Ademco 20P Security Integration

I'm working on designing a system with my local C4 integrator. He has not done an integration with an Ademco 20P yet and I was hoping someone has had experience with integration the Ademco (Honeywell) 20P panel or Ademco panels in general.

Specifically,

- Does the Ademco 20P have a RS 232 interface on the panel and is this how C4 Integrates?

- Does the optional Ademco (Honeywell) ICM module which provides IP based access to the 20P provided any functionality to C4?

- Any experience pros/cons of using the 20P with Control4.

Thanks,

George.

Currently, the only way to interface a Control4 system with an Ademco 20P panel is to use the ICM module.

Yes, there is a driver that talks with the ICM module to allow the Control4 system to arm/disarm as well as know the status of your system and the status of up to 32 zones of the panel.

RyanE

Thanks RyanE, just the confirmation I needed to make me more comfortable about replacing my panel and buy the somewhat pricy ICM interface to support the integration.

While RyaneE has really answered my question, others please still feel free to share real world with the Ademco / ICM integration (the good, bad, and ugly).

Thanks,

George

The ICM is a quick and easy install, just like installing a new alarm keypad and adding a Cat5 connection to it. From there add it to Composer and you get a full alarm keypad on the Navigators and access to all zones (windows, doors, motion, etc) for programming control.

1. No RS232, its ethernet traffic. In fact, outside of the C4 control, you can control your alarm from any computer by just going to the I.P. of the ICM (pending the computers are on the same network as the ICM). Make sure they set the ICM for a static IP and run the ICM software update before adding to composer.

2. All the normal control you get from a Vista20p keypad you will now have in C4

3. Other than the price, really not any negatives. It does take about 30 seconds when a door closes before the ICM reads that as closed. So just be aware if you have programming like When door closes, turn off lights; there will be a approx 30 delay before that event happens.

Let me know if you have any more questions,

Tim

The ICM is a quick and easy install, just like installing a new alarm keypad and adding a Cat5 connection to it. From there add it to Composer and you get a full alarm keypad on the Navigators and access to all zones (windows, doors, motion, etc) for programming control.

1. No RS232, its ethernet traffic. In fact, outside of the C4 control, you can control your alarm from any computer by just going to the I.P. of the ICM (pending the computers are on the same network as the ICM). Make sure they set the ICM for a static IP and run the ICM software update before adding to composer.

2. All the normal control you get from a Vista20p keypad you will now have in C4

3. Other than the price, really not any negatives. It does take about 30 seconds when a door closes before the ICM reads that as closed. So just be aware if you have programming like When door closes, turn off lights; there will be a approx 30 delay before that event happens.

Let me know if you have any more questions,

Tim

Thanks Tim for the input. Sounds like the integration is pretty straight forward but I must admit the 30 second delay seems like it might be an issue. One of the things I was hoping for my system integrator to program was a conditional if past dusk turn on the laundry room light when entering from the door leading from the garage. Many times we have our hands full when coming into the house. That excessive 30 second delay would really make it not feasible.

Do you know if the other security systems support by Control4 (i.e. Concord) have a similar delay in transmitting changes in zone status? Given the price of the Ademco ICM interface plus the cost of swaping out my Ademco 20SE for the supported Ademco 20P maybe I should consider just swapping to a different manufacture all together.

That delay is only when a zone closes, when its opens its pretty much instant.

Opening a door is instant. I use one in my house for the same task, when the garage entry door opens, turn on entry light and I have no issues. Expect, when door closes turn off lights delays 30 seconds which isnt a problem because that gives us time to get into the house. Infact on the back door I delay an additional 90 seconds to give myself a full 2 minutes of lighting.

Tim

The reason there's a delay on doors closing and not on opening is that the Vista ICM module just looks at the text on the keypad bus to determine zones opening and closing.

If you watch a keypad, when a zone opens, it immediately is indicated on the text of the panel, but then the keypad scrolls through all open zones showing which are still open.

The ICM has to wait until it has gone through the open zone list to the beginning again to ensure that the zone has closed.

Just FYI...

RyanE

You could change to the Concord4. Definately the best panel to integrate with C4 and usually the cheapest.

RyanE, A while back you commented that the ICM interface support 32 Zones. My dealer only sees a 16 zone driver and I of course need up to 32 zones. Is there a way to make it see all 32 Zones?

Does anyone have the ICM interface installed working with 32 Zones (More than 16)? Any iput would be greatly apperciated as I spent a lot of time and money swapping out my old Ademco panel with the 20P and ICM for C4 integration.

The driver has not been updated in 1.3.2 to support 32 zones.

It will be in 1.6, which should be released this summer.

RyanE

Did you ever get 32 zones to work? If so what version is your ICM running.

Thanks.

Did you ever get 32 zones to work? If so what version is your ICM running.

Thanks.

Unfortunately and painfully my answer to your question is no, 32 zones on the ICM interface are not working with in 1.6. It seems that while you can now set the number of zones to 32 on the C4 updated ICM driver in 1.6, it still does not process events for the zones greater than 16. In C4 Composer HE you can verify the events for the zones are being set and monitored by the C4 debug interface, but C4 is not processing the information related to the zone opening or closing for use in programming for example. FYI, I am now running firmware version 2.7.8 on the ICM interface which has the required 32 zone support recommended by C4 for integration.

This is really been a pain for me, because before I purchased my C4 system it was recommended I upgrade my Ademco panel from a 20SE to a 20P to get the ICM support for this specific integration. Post install I find out about the lack of >16 zone support in 1.3 but told to wait for 1.6. Come to find out in 1.6 apparently nobody decided to test the updated driver actually worked for the 32 zones. So far my complaints to my dealer and Control4 to get this resolved have not gotten very far. I for one would like for C4 to get some of their simple blocking and tackling of driver support and testing worked out. I have a similar issue with my Somfy blind integration where 1.6 was suppose to take care of known issues but again nobody bother testing it. Considering both Ademco/Honeywell and Somfy are major players you would think C4 would want to ensure integration but what do I know…

(Yes, I'm bitter)

George

Well I am trying to figure this out as well. I have not updated my ICM to 2.7.8 yet, I was told if I did it will not talk to the control4. I have talked to in2net.com and have been told that they have made calls to control4. They have yet to receive anything back. So 2.7.8 is working for you with control4, but still only 16 zones. I will let you know if I find anything out.

***UPDATE**** Control4 is looking into this I will post again when I receive more information.

We have been working diligently with Control 4 on these issues.

Although I can arm the system with my Control4 hardware (i.e a keypad), HE will not respond to changes in the alarm system hardware, i.e. although I have all the contacts added in my Control4 software I cannot trigger events when a door opens as the Composer HE software does not recognize/respond to changes in the state of a door contact. I can connect to the ICM though my PC so I know the network is running fine. Thoughts appreciated as this is an important feature that I would like to get working. Does anyone happen to know what actual version of the ICM software I should be running? Thanks!

I have the panel installed and running. However, I am using the 4100SM module for serial communication with C4. I have attached some information on that module.

Although I can arm the system with my Control4 hardware (i.e a keypad), HE will not respond to changes in the alarm system hardware, i.e. although I have all the contacts added in my Control4 software I cannot trigger events when a door opens as the Composer HE software does not recognize/respond to changes in the state of a door contact. I can connect to the ICM though my PC so I know the network is running fine. Thoughts appreciated as this is an important feature that I would like to get working. Does anyone happen to know what actual version of the ICM software I should be running? Thanks!

I was running ICM version Firmware 2.7.8 with Styles version 2.7.8 and was able to integrate with Control4 v1.6 and would receive status event changes for zones numbers <= 16. In Control4 v1.7 this isssue is suppose to be fixed, but to test I was requested to apply ICM Firmware 2.7.8 with Styles 2.7.9, during the firmware upgrade did not go well and turned my ICM module into the equivelant of a brick. I'm working on getting the ICM module returned but I must say the Firmware upgrade process is a bit flakey based on my past firmware upgrades.

Also side note: In case the door contact you are looking for state change on is on an entry delay, the status of that contact wont be reported until after the entry delay is turned off(disarmed). At least that is how it is on my Ademco 120P with ICM.

Good luck.

Although I can arm the system with my Control4 hardware (i.e a keypad)' date=' HE will not respond to changes in the alarm system hardware, i.e. although I have all the contacts added in my Control4 software I cannot trigger events when a door opens as the Composer HE software does not recognize/respond to changes in the state of a door contact. I can connect to the ICM though my PC so I know the network is running fine. Thoughts appreciated as this is an important feature that I would like to get working. Does anyone happen to know what actual version of the ICM software I should be running? Thanks![/quote']

I was running ICM version Firmware 2.7.8 with Styles version 2.7.8 and was able to integrate with Control4 v1.6 and would receive status event changes for zones numbers <= 16. In Control4 v1.7 this isssue is suppose to be fixed, but to test I was requested to apply ICM Firmware 2.7.8 with Styles 2.7.9, during the firmware upgrade did not go well and turned my ICM module into the equivelant of a brick. I'm working on getting the ICM module returned but I must say the Firmware upgrade process is a bit flakey based on my past firmware upgrades.

Also side note: In case the door contact you are looking for state change on is on an entry delay, the status of that contact wont be reported until after the entry delay is turned off(disarmed). At least that is how it is on my Ademco 120P with ICM.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. Can you tell me where you got the 2.7.8 and Styles firmware from? I searched In2Nets.com and could not see them there.

We have been working diligently with Control 4 on these issues.

Any progress to report?

We have been working diligently with Control 4 on these issues.

Any progress to report?

Customer must update ICM Firmware to 2.7.9.

HOWEVER!!!! ***** WAIT TO DO THIS AS I KNOW OF 2 SEPARATE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND BRICKED THEIR PANELS!!! One in IN and the other in NC.

I would definitely contact your provider prior to updating!!

Sorry Hammer you were the first..