interface for GE Simon security system

Hi;

I have been reading here and found a tremendous amount of information on how to interface an Ademco security system to indigo, I would assume that the GE Simon security system is very similar to the Ademco, correct? Then why don't I see anything on the GE Simon.

My GE Simon is not under contract anymore and it still works. All sensors still work. It does not have a serial interface and it does not have an internet interface either. It only communicates through a telephone interface, which has not worked since the contract expired.

I am willing to mimic the Ademco interface on my own if I can get some help here. I still believe that that's the wrong way to go but since alot of work has been done on the Ademco, i will go with that route to mimic it for the GE Simon.

What I believe to be the best solution is to interface the sensors directly to indigo, except I have to knowledge of how to go about it. enough said.

Could someone please provide me the outline of what I would need to mimic the Ademco unit for the GE Simon?

Thanks

The ad2usb interface was created specifically to interface with Honeywell/Ademco's serial communications bus. The developer was Sean Matthews of NuTech (www.nutech.com). You can post on their forums to see if he, or someone else on the board has any information on the GE Simon system.

However, while there is always a chance, I doubt the ad2usb would be compatible with your system. There may be an interface for your current system. I believe that some of the GE Simon system support an Ethernet module. Even with the interface, you'd still need to develop the interface software, either a plugin like the GE Caddix, ad2usb or DSC plugins that have been developed by users on this board, or through some other interface scripting. That could be a lot of work.

Regarding interfacing your existing sensors to Indigo. If they are wireless you really don't have much choice that by going through the whole panel integration. But, if they are hard-wired, you should be able to interface them to Indigo through some sort of Digital input device. There are plenty around. There is a plugin for the EasyDAQ products included with Indigo, and a plugin for the Phidgets boards is in development. There are also many other Ethernet/IP boards that might work with Indigo with some effort.

You might also consider simply replacing your panel with a DSC, GE Caddix or Ademco system. But, again, your wireless modules might not be compatible.

I'd suggest you check in on the NuTech forums and also call a good alarm system vendor so you can learn more about what you have and what your options are.

[jay (support)]

I would assume that the GE Simon security system is very similar to the Ademco, correct? Then why don't I see anything on the GE Simon.

Unfortunately, that's a bad assumption as berkinet points out.

What you might be able to do is wire an IOLinc into the zone wiring so that it shows open/close when a door/window/etc. is opened closed. That's what I do - I don't have a direct integration to my alarm system but I do know whenever zone 1 (all exit doors in the house) opens/closes.

Any more integration than that will require some kind of interface to the panel: a serial or network card and an API that allows you to control the panel through that interface. Not a simple task...

Thanks for the responses,

I will look into the IOlinc option as that is all I would like to know, if doors/windows are opened or closed.