Replacing an alarm + Home Automation

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Replacing an alarm + Home Automation

sm250

88 posts

Master Geek

#191627 10-Feb-2016 21:51

Hi,

We are about to move into a new house which has an existing alarm system but because of the position of the keypad, (it's so far away from the garage) we would be unlikely to use it.

So given that we need to replace/move the keypad, I have been thinking about what we could do in terms of home automation and linking it up with an updated alarm system.

As I've been investigating options I find myself being more and more confused because there is no single system to resolve all these requirements (unless you spend megabucks). I am a software developer so I can manage to use C# to customise some things, but I don't have a lot of time to be working on such things.

I've talked to ili one touch in constellation drive, but unfortunately their system is well outside of our potential budget, even though it would do everything what we want.

We only have ADSL broadband, sadly :-(

What I would like are these things, in priority order:
- an alarm. We can reuse our existing PIRs and hopefully sirens, the alarm should be able to communicate via email or SMS that an event has been triggered.
- 2x keyfob, from which we can close and open the garage doors (there are two garage doors), and turn the alarm on and off
- Turn the alarm on and off, and monitor the alarm from our phones (1 Windows phone, 1 android)
- ability to communicate with anyone at the door by a some sort of Internet doorbell (ring doorbell seems most likely at the moment)
- couple of cameras inside the house to be able to monitor things
- open and close curtains at particular times of the day, automatically when the alarm is on, but sometimes may be triggered manually from our phone
- turn lights on and off at particular times of the day, automatically when the alarm is on, but sometimes may be triggered manually from our phone
- unlock the front door via our phones
- smoke alarms and heat sensors linked in to the system
- Turn on and off an irrigation system, probably with three or four different points that need to be turned on and off. This could either be triggered manually through our phones or automatically via some sort of soil moisture test
- allow us to turn on the heat pump before we get home

I would prefer everything to be wired, not particularly keen on adding additional potential security risks with additional wireless technology, but open to ideas.

So I'm trying to figure out what the best options are for integrating things together. I am aware that there are not many things that run on Windows phone at this point. If it was reasonably simple I could program something myself, or I might have to bite the bullet and get an android phone which would make me extremely sad as I haven't yet found an android phone that has the same functionality as my Lumia 1520.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what might meet our needs?

Thanks,
Stefan

chevrolux

4962 posts

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#1490002 10-Feb-2016 22:18

OpenHAB.

Run it on a Raspberry Pi (or anything that will suffice as a server - i use a Ubuntu VM). Use Z-Wave products for lighting, motion and just general switching (relays etc). There is probably a z-wave based door strike too.

There is probably a smoke detector that already has a binding.

A door bell could be put together with an arduino.

Irigation - z-wave relays come to mind to simply control standard solenoids.

Cameras - I havent integrated these with OpenHAB yet as my NVR (Hikvision) itself is very functional (mobile app, email notifications, ftp uploads etc). But am thinking the dropbox binding might be handy for that.

The thing with OpenHAB is the time investment. I am super noob at it and it took a lot of getting my head around it. But also I'm not a developer and have bugger all coding skills (basic arduino c++ stuff and badly written python). But so far with very little gear have managed to do a bunch of cool stuff with openHAB and spent a very small amount on it all. It just annoys me how much all those fancy pre-built systems are and yet there are still heaps of limitations. OpenHAB is one of those things where the limit is quite literally your imagination - haha I should go in to sales for them!

Stu

Hammered
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#1490007 10-Feb-2016 22:23

As a stop-gap until you're in a position to get a good automation package, your alarm might be able to have keyring remotes added to it. You could always just have the entry and exit delays extended to give you time to exit/enter via the garage.

Do you know what your existing alarm panel is? Some can have modules added to extend their abilities.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

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sm250

88 posts

Master Geek

#1490014 10-Feb-2016 22:36

Stu:

As a stop-gap until you're in a position to get a good automation package, your alarm might be able to have keyring remotes added to it. You could always just have the entry and exit delays extended to give you time to exit/enter via the garage.

Do you know what your existing alarm panel is? Some can have modules added to extend their abilities.

Not sure what the alarm panel is as yet. We'll do the pre-settlement inspection next week and then I'll be able to confirm all those things. I'm willing to replace the panel, because I think it's probably quite old from talking to the owners previously, but if it is already expandable then that would be great, hadn't really thought about the possibility that it didn't need to be replaced, so thanks for the suggestion.

I have been to Armstrong locksmiths and they reckon they can do the paradox alarm panel for around $400 plus installation, and then you can add an IP module to that for around $250 + install so we can do things from off-site. I've sort of budgeted about $3000 including installation to try and get some way towards what we want but it does sort of feel like whatever we're doing is kind of a stopgap measure because proper home automation systems are very expensive or the cheaper ones don't seem to integrate easily with other pieces.

Thanks,

Stefan

sm250

88 posts

Master Geek

#1490016 10-Feb-2016 22:45

chevrolux:

OpenHAB.

Run it on a Raspberry Pi (or anything that will suffice as a server - i use a Ubuntu VM). Use Z-Wave products for lighting, motion and just general switching (relays etc). There is probably a z-wave based door strike too.

There is probably a smoke detector that already has a binding.

A door bell could be put together with an arduino.

Irigation - z-wave relays come to mind to simply control standard solenoids.

Cameras - I havent integrated these with OpenHAB yet as my NVR (Hikvision) itself is very functional (mobile app, email notifications, ftp uploads etc). But am thinking the dropbox binding might be handy for that.

The thing with OpenHAB is the time investment. I am super noob at it and it took a lot of getting my head around it. But also I'm not a developer and have bugger all coding skills (basic arduino c++ stuff and badly written python). But so far with very little gear have managed to do a bunch of cool stuff with openHAB and spent a very small amount on it all. It just annoys me how much all those fancy pre-built systems are and yet there are still heaps of limitations. OpenHAB is one of those things where the limit is quite literally your imagination - haha I should go in to sales for them!

Thanks. OpenHAB was one of the things that I have been looking at. The problem is time, as you say. I don't have very much of that at the moment. :-( Under normal circumstances I would happily try and build a system but given my current level of busyness, I can't see myself having time to set up a system of that complexity. I've certainly read that you can do some awesome things with it, and that much more reasonable price point. Wish there was a way for me to walk in and say this is what I want to do and have someone set it up for me. Yes you should go into sales and setting up such systems :-) Even just thinking about the complexity of linking the alarm in with OpenHAB, makes me nervous about how much time that would take. But it would be good if I could select products that would later allow me use them via OpenHAB, etc... If one day I finally have any time.. But then of course, the technology could have changed again... Thanks,
Stefan

Jase2985

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#1490055 11-Feb-2016 05:31

Biggest question is what is your budget?

the automatic opening and closing of curtains is at the moment quiet expensive

sm250

88 posts

Master Geek

#1490059 11-Feb-2016 06:18

Jase2985:

Biggest question is what is your budget?

the automatic opening and closing of curtains is at the moment quiet expensive

Hoping for around $3000 including installation. Could go to $4000 if pushed.

I have certainly been surprised by the cost of automatic curtains. But I have found this one which I will probably try and see how it goes: http://www.envioustechnology.com.au/products/product-detail.php?ID=196

Thanks,

Stefan

Jase2985

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#1490083 11-Feb-2016 07:28

the problem is with those curtains is you require a mains power point for them + if you want it on a timer you have to buy the timer kit or workout how to interface it with your automation system which would be an additional cost.

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sm250

88 posts

Master Geek

#1490089 11-Feb-2016 07:43

Jase2985:

the problem is with those curtains is you require a mains power point for them + if you want it on a timer you have to buy the timer kit or workout how to interface it with your automation system which would be an additional cost.

Presumably all automated curtains will require mains power? I have an electrician who can install power points where necessary for me, but if there are better ways I am interested in hearing about them.

The integration with the home automation is the challenge. The company selling curtain rails also sell insteon so will ask them if there is a way to integrate the two of them. I think that has to be done by the electrician as well to integrate probably with a wall switch.

But very little seems to be cheap or easy in this space at the moment

Thanks,

Stefan

Jase2985

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#1490093 11-Feb-2016 07:51

There are battery powered ones but unsure of the cost, a bit more I would assume

how many curtains do you want to automate?

sm250

88 posts

Master Geek

#1490331 11-Feb-2016 13:15

Jase2985:

There are battery powered ones but unsure of the cost, a bit more I would assume

how many curtains do you want to automate?

In my very quick Google search haven't found any battery-operated ones.

There are a couple of reasonably important ones, one in the room I'll be using as my office because I won't be able to easily reach the curtains across my desk. And another one in what is kind of like a bay window, it's got three windows in the shape of three side of an octagon and again probably won't be able to reach the curtains to shut.

So they may or may not be automated via our phones etc..., but we will try and at least be able use a remote control/wall switch to open and close them.

And then if we can automate the curtains then I would probably add another two or three powered curtain rails, But obviously cost is a big factor there even at the best case scenario, probably talking to $2,500 dollars (assuming rails end up around $500), so might well have to do a bit at a time.

Stefan

pipe60

127 posts

Master Geek

#1490799 11-Feb-2016 22:15

Have a look at arrowhead alarms their panels with the ip board can be controlled using a app on phone.

http://www.aap.co.nz/shop/Alarm+Systems/Accessories/SMARTPHONE+APP.html

Can control additional outputs from app.

add remotes if required as well.

A smart relay or PLC would be another option for your home automation requirments.