Can I Get Signals Out Of My Alarm (Menvier)?

[diggory]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with a couple of queries about my alarm system.

I have an intruder alarm at my property, which consists of a central box and two remote keypads. The pads appear to be Menvier TS900 s I can't work out what model the central box is - The PCB has 'Networker' printed at the top if that helps.

Here's a photo of the guts:

Is anyone familiar with this system?

Here's my main question - is it possible to get signals out of the box when it goes off? In an ideal world i would like to hack-up an Arduino project (http://www.arduino.cc/) which would monitor the system and notify me over the internet should it be activated.

Actually, ideally I would like to be able to monitor two signals - one for when the alarm sounds, and one for when it goes into that mode where you need to enter your access code - i.e. that mode that you get when you first enter your property. That may not be possible though.

Is my project feasible?

Any ideas you have would be gratefully received!

[norman]

it seems to be already monitored, who maintains your system?

[diggory]

Well... how shall I put it? It's not monitored any more. It used to be (although if you're a burglar reading this - then yes, it definitely is still monitored!)

I've been doing some more research this afternoon, and managed to track down the installer's guide to the TS 900. (I now realise that the model refers to the control panel as well as the remote keypads.) It was very informative - and now I understand why people don't want them floating around on the web!

I think I've worked out a basic way to do what I want. I could be wrong, but here is what I've deduced so far:

The control panel PCB runs at 12v and I can hook up a wire to one of the 'digicom' outputs which will provide a 12v signal depending on how I've set up the outputs from the engineers menu. The output will be high (12v) unless the condition specified is true - in which case the signal falls to low (0v)

So - I can program one of the spare digicom outputs to signal the 'alarm' condition, or 'system set' condition, and get my data from that.

Does that sound about right?

[norman]

not data per-Se, but yes it will change state dependent on programming.

[MrHappy]

A TS900 was panel a TS900REM was a rkp, the NETLCD replaced the TS900REM atleast 12 yrs ago,

a digi while being low secuirty is still much better IMHO than rigging it up to email you.

The instruction books are the manufacturers copywrite, they may be free available off the net but not here.

Its feasible, but not really security ?

[fozzies]

Make sure you use the output to control a relay, too much current will blow the communicator and brick your panel. and use aux supply terminals, not the communicator one, its not fused!!

[diggory]

You're right - it's not really proper security. I'm not relying on it to keep me secure. If I wanted that level of security then I would have kept the monitoring service.

I like tinkering with things, that's why I'm doing it - I like the idea of my alarm being able to send me messages as its state changes.

In an ideal world I would find some way to interface with it via serial comms and interrogate its event log (just for my own amusement), but I can't see how that would be possible.

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Thanks for the tips fozzies.

a digi while being low secuirty is still much better IMHO than rigging it up to email you.

I don't quite understand the first bit. What is a digi?

[norman]

digital communicator

[Rulland]

Why not just fit a dialler then-some can send texts as well, prog your outputs up for set etc and Bobs your Aunty-easier than messing with relays and the like-as already said though not as good as using the onboard digi to send reliable signals.

[norman]

on board digi?