Re: DSC Neo

[Jim Davis <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 9:51:25 PM UTC-5, mleuck wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 7:27:40 PM UTC-6, Jim Davis wrote:
> > Anyone have any experience with the DSC Neo panels?
> >=20
> > I've taken over some of the older DSC panels a number of years ago but =
this product appears to be in quite a different league.=20
> >=20
> > I'm just beginning to do some research on the product but thought I'd c=
heck in here first.
> >=20
> > One of my customers moved into a new home that is already wired and set=
 up with one of these panels. Looks like a pretty good installation. Has 3 =
Touchpad keypads and a couple of zone expanders. I don't know if it's using=
 cellular or landline yet. The system is all set up and programmed except f=
or the central station info. I have the installer code and what little I've=
 seen of the programming it looks like it would take some time to learn the=
 little nuisances for keypad programming. I'm tempted to take it over but I=
 don't want to put myself in the position of having my customer have a prob=
lem, and me not being able to trouble shoot it for lack of experience and k=
nowledge about the product. Even though they've been with me for over 18 ye=
ars, I'd rather lose them then not be able to give them good service.
> >=20
> > I'd just replace everything with Napco if there weren't 3 touchpads.
> > =20
> > Does anyone know if there is a DSC equivalent to the Napco Quickloader =
program?
> > And if there is any qualification necessary to obtain a copy of it. A d=
ownloader program makes it so much easier to understand the programming ver=
sus a keypad programming sheet.
>=20
> DSC uses DLS-5 for downloading but For something like central station set=
tings it's extremely easy just to program it from the keypad even if you've=
 never done it before

I took a brief look at the programming manual and that looks pretty straigh=
t forward. I'm sure there are some little quirks such as Les ran into that =
I'd have to work my way though but =E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6 As I said, n=
ot knowing that much about it, I don't what to put myself or my customer in=
 the position of me not knowing how to cure a issue in the future because o=
f my lack of knowledge about the intricacies of it's operation. I just don'=
t feature having to go there a year from now for a service call and have to=
 wait an hour for technical support to answer a simple question. Especially=
 with the touchpads that =E2=80=A6 at this point, I know absolutely nothing=
 about.

Also, the previous alarm company told the homeowner that the system was set=
 up for Alarm.com which I have avoided getting involved with and therefore =
know absolutely nothing about it. The Homeowner did some research and now k=
nows about what they provide. I've stuck with the Napco Starlink/IBridge. I=
 have yet to attempt to sway them away from Alarm.com. I don't know if ther=
e is any panel programming that is related to using Alarm.com that I would =
have to change. I know that the Starlink/IBridge is compatible with DSC but=
 it's not the usual programming that is used with the Napco panels that I'd=
 have to weed through. But =E2=80=A6..  some of the IBridge features that y=
ou can get with the Starlink/IBridge and Napco panels are not available whe=
n programmed for a DSC panel. The Starlink/IBridge uses a datalink cable an=
d very few wire connection. Using it with DSC requires all wire connections=
 using trigger and terminal outputs etc which limits the IBridge functions.=
 I haven't studied what would be missing yet which leaves me unable to desc=
ribe to the homeowner what features they could have.  =20