(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

(2) Has anyone heard about Securepro?

(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

(4) The base unit also flashes a LED to show a "catch". This worked
great.

(5) The PIRS have a 3-minute "rest period" after they made their last
catch in Working Mode. Saves batteries when there is a lot of movement
in the house when I am home, and a "catch" has already set the alarm
off. This I believ is standard enough.

I put them in Working Mode, and waited the required (and carefully
timed plus 30 seconds) 3-minute "rest period" then walked into the
room and walked the same places as I did in the test.

_As far as I could understand_ (as indicated by a LED flash on PIR and
on base station) I was not "caught" until I had walked in quite a few
places around the room, and the area of catch seemed a lot less than
it was under "test". But within maybe 5-15 seconds I _was_ caught,
after varying amounts of jumping about. So the unit was not having its
3-minute "sulk".

(6) The guy who sold me the unit "failed to understand" and suggested
I moved the base unti to where it could communicate better with the
PIRs. See Para (4)

Any thoughts? Have I made a bad buy? Is this pretty standard?

Also, does anyone know if these things have a sort of standard of
digital coding. Could I try a PIR from another maker and expect it to
work?

Appreciate any helpful input. That includes a genuine "I had one of
those and they are crap" etc.

Old Nick wrote:
(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

(...)

These guys? http://www.securepro.com.au/

Short suggestion: Place the PIR unit a little below eye level.

Long suggestion:
Have a look at a thermogram of a person wearing a jacket in a cool
environment. You will see that we present our sharpest, most consistent
heat contrast from our face temperature because we normally do not cover
our faces with insulation.

Background:
The lens in front of the actual sensor breaks the IR
into vertical stripes. As one walks in front of the PIR, several pulses
are sent, not just one. The PIR is a sort of pulsed DC device.
It presents a decoupled, differentiated output.

Any infrared sensor relies on a sharp contrast in heat level between
'person there' and 'person not there'. You get that from exposed skin,
not by sensing tiny temperature differences on the surface of an
insulated jacket.

--Winston

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 21:51:30 +0800, Old Nick
calmly ranted:

(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

A quick note: NEVER buy a wireless system again. They're much more
easily interrupted, are more prone to failure, and have a MUCH higher
rate of maintenance. Hardwiring is the only way to go and is also
usually about half the price, excluding installation.


(2) Has anyone heard about Securepro?

No, but you're half a world away. Judging by their blank main
page on the website, they're not too hot. Did you get the $690
system? It doesn't appear to be monitored. Ask your local cops
if they respond to automated phone messages from these systems.


(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

(4) The base unit also flashes a LED to show a "catch". This worked
great.

(5) The PIRS have a 3-minute "rest period" after they made their last
catch in Working Mode. Saves batteries when there is a lot of movement
in the house when I am home, and a "catch" has already set the alarm
off. This I believ is standard enough.

That's another downside to wireless. They can't be turned off while
you are "home" which eats up batteries.


I put them in Working Mode, and waited the required (and carefully
timed plus 30 seconds) 3-minute "rest period" then walked into the
room and walked the same places as I did in the test.

_As far as I could understand_ (as indicated by a LED flash on PIR and
on base station) I was not "caught" until I had walked in quite a few
places around the room, and the area of catch seemed a lot less than
it was under "test". But within maybe 5-15 seconds I _was_ caught,
after varying amounts of jumping about. So the unit was not having its
3-minute "sulk".

PIRs need both body heat and movement before they react. The cheaper
units require more movement while the more expensive units have a
settable threshold for movement to allow for animals, etc. (Burglars
love animals since they require less sensitive settings of the alarm
systems and small burglars can come in through larger doggie doors.)
If yours are adjustable, set them at a lower threshold. If not, ask
for their better units which are.


(6) The guy who sold me the unit "failed to understand" and suggested
I moved the base unti to where it could communicate better with the
PIRs. See Para (4)

Any thoughts? Have I made a bad buy? Is this pretty standard?

Also, does anyone know if these things have a sort of standard of
digital coding. Could I try a PIR from another maker and expect it to
work?

I doubt it. They're probably keyed to the mfgr's electronics.


Appreciate any helpful input. That includes a genuine "I had one of
those and they are crap" etc.

God Bless the Internet. I read about them and determined that I wanted
a wired solution. I, too, bought one (for my Vista, CA USA home) right
after a burglary/just before I left for a week at COMDEX (Las Vegas
Computer show) The guy also accepted a project bike (250 CZ dirtbike)
as a $250 prepayment on the $800 price tag. The installer took 4 hours
to set it up and gave me 3 -good- PIRs (cheap ones are much less
sensitive to motion and much more succeptible to fade during hot
weather), 3 door switches, and 2 extra window switches. This was a
central monitored alarm (locked box in the hallway closet) with
connection to the phone line for calling in the alarms.

If this was an expensive investment, you might ask them if they have a
wired solution and a better grade of equipment. Otherwise, maybe you
could ask for a refund and then do more research before purchasing
again. Another good resource is the comp.home.automation group. The
guys there are a better lot than at a.s.a. Several of the guys there
sell alarm systems. (I think Robert Bass is actually a good guy so
beware the guys dissing him. He may have stepped on toes over at
alt.security.alarms and cost them some sales by having better pricing
and service.)

Did you check with any local alarm companies who do local monitoring?
This is something you really want because they are colleagues with the
local cops: -their- alarms get responded to.

G'luck, Mate.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

I use a home made system, it notifies ME when something happens v ia
pager and tells me exactly what happened. No 'professionals' involved.
Have been using it sucessfully for 20 years.

(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

I keep my PIRs in test mode all the time and trigger from that. Hard
wired, no battery problem.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:17:53 -0800, Winston
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email


These guys? http://www.securepro.com.au/

Yup.

Short suggestion: Place the PIR unit a little below eye level.

Long suggestion:

The problem is not with the ability to catch me.............when in
Test mode. IT's the _apparent_ difference between the Test and Working
Modes. The sales guy has simply dodged my question.

There is a 30 day send back period.........

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:17:53 -0800, Winston
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Just a question about this. How then can a spider or spider web set it
off? This apparently is a common cause of false alarms....

Any infrared sensor relies on a sharp contrast in heat level between
'person there' and 'person not there'. You get that from exposed skin,
not by sensing tiny temperature differences on the surface of an
insulated jacket.

--Winston

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 17:33:50 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email
Thanks for the reply.

I keep my PIRs in test mode all the time and trigger from that. Hard
wired, no battery problem.

Why do you do that? Do they work better? This is the important bit,
because this is where my problem lies.

I use a home made system, it notifies ME when something happens v ia
pager and tells me exactly what happened. No 'professionals' involved.
Have been using it sucessfully for 20 years.

Mine's not home made...well sort of. It's a kit that I installed
myself. But I bought it specifically because it was not part of a
monitoring setup, and rings me, mobile, pager etc.

(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:44:00 -0800, Larry Jaques
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

A quick note: NEVER buy a wireless system again. They're much more
easily interrupted, are more prone to failure, and have a MUCH higher
rate of maintenance. Hardwiring is the only way to go and is also
usually about half the price, excluding installation.

Interrupted. Hehe. The general indication is that the burgs that did
our place were not up to that standard. If you mean accidental, I
agree. the placement of TV's, microwaves etc can have an effect. But
the PIRs seem to work VERY well......in bloody test mode. When the PIR
did fire, the board lit up. So commc are not am apparent problem.

But I do see the possibility of weaknesses. I am going to add wired
door and window sensors, which really make me feel better anyway. Stop
the *******s getting in. Actually "wired" in the other sense
altogether is very trmpting. Pity about the mantrap laws....

No, but you're half a world away. Judging by their blank main
page on the website, they're not too hot. Did you get the $690
system? It doesn't appear to be monitored. Ask your local cops
if they respond to automated phone messages from these systems.

Police will respond to messages _only_ from a person, nit from auto
machine calls. That person can either be a monitoring company, or a
private individual.

If a private person calls, they are obliged to check it out......some
time. No time guarantees. Crikey! They have been known to take 3 hours
to respond to home invasions and beatings on 80 Year Olds! Not
uncommon.

Police will not respond to monitoring co call unless at least two
Zones have been triggered. If the monitoring co calls me and gets no
reply, they do nothing, unless two zones have been triggered, when
they ring police. If they get me on a one zone call, they either leave
me to call the cops, or will check it out.......within the next half
hour and for $55. For this I pay $500 per year plus their gear.

So I am doing it myself. Basically, as far as I can see, the chances
of catching a burglar 1/2 hour after the fact are zilch. I can go and
check out the premises no problem myself. I pay for home insurance
every year in monitoring fees saved.

That's another downside to wireless. They can't be turned off while
you are "home" which eats up batteries.

They are talking one year battery life. No biggy. Thais part I
considered and took on board.

PIRs need both body heat and movement before they react. The cheaper
units require more movement while the more expensive units have a

Well, maybe these things are at one threshold when testing and one
when working? Serious. This could be to prevent false alarms. But all
the guy had to do was say so. It does misguide you about what parts
are being picked up when you Test.

These things are adjustable sensitivity. Two level only, but
adjustable.

I doubt it. They're probably keyed to the mfgr's electronics.

Yeah. I am going to check, but that's what I fear.

God Bless the Internet. I read about them and determined that I wanted
a wired solution. I, too, bought one (for my Vista, CA USA home) right
after a burglary/just before I left for a week at COMDEX (Las Vegas
Computer show) The guy also accepted a project bike (250 CZ dirtbike)
as a $250 prepayment on the $800 price tag. The installer took 4 hours

Well, that was one problem. I would still be waiting for an install at
this stage....the lead time was over a month. House empty over
Christmas. 3rd breakin....sympathise with me.

If this was an expensive investment, you might ask them if they have a
wired solution and a better grade of equipment.

Wireless only.

Otherwise, maybe you
could ask for a refund and then do more research before purchasing
again.

There is a 30-day payback option.

Another good resource is the comp.home.automation group. The
guys there are a better lot than at a.s.a. Several of the guys there
sell alarm systems. (I think Robert Bass is actually a good guy so
beware the guys dissing him. He may have stepped on toes over at
alt.security.alarms and cost them some sales by having better pricing
and service.)

Did you check with any local alarm companies who do local monitoring?
This is something you really want because they are colleagues with the
local cops: -their- alarms get responded to.

I actually knew a guy who worked for them. His opinion of them was not
good. I did call a couple out to quote. Lots of money, and I was not
that impressed with either the reps or the situation regarding
monitoring as described above. I do know that police reponse to any
alarm call is poor. They almost _never_ catch the burgs onsite.
errrm..I think their clearup rate is about 5-8% at _any_ time.....

ok, how would you install a device in a tiled bathroom, or a building with
precast concrete construction where the owner doesn't want exposed wiring.
Wireless components fill these needs. Typically wireless device battery last
5 years or more. Professional wireless equipment is more expensive, but it
takes less time to install, so you save on labor costs.

In some aspects wireless are superior to hardwire, because a thief can in
theory defeat wires by cutting into a wall and jumpering them. Most alarm
installations don't use "end of line supervision."

There is a difference between professionally installed wireless equipment
vs. some mass marketed retail kit. Get a professionally installed Ademco or
Napco alarm system, either hardwired, wireless, or combination of both.

Tony


"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 21:51:30 +0800, Old Nick
calmly ranted:

(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

A quick note: NEVER buy a wireless system again. They're much more
easily interrupted, are more prone to failure, and have a MUCH higher
rate of maintenance. Hardwiring is the only way to go and is also
usually about half the price, excluding installation.


(2) Has anyone heard about Securepro?

No, but you're half a world away. Judging by their blank main
page on the website, they're not too hot. Did you get the $690
system? It doesn't appear to be monitored. Ask your local cops
if they respond to automated phone messages from these systems.


(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

(4) The base unit also flashes a LED to show a "catch". This worked
great.

(5) The PIRS have a 3-minute "rest period" after they made their last
catch in Working Mode. Saves batteries when there is a lot of movement
in the house when I am home, and a "catch" has already set the alarm
off. This I believ is standard enough.

That's another downside to wireless. They can't be turned off while
you are "home" which eats up batteries.


I put them in Working Mode, and waited the required (and carefully
timed plus 30 seconds) 3-minute "rest period" then walked into the
room and walked the same places as I did in the test.

_As far as I could understand_ (as indicated by a LED flash on PIR and
on base station) I was not "caught" until I had walked in quite a few
places around the room, and the area of catch seemed a lot less than
it was under "test". But within maybe 5-15 seconds I _was_ caught,
after varying amounts of jumping about. So the unit was not having its
3-minute "sulk".

PIRs need both body heat and movement before they react. The cheaper
units require more movement while the more expensive units have a
settable threshold for movement to allow for animals, etc. (Burglars
love animals since they require less sensitive settings of the alarm
systems and small burglars can come in through larger doggie doors.)
If yours are adjustable, set them at a lower threshold. If not, ask
for their better units which are.


(6) The guy who sold me the unit "failed to understand" and suggested
I moved the base unti to where it could communicate better with the
PIRs. See Para (4)

Any thoughts? Have I made a bad buy? Is this pretty standard?

Also, does anyone know if these things have a sort of standard of
digital coding. Could I try a PIR from another maker and expect it to
work?

I doubt it. They're probably keyed to the mfgr's electronics.


Appreciate any helpful input. That includes a genuine "I had one of
those and they are crap" etc.

God Bless the Internet. I read about them and determined that I wanted
a wired solution. I, too, bought one (for my Vista, CA USA home) right
after a burglary/just before I left for a week at COMDEX (Las Vegas
Computer show) The guy also accepted a project bike (250 CZ dirtbike)
as a $250 prepayment on the $800 price tag. The installer took 4 hours
to set it up and gave me 3 -good- PIRs (cheap ones are much less
sensitive to motion and much more succeptible to fade during hot
weather), 3 door switches, and 2 extra window switches. This was a
central monitored alarm (locked box in the hallway closet) with
connection to the phone line for calling in the alarms.

If this was an expensive investment, you might ask them if they have a
wired solution and a better grade of equipment. Otherwise, maybe you
could ask for a refund and then do more research before purchasing
again. Another good resource is the comp.home.automation group. The
guys there are a better lot than at a.s.a. Several of the guys there
sell alarm systems. (I think Robert Bass is actually a good guy so
beware the guys dissing him. He may have stepped on toes over at
alt.security.alarms and cost them some sales by having better pricing
and service.)

Did you check with any local alarm companies who do local monitoring?
This is something you really want because they are colleagues with the
local cops: -their- alarms get responded to.

G'luck, Mate.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

And a determined burglar can jam wireless alarms with $20 of readily
available electronics. Truth be told, a simple window sticker probably
offers as much deterrence as any wired or wireless alarm system. Most
thieves give themselves 60 seconds to enter, and 2-3 minutes to grab
what they can (guns, jewelry, cameras, etc.) and scoot before police can
arrive. On inside jobs or jobs where they have definite knowledge of the
owners schedule, they can spend more time and really haul away the big
stuff. In these cases, a working alarm can really limit the losses.

Be careful in letting delivery people see valuables and never discuss
shop tools or contents with salesmen, newspaper types, or people you
know will blab it around the town.

Tony wrote:

ok, how would you install a device in a tiled bathroom, or a building with
precast concrete construction where the owner doesn't want exposed wiring.
Wireless components fill these needs. Typically wireless device battery last
5 years or more. Professional wireless equipment is more expensive, but it
takes less time to install, so you save on labor costs.

In some aspects wireless are superior to hardwire, because a thief can in
theory defeat wires by cutting into a wall and jumpering them. Most alarm
installations don't use "end of line supervision."

There is a difference between professionally installed wireless equipment
vs. some mass marketed retail kit. Get a professionally installed Ademco or
Napco alarm system, either hardwired, wireless, or combination of both.

Tony


"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 21:51:30 +0800, Old Nick
calmly ranted:


(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

A quick note: NEVER buy a wireless system again. They're much more
easily interrupted, are more prone to failure, and have a MUCH higher
rate of maintenance. Hardwiring is the only way to go and is also
usually about half the price, excluding installation.



(2) Has anyone heard about Securepro?

No, but you're half a world away. Judging by their blank main
page on the website, they're not too hot. Did you get the $690
system? It doesn't appear to be monitored. Ask your local cops
if they respond to automated phone messages from these systems.



(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

(4) The base unit also flashes a LED to show a "catch". This worked
great.

(5) The PIRS have a 3-minute "rest period" after they made their last
catch in Working Mode. Saves batteries when there is a lot of movement
in the house when I am home, and a "catch" has already set the alarm
off. This I believ is standard enough.

That's another downside to wireless. They can't be turned off while
you are "home" which eats up batteries.



I put them in Working Mode, and waited the required (and carefully
timed plus 30 seconds) 3-minute "rest period" then walked into the
room and walked the same places as I did in the test.

_As far as I could understand_ (as indicated by a LED flash on PIR and
on base station) I was not "caught" until I had walked in quite a few
places around the room, and the area of catch seemed a lot less than
it was under "test". But within maybe 5-15 seconds I _was_ caught,
after varying amounts of jumping about. So the unit was not having its
3-minute "sulk".

PIRs need both body heat and movement before they react. The cheaper
units require more movement while the more expensive units have a
settable threshold for movement to allow for animals, etc. (Burglars
love animals since they require less sensitive settings of the alarm
systems and small burglars can come in through larger doggie doors.)
If yours are adjustable, set them at a lower threshold. If not, ask
for their better units which are.



(6) The guy who sold me the unit "failed to understand" and suggested
I moved the base unti to where it could communicate better with the
PIRs. See Para (4)

Any thoughts? Have I made a bad buy? Is this pretty standard?

Also, does anyone know if these things have a sort of standard of
digital coding. Could I try a PIR from another maker and expect it to
work?

I doubt it. They're probably keyed to the mfgr's electronics.



Appreciate any helpful input. That includes a genuine "I had one of
those and they are crap" etc.

God Bless the Internet. I read about them and determined that I wanted
a wired solution. I, too, bought one (for my Vista, CA USA home) right
after a burglary/just before I left for a week at COMDEX (Las Vegas
Computer show) The guy also accepted a project bike (250 CZ dirtbike)
as a $250 prepayment on the $800 price tag. The installer took 4 hours
to set it up and gave me 3 -good- PIRs (cheap ones are much less
sensitive to motion and much more succeptible to fade during hot
weather), 3 door switches, and 2 extra window switches. This was a
central monitored alarm (locked box in the hallway closet) with
connection to the phone line for calling in the alarms.

If this was an expensive investment, you might ask them if they have a
wired solution and a better grade of equipment. Otherwise, maybe you
could ask for a refund and then do more research before purchasing
again. Another good resource is the comp.home.automation group. The
guys there are a better lot than at a.s.a. Several of the guys there
sell alarm systems. (I think Robert Bass is actually a good guy so
beware the guys dissing him. He may have stepped on toes over at
alt.security.alarms and cost them some sales by having better pricing
and service.)

Did you check with any local alarm companies who do local monitoring?
This is something you really want because they are colleagues with the
local cops: -their- alarms get responded to.

G'luck, Mate.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design

Old Nick wrote:
On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:17:53 -0800, Winston
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Just a question about this. How then can a spider or spider web set it
off? This apparently is a common cause of false alarms....


Any infrared sensor relies on a sharp contrast in heat level between
'person there' and 'person not there'. You get that from exposed skin,
not by sensing tiny temperature differences on the surface of an
insulated jacket.

--Winston

I do not know, Nick.

--Winston

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 11:11:39 +0800, Old Nick
wrote:

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:17:53 -0800, Winston
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Just a question about this. How then can a spider or spider web set it
off? This apparently is a common cause of false alarms....

The only way a spider can set off a "zoned" PIR is by crawling around
on either the circuit board, or the detector itself in the reflector
element. Spider webs cannot set off a PIR unless the web is the
consistency of a cargo net.

Gunner


Any infrared sensor relies on a sharp contrast in heat level between
'person there' and 'person not there'. You get that from exposed skin,
not by sensing tiny temperature differences on the surface of an
insulated jacket.

--Winston

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling
which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight,
nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being
free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
- John Stewart Mill

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 22:53:17 -0500, "Tony"
wrote:

ok, how would you install a device in a tiled bathroom, or a building with
precast concrete construction where the owner doesn't want exposed wiring.
Wireless components fill these needs. Typically wireless device battery last
5 years or more. Professional wireless equipment is more expensive, but it
takes less time to install, so you save on labor costs.

In some aspects wireless are superior to hardwire, because a thief can in
theory defeat wires by cutting into a wall and jumpering them. Most alarm
installations don't use "end of line supervision."

There is a difference between professionally installed wireless equipment
vs. some mass marketed retail kit. Get a professionally installed Ademco or
Napco alarm system, either hardwired, wireless, or combination of both.

Tony

DSC/Linear making any wireless stuff these days? I field tested some
about 12 or so years ago when I was on the beta test list for
Napco/DSC/Linear

Gunner, who needs either a replacement PC3000 mother board, or the
unlock codes for a PC1550.




"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 21:51:30 +0800, Old Nick
calmly ranted:

(1) I have just purchased a wireless SecurePro burglar alarm. In an
unusually rash moment (we had been broken into for the 3rd time) I
bought without my usual obsessive research. Needless to say I now find
I am not happy. Reponse from the vendor has been umm...

A quick note: NEVER buy a wireless system again. They're much more
easily interrupted, are more prone to failure, and have a MUCH higher
rate of maintenance. Hardwiring is the only way to go and is also
usually about half the price, excluding installation.


(2) Has anyone heard about Securepro?

No, but you're half a world away. Judging by their blank main
page on the website, they're not too hot. Did you get the $690
system? It doesn't appear to be monitored. Ask your local cops
if they respond to automated phone messages from these systems.


(3) My main problem is that the PIRs have two modes. Test and Working.
You stick them on a wall in a likely place and in Test mode you walk
around and they flick on and off to show a "catch".

(4) The base unit also flashes a LED to show a "catch". This worked
great.

(5) The PIRS have a 3-minute "rest period" after they made their last
catch in Working Mode. Saves batteries when there is a lot of movement
in the house when I am home, and a "catch" has already set the alarm
off. This I believ is standard enough.

That's another downside to wireless. They can't be turned off while
you are "home" which eats up batteries.


I put them in Working Mode, and waited the required (and carefully
timed plus 30 seconds) 3-minute "rest period" then walked into the
room and walked the same places as I did in the test.

_As far as I could understand_ (as indicated by a LED flash on PIR and
on base station) I was not "caught" until I had walked in quite a few
places around the room, and the area of catch seemed a lot less than
it was under "test". But within maybe 5-15 seconds I _was_ caught,
after varying amounts of jumping about. So the unit was not having its
3-minute "sulk".

PIRs need both body heat and movement before they react. The cheaper
units require more movement while the more expensive units have a
settable threshold for movement to allow for animals, etc. (Burglars
love animals since they require less sensitive settings of the alarm
systems and small burglars can come in through larger doggie doors.)
If yours are adjustable, set them at a lower threshold. If not, ask
for their better units which are.


(6) The guy who sold me the unit "failed to understand" and suggested
I moved the base unti to where it could communicate better with the
PIRs. See Para (4)

Any thoughts? Have I made a bad buy? Is this pretty standard?

Also, does anyone know if these things have a sort of standard of
digital coding. Could I try a PIR from another maker and expect it to
work?

I doubt it. They're probably keyed to the mfgr's electronics.


Appreciate any helpful input. That includes a genuine "I had one of
those and they are crap" etc.

God Bless the Internet. I read about them and determined that I wanted
a wired solution. I, too, bought one (for my Vista, CA USA home) right
after a burglary/just before I left for a week at COMDEX (Las Vegas
Computer show) The guy also accepted a project bike (250 CZ dirtbike)
as a $250 prepayment on the $800 price tag. The installer took 4 hours
to set it up and gave me 3 -good- PIRs (cheap ones are much less
sensitive to motion and much more succeptible to fade during hot
weather), 3 door switches, and 2 extra window switches. This was a
central monitored alarm (locked box in the hallway closet) with
connection to the phone line for calling in the alarms.

If this was an expensive investment, you might ask them if they have a
wired solution and a better grade of equipment. Otherwise, maybe you
could ask for a refund and then do more research before purchasing
again. Another good resource is the comp.home.automation group. The
guys there are a better lot than at a.s.a. Several of the guys there
sell alarm systems. (I think Robert Bass is actually a good guy so
beware the guys dissing him. He may have stepped on toes over at
alt.security.alarms and cost them some sales by having better pricing
and service.)

Did you check with any local alarm companies who do local monitoring?
This is something you really want because they are colleagues with the
local cops: -their- alarms get responded to.

G'luck, Mate.

-----------------------------------------------
I'll apologize for offending someone...right
after they apologize for being easily offended.
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Inoffensive Web Design



"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling
which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight,
nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being
free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
- John Stewart Mill

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 17:33:50 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email
Thanks for the reply.

I keep my PIRs in test mode all the time and trigger from that. Hard
wired, no battery problem.

Why do you do that? Do they work better? This is the important bit,
because this is where my problem lies.

I did that because it works, and when something works I stop fixing it.
I can at all times keep track of what is happening. ONce I noticed that
on one day of the year the setting sun will strike the PIR and trigger
it.

The PIR is always on test, but I turn the alarm on or off when I am in
the house.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

Police will not respond to monitoring co call unless at least two
Zones have been triggered. If the monitoring co calls me and gets no
reply, they do nothing, unless two zones have been triggered, when
they ring police. If they get me on a one zone call, they either leave
me to call the cops, or will check it out.......within the next half
hour and for $55. For this I pay $500 per year plus their gear.

So I am doing it myself. Basically, as far as I can see, the chances
of catching a burglar 1/2 hour after the fact are zilch. I can go and
check out the premises no problem myself. I pay for home insurance
every year in monitoring fees saved.

My solution to those problems is 2-fold. I don't have 'zones', each
sensor has its own alarm so I know exactly what is happening. Second, I
have 'alarms' OUTSIDE the house so I get a heads-up BEFORE a break-in.
For example, I have a driveway sensor that counts wheels, so I can tell
the difference between a UPS truck and my wife's car. I can also tell
when someone is turning the doorknob without the door opening, like a
burglar 'casing' the joint.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

"Tim Killian" wrote Truth be told, a simple window
sticker probably
offers as much deterrence as any wired or wireless alarm system. Most
thieves give themselves 60 seconds to enter, and 2-3 minutes to grab what
they can (guns, jewelry, cameras, etc.) and scoot before police can
arrive. On inside jobs or jobs where they have definite knowledge of the
owners schedule, they can spend more time and really haul away the big
stuff. In these cases, a working alarm can really limit the losses.

I agree. My shop was cleaned out, apparently at leisure, a few years ago. I
have since installed a cheap RS alarm which has worked fine for 3 years or
more. It came with 2 stickers for the doors, which are probably the single
biggest deterrant. No problems ince.

Be careful in letting delivery people see valuables and never discuss shop
tools or contents with salesmen, newspaper types, or people you know will
blab it around the town.

Yep. My theft occured a month or so after I had a yard sale at the shop. A
number of people seemed more interested in the shop contents than the sale
items.
Tony wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 07:11:43 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

hmmmmm..If I set up a dialler for every sensor I would have a real $$
situation. This is mainly for protection when nobody is at home. I
want to know, that I am being burgled, from a distance.

Perimeter protection comes next. I had wondered about having a
screamer in every room, attached to the external entries for that
room. That's for when people are at home to stop (well...sigh...deter)
invasion.

My solution to those problems is 2-fold. I don't have 'zones', each
sensor has its own alarm so I know exactly what is happening. Second, I
have 'alarms' OUTSIDE the house so I get a heads-up BEFORE a break-in.
For example, I have a driveway sensor that counts wheels, so I can tell
the difference between a UPS truck and my wife's car. I can also tell
when someone is turning the doorknob without the door opening, like a
burglar 'casing' the joint.

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 09:24:41 -0600, "Rex B"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

The thing is, of course, the average snatch and grab burg does not
know what you _have_ connected, so any alarm looks like it might dial
out or whatever.

The "signs on the windows" idea did occur to me. I just got sick of
being broken into, and decided to do a halfway decent job. They can be
cheeky sods.

I guess you need a sort of "random one third" of alarms to be the real
McCoy, just to give the *******s food for thought.

I agree. My shop was cleaned out, apparently at leisure, a few years ago. I
have since installed a cheap RS alarm which has worked fine for 3 years or
more. It came with 2 stickers for the doors, which are probably the single
biggest deterrant. No problems ince.

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 07:11:43 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

hmmmmm..If I set up a dialler for every sensor I would have a real $$
situation. This is mainly for protection when nobody is at home. I
want to know, that I am being burgled, from a distance.

You don't have a dialer for every sensor, you have one dialer that dials
tha same pager number every time then adds DTMF tones corresponding to
the sensor. For example, if someone drives in my driveway that is #26
so my pager reads 26-26-26. This is EZ to do with a cheap Radio Shack
dialer that holds 100 numbers by pushing 2 buttons. I only use 6
buttons (1-6) so I have 36 codes from 11 to 66 although I could use all
100 with a few extra wires.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 09:24:41 -0600, "Rex B"
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

The thing is, of course, the average snatch and grab burg does not
know what you _have_ connected, so any alarm looks like it might dial
out or whatever.

The "signs on the windows" idea did occur to me. I just got sick of
being broken into, and decided to do a halfway decent job. They can be
cheeky sods.

I guess you need a sort of "random one third" of alarms to be the real
McCoy, just to give the *******s food for thought.

Plus the 'random 5%' to be SSS to give Darwin a chance

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:45:57 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Ok. Yep. The system I have can do a _similar_ job if you use a pager.
You can habe it send data codes preset by you. It actually has a way
to tell monitoring cos what sensors have gone off, so I assume I could
set it up that way for me as well. I was using the phone, and hearing
Beep beep beep would not mean much to me ! G

Thanks for the explanation.

Have you actually modified the RS dialler to "pretend" that buttons
have been pushed according to input, or did you buy a unit that works
as you describe?

You don't have a dialer for every sensor, you have one dialer that dials
tha same pager number every time then adds DTMF tones corresponding to
the sensor. For example, if someone drives in my driveway that is #26
so my pager reads 26-26-26. This is EZ to do with a cheap Radio Shack
dialer that holds 100 numbers by pushing 2 buttons. I only use 6
buttons (1-6) so I have 36 codes from 11 to 66 although I could use all
100 with a few extra wires.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:47:35 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

See my comments about mantrap laws :-

I guess you need a sort of "random one third" of alarms to be the real
McCoy, just to give the *******s food for thought.

Plus the 'random 5%' to be SSS to give Darwin a chance

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:45:57 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Ok. Yep. The system I have can do a _similar_ job if you use a pager.
You can habe it send data codes preset by you. It actually has a way
to tell monitoring cos what sensors have gone off, so I assume I could
set it up that way for me as well. I was using the phone, and hearing
Beep beep beep would not mean much to me ! G

Thanks for the explanation.

Have you actually modified the RS dialler to "pretend" that buttons
have been pushed according to input, or did you buy a unit that works
as you describe?

I modified the RS dialer myself; relays "push the buttons". Relays may
seem obsolete but they are more immune to lightning, and every couple of
years I get REAL lightning. You could probably do it more elegantly
with transistors but I go for crude reliability. Besides, once it's
working I stop fixing it.

You don't have a dialer for every sensor, you have one dialer that dials
tha same pager number every time then adds DTMF tones corresponding to
the sensor. For example, if someone drives in my driveway that is #26
so my pager reads 26-26-26. This is EZ to do with a cheap Radio Shack
dialer that holds 100 numbers by pushing 2 buttons. I only use 6
buttons (1-6) so I have 36 codes from 11 to 66 although I could use all
100 with a few extra wires.


--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 22:31:24 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Love doing that sort of stuff, and I also end up going primitive and
making all sorts of Heath Robinson electromechanical stuff. We also
get serious ligtning. Every time we get a storm the phone starts
ringing all on its own, then the exchange dies :-

Then there is the "lightning" that comes with me building it! You can
_see_ a relay blow up! G

I modified the RS dialer myself; relays "push the buttons". Relays may
seem obsolete but they are more immune to lightning, and every couple of
years I get REAL lightning. You could probably do it more elegantly
with transistors but I go for crude reliability. Besides, once it's
working I stop fixing it.

In article ,
Old Nick wrote:

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 22:31:24 -0500, Nick Hull
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Love doing that sort of stuff, and I also end up going primitive and
making all sorts of Heath Robinson electromechanical stuff. We also
get serious ligtning. Every time we get a storm the phone starts
ringing all on its own, then the exchange dies :-

I used to lose phones, answering machines, etc to lightning but I
installed a multi-part srrestor of my own design and haven't lost any
equipment in 20 years. The arrestor occasionally has parts explode but
usually can be repaired cheaply.

Then there is the "lightning" that comes with me building it! You can
_see_ a relay blow up! G

I modified the RS dialer myself; relays "push the buttons". Relays may
seem obsolete but they are more immune to lightning, and every couple of
years I get REAL lightning. You could probably do it more elegantly
with transistors but I go for crude reliability. Besides, once it's
working I stop fixing it.


--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/