Alarm that'll text me

[murmansk]

I’ve got a Texecom Veritas R8 alarm system which a relative installed for me about 15 years ago. As I understand it it’s a fairly basic system, but it seems very reliable.

I’ve had experience of changing some of the PIRs for pet-proof ones, swapping one PIR for a reed swich on the back door and renewing the backup battery and bell box, as well as programming it.

I’d like to have an alarm that is capable of texting me when it goes off and can be silenced remotely by phone or text. I could fancy the facility to arm and disarm it on a day to day basis with a fob, too.

I presume that to do this I’d need a new alarm control unit and that I could connect this to my current PIRs and bell box?

Which system would I need to buy and what add-ons? I need 8 zones or fewer and it’s a 3 bed semi. Which Texecom unit would do it?

Thanks

 

[Kido44]

I’ve got a Texecom Veritas R8 alarm system which a relative installed for me about 15 years ago. As I understand it it’s a fairly basic system, but it seems very reliable.

I’ve had experience of changing some of the PIRs for pet-proof ones, swapping one PIR for a reed swich on the back door and renewing the backup battery and bell box, as well as programming it.

I’d like to have an alarm that is capable of texting me when it goes off and can be silenced remotely by phone or text. I could fancy the facility to arm and disarm it on a day to day basis with a fob, too.

I presume that to do this I’d need a new alarm control unit and that I could connect this to my current PIRs and bell box?

Which system would I need to buy and what add-ons? I need 8 zones or fewer and it’s a 3 bed semi. Which Texecom unit would do it?

Thanks

By txt?

Ha

Your looking at top of the range systems for things like that. Thousands

 

[sparkymarka]

Premier 24 with a gsm unit if you want to disarm via a text, not cheap and you will have to supply a sim and keep it topped up,or a cheap £5 a month contract sim.for fob you will need a prox keypad premier 24 plastic £55 prox keypad £60 gsm unit £130 all prices approx plus vat....

 

[murmansk]

Presume you mean disarming by text is a lot to ask? I can live without that.

Surely texting me when it goes off it relatively easy though?

 

[socdesign]

Galaxy G2-12 - £30 new on ebay.
Galaxy MK7 prox Keypad - £35 new on ebay
Low cost ethernet module - £43
Self Monitoring account £1 a month.

 

[Europlex]

I’ve got a Texecom Veritas R8 alarm system which a relative installed for me about 15 years ago. As I understand it it’s a fairly basic system, but it seems very reliable.

I’ve had experience of changing some of the PIRs for pet-proof ones, swapping one PIR for a reed swich on the back door and renewing the backup battery and bell box, as well as programming it.

I’d like to have an alarm that is capable of texting me when it goes off and can be silenced remotely by phone or text. I could fancy the facility to arm and disarm it on a day to day basis with a fob, too.

I presume that to do this I’d need a new alarm control unit and that I could connect this to my current PIRs and bell box?

Which system would I need to buy and what add-ons? I need 8 zones or fewer and it’s a 3 bed semi. Which Texecom unit would do it?

Thanks

By txt?

Ha

Your looking at top of the range systems for things like that. Thousands

Don't you just love these 'pop-ups' that know nothing about alarm systems & how they work.

 

[alan333]

I've pretty much got the system socdesign describes above. It works a treat, fully controllable by phone over the Internet.

 

[E999]

Whats wrong with simply adding one of these....

http://www.alertelectrical.com/prod...le-base-feed&gclid=CL2cqqjr87wCFanjwgodZBsAGw

The VR8 is a great system...whay not simply upgrade sensors/ batt and add the dialler?

Rgds
Matt

 

[socdesign]

Speech is fine. SMS based on the old TAP system is not so fine.

If you're going to go down the Texecom route, get the COM GSM, then at least the SMS part doesn't used old TAP based services.

 

[sparkymarka]

As the OP asked for the following text with remote disarm and fobs ...

 

[murmansk]

Galaxy G2-12 - £30 new on ebay.
Galaxy MK7 prox Keypad - £35 new on ebay
Low cost ethernet module - £43
Self Monitoring account £1 a month.

I've pretty much got the system socdesign describes above. It works a treat, fully controllable by phone over the Internet.

I like the sound of this - would you be able to tell me a bit more about it and where to find the Ethernet Module? Presumably it can connect via Wi-Fi or does it need a Cat5 cable to my router??

 

[alan333]

I like the sound of this - would you be able to tell me a bit more about it and where to find the Ethernet Module? Presumably it can connect via Wi-Fi or does it need a Cat5 cable to my router??

Search for S M Alarms for the module and the Selfmon monitoring. My module is hard wired into my G2 panel and connected to my router by a cable, I don't think it can be done wirelessly. The self monitoring contacts you by your preference of email, text and/or voice calls. I have mine set to contact me only in the event of an alarm but I believe I can have it notify/contact me with particular events (like who set it and when etc). It notifies me within a few seconds of an event any time I've tried it.

Emails are free, texts are 5 pence, voice calls a bit more (can't exactly remember how much, 17 pence maybe rings a bell?). It costs a minimum of a quid per month, which includes up to a quid's worth of texts or calls (and unlimited emails). Any additional calls or texts are charged extra. You can have it contact several different numbers/emails if you want.

The only down side I can see is if my internet/router was down or I had a power cut when an alarm occurred it wouldn't be able to contact me. I'm willing to accept that risk tho, since the alarm itself would still work as normal.

 

[murmansk]

Ah right, thanks for that, it's given me the information I need to start my research

 

[GalaxyGuy]

15p for the voice call if you add it - limited to priority 'N' type actionable SIA events like burglary.

Also, for line continuity, an option for heartbeat monitoring is on its way.

Some people use UPS and routers like the Draytek with GSM IP. That way you get a backup path that also boosts your internet connection if you have an all you can eat data sim.