Re: Powermax Opinions

["Philip Coombes" <philip.coombes@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Ben,

I've just installed a PowerMax in the last few weeks so I thought I'd give<= BR> you my opinions so far.

Overall I am very pleased with it, it seems to have a lot of all the right<= BR> functionality and lots of things you can configure. I do have some more
specific impressions about it though.

1) For a wireless systems I seem to have a lot of wires running through the=
wall, a 6 core one for the bell, a power lead, an X10 connection and a
telephone connection. I refuse to have any exposed wires anywhere for an alarm so I've had to bury all of these and route them through to the
<burglar visibility=3D"hidden">garage</burglar> which= makes quite a bundle.
2) I'm not sure I like having a low voltage supply in and a separate
transformer, and certainly not a cheapo plug in one you get with it. My las= t
alarm though cheap had it's own transformer and battery built in which seem= s
a lot more sensible to me, though obviously it would require more space in<= BR> the box. Also I get the impression that Visonic can't really decide if it's=
a 9V system or a 12V system with all the palaver you have to go through wit= h
adding an extra PSU if you want a full sounder and strobe, so I've also got=
an unused 240v supply stuck in the back. I haven't actually bought or
installed a PSU and sounder yet as it's another =A375 where I'm looking (an= y
recommendations for this would be appreciated) but I have cabling ready. Actually I have to confess that the cabling remains from my last alarm
system and I have completely forgotten how I managed to run the wire from the bell box to the cabinet, try as I might I cannot figure out how I did it, it looks impossible!
3) It's bleeding expensive. However I feel compelled to keep adding new
sensors as it's so neat.
4) The ability to run a second switch off the magnetic contact (as an
entirely different zone) is very handy. However again this means my wireles= s
system does actually have a load of wires running between magnetic contact<= BR> boxes and reed switch pairs all over the place.
5) The software which you can download looks quite handy. However you need = a
special cable to do it locally, which I've only seem bundled with the s/w for around =A350! Actually it looks just like the only bit you really need = is
an adaptor from 4 pins to an RJ11 socket and an RJ11<->DB9 cable. The= latter
I can make the former might need a bit of hacking round. It also supports dial in access but only at <modem year=3D"1970">300 baud<= ;/modem>. I've been
mucking around trying to do it over a mobile but certainly my mobile and probably the whole GSM network doesn't support locking to 300 baud (as
there's no negotiation involved) so got nowhere. I'm waiting til I have to<= BR> visit someone elses house and can use their phone to dial in to try it. It<= BR> would be much handier being able to configure from a PC. Tantalisingly the<= BR> software has a greyed out option which is to connect via TCP/IP, if only it=
were true!
6) It's cool having the docs online to read before you buy, however this appears to be the only substantive amount of information about the system and some of that is bogus.
7) X-10 functionality is useful if a little frustrating. Only 7 unit codes<= BR> and there is a global setting for whether events toggle the X-10 or pulse i= t
for a certain period. So far I think it's a case of setting up macros an controller for virtual units to actually get it to do what you want.
Frustratingly for me (ref. ZoneMinder) there event that relates to an alarm=
flicks on and off rather than being on for an alarm and off when it's
cleared. Some of the other conditions are a little weird too.
8) If I'd had it installed professionally and he hadn't given me the instal= l
code I'd be somewhat pissed off. You need the installer to change nearly al= l
the configuration including the times of day for lights coming on etc.
9) Do not program the phone numbers in before you've completed finished
playing with it otherwise it will ring you (and everyone else) all the time=
and leave messages if you don't answer. Even just taking it off the wall is=
enough.
10. The bracket thing that you mount it on can be a bit tricky to get on with. Mine has got stuck half on and half off the bracket before, and since=
part of it is designed to snap off under stress I got very nervous about forcing it.

Going back to the questions you actually asked, I'm not really sure what yo= u
mean when you talk about only sending X-10 when the alarm is disabled. You<= BR> can use the keyfob for example to turn lights on anytime, or various other<= BR> conditions. I would suggest downloading the manuals as there's quite a lot<= BR> of things you can configure about the X-10, just not quite enough I think.<= BR> I've not got a remote keypad (do they exist for the PowerMax?) so can't
comment on that.

Though I have been a bit critical above, I am pleased with the unit as I wanted an alarm first and foremost and the HA stuff to be secondary rather<= BR> than something a little less secure but more generic. The PowerMax seemed t= o
be the best solution for that for me.

Cheers,

Phil,

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben McCormack" <ben.mccormack@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 3:31 PM
Subject: [ukha_d] Powermax Opinions


> Hello
>
> I have decided that it would be good if we had a alarm system in our > house and I have been looking at the Powermax.
>
> I wanted a wireless system so that when we move we can take it with us=
> as we are not inteneding to be in the present house for ever. And also=
> we have just decorated and I did not want to try and run cables
> everywhere.
>
> I was thinking of getting the Powermax and a few PIRs, one remote keyp= ad
> and an external bell box (any recommeddations for this one?).
>
> The other thing that I wanted to use it for was to send an x10 signal<= BR> > (if they still work with my  DDAR) only when the alarm id disable= d, thus
> allowing me to turn the lights on or something.
>
> Any thoughts on my ideas or better suggestions?
>
> Regards
>
> Ben
>
> P.S. ADSL order almost placed!!!!!
>
>
> http://www.automatedhome.co= .uk
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