEEP] Second beep. And the third beep. [BEEP BEEP BEEP] Now, one thing I want you guys to notice is it's always best to do the auto learn feature. Why? Because these sensors, if this is your first time installing them, it can get a little confusing as the Honeywell ones use loop 1, the 2GIG ones use loop 2. But again, this is just for this sensor specifically. It can change depending on if you're using motions, et cetera, all right? So you always want to use the auto learn feature, as that's going to program it in correctly for you. So mine's set to loop 1. Front door. I'll just hit Save. I hit another Add New, Serial Number. And now I'm going to learn my 2GIG VERSA sensor. So again, I trip it three times. The first beep. [BEEP] The second beep. [BEEP BEEP] And the third beep. [BEEP BEEP BEEP] There you go. So as you saw, since I did the Auto Learn feature, I don't have to worry about changing the loop number, it's already programmed exactly how I want it to be. So now I hit Save. I'm just going to go ahead and back out. Ooh. I've got to back out to the Home screen now. And if I fault either of these doors, it's going to chime the same way. The 5800 Mini. [BEEP BEEP BEEP] Front door. Front door. This one learned in as the back door. This is the 2GIG VERSA. [BEEP BEEP BEEP] Back door. So again, that just shows you guys right there that the 2GIG sensors do work with the Honeywell Lyric system, which right now, this Lyric system is on firmware version MR7, but in order for 2GIG sensors to work with the system, the minimum firmware version has to be MR3. All right? Now, if you guys don't have the correct firmware version on your Lyric alarm system, you just have to ask your alarm company. They should be able to push it down from the alarm net servers. If you guys are not monitored by a company, there is no way to get this firmware update except by getting activated by an alarm company. We do have no-contract plans if that's something that you guys ever need us to do for you. You just have to sign up, have us push down the firmware update, and that's pretty much it. We will be pushing down the latest firmware. So whatever is out at the moment is what you will get. And if you guys do have any question on how to do that, again, just email us at support@alarmgrid.com. If you guys found the video helpful, make sure you hit like underneath, subscribe to the YouTube channel, and enable the notifications so whenever we upload new content, you guys do get notified. I'm Jorge, and I'll see you guys next time.