Connecting PC/MAC to Home Security System

[Greg]

I need some help/advice on where to get started. I am writing some
software (more details on that later) that will essentially serve as
another sensor in the home (intruder detection sensor). Where I am
stuck is that I don't know how to "talk" to the home security alarm
panel. I have USB and Firewire out of the computer, and I would
absolutely just LOVE if I could simply plug in a USB cable that was
wired at the other end to open/close the alarm circuit. However, I
doubt that is possible.

So, any advice on this is much appreciated.

REgards,
Greg Dameron

[Matt]

Couldn't you just but a relay/control board, have the software fire the
relay, and tie the relay to a zone on your panel?

Lots of other experts here (I'm not) but....... trying to interface
with your panel at a software level seems overly complicated; and for
most panels, probably unlikely.

[Andrew Gabriel]

In article <1107798680.208367.325300@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups. com>,
"Greg" <greg@gassedracing.com> writes:
> I need some help/advice on where to get started. I am writing some
> software (more details on that later) that will essentially serve as
> another sensor in the home (intruder detection sensor). Where I am
> stuck is that I don't know how to "talk" to the home security alarm
> panel. I have USB and Firewire out of the computer, and I would
> absolutely just LOVE if I could simply plug in a USB cable that was
> wired at the other end to open/close the alarm circuit. However, I
> doubt that is possible.
>
> So, any advice on this is much appreciated.

Some alarm panels have an RS232 serial interface, which
allows monitoring and in some cases control of the alarm.
You should probably look for one of these panels, or are
you trying to work with an existing panel? I've never seen
USB or firewire directly into a panel, although a USB to
serial adaptor could be used in the case of a serial
interface alarm.

--
Andrew Gabriel
Consultant Software Engineer

[G. Morgan]

Subject: Connecting PC/MAC to Home Security System
Newsgroup: comp.home.automation
=> Greg <= wrote:

>I need some help/advice on where to get started. I am writing some
>software (more details on that later) that will essentially serve as
>another sensor in the home (intruder detection sensor). Where I am
>stuck is that I don't know how to "talk" to the home security alarm
>panel. I have USB and Firewire out of the computer, and I would
>absolutely just LOVE if I could simply plug in a USB cable that was
>wired at the other end to open/close the alarm circuit. However, I
>doubt that is possible.
>
>So, any advice on this is much appreciated.


Homeseer and Napco p9600

DSC and the PC5401/4401 Data Interface Modules

Elk M1G



--

-Graham

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