Texecom home security products

[SilverShadow]

Hey gang,

 

This is probably a very niche subject, so maybe not many have any experience of this......

 

We're looking to install a new security system (full system) & it seems like Texecom have a very decent range of suitable products. The only snag is, they have a large range of products, and it's a bit confusing which one is most suitable without doing overkill

 

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience of these products, please?

 

I'm looking at maybe the premier elite 24, with one of their wired sounders, wireless keypad and up to 8 wireless sensors (one of which will be in an outbuilding up to 20m away from the panel). I presume the Elite 24 handle this without the need of the Ricochet Expander? 🤷‍♂️ 

 

 

TIA

Shadow

 

 

 

[JohnMo]

I assume this will be a professional installation, otherwise worth nothing as far as insurance is concerned?

 

So would suspect the installer would be the best person to talk with and they would be well aware of the correct mix of components for a good glitch free install of your house.

[SilverShadow]

Yip, yip - we would get a professional to do the hard work for us.

 

However, i always like to have a good basic knowledge of what to ask for, so we don't end up over/under spec-ing the system

 

 

 

[jack]

2 hours ago, JohnMo said:

So would suspect the installer would be the best person to talk with

 

If I'd done no research and just listened to 90% of my installers, we'd have ended up with worse outcomes in just about every area of our build.

 

I think it makes good sense to get an understanding of anything technical before taking advice from someone whose job involves maximising profit from you. 

[JohnMo]

24 minutes ago, jack said:

 

If I'd done no research and just listened to 90% of my installers, we'd have ended up with worse outcomes in just about every area of our build.

 

I think it makes good sense to get an understanding of anything technical before taking advice from someone whose job involves maximising profit from you. 

True

[joth]

I have a Texecom Premier system, professionally installed, and honestly I can't recommend it. It's hugely antiquated. 

I posted a short-list of my grumbles with it on the Loxone mailing list 5 years ago -I'll copy below for posterity...

 

The key question is do you need a "Graded" alarm system? this is never financially worth it for "insurance premium savings", the monitor/support contract costs more than the savings. It's really only worth it if you have high value items that the insurer refuses to cover without a graded alarm. Or, you just want the highest level of system for peace of mind.

A graded alarm allows for automatic police notification. I found that a waste of time, as the ARC would call me and my 2 other keyholders before doing police callout, and if anyone answers they would basically just say "your alarm is going off" and hang up, no information on what cause or support in figuring out if it's a false alarm. Which was oh so helpful when I was camping on a mountain in another country... So I've now terminated that contract and do my own self-monitored alarm (via Loxone, and a network of mutually supporting neighbours) which is cheaper and far stronger protection.

 

If you DO need a graded alarm, I keep hearing AJAX.systems is the much more modern system, and uses cameras for much stronger confirmed alarms. (Texecom has a camera offering now but honestly I wouldn't touch it given my experiences)

Still looking for some first-hand feedback from someone that's lived with AJAX for a few years and see if it lives up to the marketing.

 

Quote

From  https://groups.google.com/g/loxone-english/c/-p4RzvsYIqU/m/Rzbm2afCAgAJ

 

Where to start Some examples:

- the premier elite user manual describes text entry via the numeric keypad as "like on a mobile phone". They're talking keypad multipress character entry, made obsolete by T9 predictive text in the late 90s. So that's a 30 year old analogy that means nothing at all to a new installer these days. They've either not updated their user manual in 2 decades, or whoever wrote it wasn't familiar with the idea of an iPhone (itself 13 years 18 years old now!)

- its external communications is limited to 3 RS232 ports, running at (typically) 19200 baud. Their "Connect" internet bridge demands two of them, leaving one (ideally) for GSM remote monitoring service and thus none for the loxone "Creston protocol" interconnect.

- the PCB says (c) 2011 so I assume the design hasn't been modified in at least  that long, but even a decade ago three slow RS232 ports and no usb or ethernet would have felt a bit stingy. 

- their Texecom connect product is a joke. e.g. All I did was try to edit one user name, and it screwed up the names of every user (probably a parity error on that rs232 port ) and wouldn't recover so 10mins after installing it I was already resetting it and re-installing. The mobile app reviews speak for themselves. 

- they advertise a set of "smart home" products but really simple things like having the remote keyfob also trigger the garage door opener (as advertised in their brochure) proved extremely difficult. Installer had no idea, called Texecom tech support and they also had no idea! "no one ever use this".  Eventually they found their private tech manual on how to do it. Over an hour on the phone to setup.  Turns out It takes 2 long presses, two waits for LED feedback, and one more press each time you want to open/close th door, so really not convenient as I drive / cycle / run up the driveway anyway after all that. Clearly, no one ever uses this.

- the default owner user name of MASTER is both gender biased and racially charged 

 

 

- UI text is all uppercase, reminds me of texting in the  90s.

 

- the keypads (even the premier top end ones) have a vintage look about them.

- the wireless door/window sensors are dog ugly, or (if using the miniature ones) very unreliable (according to my installer)

... I could go on.

 

None of these are deal breakers, but put together it certainly all feels antiquated  to me.

Even the installation company said they find it very old school to deal with and generally discourage it, they much prefer working with Orisec these days

 

 

> having the engineers code does not prevent monitoring, just need the correct installer

 

Challenge in this is finding the "correct installer" that exists within a reasonable distance of my house.  I spoke to all the  local Texecom installers and all said exactly the same thing: they won't share engineer code, and I would not find an installer that would.

I also asked 3 local Loxone installers who they'd use or recommend for the alarm install, but they didn't/wouldn't share any leads. 

 

The installer I went with hesitatingly shared the UDL password at least, with a bunch of conditions attached. The install + loxone integration took enough time as it was (3 visits, and still has various loose ends) -- It would have been unworkable to use a company not from the local area.

 

 

Obviously, the above is all just one person's experience, but having just gone through this it seems worth sharing this contrasting view. YMMV.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by joth

[Spinny]

i'd have thought start with a list of the objectives that you are actually trying to achieve. 

What is the goal of this security system ?

 

We appear to live in a world where the police are more interested in responding to thought crime accusations than actual break ins. The prisons are full and so there is limited interest in punishing offenders.

 

Security systems are typically about monitoring and response, but don't necessarily substitute for high levels of physical security measures.

There are a plethora of DIY solutions around.

If really going the professional route then an overall assessment from a security professional might be better than just selecting an alarm vendor.