New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Posted on
Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:07 pm
decouto offline
Posts: 20
Joined: Apr 28, 2013

New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Hi all,

Hope this is the right place to share.

I've got a preliminary version of a plugin that can talk to my GE Concord alarm panel via the superbus rs232 automation module.

This version can receive events from the panel, autogenerate a list of your ones in Indigo, and track zone state dynamically.

What it does not do: handle alarm events and track armed state. Nor does it do multiple partitions or enable you to send keypad commands. Those are coming.

[MODERATOR EDIT] the plugin is now available on GitHub. There is also a more recent fork of the plugin on GitHub that has a few more changes.

Many thanks to the authors of all the other alarm panel plugins which I have used for inspiration.

Posted on
Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:50 pm
jay (support) offline
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Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Great addition - we've had several people ask for that panel so I know there's an audience. Thanks for the contribution!

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Sun Nov 03, 2013 5:06 pm
jalves offline
Posts: 744
Joined: Jun 16, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Thanks for posting this. Once I move into my new house (probably January) I'll be giving this a try.

I'm not at all clear what I'm going to need for hardware to interface with the computer/indigo but I'm sure I'll figure that out.

Running Indigo 2023.2 on a 24" iMac M1), OS X 14.4
Jeff

Posted on
Mon Nov 04, 2013 6:00 am
decouto offline
Posts: 20
Joined: Apr 28, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Jalves,

You need a Superbus 2000 RS-232 automation module which provides a serial interface to the alarm. I got mine from my installer but you can buy them online, for example:

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-135- ... odule.aspx

You also need a robust USB<->serial interface, I suggest one using an FTDI chip.

d

Posted on
Mon Nov 04, 2013 6:42 am
jalves offline
Posts: 744
Joined: Jun 16, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Thanks! I'll file this away until we get moved.

Running Indigo 2023.2 on a 24" iMac M1), OS X 14.4
Jeff

Posted on
Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:56 pm
decouto offline
Posts: 20
Joined: Apr 28, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

OK, my first 'release' is ready.

You can download it from https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/138 ... rd-0.2.tgz

Or directly access the source repository on Google Code via https://code.google.com/p/py-concord/

I use it primarily to monitor all the zones (doors and windows) in my house via a control page. Example image below. You can arm via menu actions. Alarm events are processed by the plugin and show up as Indigo events which can be used in triggers.

Install by double-clicking on the ConcordAlarm.indigoPlugin bundle.

Questions, comments, and suggestions to decouto@alum.mit.edu
Attachments
alarm-demo.png
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Posted on
Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:28 am
wir3d offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Dec 25, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Greetings,

I have just been using Indigo for about a month now and I am really jazzed about this plugin. I am trying to define my zones but the plugin has trouble getting status of them.

Started plugin "GE Concord Alarm Panel 0.2"
Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)
Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)
Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)
Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)
Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error Unable to send message (timeout), too many attempts (3): '022022'

I think some of my zones don't have text programmed into the panel to describe them so I have been manually adding zones into Indigo hoping that it could still get the status of those zones. Some zones show up 'enabled' others 'unknown'.

Thank you.

Posted on
Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:05 pm
freshwuzhere offline
Posts: 105
Joined: Apr 05, 2012

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

I was going to start on this - but much gratitude for saving me the time!

Looking forward to installing when I install later in the year.

Thanks!

FWH

Posted on
Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:46 am
decouto offline
Posts: 20
Joined: Apr 28, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

I think I may have seen this unknown zone status error in another place, so I will look into it.

Let me know what other experiences you may have, good or bad.

Very cool to know that it is useful for other people. I did get my brother using it, so adding users 3 & 4 is exciting.

Thanks!

d

Posted on
Thu Jan 23, 2014 6:28 pm
wir3d offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Dec 25, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

ok, some updated information for you. First of all, since I have the installer code, I did some panel programming and added in some text for a couple of sensors but not all of them. Then, after that, magically, all my sensors that were showing up with a status of "unknown" in the device listing were suddenly showing "enabled" with a green dot! So that is awesome, and now I can make lights come on when a motion sensor gets triggered on the Concord panel.

When reloading the plugin I still see a bunch of:
Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)
errors, but all the sensors still show up "enabled" so maybe that error is unrelated to sensors showing up as "unknown" in the device listings.

Also, the plugin gave me errors for not having all 6 partitions defined for the panel even know I only use partition 1, so I defined all 6 partitions and turned off communications for the last 5 to stop the errors. Partition 1 shows up as status "unknown" until I arm and disarm the panel once. This is consistent, each time I reload the plugin, partition 1 will be "unknown" until there is an arm and disarm and then it will show as "ready".

Arming from the plugin generates this error:
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error Unable to send message (timeout), too many attempts (3): '06400100020b54'

That function does not work for me.

Additional info: My concord panel is tied into alarm.com and I typically arm it with my phone app. I can see after arming it that the Partition 1 status in the Devices list is "away" as one might expect.

I see after arming this morning, the following log output:

GE Concord Alarm Panel Error ALARM or TROUBLE on partition 1: Source is Bus Device/6764523; Alarm/Trouble is 13.3: Partition Event / Latchkey Off; event data = 255
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error ALARM or TROUBLE on partition 1: Source details: Bus Device, number 6764523
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error ALARM or TROUBLE on partition 1: Source is Bus Device/6764523; Alarm/Trouble is 18.5: System Event / Output On; event data = 6
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error ALARM or TROUBLE on partition 1: Source details: Bus Device, number 6764523
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error ALARM or TROUBLE on partition 1: Source is Bus Device/6764523; Alarm/Trouble is 18.5: System Event / Output On; event data = 5
GE Concord Alarm Panel Error ALARM or TROUBLE on partition 1: Source details: Bus Device, number 6764523

Posted on
Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:36 pm
decouto offline
Posts: 20
Joined: Apr 28, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Hi all, I've updated the code to fix the "unknown zoneState" error, e.g:

Error cannot update device state for key zoneState to value unknown (invalid enumeration value)

Pull from https://code.google.com/p/py-concord/, or https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/138 ... 0.3.tar.gz

Regarding your other comments wire3d, I have to admit I am not incredible knowledgeable about all the installation vagaries -- my alarm was not installed by me and I don't have the installer code. I guess my installer defined all partitions because the alarm panel wants to tell Indigo about them in my system. I know am a bit late here but I don't suppose you can show me what the errors about non-defined partitions looked like? (i.e. the message)

I'll have to dig into why when there is missing zone text there are other problems --- should just ignore that and make up a name (e.g. Zone 4).

Regarding arming, my panel is set to allow quick-arm -- and I think that's the only way it will work, as the panel does not seem to accept many kinds of keypress sequences via the module. E.g. I can't seem to do any sequences that would entail navigating the menu structures, like changing the volume of the voice module, etc.

And for the log output at the bottom, I am not exactly sure. Looks like a state change first (latchkey off) -- someone pushed a button or otherwise turned off the latchkey mode. And the last two parts are something happened to cause you system to turn on outputs 5 and 6 -- but I couldn't tell you *why* -- maybe how it's configured?

How does alarm.com interface to your panel? Over the phone?

Hope that helps a small bit.

Posted on
Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:23 am
akimball offline
Posts: 559
Joined: Aug 07, 2013
Location: Sandy, Utah

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Wow, this may be just what I was looking for. Discovered the plugin this morning while riding the train into the office so I haven't had time to download yet and work on it.

If this plugin will also allow us to set the system to disarmed, away, and stay modes then it will be perfect....and to think that yesterday I thought my only choice was an ioLinc interface between insteon and the GE Concord 4. :). Can't wait. Thanks for your work and for posting this! Al

-Al

Posted on
Sun Feb 28, 2016 12:00 pm
jalves offline
Posts: 744
Joined: Jun 16, 2013

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

decouto wrote:
Jalves,

You need a Superbus 2000 RS-232 automation module which provides a serial interface to the alarm. I got mine from my installer but you can buy them online, for example:

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-135- ... odule.aspx

You also need a robust USB<->serial interface, I suggest one using an FTDI chip.

d


Resurrecting an old thread here but I recently had my alarm system upgraded to "two way" system (which works through Alarm.com if that matters) and now see via Lan Scan Pro that there is an Ademco device on my LAN. It would be nice if I could access that device via the LAN without having to buy an additional interface.

Any thoughts on this?

Running Indigo 2023.2 on a 24" iMac M1), OS X 14.4
Jeff

Posted on
Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:12 pm
bbkim@yahoo.com offline
Posts: 4
Joined: Mar 20, 2017

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

Did anyone try this plugin with serial-over-TCP/IP converter? My alarm panel is in a garage, and my Indigo server is in one of rooms. I am thinking of running the serial-over-TCP/IP. Is this even doable? If so, what hardware/software combination do I need?

Brian

Posted on
Mon Mar 20, 2017 11:54 pm
freshwuzhere offline
Posts: 105
Joined: Apr 05, 2012

Re: New plugin for GE Concord Alarm Panel (alpha)

No but I'm planning on trying it - currently my cable run is about 6m (21 ft) which stretches the USB. It does work with a long RS232 plus the RTDI USB. I use Serial repeaters everywhere else to good effect. Let me know if you try it.

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