DSC-IT100 -> NEO - Upgrade or not?

[HomeAutomationNerd]

I've got an old (2009) DSC IT-100 with 24 active zones, connected to an Control4 CA-1 via Serial Port. The Control4 driver I'm using ("DSCIT-100 Integration Module Driver") has some issues, and I'm torn between trying to fix them via a newer driver, or just moving to a NEO. 

The issues I'm having are:

1. Sensors read slowly, or sometimes not-at-all, into the C4 system. For example, C4 thinks my master bedroom window is open, even though the IT-100 thinks it's closed. The motion sensors seem to work well, but the window and door sensors do not.
2. I cannot pre-program "Turn on the alarm, but bypass Windows #23 and #26". This makes the system impossible to arm at night w/o doing everything manually. I would very much like to have this automated. 

I've spec'd out new NEO system:

1. Panel (HS2064NKCP01) + Transformer, (~$140)
2. Ethernet Adapter (TL280RE) ~$140. 
3. 2 basic keypads (~$250)
4. 1 touch screen keypad. (~$250). I don't think I can use my old IT-100 keypads or screen (PTK5507) with the NEO.

For those of you that are far more experienced here than me, what's my best course of action? Seems like it would be easy to "drop in" the NEO, as it's just a question of moving the sensors over and programming it. Then the C4 side of things would need to be programmed. Ideally, we could do everything at night using the T3 screens, a NEEO Remote, or even a button on the keypad. 

//Chris

[eggzlot]

2 hours ago, ChrisM said:

I've got an old (2009) DSC IT-100 with 24 active zones, connected to an Control4 CA-1 via Serial Port. The Control4 driver I'm using ("DSCIT-100 Integration Module Driver") has some issues, and I'm torn between trying to fix them via a newer driver, or just moving to a NEO. 

The issues I'm having are:

1. Sensors read slowly, or sometimes not-at-all, into the C4 system. For example, C4 thinks my master bedroom window is open, even though the IT-100 thinks it's closed. The motion sensors seem to work well, but the window and door sensors do not.
2. I cannot pre-program "Turn on the alarm, but bypass Windows #23 and #26". This makes the system impossible to arm at night w/o doing everything manually. I would very much like to have this automated. 

I've spec'd out new NEO system:

1. Panel (HS2064NKCP01) + Transformer, (~$140)
2. Ethernet Adapter (TL280RE) ~$140. 
3. 2 basic keypads (~$250)
4. 1 touch screen keypad. (~$250). I don't think I can use my old IT-100 keypads or screen (PTK5507) with the NEO.

For those of you that are far more experienced here than me, what's my best course of action? Seems like it would be easy to "drop in" the NEO, as it's just a question of moving the sensors over and programming it. Then the C4 side of things would need to be programmed. Ideally, we could do everything at night using the T3 screens, a NEEO Remote, or even a button on the keypad. 

//Chris

You can bypass zones.  Create a macro that has the key presses needed.   It’s usually star then 1 then star and then I totally forget.  I have a macro to skip the zone in my bedroom with an it-100 just with a macro I wrote.  To make sure it executes I put a 250 millisecond delay per keystroke.  

[HomeAutomationNerd]

34 minutes ago, eggzlot said:

You can bypass zones.  Create a macro that has the key presses needed.  

Thanks - I've tried that but hit some issues. It's hard to predict which windows will be open on the 2nd story. Valid choices are mine, the kids, the bathrooms, etc. 

*Ideally* I would say, "Arm, using the current state of everything". In the absence of that I would have "Arm, allow all of upstairs" and 2 or 3 other common configs. I can do this using custom buttons, but it's still awfully fragile. 

[South Africa C4 user]

1 hour ago, ChrisM said:

Thanks - I've tried that but hit some issues. It's hard to predict which windows will be open on the 2nd story. Valid choices are mine, the kids, the bathrooms, etc. 

*Ideally* I would say, "Arm, using the current state of everything". In the absence of that I would have "Arm, allow all of upstairs" and 2 or 3 other common configs. I can do this using custom buttons, but it's still awfully fragile. 

I use arm and the current state of every upstairs door and window sometimes but that was quite a bit of programming. It is rock solid for me.  The trick in my case was inserting sufficient delays between commands being sent to the DSC.

[HomeAutomationNerd]

I’m trying to talk myself into the NEO. Your not helping.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[eggzlot]

10 hours ago, South Africa C4 user said:

I use arm and the current state of every upstairs door and window sometimes but that was quite a bit of programming. It is rock solid for me.  The trick in my case was inserting sufficient delays between commands being sent to the DSC.

Yep that’s why I use the 250 milliseconds delay

[ejn1]

12 hours ago, ChrisM said:

I’m trying to talk myself into the NEO. Your not helping.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I find the wireless options better with the NEO and more options to integrate via ethernet.   I had a standard DSC system with the IT100 prior and glad I switched.   I would have needed to purchase a paid driver to get the new C4 alarm gui and instead of doing that I just purchased a new NEO system and used the opportunity to program and Unlock my myself.