Concept Alarm Integration

Just a view that Concept to CBus via PCI seems to be reliable, and great for using your alarm PIR's to drive lights (saves purchasing CBus2 PIRs) etc. However i've had no end of problems with the CBus driving the Concept (to perform functions like opening doors, turning on alarm etc.)... it seems to be hit and miss, and often requires the Concept to be re-booted... i think this is more a Concept problem than CBus, however i've found a lot more reliable when wiring CBus outputs directly to Alarm Outputs and bypassing the PCI.

Also, if you haven't already, grab the CBus diags software - great if you're trying to work out what the hell is going on when fault finding this integration.

 

It is rather useful isn't it!

If anyone is wondering what/where the Diagnostics Software is.. you can find it here

 

Ramon

Would you care to elaborate a bit on the different problems you have with C-Bus triggering events on Concept.

I may be able to help you here. If you would care to give a few examples

 

PLease try and keep this discussion going here and not off line. I am about to embark on installing a concept system integrated with the c-bus and would like to read any problems and fixes that you may come up with

Mick

 

Problems

reliability is the key problem... the Concept doesn't support bridging mode, hence you have to configure your cbus system to use local network mode (setting the Local SAL bit via the diags interface)... when you reprogram the CTouch it clears the Local SAL bit, hence you have to always remember to set it again... when you have multiple CTouch's on the network the problems appear to get worse... i've had situations where one CTouch would work and the other wouldn't yet both had Local SAL bit set... then restarting the Concept seemed to clear the problem? I imagine this is a Concept rather than CBus problem as the integration seems a little beta to me - and having to rely on a 1200 baud seial cross-over cable is a little antiquated from an integration perspective one would think.

 

CBus > Concept Communications

I think you will find that the version 5 Concept firmware will overcome all these problems.

Please read the following blurb from the Inner Range web site -

Version 5 Firmware Release


For Type 2 Concept 3000/4000 Control Modules

Version 5 firmware is perhaps the most significant upgrade released by Inner Range since life was first breathed into the Concept 4000 product range some seven years ago. With this new firmware we push open the doors to a whole host of future products and, dare we say it, future concepts involving the use and application of our products.

INSIGHT COMMS TASK

The Star attraction in our version 5 show is our new "Insight" comms task and its protocol. So without further ado Ladies and Gentlemen would you please put your hands together for " I-RIP "or when you get to know her better "Inner Range Internet Protocol." Just as our old PC Direct comms task used a protocol known as "the interpreter," so our new Insight comms task will use a protocol known as I-RIP.

I-RIP reaches deep into the heart of the concept firmware and enables external devices to interact with the panel using a new dynamic pathway that will be a platform to ensure our product viability well into the foreseeable future. Control Modules fitted with firmware of Version 5 and beyond will enjoy a new level of internet/TCPIP compatibility and with the release of our Ethernet UART in the next month or so this will be an even greater reality.

I-RIP incorporates the published 128 bit encryption algorithm "RINJDAEL" which replaces DES as the world standard. That is as good as it gets when you are talking encryption. I-RIP also utilises a new streaming protocol, which allows for thousands of events to be transferred in a continuous stream without packet specific acknowledgement. With new packet time stamping and our hefty encryption we can now enter the precarious world of cyber space with our sensitive security data well protected.

To sum up, the old PC Direct interpreter protocol was designed for one computer to communicate with one panel over a serial link. To the credit of that design much more has been achieved over the years by the innovative manipulation of the link. On the other hand, the Insight I-RIP protocol has been specifically designed for multiple panels to talk to multiple computers over various TCP/IP based mediums. Quite a different animal altogether.

The PC Direct comms task will still remain in all future versions of our firmware to support the many companies using it for interaction with our products and in many applications it may still be the more appropriate link. However I-RIP will provide a new additional link for our "Insight" software and new generation hardware products. I-RIP is the exclusive intellectual property of Inner Range and unlike the old interpreter will not be licensed or released into the public domain.

Regrettably version 5 upgrades are not available for type 1 Control Modules at this time.


PSC.