security camera system - part 5

It was just a needed maintenance work on the security because one of the wireless sensors have been eating the lithium battery very fast. I think it is because of the installation that exposed it to extreme heat and cold that deteriorated the integrated circuit. Soon it would turn into an update project for my home security system.


I also hacked into a passive wireless IR motion sensor so it can trigger the security camera system.

the wireless receiver unit of the passive IR motion sensor

finding a signal that is conducive to create a normally open signal wasn't that hard

this is the wireless receiver module that the receiver uses

here I wire in a low current 5V relay to be driven by the 4.5V high level signal

it is just a temporary test hockup

more ramen with pork belly and sea scallops

bad movie with product placements

it is almost a general rule - movies with blatant product placement is nearly always bad; bad product and bad movie

It took me a bit of time trying to program and change the sensors before I remember that I had try to do this many years ago, only to realize the keypad that I have cannot allow me to do this because it is not alphanumeric that supports custom words. I could do a number of other programming, but not the more complex one as there is just not enough space to show all the text parameters.

my non-alphanumeric keypad - it is retiring

it is being replaced by a much newer alphanumeric one that support custom words (meaning it is not limited to fixed English words)

the new keypad is much bigger, but it uses the same screw hole foot print - a sign of well thought out design

much bigger display

it has a 2x16 dot matrix display

a frozen pizza jazzed up with smoked salmon and more cheese

while I initially had doubt that the new keypad is compatible with my very old security alarm panel, with some hard work I was able to get it to function; no longer do I need to look up the corresponding location based on the zone number displayed

Once the entire existing security system is renewed with the update of the keypad console, I proceeded to test out the additions of 4 sensors. I successfully added all 4. However after a while it began to display error code. It would turn out I exceeded the maximum number of zones of the alarm panel. It is obviously a software imposed limit that Honeywell implemented to milk more money from you to force you to buy a higher range model.

Reviewing my current need as well as projecting those in the future, I decided to do the simple upgrade of the alarm panel also. The panel itself cost only around $60, and just the newer electronics that consume lower power alone is worth considering. My main reason is the ability to grow the system and still have spare capability.

There is a few beefs that I have with this keypad that can make it more user friendly:
1) The back light of the display goes dark after a while but not the illumination of the keys. There should be a programmable option to keep the display back light always on. There is no reason to save a few mA when it is a drop in the bucket of the entire security system power consumption.
2) The sound output of the tone speaker is adequate if you are using the keypad. It is far from adequate if yo are arming or disarming the alarm system with a wireless remote wireless fob. It would be nice if there is an option to set it louder.
3) The keys requires more pressure to activate than the old keypad. Also the LEDs for the keys are not the most elegant design. You can see the glare from them if you eyes are at an oblique angle WRT the keypad.

I do like the relatively not over-embellished styling. As for (1) above, I suspect I can modify it so the backlight would stay on for the display.