Sonitrol

[Ronnie]

We do some audio upgrades every now and then, 60-80 circuits. Takes 2 days normally, Belden , resistors, lots of ancillary stuff - enjoyable jobs actually

[matthew.brough]

Not that much of a blast from the past, they are installed in almost all Oldham MBC buildings, now looked after by Stanley since they got the Sonitrol rights.

I meant for me, its 10 years since I last had my hands on one. I used to get sent to them all the time as the other engineers didn't like them very much.

 

In ADT we installed them as audio verification whereas the sonitrol ones seemed much more geared around audio detection.

 

LIMS, LEMS, SAMS it's all flowing back to me now!

 

As an engineer I cursed having to ring the ARC to get the most minor thing done backed up with paperwork whereas now all the systems we install are done just like that.

 

Saying that on our systems the engineers add the devices on their Ipad and then they are reviewed by the ARC and if agreeable they press a button and it then programs the panel for them whereas when ADT did it that way you had to fill in a form and fax it and then wait, and wait some more, and a little longer.

[norman]

Matthew, which arc and how long ago did you work in?

[matthew.brough]

In the past i've worked for ADT & Mayfair / First County and did a small stint at Contract Fire but they didn't have their own ARC but its all a long time ago. I started not long after I left school so around 97 and started doing it for myself 03. I know they get a lot of stick but ADT were wonderful employers and it was nice to see install, service, arc, tech support (resolve) in the company whereas with most installers using 3rd party ARCs they don't see any of that.

 

I know Kings,VSG and us have the same setup where they do all the above in house but not sure how many others do. I'm not sure how many companies that have an installation business and an ARC use the ARC's as tech support for the customers too.

 

I remember my first ever visit to the ARC I was walking down the street on the phone getting directions to the place expecting to see this building the size of an Ikea store with the big letters A D T on the outside. It was such a shock when I saw for the first time how small it actually was and how few people were actually sat alarm handling. I expected to see 300+ people there because of the mega numbers of alarms we monitored and was quite dissapointed with the blacked out shoebox we had.

 

I know Chubbs is quite big but only really because admin and the Chubb service desk are in there also.

[norman]

I took it from your previous comment that you worked for an arc?

[jb-eye]

TVX?

I meant for me, its 10 years since I last had my hands on one. I used to get sent to them all the time as the other engineers didn't like them very much.

 

In ADT we installed them as audio verification whereas the sonitrol ones seemed much more geared around audio detection.

 

LIMS, LEMS, SAMS it's all flowing back to me now!

[matthew.brough]

@norman This goes back to my days with a fantastic mentor from when I was still quite young. I was officially employed by both companies as an engineer but I'd often wondered what happened following the little flashing red/green led's on the STU's. I managed to get time in the ARC's and tech support to learn the other side of things. Apparently in the days of Modern (way before my time) engineers and the arc were allowed time with each other but ADT put a stop to it. I was very lucky that it got arranged for me and I loved my time there. My heart has always been in the ARC side of things but the money as an engineer outstripped the ARC wages massively and at the time I worked and lived in Leeds, and the traveling costs were horrendous, but I sat it out for a short time to learn it and I really valued the experience of it. For my short time at Mayfair, I was very privileged to get a second bite of the cherry and was allowed in the ARC one day a week but that was to learn more the nuts and bolts of how the receivers and software all knitted together. I've always had a bit of a fascination with ARC's to be honest but it took many years since leaving those companies before we could set up our own here. Based on those experiences though our engineers here are all perfectly capable of working in the ARC and dealing with alarms and we train them on the full picture rather than leaving their knowledge at the panel end. I loved it and its a shame other engineers don't get the chance to do it.

 

@jb-eye we are chatting about a bit of a weird panel ADT/Modern/Sonitrol used as I believe they had a bit of an exclusive on the receivers, and as the receivers are needed to do anything with the panel in effect it stopped anyone touching their customers.

 

It's years since I have seen a TVX modem. There are a couple of manufacturers releasing Pir/Cameras and were banging on about what a great 'new' idea it was. Mention TVX and they look blank as if to say whats that?

[goncall]

sonitrol is different from 3250 4250 as it uses the mics for detection,(sound in control) hence the name sonitrol,3250 4250 uses normal detection to trip mics to listen in,im suprised anyone still uses either system as adt is/has closed the system down,still big in the usa i belive,tvx now theres a blast from the past,modern alarms developed the concept pir trips and sends 2 still pics to arc from pir/cam,massive panels huge pir/cam detection,needed a lappy to prog it,before lappys were invented

[norman]

Sonitrol is now licensed to Stanley in the UK

[goncall]

Sonitrol is now licensed to Stanley in the UK

 

didnt know that norm,,was good in its day,but old tech now surely..