Integrate sensors into Ring Alarm System


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Old 07-05-18, 09:24 AM
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Integrate sensors into Ring Alarm System

I have a Honeywell Vista-20P alarm system that was installed prior to me purchasing my house, most likely when it was built in 2002. I am interested in the new Ring Alarm System. I spoke with their rep and they said that my existing windows/doors sensors can be integrated into their system, but it has to be z-wave sensors. How can I determine if I have z-wave sensors?
 
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Old 07-05-18, 09:34 AM
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The Vista 20p has connections for wired sensors. It would need a receiver for wireless sensors. Are your switches hardwired or wireless sensors?
 
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Old 07-05-18, 09:49 AM
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I have no idea if they are wired or wireless. How can I tell?
 
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Old 07-05-18, 02:31 PM
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I don't know why you'd want to replace your Vista 20P with a Ring alarm system. You already have a much better, much more capable system. You just need to spend some time to understand what it is you have, and what components, if any, you'd need to add to have all the capabilities you want (remote interactive services, control from your smart phone).

Maybe you don't want to invest your time to do that, but you need to realize your replacement is an inferior system, whose only advantage is simplicity.
 
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Old 07-05-18, 03:28 PM
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I am currently paying $50 a month. The ring system cost $200 plus $100 a year for monitoring. You do the math......
 
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Old 07-05-18, 03:35 PM
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If your system was currently using wireless door/window sensors.... there would be little boxes mounted alongside the window or door.
 
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Old 07-05-18, 06:29 PM
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If you're currently paying $50/month, that's a matter of your monitoring service and not your control panel. You can fire your monitoring service and get monitoring elsewhere for a price comparable to the Ring monitoring.

It's also possible that your current monitoring is redundant through multiple channels, i.e., landline plus cellular plus Internet, whereas the Ring will be solely over internet, IINM. You can have the Vista-20P monitored solely over internet too, for a price comparable to $100/yr.

I'm retired now, so I can't myself direct you to a cheap but reliable monitoring service, but I know from participating on these boards that they're out there. Other techs here will chime in.

PondScum is correct: Switching from a Vista-20P (or any professional-grade panel) to a Ring Alarm System (or any hardware-store brand that I've seen) IS a downgrade and will give you fewer options.

One of the biggest hazards (that I have personally seen over and over) of buying consumer-grade systems is that the sellers tend to upgrade every few years and stop supporting the old equipment immediately after the upgrade. With a hardwired system, it's not as bad, but with a wireless system (like the Ring) it could mean that you can't get replacement sensors next year and would have to replace ALL the hardware to keep one window protected after a sensor failure; or if you want to add a window or motion sensor.

Compared to Honeywell (formerly Ademco) systems whose current sensors and peripherals (e.g., keypads, wireless receiver, etc) are back-compatible over 20 years, and who supported the earlier version of wireless for years after upgrading, and whose products are so widespread that you can buy parts off eBay.

EDIT: BTW, you should have a Zone List for your doors, windows, and motion sensors, etc. Usually it's written on a card on the flip-down keypad door. Any zone numbered 1 through 8 will be hardwired. Zone numbers greater than 8 may be hardwired or wireless, depending on what kind of zone expansion you have, if any.
 
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Old 07-05-18, 07:04 PM
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You can professionally monitor your Vista 20P for eight dollars per month. The Ring alarm system has several fundamental limitations that in my opinion make it unacceptable. The Ring doorbells and spotlight cams are fine, I have several, but the new Ring alarm system system sucks.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 04:36 AM
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The Ring alarm system has literally just been released to the market but you already know it sucks? Please provide links to backup your claim. As far as limitations, that depends on the customer's needs. Most people dont need all the bells the whistles like me. We just want a reliable system with reliable monitoring while not getting ripped off with high monthly fees and contracts. And it would also help if you can provide links to this $8/month monitoring.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 11:35 AM
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You can read the specifications of the system to see that it is missing fundamental features that even Simplisafe offers (which I also do not recommend, even though it is a superior system to the Ring alarm system. By the way, you probably didn't know that the Ring alarm system was originally developed by a company called Zonoff for ADT, who later sued Ring, which was why the Ring alarm system was delayed to market.

See, we know more about this stuff than you do, and your attitude isn't going to win you any friends. I could tell you what those features are that the Ring alarm system is missing, and provide links for low-cost, no-contract alarm monitoring, but you know what - figure it out yourself.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 03:57 PM
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Easy with the personal back and forth please. Lets keep the signal to noise to a useful level.

That said;

Even if your vista system uses wireless devices; they will not be compatible with the z-wave protocal that the ring system uses (different frequencies, different interface)

These days there are a lot of DIY friendly options for professionally monitoring your existing system.

Generally something like the Ring gear, is better suited for a renter in a small to medium sized apartment, in my opinion.
 
 

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