C4Newbie Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 It's time to replace my GE Concord 4 due to years of problems and want to install something that integrates very well with my Control4 system. Any suggestions? I'm going to have my alarm company do the install, but wanted to let them know what systems work the best these days. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayk32 Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus integrates very nicely. There is a version of the panel that can reuse a lot of the sensors you already have for your Concord4 panel. I did that exact thing when I replaced my Concord4 panel. Contact AlarmGrid ... they are very helpful. https://www.alarmgrid.com/ ekohn00 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PorterTX Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 I have really enjoyed my DSC alarm system and how it seamlessly integrates with Control4. I have a DSC Power Series Control Panel 1616 with a DSC IT-100 adapter that connects it from the panel to the C4 system. There are great driver choices ranging from the free one (which I use) to paid ones which have great reviews as well. My system integrates the alarm panels, door, window, and motion sensors as well as a couple of DSC hardwired smoke detectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejn1 Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 DSC Neo Time2Jet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo1738 Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Another vote for DSC been fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwanerka Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Honestly I have been using clare controls for awhile now and love it. It's sold by snapav, so very easy to get. There clareone panel integrates into control4 natively, even the clare controls (clare vision)cameras integrate into c4. Plus they are 1/2 the price for the same quality. The new line of clarevision cameras and nvr's are amazing and very fare on price. Clare controls has wireless to wireless translator and a wired to wireless translator that will make taking over an existing system a snap. I am actually doing a take over right now . They also sell wireless sensors, wired sensors, motion and smoke detectors. Everything the other companies have , just cheaper , better looking and quality and like I said. Integration into c4 is just 1 double click in composer. It finds it automatically. https://www.clarecontrols.com/ https://www.snapav.com/shop/en/snapav/clare Here is where to buy it from if your a snapav dealer, which if your low voltage guy is selling and installing c4 and alarms. Then they are https://www.snapav.com/shop/en/snapav/clare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekohn00 Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 1 hour ago, C4Newbie said: It's time to replace my GE Concord 4 due to years of problems and want to install something that integrates very well with my Control4 system. Any suggestions? I'm going to have my alarm company do the install, but wanted to let them know what systems work the best these days. Thanks! I had to replace my GE Concord too..... Looked at Clare becuase it "looks" like C4 and is supposed to have easy intigration. Since I use GeoAlarm for dirt cheap monitoring and they won't monitor Clare I decided to try Qolsys. I did look around for others that might do Clare, but like C4 it wasn't DYI friendly. The Qolysis install was a piece of cake. Just moved the Hardwired sensors over to their board. Everything works off the main touch screen, and all the boards then talk to the touchscreen wirelessly. Easy as crap to set up. Next comes the C4 integration. Load driver....pretty much done. Coming from GE concord, i was pretty amazed and wish i did this a long time ago........ rayk32 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4 User Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 I have a DSC Neo but I am seriously looking at the Elk M1 Gold using @Chowmains new driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BraydonH Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 Qolsys for wireless system with free driver. Paradox Evo 192 with Cinegration driver on Drivercentral.io if you want the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 If you have wireless GE sensors you want to re-use, Qolsys supports them natively. Integration is a snap as well, but there's nothing wrong with DSC and even if a monitoring company doesn't monitor Qolsys, they WILL monitor DSC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4 User Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 17 hours ago, Cyknight said: If you have wireless GE sensors you want to re-use, Qolsys supports them natively. Integration is a snap as well, but there's nothing wrong with DSC and even if a monitoring company doesn't monitor Qolsys, they WILL monitor DSC. @Cyknight I have a DSC Neo. If I do not monitor and reset the communicator, I can integrate with C4. As soon as the monitoring service does their thing with the communicator I find I can no longer integrate with C4. I have played with all the communicator parameters and followed all the advice found on this forum, but nothing works. I am considering changing my monitoring provider to a new provider that says they know how to set up the communicator to allow for both C4 integration and monitoring. It’s either that or changing my panel. Before I do either, do you by chance know what settings the monitoring service may be changing that is preventing the C4 integration? If I knew what the tell them, I am sure they would make the setting changes on their end. I do not believe its on my end. But looking for advice. Thank you so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejn1 Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 1 hour ago, C4 User said: @Cyknight I have a DSC Neo. If I do not monitor and reset the communicator, I can integrate with C4. As soon as the monitoring service does their thing with the communicator I find I can no longer integrate with C4. I have played with all the communicator parameters and followed all the advice found on this forum, but nothing works. I am considering changing my monitoring provider to a new provider that says they know how to set up the communicator to allow for both C4 integration and monitoring. It’s either that or changing my panel. Before I do either, do you by chance know what settings the monitoring service may be changing that is preventing the C4 integration? If I knew what the tell them, I am sure they would make the setting changes on their end. I do not believe its on my end. But looking for advice. Thank you so much. How is your monitoring service connected? I have a Neo, monitoring (via Cell provider) and integration with C4 and all work fine. Neo1738 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Leeds UK Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 We have a Texecom Elite Panel and works great via IP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4Newbie Posted May 12, 2021 Author Share Posted May 12, 2021 My alarm company was just here and they are proposing a Honeywell system. Anyone have experience with Honeywell, good or bad? I'd like to be able to of course arm, disarm, add and delete users remotely, etc. and not have to rely on them for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
istreich Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 Personally been using a Honeywell (now called Resideo) Vista system for years with my Control4 system. Works perfectly well. Both standalone with Honeywell keypads and iPhone TC2.0 app, and within Control4. A lot of alarm companies install those and they are extensively monitored. I don't remember precisely (was some time ago) but you may need to add a module to communicate with Control4 and I can't remember if driver was free/native Control4 or premium. It has worked very well for me and additional sensors are cheap and quite easy to install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 7 hours ago, C4 User said: @Cyknight I have a DSC Neo. If I do not monitor and reset the communicator, I can integrate with C4. As soon as the monitoring service does their thing with the communicator I find I can no longer integrate with C4. I have played with all the communicator parameters and followed all the advice found on this forum, but nothing works. I am considering changing my monitoring provider to a new provider that says they know how to set up the communicator to allow for both C4 integration and monitoring. It’s either that or changing my panel. Before I do either, do you by chance know what settings the monitoring service may be changing that is preventing the C4 integration? If I knew what the tell them, I am sure they would make the setting changes on their end. I do not believe its on my end. But looking for advice. Thank you so much. DSC Neo you can't do alarm.com monitoring (PowerPC series you can) and integration, but as already mentioned, you can still do cellular and landline at the same time as integration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 5 hours ago, Gary Leeds UK said: We have a Texecom Elite Panel and works great via IP Yup heard great things on those as well, but very 'local' in their availability so it'll depend on where OP lives 4 hours ago, C4Newbie said: My alarm company was just here and they are proposing a Honeywell system. Anyone have experience with Honeywell, good or bad? I'd like to be able to of course arm, disarm, add and delete users remotely, etc. and not have to rely on them for this. Once in it works just fine (Vista or equivalent panel), just tougher to get to that point (Honeywell piece was often iffy in the past, haven't done one in ages - Houselogix had a piece but no idea is Snap is still selling them) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
South Africa C4 user Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 On 5/11/2021 at 7:35 PM, BraydonH said: Qolsys for wireless system with free driver. Paradox Evo 192 with Cinegration driver on Drivercentral.io if you want the best I have Paradox Evo at my beach house (as I was told this was the best) and DSC at my main house. I am underwhelmed by Paradox and happy with my DSC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4 User Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 58 minutes ago, Cyknight said: DSC Neo you can't do alarm.com monitoring (PowerPC series you can) and integration, but as already mentioned, you can still do cellular and landline at the same time as integration. @Cyknight understood. I am not using Alarm.com, i have cellular monitoring. Is there a setting I need to tell the monitoring company to use on their end so I can integrate to C4 on my end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 I don't know the details off the top of my head, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanchow Posted May 12, 2021 Share Posted May 12, 2021 We developed the ultimate Elk M1 / Ness M1 security panel driver for Control4 and released it about a month or so ago. The goal of the driver was not to just implement the basic arm/disarm/alarm/zones/outputs that pretty much all security panel drivers do but on top of all of that provide the most advanced security panel integration on the market. This driver has built in notifications (ie no extra programming) that will send 4sight emails and push notifications advising you who armed / disarmed the panel, what alarm has gone off, trouble (battery low, faulty sensor, etc) and more. It provides you with the ability to manage / enroll users from Control4 along with the ability to learn weigand for specific door access. Implemented every event possible but the ones that stand out to me are events for AC failure, AC restore, battery level, remote control fob button presses. keypad bindings for keypad buttons, fob buttons. Allows you to send text to the M1 keypads and we can tie the function buttons to bindings or events. EG at my house i have a bit of Control4 programming tied into the function buttons with the LCD providing state feedback to me. temperature sensor feedback / bindings as well if you want to use the M1 temperature sensors. lighting integration for M1 compatible lighting systems. Controller clock syncing so that you don't have time drift when you have RS232 only connections (ie no NTP time syncing). This driver might be a bit overkill for most people but we wanted to provide a complete solution This driver was completed by our very talented @Andrew luecke https://www.chowmainsoft.com/m1-control4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 The M1 is awesome, but -at least here- monitoring companies refuse to monitor it and distributors only special order it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejn1 Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 The M1 actually looks cool but still not sure what it gives you over let's say a DSC Neo which also comes with free driver which seems to do most of what I'm seeing in the paid drivers out there. I personally like the keypad flushmount better than the design of the DSC Neo keypads but thats not enough to switch. Maybe its much easier for a homeowner to program with their available software? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOutsider Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 We currently have ADT with a Vista 21 IP panel that our integrator installed way back when. When they recently came out to swap the cellular module, the tech short circuited something in the panel and -- according to the ADT tech -- fried it. They are proposing installing their own panel for free, or I can get a new Vista panel, but they won't install it since it's unsupported. Any recommendations here? He's touting ADT's "cloud" stuff, but it's really just rehashing stuff I can already do through C4. Now, if C4 can integrate with whatever ADT is installing these days, I'm all for it. If not, any recommendations? Should I just grab another Vista panel and swap it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmypop Posted April 4, 2022 Share Posted April 4, 2022 I was thinking I needed to upgrade my alarm panel from a Concord as well to get LTE and IP control. I reached out to confirm the gear from Alarm Grid. They says the Qolsys 4 can't integrate with C4. Really? They said I would redo all programming through Qolsys instead of C4. No thanks. I have both wired and wireless Concord sensors. I'm simply looking to upgrade my alarm touch panels to something more pleasing than the old keypads. How does the integration work with a Qolsys alarm panel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.