dsc gs3055-i
CH®IS
otherwise been sitting around the office for the past few months) as a
primary communicator (no phone line in the building)
everything seems like it's going through fine... confirmation beeps from
keypad (1832 btw), no trouble codes flashing on communicator, no ftc trouble
on the panel, not even a tlm trouble
however... no signals have come through yet
i suppose i should double check the sim card number tomorrow, but other than
that what issues are to be expected with this setup? i'm really hoping the
they won't have the same issues as some of the skyroute's did (also from
connect24) where signals would take anywhere from 5-20 minutes to show up
also... yes the panel is reporting in contact id... and there's no 0's in
the account number (that one has cost me enough brain cells)
anyway... i'll be heading back there in the morning so whatever help is
available would be very much appreciated
- chris
A.J.
1. The dealer profile is not setup with the CS. (Very likely)
2. Can you check on the web and see if the signal is getting out on the
radio network ?
"CHŽIS" <s...@dy.ca> wrote in message news:hZjwl.17494$Db2.14229@edtnps83...
CH®IS
news:qpxwl.97967$2O4....@newsfe03.iad...
> Anything is possible here.
>
> 1. The dealer profile is not setup with the CS. (Very likely)
close
> 2. Can you check on the web and see if the signal is getting out on the
> radio network ?
>
or #3... as it turned out... this account wasn't setup to be used with it,
only a phone line... you'd think after probably a dozen or so calls to check
signals and talk to tech support (and many more calls with dsc and
connect24) over 2 days someone there looking at the account and hearing me
say gs3055-i and cell communicator would've noticed that it's not the right
kind of account? i was really hoping this monitoring company would have
hired intellegent people and more than apparently 2 tech support people who
aren't any better
i guess i'll chalk it up to the fact we haven't been using them for very
long, haven't used any sort of cell communicator with them, and i've never
installed this particular one at all... and file it all under "experience"
...still pisses me off though
Jim
The main things I didn't/don't like about them is:
When being used with both land line and Cellular, there is no
redundancy in sending signals.
That is ...... as long as you have telepone service, the radio never
sends a signal. There's no explanation in the manual about this fact
and no one at DSC seems to think it's important enough to mention.
And, there's no explanation in the manual on how to make it send both
signals either. I had to literally "pull" it out of the phone techs on
how to do it. The way the device comes out of the box if you didn't
have a phone line problem for 5 years, the cellular would NEVER send a
signal!!! This is BACKUP!!!! THIS IS HIGHER SECURITY!!
The manual is/was a 8 or 9 page barely legible, crooked photocopy on
halfs of an 8� X 11 pieces of paper, stapled together.
The technicians are very unresponsive to detailed questions about how
the product works. If you don't ask them the specific question and
pressure them into answering, they just don't offer anything more that
might help you gain more insight about the product.
Spent the better part of a day trying to install the unit so that it
would send all the signals it could send and send both landline and
cellular simultainiously. Most of the time was spent on the phone
repeatedly waiting in queue for tech support to answer the NEXT
question that they could have informed me about on the last call, but
didn't because I didn't ask it.
Eventually, I pulled the unit out because it was among the batch of
the original units that they discovered were "going to sleep". ( that
is, sending cellular supervisory signals but not alarm signals) Which
is/was my VERY POINT about sending redundant signals!
This problem has since, supposedly, been fixed but I woulldn't use one
now if they were giving them away.
DSC in my opinion is NOT a good company and I think they make the
cheapest made products that I've ever experienced. Their panels are
"tinny". Plastic is cheap, soft and frail. Component boards are lowest
quality. Their tech support staff is the most unresponsive and un-
helpful group I've ever experienced also. They don't offer anything
beyond the exact question you ask them. It's speculation on my part
but it seems to me that they're so used to talking to people who know
so little about what they're doing, that the technicians are afraid
they'll have to explain too much if they offer anything more. And it
would be nice if they at least would sound friendly instead of a
monotone, yes, no. And stop saying "it SHOULD work" Either it will or
it wont!!!!!. If you don't frakin know ...... GO ASK SOMEBODY!!!
They don't even say hello or goodby ...... Ya get a tech on the phone
and say "HI, this is Joe from XYZ Alarms and you get dead silence. No
"hello". No, " how can I help you" ..... just ..... "what are you
working on?"
Hmmm. Maybe if I have a few moments today, I'll call them up and when
they ask "what are you working on today" ...... I'll say ..........
Nothing of yours! ;-)
A.J.
manufacturers have their own pros and cons, and the DSC unit seem to have
more pros than cons.
What I like about the DSC unit :-
1. Has backup battery, thus can be mounted in a remote location and will
still work if the connection between the radio and the main panel is cut.
2. Dialer capture sending full contact ID reporting, a big plus for me.
3. Does not need special programmer.
4. Performance is the best among all cell backup units in marginal cell
coverage area. (Major plus for me)
5. Heavy duty metal case with standard knockouts on the side.
"Jim" <alar...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:c2c7be64-a17a-4ff7...@t3g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
On Mar 20, 1:44?am, CH?IS <s...@dy.ca> wrote:
> "A.J." <a_j@shaw_.ca> wrote in message
>
> news:qpxwl.97967$2O4....@newsfe03.iad...
>
> > Anything is possible here.
>
> > 1. The dealer profile is not setup with the CS. (Very likely)
>
> close
>
> > 2. Can you check on the web and see if the signal is getting out on the
> > radio network ?
>
> or #3... as it turned out... this account wasn't setup to be used with it,
> only a phone line... you'd think after probably a dozen or so calls to
> check
> signals and talk to tech support (and many more calls with dsc and
> connect24) over 2 days someone there looking at the account and hearing me
> say gs3055-i and cell communicator would've noticed that it's not the
> right
> kind of account? ?i was really hoping this monitoring company would have
> hired intellegent people and more than apparently 2 tech support people
> who
> aren't any better
>
> i guess i'll chalk it up to the fact we haven't been using them for very
> long, haven't used any sort of cell communicator with them, and i've never
> installed this particular one at all... and file it all under "experience"
>
> ...still pisses me off though
The main things I didn't/don't like about them is:
When being used with both land line and Cellular, there is no
redundancy in sending signals.
That is ...... as long as you have telepone service, the radio never
sends a signal. There's no explanation in the manual about this fact
and no one at DSC seems to think it's important enough to mention.
And, there's no explanation in the manual on how to make it send both
signals either. I had to literally "pull" it out of the phone techs on
how to do it. The way the device comes out of the box if you didn't
have a phone line problem for 5 years, the cellular would NEVER send a
signal!!! This is BACKUP!!!! THIS IS HIGHER SECURITY!!
The manual is/was a 8 or 9 page barely legible, crooked photocopy on
halfs of an 8? X 11 pieces of paper, stapled together.
CH®IS
> The DSC GSM radio happens to be my favourite backup communicator. Sure all
> manufacturers have their own pros and cons, and the DSC unit seem to have
> more pros than cons.
>
> What I like about the DSC unit :-
>
> 1. Has backup battery, thus can be mounted in a remote location and will
> still work if the connection between the radio and the main panel is cut.
>
It seems redundant at the time, but that is the point of a backup.
> 2. Dialer capture sending full contact ID reporting, a big plus for me.
>
Especially now that the 1832's have automatic contact ID and you don't need
to program all the codes.
> 3. Does not need special programmer.
>
Always good, but why the serial port?
> 4. Performance is the best among all cell backup units in marginal cell
> coverage area. (Major plus for me)
>
I wish there was a choice of service providers for my area. While Rogers
has coverage all over Canada, Telus has much better coverage here.
> 5. Heavy duty metal case with standard knockouts on the side.
>
The can: yes. The four tiny philips screws: not so much. Although if you
do lose them, you could drill out the holes and use a real screw instead...
just don't drill into the battery :)
CH®IS
>
> When being used with both land line and Cellular, there is no
> redundancy in sending signals.
> That is ...... as long as you have telepone service, the radio never
> sends a signal. There's no explanation in the manual about this fact
> and no one at DSC seems to think it's important enough to mention.
> And, there's no explanation in the manual on how to make it send both
> signals either. I had to literally "pull" it out of the phone techs on
> how to do it. The way the device comes out of the box if you didn't
> have a phone line problem for 5 years, the cellular would NEVER send a
> signal!!! This is BACKUP!!!! THIS IS HIGHER SECURITY!!
Wouldn't this be the point of the timer test? If you were just on a phone
line and never had an alarm for 5 years there wouldn't be a difference.
> The technicians are very unresponsive to detailed questions about how
> the product works. If you don't ask them the specific question and
> pressure them into answering, they just don't offer anything more that
> might help you gain more insight about the product.
This is some retarded customer service type, or the DSC "elite" tech
support? I've always found DSC's tech support to be the best I've ever had
to deal with.
> Spent the better part of a day trying to install the unit so that it
> would send all the signals it could send and send both landline and
> cellular simultainiously.
Making it do something it's not designed to do might not be something they'd
know about.
> Most of the time was spent on the phone
> repeatedly waiting in queue for tech support to answer the NEXT
> question that they could have informed me about on the last call, but
> didn't because I didn't ask it.
There are some customers who, after being in their home/business/whatever
for 5 minutes, I already know I'm not going to show them how to use the stay
and away keys, bypassing, adding codes, etc. Some people just aren't
equipped with the ability to take that much in at once. "# and your code to
arm or disarm" ... ... ... ... ... "So... I enter my code... then hold Away?
And then when I come home I just push Stay right? So I can arm without my
code, how come I need my code to disarm then?"
> Eventually, I pulled the unit out because it was among the batch of
> the original units that they discovered were "going to sleep". ( that
> is, sending cellular supervisory signals but not alarm signals) Which
> is/was my VERY POINT about sending redundant signals!
>
> This problem has since, supposedly, been fixed but I woulldn't use one
> now if they were giving them away.
There seems to be a general rule for DSC's new products, which I'm sure I've
learned from this group... don't bother for the first year. Let them work
out the bugs and get things fixed in the next version.
> DSC in my opinion is NOT a good company and I think they make the
> cheapest made products that I've ever experienced. Their panels are
> "tinny". Plastic is cheap, soft and frail. Component boards are lowest
> quality. Their tech support staff is the most unresponsive and un-
> helpful group I've ever experienced also. They don't offer anything
> beyond the exact question you ask them. It's speculation on my part
> but it seems to me that they're so used to talking to people who know
> so little about what they're doing, that the technicians are afraid
> they'll have to explain too much if they offer anything more. And it
> would be nice if they at least would sound friendly instead of a
> monotone, yes, no. And stop saying "it SHOULD work" Either it will or
> it wont!!!!!. If you don't frakin know ...... GO ASK SOMEBODY!!!
If you want a poorly made, cheap feel... stick with GE's stuff. Their
motions especially are horrible... and the Allegro panel backplates almost
require you use a washer with the screw to make sure the screws won't pop
out the back when you touch the panel.
> They don't even say hello or goodby ...... Ya get a tech on the phone
> and say "HI, this is Joe from XYZ Alarms and you get dead silence. No
> "hello". No, " how can I help you" ..... just ..... "what are you
> working on?"
Unless you're going to be calling back and want to talk to the same person
again, do you really care what their name is? The ability to talk to
someone with the fewest possible words and still come to a solution is nice
for a change. For example, when I'm working on that "1832 with a 3055 I and
no phone line", they know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't have to
say that I'm working on an "DSC 1832 alarm system with a DSC GS 3055 I cell
communicator to send signals without a phone line and using the communicator
as the only method of communication... yes... an 1832... 18... no not the
832... the 1832... and ya... cell communicator... cell... as in cellular...
30... 55... yes that one.........................."
> Hmmm. Maybe if I have a few moments today, I'll call them up and when
> they ask "what are you working on today" ...... I'll say ..........
> Nothing of yours! ;-)
Ademco's number can surely be found on their site. Spend a couple hours
programming a basic vista panel on compass? I think not.
Jim
> The DSC GSM radio happens to be my favourite backup communicator. Sure all
> manufacturers have their own pros and cons, and the DSC unit seem to have
> more pros than cons.
>
> What I like about the DSC unit :-
>
> 1. Has backup battery, thus can be mounted in a remote location and will
> still work if the connection between the radio and the main panel is cut.
>
I'm not sure but I'd think that if that's what you really wanted, any
backup
radio can be made to do that. Coming built in .... is a plus though.
> 2. Dialer capture sending full contact ID reporting, a big plus for me.
If it's for back up and not the main communicator, it really isn't
that important
to me what it sends, as long as the signal can be identified as burg,
fire or panic.
>
> 3. Does not need special programmer.
I guess ..... Alarmnet's programer is what? $125.00?
>
> 4. Performance is the best among all cell backup units in marginal cell
> coverage area. (Major plus for me)
That wasn't my experience. Kept losing supervision signals every
couple of days
on first unit. Second unit was better. Only lost it every couple of
weeks.
>
> 5. Heavy duty metal case with standard knockouts on the side.
Yes, much better metal than all their other boxes.
>
But ........Doesn't the lack of redundancy concern you?
To me ..... the absence of that ..... or I should say, the absence of
DSC TELLING anyone that it isn't redundant and at the least ..... in
the installation instructions, offering the option of having it send
redundant signals or not ... is simply an effort on their part to cut
down on the traffic on their network, rather then being concerned with
security. IT'S A BACK UP DEVICE!!!!. Why wouldn't they at least
MENTION that the device isn't going to send signals on the cellular
network unless the phone line fails? Jeeeeze .... the phone line
might work for a decade and the Cellular wouldn't be tested ONCE
during all that time, unless someone puposely tested it by removing
the telephone line and causing an alarm. If DSC doesn't tell anyone
that that's the way it works, it's not likely that any technician
going out to work on the system in the future, is ever going to think
to remove the telephone lines to see if the cellular will send a
signal.
Oh well. as the Italians say ...... Sausage his own.
A.J.
With the dialer capture sending full contact ID and zone inputs on the radio
sending burg/fire/panic/tamper triggered by either PGM/Bell output. If you
are really interested, I can send you a hookup diagram between a DSC panel
and the GSM radio supervising each other with dual path reporting. For
Ademco, I use Alarmnet GSM with ECP mode, also dual path reporting. GE NX
series panel has 4 programmable outputs onboard and works beautiful with a
DSC GSM radio.
Yes, it's true that you can add a backup power to any radio unit, but you
will be looking at the cost of a mounting can, transformer and power supply,
that 's what I did with Uplink Anynet radio when it was the only one
available in town, and they were going to be shuting off the analog network
soon. Both Alarmnet and DSC were late with their GSM radios so we were doing
the first batch with Uplink, and later on switched to Alarmnet, then finally
settled on DSC GSM. Quite frankly, I was never a big fan of Uplink, but they
were better than Skyslut during the analog days.
"Jim" <alar...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:ff9e289b-e9cd-40cd...@q16g2000yqg.googlegroups.com...