LinuxMCE Alarm Panels available in the UK?

[bp5]

Does anyone know of an inexpensive way to connect any standard security alarms to LinuxMCE?

From what I have been able to decypher, is *appears* that LinuxMCE will recognise a
DSC PowerSeries 8-32 Zone Control Panel PC1832 (costs approx GBP 75) plus a
DSC PowerSeries Integration Module IT-100 (cost approx GBP 70)
to get RS232 connection to LinuxMCE Core. So for GBP 140 I can connect my old wired alarm sensors to a panel which Linux MCE will recognize. Is this correct?

Or I could throw away all the wired sensors and go Z-Wave, so I'll need a Z-Wave controller to plug into the LinuxMCE core, such as:
ACT HomePro ZCS201 RF Computer Interface SERIAL (RS232) (cost approx GBP 40)
and then add one PIR, such as ACT HomePro ZIR010 Z-Wave PIR Sensor (cost approx GBP 65), which gives a total cost of about GBP 105 for an alarm system with one sensor.

Can anyone confirm that either equipment scenario is likely to work with LinuxMCE? If not, can you suggest another?

thanks,
Blaine

[bp5]

I was planning to avoid X10 because of worries of line noise, but I just spotted this panel:
X10 SC28X Wireless Voice Dialler Security & Advanced Home Automation Controller http://www.letsautomate.com/12469.cfm?CFID=2206304&CFTOKEN=9d6833-a3b705a5-22fa-4de5-906b-53335be074da


which claims to also support 2 standard wired sensors. At GBP 70, this seems to be the cheapest way into using LinuxMCE for a home alarm system. Any comments as to whether this panel is likely to be recognized?

Thanks in anticipation...

Blaine

[trentend]

There are many ways to achieve this.  Linuxmce has nice alarm features, so in principle you only need sensors and inputs (to recognise them) - you can let Linuxmce do the hard work.  This is the cheapest way (if you're already planning on a Linuxmce system).  However, it may not be recognised by your insurer, and you will not be able to link it to emergency control rooms.  If Linuxmce stops working, so does your alarm system.

Personally I have a separate fire alarm (so that it always works) and am intending to use knx inputs to recognise intruder alarm sensor activation (running from a ups to make it immune from power cuts).  I try to stay away from individual activators/sensors requiring battery, because I don't want to have to be constantly changing batteries to maintain the integrity of the system.  The knx power supply can power the sensors that I have chosen, so one ups keeps the whole system up.

KNX isn't cheap (though some bargains can be found on ebay, if you're patient in building up what you need).

[bp5]

Can someone post the list of currently supported alarm panels in 0810? I can't find anything in the wiki and I can see some names of panels disappear quickly in the top left corner when I plug a serial device into an MD.

The Honeywell Galaxy (and G2) range seems to have built-in or add-on RS-232 and add-on ethernet so in the absence of any other suggestions I was thinking of going with that in the hope of being able to interface it with LMCE in the future...

cheers,
Blaine