Re: DSC Neo

[mleuck <m.leuck@xxxxxxxxx>]

=20
> > 1. It may have an Alarm.com communicator but it isn't programmed for Al=
arm.com, that's handled by the communicator itself, reprogramming the Neo c=
ommunicator can send it anywhere else allowing Telguard, Uplink or whatever
>=20
> To make the Napco control panel compatable with the IBridge it requires t=
hat a number of items be programed to obtain full usage of the capabilities=
 of each device. Such as opening and closing signals, user information, the=
 communicator ID number, and so on. I'm sure there must be some items in th=
e DSC panel that need to be programmed to make the most of the features of =
the panel with Alarm dot com. Those would have to be de-programmed. And I'd=
 have to discover what they all were, de-program them, and then find what p=
rogrammable items were required and if they were available to make the pane=
l compatible with the IBridge.=20

While I am not familiar with Starlink I've gone over the documentation and =
it appears it's not much more than a dialer capture cell unit on some Napco=
 panels and DSC which is why you have to program those fields

You only have to make minor changes with DSC like the phone number and I th=
ink one section section concerning call directions, the communicator does t=
hat for you since it is a true bus device


> > 2. Unless you told IpDatatel you were dealing with a Neo panel I doubt =
the communicator would be compatible unless it's dialer capture. Usually wh=
en companies specify DSC compatibility they mean older panels like the PC15=
55, 5010, 1632 etc not the Neo
>=20
> I don't use IPDatatel

Sorry wrong guy

> >=20
> > 3. Had you tackled the Neo you open yourself up to being able to progra=
m ANY other DSC panel which might be beneficial in the future but it's your=
 call
>=20
> That's an important point as I would NEVER actually install a product I c=
onsider as being no better than a piece of compressed mud housed in a tin c=
an such as DSC. Cheaply designed and depends highly on end user purchases t=
o remain profitable. Napco has been my choice of equipment for decades. It =
has been a reliable and long lasting product. And if it has never (in your =
opinion) done anything right in it's long history, the advent and huge succ=
ess of the Starlink radio Burg and Fire and IBridge Connect has overshadowe=
d most of their competition as of late.

I would love to see what the installed base of Starlink is, I doubt it comp=
ares to Alarm.com and AlarmNet or for that matter Telguard although I could=
 be wrong

As far as circuit boards it doesn't have to be stout

Give you an example, you of course know what a GEM-P9600 board looks like, =
it's laden with dozens of resistors, capacitors, diodes, and 3 voltage regu=
lators connected to a large thick heat sink 2/3rd the width of the circuit =
board. It needs that heat sink for all the heat given off those voltage reg=
ulators, and it has 4 OLD STYLE FUSES, all GEM boards are like that, many o=
f those components have to be hand soldered, can't do it with a machine. Ha=
ving thick circuit boards with lots of components doesn't mean it's bad jus=
t old outdated tech

DSC integrated most of that 25 years ago when they came out with the PC5010=
, the Neo can do everything a GEM-P9600 or X255 can do with half the board,=
 a fraction of components and far less power requirements, Interlogix Netwo=
rX NX and Concord panels are the same

I don't dislike Napco, I do find their panels more difficult to program tha=
n they need to be and the download software is garbage, they aren't bad pan=
els but I can find others that do the same thing cheaper and far easier to =
program

As far as reliability you've got Napco panels out in the field for decades =
I've got DSC panels out in the field for decades, "flimsy" boards don't mat=
ter if they work

BTW I hope those aren't electrolytic capacitors or your older boards may no=
t be as reliable as you think in the next 5 to 10 years, if you are into 80=
's and 90's home stereos you will know what I'm talking about
=20
> Also, what the hell is going on with Monotronics? Has it lost it's way or=
 what? What's with the Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra (It's and Irish lullaby) name c=
hange then a buy-out =E2=80=A6 and now what? another name change? Looks lik=
e it's trying to hide it's identity or something the way Apex/Vivint did to=
 hide it's past indiscretions.  (???)

buy-out? Um nope and not hiding anything we've got well over a million acco=
unts

Btw most of them with Alarm.com, I don't say good things about Alarm.com be=
cause we use them I say it because in my opinion they have the best communi=
cators out there