ISC West 2018: Alarm.com, 2GIG and Qolsys Review

ISC West 2018 provided the Alarm Grid team with a rare chance to get a special sneak peek at what would soon be offered from Alarm.com, 2GIG and Qolsys. Each of these companies presented its own set of products and services that are expected to be made available sometime in the near future. Let's take a closer look at some of the most exciting offerings from these great companies.

Alarm.com Pro Video

Alarm.com was excited to announce that they will soon be releasing a new lineup of HD cameras and products. Their new stream video recording (ADC-SVR122) device will now feature an HDMI output for local viewing and supports up to 8 high definition camera feeds. The device will be made available with both 500GB (ADC-SVR122-500G) and 1TB (ADC-SVR-122-1TB) storage options. This is the future of hybrid local and cloud video storage.

The ADC-V622 Indoor WIFI Camera will provide a 180° field of view, 1080P HD recording and Bluetooth audio capabilities. It's basically an Alarm.com HD camera with an integrated speaker for local music streaming.

Alarm.com also announced four commercial grade outdoor 1080P PoE cameras, including the ADC-V726, the ADC-V736, the ADC-V826, and the ADC-V836. They are phasing out some older residential cameras, leaving only the ADC-V522IR, ADC-V722W and the ADC-V622 (mentioned above) when it is released. All of these products should be made available around May of this year.

New Sonos Alarm.com Integration

Alarm.com compatible alarm systems can now integrate with Sonos Sound Systems! This is accomplished using a WIFI bridge via specific ADC cameras. At this time, only the ADC-V522IR and the ADC-V722W residential cameras offer the proprietary internet connection for Sonos to reach the Alarm.com server. Eventually, Sonos and ADC will work out a server level integration to avoid the need for the WIFI camera bridge. There is no official ETA for the cloud integration, but knowing Alarm.com, it should not take long. By setting up rules and scenes through Alarm.com, the Sonos Sound System audio can start streaming your favorite artist automatically based on system events. This feature is available now from Alarm.com, and it is only available with professional video monitoring. If you are an Alarm Grid customer you will need our platinum or self platinum no-contract monitoring plan.

Liftmaster MyQ Integration Bug

Users of the MyQ Gateway 821LM Garage Door Controller have enjoyed the Alarm.com integration for quite a while now. Lately, there has been a bug creating an inability to enroll the gateway with Alarm.com. Both Liftmaster and ADC confirmed that they are getting close to a fix. That means new gateways will be able to pair with ADC shortly. Users can establish rules and scenes for both the MyQ Gateway 828LM and the Z-Wave GD00Z. These devices also support GeoFencing reminders. Verify compatibility with a technician before purchasing a garage door controller.

Alarm.com Simple Access Control

Alarm.com is also planning to release a DIY-friendly access control system. The software and overall setup should provide a more pleasing experience overall for small businesses. However, the device will still require a card reader and a subscription service. Alarm Grid plans on a soft entry into the access control space with the introduction of this product. This will be a slow deliberate process so that we are able to provide same level of support that we do on the intrusion side of things.

Alarm.com Wellness Platform for Elderly Independent Living

Alarm.com is expected to release a lineup of wellness products for senior users. These products should provide users with greater independence and help ensure peace of mind for their loved ones and caretakers. This lineup is expected to include bed and chair sensors with special learning technology, as well as other products. If your loved one is not out of bed by their normal time, you can check in on them. The equipment will be marketed to a younger generation of more technically inclined adults who are beginning to deal with the realities of caring for their elderly parents and grandparents. This will be a growing ecosystem of products. Millennials have not taken kindly to the low-tech status quo of medical monitoring devices like Life Alert. It will be interesting to see this facet of the Alarm.com business model expand over the next several years.

Nortek Booth (2GIG)

Nortek is the parent company of the 2GIG brand of alarm systems, and in years past there has always been a major buzz around their booth. However, things were admittedly quieter this time around. We are still awaiting the news regarding the exact release date of the encrypted 2GIG Sensors. These will be the first 2GIG Sensors to offer full protection against hacking and other attempted digital attacks. These sensors should work exclusively with the 2GIG GC3, and they are expected to be available by the end of 2018. The encrypted 2GIG Sensor lineup should include door and window contacts, a motion sensor, a glass break sensor, life-safety sensors and more.

There are some fun peripheral sensors that 2GIG is working on. The 2GIG STVGRIL1-345 was recently released. This is a stove and grill sensor that is designed to detect whenever the gas has been left on. If the gas is not shut off within a certain period of time, the alarm system will be alerted about the situation. The user can then receive a notification from Alarm.com letting them know about the situation. This helpful environmental sensor will surely make a great addition to any stove or grill.

2GIG plans on releasing a new shock sensor in August of this year. This device will double both as a shock/glass break sensor and as a door and window contact. The programmed Loop Number will determine the function that the sensor performs. Thanks to its integrated magnometer and accelorometer, the advanced sensor can detect shockwaves with exceptional accuracy and much greater precision than most older shock sensors. The device also supports much wider magnet spacing than a traditional reed switch. When used as a door or window contact, the sensor can function with a magnetic gap of up to five inches. This extremely wide gap makes the sensor suitable for a greater number of applications, including for use with sliding doors in which the casing between the two doors would otherwise be too large.

Finally, 2GIG also plans on releasing a flood sensor, an outdoor door and window contact, and a driveway sensor later this year. The flood sensor will offer instant water detection, while the contact will feature a 2-inch wide magnetic gap. All of these sensors should be made available sometime in the coming months. We will release more information when it is made available.

Qolsys Booth

Qolsys blew us away with their upcoming daughtercard for DSC PowerG Sensors. This add-on for the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 will allow Power G Sensors to be used with the system. The PowerG Sensors boast an astounding RF signal range of up to 3,000 feet in open air and roughly 2,000 feet when used indoors. The Power G lineup includes outdoor PIR motion sensors with integrated cameras, outdoor siren/strobe combos, and a door contact with a wired input for long range expansion. The sensors operate at a wireless frequency of 915 MHz, meaning that they won't interfere with the low-band RF signals in the 300-400 MHz range for other legacy protocols such as GE/Interlogix/Qolsys (319.5MHz), 2GIG/Honeywell (345MHz), and DSC (433MHz). These sensors also offer 128-bit AES encryption so that they cannot be hacked or taken over by others. We plan to start featuring the PowerG Sensors on the Alarm Grid website sometime in the coming months.

The latest version of the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 will include both a PowerG daughtercard and the choice of a legacy daughtercard. Options for the legacy card will include 345 MHz for Honeywell and 2GIG Sensors, 319.5 MHz for Qolsys and GE/Interlogix Sensors, and 433 MHz for older DSC Sensors. These legacy cards will also be made available for individual purchase under the IQCARD banner. We recommend using only one legacy card with a Qolsys System at any given time because of the potential for possible interference. The daughtercards are expected to be made available for purchase sometime this summer. That means that if you are an existing IQ2 owner, you can soon add the PowerG daugherboard to expand your wireless reach!